Advancing to Dou Wang

Three years later

In Room No. 1 on the sixth floor of the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower, reserved exclusively for the top-ranked student on the Strong Ranking, immense pale-red energy hung so densely that it seemed impossible to disperse, filling the entire room like mist.

All the energy continuously flowed toward the figure sitting cross-legged atop the stone platform—it was Liu Xi. An extraordinarily powerful aura radiated from him, steadily growing stronger with the passage of time until it reached its limit.

Yet Liu Xi's handsome face had furrowed into a frown. The young man's Dantian and meridians were already filled with vast amounts of Dou Qi, unable to contain even the slightest trace of outside energy. He could only continuously compress his Dou Crystal.

"Boom!"

With a thunderous explosion from within his Dantian, the Dou Crystal suddenly shattered. Under the unceasing infusion of external energy, it re-formed into a much larger, irregular spherical Dou Crystal. As the new Dou Crystal took shape, Liu Xi broke through into the Dou Wang realm. The aura that had stopped growing began to rise again as energy poured into him, seemingly without end.

An hour later, the surging aura around Liu Xi finally settled. He slowly opened his eyes, and an azure gleam flashed through them. Liu Xi rose and stretched his limbs, then curled his hand into a loose fist as he sensed the immense power coursing through his body. It felt as though every cell in his body was cheering with delight, and unrestrained laughter burst from his lips. "Hahaha, so this is the power of a Dou Wang."

With a thought, the energy throughout the room seemed to answer Liu Xi's call, flooding toward his back and resonating with the Dou Qi within him. It transformed into a pair of magnificent enormous wings, primarily formed of crimson flames and wreathed in an azure halo.

It seemed that, if Liu Xi wished it, the wings could carry him into the sky. However, the room was ultimately too small, so he chuckled and withdrew them. Thinking back on the hardships of the past three years, he felt they had not been in vain.

Three years ago, Liu Xi had seized the fire energy of nearly half the senior students in the forest during the Fire Energy Hunt Competition. Once the competition ended, his rule-breaking actions had become known throughout the entire Inner Court.

Thus, Liu Xi had not been particularly welcome in the Inner Court at the time. Moreover, he had neither established a faction of his own nor joined anyone else's. In the beginning, people often came looking to make trouble for him.

However, after a Dou Ling-level expert failed to cause Liu Xi any trouble and was instead toyed with by Liu Xi's Illusion Technique, no one in the Inner Court paid any more attention to this shameless rogue. Quite a few people still resented Liu Xi, but those weaker than him could not defeat him, while those stronger than him could not make him fight. They would only be toyed with and lose face badly.

After that, Liu Xi used the vast amount of fire energy he had accumulated during the Fire Energy Selection Competition to begin intensive cultivation. In four months, he successfully broke through to a Seven-Star Da Dou Shi. As a fourth-grade alchemist, Liu Xi could naturally refine the fourth-grade pill known as the Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pill, yet he had not taken a single one before. Now, he directly used one Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pill to break through to an Eight-Star Da Dou Shi. After another month of intensive cultivation to stabilize his realm, he took another Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pill. Although his aura was somewhat unstable, he successfully broke through to a Nine-Star Da Dou Shi.

Breaking through to a Nine-Star Da Dou Shi in just five months made Liu Xi sigh. "Sometimes, breakthroughs really are this simple."

Over the following period, Liu Xi also set aside time to study high-grade pill formulas and refine pills to improve his alchemy. Within three years, he had already reached the level of a Peak Fifth-grade Alchemist. He only lacked a single opportunity to become a respected sixth-grade alchemist.

With his improved alchemy supporting him, Liu Xi flourished in the Inner Court. He had formed connections with many Inner Court elders, helping those elders—whose cultivation was at least at the Dou Wang level—refine high-grade pills. In return, he obtained vast amounts of fire energy, high-level cultivation techniques, high-level Dou Skills, and high-level medicinal materials. His cultivation realm also rose rapidly. From a One-Star Dou Ling after breaking through from a Nine-Star Da Dou Shi, he gradually advanced all the way to a Nine-Star Dou Ling. Every breakthrough signified Liu Xi's steadily rising status within the Inner Court.

At the same time, the improvement in his alchemy was accompanied by another increase in his Spiritual Power, making his use of the Illusory Heart Technique increasingly effortless. He could even create illusionary clones and disguise himself with illusions, with flaws that were difficult to detect. This greatly improved Liu Xi's ability to stay alive.

With his profound cultivation and bizarre Illusion Technique, Liu Xi climbed step by step after breaking through to Dou Ling, from newly entering the Inner Court's Strong Ranking to eventually becoming its number one. The Strong Ranking experts from Xiao Yan's era had yet to emerge, and even Zi Yan was not here yet. The Great Elder likely had not found her and brought her back, allowing Liu Xi to become the top of this generation's Strong Ranking with ease.

Only from then on did Liu Xi truly deserve his title of "Demon Lord" in the Inner Court. His feat of counter-robbing the senior students' fire energy during the Fire Energy Hunt Competition when he had first entered the academy became a favorite topic of conversation throughout the Inner Court, as everyone discussed the extraordinary "Demon Lord Liu Xi." Now, when other Inner Court students encountered Liu Xi, few dared to call him by name. Most respectfully addressed him as Demon Lord.

In this Dou Qi Continent, where the strong preyed on the weak, some things were simply like that. If you stood out from others, then when you were weak, everyone could not resist stepping on you. But once you became strong, everyone would come to flatter you, wishing they could hang you high in the sky.

Thinking back on everything that had happened over the past three years, Liu Xi could not help but feel emotional. If he had not fortunately obtained the soul technique, the Illusory Heart Technique, his path would not have gone so smoothly. Now that he had broken through to Dou Wang in one stroke, coupled with the Illusion Technique of the Illusory Heart Technique, he finally possessed the ability to protect himself. At last, he could go and see just how vast and boundless this Dou Qi Continent truly was.

Having finished reminiscing, Liu Xi smiled. He straightened his clothes, then reached out and retrieved the Red Fire Crystal Card he had inserted into the card slot. Liu Xi glanced at it and saw that its mirrored surface still displayed 2,580 days of fire energy. It looked like a lot, but in Room No. 1, it was enough for less than three months of cultivation. Ever since Liu Xi had become number one on the Strong Ranking and a fifth-grade alchemist, fire energy had been the thing he lacked least.

Pushing open the door, Liu Xi walked out. As he passed through the corridors of the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower, he occasionally encountered one or two students, all of whom greeted him with worshipful expressions and respectfully addressed him as "Lord Demon Lord!"

The Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower itself had been built underground, so Liu Xi could only leave by walking up one level at a time. When he reached the first floor at the very top, he happened to run into Elder Liu, who managed the first floor and was also one of the elders Liu Xi knew best.

The moment Liu Xi saw Elder Liu, he stepped forward and greeted him with a smile. "Elder, what a coincidence!"

When Elder Liu saw Liu Xi, a warm smile appeared on his aged face. Naturally, he was quite fond of this talented younger generation member who shared his surname. Looking at Liu Xi as though he were his own grandson, he teased, "So it's the academy's Little Demon Lord! You've been in seclusion for so long—finally willing to come out?"

Before Elder Liu had finished speaking, he sensed the Dou Wang aura Liu Xi had yet to fully conceal after his recent breakthrough. He paused for a moment before revealing a wistful expression. "No wonder you were willing to come out. You broke through to Dou Wang! Back when you first arrived, you were only a Da Dou Shi. It's only been a few years, and you're already about to catch up to me. Time truly spares no one!"

Liu Xi stepped forward and supported Elder Liu by the arm, saying gratefully, "For Liu Xi to have come this far, I have Elder's care over these years to thank. Without that, how could I have broken through to Dou Wang so smoothly?"

Looking at Liu Xi supporting him, Elder Liu laughed and scolded, "You little rascal! Even without this old man, with your talent, breaking through to Dou Wang would only have been a matter of time! Now that you've broken through, what are your plans? If you're willing to stay at the academy, this old man can help you secure a position as an Inner Court elder!"

Liu Xi pondered for a moment. "I plan to return home first, then go out and take a look at the world."

Though Elder Liu looked somewhat reluctant, he still agreed. "That's true. Young people should travel more."

After bidding farewell to Elder Liu, Liu Xi went straight to the office of the Inner Court's Great Elder, Su Qian. Liu Xi had come to request leave. After all, he had not yet graduated, and it was better to request leave if he intended to be away for a long time.

When Great Elder Su Qian learned that Liu Xi had already broken through to Dou Wang, he could not help but remark that Liu Xi's talent was almost demonic. He then approved Liu Xi's leave. Since he had already broken through to Dou Wang, there was no reason to bind him.

That same day, the entire Inner Court was shocked to learn that Liu Xi, the "Demon Lord" ranked first on the Strong Ranking, had broken through to the Dou Wang realm at such a young age. Meanwhile, Liu Xi had already returned to his room to pack his belongings, preparing to set out for home the next day.