Could I Really Be a Genius?

Could I Really Be a Genius?

After sensing the many puzzled looks around him, Xiao Yuan offered no explanation and ignored Xiao Mei beside him. Holding the scroll, he headed straight for the Dou Techniques Hall administrator at the entrance.

"Hey! Cousin Xiao Yuan!"

Xiao Mei hurriedly followed after him.

Although most of the younger generation in the clan saw Xiao Yuan as a useless good-for-nothing, Xiao Mei knew that while he could not cultivate, he was by no means worthless.

A fifteen-year-old boy who could develop an Intermediate Market into an Advanced Market possessed such talent that, even if he could not succeed as clan head, he would certainly have a place among the elders.

However, Xiao Mei had only come to understand this over the past two years, which was why she had become much more attentive toward Xiao Yuan during that time.

"Is something wrong? I'm very busy."

Xiao Yuan turned around with a frown at her words and spoke blandly.

"Well, I've read the Dou Technique in your hand. It's very difficult to cultivate. You need at least Eighth Stage Dou Qi, and no one in the clan has ever managed to master it."

Xiao Mei felt somewhat uneasy under Xiao Yuan's gaze. She lowered her head slightly and spoke in a soft voice.

"Thank you, but borrowing a Dou Technique is my own business. I know the clan rules as well. I can borrow any Dou Technique scroll in this Dou Techniques Hall. As for whether I can master it, that is my business. Others needing Eighth Stage Dou Qi before they can try practicing it does not mean I can't learn it."

Xiao Yuan nodded after hearing her out. Once he had given his righteous explanation, he handed the scroll to the administrator for registration.

Naturally, the administrator would not make things difficult for Xiao Yuan. From the standpoint of influence within the clan, Xiao Yuan held a much higher position than he did. Besides, Xiao Yuan had already made himself perfectly clear, so there was no need to make trouble for himself.

After registering the Dou Technique Xiao Yuan had selected, he respectfully returned the scroll to him.

"Mm, thanks."

Xiao Yuan accepted the scroll and nodded. He then walked straight out the door, following the gravel path back to his room to properly study this supposedly difficult-to-learn Wind Eagle Leg.

Left speechless by Xiao Yuan's words, Xiao Mei stood where she was. Only after a long while did she come back to herself and realize that she had forgotten to ask whether Xiao Yuan could cultivate Dou Qi now!

Still, judging by Cousin Xiao Yuan's appearance, he had probably already cultivated Dou Qi, right? He was just being too impatient. A Dou Technique that required Eighth Stage Dou Qi to learn was not something someone who had only just cultivated Dou Qi could lay their hands on! "Xiao Yuan cultivated Dou Qi?"

"I haven't heard anything about it!"

"Heh, who cares? Taking home a Dou Technique he can't even practice is just wasting time. He's really overreaching himself!"

Inside the Dou Techniques Hall, after Xiao Yuan left, everyone could not help whispering among themselves.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yuan had returned to his room. Sitting in a rattan chair by the window, he spread open the scroll with both hands and began studying it carefully.

Wind Eagle Leg: Yellow Rank High Level. A mid-to-close-range leg technique with extremely formidable offensive power. Once mastered, it can be unleashed in midair as a self-sacrificing kick, concentrating the force of the entire body into a single point. Its power rivals that of Mysterious Rank Dou Techniques.

Tsk, that sounded pretty vivid.

Scenes already etched into his DNA surfaced in Xiao Yuan's mind, and he could not help clicking his tongue in admiration.

"Still, this Dou Technique really isn't easy to pick up. Not only do I have to train the leg techniques, I also have to circulate Dou Qi through specific meridians at the same time. Its rank is only Yellow Rank High Level, yet the cost of training is high while the returns are relatively mediocre. The demands on physical fitness are also this high."

Xiao Yuan put down the scroll and began to ponder in silence.

Although he did not have a senior like Yao Lao to guide his cultivation, he did have a few ideas about how to improve his physical fitness.

It came down to eating and training.

A medicinal bath would be even better.

But that was for later. For now, he needed to memorize the route through which the Dou Qi circulated. After all, he had to return this Dou Technique after borrowing it for a week.

The clan's Dou Techniques were limited, after all. They could not let one person borrow one for too long. Besides, Yellow Rank Dou Techniques generally were not that difficult to learn.

After carefully memorizing the Dou Qi circulation route described on the scroll, Xiao Yuan returned to his bed and sat cross-legged. He calmed his mind and focused his breath, beginning to attempt circulating Dou Qi through the meridians in his legs.

Half an hour later, Xiao Yuan opened his eyes after successfully completing the entire Dou Qi circulation route, his brows tightly furrowed.

This... wasn't difficult at all?

Didn't I just do it right away? What was so hard about it?

Not sure. Better check again.

Xiao Yuan picked up the scroll from the table and reread it three times, confirming that he had definitely not practiced the wrong route.

Then... let's try the leg technique combinations.

So, Xiao Yuan adjusted his stance in the room according to the leg techniques recorded on the scroll, memorizing the sequences and moves.

Another hour later, Xiao Yuan put down the scroll, a thoughtful expression on his face.

He had already memorized the moves. He had even made an initial attempt at circulating Dou Qi while executing them.

It had gone unexpectedly smoothly.

Could I really be a genius? No, I need to find somewhere to test it.

Xiao Yuan put away the scroll, left the room, and made his way toward the Back Mountain with practiced ease.

Before long, Xiao Yuan arrived at a secluded patch of forest in the Back Mountain.

Few people ever came here, and with Xiao Yuan's powerful soul perception, it was an ideal place to train.

After carefully sweeping his gaze around the area, Xiao Yuan fixed his eyes on a tree trunk as thick as the mouth of a bowl.

Then, he circulated his Dou Qi. His left foot stomped the ground as he spun, his hips flipped, his waist twisted, and his right leg lashed out like a whip.

Crack!

With a crisp sound, the tree trunk was kicked clean through. Its upper half flew away and crashed onto the ground.

"Huff, huff!"

Xiao Yuan immediately began panting heavily, but excitement flickered in his eyes.

This Wind Eagle Leg was pretty powerful! That kick had drained all the Dou Qi from his Platinum Qi Gathering Palace, and the meridians in his body also throbbed faintly with pain.

During his simple practice in the room earlier, he had been able to keep the amount of Dou Qi he circulated low. But this time, he had carried out the test using the exact amount of Dou Qi described in the scroll. The results were gratifying, but they also left Xiao Yuan somewhat alarmed.

At this rate, let alone using the leg techniques, if someone at his Third Stage Dou Qi kicked out five times at random, the other person might not die, but he would collapse from exhaustion first.

It seemed he had still underestimated this Dou Technique's demands on physical fitness! If his body had not been strengthened when he opened the Five Elements Qi Palace and absorbed the energy of the magic core through that wondrous formation, he would probably have suffered some serious injuries by now.

Still, this attempt had given him a clear understanding of his current limits. Xiao Yuan now had some preliminary ideas about how to carry out special training to improve his physical fitness.