What a Genius Really Is (Please Recommend, Please Bookmark!)

"You may not show much talent in cultivating Dou Techniques, but when it comes to controlling fire, you do have some exceptional talent."

A trace of satisfaction appeared on Ling You's face, but he immediately put on a stern expression.

"Take off your clothes and get in. Now."

"Teacher, that's boiling water!"

Ling Xi hesitated for a moment, pointing at the still-boiling water in the metal barrel with a wry smile.

"I know it's boiling water, but with Beast Flame protecting your body, it won't scald you to death."

Ling You rolled his eyes and urged him on.

"Hurry up!"

With no other choice, Ling Xi took off his clothes, gritted his teeth, and jumped into the boiling water.

"Hm? It really isn't hot?"

To Ling Xi's surprise, although he had personally boiled the water, all he felt against his skin now was a mild warmth.

Only after Ling Xi had entered the water did Ling You pour the bottle of medicinal liquid he had refined earlier into the metal barrel.

The thick green medicinal liquid dispersed the instant it touched the water, turning the entire barrel of clear water emerald green.

The boiling water immediately calmed as well.

"Mmph!"

The icy medicinal water made Ling Xi let out a soft moan despite himself.

Even the pain from his injuries seemed to vanish at that moment.

A whole day of reading and cultivation had undoubtedly left Ling Xi utterly exhausted.

In such an incredibly comfortable state, his eyes slowly drifted shut.

His previously tense body gradually relaxed against the edge of the metal barrel.

Just like that, he fell into a deep sleep within the medicinal liquid.

"Strange. This kid covered himself in injuries just to cultivate the Flowing Fire Afterimage Steps."

"By all rights, while my body-tempering medicinal liquid repaired his injuries, it should also have expelled some of the impurities from his body, shouldn't it?"

Watching the medicinal liquid gradually return to clear transparency, Ling You could not help but furrow his brow.

"This body-tempering medicinal liquid is indeed healing the kid's injuries and strengthening his physique, but where did all the impurities go?"

Strictly speaking, the body-tempering medicinal liquid Ling You had prepared could also be considered a fourth-grade medicinal pill.

Its primary function was to strengthen the user's physique.

If the user had suffered external injuries, it could quickly heal those wounds while clearing out some of the impurities within their body.

Ling Xi had clearly suffered no minor external injuries at the moment.

Yet after absorbing the medicinal liquid, not a single trace of impurity had been expelled from his body.

After the medicinal liquid was absorbed, the water in the metal barrel remained as clear and pristine as ever.

"This kid's body truly is rather strange."

A hint of scrutiny appeared in Ling You's eyes, but he quickly shook his head again.

"At this time, in this place, for me to encounter him must be a gift from heaven—a chance for me to have a successor."

"As for anything else, there's no need for me to investigate so deeply."

"Flowing Fire Afterimage Steps!"

Inside the Cultivation Room, Ling Xi let out a low shout, and his figure vanished from where he stood like a ghost.

There was no explosion this time, nor did he crash into the walls of the Cultivation Room again.

Ling Xi seemed to transform into a streak of fire, darting and weaving through the vast Cultivation Room before finally landing before Ling You.

"Teacher, how was that?"

Ling Xi asked Ling You smugly.

"Not bad. I take back what I said earlier. You do have some talent for cultivating Dou Techniques as well."

Ling You looked at Ling Xi with a complicated expression.

"I never expected you to master this Mysterious Tier Mid-grade Dou Technique in just half a month, and even break through to become a Two-star Dou Practitioner."

To be honest, the talent Ling Xi had displayed was enough to leave even Ling You somewhat shaken.

"Actually, as long as you can control the Dou Qi within your body as easily as your own limbs, cultivating any Dou Technique will yield twice the result with half the effort."

Ling Xi scratched his head and spoke with considerable confidence.

Through his constant cultivation of Dou Techniques over the past few days, Ling Xi had already gained basic control over the Dou Qi within his body.

"That's right. That's exactly the principle."

Ling You nodded. Ling Xi's views on certain matters often exceeded his expectations.

"An Mysterious Tier Mid-grade Movement Dou Technique is nothing much. My intention was for you to use this Dou Technique to gain control over the Dou Qi within your body."

After a pause, Ling You spoke solemnly.

"However, the Earth Tier Mid-grade Myriad Spirits Annihilation Finger is an inherited Dou Technique of our clan. It won't be so easy to master."

"But because this Dou Technique consumes Soul Power, its consumption of Dou Qi is actually lower than that of ordinary Earth Tier Low-level Dou Techniques."

"Given your current Soul Power and Dou Qi, you should be able to barely execute it."

The two Dou Techniques Ling You had chosen for Ling Xi each carried their own deeper purpose.

The Flowing Fire Afterimage Steps were meant to help Ling Xi control the Dou Qi within his body.

The Myriad Spirits Annihilation Finger, meanwhile, was meant to help Ling Xi control the Soul Power within his body.

In particular, Ling Xi's Soul Power had improved at the fastest rate Ling You had ever seen.

Even those peerless geniuses in the clan with bloodlines of the fourth grade or above could not compare to Ling Xi in the speed at which their Soul Power grew.

Naturally, this was due to the Myriad Spirits Returning to Origin Art Ling Xi cultivated and the Devouring Ancestral Symbol.

During every cultivation session, the Devouring Ancestral Symbol could absorb the Spiritual Qi drifting between heaven and earth, continuously strengthening his Soul Power.

"I'll demonstrate it once. Release your Soul Power and watch carefully how I fuse Dou Qi and Soul Power together."

At those words, Ling Xi nodded like a pecking chick.

Ling You took a deep breath, then narrowed his eyes. The terrifying Soul Power belonging to an Eighth-grade Alchemist abruptly erupted from his body.

"Myriad Spirits Annihilation Finger!"

A phantom white finger, like a pillar holding up the heavens, suddenly extended from the void. The space along its path cracked apart beneath that terrifying power.

Even the entire Cultivation Room trembled violently, as though it might collapse at any moment.

Looking at the enormous finger reaching out from the void, Ling Xi felt his scalp tingle.

If even a trace of such power touched him, he would likely be reduced to dust in an instant.

"What a pity. This Cultivation Room can't withstand me using such a powerful Dou Technique at full strength."

Ling You shook his head and dispersed the gathered Dou Qi and Soul Power, speaking with some regret.

"Still, even so, you should have sensed how I executed that Dou Technique just now, right?"

Ling Xi hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Show me once."

Ling You instructed.

Ling Xi nodded again. The Dou Qi and Soul Power within his body immediately began circulating along the pathways of the Myriad Spirits Annihilation Finger.

Ling Xi's face was somewhat pale. Although part of the Myriad Spirits Annihilation Finger's consumption came from Soul Power, the amount of Dou Qi consumed by an Earth Tier Mid-grade Dou Technique still far exceeded his expectations.

Yet under his precise control, his Dou Qi and Soul Power still fused together.

"Myriad Spirits Annihilation Finger!"

A finger far smaller and less imposing than the one before likewise extended from the void.

Then, before Ling You's disbelieving eyes, it viciously struck the wall of the Cultivation Room.