Battle Through the Heavens: Obtaining the Extraction System at the Start

"Looks like Xiao Yan planned to sneak into that little girl's room and do something improper. I'll have to keep watch at night these next few days. Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan, I'll bear the Ancient Clan's difficulties for you. Once I cultivate a strand of Dou Qi, I'll have another extraction chance. I hope I can draw something useful."

As he headed toward his little wooden cabin, Xiao Ling rubbed his chin and began thinking about how to make things go more smoothly. He shook his head. It was still too early; he should extract an item first.

"System, use my extraction chance."

"Ding... Extracting. Congratulations, host. You have obtained the Qi Gathering Powder from the Ring of Gu He, the Sixth-grade Alchemist and Guest Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect."

Xiao Ling focused his attention on the System Warehouse and indeed found a white jade Porcelain Bottle. With a thought, the bottle fell into his hand. When he removed the stopper, he saw that it was indeed a Qi Gathering Powder. The Qi Gathering Powder allowed a cultivator at the ninth stage of Dou Qi to condense a Dou Qi Vortex with a one hundred percent success rate. Once he reached the ninth stage of Dou Qi, he could break through directly to become a Dou Zhe. His luck was not bad; he had drawn something that would be useful in the future. After storing the Qi Gathering Powder in the System Space, Xiao Ling formed hand seals and began cultivating.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, surrounded by glittering stars.

Xiao Ling formed the hand seal to end his cultivation. Feeling the Dou Qi within him grow somewhat more abundant than it had been three days ago, he was quite satisfied. He called out in his mind.

"System, open my personal panel."

"Ding, the host's personal panel is opening automatically..."

Host: Xiao Ling

Gender: Male

Cultivation: First stage Dou Qi

Age: Four

Cultivation Method: None

Dou Technique: None

Items: Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlight Night, Qi Gathering Powder

Extraction Chances: 0

Leaving the little wooden cabin, Xiao Ling looked up at the moon. It was already time to sleep. Xiao Yan should be making his move soon, right? Walking beneath the silvery moonlight, he headed toward the rear courtyard.

The rear courtyard contained the residences of some high-ranking family members and their descendants. The houses were far more exquisite, with many independent courtyards. After Xiao Yan's mother died, he had been given his own courtyard in the rear compound, complete with a steward and Maid to look after him.

Xiao Ling walked slowly and made little sound. Passing through the maze-like paths, he reached the area around Xiao Yan's small courtyard.

Finding an inconspicuous corner, Xiao Ling concealed his presence to avoid being discovered.

"The lights in his room are still on. Xiao Yan probably hasn't come out yet. I don't even know what time it is now. I hope he acts quickly."

Sure enough, not long after, Xiao Yan emerged from his room in a loose outfit. He looked around for a while and, seeing that no one was paying attention to him, headed toward Xiao Xun'er's courtyard.

Seeing Xiao Yan prepare to act, Xiao Ling followed behind him. Before long, they arrived at the entrance to Xiao Xun'er's courtyard.

Xiao Yan glanced around a few times and, finding no one, prepared to climb over the wall.

Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Ling immediately picked up a pebble and hurled it at Xiao Yan's hand. Xiao Yan lost his grip, failed to control his balance, and fell from the wall, landing on his backside with a muffled groan. Xiao Ling remained hidden behind the tree, exposing only one eye to peek at Xiao Yan. He saw Xiao Yan squatting on the ground, clutching his butt and looking around nervously, his face full of panic.

At that moment, ten thousand alpacas galloped through Xiao Yan's mind. He was wondering whether it had been an accident or whether he had already been discovered, and whether he should still go inside.

Seeing Xiao Yan still hesitate, Xiao Ling waited until Xiao Yan was looking elsewhere, then directly hurled another pebble at his little brother, hitting the target dead center.

As Xiao Yan looked around, he suddenly felt an exquisite ache beneath his crotch. He immediately sucked in a breath, covered his little brother with both hands, and ran away without another thought. Who was it? Who dared to ambush this Young Master? That brat Xiao Ning looked at me strangely today. It must have been him. Just wait until tomorrow!

After Xiao Yan had run far away, Xiao Ling let out a breath of relief. It seemed no one else would disturb him. He used his Soul Power to inspect the surroundings and found that no one was watching. According to the original story, Ling Ying, the Ancient Clan's strongest Dou Emperor, had probably gone to search for the ancient jade. Since it was his first day here, it was normal for him to be a little impatient. Even if he were discovered, he would only get beaten up.

"Why the hell am I chickening out? Wealth and glory are right in front of me. Go for it!"

Xiao Ling calmed his restless heart and crept to the entrance of the little courtyard. Then, with a swallow flip, he landed lightly and slowly walked toward the small house at the center of the courtyard.

Ling Ying, who was inside the Xiao Family's treasure vault, suddenly felt his nose itch and sneezed. Scratching his head, he thought, I've cultivated for so many years that I can't even remember the last time I sneezed.

Reaching Xiao Xun'er's door, Xiao Ling gently pushed it open and entered. Seeing that no one had noticed him, he quietly approached the bed. By the moonlight, he saw Xiao Xun'er's adorable face. Compared to the rosy complexion she had in the morning, however, she now looked somewhat pale. Her brows were tightly furrowed, as though she were enduring some kind of torment.

Xiao Ling more or less guessed the reason. It was probably because the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame had been directly sealed inside a child's body, and she had not yet adapted to it. The Ancient Clan had not had time to examine her before bringing her straight to the Xiao Family. It really was rather hard on her. Once she grew older and her body fully developed, this condition would ease somewhat.

Slowly approaching the bedside, Xiao Ling saw fine sweat on Xiao Xun'er's forehead. Without time to think of anything else, he placed his hand on her wrist and began nourishing her meridians.

He injected a trace of Dou Qi and felt warm currents within his body flow through his fingers into Xiao Xun'er. Xiao Xun'er, whose body had initially been tense, relaxed slightly. Her brows also loosened.

Xiao Ling examined Xiao Xun'er's current condition. Her breathing was steady, and she looked like a sleeping beauty. Even her somewhat childish face already showed the beginnings of great beauty.

Several minutes later, Xiao Ling's face had turned pale, and sweat covered his forehead. The Dou Qi within him had become so thin that he could barely sense it. The first stage of Dou Qi still isn't enough. It was used up all at once.

After withdrawing his hand from Xiao Xun'er's wrist, he wiped away the sweat covering his head and let out a breath. Seeing that Xiao Xun'er was already fast asleep, he rose to leave. He quietly opened and closed the door before racing back to his little wooden cabin.

What Xiao Ling did not know was that Xiao Xun'er opened her eyes the moment he stepped out of the room. She stared in the direction he had left, a trace of inexplicable shyness flashing through her eyes.

Inside the little wooden cabin, Xiao Ling lay on his bed, still shaken.

When he had left Xun'er's room, he had felt a gaze fixed on him the entire time, scaring him into a cold sweat. Xiao Ling had been born with exceptionally powerful Soul Power, so he was extremely sensitive to being watched.

"Could Ling Ying have returned to the courtyard, or had he never left at all?"

"After all, Xiao Xun'er's safety should be more important than a fragment of the Tou She Ancient God Jade. Perhaps he had been staying by Xiao Xun'er's side the whole time."

Rubbing his chin, Xiao Ling pondered.

"Still, things went quite smoothly today. I hope everything can be completed smoothly tomorrow."

"Ah, I really can't figure it out."

Feeling exhaustion wash over him, Xiao Ling stopped thinking about it. He closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.

The next morning, after getting up, Xiao Ling tidied his room for a while, washed his face, and opened the door to head out for breakfast.

On the way to the dining hall, he noticed someone staring at him from behind. Turning around, he saw Xiao Xun'er looking at him with a complicated expression. Xiao Ling felt somewhat uneasy and immediately ran into the dining hall.

After breakfast, Xiao Ling left the dining hall and headed back toward his little wooden cabin, intending to begin another day of cultivation.

Returning to the cabin, he sat on the bed, formed his cultivation hand seals, and began meditating to cultivate Dou Qi.

Night fell beneath a moon bright and stars sparse sky.

After the daytime bustle, the Xiao Family also sank into silence.

Within the Xiao Family compound, a pitch-black figure moved nimbly through the courtyards. Moments later, he had arrived outside Xiao Yan's courtyard. Xiao Ling looked into the room and saw that Xiao Yan was already sleeping soundly in bed.

Xiao Ling breathed a sigh of relief. "It seems that after what happened yesterday, Xiao Yan has given up on testing his Dou Qi." He turned and left, rushing toward Xiao Xun'er's courtyard.

The second time was much easier. This time, Xiao Ling arrived at Xun'er's room without difficulty.

After confirming that Xiao Xun'er was asleep, he entered, stirred the Dou Qi within his body, and nourished Xiao Xun'er's meridians.

Once the Dou Qi in his body was exhausted, Xiao Ling turned and left. Returning to his wooden cabin, he fell onto the bed and went straight to sleep.

Time passed like a white colt flashing by a crack in the wall. Four years slipped away amid cultivation.

In a courtyard in the Xiao Family's rear compound, Xiao Ling formed the hand seal to end his cultivation and awoke from meditation. He exhaled deeply, then summoned the System Panel with a thought.

"System, open my personal panel."

"Ding, the host's personal panel is opening automatically..."

Host: Xiao Ling

Gender: Male

Cultivation: Ninth stage Dou Qi

Age: Eight

Cultivation Method: None

Dou Techniques: Cracked Claw Strike (Yellow Grade Intermediate), Mountain Splitting Palm (Yellow Grade Intermediate), Stone Crushing Palm (Yellow Grade Intermediate)

Items: Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlight Night, Qi Gathering Powder

Extraction Chances: 8

Rising from the meditation cushion, Xiao Ling dusted off his clothes, pushed open the door, and went to sit in the pavilion in the small courtyard to rest. He recalled his experiences over the past four years.

Since he had never intended to hide his cultivation talent, Xiao Ling had taken the stage for testing at the annual Dou Qi examinations ever since he began cultivating.

He still remembered the scene during the younger generation's test when he was five. On the Testing Magic Stone Tablet, the other family children had all been at the first stage of Dou Qi, while some had not even cultivated any Dou Qi. Even Xiao Yan, then the Xiao Family's number one genius, had only reached the second stage of Dou Qi. Yet when it was Xiao Ling's turn to approach the Magic Stone Stele, the result showed the third stage of Dou Qi. Xiao Yan, who had just stepped down, was stunned on the spot, and even the middle-aged elder overseeing the test was too shocked to speak.

At first, they thought the Testing Magic Stone Tablet was broken. Yet after three consecutive tests all showed the third stage of Dou Qi, it was proven that the Testing Magic Stone Tablet was functioning normally.

The younger family members around him all doubted their lives, their jaws dropping to the ground. The family elders collectively sucked in a cold breath and cried, "This child is terrifying!"

Xiao Ling had also secretly felt rather pleased, and he understood their shock. A five-year-old at the third stage of Dou Qi was unheard of even in the Jia Ma Empire, let alone tiny Wutan City. At this cultivation speed, he would surely become a Dou Zhe before turning ten. Just imagine it: a Dou Zhe younger than ten. His future achievements would certainly be limitless, and the family might rise again.

Xiao Yan had only just secured his position as the Xiao Family's number one genius, yet after only one year, someone else had replaced him. Xiao Ling became increasingly valued within the family, and his treatment improved more and more. Even his residence had changed from a little wooden cabin to an independent courtyard, with two Maids assigned to care for his daily needs.

After Xiao Ling's extraordinary talent earned the family's recognition, the benefits were obvious, and more people began flattering him. However, Xiao Ling did not become arrogant, conceited, or overbearing because of it. He treated others with great warmth and often guided peers who came seeking advice. Though such talent could be considered formidable in little Wutan City, it was nothing before ancient clans, Special Physiques, and Divine Bloodlines. At best, it could barely compare to the geniuses of the Central Plains. Even within the Jia Ma Empire, there were several people more talented than him.

Because the position of the family's number one genius had been taken by Xiao Ling, and because Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Ling had grown increasingly close, Xiao Yan was deeply dissatisfied. He often came to challenge Xiao Ling, though he lost nearly every match against him.

Instead, Xiao Yan vented his anger during sparring matches with the younger family members, especially that boy named Xiao Ning, who was frequently beaten up. Xiao Yan's personality also grew increasingly arrogant and domineering. Yet because of his exceptional talent, Xiao Ling would not take the initiative to challenge him. And with the Clan Leader as his father, no one dared say anything against him.

Xiao Ling saw all of this clearly. He could only say that Xiao Yan's later low point, when people mocked him, had been inevitable. If Xiao Yan had not been so high-profile, perhaps the people in the family would not have only wanted to ridicule him. More of them might have felt sorry for him instead.