Old Medicine nodded slightly, as though everything had been within his expectations.
Stroking his beard, Old Medicine smiled and said, "Little fellow, that's only natural."
"Soul Power is the mainstream energy of this world. Dou qi is an outsider, so naturally, cultivating it will be difficult."
"For now, it's merely an obstacle, not a major problem."
"Once you succeed in cultivating it, that obstacle will disappear, and your strength will rise like a boat on a swelling tide."
Old Medicine's meaning was clear. It was like being asked to cultivate flames underwater: difficult, but not impossible.
As long as the flames reached a high enough level, they could completely break free of the water's suppression.
Now, as long as he successfully cultivated even a trace, the road ahead would be clear of obstacles.
It was simply that the first step was always the hardest.
"Teacher, I understand."
Lin Xiao bowed. In the end, he had been trying to take a shortcut. Soul Power was certainly easy to cultivate, but it simply couldn't compare to dou qi.
He still had to cultivate dou qi.
Old Medicine nodded in satisfaction. The boy could be taught.
Having finished speaking, Old Medicine said no more. A master could lead a disciple through the door, but cultivation depended on the individual. What came next would be up to Lin Xiao alone.
Finding a safe spot, Lin Xiao settled down and began cultivating dou qi.
Lin Xiao drew out the dou qi within the ring bit by bit. The shackles inside his body seemed to grow increasingly solid, while the dou qi grew denser, constantly battering those invisible restraints.
Crack, crack.
Time passed little by little, and Lin Xiao sensed that the barrier was about to break.
Just a little more. Just a little.
Yet that tiny gap was like a vast ocean. The dou qi kept battering it, gathering in ever greater amounts.
Lin Xiao kept drawing it out. If a little won't do, then all of you, get out here and smash this thing to pieces!!!
Crack.
Under the torrent of dou qi, something seemed to shatter.
The dou qi surged into Lin Xiao's body all at once, running wild inside him. Soul Power and dou qi intertwined and separated, neither willing to yield to the other.
Suddenly, a terrifying pressure descended upon Lin Xiao's body.
The two energies inside him instantly quieted, their restless surges settling down.
Seeing this, Lin Xiao immediately circulated his cultivation method to balance the two energies.
Under Lin Xiao's guidance, the Soul Power and dou qi within his body finally reached equilibrium, and that scorching, violent sensation disappeared.
"I did it!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Lin Xiao clenched his fist tightly and punched the tree beside him, instantly punching straight through its trunk.
As Lin Xiao savored his newfound strength with satisfaction, he looked up and saw a little beast watching him with her head tilted.
Lin Xiao jumped in fright.
When did this little beast show up? And why was she staring at me with her head tilted and her eyes wide open?
"Little fellow, this little beast arrived three days ago. She's been observing you for three days now."
"She also possesses powerful fortune. I sensed no malice from her, so I didn't drive her away."
Old Medicine explained things to Lin Xiao. He had sensed the little beast's presence three days ago and had intended to drive her away, but her tremendous fortune had immediately stayed his hand.
After observing her and seeing that she didn't attack Lin Xiao, Old Medicine had allowed her to remain.
Hearing Old Medicine's words, Lin Xiao wondered, Powerful fortune? That appearance, that fur, those big, sparkling eyes... Could this be the Three-Eyed Golden Lion?
If the Three-Eyed Golden Lion was here, wouldn't the Scarlet King be here too?
"Teacher, are there any powerful presences nearby?"
Lin Xiao was already preparing to flee. His feet had shifted back a little, and he was only waiting for Old Medicine's answer.
"No. Don't worry."
Right. If there were a powerful presence nearby, Old Medicine would certainly have warned me. He wouldn't have let this little fellow stay here.
His feet, poised to flee, stopped at that moment. What did this Three-Eyed Golden Lion want with him?
Lin Xiao crouched down and stared straight at the little golden-furred beast before him. She looked back at him.
Human and beast simply stared at each other, without the slightest sense of incongruity.
"Run! A powerful being is heading this way."
Old Medicine's voice rang in Lin Xiao's mind, and Lin Xiao took to his heels, immediately sprinting away.
The movement startled the little golden-furred beast so badly that she tumbled off the tree trunk. Shaking her head, she immediately changed her expression, baring her teeth.
"Oh, my little ancestor, you scared me half to death!"
A worried voice came from behind the little beast.
The little golden-furred beast bared her teeth and glared at the enormous fellow who had arrived.
He had three heads, and his scarlet body proclaimed his might. Yet before this little golden-furred beast, he remained perfectly obedient.
He was none other than one of the top ten fierce beasts, the Three-Headed Scarlet Demon Mastiff: the Scarlet King!
The little golden-furred beast let out two howls, expressing her displeasure.
"I scared your friend away?"
"Don't worry. I'll go bring him back right now."
The Scarlet King picked up the little golden-furred beast and took off in Lin Xiao's direction.
By now, Lin Xiao had guessed that the Scarlet King had arrived. He had just been told the Scarlet King wasn't there, and the fellow had shown up almost as soon as the thought crossed his mind. His luck really was something else.
"Little fellow, your body is too weak. I can't possess you."
"If we can't escape, I'll make a move. When that happens, run immediately."
Old Medicine's voice kept ringing out. Lin Xiao's heart jolted. "Teacher, I know what to do."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Scarlet King's terrifying bulk landed right in front of Lin Xiao.
The imposing force drove Lin Xiao back several steps, and he stared coldly at the Scarlet King.
"Young friend, don't go. Don't go."
Lin Xiao had just been about to ask Old Medicine to act when he heard the Scarlet King's voice.
Old Medicine also abandoned his intention to attack.
"What do you want?"
Lin Xiao watched the Scarlet King warily, speaking with utmost caution.
The little golden-furred beast jumped down. The Scarlet King reached out to stop her, but she had already arrived beside Lin Xiao.
"Awoo, awoo."
The little golden-furred beast called out twice.
Not understanding, Lin Xiao looked toward the Scarlet King. "What is she saying?"
"The Auspicious Beast says she bears you no ill will. Although you've killed many hundred-year Soul Beasts, that isn't important."
"There's an energy inside you that she likes very much."
The Scarlet King explained it to Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao looked at the Three-Eyed Golden Lion in confusion. She said all that with just two howls?
"So what do you want to do?"
Lin Xiao more or less understood now. The Auspicious Beast had found him because he had hunted too many low-level Soul Beasts over the past month or so.
And the reason she hadn't attacked him was the dou qi within his body.
She seemed to like dou qi.
Lin Xiao hadn't expected her to be attracted to dou qi.
"Awoo, awoo!"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion called out again.
The Scarlet King continued explaining. "The Auspicious Beast says she hopes you'll stay. She'll provide you with cultivation resources."
"The condition is that you give her a strand of that energy inside you every day."
Hearing this, Lin Xiao froze. I've only just succeeded in cultivating it, and you already want a strand of my dou qi?
Lin Xiao shook his head. "No. I need this energy for my cultivation."
"If I give it to the Auspicious Beast, my strength will drop too."
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