Queen Medusa: Did Xun'er Need a Best Friend?

[Thunder Flame Treasure Mirror]: Earth Tier low-grade cultivation technique. Tempers the body with lightning, transforms the body into lightning. Lightning arises from wood, and wood can aid fire. Controls thunder and flame; its power rivals Beast Flame of the same realm. Thunder Flame Dou Qi is overbearing.

[Heaven Drawing Dragon Transformation Seal]: Earth Tier low-grade Dou Technique. Can be cultivated with any attribute. When the cultivation technique is activated, it draws in external energy of the same attribute to bolster and merge with Dou Qi, transforming it into a roaming dragon attack. It has four levels.

First level: Snake Transformation Seal (surpasses Xuan Tier beginner Dou Techniques; can only use one's own Dou Qi)

Second level: Flood Dragon Transformation Seal (surpasses Xuan Tier intermediate Dou Techniques; passively carries a trace of external natural energy matching one's attribute)

Third level: Dragon Transformation Seal (Xuan Tier high-grade Dou Technique, comparable to an Earth Tier low-grade Dou Technique; passively carries external natural energy of the same attribute as Dou Qi, no weaker than what a peak Dou Ling expert can call upon; can actively summon a small amount of natural energy)

Fourth level: Heaven Drawing Dragon Transformation Seal (Earth Tier low-grade; passively carries external natural energy of the same attribute no weaker than what a high-grade Dou Wang can call upon; can actively summon external Dou Qi energy of the same attribute; comparable to the peak Dou Ling realm of a select few genius-level experts)

"!"

When Xiao Ting saw what was recorded on the two scrolls, a storm surged through his heart.

Honestly, if he had not had the Notes cheat and gotten to live off Xun'er, that would absolutely have been the fastest and best choice for him as a transmigrator.

Of course, ordinary transmigrators might have needed to consider ending up at odds with Xiao Yan, as well as whether they could withstand the pressure brought by the Gu Clan.

But as Xiao Yan's cousin, he only needed to lie low and wait for Xiao Yan to become a Dou Di, awakening the closest level of Dou Di bloodline. His strength would soar and his talent would improve, so none of it would be a problem.

Even now, with the Notes cheat, living off her still tasted wonderfully sweet.

As everyone knew, magical beasts had an advantage in physical constitution, while humans had an advantage in cultivation speed. In the end, different paths led to the same destination, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

The Thunder Flame Treasure Mirror not only allowed dual cultivation of thunder and flame, making one's Dou Qi far superior to ordinary Dou Qi, but could also temper the body. That was exceptionally rare.

But compared with the Thunder Flame Treasure Mirror, what Xiao Ting valued more was the Heaven Drawing Dragon Transformation Seal.

Resonating Dou Qi with natural energy of the same attribute and mobilizing a small amount of that energy for one's own use was the mark of a Dou Wang expert.

Some high-grade Dou Lings with exceptional talent, powerful soul strength, or secret cultivation arts could begin to dabble in it.

The strength of Earth Tier cultivation techniques lay in their ability to grant Dou Techniques the "enchantment" effects possessed only by Dou Wangs and Dou Emperors.

The Heaven Drawing Dragon Transformation Seal took that effect to the extreme.

If mastered perfectly enough, there would be no bottleneck in breaking through to Dou Wang or Dou Emperor.

That alone showed how precious and thoughtful Xun'er's gift was.

It sounded like a lot, but in truth, all of this passed through Xiao Ting's mind in the instant after he read the contents of the two scrolls.

"Xun'er, thank you. I won't stand on ceremony with you," Xiao Ting said as he solemnly put away the two scrolls.

A hint of surprise flashed through Xun'er's eyes. "Xun'er thought Xiao Ting-gege would refuse this kindness."

"If I refused, it would only mean I didn't truly care about you, Xun'er." Xiao Ting took the initiative to place food on Xun'er's plate, his gaze clear and his tone earnest. "Earth Tier low-grade cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques—there isn't anyone in the Jia Ma Empire known to possess them. Perhaps the Jia Ma imperial family and the Misty Cloud Sect do, but the strongest cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques in the Xiao Clan's hands are only mid-grade Xuan Tier."

"After all these years together, I know very well that your identity is anything but ordinary, Xun'er. If I want to be with you, I need enough strength. The cultivation technique and Dou Technique you gave me today prove that even more."

"If I let ridiculous youthful pride make me reject your kindness and help, insisting on becoming stronger through my own efforts alone, that would be true foolishness—and it would betray your feelings."

"I believe that taking out cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques this precious also places enormous pressure on you and costs you quite a bit."

"What I need to do is become stronger as quickly as possible, grow to the point where I am worthy of you, and only then consider how to repay you."

It was clear that Xiao Ting's words came from the heart and were utterly sincere.

Even the guards secretly protecting Xun'er felt that his attitude was beyond reproach and that he had not betrayed Xun'er's favor.

Only the last two sentences were somewhat mistaken. Mere Earth Tier low-grade cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques posed no pressure at all for Xun'er to take out.

And Xiao Ting was still far from reaching a level where he could be worthy of Xun'er through them. He needed to work much harder.

"Xiao Ting-gege, Xun'er believes you can do it!" Xun'er's eyes brimmed with trust.

If not for certain special concerns, the cultivation technique and Dou Technique she gave him would not have been merely Earth Tier low-grade.

"Let's not talk about that. Let's eat and drink our fill first." Xiao Ting's eyes were full of tenderness.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Xiao Ting smiled. "How about we go to the back mountain tomorrow to climb high and take in the view?"

"Sure." Xun'er did not refuse. She lightly brushed back her hair and nodded in agreement.

After chatting for a little while longer, Xiao Ting bade her farewell.

With the cultivation technique in hand, he needed to return and cultivate the Thunder Flame Treasure Mirror, raising his strength as quickly as possible.

However, after returning to the cultivation chamber in his courtyard, he did not begin cultivating immediately. Instead, he completed his record first.

Since it concerned himself, he had not rushed to write it down right away, choosing instead to write his diary in the form of recollection.

[Location: the lower plane of the Great Thousand World, the Dou Qi Continent. Time: Xiao Yan's sixteenth year.]

[Xun'er, the number one top-tier rich and beautiful girl of the Dou Qi Continent, and I had dinner together and chatted.]

[I carefully prepared eleven dishes of Huaiyang Cuisine from China on Blue Star. She liked them very much.]

[Before the meal, Xun'er gave me the Thunder Flame Treasure Mirror and the Heaven Drawing Dragon Transformation Seal as gifts to congratulate me on breaking through to Dou Zhe.]

[The Thunder Flame Treasure Mirror is an Earth Tier low-grade cultivation technique... The Heaven Drawing Dragon Transformation Seal is an Earth Tier low-grade Dou Technique...]

[I did not refuse. Refusing would have been excessive youthful pride and a betrayal of a beauty's profound kindness.]

[Xun'er felt no pressure in taking out Earth Tier low-grade cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques, but to me, this is an immense favor, akin to being given a new life.]

[What I should do now is raise my strength as quickly as possible, spare Xun'er from criticism, and make the Gu Clan acknowledge her judgment and choice.]

Xiao Ting found it troublesome to write out the detailed cultivation content of the cultivation technique and Dou Technique, so he merely wrote an outline.

He planned to write his cultivation insights and realizations in the Notes once he had achieved success in cultivation, treating it as an "observation" of this world's cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques.

After completing the record, Xiao Ting took out the Thunder Flame Treasure Mirror, studied its contents, and entered a state of cultivation.

Yet these brief few hundred words stirred a storm in the hearts of several copy owners.

"Earth Tier low-grade cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques, given away just like that?"

Queen Medusa had just returned to the Snake-People Tribe's Holy City and entered the Holy Pool to bathe. Her expression was quite a sight.

As the queen of the Snake-People Tribe and a peak Dou Emperor expert, she had searched through ancient records to find a method of borrowing the power of Heavenly Flames to evolve, risking death nine times out of ten.

If she had been given an Earth Tier low-grade cultivation technique that perfectly suited her, perhaps she would have broken through to Dou Zong long ago. At the very least, evolving with Heavenly Flames would have gained several more chances of success.

Yet Xun'er had casually given one to Xiao Ting without feeling the slightest pressure.

Truly, the dry starved to death while the flooded drowned.

"I wonder whether this Xun'er lacks a close female friend."

"This queen has always wanted one."