Surprise After Surprise! The Disliked Xiao Yanzi

[Seven Days of Bagua Lightning Chasing Steps Training Experience]

The Notes merely conveyed a brief piece of information.

Yet Xiao Ting felt that it was anything but simple. In an instant, countless images appeared in his mind, and his body began to change as well.

"Heaven (Qian), Earth (Kun), Wind (Xun), Thunder (Zhen), Water (Kan), Fire (Li), Mountain (Gen), Marsh (Dui)."

"Yin and yang arranged, nature deduced; with the Eight Trigrams as the foundation, the body moves like thunder and acts like lightning..."

First came a great deal of understanding and insight regarding the Dou Technique Bagua Lightning Chasing Steps.

That was followed by memories of seven sleepless, uninterrupted days spent training in Bagua Lightning Chasing Steps, and only memories related to that.

It was not merely insight. There was also muscle memory, the changes this Dou Technique had brought to his body, the circulation path of Dou Qi through his meridians, and its tempering effects—all of it was perfectly displayed.

As everyone knew, there were twelve two-hour periods in a day. Taking into account the strain on one's meridians and the consumption of Dou Qi and mental energy, being able to spend four periods practicing Dou Techniques already counted as extremely diligent.

The seven days of Bagua Lightning Chasing Steps training experience granted by the Notes were equivalent to twenty-one days of ordinary training for him, perhaps even more.

Xiao Ting was exceedingly satisfied with the Plane Blessing he had received today.

"With this type of blessing, I won't need to worry about biting off more than I can chew."

"Besides lightning- and fire-attribute Dou Techniques, I can even cultivate wind-attribute, wood-attribute, and other Dou Techniques."

On the Dou Qi Continent, a cultivator's Dou Qi attribute was determined at birth, supposedly connected to the soul.

But that did not mean cultivators could not practice Dou Techniques that differed from their own Dou Qi attribute. Xiao Yan cultivating Three Thousand Lightning Movement was a typical example.

It was simply that practicing Dou Techniques matching one's own attribute yielded twice the result with half the effort, while practicing other attributes took twice the effort for half the result. Any normal person knew which choice to make.

But Xiao Ting would have no such concerns. He only needed to acquire Dou Techniques that interested him, then rely on Plane Blessing to cultivate them and improve his mastery.

As for himself, he would still mainly cultivate fire-attribute and lightning-attribute Dou Techniques in his daily practice.

"Keep cultivating. Tomorrow, I'll give Yao Lao a surprise."

Feeling that he had already cultivated Bagua Lightning Chasing Steps to the minor success stage, Xiao Ting had lost all desire for sleep.

How could he not strike while the iron was hot and continue training?

Circulating the Thunder Flame Treasure Mirror, he let Dou Qi flow through his meridians.

Xiao Ting had the illusion that his cultivation speed seemed to have improved somewhat compared to before he received Plane Blessing.

"It's not an illusion!"

As dawn broke and morning arrived.

Inside a secret chamber in a small courtyard of the Xiao Clan, Dou Qi churned around Xiao Ting, who had cultivated through the night.

When all that Dou Qi returned to his dantian, an additional solid droplet appeared within his Qi vortex. He had successfully advanced from a one-star Dou Shi to a two-star Dou Shi!

"Practicing Dou Techniques can also aid cultivation."

Xiao Ting opened his eyes, flicked his hands out of their cultivation seal, and slowly rose to his feet.

Though he had not slept all night, he felt refreshed and invigorated, even better than after a full night's rest.

After leaving the secret chamber and washing up, he personally fried several fried dough sticks and made some soy milk in the kitchen before delivering them to Xun'er. "Xun'er, starting today, I'll be cultivating alongside Brother Yan under Senior Yao Lao's guidance. Would you like to come too?"

Surely Yao Lao would not mind being Xun'er's teacher for a few days.

There were quite a few people in the Gu Clan stronger than Yao Lao, but among those who could teach Xun'er at present, none would be better at teaching than Yao Lao.

"Xiao Ting, you may go by yourself." Xun'er elegantly ate a fried dough stick, a gentle smile on her face. "Xun'er's cultivation method is special, so she does not need a teacher for now."

"Alright." Xiao Ting looked up at the sky and smiled. "I'll come find you after cultivation ends."

After saying goodbye to Xun'er, Xiao Ting took another breakfast he had prepared in advance and went to find Xiao Yan.

"Soy milk, fried dough sticks, and soup dumplings." Xiao Yan broke into a smile. "Good little brother, you're still the one who thinks of your brother."

But after taking a bite of the fried dough stick and finding it a little cold, he immediately put on an aggrieved expression. "Little Ting, our brotherly bond has faded. You must have delivered food to Xun'er first before coming to me."

"Should I have brought yours first and made Xun'er eat cold food?" Xiao Ting replied without changing expression. "Be glad you have something to eat."

"Senior Yao Lao is a soul body. He can't eat even if he wants to."

Yao Lao:?

"Well, you're right." Xiao Yan stuffed the fried dough stick into his mouth and laughed. "Happiness really does come from comparison."

Yao Lao:!

Ungrateful disciple. Just wait and see how I specially train you two later.

A quarter of an hour later, Xiao Yan and Xiao Ting arrived together at the back mountain of the Xiao Clan and found an open, secluded spot.

Yao Lao manifested his soul body, stroked his illusory beard, and said, "Xiao Yanzi, don't rush to continue your previous training."

"There is much knowledge related to the Dou Technique Bagua Lightning Chasing Steps that you can learn as well."

"It will prove useful when you study other Dou Techniques, secret arts, and even alchemy in the future."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's smile faded, and his expression turned serious.

Xiao Ting sat beside him and looked at Yao Lao with equal seriousness.

"The Eight Trigrams..."

Yao Lao began explaining the theories and common knowledge concerning the Eight Trigrams mentioned in Dou Techniques.

Xiao Yan listened intently, but the more he listened, the stranger his expression became.

After Yao Lao finished explaining one section, he asked, "Is there anything you do not understand?"

Xiao Yan could not wait to ask, "Teacher, who created these Eight Trigrams? When did they begin to spread, and do you know where they originated?"

Yao Lao's expression froze, then became wonderfully complicated. "..."

Xiao Ting nearly laughed aloud, feeling that Xiao Yan looked very much like a husky at that moment.

Yao Lao wanted him to understand the Eight Trigrams, not gossip about the Eight Trigrams.

Still, he could understand Xiao Yan's thoughts.

In his previous life, the Eight Trigrams were said to have been created by Fuxi after observing heaven, earth, and all things.

They were the highest achievement of the Yanhuang ancestors' spiritual thought, the first peak and milestone of Yanhuang civilization.

Xiao Yan probably thought that the Dou Qi Continent might have some connection to the world before his transmigration.

"The history of the Eight Trigrams spans at least ten thousand years. Even I do not know the answers to what you asked." Suppressing the urge to knock Xiao Yan on the head, Yao Lao said, "When you become strong enough in the future, you may investigate those ancient sages yourself."

"Even you don't know, Teacher?" Xiao Yan was somewhat disappointed, though not particularly surprised.

Xiao Ting found the scene rather amusing, so he recorded it in the Notes word for word, using elegant and vivid phrasing.

That included the knowledge of the Eight Trigrams Yao Lao had taught, as well as the information related to the Eight Trigrams from his own memories.

The women: "..."

Xiao Ting's Diary...

Yet it was all about Xiao Yan.

If you two were not cousins, they would have thought there was some unusual fetish involved.

"Enough. Go cultivate by yourself over there."

After finishing his educational lesson, Yao Lao somewhat disdainfully sent Xiao Yan away and began personally guiding Xiao Ting in cultivating Bagua Lightning Chasing Steps.

"This boy Xiao Ting has even greater comprehension than Xiao Yanzi."

A quarter of an hour later, seeing that Xiao Ting had already initially grasped how to use Bagua Lightning Chasing Steps, a hint of admiration flashed through Yao Lao's eyes.

Then, Yao Lao took a ruler-like object from the Bone Flame Ring and said with a smile, "Not bad, not bad, but you are still quite far from truly getting started."

"If you want to master a movement technique, you must first learn how to take a beating and dodge. Let us begin properly."

From afar, Xiao Yan gave Xiao Ting a sympathetic look. This unscrupulous teacher was clearly preparing to "settle a personal score under the guise of public duty."

Yet only an hour later, shock had filled both Yao Lao's and Xiao Yan's faces.

"Are you really cultivating Bagua Lightning Chasing Steps for the first time today?"