Thanks, Xiao Chen

"Practice well," Xiao Chen said calmly.

Xiao Yan tightened his grip on the Dou Technique.

He knew that anything Xiao Chen gave him was never ordinary.

A High Xuan-Rank Dou Technique was already among the finest in the Xiao Clan.

"Third Brother, thank you," Xiao Yan said seriously after taking a deep breath.

Xiao Chen waved his hand.

"Practice."

Xiao Yan nodded, sat down cross-legged, opened the Flame Dragon Palm manual, and began cultivating.

Xiao Chen stood to one side and watched him.

From within the Storage Ring, Yao Lao's voice sounded in Xiao Yan's mind.

"Flame Dragon Palm, High Xuan-Rank, fire attribute."

"The Dou Technique your third brother gave you isn't low-grade."

Xiao Yan said inwardly, "Third Brother has always treated me well."

Yao Lao fell silent for a moment.

"Your third brother truly treats you well."

"He gives away a High Xuan-Rank Dou Technique without a second thought. He doesn't seem to feel the slightest heartache."

Xiao Yan said nothing, but warmth welled up within him.

He focused his mind and began circulating his Dou Qi according to the technique's method.

Fire-attributed Dou Qi flowed through his meridians, carrying a scorching heat.

Xiao Yan raised his right hand and struck out with his palm.

A faint flaming palm print flew from his hand and landed on the ground some distance away.

The ground was scorched black.

Its power was far greater than that of the Blazing Palm.

A smile appeared on Xiao Yan's face.

"Keep practicing," Xiao Chen's voice came from beside him.

Xiao Yan nodded and continued cultivating.

Palm strike after palm strike flew out, flaming palm prints continuously crashing into the ground.

Before long, the ground had been scorched black over a wide area.

Xiao Yan's Dou Qi was being rapidly depleted, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

Yet he did not stop. He gritted his teeth and continued cultivating.

The Flame Dragon Palm was indeed far more powerful than the Blazing Palm.

With every strike, the flames burned hotter than before.

The palm prints also became increasingly solid.

Xiao Chen stood to one side, watching Xiao Yan cultivate.

The system's voice sounded in his mind.

[Detected bound target Xiao Yan beginning cultivation of a High Xuan-Rank Dou Technique.]

[Mission in progress.]

[Once Xiao Yan fully masters the Flame Dragon Palm, the host may obtain a feedback reward.]

Upon hearing the notification, the corners of Xiao Chen's lips rose slightly.

He pushed aside his thoughts and continued watching Xiao Yan cultivate.

Xiao Yan struck out palm after palm, flaming palm prints continuously falling upon the ground.

His technique grew increasingly proficient, and the power of his palm prints steadily rose.

At first, he could only leave scorched marks on the ground. Later, a single palm strike burned a pit directly into it.

His progress was visible to the naked eye.

Yao Lao watched Xiao Yan cultivate from within the Storage Ring and nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad. At this pace, it won't be long before you fully master it."

Xiao Yan said nothing and continued cultivating.

Sweat ran down his cheeks and dripped onto the ground.

He did not wipe it away, nor did he stop.

One palm.

Two palms.

Three palms.

Flaming palm prints shot out one after another.

The scorched marks on the ground grew more numerous, and the pits grew deeper.

Watching Xiao Yan cultivate, Xiao Chen nodded to himself.

Xiao Yan's attitude toward cultivation truly left nothing to criticize.

His talent was not lacking, he was willing to work hard, and Yao Lao was guiding him.

It was only a matter of time before he became stronger.

Once he fully mastered the Flame Dragon Palm, Xiao Chen's mission would be complete.

He would gain one feedback opportunity.

Xiao Chen withdrew his gaze, turned, and walked down the mountain.

After taking a few steps, he stopped and looked back at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan was still cultivating there, striking out palm after palm.

The flaming palm prints were especially striking in the morning light.

Xiao Chen said nothing and turned to leave the back mountain.

Several days later.

Xiao Yu returned to the Xiao Clan from Jia Nan Academy.

The moment she entered the gates, she grabbed a passing clansman.

"Tell me, did Xiao Chen really break through to Dou Emperor?"

The clansman nodded.

"Yes, Miss Xiao Yu. Third Young Master is indeed a Dou Emperor."

Xiao Yu's expression changed.

She released that clansman and grabbed another.

"Did Xiao Chen truly break through to Dou Emperor?"

That clansman nodded as well.

"Without a doubt. Even the Misty Cloud Sect's sect master personally came to visit Third Young Master."

Xiao Yu stood where she was, her eyes full of shock.

When she had heard this news at Jia Nan Academy, she had not believed it at all.

Xiao Chen, the Xiao Clan's Third Young Master, had remained at Three-Stage Dou Qi after cultivating for so many years.

How could he suddenly become a Dou Emperor?

She had assumed it was a rumor, a joke someone was making.

But now that she had returned to the Xiao Clan and asked so many people, every answer was the same.

Xiao Chen truly was a Dou Emperor.

Xiao Yu took a deep breath and suppressed the shock in her heart.

A Dou Emperor.

How many Dou Emperors were there in the entire Jia Ma Empire?

And Xiao Chen was actually one of them.

When she had left the Xiao Clan for Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Chen had still been at Three-Stage Dou Qi.

How long had it been? He had actually broken through to Dou Emperor?

Xiao Yu gritted her teeth and walked deeper into the Xiao Clan.

She wanted to see for herself what her third brother had become.

The Xiao Clan's Side Courtyard.

Xiao Chen stood in the courtyard, watching Xiao Yi Xian, who sat cross-legged on the ground.

Xiao Yi Xian had her eyes closed as Dou Qi slowly circulated within her body.

Ninth-Stage Dou Qi.

She was only one final step away from becoming a Dou Zhe.

A moment later, Xiao Yi Xian opened her eyes and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

She looked up at Xiao Chen.

"I'm still just short."

Her voice carried a hint of dejection.

She could feel that she had already touched the threshold of becoming a Dou Zhe.

But that bottleneck was like a thin membrane that she simply could not break through.

Xiao Chen looked at her and spoke calmly.

"Being just short is normal."

Xiao Yi Xian froze for a moment.

"Going from Ninth-Stage Dou Qi to Dou Zhe is a major threshold," Xiao Chen said.

"It's difficult to break through by cultivation alone."

Xiao Yi Xian looked at him, confusion in her eyes.

"Then what should I do?"

Xiao Chen did not answer.

He took several medicinal ingredients from his Storage Ring and laid them out before him.

A third-grade medicinal ingredient, Qi Gathering Grass.

A third-grade medicinal ingredient, Spirit Condensing Flower.

A fourth-grade medicinal ingredient, Barrier Breaking Fruit.

As well as several supplementary ingredients.

"I'll refine a Qi Gathering Powder," Xiao Chen said.

"To help you break through that bottleneck."

Gratitude flashed through Xiao Yi Xian's eyes upon hearing this.

Qi Gathering Powder was a fourth-grade medicinal pill that could help someone at Ninth-Stage Dou Qi break through to Dou Zhe.

At an auction house, such a pill would cost at least several hundred thousand gold coins.

Yet Xiao Chen was actually going to refine one for her himself.

"Xiao Chen, thank you..." Xiao Yi Xian said softly.

Xiao Chen waved his hand.

Qing Lin stood nearby, watching Xiao Chen take out the medicinal ingredients, her eyes filled with anticipation.

She knew that Young Master Xiao Chen was about to refine pills.

The last time Young Master Xiao Chen had refined pills, the pill he made had allowed her to break through directly to Four-Stage Dou Qi.

This time, Young Master Xiao Chen was going to help Sister Xiao Yi Xian break through to Dou Zhe.

She watched quietly from the side, not daring to make a sound and disturb him.

Xiao Chen sat down cross-legged.

He raised his right hand, and a ball of crimson flame appeared in his palm.

Fallen Heart Flame.

The flame slowly burned in his palm, radiating terrifying heat.

Xiao Chen cast the flame onto the ground before him, where it steadily hovered in midair.

He picked up the Qi Gathering Grass and tossed it into the flames.