Bagua Palm

For the next while, with the Year-End Assessment approaching, Xiao Ling eased up on Xun'er's lessons, much to her relief.

But he trained Xiao Yu even more strictly.

In a clearing somewhere on the Back Mountain of the Xiao Clan, a slender figure in a blue dress lifted her jade foot and took her final step.

A hazy shadow appeared behind her. As it took a step of its own, a massive boulder about a zhang square before her instantly crumbled to dust.

But Xiao Yu had no time to celebrate. Her legs gave way, and she nearly fell to the ground. Fortunately, Xiao Ling caught her just in time.

The girl looked thoroughly pleased with herself and even shot a provocative glance at the little girl in the purple dress sitting in the pavilion nearby.

"Thank you for teaching me a Dou Technique, Brother Xiao Ling. I feel like I could take on even a Dou Zhe now. I definitely won't let you down at the assessment."

Xiao Yu said playfully.

"All right, don't let your guard down. With your current cultivation at Dou Power Stage Eight, you can only use that move once." Xiao Ling's expression turned solemn. "Remember what I taught you: anyone who sees your trump card must die."

"But this assessment is a spar among family, so against our own people, use the family Dou Technique I taught you. Also, you're close to a breakthrough. I happen to have a First-Rank Breakthrough Pill here. Take it and try to reach Dou Power Stage Nine before the assessment."

As he spoke, Xiao Ling took out a small Jade Bottle and handed it to her.

At his words, Xiao Yu's eyes lit up, and warmth spread through her heart. She accepted the First-Rank Breakthrough Pill with great care, resolving that she wouldn't disappoint him.

Then she rose onto her toes, quickly kissed Xiao Ling on the cheek, and immediately ran down the mountain. Her clear voice drifted back from afar.

"Brother Xiao Ling, I'm going back to cultivate now..."

"This..."

Xiao Ling stood frozen. He raised a hand and touched the spot Xiao Yu had kissed.

To be honest, this was the first time in either of his lives that a girl had kissed him of her own accord.

Especially Xiao Yu, the long-legged beauty.

In his previous life, she would absolutely have been goddess material. Those long legs of hers could have captivated countless people.

At that thought, Xiao Ling suddenly sensed a gaze on his back. He turned around and saw Xun'er staring at him with an amused smile.

When she saw him looking her way, she smiled faintly.

"Brother Xiao Ling, did it feel great to have a girl kiss you first?"

"If you like it, Xun'er can do that for you too~"

"F-fuck..."

Is God-Tier Bloodline really that incredible?

Cold sweat broke out across Xiao Ling's back. Looking at the girl before him, who didn't seem to be joking, he immediately gave in and headed down the mountain. His steps quickened until he vanished in a flash, leaving behind a voice that tried to sound stern.

"Kid, don't tell anyone what happened today, or you'll regret it."

"Hmph, you stinky Brother Xiao Ling, threatening me..."

After a pause, Xun'er looked down at her own small frame and furrowed her slender brows. Then she hurried after him.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ling returned to his little courtyard and finally let out a breath of relief.

He forced down his agitation and began practicing the Swallow Return Strike in the courtyard.

As he repeatedly channeled the Dou Qi within him through each move, a current of air began to form around the courtyard.

Just then, Xun'er came through the gate on her short little legs and froze in place. She furrowed her brows as if pondering something, then asked softly,

"Elder Ling, is Brother Xiao Ling using the clan's Swallow Return Strike?"

At her question, a faint voice came from the shadow behind the fruit tree near the courtyard entrance.

"I think so?"

His voice sounded uncertain.

The main reason was that Xiao Ling had somehow incorporated the essence of Taiji from his previous life, making the Dou Technique seem to have strayed from its original form.

"Then please protect Brother Xiao Ling for me, Elder Ling~"

Xun'er didn't dwell on it and spoke softly.

"Rest assured, young lady," Ling Ying replied.

Under the protection of the old man and the little girl, the night gradually faded, and the sun rose.

Yet no one expected that Xiao Ling would practice for a full half month.

Even Xun'er hadn't expected it to take so long. Later on, she had Ling Ying turn away everyone who came to visit.

She could tell that Brother Xiao Ling was clearly having an epiphany.

Having loved reading all kinds of books since childhood, she had once read a similar account in an ancient text. A peerless genius had once comprehended a mid-tier Earth-Rank ruler technique in a sea of trees.

There were many similar examples across the Dou Qi Continent.

After all, the Dou Qi Continent was never short of geniuses, but very few of them lived long enough to grow powerful.

That was because geniuses all shared one flaw: arrogance. They always thought they were invincible.

The result was obvious—they died beyond a doubt.

One morning, Xun'er opened her door as usual and saw that Xiao Ling had stopped practicing his moves. He sat cross-legged in the middle of the courtyard, without the slightest trace of presence, just like an ordinary person.

Her eyes lit up. She knew Brother Xiao Ling had reached a critical moment. If anything disturbed him now, all his efforts would be in vain.

"Elder Ling, throw out anyone who comes within ten meters of the courtyard."

For this, she didn't mind revealing Elder Ling's existence.

"This... All right." Ling Ying shook his head helplessly.

No sooner had she spoken than a voice rang out from afar.

"Brother Xiao Ling, I broke through..."

Xiao Yu excitedly ran up to the courtyard and stopped. She looked at the tightly shut gate and the familiar figure sitting cross-legged in the middle of the courtyard. For a moment, she was taken aback, then quickly swallowed the words that had been about to leave her mouth.

She might not be very clever, but she wasn't stupid.

She knew Brother Xiao Ling was at a crucial point in his cultivation and couldn't be disturbed.

Seeing that the woman hadn't done anything foolish, Xun'er furrowed her brows. After thinking it over, she decided not to throw her out. Mainly, she was afraid Brother Xiao Ling would blame her when he woke up.

As the old man and the two girls waited, the sun soon reached its highest point. Then an elderly voice came from afar.

"Nephew Xiao Ling, as you requested, I've caught ten first-rank magical beasts. Tomorrow..."

"Elder Ling, throw him out." Xun'er furrowed her brows.

"Yes, young lady."

The unfortunate Third Elder hadn't even finished speaking when an invisible hand lifted him up. His body traced a perfect arc through the air, and no one knew where he landed.

Just then, Xiao Ling slowly opened his eyes, still in a daze. He extended a hand and pressed down on the empty space before him.

At the same time, the Dou Qi within him flowed along a jade-like meridian and surged into his palm. As the Dou Qi poured in, a Bagua Seal appeared in his palm.

The seal then detached from his hand and floated in midair. In the blink of an eye, it enveloped the entire courtyard. Through Xiao Ling's senses, he saw not only Xun'er and Xiao Yu, but also a human-shaped shadow hiding in the darkness behind the fruit tree.

It was clearly Ling Ying, the Ancient Clan's only Dou Huang expert.

Xiao Ling's eyes lit up. He was just about to test the power of his Dou Technique when a wave of dizziness surged through his mind. He collapsed to the ground, and the Bagua Seal covering the courtyard vanished.

"Brother Xiao Ling~"

As he neared unconsciousness, Xiao Ling sensed that he had fallen into two soft little cushions.

He grabbed at them without thinking!

As the sun gradually sank below the horizon,

the Xiao Clan's younger generation eagerly rubbed their hands together, making their final preparations for the Year-End Assessment the next day.

Meanwhile, the patriarchs of the Aoba Family and the Jialie Family had gathered together. No one knew what they were plotting.

But even the most clueless reader could guess that they were hiding some sort of secret.