In the back mountains of the Xiao Clan in Wutan City, Xiao Jie sat cross-legged inside a cave. He slowly opened his eyes and murmured, "I've finally condensed a Dou Qi Vortex and become a Dou Zhe."
That was right. After three years, Xiao Jie had finally become a Dou Zhe. He had only just turned eight. An eight-year-old one-star Dou Zhe would be enough to shock the Jia Ma Empire if word spread. After all, no one so young had ever become a Dou Zhe in the Jia Ma Empire's thousand-year history.
Xiao Jie rose to his feet, walked out of the cave, and stretched lazily. The sun blazed overhead, while the cries of animals and the rustling of trees formed a unique symphony. He felt utterly at ease.
The reason he did not cultivate at home was that, ever since his cultivation had been exposed more than a year ago, a group of bratty children had watched him every day. It had become unbearably annoying, so he secretly came to the back mountains to cultivate. Besides, after cultivating here, he could soak in the hot springs. It was rather comfortable.
Ever since Xiao Jie's cultivation talent had been exposed, his father, Xiao He, and his mother, Lin Yue, had received the clan's care. They were given better and easier arrangements, their resources were increased, and two Maidservants had even been assigned to them. Their days had become easy and pleasant.
Xiao Jie, meanwhile, had become a key focus of the clan. Resources were heavily directed toward him, just as they were toward Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan was the son of the Xiao Clan's patriarch. Although his performance was not as outstanding as Xiao Jie's, he was still impressive. By the age of six, he had already reached the sixth stage of Dou Qi, leaving the other clansmen far behind. Among the younger generation of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Jie stood alone at the top, while Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er occupied the second tier. However, Xiao Jie knew full well that Xiao Xun'er, the proud daughter of heaven with the Ancient Clan's Divine-grade Bloodline, could not possibly possess only this much cultivation. Still, he had no interest in exposing her.
Over the past two years, Xiao Jie had exchanged words with Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er only a handful of times. All three had their own thoughts, and Xiao Jie would not deliberately curry favor with anyone.
The simulations of the past two years had finally allowed him to obtain the Flame Mantra. Now that he had advanced to the Dou Zhe realm, he could begin cultivating it and prepare for his future plans involving the Heavenly Flames.
Xiao Yan could never compete with him. In a few years, Yao Lao would absorb Xiao Yan's Dou Qi, turning him into a cripple for three years. Xiao Jie would use those three years to widen the gap completely. He had to obtain the Heavenly Flames from his memories. Competing for opportunities was competing for one's path. He had to seize the lead at every step, become a Dou Di, and enter the Great Thousand World to behold its supreme sights. For the pursuit in his heart, he had to fight.
As he thought, Xiao Jie sat atop a tree and went over the things he had obtained through the Simulator during the past three years.
Among them were one Earth-tier High-grade Cultivation Method, three Earth-tier Mid-grade Cultivation Methods, and four Earth-tier Low-grade Techniques. He could not be bothered with Deep-tier methods. There was no helping it—once he had obtained too many good things, he naturally lost interest in low-tier cultivation methods. The Flame Mantra was the sole exception. Though it was a Yellow-tier Low-grade Technique, it could evolve and was the key to gathering Heavenly Flames, absorbing the power of World Origin, and obtaining fortune.
As for Dou Techniques, he had the Earth-tier Low-grade movement Dou Technique Three Thousand Lightning Movement, the Earth-tier Mid-grade flying Dou Technique Nine Wild Goose Sky Wings, the Earth-tier Low-grade Dou Technique Flowing Cloud Palm, the Deep-tier Advanced Dou Technique Thunder Slash, and more.
Besides those, the simulations over the past two years had also earned him more than three million gold coins, all kinds of precious medicinal herbs, and pills of various grades. Sometimes, all three options that appeared were useless things. Those occasions had left Xiao Jie both amused and exasperated.
After sorting everything out, Xiao Jie came to the hot spring, intending to soak for a while before returning. Unexpectedly, he ran into Xiao Yan the moment he arrived.
"Xiao Jie? What are you doing here?"
"I just finished cultivating and came to soak for a bit."
"What about you? Are you here to soak in the hot spring too?"
"I've already finished soaking. I dozed off without realizing it while I was in there. I just woke up and was about to leave. You can soak here. I'll be going first."
"Alright."
Xiao Jie nodded in reply. Watching Xiao Yan's rapidly retreating figure, he shook his head. He knew Xiao Yan did not want to face him.
Before Xiao Jie's talent had been exposed, Xiao Yan had been the number one genius of the Xiao Clan and even Wutan City. Yet because of Xiao Jie's appearance, all those honors had fallen onto Xiao Jie instead. Xiao Yan was unwilling to accept it and wanted to catch up to and surpass him, but he could not do so.
Xiao Jie cultivated far too quickly. During the last test, Xiao Yan had only been at the fifth stage of Dou Qi, while Xiao Jie had already reached the ninth stage of Dou Qi. It had left Xiao Yan somewhat despairing. Later, he no longer wished to chase after him, but he had not given up either. After all, he possessed the soul and mindset of an adult. He would not abandon cultivation merely because he could not catch up.
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