Deep in the Magical Beast Mountain Range lay a quiet valley, rarely visited by anyone.
Yao Chen entered this mysterious place alone, ready to cultivate the mysterious high-grade Earth-tier movement Dou Technique, Gale Shadow Step.
Mountains towered all around, shrouded in mist. Ancient trees soared through the valley, their vines crisscrossing overhead.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Yao Chen stood atop a massive green boulder, eyes closed as he regulated his breathing and let his mind settle into a tranquil state.
A moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes, a resolute gleam flashing in them.
Yao Chen began circulating the vast Dou Qi within his body. It surged through his meridians like a raging torrent, radiating a powerful aura.
With a shift of his body, he instantly became a blurry shadow, darting through the valley at great speed.
He moved as fast as lightning, whipping up a fierce gale that sent the leaves all around him fluttering to the ground.
Yao Chen focused intently on the essentials of the Dou Technique, trying to leave Soul Imprints on the objects he passed.
His first few attempts ended in failure. His brows creased slightly, but he did not lose heart.
He picked up the pace again, his figure almost blending into the wind.
His clothes snapped in the gale, and beads of sweat gradually appeared on his forehead.
Just then, he successfully left his first Soul Imprint on the trunk of a thick tree.
The Soul Imprint glimmered faintly. Unless someone looked closely, they could hardly make it out.
Delighted, Yao Chen continued racing through the valley, leaving Soul Imprints on all kinds of things: jagged rocks, winding streams, even insects flitting through the air.
As time went by, Yao Chen grew more and more proficient in the Dou Technique.
He suddenly stopped and gazed at a moss-covered boulder in the distance. With a thought, he vanished from where he stood.
In the next instant, he appeared beside the boulder, steady on his feet.
"Haha, I did it!" Yao Chen burst out laughing, his voice echoing through the valley.
But he was not satisfied with that.
Yao Chen shifted his attention to moving targets and fixed his gaze on a spirit monkey leaping from branch to branch.
The instant the monkey passed by him, Yao Chen successfully left a Soul Imprint on it.
Then, with a flash, he appeared where the monkey had been just moments before.
Though Yao Chen looked a little tired, his eyes were filled with excitement and anticipation.
He knew that once he had fully mastered Gale Shadow Step, he would be able to rush to his disciples at once if they ever found themselves in danger on the Dou Qi Continent.
As the sun sank in the west, Yao Chen's figure continued darting through the valley in the fading light.
Yao Chen cultivated like this for a whole week, and at last, he mastered Gale Shadow Step.
Now he could move at will to any place where he had left a Soul Imprint.
"It's time to visit Xiao Yi Xian in Green Mountain Town and leave a Soul Imprint on her."
Yao Chen moved, leaving behind a wisp of white afterimage. In the blink of an eye, he was out of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
Over the past week, Xiao Yi Xian had spent her time cultivating diligently in her room, except when injured mercenaries came to her for treatment.
Of course, Xiao Yi Xian had also brought the poisons from the Ten Thousand Herb Pavilion into her room to cultivate with.
Ever since Yao Chen had taught Yao Jinbao a lesson, Yao Jinbao had kept well away from Xiao Yi Xian. He had simply ordered his subordinates to meet her every demand, terrified that the slightest thing might displease the young lady.
Xiao Yi Xian had never gone out of her way to make trouble for Yao Jinbao, either. She had only taken a few poisonous medicinal herbs.
At that moment, Xiao Yi Xian was in her room, cultivating with poisons. Her strength seemed on the verge of a breakthrough.
"Girl, your master's here!" Yao Chen called from outside Xiao Yi Xian's room.
Hearing someone call to her from outside, Xiao Yi Xian immediately guessed it was her master, Yao Chen.
She slowly set down the poison she had been using to cultivate and called toward the window.
"Master, wait a moment. Your disciple will tidy up the room and come out to see you."
"Take your time. I'll have a look around the courtyard."
As he spoke, Yao Chen took a reclining chair from his Storage Ring and stretched out on it.
The ground within fifty centimeters of Xiao Yi Xian's room had been stripped of all life by her cultivation, but she had tended the flowers and plants everywhere else with great care.
A little while later, Xiao Yi Xian appeared in the doorway wearing a pale green-and-white dress. Its hem fluttered around her like a newly sprouted bud on a spring day, full of life and grace.
Seeing Yao Chen reclining in the courtyard, she bowed.
"Master, it's been so long! I've missed you terribly."
Yao Chen saw Xiao Yi Xian emerge and nodded in satisfaction.
"Girl, it's been a long time. You've grown even prettier!"
A faint blush rose to Xiao Yi Xian's cheeks. She smiled at Yao Chen.
"Girl, I came here today to say goodbye!"
Yao Chen sat up on the reclining chair, stroked his beard, and spoke to Xiao Yi Xian.
"Master, what's wrong? Where are you going?"
Xiao Yi Xian looked at Yao Chen in confusion with her big eyes.
"Girl, your master is going to the Tagor Desert. I'll need to keep a low profile on this trip, so I can't take you along. Focus on cultivating here for now. As soon as I've finished what I need to do, I'll come find you."
"Master, you're leaving as soon as we've just seen each other? And you're going to the Tagor Desert? That's Snake-People Tribe territory. The Snake-People Tribe holds a grudge against humans, so please be careful, Master!"
When Yao Chen said he was going to the Tagor Desert, Xiao Yi Xian could not help worrying.
"Girl, the main reason I came to see you this time was to tell you that I recently mastered a high-grade Earth-tier Dou Technique. If I run into danger, I can escape at once, so you don't need to worry about me."
"If you run into danger, I can use this Dou Technique to reach you in moments and protect you."
As Xiao Yi Xian listened to Yao Chen explain the Dou Technique's wonders, her worries gradually eased.
"Master, this Dou Technique sounds amazing. Can you teach me to cultivate it someday?"
"Of course. But you'll need to raise your cultivation to a certain level first. Without enough Dou Qi in your body, you won't be able to use it."
Yao Chen spoke to Xiao Yi Xian fondly.
"First, I'll leave a Soul Imprint on you. If you're ever in danger, activate it, and I'll come to your rescue right away!"
Yao Chen stood before Xiao Yi Xian, his expression solemn and focused.
He gazed at Xiao Yi Xian and slowly raised both hands, white light flickering in his palms.
Xiao Yi Xian tilted her head up slightly, trust and a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
Yao Chen murmured an incantation. The light gathered into a complex rune, which slowly floated toward Xiao Yi Xian.
The rune touched her forehead and vanished into it. A faint glimmer flashed once, then disappeared.
Xiao Yi Xian furrowed her brows slightly. She felt a strange power flow into her body, but it caused no discomfort. Yao Chen let out a long breath and said, "The Soul Imprint is in place. If the need arises, just activate it, girl. Don't use it carelessly."
"Got it, Master. I've run into a few things I don't understand in my cultivation lately. I hope you can explain them to me."
"..."
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