Flying Combat Skill

"Right, there's also that fragment of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame map."

Xiao Yan immediately shifted his gaze toward the skeleton beside the stone platform, reaching out to retrieve the black scroll hidden within its arm joint.

He then began a frantic sweep of the medicinal herbs and gold coins in the corner, tossing everything into his Storage Ring.

Looking at the cave he had swept clean, Xiao Yan nodded in satisfaction, even indulging in a bit of dark humor by restoring the stone door at the entrance to leave it for some future "fated person."

Climbing up with the help of a rope, Xiao Yan glanced back at the cave beneath the cliff.

"Phew, the Ice Spirit Flame Grass is finally in hand. I should find a place to refine these Purple Cloud Wings first."

With a sudden leap, he vanished into the distance without a sound.

"Purple Cloud Wings."

Inside a secluded cave, Xiao Yan took out the flight Dou Technique scroll and slowly opened it, his gaze burning as he stared at the two lifelike, ethereal black wings depicted on the parchment.

"Teacher, please stand guard for me. I intend to cultivate these Purple Cloud Wings now."

As he spoke, Xiao Yan took out a bottle of Ice Heart Pill and a bottle of Bone Growing Pill, addressing Yao Lao.

"You brat, you really are impatient. However, using the Ice Heart Pill is the right choice; as a renowned Tier 2 pill, it can keep your soul in a clear, conscious state. This bottle should be enough to keep you safe."

Yao Lao smiled and said.

After closing his eyes to adjust his state, Xiao Yan placed an Ice Heart Pill into his mouth and then pressed both hands onto the black wings.

"Chirp!" The moment Xiao Yan's hands touched the wings, he felt a sharp, piercing shriek echo through his mind.

"Hmph, you're nothing but a beast. Shatter for me!"

At that moment, the cooling energy of the Ice Heart Pill dissolving in his mouth was silently nourishing his spirit. Borrowing this gentle energy, Xiao Yan bit down hard on his tongue, surging his soul power forward.

"Bang!" It sounded as if something had shattered.

Xiao Yan opened his eyes without a word, swallowed a Bone Growing Pill, and continued to focus his energy. Following the path recorded in the Dou Technique, he circulated his energy through several obscure and mysterious meridians within his body.

"Swish!" The two black wings on the scroll suddenly transformed into a beam of dark light, flying into Xiao Yan's body and tearing at his flesh.

At the same time, the energy of the Bone Growing Pill began to repair the damage, and the pair of wings burrowed into Xiao Yan's body, finally coming to rest on his back.

Xiao Yan opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of turbid air, and silently sensed the strange sensation behind him before saying to Yao Lao, "Teacher, I succeeded."

Yao Lao suddenly smiled slightly and said, "Let's go, go outside and test them."

As he spoke, he grabbed Xiao Yan and headed outside. Xiao Yan immediately felt a sense of foreboding: "Wait, Teacher, Teacher, what are you doing?!"

"Whoosh!" Yao Lao walked to the edge of the cliff and threw Xiao Yan straight down.

In truth, the height of this cliff from the ground wasn't particularly high, and there were plenty of towering trees below to catch him. With a practitioner's physical constitution, he wouldn't be seriously hurt even if he fell, at most appearing a bit disheveled.

But Xiao Yan was terrified!

"Good disciple, I'm going to test your mastery of this Dou Technique now."

Having dropped Xiao Yan, Yao Lao leaped down as well, hovering beside him as he spoke.

"Ahhh! Teacher, you'll kill me!" Xiao Yan screamed.

"Bang!"

In the end, Xiao Yan managed to unfurl the pair of purple Dou Qi wings on his back, landing somewhat clumsily on the branch of a towering tree.

"Teacher, I hate you!" Xiao Yan glared at Yao Lao with grief and indignation.

"Hahaha!" Yao Lao flew back to the cave without looking back, and Xiao Yan cautiously controlled his Dou Qi wings to follow.

"Teacher, look at this."

Returning to the cave, Xiao Yan acted like a sycophant, taking out the fragment of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame map.

"Eh? This is a map recording the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, ranked third on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. Though, it seems to be incomplete."

Yao Lao took the fragment with a look of surprise.

"Teacher, one day we will collect them all," Xiao Yan said, full of confidence.

"It's not that simple; the Dou Qi Continent is vast."

Seeing Xiao Yan's inexplicable confidence, Yao Lao couldn't help but chuckle.

"Teacher, we've already found the Ice Spirit Flame Grass needed to refine the Blood Lotus Pill. Next, we should go look for the Blood Lotus Essence and a Tier 4 ice-attribute Monster Core."

Xiao Yan changed the subject.

"Hmm, let's go get that Tier 4 ice-attribute Monster Core first. I've noticed signs of a Snow Wolf pack active nearby over the past two days," Yao Lao mused.

"Alright."

After responding, Xiao Yan closed his eyes and began his daily cultivation practice.

"Hmm."

Yao Lao looked at Xiao Yan with satisfaction. His disciple's temperament for cultivation was top-tier; how could an ordinary child of his age have the patience to persist in cultivation at every moment, at all times?

"Earth-tier Dou Technique: Flame Splitting Wave-Severing Ruler!"

Within a remote icy vale of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, a roar like a muffled thunderclap suddenly exploded.

Immediately following, a surging wave of heat spread throughout the entire valley. The pack of Snow Wolf King that had been preparing to pounce, along with the Tier 4 Snow Wolf King itself, were reduced to embers scattered across the ground. The ice layer covering the earth shattered entirely, melting into trickling streams.

"Hmm, it seems the effect is quite good."

In the void, Yao Lao held a black heavy ruler, looking down at the scene below, and nodded with satisfaction.

"This... this is comparable to a missile carpet bombing."

In the distance, Xiao Yan, standing on the branch of a large tree, stared at the scene before him in a daze.

"Teacher, isn't this power a bit too much? I wonder if the Snow Wolf King's monster core has already been melted away." Xiao Yan looked at Yao Lao, speechless.

He then unfurled his purple Dou Qi wings and leaped down to the valley floor, carefully sifting through the charred remains of the corpses to search for the Snow Wolf King's monster core.

"Phew, thank goodness, the monster core is still here."

Xiao Yan winced as he picked up a scorching, transparent monster core.

"Haha, since the Snow Wolf King's monster core is in hand, let's go."

As Yao Lao spoke, he returned to the Storage Ring along with the Black Iron Heavy Ruler.

"Let's go to the next location; we still need to find that Blood Lotus Essence. That Blood Lotus Essence is formed from the essence of the Yellow Lotus Essence, so finding it will take some effort."

Yao Lao's slightly muffled voice drifted out from the Storage Ring as a reminder.

"Understood, Teacher." With that, Xiao Yan flew off into the distance.

Two days later.

"Hmm, finally found you."

Xiao Yan walked into a secluded Vale and suddenly discovered that the ground was covered in Yellow Lotus Essence, while in the center, clusters of dark red Blood Lotus Essence stood quietly.

Xiao Yan walked over, plucked the Blood Lotus Essence from the center, and placed it into his Storage Ring.

"Teacher, the materials are all gathered now; we can refine the Blood Lotus Pill."

Xiao Yan said to the Storage Ring.

"Mm, first find a quiet and secluded valley. This teacher needs to refine a few medicinal pills, and while we're at it, your cultivation and Dou Technique training also need to be improved."

Yao Lao's voice came from the Storage Ring.

"Yes, Teacher." Xiao Yan replied respectfully.