Flight Dou Technique

Xiao Yu gradually became entranced, maintaining his drinking posture until the wine from the flask ran down the corner of his mouth, snapping him out of his daze.

He hurriedly put away the flask. As if to prove he had not been peeking, Xiao Yu turned to sit with his back to the lake again, yet the sound of water splashing behind him continued to unsettle his thoughts.

Just as Xiao Yu's mind was wandering, Yun Zhi suddenly cried out from the lake behind him.

"Ah!"

Xiao Yu abruptly came to his senses, his gaze sharpening. He shot off the tree branch and rushed straight toward the lake.

He could only blame himself. He had caught plenty of fish from this lake lately and had already inspected it thoroughly, finding no powerful magical beasts within. That was why he had not checked the lake again just now. Yet this very oversight had put Yun Zhi in danger.

With Yun Zhi's cultivation sealed, she was no different from an ordinary person. Her only slight advantage was that years of Emperor-level Dou Qi tempering had made her body somewhat stronger than that of a normal person.

Just as Xiao Yu approached the center of the lake, Yun Zhi had already sunk beneath the water. Xiao Yu had also prepared his Dou technique, intending to dive straight below the surface.

"Eight Extremes Collapse!"

Unable to see what was happening underwater, Xiao Yu could not simply stab down with the Thousand Flame Spear. He chose the Eight Extremes Collapse, the technique he was most familiar with, so that if anything happened, he could react and adapt in time.

At that moment, Yun Zhi, who had sunk beneath the surface, suddenly emerged from the water again. She even had a smile on her face, showing no sign of having been attacked.

Before he could react, Xiao Yu's momentum was already impossible to alter. Afraid of injuring Yun Zhi, he hastily withdrew the Dou Qi in his hand. The sudden reversal shook the vortex within his body, sending a numb sensation through him.

His charging figure turned into a forward plunge.

Then his entire body pressed down on Yun Zhi, and the two of them fell helplessly into the water.

The smooth softness beneath his hands set Xiao Yu's heart ablaze, and the sight from earlier resurfaced in his mind.

The faint fragrance at the tip of his nose made the hormones in his body erupt all at once.

After great difficulty, Xiao Yu suppressed the desire in his heart. He took out a snow-white robe from his ring and swiftly wrapped Yun Zhi in it.

Only then did he awkwardly explain, "Uh... I heard you cry out and thought you were in danger..."

Yun Zhi, meanwhile, was equally dumbfounded. Anger filled her innocent eyes. Halfway through her bath, she had suddenly felt something slippery brush against her foot. It was one of the golden fish she usually ate. Yun Zhi had tried to catch it, only for the fish to bite her. It had not broken the skin, but it still startled her enough to make her cry out uncontrollably.

The fish had also been frightened by Yun Zhi's cry and tried to dive into the depths of the lake. Yun Zhi had wanted to catch it and teach it a lesson, but she had not expected that the moment she emerged from the water, Xiao Yu would take advantage of her.

By the lake, Xiao Yu stood beside Yun Zhi with a bruised and swollen face, forcing an apologetic smile. He had already watched Yun Zhi bathing, and now this had happened as well. All he could do was apologize to her.

After tidying themselves up a little by the lake, the two still hurried back to the cave. During such a dangerous time, lingering outside would leave behind too much human scent and might draw those magical beasts to them.

For safety's sake, after seeing Yun Zhi return to lie on the bed, Xiao Yu went out once more and scattered some medicinal powder around the area to prevent sharp-nosed magical beasts from tracking them down.

Only after finishing all that did Xiao Yu return to the cave.

Inside the cave, Xiao Yu added a few pieces of kindling to the fire, then quietly glanced toward Yun Zhi on the stone bed.

Yun Zhi had her back to Xiao Yu, and it was impossible to tell whether she was angry or embarrassed.

After all, a boy so much younger than her had not only seen all of her, but had even touched her...

Though it had been the same when he applied medicine to her a few days ago, Yun Zhi had fainted then. Whether that fainting spell had been genuine was another matter. It had come so timely that it eased the awkwardness between them.

The night passed without further words. In the silence of the night, the two endured a difficult evening.

Xiao Yu naturally could not sleep after seeing Yun Zhi's body, especially at his age. Yun Zhi, meanwhile, seemed to be lost in thought because of Xiao Yu's recklessness. In the end, only her physical weakness allowed her to gradually fall asleep.

Early the next morning, by the time Yun Zhi woke up, Xiao Yu had already prepared the food. Do not ask why he was being so attentive—he was simply helping others.

The two hastily ate breakfast. Xiao Yu planned to use this time to carefully study the Purple Cloud Wings, striving to master this Dou technique before going to trouble the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King. That would also improve his ability to protect himself.

Inside the cave, Xiao Yu took out the Purple Cloud Wings he had obtained earlier and examined them.

As they had not yet been activated, the Purple Cloud Wings were only palm-sized. A pair of miniature purple wings lay in Xiao Yu's palm.

"Flight Dou technique?"

Sitting nearby, Yun Zhi looked at the Purple Cloud Wings in Xiao Yu's hand and asked curiously.

Flight Dou techniques were extremely rare. Even the Cloud Mist Sect, one of the foremost sects in the Jia Ma Empire, did not possess one. This was not only because their crafting process was quite complicated, but also because both the materials and proper methods of crafting them were exceedingly rare.

Some sects could produce imitation flight Dou techniques, but those were merely decorative fakes. Anyone with genuine knowledge would not be fooled; they were only useful for deceiving novices.

"Mm. I obtained it by chance."

"Heh, your fortune is certainly not shallow."

Xiao Yu did not respond to Yun Zhi's sarcastic remark. After all, he was feeling guilty right now.

Fortunately, seeing that Xiao Yu was seriously preparing to cultivate the Dou technique, Yun Zhi knew what mattered. She did not continue making trouble and instead took the initiative to help him.

Seeing Xiao Yu stare endlessly at the Purple Cloud Wings in the cave, Yun Zhi said, "You still will not get anywhere even if you stare at it until it grows a flower."

"When flight Dou techniques are refined, traces of a magical beast's residual will are left within them to preserve their vitality. To cultivate a flight Dou technique, you must first activate it, then suppress the magical beast's residual will inside before you can truly master it."

Xiao Yu was surprised by Yun Zhi's words. "There's such a thing? Then what should I do?"

As they turned to serious matters, Yun Zhi's expression became solemn, and she seemed to regain some of her usual authority.

"This place is too cramped. If you want to cultivate a flight Dou technique, we should go to the valley outside."

Hearing that they were going to the valley outside, Xiao Yu frowned. But thinking that there had been no magical beasts nearby lately, he pondered for a while before nodding in agreement.

Cultivating the flight Dou technique was the highest priority now. Without mastering it, he would not be able to play much of a role in the battles ahead.

The two arrived in the valley. Yun Zhi sat on a rock and guided Xiao Yu's cultivation from the side.

Xiao Yu looked at Yun Zhi and nodded, then took out the Purple Cloud Wings from his storage space.

"First circulate your Dou Qi and sense the resonance within it."

Yun Zhi's calm voice sounded by Xiao Yu's ear.