Zhao Li

"Dou Force, Third Segment! Level: Low!"

As the middle-aged man in charge beside the Testing Magic Stone Tablet announced the test results, the many youths and children below the platform, who had only just quieted down, began stirring again.

They gathered in twos and threes, whispering to one another, discussing who had only just started practicing qi, how fast their progress was, which clansmen had newly advanced to Dou Zhe this year...

At the edge of the grounds, beneath a lush old tree, a young man had his hands crossed behind his head. He leaned against the tree, looked at the lively scene before him, and curled his lips.

"It's the same every year. Boring as hell. Too bad this isn't that famous scene where my fellow countryman Genius fell from grace. I really would've liked to watch it in person."

Zhao Li's thoughts drifted toward the distant future, crossing time and space. It was only the same beginning, not the same story. The youth looked a little regretful and shook his head.

"To get from the Eastern Region of the Continent to the Northwestern Region, I'd probably need to be a Dou Emperor for it to be safer. Better keep my head down and develop for a while."

It had been more than ten years since Zhao Li transmigrated to the Dou Qi Continent. Over the years, from his clan and his teacher, he had learned quite a bit of information and confirmed that this was indeed the Dou Qi Continent from the book.

After his initial excitement, Zhao Li had wanted to cling to a golden thigh and coast through life. Unfortunately, he was in the Eastern Region of the Continent, an unknown distance away from the Northwestern Region where the story began.

"Distance isn't too bad. If I'm determined, I can always get there. But why did I get sent here at least a hundred years before the plot starts?"

Over the years, Zhao Li had gradually realized that the world he knew, those people he knew of, might not even have been born yet.

"Forget it. There are still so many years. I'll just cultivate in peace. There'll be plenty of chances later to witness Genius's fall with my own eyes. I imagine it'll feel different from reading the novel or watching the anime, hehe~"

Perhaps because he had lived two lives, Zhao Li's Soul Power was far stronger than that of ordinary people. After his initial curiosity, Zhao Li tried cultivating, and then he discovered something incredible—he seemed to be a genius!

"Young master, the master is calling for you. He wants you to go see him."

A call pulled Zhao Li's thoughts back. He turned his head and saw one of the clan guards. Immediately, Zhao Li sprang up with a kip-up, casually patted off his long robe, and followed the guard toward home with broad strides.

Zhao Li pushed the door open and entered, only to see his old man lying on a rocking chair, swaying back and forth, looking extremely leisurely.

"Poor me. If I'm not figuring out cultivation, I'm putting it into practice. What a hard life."

Thinking of how he had spent nearly ten years exploring on his own, Zhao Li complained inwardly, then asked aloud, "Father, you were looking for me?"

Hearing Zhao Li's question, Zhao Lingxiao did not even raise his head, leisurely rocking the recliner.

"Went to watch the clan's annual test again? How was it? I heard several of your older clan brothers successfully condensed a Dou Qi Cyclone this year and became Dou Zhe."

Zhao Li gave an awkward laugh. Since when did he care about that? He had only gone to satisfy a bit of wicked amusement in his heart.

When Zhao Lingxiao saw his son's dry laugh, however, he thought Zhao Li had grown a little anxious because he had yet to break through, and comforted him.

"Don't put any pressure on yourself. From what I can see, you're not far from condensing a Dou Qi Cyclone either. I imagine you'll succeed this year. A twelve-year-old Dou Zhe—there haven't been many of those in our Great Qian Empire over all these years."

In nearly ten years, even though Zhao Li had spent more of his time studying and pondering novel cultivation methods, he had still completed the Dou Force stage of cultivation.

"Father, don't worry. I'm already confident I can condense a Dou Qi Cyclone and officially become a Dou Zhe. Why don't you first find a few Cultivation Methods for me to study? I can familiarize myself with them in advance, and it'll be easier to cultivate once I break through."

Seeing that his father had misunderstood, Zhao Li did not explain. Instead, he grinned and prepared to ask his old man for some Cultivation Methods, so he could study how real cultivators cultivated and make a little more preparation before breaking through.

When he had first transmigrated and been reborn into this world, perhaps because an infant's body was too weak to withstand Zhao Li's powerful Soul Power, even a little thinking would leave him exhausted. Little Zhao Li appeared extremely frail and drowsy.

Although there were no other effects, it had once deeply worried his parents. In the end, they sought help from the Sect Master of the Pill Sect, the number one sect of the Great Qian Empire—Lin Lan, the only Seventh-Grade Alchemist in the Great Qian Empire—hoping he could refine medicinal pills to help their child regulate his body and grow up healthy.

Lin Lan was also a person of Great Qian and did not refuse. Later, when he met Zhao Li, he was drawn in by Zhao Li's powerful Soul Power. Then, while conditioning Zhao Li's body, he sensed Zhao Li's Fire Attribute with Wood Tendencies. He was simply a natural-born alchemist.

Lin Lan was moved to take him as a disciple and made an agreement with Zhao Lingxiao that once Zhao Li began cultivating dou qi, he would formally accept him as his disciple.

Under Lin Lan's care, Zhao Li's physique gradually became able to withstand his own vast Soul Power. Starting at the age of three, Zhao Li could already think and live normally. It was also his parents' care during those three years that made Zhao Li accept his relatives in this life and gave him a sense of home in this other world. As for everything from his previous life, dust returned to dust, earth returned to earth.

After that, Zhao Li was drawn in by this novel world.

But because of the influence of all sorts of cultivation novels from his previous life, Zhao Li did not plunge headlong into cultivating dou qi. Instead, he developed a strong interest in studying dou qi and the dou qi cultivation system, wanting to know not only what was so, but why it was so. Over these years, Zhao Li had already come to understand cultivation as the process of absorbing, taming, and using dou qi.

Strangely enough, Zhao Li found that his comprehension was extraordinary. During his research, he often had sudden flashes of insight and moments where everything became clear.

Zhao Lingxiao frowned. His son had had a way of thinking different from everyone else's since he was young, and over these years, he had become even more "neglectful of proper work," spending no small amount of time reading Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques the clan did not value. He gently scolded Zhao Li.

"Li'er, don't be greedy. Before you condense your Dou Qi Cyclone, there's no use reading Cultivation Methods. Focus on cultivating first and break through to Dou Zhe as soon as possible. Here, take this. It's the Qi Gathering Powder your teacher prepared for you. Don't let your teacher's good intentions go to waste."

As he spoke, he took out a jade bottle and tossed it to Zhao Li.

When Zhao Li heard that his teacher had specially prepared a medicinal pill for him, warmth filled his heart. He hurriedly reached out, caught it, and put it away.

Although he was fully confident he could condense a Dou Qi Cyclone even without the Qi Gathering Powder, it was still his teacher's kind intention. Besides, it was a Fourth-Grade Medicinal Pill. Plenty of people wanted it. If he tossed it into an auction house, it would fetch hundreds of thousands, even millions of Gold Coins. Who would say no to money?

"Teacher came?"

"He did not. He sent someone to deliver it. Break through to Dou Zhe as soon as possible, then go study with your teacher."

"Understood. This child will respectfully follow Father's teachings."

Zhao Li cupped his fists. Over the years, he had long since grown used to his father lecturing him about "neglecting proper work."

Next, father and son casually talked about some recent matters. Then Zhao Li found an excuse and prepared to slip away. "If there's nothing else, then this child will go back and cultivate."

Hearing Zhao Li say this, Zhao Lingxiao waved his hand and replied, "Go on."

"This child takes his leave."

Watching Zhao Li leave the courtyard, Zhao Lingxiao was stunned for a moment. Then he shook his head and laughed despite himself.

"That brat. Why did he get all downhearted? Sigh, forget it, forget it. The little rascal has grown up after all. Sooner or later, he'll have to go out."

"Mm, I wonder if Senior Lin has prepared Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques for Li'er. This scroll of the Mysterious Tier, Middle Grade Blazing Fire Technique is decent, but in the end, it's still a bit lacking. I'll give it to him when the time comes. Unfortunately, none of the clan's few Mysterious Tier, High Grade Cultivation Methods are Fire Attribute. I hope Senior Lin has made other arrangements."

Zhao Lingxiao himself did not notice the trace of pride and expectation in his own words.

The moon was like white jade, and the sky was full of stars. Light glowed from a small house beneath the moon. Through the window, a well-proportioned silhouette could vaguely be seen sitting cross-legged, Five Hearts Facing Heaven.

"Whew~" Zhao Li let out a long breath, opened his eyes, and ended his cultivation. Immediately afterward, his brow tightened, and he pondered inwardly.

"The Dou Force in my body has long since surpassed the Ninth Segment in the ordinary sense. When it circulates, its tempering and scouring effect on my Meridians is already negligible. Continuing to cultivate like this doesn't seem to have much meaning. How about I condense the Dou Qi Cyclone now and officially become a Dou Zhe? Without condensing the cyclone, this dou qi is ultimately like water without a source. It can't be sustained."