Dou Zhe

In the Market Quarter, even amid the surging crowds, the noisy cries of hawkers, and the clamor of bargaining, the old man's not particularly loud yet still clear voice reached Zhao Li's ears without missing a single word. For a moment, Zhao Li seemed to have been struck by lightning and stood there dumbstruck.

Zhao Li thought back on the more than ten years since he had transmigrated to the Dou Qi Continent. It seemed he had mostly lived as an outsider. With the soul of an adult, he often felt out of place when interacting with people his own age.

He had been somewhat interested in many things at first, and had been willing to understand them, study them, and thoroughly figure them out.

Even cultivation seemed to have been the same. He had not truly set foot on the path of cultivation, yet he had tried to understand everything first. For a time, he had convinced himself with "better safe than sorry" and "steady and cautious," never realizing that with all things in this world, if one did not experience them personally, how could one possibly understand everything?

After Zhao Li understood this, his Dou Qi began circulating on its own, faster and faster, faster and faster, even stirring up a small ripple of energy.

In the Market Quarter, that Dou Emperor expert seemed to sense something. His words came to an abrupt stop, and he immediately turned his head, casting his gaze toward Zhao Li's group.

"Why is this kid so reckless, choosing to break through in a place like the Market Quarter, filled with all sorts of different people? With one careless mistake, failing the breakthrough would be minor. If he suffered Cultivation Deviation, his life would be ruined."

It turned out that the old man's words had sounded to Zhao Li like the evening drum and morning bell, instantly turning him away from the dead-end thoughts he had been trapped in before.

The instant Zhao Li gained enlightenment, the stirring of his heart guided the Dou Qi he had already cultivated to perfection into circulation. The Dou Qi around Zhao Li followed the circulation of Dou Qi within his body and gathered toward him.

This commotion also made Zhao Hongyu and the others react. They immediately cleared out a relatively open circle around Zhao Li, and at the same time, had Zhao Zhenzhen go notify the guards from earlier.

Seeing that there was temporarily no problem with Zhao Li's breakthrough, Zhao Hongyu went to the surroundings, cupped her fists toward everyone, and gave a bow.

"Everyone, I truly apologize. My younger brother suddenly gained some insight. If he misses this chance to break through, who knows when another opportunity will come? Disturbing everyone's business is indeed our fault. Later, you may all stroll around my Zhao Family Market Quarter, and all transactions will be discounted by ten percent."

When Wang Chen saw Zhao Hongyu and the others handle it this way, he secretly nodded. Inwardly, though, he envied the abundance of talented juniors in his old friend's family. They had handled it fairly appropriately, though they were still a bit too naive.

Sensing several malicious gazes in the crowd, he then said to Zhao Hongyu, "Hongyu girl, is your grandfather well? Don't worry. This little brother of yours has a solid foundation. There won't be any problem with his breakthrough."

"Grandpa Wang, Grandpa is doing well. A few days ago, he went into Secluded Cultivation to break through to high-rank Dou Emperor. Grandpa Wang, this is my younger brother Zhao Li, from my Third Uncle's family."

Zhao Hongyu pointed at Zhao Li.

Hearing the Dou Emperor expert speak, and seeming to be acquainted with the young people before them, the surrounding crowd quieted down. A few people also silently left, though no one knew whether they were leaving satisfied with a full harvest, or were busy rushing off to send news back to their families...

"Oh? He's the disciple that old fellow Lin Lan took in? Not bad!"

Seeing Zhao Li sitting cross-legged on the ground as the surrounding Dou Qi suddenly swept toward him, Wang Chen also knew that the Dou Qi Cyclone had successfully condensed. Moreover, this did not look like the commotion of someone who had only just broken through to Dou Zhe.

As the Dou Qi in his body began to circulate, Zhao Li also knew it was time to truly break through. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he assumed the posture of Five Hearts Facing Heaven and began controlling the Dou Qi in his body to gather toward his Dantian. Then it spun at extreme speed, gradually forming a rotating passage.

When it had stabilized and Zhao Li focused his senses on this passage, he could see everything inside his body through it, as though from God's Perspective. As the cyclone spun, the surrounding Dou Qi was constantly absorbed, then filtered and refined by the passage, filling his Meridians.

Only now did Zhao Li understand that starting from Dou Zhe, cultivation was the true process of actively drawing in Dou Qi, taming Dou Qi, and controlling Dou Qi. It was entirely unlike the stage of Dou Qi, where one could only do one's best to control and use the Dou Qi naturally stored within the Physical Body.

As more and more Dou Qi was refined through the cyclone and filled his Meridians, Zhao Li ended his cultivation and opened his eyes.

Only after breaking through did Zhao Li understand how naive his past behavior had been. Theory was ultimately only theory. Even if he had figured out how to cultivate to Dou Sheng and Dou Di, if he never acted on it, he would still remain a small fry who was not even a Dou Zhe, and would never become that kind of expert.

"Unity of Knowledge and Action is the true great path."

Zhao Li stopped obsessing over it. He got up, said something to Zhao Hongyu and the others, then walked up to Wang Chen and gave a bow.

"Senior, your words enlightened me and allowed me to break through. Please accept this bow from me."

Even though Zhao Li had long since been able to break through, without Wang Chen's words, he would still have been immersed in theoretical research.

"I was merely trying to find some fun in my spare time. An unintentional act, that's all. Kid, you're very good!"

Wang Chen was stunned for a moment by Zhao Li's sudden action, but after a brief thought, he understood. Inwardly, he regarded Zhao Li even more highly. Pointing at the jars before him, he laughed.

"If you really want to thank this old man, why not do something practical and support my business? How about buying a few jars?"

Zhao Li froze for a moment. He had not expected this old senior's thoughts to jump so abruptly, so he could only express his thanks again and casually picked out two jars.

"These two, then. This is all the Gold Coins I have."

Zhao Li scratched his head and took out his savings, a Great Qian Bank universal Amethyst Card. It was anonymous; as long as there was money inside, anyone could withdraw it. In nature, it was just like the banknotes in those television dramas from his previous life on Blue Planet.

After putting away the two jars, Zhao Li sighed inwardly. Back when he played DNF, Gabriel had scammed him so miserably. After so many years, perhaps going down the path of opening jars again had its own unique charm.

Zhao Hongyu and the others had followed over when Zhao Li walked toward Wang Chen. Now, seeing that the two had finished talking, she spoke.

"Xiao Li, Senior Wang Chen is Grandpa's close friend. When you were little and weak, Grandpa Wang even came to see you, and he had prepared quite a few Medicinal Ingredients at the time. But you, honestly—you usually don't communicate with everyone, and now you don't even recognize him. Grandpa Wang, come back with us and sit for a while."

Listening, Wang Chen laughed.

"Hongyu girl, don't you know your Grandpa Wang? I wouldn't lower myself to argue with a little fellow. Why are you being so polite?"

Then he pointed at his stall.

"I won't go. See, your grandpa has the ability to manage countless businesses, and all his juniors are outstanding. I don't have that skill. I still have to rely on setting up a stall to make money and scrape by."

When Zhao Hongyu and the others heard this, they scratched their heads in embarrassment.

"Grandpa Wang, if Grandpa heard you say that, wouldn't he come looking for you for another drinking bout? Then we'll head back first. Xiao Li needs to consolidate his realm, and he should also go pick a Cultivation Method. Remember to come sit at our home when you have time."

After saying that, they bid farewell to Wang Chen and left.

At the Zhao Family Courtyard, the guard looked at the young master before him, utterly puzzled. His young master had been pacing outside the family gate for a long time, yet simply would not go in. It was as if, in the young master's eyes, the gate before him was some savage beast or raging flood.

After a long while, Zhao Li wore an expression as if he were marching to his death, pushed the door open, and entered.