Breakthrough to Dou Practitioner (Revised)

Over the past month, Xiao Yao had remained in his room, cultivating day and night. At last, he broke through another stage and reached the eighth stage of Dou Qi.

While consolidating his cultivation, his father sent someone to deliver the medicinal herbs Xiao Yao desperately needed. Seeing those fresh herbs, his heart filled with anticipation and joy.

Not only were these herbs incredibly precious, but they would also be of immense help for his upcoming cultivation and pill refining.

Suddenly, Xiao Yao's gaze fell upon the pill furnace beside him.

The furnace was ancient and dignified, as though it contained endless mysteries and power.

Xiao Yao asked curiously, "Where did this pill furnace come from?"

The man replied, "Young Master, the Clan Leader said that since you wished to refine pills, how could you possibly do without a pill furnace? So he spent a great deal of money to purchase it from the Mittel Auction House. This is a specially made pill-refining furnace, one of the finest among first-grade pill furnaces. It is very suitable for your use."

Hearing this, Xiao Yao could not help but feel a warm current rise in his heart.

His father had always been so attentive and thoughtful. For the sake of his cultivation and pill refining, he had not hesitated to spend a fortune on the best materials and equipment.

Xiao Yao sat before the pill furnace and began carefully studying the herbs.

Every herb contained different energies and properties, requiring him to sense and understand them with care.

To become an alchemist, one first needed a constitution with both fire and wood attributes. Fortunately, thanks to the system's reward, he met that requirement as well.

However, to successfully refine pills, the three most important requirements were materials, a flame source, and soul perception.

Looking at these requirements, he already had the pill formula and the materials in hand.

Xiao Yao looked at the Soul Storage Ring on the middle finger of his right hand and recalled the rewards the system had given him after completing past missions.

After years of nurturing, combined with the strength of his soul from two lifetimes, Xiao Yao felt that his soul power had become extremely formidable. It was enough to support the refinement of fourth- or fifth-grade pills.

Now, only the requirement of a flame source remained unmet.

Yet a flame source was something Xiao Yao could not resolve at the moment.

Xiao Yao knew clearly that if he wanted to obtain a powerful flame source, he first had to raise his cultivation to the level of a Dou Practitioner and master a powerful fire-attributed Dou Skill.

However, he had not yet reached the Dou Practitioner level, which left Xiao Yao feeling somewhat disappointed.

Ding. Detecting the host's intense desire. A long-term mission is now being issued: Mission One: Successfully reach the ninth stage of Dou Qi within three months. Reward: one high-grade medicinal pill, Qi-Gathering Powder (guaranteed 100% breakthrough to Dou Practitioner).

Mission Two: Successfully cultivate to the Great Dou Master realm before the age of eleven. Reward: one Heavenly Flame 100% Fusion Card.

Mission Three: Successfully become a Fourth-Grade Alchemist before the age of eleven. Reward: one Fallen Heart Flame.

Host, you have five minutes to decide whether to accept these three missions. Once accepted, they must be completed within the specified time. Otherwise, the system will randomly confiscate the host's cultivation techniques, Dou Skills, cultivation, lifespan, or other such things. Please consider carefully.

After hearing the system's missions, Xiao Yao said without hesitation, "Real men never consider the consequences. System, I'll take all three missions."

Ding. Host has successfully accepted the missions. Mission status: Mission One: Successfully reach the ninth stage of Dou Qi within three months. Reward: one high-grade medicinal pill, Qi-Gathering Powder. (Incomplete)

Mission Two: Successfully cultivate to the Great Dou Master realm before the age of eleven. Reward: one Heavenly Flame 100% Fusion Card. (Incomplete)

Mission Three: Successfully become a Fourth-Grade Alchemist before the age of eleven. Reward: one Fallen Heart Flame. (Incomplete)

From then on, Xiao Yao threw himself back into cultivation. His life became monotonous and repetitive during those days, yet he never grew tired of it.

Every morning, sunlight streamed through the window into Xiao Yao's room on time. Specks of light dotted the entire room, bringing him a hint of warmth.

At that moment, a child sat on the bed. His face carried an air beyond his years, while his hands formed a strange seal before his chest as he silently absorbed the surrounding Dou Qi.

Just then, Xiao Yao sensed the Dou Qi within him becoming increasingly dense, so dense that it was about to overflow from his body.

"Almost... almost!" Xiao Yao muttered excitedly. He could feel that he was getting closer and closer to a breakthrough.

He immediately increased his absorption of the Dou Qi from the outside world and devoted himself completely to cultivation.

Several hours passed before Xiao Yao finally could not help but exhale a breath of Dou Qi.

"It hasn't even been three months, and I've finally completed one system mission. I've reached the ninth stage of Dou Qi," Xiao Yao murmured.

At that moment, the system's voice rang out beside his ear again.

Congratulations, host, on completing Mission One. The reward has been issued.

Seeing the exquisite jade bottle that appeared in his hand, Xiao Yao hurriedly poured the pill into his mouth. The pill immediately transformed into a rich essence that surged down his throat and into his body, flowing from his chest to his dantian before spreading throughout his entire body.

Xiao Yao could feel that essence moving through his body, nourishing his meridians and muscles.

As he absorbed the essence, streams of Dou Qi erupted from his dantian and spread in all directions. They coursed through Xiao Yao's meridians, bringing intense numbness and pain.

Xiao Yao clenched his teeth tightly and endured the pain. Wasn't this supposed to be a guaranteed breakthrough? Why did it hurt so much?

Xiao Yao began forming the seal for absorbing Dou Qi. It was a special hand gesture that helped him better control and absorb Dou Qi.

As Xiao Yao formed the seal, that Dou Qi was gradually absorbed by him and converted into his own power.

However, as Dou Qi from the outside world continued pouring in, Xiao Yao's body began reacting violently.

Xiao Yao's meridians felt as though they were being scorched by blazing flames. The pain was unbearable, and he could only grit his teeth and persevere.

Finally, when the Dou Qi within his body reached its critical point, Xiao Yao began compressing the Dou Qi throughout his meridians toward his dantian.

Xiao Yao focused all his attention and condensed that Dou Qi into a golden vortex.

The vortex spun within Xiao Yao's dantian, radiating dazzling light like a miniature sun.

As the vortex rotated, Xiao Yao's body gradually adapted to that powerful Dou Qi.

The pain and discomfort began to fade, replaced by an entirely new sense of strength.

Xiao Yao knew that he had successfully broken through and entered a brand-new realm—the Dou Practitioner.

Ding. Congratulations, host, on breaking through to Dou Practitioner. Reward: Divine Concealment Technique.

"System, how did you know I wanted something that could conceal my cultivation? From now on, I can reveal as much cultivation as I want, whenever and wherever I want."

Xiao Yao directly claimed the reward and began cultivating the Dou Skill. After practicing for a while, he lowered his cultivation to the fourth stage of Dou Qi. I should keep a low profile from now on. Thinking of the future disaster the Xiao Clan will face—the people from Soul Hall—I shouldn't reveal my talent too early. Little Flame can handle the enemies ahead. If he can't beat them, then I'll step in. Hehehe!