Cultivating the Flying Dou Technique, the Counterattack Begins

A pair of black, chilling eagle wings was depicted on the scroll, faint purple cloud patterns running across them. They looked lifelike and even gave off a slight warmth.

Xiao Yan took a deep breath. After mentally preparing himself, he placed both hands on the soft wings of the scroll.

In an instant, the lingering soul of the magical beast within the eagle wings let out a savage cry that made his soul tremble, charging straight into Xiao Yan's mind through the scroll.

By Xiao Yan's estimation, the Iceheart Pill, which could assist in fusing Beast Flame and prevent savage emotions from corroding the soul, should have worked here as well. However, it was far too difficult for him to refine at his current level.

After being worn away by the passage of time, the magical beast's remnant soul within the Flying Dou Technique had long since become weak. With his exceptional soul strength, as long as he guarded his mind, he could endure it.

Experiencing a soul attack for the first time, even though he had prepared himself, Xiao Yan's body trembled and his face suddenly turned several shades paler.

After another cry, the magical beast's remnant soul realized it was ineffective and charged at Xiao Yan's mind with its savage emotions.

At that moment, the dormant Lionheart Sacred Flame within Xiao Yan's Dou Qi Vortex suddenly trembled. The Dou Qi around it began circulating rapidly, flowing through his meridians along the cultivation method's path. Xiao Yan's spirit surged, and his mind became as steadfast as a rock.

No matter how the magical beast's remnant soul changed its methods of attack, Xiao Yan remained unmoved. After they remained locked in a stalemate for the time it took to eat a meal, the remnant soul's power finally proved to be water without a source, and the savage emotions slowly faded from the scroll.

Xiao Yan opened his eyes and swallowed the Suffering-Relief Pill. His body went numb, as though he had lost all sensation. Channeling Dou Qi into his palms, he once again placed them on the scroll's eagle wings.

Under the infusion of Dou Qi, the eagle wings blazed with light. Their already deep black color became even darker, while the previously faint purple gradually became clear.

The intertwined light of the two colors shot into Xiao Yan's palms like lightning, swiftly coursing through his meridians before rushing toward his spine and pulling outward in both directions.

When he had condensed his Dou Qi Vortex, Xiao Yan had experienced the pain of overly saturated meridians, which had made his body tremble and cold sweat break out. Now, however, his meridians were being torn apart—a far more serious agony, utterly unbearable for an ordinary person.

However, Xiao Yan had taken the Suffering-Relief Pill. Though its effect was not as absolute as the Poison Canon claimed, and he could still feel faint traces of pain, it remained completely within his limits.

Only when the eagle wings on the scroll disappeared did the extension of the two branch meridians come to a halt.

Xiao Yan put away the scroll. With a thought, the Dou Qi within his body flowed into the two newly formed branch meridians.

In an instant, purple-black light flashed behind him, and a pair of black eagle wings adorned with purple patterns emerged.

Xiao Yan controlled the wings and flapped them. A buoyant force lifted his body off the ground, while his Dou Qi was rapidly consumed in the process.

Relying on the advantage of cultivating an Advanced Profound Rank cultivation method, Xiao Yan's Dou Qi reserves were extremely abundant despite possessing only the strength of a Six-Star Dou Zhe. They were no weaker than those of a Dou Practitioner cultivating a Yellow-Tier Cultivation Method.

By Xiao Yan's rough estimate, using it to travel short distances between cities would not be a problem.

The most obvious use of a Flying Dou Technique was that one could gain the ability to fly ahead of time after mastering it, but there was another reason for its exorbitant price.

That was because, after breaking through to the Dou Wang level, it could be layered with Dou Qi wings, causing one's speed to soar. If paired with a powerful movement Dou Technique, it could almost rival a Dou Zong expert.

Speed and strength had always been the two major factors that determined combat power. If one had a chance to attain Dou Zong-level speed during the Dou Wang stage, it would provide an enormous advantage in the future, whether attacking enemies or fleeing from them.

After flying off the ground, Xiao Yan began trying to move left and right, familiarizing himself with the use of the Flying Dou Technique.

At that moment, a brightly lit hall was filled with laughter and cheerful voices. Jia Lie Bi had no interest in hearing about the excellent sales of Rejuvenation Powder and kept looking eagerly toward the door.

A day's sharp increase in market revenue could not compare to killing the Xiao Family's genius.

By all rights, the people he had sent should have returned long ago. Why had there been no word from them yet?

Jia Lie Bi was beside himself with anxiety when a clansman rushed in to report, "Patriarch, that little bastard Xiao Yan isn't dead..."

"What?" Jia Lie Bi could hardly believe it. He roared angrily, "What the hell is He Shan good for? He's a Dou Practitioner from the Snake Nest Mercenary Group, yet he couldn't even deal with a Dou Zhe who broke through less than half a year ago!"

On the left side of the hall, Han Bo, the old man who had attended the auction with Jia Lie Bi, had an arm around each of two effeminate young men, acting utterly without restraint.

Under the old man's unabashed movements, the two young men trembled all over and did not dare make the slightest sound.

Hearing the exchange, Han Bo frowned and said, "With me refining medicine, no matter how young the Xiao Family's genius was when he began cultivating, he'll sooner or later become a beggar on the streets. By then, won't he be yours to torment as you please?"

He had only broken through for a little over four months and was already so difficult to deal with. Who knew how strong that brat would become by the time the Jialie Family crushed the Xiao Family? Jia Lie Bi felt a faint unease, but he smiled and nodded in agreement with this alchemist of peculiar tastes.

Three days later, with Ya Fei deliberately using Jia Lie Ao's breakthrough after using Spirit Gathering Liquid that day as a promotional example, an auction for the medicinal liquid became just as popular as the auction for the Profound Tier cultivation method.

Yet the Xiao Family, one of the three great families, did not appear at this auction. Everyone who came knew why: the Xiao Family's market business had been hit by the sale of Rejuvenation Powder, leaving them overwhelmed and frantic.

The Jialie Family's prestige had recently been soaring in Wutan City, but when Ya Fei presented the first bottle of Spirit Gathering Liquid, they did not bid. Jia Lie Bi had not become so arrogant that he would provoke public outrage and offend every family.

However, when the remaining eight bottles of Spirit Gathering Liquid were auctioned in pairs, Jia Lie Bi bid boldly. Compared to him, Ao Ba Pa, another member of the three great families, seemed far less impressive.

In the end, Jia Lie Bi spent two hundred and fifty thousand gold coins to secure six bottles of Spirit Gathering Liquid.

After such a lavish display, many people felt that the Jialie Family should now be considered Wutan City's number one family once the auction ended.

Amid the praise and flattery of his many acquaintances, Jia Lie Bi became somewhat intoxicated with himself. Not long after drifting back to the family estate in high spirits, he received news that made him fly into a rage.

The Xiao Family had begun selling Rejuvenation Powder!

"Where did they find an alchemist?" The teacup in Jia Lie Bi's hand burst into powder with a bang.

Under the bright sunshine, the Jialie Family's market reached another peak amid its unceasing bustle. The packed streets were filled with shouts, curses, and the sounds of fighting, all blending together and shaking the air.

At the medicine sales counter, the Jialie Family members in charge looked down arrogantly at the mercenaries fighting until their heads were bloodied, their faces full of smug smiles. They truly acted as though they could throw their weight around simply because they had medicine to sell.

The Jialie Family had started at one hundred gold coins for ten bottles, but tempted by the enormous profits amid demand far exceeding supply, they had quickly raised the price to three hundred gold coins for ten bottles.

Even so, business remained booming. The reason was simple: Rejuvenation Powder refined by an alchemist was available nowhere else, and its rapid blood-stopping effect made it essential for completing missions.

"Stop crowding around here! The Xiao Family market is selling Rejuvenation Powder too—ten bottles for only one hundred gold coins!"

The loud shout suddenly rang out like a thunderclap, and the street fell silent.

Everyone looked at one another for a moment before the previous clamor quickly resumed.

Some believed it was a trick meant to let others squeeze their way to the front. Others boldly believed it was true; after all, every one of their gold coins had been earned through bloodshed. There were quite a few such people.

Similar scenes were unfolding throughout the Jialie Family's markets. The crowds that had gathered because of the Rejuvenation Powder receded like a tide and surged toward the Xiao Family's markets.