Suction Palm and Fire-Blowing Palm, the Might of Both Palms

In the blink of an eye, three and a half months passed.

There were still five months until the coming-of-age ceremony.

With a splash, Xiao Yan rose from the wooden tub, letting the icy water roll down his body.

Although Yao Lao whipped him with Dou Qi every day, his body bore not a single wound. His muscular physique had taken on a bronze hue.

Feeling the strength in his body, Xiao Yan was confident that even without using Dou Qi, he could defeat someone at the seventh stage of Dou Qi.

His Dou Qi had likewise reached the seventh stage.

Dou Qi was divided into nine stages in total. Stages one through three were beginner level, four through six were intermediate level, and seven through nine were advanced level.

The seventh stage of Dou Qi was several times stronger than the sixth.

The eighth and ninth stages would be even more difficult to cultivate.

However, with five months remaining, Xiao Yan was confident he could break through to the ninth stage of Dou Qi before the coming-of-age ceremony.

Xiao Yan casually moved his body, and his bones immediately crackled.

His sharp gaze flicked toward the bed. He curled his right hand, generating a suction force in his palm that immediately pulled over the clothes by the bedside.

Xiao Yan stepped out of the tub and gave his body a casual shake. Every drop of water rolled onto the bluestone floor as though it had rained.

That alone revealed his precise control over his body.

After putting on his clothes, Xiao Yan frowned slightly. "This Suction Palm is convenient enough for everyday use, like pulling over clothes or objects."

"But using it in battle is rather useless. It can only bully people below your level. If you dare pull in someone stronger, they can use the momentum to close in and hit you with a guillotine strike. That would be fatal."

However, Yao Lao seemed to possess a Dou Technique called Fire-Blowing Palm, which could create powerful wind pressure.

Fire-Blowing Palm and Suction Palm were both ordinary when used alone, but when combined, their offensive power was exceptionally formidable.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yan called out, "Teacher, please appear."

A moment later, the black ring flashed faintly, and Yao Lao floated out.

"Little Yan, what is it?"

Xiao Yan said earnestly:

"Teacher, could you stop calling me 'Little Yan' from now on? It sounds terrible."

"Oh?"

Yao Lao was puzzled. "You call yourself trash every day. Isn't Little Yan nicer than trash?"

"It's different."

"Very well. Though I do not know why you dislike that form of address, your teacher is not so stubborn. I will stop calling you that."

"Thank you, Teacher."

"But did you call me out just for this?"

Xiao Yan chuckled, his eyes rolling as he put on a fawning expression.

He explained his insights from using Suction Palm.

"Teacher, if there were a Dou Technique that exerted force opposite to Suction Palm—a blowing force—then when suction and blowing force met, they would surely create tremendous destructive power."

"And I would not have to fear that someone I pulled over might be too strong to defeat."

After pondering for a moment, Yao Lao said with interest, "That is quite an interesting idea. I can already imagine you using suction and blowing force to toy with your enemies."

"Let me think... there really is such a Dou Technique."

"Once, there was a blacksmith surnamed Tang. His son, Third, suffered serious injuries. He used a Dou Technique he had created himself to ask me for a healing pill. Seeing how pitiful he was, I agreed."

As he spoke, Yao Lao tapped Xiao Yan's forehead, and a flood of information poured in.

"Fire-Blowing Palm: Low Profound Tier. It can create powerful wind pressure!"

[ Ding! The host has intercepted Fire-Blowing Palm. Judgment: Xiao Yan's level has been weakened by 2 stars.]

[ Reward: Fire-Blowing Palm advanced to Low Earth-tier.]

[ When cultivated to perfection, its blowing force becomes powerful enough to form a tornado and tear enemies apart.]

After Fire-Blowing Palm advanced, not only did its blowing force increase, but the force could also be released from any part of the body.

With Xiao Yan's peerless comprehension, he had already grasped the basics of Fire-Blowing Palm after practicing it once.

In the room, Xiao Yan eagerly looked at the only vase. He curled his hand, circulating Dou Qi through the pathways of Suction Palm. A powerful blowing force surged from his palm, aimed at the vase.

The vase was pulled by the suction force and shot rapidly toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan focused completely. When the vase was about one or two meters away, he withdrew Suction Palm and redirected his Dou Qi through the pathways of Fire-Blowing Palm.

Just as the vase was about to strike him, a powerful blowing force erupted from Xiao Yan's palm. The wind pressure slammed into the vase.

"Bang!"

With a crisp crack, the vase shattered in midair. Fragments and powder were blown back, while not a speck of dust touched Xiao Yan.

"This Fire-Blowing Palm is quite ingenious. Anyone who did not know better would think I could release Dou Qi externally."

Only Dou Zhe at the Da Dou Shi level or above could release Dou Qi externally.

Afterward, Xiao Yan continued practicing the two Dou Techniques in the room, and all sorts of objects immediately suffered.

An hour later, not a single piece of furniture in Xiao Yan's room remained intact. The floor was covered in scattered splinters and broken porcelain, leaving nowhere to step.

Floating in the air, Yao Lao watched his disciple demolish the room for an entire hour and could not help shuddering.

He thought of a type of magical beast called the Husky Beast. It was not very strong, but it was adorably foolish and popular as a pet among Dou Zhe.

However, Husky Beasts were extremely energetic. If you did not play with them and let them burn off their energy, you were finished—they would tear your house apart.

His disciple's destructive habits put even a Husky Beast to shame.

With a whoosh, Yao Lao transformed into a shadow and slipped into the black ring.

Xiao Yan awkwardly rubbed his nose, walked out, and summoned servants to clean the room.

He then headed to the back mountain to continue practicing Suction Palm and Fire-Blowing Palm.

At once, the entire back mountain shook, fierce winds rose, and the anguished cries of birds rang out without end.

Whenever his Dou Qi was depleted, Xiao Yan would sit in meditation to recover, only to discover that his Dou Qi had increased by a tiny amount.

Thus, Xiao Yan endured Yao Lao's Dou Qi whipping two hundred times every day, then practiced three Dou Techniques.

Bang, bang, bang. Suck, suck, suck. Blow, blow, blow.

Under such diligent cultivation, his physical strength, Dou Qi stage, and Dou Technique proficiency all increased rapidly.

Four months later, Xiao Yan's Dou Qi had reached the ninth stage and was fully saturated. The next step was to condense a Dou Qi cyclone and become a true Dou Zhe.

However, tomorrow was the assessment held one month before the coming-of-age ceremony.

The assessment served to eliminate those whose Dou Qi was below standard. Any disciple who had not reached the seventh stage would not even be allowed to attend the coming-of-age ceremony and would instead be assigned directly to one of the family's businesses.

Of course, if they performed exceptionally well in the future, they could still return to the family and become internal members.

However, among disciples who could return to the family's inner ranks, there might not be even one in three or four years.

Xiao Yan took a deep breath and bent slightly. Then his entire body turned into an afterimage.

"Eight Extremes Collapse!"

His fist slammed into the trunk of a tree so thick that three people would need to join hands to encircle it.

Bang!

A washbasin-sized hole was blasted straight through the thick trunk.

Creak, creak. The great tree swayed endlessly before finally giving way and crashing down toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan leaned back slightly and pointed both palms downward, circulating the Dou Qi in his body through the pathways of Fire-Blowing Palm.

Two blasts of blowing force erupted from his palms. Xiao Yan rose off the ground and flew backward, evading the falling trunk.

Chirp, chirp, chirp~

As the tree fell, a bird's nest was flung into the air. Inside was a hatchling that had only emerged from its egg a few days ago and could not yet fly.

Terrified by the sudden turn of events, it opened its beak and screamed. Falling from such a height meant certain death.

Xiao Yan waved his right hand, releasing a suction force. The bird's nest actually flew toward him at a steady speed.

Boom, boom, boom~

The massive tree struck the ground with a thunderous crash, kicking up dust that filled the sky.

Xiao Yan drifted gracefully to the ground and caught the bird's nest in his right hand. With a wave of his left hand, he released a blowing force that sent the rising dust back.

Chirp, chirp, chirp~

The rescued hatchling was still shaken. It flapped its featherless wings and cried with its beak wide open.

"Little fellow, no need to thank me."

"Are you sure it is thanking you, rather than cursing you for destroying its home?"

At some point, Yao Lao had emerged from the ring and was floating in the air.

Xiao Yan leaped up, placed the bird's nest on another tree, then landed gracefully, looking utterly carefree.

"You have become so proficient with these three Dou Techniques, especially Fire-Blowing Palm. You can actually use its blowing force to achieve low-altitude flight."

Yao Lao praised him. He had seen many geniuses in his life, but Xiao Yan's comprehension was unquestionably that of a genius among geniuses.

Over nearly a year together, his disciple had displayed not only astonishing comprehension, but also supreme talent in cultivating Dou Qi, extraordinary endurance, and remarkable physical talent.

Yao Lao could not help sighing. His disciple's future achievements would be immeasurable.

Xiao Yan smiled shyly, without becoming arrogant.

On the Dou Qi Continent, strength was supreme. He was not even a Dou Zhe yet.

No matter how powerful his body was or how skillfully he used Dou Techniques, he could only flee when facing a Dou Shi.