Dou Shi and Grade Three Alchemist! Little Japan's Heartbreak

"Boom!"

As Chu Zhou opened his eyes, azure-purple Dou Qi surged from his acupoints and gathered over his body, clinging tightly to his skin to form a Dou Qi Mantle.

This was the hallmark of breaking through to Dou Shi, and the fundamental reason a Dou Shi was stronger than a Dou Zhe: the Dou Qi Mantle.

Once activated, it enhanced speed, defense, attack, and more, providing support across the board.

"A Dou Zhe really can't compare to a Dou Shi."

Chu Zhou punched the air. A sharp crack rang out as a gust of force shot toward the nearby wall, leaving a distinct fist imprint.

Back when he was a Dou Zhe, he would have needed at least a Yellow Tier Dou Technique to achieve that.

Just then, a voice he had not heard in a long time sounded in his mind.

Calling it a long time was not entirely accurate. Over the past three months, other people had also received rewards from the Firmament Ledger.

The first to awaken a special bloodline, the first to awaken a special physique, and the first to formally join a Dou God Clan had all received benefits.

The identities of these first achievers had been uncovered immediately. They were either children of high-ranking officials or people backed by wealthy investors.

In this new era of fierce competition, the powerful and privileged still held the lead, armed with advance intelligence.

Without Chu Zhou as a wild card, this game could well have been called a game for the privileged.

So far, apart from Chu Zhou, no ordinary person had achieved anything outstanding.

But this time, after a long absence, it was Chu Zhou again.

[Firmament Ledger announcement: Summoner "Chu Zhou" is the first to break through to Dou Shi. Reward: one tailor-made Low Earth Tier cultivation method and one tailor-made Low Earth Tier Dou Technique.] ×3

When the voice faded, Chu Zhou felt a wealth of information appear in his mind.

The Azure Flame Soul-Refining Art he practiced had been raised to the Low Earth Tier, with numerous refinements added. It was also perfectly suited to him, saving him the time needed to switch cultivation methods.

Guided by a special energy, the new cultivation route rapidly completed a full cycle, and the Qi Spiral in his Dantian grew more condensed.

When the Qi Spiral returned to its normal rotation speed, an additional drop of condensed liquid floated within it, marking Chu Zhou's advancement to Two-Star Dou Shi.

But the improvement that mattered most to Chu Zhou was that he could now sense traces of Wood Attribute and Fire Attribute Heaven and Earth Energy outside his body.

Everyone knew that cultivators had to reach Dou Wang before their Dou Qi could resonate with matching energy in the world, allowing them to harness a small amount of Heaven and Earth Energy. High-level Dou Ling with exceptional talent or powerful cultivation methods could just barely do it as well.

Chu Zhou still could not harness external Heaven and Earth Energy, but being able to sense it meant he would face no bottleneck in breaking through to Dou Wang. Moreover, directly sensing external energy matching his Dou Qi attributes would allow him to absorb and convert it faster, increasing his cultivation speed!

Immediately afterward, information about a Dou Technique appeared in his mind.

[Azure Flame Earth-Shaking Seal]: Low Earth Tier Dou Technique. Using it alongside the Azure Flame Soul-Refining Art reduces the time needed to form seals and activate it. It can fuse with the Mystic Yellow Azure Flame, combining the dual powers of fire and wood and unleashing them under the guidance of Soul Power. It can independently draw on a small amount of matching external energy to strengthen its attack.

Chu Zhou sucked in a breath, startled.

It truly was tailor-made to the utmost. It worked in tandem with his cultivation method, matched his attributes, incorporated Soul Power, and could even be enhanced by the power of Heavenly Flames.

Although it was only a Low Earth Tier Dou Technique, that was in someone else's hands. When wielded by Chu Zhou, it would likely approach the Middle Earth Tier!

This round of comprehensive improvements was nothing short of perfect!

After calming the Dou Qi within his body, Chu Zhou immediately opened the chat channel.

[Another Firmament Ledger reward. Wonder which rich young master got it this time.]

[That guy from Little Japan has a Dou Di Bloodline. Even if it's only Sixth-Rank, he's become a formal disciple of the Yao Clan and publicly demanded that Chu Zhou submit to him. Why hasn't the government sent someone to assassinate him?]

[Qin Han was the first to awaken a special physique, and he joined Ice River Valley too. Our country isn't doing badly either.]

[Some guy from India joined the Joyous Union Sect and is having his yang drained to replenish yin. Apparently he's almost a Seven-Star Dou Zhe already, even if it's costing him his lifespan.]

[What's India got on us? Our oppa Song Huiji is highly valued by the Beastman Tribe. Once he gets a companion soul, he could be the first to reach Dou Shi.]

[Hilarious. None of you are on the right path. Bloodlines and physiques are obviously the proper way to get started.]

[Chu Zhou hasn't made a peep in three months. I think he might have run out of steam, or maybe someone found him in the real world and...]

[Don't say it, don't say it!]

[Seriously, don't you people listen to the whole announcement before commenting?]

[Holy shit, it's the great Chu Zhou again! First to reach Dou Shi, and he got an Earth Tier cultivation method and Dou Technique too. Meanwhile, I'm still a Sixth Stage of Dou Qi nobody who can't even practice a Yellow Tier Cultivation Technique.]

[Do the people spouting nonsense earlier feel that slap in the face? The great Chu Zhou represents us ordinary people.]

[Everyone else has a major power backing them. Only the great Chu Zhou has made his way forward step by step on his own.]

[God Chu, I've always supported you. Can I kneel at your feet?]

[...]

Reading those messages, Chu Zhou smiled faintly.

That shocked you already?

That's nowhere near enough!

Chu Zhou took out three Grade Three Pills that restored Dou Qi and stuffed them into his mouth.

Of those three Grade Three Pills, two had been made by Pill King Gu He and Fa Ma as demonstrations while teaching their disciples, while the third had been refined by Liu Ling.

Ya Fei had gone to great lengths to obtain them for him, and they happened to provide the final stepping stone he needed to become a Grade Three Alchemist.

"Boom!"

Three powerful streams of medicinal energy emerged within his body, only to be forcibly suppressed by the Myriad Medicine Clarity Body.

As the Azure Flame Soul-Refining Art circulated, the Mystic Yellow Azure Flame spread through his meridians and burned. The medicinal energy was absorbed into every part of his body, his limbs, his bones, and every cell.

At the same time, the processes of Gu He, Fa Ma, and Liu Ling refining pills appeared in Chu Zhou's mind one after another, down to the finest detail, merging into a cohesive understanding.

Once he had absorbed all those experiences, he immediately took out a Medicine Cauldron and a pile of medicinal ingredients and began refining.

Meanwhile, in the Medicine Realm.

"Baka! Baka!"

Dongye Tian roared as he listened to the voice in his mind.

With Little Japan backing him, he had consumed large quantities of First-Rank Spirit Beast meat. Combined with the fact that the Medicine Realm provided Yao Clan disciples with better basic benefits than ordinary people received outside, his cultivation had already risen to Eight-Star Dou Zhe.

Moreover, special intelligence had led to him being tested and found to possess a bloodline, and he had been permitted to attend the coming-of-age ceremony for further testing.

But because his surname was not Yao, the improvement in his treatment had been relatively limited.

That was why he wanted a reward from the Firmament Ledger, to make his good fortune even better.

In his eyes, the reward for being the first to reach Dou Shi had been as good as his.

Yet now, this Chu Zhou had once again stolen an opportunity he had already claimed for himself.

"What are those idiots, those slaves, even doing?"

"They can't even find Chu Zhou and assassinate him. A bunch of pigs!"

Dongye Tian was beside himself with rage and vented in his room for quite some time.

Soon, however, he calmed down, took out a Medicine Cauldron, and began refining pills.

Had Chu Zhou been there, he would have noticed that Dongye Tian was refining a Grade Two Pill, and a fairly difficult one at that.

"I missed out on Dou Shi, so I'll compete for Da Dou Shi instead. Chu Zhou hasn't joined a major power. His resources won't compare to mine in the future."

"And there's Grade Three Alchemist too. I have a Grade Five Alchemist teaching me. I'll definitely catch up and overtake him."

[Firmament Ledger announcement: Summoner "Chu Zhou" is the first to advance his Alchemy to Grade Three. Reward: Dual Pill Refining Method.] ×3

Dongye Tian: ?

Countless people: ??