High-grade Profound Tier Dou Technique

The Xiao Clan of Wutan City was only a second-rate clan, after all. It did not possess even half a scroll of an Earth Tier Dou Technique.

Xiao Yuan's gaze slowly swept over the rows of scrolls.

His Supreme Inheritance contained many high- and low-level Spirit Arts, but the Supreme was both the source of his success and the cause of his troubles.

Most of those profound cultivation methods from the Great Thousand World relied on the spiritual energy between heaven and earth there, rather than the Dou Qi of the Dou Qi Continent.

If he wanted to use the Spirit Arts in his inheritance directly against an enemy, he first had to use the Ten Thousand Transformations Source-Dividing Art to convert the Dou Qi within him into the spiritual energy of the Great Thousand World.

With his current reserves of Dou Qi, if he converted them into spiritual energy, even the lowest-level Mortal Tier Spirit Art would exhaust him after only a few uses.

That was also why, after spending six hours selecting a method from his Supreme Inheritance, he had ultimately chosen this unranked cultivation method.

The other cultivation methods all had strict spiritual energy requirements. Cultivating that way would certainly grant him formidable combat strength, but his cultivation would progress correspondingly more slowly.

Ordinary cultivators only had to absorb and contain energy; he would have an additional conversion step.

The higher the level of the Spirit Art, the more spiritual energy it required, and the more troublesome the conversion became.

So, while his cultivation realm was still low in these early stages, he was better off choosing two local Dou Techniques to ensure he could sustain himself in battle.

Ideally, I can find Dou Techniques with good compatibility. If not, I'll choose one offensive and one defensive technique that also account for speed, Xiao Yuan mused.

His fingertips brushed lightly over the beast-hide scrolls on the wooden racks.

Wind-Splitting Palm, Stone Shattering Fist, Blazing Fire Seal...

The vast majority were low- or mid-grade Yellow Tier Dou Techniques. Their limitations were considerable, and their damage was limited.

The Xiao Clan's sizable Dou Technique Hall did not contain even a single Profound Tier Dou Technique suited to him.

Xiao Yuan shook his head slightly, a trace of helplessness flashing through his eyes. The shortcomings of a second-rate clan's foundations were laid utterly bare at that moment.

Just as he was about to settle for less and select three High Yellow-Tier Dou Techniques to tide him over, soft, delicate footsteps suddenly sounded at the quiet entrance to the Dou Technique Hall.

A faint, elegant fragrance drifted into the hall first, neither heavy nor overpowering, refreshing the heart.

Xiao Yuan instinctively turned to look.

Bright daylight spilled through the doorway, illuminating the spotless figure of a young girl.

Xiao Xun'er wore a simple, elegant white dress, her ink-black hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall. Her features were as exquisite as a painting, her skin fair and translucent, like a moonlit fairy untouched by mortal dust.

She was already stunningly beautiful. As she stood quietly in the doorway, her gentle, serene air seemed to brighten even the somewhat aged Dou Technique Hall.

Noticing Xiao Yuan looking at her, a soft glimmer lit Xiao Xun'er's clear eyes. Her cool features instantly softened, and an exceedingly faint yet utterly genuine, tender smile rose at the corners of her lips as she walked slowly toward him.

"Long time no see."

The girl's voice was soft and lilting, delightful to the ear.

"Xun'er." Xiao Yuan withdrew his gaze, his tone calm. "What brings you to the Dou Technique Hall?"

"I heard you'd been in seclusion for three months and only came out today, so I came to try my luck. I didn't expect to actually find you here."

Xiao Xun'er stopped a few steps in front of him, her eyes, clear as water, quietly studying him. Others could not see through the aura Xiao Yuan had deliberately reined in.

But Xun'er's bloodline was special. She could vaguely sense the dense, surging Dou Qi concealed within the young man's body, and she could not help marveling inwardly.

His strength actually improved this much after just three months in seclusion.

Her gaze swept over the surrounding rows of ordinary beast-hide scrolls. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she spoke softly.

"The Xiao Clan's Dou Technique Hall contains nothing but Yellow Tier Dou Techniques. With your current strength, using these would be far beneath you."

As her words fell, Xun'er turned her slender, fair wrist slightly.

Two deep-blue scrolls of distinctly different materials lay quietly in her palm. Faint patterns of lightning flowed across their surfaces, and a subtle yet powerful fluctuation of Dou Qi slowly spread outward. They were nothing like the Xiao Clan's crude beast-hide scrolls.

"I happen to have two Dou Techniques that might help you."

Xiao Yuan's gaze settled on the two scrolls, and his heart stirred slightly.

The cover of the upper scroll bore gilded ancient characters—Thunderclap Finger—and was marked High Xuan Tier.

The other scroll was slightly thinner. Named Thunderflash, it was a mid-grade Profound Tier movement Dou Technique.

One for offense, one for speed, both perfectly suited to the Lightning Attribute Dou Qi he wielded best.

Black Tier Dou Techniques—even the heads of Wutan City's three great clans might not possess a complete one. Their value was immeasurable. Yet Xun'er had brought them out so casually. Such generosity was enough to make anyone's heart jump.

"These are... Black Tier Dou Techniques?" Xiao Yuan raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Yes." Xiao Xun'er nodded gently and offered the two scrolls, looking at Xiao Yuan with a trace of barely perceptible anticipation in her eyes.

"Thunderclap Finger gathers lightning force at the fingertip, allowing a single thrust to pierce an opponent's defenses. Thunderflash uses the explosive power of lightning to move in an instant, making your advances and retreats elusive.

"Last time at the Market District, I noticed that you had a lightning attribute. These two Dou Techniques should let you bring out their full power."

The hall was quiet, with only their conversation echoing within it.

Xiao Yuan reached out and accepted the two weighty scrolls. They felt cool to the touch, and the lightning patterns upon them trembled faintly, as though responding to the lightning Dou Qi surging within him.

A High-grade Profound Tier Dou Technique—this was the first high-grade local Dou Technique he had obtained since arriving on the Dou Qi Continent. With these two, he would no longer have to make do with those weak Yellow Tier Dou Techniques for the time being.

"This gift is far too valuable." Xiao Yuan looked at the scrolls in his hands, then at the girl before him.

The deep-blue scrolls felt solid and heavy in his hands. The flowing lightning patterns on their surfaces continued to resonate from afar with the lightning Dou Qi lying dormant within him.

In a small city like Wutan City, Profound Tier Dou Techniques were already treasures kept at the very bottom of the chest. Even an ordinary clan disciple who rendered monumental service might never get a glimpse of one, yet Xun'er had casually brought them over as gifts for him.

At his words, Xiao Xun'er smiled faintly, her long eyelashes fluttering gently. There was not the slightest reluctance in her clear eyes, only complete openness.

"They're only material possessions. No matter how good a Dou Technique is, in the hands of someone who can't bring out its power, it's nothing more than a scroll of wastepaper."

She paused, her gaze resting on Xiao Yuan's face. Her voice grew softer, carrying a stubbornness she showed only with him.

"To me, letting you gain wings like a tiger is what it means to put them to their best use."

Xiao Yuan held the two scrolls. After their several encounters, he understood Xiao Xun'er's temperament well enough. If he kept refusing, he would only let down her kindness.

"In that case, I'll accept them. If an opportunity arises in the future, I'll be sure to repay you."