Ninefold Thunder Spear (Double-length chapter)

Chapter 37: Ninefold Thunder Spear

Without a close-combat Dou Technique for offense and defense, he could only keep moving and launch sneak attacks, never daring to clash head-on.

Lacking endurance and powerful offensive moves, he had to calculate every battle carefully, gambling on openings and timing.

If that Ironspine Boar had companions supporting it, or if several Beast Spirits surrounded him again, those three tricks alone would still leave him in danger.

Especially when he thought of the Third Tier Beast Spirit hidden deep in the Valley that had yet to show itself, Xiao Yuan felt his sense of crisis grow ever stronger.

The stronger the enemies he faced, the more fatal his one-dimensional repertoire of Dou Techniques would become.

"Not enough. Nowhere near enough."

Xiao Yuan murmured to himself, his gaze grave.

Relying on three Dou Techniques to ambush and kill isolated Beast Spirits was ultimately a minor path, one that could only grind his cultivation upward slowly.

To truly establish himself, contend with Third Tier Beast Spirits, and even subdue the main body of the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame in the future, he had to expand his arsenal of Dou Techniques and round out his offensive and defensive options.

His foundation was solid now, and his cultivation was steadily rising. This was precisely the best time to broaden his repertoire and refine his combat system.

"I can't keep hunting blindly."

Xiao Yuan decisively suppressed the urge to keep lying in wait for Beast Spirits.

Rather than risk being surrounded and killed just to scrape together more child flames, he would stop for now and shore up his weaknesses first.

Once he mastered more, stronger Dou Techniques, hunting Beast Spirits and advancing his cultivation would yield twice the results for half the effort.

Having made up his mind, Xiao Yuan cast one last, deep look into the valley's depths, where waves of heat roiled. He concealed every trace of his presence, withdrew from the Valley's edge, and retraced his path through the dense forest.

He traveled swiftly without stopping, using Thunderflash to dart through the trees. Before long, he returned to the secluded cave where he had previously cultivated and recovered.

He moved the rocks aside, slipped into the cave, and sealed its entrance again, shutting out every disturbance from the outside world.

Inside the dim, silent cavern, Xiao Yuan sat cross-legged and allowed his mind to settle completely.

"It's time to open the Legacy Space and choose new Dou Techniques."

He silently recited the words, and with a shift of his consciousness, his mind instantly sank into the mysterious Legacy Space deep within his head.

Thousands upon thousands of differently colored spheres of light floated through the gray void. Glimmers shimmered everywhere, and an ancient aura washed over him.

Xiao Yuan quickly scanned the many cultivation methods, ruled out those incompatible with his attributes, and carefully examined the remaining scrolls.

He knew his weakness: he lacked a means of killing an opponent with a single strike in battle.

Although Thunderclap Finger was an upper-grade Black Tier cultivation method, it ultimately delivered a concentrated explosion at a single point. With his current low cultivation, he could only unleash its power at close range, making it far too restrictive.

This time, he mainly wanted to find a weapon-based Dou Technique and a fire-controlling one in the Legacy Space.

In a life-and-death struggle, someone with a weapon would always have a better chance of winning than someone fighting barehanded.

And whether he refused to refine the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame later or learned an Alchemist's skills, he could not avoid dealing with flames. It was time to put fire-control arts on his cultivation agenda as well.

Soon, two scrolls caught his attention.

The first was Ninefold Thunder Spear, a lower-grade Divine-level offensive Spirit Art—a lightning-element spear Dou Technique.

It used violent lightning power to condense Thunderstorm marks within the body, up to a maximum of nine. With all nine marks unleashed together, its power was unrivaled.

"Condense a spear from Dou Qi in battle. It can attack at range or fight up close, delivering powerful piercing strikes or explosive Thunderstorm impacts."

This one perfectly addressed his lack of powerful close-combat moves.

The second was the Gilded Flame Canon, an upper-grade Spirit-level fire-control cultivation method.

A cultivation method personally created by the Flame Emperor of the Endless Fire Domain.

It was specifically designed to harmonize and tame foreign flames, stabilizing outside fire seeds within the body and reducing flame backlash.

"Oh~

"This one's pretty good. The Flame Emperor even created it himself."

Xiao Yuan exclaimed in admiration, intending to study it closely. Yet the moment his fingers parted the pages, he froze.

Wait?!

The Endless Fire Domain?! The Flame Emperor?!!

Which fucking Flame Emperor was this!?

Xiao Yuan stared in disbelief at the gold-embossed book before him.

"This... this is a cultivation method Xiao Yan created?"

Xiao Yuan swallowed, his fingers hovering over the pages without turning them.

It had collected a cultivation method created by Xiao Yan, and even called him the Flame Emperor of the Endless Fire Domain.

"Then the original owner of this legacy was a Sovereign from the time after Xiao Yan became an emperor?"

Xiao Yuan's fingertips hovered before the gilded pages as thoughts churned rapidly through his mind.

The present Xiao Yan was still struggling in Wutan City and was not even a Dou Zhe yet. He was at least twenty years away from breaking through to Dou Di.

Yet this Gilded Flame Canon was a cultivation method circulated after the Flame Emperor became an emperor.

The original owner of the legacy was actually a Sovereign who remained alive after Xiao Yan ascended to Dou Di and rose to the Great Thousand World.

"Does that mean, if I can break through this plane's shackles and reach the Great Thousand World someday, I might have a chance to meet this Sovereign?"

At that thought, towering waves surged through Xiao Yuan's heart.

He took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed his rolling shock. Now was not the time to investigate the legacy's origins. The cultivation methods before him were a tangible opportunity.

Xiao Yuan hesitated no longer and gently brushed his fingertips over the gilded pages.

Vast, gentle insights into the path of fire flowed through his fingertips into his soul.

The principles of the Gilded Flame Canon slowly unfolded. It was not an overbearing offensive art that burned the heavens, but an exquisitely refined art of harmonization.

It could untangle the lingering wills of living beings within foreign flames, soothe restless fire seeds, and accommodate multiple flames of different origins within one body without conflict. It was perfectly suited to the tiger and python beast flames within him.

When he absorbed child flames of the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame in the future, this canon's protection would greatly reduce the risk of his mind being eroded by the beast flames' lingering wills. It would also provide endless benefits for controlling flames during alchemy.

After absorbing the insights of the Gilded Flame Canon, Xiao Yuan turned toward the nearby sphere wreathed in lightning—the Ninefold Thunder Spear.

A lower-grade Divine-level lightning Spirit Art, it concealed nine lightning marks within Dou Qi and transformed that Dou Qi into a spear. At close range, it could sweep and pierce; at a distance, the spear could be thrown to blast enemies apart. Each additional lightning mark caused its power to surge, and when all nine activated, a Thunderstorm roared.

Xiao Yuan stirred his mind, and the sphere burst apart, sending violent lightning insights flooding into him. The routes for circulating Dou Qi, the method for condensing lightning marks, and the offensive and defensive variations of the spear moves were all branded into his Consciousness Sea.

Once he had absorbed both sets of cultivation insights, the flowing lights in the Legacy Space slowly faded.

Xiao Yuan gathered himself and left the Legacy Space. Before departing, he also took a copy of Basic Spearmanship to use alongside Ninefold Thunder Spear.

With a flicker of his consciousness, Xiao Yuan returned to the dim cave.

His eyes snapped open, violet-red lightning flashing in their depths. He raised a hand and circulated his Dou Qi. Crackling lightning gathered in his palm, and the outline of a Dou Qi spear threaded with lightning patterns slowly took shape. Its shaft trembled, faint thunder rumbling within it.

He changed methods and activated the Gilded Flame Canon. The two beast flames in his dantian slowly churned. Their lingering Beast Soul wills, which had once stirred restlessly from time to time, were now soothed by a warm, gentle fire intent, becoming calm and obedient.

"Ninefold Thunder Spear fills the gap in my close-range offense, and the Gilded Flame Canon controls heavenly flames."

Xiao Yuan murmured to himself, fighting spirit rising in his eyes.

"Now I won't have to rely solely on movement and sneak attacks. The next time I enter the Valley, even against a Second Tier Beast Spirit, I'll have the confidence to fight head-on."

He dismissed the spear's outline, settled into a cross-legged posture, and began diligently honing the two new cultivation methods, familiarizing himself with condensing lightning marks and controlling fire.

The cavern shut out sun and moon, and time flowed silently past.

In the blink of an eye, three full months had passed.

During those three months, Xiao Yuan never left, immersing himself wholeheartedly in cultivation.

Day and night, he refined Ninefold Thunder Spear, the Gilded Flame Canon, and basic spearmanship, thoroughly integrating all three methods.

He had long since mastered Ninefold Thunder Spear. Now he could condense a lightning spear at will and reliably stack three lightning marks.

He was proficient in both close-range thrusts and long-range throws that detonated with lightning, completely escaping his former predicament of relying only on ambushes and evasive movement.

He had also cultivated the Gilded Flame Canon to proficiency, completely taming the three beast flame origins within his body.

Their fire intent was docile and concentrated, without the slightest restlessness or backlash. His control over foreign flames far surpassed that of cultivators at the same level.

Not only had his cultivation methods reached mastery, but his cultivation itself had also advanced triumphantly.

Drawing on the reserves of several child flames of the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, combined with three months of uninterrupted Dou Qi tempering and refinement, Xiao Yuan's cultivation soared from Two-Star Dou Shi, breaking firmly through to Six-Star Dou Shi!

Dou Qi several times denser than before filled his dantian. Power surged through every limb and bone, and his body had grown increasingly tough and powerful under the combined nourishment of Thunderfire and beast flames.

Xiao Yuan slowly opened his eyes. Two sharp gleams flashed and vanished, and the air inside the cave swept into a roaring swirl.

He raised a hand and condensed his Dou Qi. Violet-red Thunderfire intertwined with blazing flames, forming a long, deadly Thunderfire spear in an instant. Three lightning marks lay dormant along its trembling shaft, lightning crackling with terrifying might.

"Three months of secluded cultivation. Complete mastery of my methods, and Six-Star Dou Shi cultivation."

Xiao Yuan slowly reined in his power, a trace of calm confidence flashing in his eyes.

Now, even if he clashed head-on with a Third Tier Beast Spirit, he had more than enough strength to hold his own. He would no longer have to flee in disgrace as he once had, treading carefully at every step.

"My cultivation is sufficiently solid, and all my methods have taken shape."

Xiao Yuan stood, brushed the dust from his clothes, and looked beyond the mountain forest. "I've stayed in the mountains too long. It's time to stop for a while and return to Qingshan Town."

First, he could rest, recover, and enjoy a change of surroundings. Second, he needed to replenish his supplies, learn what had happened outside, and settle his state of mind. Then he would return to settle matters in the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame's valley once and for all, hunt the remaining Beast Spirits, and push toward a higher realm.

With his mind made up, Xiao Yuan moved the rocks sealing the entrance, allowing a ray of sunlight to spill into the cave.

He moved, quietly activating Thunderflash. His figure became a streak of violet-red lightning that darted into the dense forest in an instant, racing toward Qingshan Town.

A violet-red streak of light hurtled through the forest, the fierce wind of its Dou Qi making the surrounding vegetation rustle and sway.

Using Thunderflash, Xiao Yuan shifted constantly between the trees. After three months of secluded cultivation deep in the mountains without seeing another soul, he heard only the whistling wind, and unexpectedly felt a faint longing to return home.

He traveled swiftly, and after roughly half a day, the outline of Qingshan Town appeared in the distance.

Smoke curled over the town, cooking fires rising amid an endless flow of pedestrians. The distant clamor of voices drifted toward him, utterly unlike the deathly silence of the mountains.

Xiao Yuan withdrew the Thunderfire Dou Qi radiating around him and concealed every trace of his Dou Shi pressure. Leaving only the aura of an ordinary young man, he walked slowly into Qingshan Town.

After three months, the town still looked familiar, with shops lining both sides of the streets and vendors calling out one after another.

But his cultivation had soared, and his perspective as a Six-Star Dou Shi was entirely different now. As he swept his gaze over the passing crowds, many people's cultivation levels were clear at a glance.

"I'll find an inn first, then buy some pills and dry rations, and ask around about what's been happening in town."

Xiao Yuan strolled along the bustling street, scraps of passing conversations continually reaching his ears.

Nearby, two men who looked like mercenaries leaned against a wooden pillar outside a streetside tavern, speaking in low voices. Every word reached Xiao Yuan's ears.

"Have you heard? Mu Li, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's young leader, has been running to the Myriad Medicine Pavilion every day lately."

"How could I not? That guy's taken a fancy to Xiao Yi Xian at the Myriad Medicine Pavilion. He pesters her every day, bringing all sorts of treasures and trying every kind of sweet talk and persistence."

"The Wolf Head Mercenary Group has plenty of influence around here, and Mu Li's their young leader. With someone backing him, he practically camps outside the Myriad Medicine Pavilion every day. Plenty of people have seen him."

Mu Li?

Xiao Yuan's steps paused slightly before a flicker of recognition crossed his mind.

There was indeed such a character: the young leader of Qingshan Town's Wolf Head Mercenary Group. In the original story, he had always been interested in Xiao Yi Xian, pursuing her repeatedly without success.

Later, during the Magical Beast Mountain Range storyline, he had even bribed Xiao Yi Xian's maid to learn the cave's location.

But now Xiao Yuan had arrived ahead of time and claimed the cave first, so that later storyline would naturally disappear.

Xiao Yuan's gaze darkened slightly.

He was now a Six-Star Dou Shi, his cultivation far beyond what it had once been. Mu Li was merely a lowly Dou Zhe.

The strongest person in the entire mercenary group was only his father, a One-Star Dou Shi. If a conflict truly broke out, Xiao Yuan had more than enough ability to send their whole group down to meet the King of Hell.

"I was going to rest at an inn first, but it looks like I'll have to visit the Myriad Medicine Pavilion instead."

Xiao Yuan changed his mind. Rather than continuing toward the inn ahead, he turned and headed for the Myriad Medicine Pavilion in the town center.

The fragrance of medicinal herbs lingered outside the Myriad Medicine Pavilion beneath its antique signboard, and people seeking medicine streamed in and out.

From a distance, Xiao Yuan spotted a young man in fine robes waiting before the entrance, holding a box of exquisite jewelry. It was Mu Li, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's young leader.

Wearing a smile he thought was charming, Mu Li called softly to the young woman before him.

"Xiao Yi Xian, I've come to see you again. I went out of my way to find this box of Jade Beads. Please accept it."

A ring of people had gathered around, all waiting to enjoy the spectacle. Xiao Yuan stood outside the crowd and watched what was happening.

When his gaze landed on Xiao Yi Xian, his pupils abruptly trembled.

Two-Star Dou Zhe?!!

In just three short months, Xiao Yi Xian had advanced from an ordinary person without any Dou Qi to a Two-Star Dou Zhe!

"As expected of the Woeful Poison Body. That advancement speed really is outrageous..."

Xiao Yuan could not help clicking his tongue in admiration. Ordinary people needed years, even decades of effort to break through to Dou Zhe, yet Xiao Yi Xian had needed only three short months.

Such a terrifying rate of advancement could only be called divine speed.

"Go away!"

Xiao Yi Xian frowned, cold words leaving her lips. The disgust on her face was scarcely concealed.

"Mu Li, I've already told you I'm not interested in you. Stop bothering me."