The End

Only after another unknown stretch of time did Xiao Fan emerge from his cultivation, still feeling dazed.

His strength had now reached the astonishing level of a Two-Star Dou Shi.

In less than a day, he had leaped from an Eight-Star Dou Zhe to a Two-Star Dou Shi. Even Xiao Fan himself could hardly believe it.

Feeling the abundant Dou Qi within him, Xiao Fan cautiously questioned the system.

"System, am I... a Dou Shi now?"

System: ...

"Will jumping so many ranks at once have any side effects?"

"Anything produced by the system is guaranteed to be top quality. Rest assured, host. There are no problems with increasing your cultivation."

Only after hearing the system's answer did Xiao Fan relax.

The greatest difference between a Dou Shi and a Dou Zhe was the ability to release a Dou Qi Veil, which could enhance a particular aspect of one's abilities.

Xiao Fan circulated his Dou Qi, forming his own Dou Qi Veil outside his body. Pale red Dou Qi covered his skin, gradually solidifying into a thin, pale red veil.

It added a touch of martial vigor to his already handsome appearance.

Xiao Fan examined his Dou Qi Veil, then slowly threw a punch forward.

"Hm? Looks like this veil can boost my attack power."

Feeling the difference after summoning his veil, Xiao Fan discovered that his attacks had grown stronger.

He already cultivated fire-attribute Dou Qi, and this boosted his attacks even further. Even a Four-Star Dou Zhe could not afford to disregard his attacks now.

After carefully examining the changes in his strength, Xiao Fan finally had time to check his current assets.

First was the Earth-tier Dou Technique awarded for completing the mission. Then there was the system's advancement to level five. The original lottery had become the Summoning Module.

Summoning Module?

"System, what does this newly unlocked Summoning Module do?"

"The Summoning Module allows the host to spend Source Coins to perform summons. A summon may yield various things, such as levels, characters, or skills."

Xiao Fan's eyes lit up at the system's answer.

I know this trick!!

"Then if I draw a Dou Di's skill, wouldn't I be able to unite the entire Dou Qi Continent?"

System: ...

"What the host draws depends on the host's own level. If something exceeds your realm by too much, using it may cause your body to burst."

After hearing the explanation, Xiao Fan understood. It gave him a chance to draw cheats, but it would not hand him anything outrageously overpowered.

"Then what are these Source Coins?"

"The host can obtain Source Coins by completing future missions or by exchanging real-world heavenly treasures. The shop and lottery sections will also use Source Coins from now on."

"The exchange rate between Source Coins and the Dou Qi Continent's currency is 1:1,000."

Hearing that 1:1,000 exchange rate, Xiao Fan hurried to inspect the changes to the system's sections.

First was the shop. Items in the gold category cost hundreds of thousands of Source Coins. Converted into ordinary currency, that meant hundreds of millions??

The prices of the purple, blue, and green items decreased tenfold with each successive category.

In other words, buying even the lowest-grade green item from the shop would cost him hundreds of Source Coins—hundreds of thousands of gold coins on the Dou Qi Continent?

He checked the Summoning Module next.

It was divided into four tiers: Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow.

Only Yellow Tier and Black Tier were currently unlocked.

The remaining Heaven and Earth tiers were still grayed out and unavailable.

Apparently, this was what the system meant by his level being too low. Even if he wanted to buy something, he could not afford it.

The summoning prices corresponded to the shop's gold-to-green categories. The lowest, Yellow Tier summon cost 100 Source Coins, while the highest, Heaven Tier summon cost 100,000.

Looking at the mere 1,000 Source Coins in his system, Xiao Fan could not help wondering whether the system was a profiteer.

One Origin Coin for a thousand units of the Dou Qi Continent's currency? This is robbery!

He exited the system interface and stared blankly at the sky, questioning his entire existence.

Meanwhile, the person standing atop the mountain was questioning her entire existence too.

From the mountaintop, she had watched Xiao Fan advance step by step from an Eight-Star Dou Zhe to a Two-Star Dou Shi in just over two hours. Even with her experience, she could not fathom why his strength had suddenly risen so dramatically.

Unable to figure it out, she murmured, "It seems you're even more mysterious than I imagined," then vanished in a flash.

She had only stayed to make sure Xiao Fan woke safely. Now that he had not only awakened but also gained a tremendous increase in cultivation, she naturally had no reason to remain.

Xiao Fan, meanwhile, was still agonizing over whether to spend the 1,000 Source Coins the system had awarded him.

After wrestling with it for a while, Xiao Fan came to a realization. "I've just obtained an Earth-tier Dou Technique anyway, and there's nothing I need right now. I'll save these thousand Source Coins. They might come in handy sometime."

Then Xiao Fan looked around the silent valley and spoke softly.

"Perfect. There's no one here to disturb me, so I'll cultivate the Earth-tier Dou Technique right here."

Once I've mastered it, I'll head out and wipe out the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

Without wasting another moment, Xiao Fan rose from the ground and began examining his newly acquired Dou Technique-Cloud Crane Shadow.

Cloud Crane Shadow, an Earth-tier Low-grade Dou Technique. Cultivated to mastery, a single spear thrust could shatter the sun, moon, and stars.

That was the introduction to Cloud Crane Shadow.

One brief sentence revealed the terrifying power of an Earth-tier Dou Technique.

Spear techniques revolved around upward sweeps and thrusts. This Dou Technique allowed a wielder to handle their spear as naturally as an extension of their own arm, striking wherever they aimed.

As Xiao Fan immersed himself in it, he seemed to enter a space filled with primordial chaos, where he saw a figure holding a spear with his back turned to him.

"The spear is the king of all weapons."

"Its wielder must maintain a fearless heart. With a fearless heart, the hands remain steady. With steady hands, the spear strikes true."

As the figure murmured, he gradually began to move.

The spear moved like an extension of his arm, every motion perfectly natural.

Thrust, chop, sweep, block, stab.

Each movement resembled an immortal crane dancing among the clouds.

Within that ethereal grace lurked killing intent.

Xiao Fan watched, utterly enthralled.

In the real world, Xiao Fan also began to dance, following the figure in that mysterious space.

At some point, the Thousand-Flame Spear had appeared in Xiao Fan's hands. Though his movements were still unpracticed, they gradually grew more fluid.

Whoosh!

With his eyes closed, Xiao Fan swung his spear, its extraordinary force sending a whistle through the air.

As Xiao Fan moved, blades of wind gradually formed around him.

They wrapped around him like a tornado.

Clang!

Still in motion, Xiao Fan abruptly opened his eyes and thrust his spear forward.

The wind blades circling him attacked along with it.

Boom!

A violent explosion rang out.

The ground before Xiao Fan was blasted into a deep crater several dozen feet across.

Leaning on the Thousand-Flame Spear, Xiao Fan stared at the crater he had created, his face full of delighted surprise.

"So this is an Earth-tier Dou Technique!"

He had only just begun to grasp it, yet he had already produced such an effect.

And that mysterious space he had entered while examining the technique earlier apparently came with the Dou Technique provided by the system.

After checking his proficiency in Cloud Crane Shadow, Xiao Fan applied every Dou Technique Experience Card he had saved up in one go.

Even then, he only barely reached the beginner level.

It truly lived up to being an Earth-tier Dou Technique. Fortunately, the system could save him a great deal of time.

Now everything was finished. It was time to return and take revenge.