"What's going on? My body..."
The discomfort grew increasingly pronounced. Xiao Yan could clearly feel his capillaries rupturing, and his consciousness was gradually fading.
Seeing that something was wrong, Yao Lao immediately floated over to him and struck out with a thunderous palm.
An unknown amount of time passed before Xiao Yan woke again, only to discover that his clothes had been dyed red with blood.
He struggled to sit up and examined his body. Blood-red lines covered him from head to toe like a spiderweb.
"You didn't obtain your cultivation through your own training, did you?" Yao Lao's measured voice sounded beside his ear, tinged with reproach.
With an awkward chuckle, Xiao Yan answered honestly, "It's just as you said, Teacher."
"You... child, why didn't you tell me sooner? I'm also to blame. I shouldn't have let my joy go to my head and overlooked something so important."
"Teacher, just tell me what happened."
"Alas, although your cultivation has reached the Dou Emperor level, your body is still at the Dou Shi level. If I'm not mistaken, you also fought a battle four hours ago..."
Yao Lao patiently explained the whole sequence of events.
In short, the battle with Steward Mo had lit the fuse. Coupled with two increases in cultivation, it had pushed his physical body beyond what it could withstand.
"Fortunately, you've made a habit of strengthening your body over the years. Otherwise, even I, your teacher, couldn't have saved you."
If Xiao Yan hadn't been so badly injured, Yao Lao would have been unable to resist slapping him to death.
The genius he had finally waited so long for had nearly died before he could fulfill his potential.
Xiao Yan scratched his head sheepishly. "Teacher, what should I do now?"
He had originally thought that having a system meant he could do whatever he pleased. Now he saw that, at a critical moment, he still couldn't manage without an old grandpa.
"At this stage, what you need to do is consolidate your foundation and strengthen your physical body. This process will be very painful."
"Teacher, I'm not afraid of hardship." Although even the slightest movement sent excruciating pain through his entire body, Xiao Yan still smiled and patted his chest.
Yao Lao stroked his long beard, his eyes full of gratification.
"Oh, right, Teacher. After the Immortal Marrow Pill, did the system give you any more rewards?"
"I don't think so. It said something about nesting dolls being forbidden. What does that mean?"
To satisfy Student Yao's thirst for knowledge, Xiao Yan spent half the time it took to drink a cup of tea explaining what nesting dolls meant.
During that time, he also recovered a little strength.
Just as Xiao Yan got up and prepared to head down the mountain, Yao Lao called him back.
"Little Yanzi, wait a moment. With those injuries, I'm afraid you shouldn't go down the mountain right away." As he spoke, he waved his sleeve, and a mirror appeared before him.
Only then did Xiao Yan realize that his face had been disfigured. Those hideous blood-red lines covered not only his entire body, but his face as well.
I wonder if One Qi Transforms All Things can conceal these wounds? With that thought, Xiao Yan summoned the system panel and opened the app.
Then Yao Lao was dumbfounded, repeatedly exclaiming how miraculous it was.
As he watched Xiao Yan's departing figure, a sentence his disciple had just spoken came back to him:
This Dou Qi Continent is different!
Not long after he returned to his room, the door was pushed open. The person who entered was none other than Xiao Mei.
"Cousin? Are you still angry about today's broken engagement? Don't be upset. Want me to cut you some fruit to cool that fire?" He had to admit that this younger cousin of his made herself at home far too easily. As she spoke, she sat down on his bed.
Such abnormal behavior had already convinced Xiao Yan that she was a transmigrator.
If I hadn't used up Scan, I'd scan you and find out just what kind of monster you are.
Before you continue