Just moments earlier, Xiao Xun'er had taken out a high-grade Profound Tier cultivation method for Xiao Yan to choose, but with the Flame Mantra on his mind, he had refused outright.
Now he had spotted an even better Earth Tier Cultivation Method in Xiao Mo's hands. Where on earth had he gotten it? It certainly wasn't a cultivation method from their Dou Qi Pavilion.
If they had a cultivation method of such a high rank, they would have hidden it away long ago. How could disciples possibly get their hands on it so easily?
Embarrassed, Xiao Mo stepped forward to snatch the book back, only to accidentally drop it on the ground, where its pages fell open.
"Aaaah!"
At the thought of Xiao Yan seeing the explicit illustrations inside and possibly rejecting him completely, he wished he could throw himself over the book and shield the cultivation method with his body.
But once the pages opened, he realized that the paired cultivation poses inside were nothing like what he had imagined. They were all perfectly normal cultivation poses.
Some of the techniques simply required two people to practice together, combining and merging their techniques to unleash greater power.
Huh? That was it?
The system notifications were still ringing in his ears, urging him to make a decision.
[Ding! Host, would you like to reject this mission?] [Ding! Host, would you like to reject this mission?]
Seeing that everything in the cultivation method was perfectly normal, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly canceled his refusal.
Of course he should share something good with his brother. He picked up the booklet and hooked an arm around Xiao Yan's shoulders.
"Brother, want to learn an incredibly profound cultivation method with me?"
Xiao Yan lowered his head and examined the book. An Earth Tier Cultivation Method was certainly no low-ranking method, and he was rather tempted.
But remembering his master's instructions, he began to hesitate again.
"Xiao Mo, you know I already have the Flame Mantra. Too many other cultivation methods would hinder my cultivation."
Xiao Mo immediately shook his head and began working on him.
"That's where you're wrong. Who would ever complain about having too many cultivation methods? Besides, although this book says it's a high-grade Earth Tier Cultivation Method, once we master it, our combined strength can reach Heaven Rank Low Grade. Don't you find that tempting at all?"
With patient coaxing, he soon won Xiao Yan over.
After a moment's hesitation, Xiao Yan nodded, finally deciding to practice this paired cultivation method with him.
Beside them, Xiao Xun'er watched the two and stamped her foot hard. She had practically talked her lips raw earlier, yet Xiao Yan still hadn't accepted the Profound Tier cultivation method she offered him.
Yet after Xiao Mo spouted a little nonsense, Brother Xiao Yan actually agreed to cultivate with him. As the two grew increasingly close, she instead began to feel a sense of crisis.
Xiao Xun'er hurriedly squeezed between them.
"Can I practice this cultivation method with you?"
Xiao Xun'er blinked, her eyes shining with longing.
Xiao Mo's heart jolted, and he hastily pulled the cultivation method back and retreated two steps.
"Y-you... you can't."
Xiao Xun'er belonged with Xiao Yan. If Xiao Mo accidentally laid a finger on her, the brothers would surely become bitter enemies someday. As the saying went, a friend's wife was off-limits. He was here to cultivate, not to fall in love.
Xiao Yan gently soothed Xiao Xun'er beside him.
"His book is an Earth Tier Cultivation Method. It can help me reach another level. Xun'er, this method requires paired cultivation with ice and fire. I'm afraid it won't work with three people."
Xiao Xun'er froze, then immediately flushed and stepped half a pace back.
"Then I really am not suited for it."
She shot Xiao Mo a resentful glare, then turned and hid behind Xiao Yan without another word.
She knew how rare such a cultivation method was. She also practiced a fire-element cultivation method, and she only wanted to deepen her bond with Brother Xiao Yan, not have any contact with Xiao Mo.
After some playful bickering, the matter was settled. Xiao Mo casually opened a door and took out a random cultivation method, then the three walked out through the main entrance side by side.
Xiao Zhan had long been waiting outside. When he saw the cultivation methods in their hands, including the Yellow Tier Cultivation Technique held by his own son, the weight in his heart finally settled back into place.
"Well done, son."
Father and son exchanged a discreet glance, each seeing smug satisfaction in the other's eyes.
Meanwhile, listening to the chimes ringing in his ears, Xiao Mo was already completely lost in his rewards.
Xiao Yan had accepted the ice-and-fire cultivation method, and Xiao Mo had successfully received his rewards.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the mission. You have successfully received a reward of 3,000 Shop Points.] [Ding! Received one copy of the Profound Ice Art, a high-grade Earth Tier Cultivation Method.]
With so many people and prying eyes around, it really wasn't convenient to take out the Earth Tier Cultivation Method.
All he could do was impatiently urge the other two to quicken their pace.
They finally reached the Back Mountain, where Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er went aside to whisper to each other.
Left alone where he stood, Xiao Mo immediately took out the cultivation method. An Earth Tier Cultivation Method truly was extraordinary. The moment he held it in his palm, he felt a chill shoot straight into the depths of his heart.
"I'm already a Dou Zhe. The rank of my initial cultivation method will directly determine how strong I can become later. If only I had a Heaven Tier cultivation method right now."
But he also knew that would be difficult.
How many Heaven Tier cultivation methods could there be on the Douluo Continent? They were treasures countless people fought over. How could one casually fall into his hands?
If he truly wanted such a cultivation method, he could only keep completing missions. Perhaps one day, when the system refreshed its missions, he would successfully obtain a high-grade cultivation method.
Shaking his head, he suppressed the greed within him.
He waved the cultivation method in his hand, then quickly tucked it safely inside his robes.
After Xiao Yan saw Xiao Xun'er off, Yao Lao appeared again and approached Xiao Mo with great enthusiasm.
"Disciple, I have something..."
Before he could finish, he noticed the ice-and-fire cultivation method Xiao Mo and Xiao Yan were studying.
He froze.
Unless his eyes deceived him, the faint glow emanating from its surface suggested that it was an Earth Tier Cultivation Method-and a high-grade one at that.
He immediately stepped forward and snatched it away. After examining it carefully in his hands, he was utterly dumbfounded.
"Where did you get this?"
He immediately hid the ice-element Profound Tier cultivation method he had brought.
Lately, he had been keeping an eye out for a cultivation method suited to Xiao Mo, and had finally managed to find one for the time being.
He knew that the best the Xiao Clan possessed were merely Yellow Tier Cultivation Techniques. That starting point was far too low for his two disciples.
Since Xiao Yan had the Flame Mantra, he didn't need to worry about him for now. His greatest fear was that Xiao Mo, a heaven-blessed genius, would wither away under his care.
That was why he had recently been scouring every corner, finally managing, with considerable difficulty, to find this barely acceptable cultivation method.
Yet just as he brought it back, before he even had a chance to show it off, he discovered that the two already had an Earth Tier Cultivation Method!
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