A suitable sparring partner was especially important to Chen Cang now.
His mind held astonishing combat experience and a considerable number of Dou Techniques. Aside from those whose tiers were too low or which did not interest him, Chen Cang would have to practice painstakingly to master the rest.
The Jade Wave Turtle could take a beating and dish one out, putting enough pressure on Chen Cang without crushing him outright. With this big fellow around, he could achieve twice the results with half the effort, whether practicing saber, spear, sword, or even movement techniques.
That was why he had hurried here the moment he broke through to Dou Shi.
Starpoint was the strongest Dou Technique Chen Cang had mastered, but it was not the strongest he knew.
After all, Starpoint was merely something a Dou Shi instructor had obtained by chance.
Who was the strongest person in Tianying City?
Ding Dian!
The city lord's memories were the greatest treasure Chen Cang had obtained thus far.
And Ding Dian's signature technique was called...
Ashen Extinction Flash!
A High Xuan Tier movement Dou Technique, it also served as a formidable means of attack.
This Dou Technique demanded extremely precise control over the Dou Qi within the body, supported by a powerful physique. Every step unleashed one's full strength. As the user darted and shifted, ember-like traces lingered in the air. When the embers died, so did the enemy-hence its name.
Chen Cang had coveted this Dou Technique for a long time.
Thus, after attacking the Jade Wave Turtle continuously with Starpoint for several minutes without breaking through its defenses, he decisively discarded his spear and focused on practicing Ashen Extinction Flash under the pressure the turtle provided.
A column of water tore through the air toward him. Dou Qi circulated rapidly through Chen Cang's body, gathering in his legs. With a forceful stomp, he shot sideways.
That burst carried him clear of the Jade Wave Turtle's attack.
But the pain also made Chen Cang's mouth twitch, as though something had pierced straight through his soles. Even standing on the ground, his feet felt unsteady.
"Without special medicines to temper my body, the only way to strengthen it is the hard way. Only by swallowing the bitterest hardships can you rise above others. Again!"
Slapping his numb thigh, Chen Cang deliberately provoked the Jade Wave Turtle. His Dou Qi Veil covered his entire body throughout.
This was Chen Cang's final safeguard.
Over and over, a hundred times, a thousand times...
Perhaps he had done that many.
He no longer remembered how many attempts he had made on and off that day. Whenever his Dou Qi nearly ran dry, he fled, recovered, then returned to provoke the turtle again.
That evening, Chen Cang used his spear as a crutch to hobble back to the city.
On his way out of the mountains, a Fire Fox attacked him, and Chen Cang killed it with a single palm strike.
Practicing only with a spear was merely a disguise. Sabers, spears, swords, halberds, fists, kicks, palms, fingers-he knew a little of them all.
That was not false modesty. He really did know only a little. At the very least, he was still nowhere near mastery of every martial discipline.
He deftly skinned the valuable pelt and continued down the mountain.
He cursed and stumbled the whole way.
Finding a perfect opponent was no easy task. This Jade Wave Turtle kept Chen Cang company for an entire year.
The mountain was still the same mountain, and the lake was still the same lake.
What had changed was that the balance between the two combatants had reversed.
At the lake's edge, the enormous Jade Wave Turtle roared repeatedly, spraying wildly in every direction like a headless fly.
Yet no matter how furious the turtle became, its attacks never struck the figure darting around it.
By contrast, the blue-clad youth moved with effortless ease, his movements as elusive as a ghost. Each step produced a muffled sonic boom. Explosive force combined with conspicuous Dou Qi burst like clusters of little fireworks, leaving vivid streaks across the Jade Wave Turtle's body.
Smack!
Chen Cang formed a sword gesture with his fingers and pressed them against the softest part beneath the Jade Wave Turtle's jaw.
Had he been holding a weapon, the great turtle would already have departed for the Yellow Springs.
The outcome was decided!
"It's over, my friend. Half a year ago, I could already break through your attacks and strike your vitals. Now you can't even touch the hem of my clothes."
Low-tier magical beasts possessed little intelligence, but this Jade Wave Turtle seemed to be an exception. Whenever Chen Cang touched a fatal weak point, the turtle stiffened and remained utterly motionless, like a restrained human terrified that the slightest movement might bring danger.
Time and again, even after seemingly realizing that Chen Cang had no intention of killing it, the turtle never broke this habit.
Patting the cold, hard shell, Chen Cang withdrew to a spot more than twenty feet away.
"This is the last time I'll bother you. The city lord hired a Mercenary Group to enter the mountains tomorrow and search for Azure Nether Fruit. He'll send a Dou Ling expert along with them. It's a rare opportunity, so I plan to follow the group deeper into the mountains."
Regardless of whether the Jade Wave Turtle could understand, Chen Cang explained his plans as though chatting with a friend.
Azure Nether Fruit was a precious medicinal ingredient required for many high-grade pills.
The most famous among them was the Azure Nether Longevity Pill, a Sixth-Grade Pill that a person could take only once in their lifetime.
That was why City Lord Ding Dian was searching for Azure Nether Fruit.
More precisely, it was the emperor of the Tianxing Empire who sought it. Ding Dian was merely carrying out an imperial decree.
The emperor of the Tianxing Empire was already a candle guttering in the wind and could pass away at any moment.
Last year, His Majesty had somehow learned that a sixth-grade Pill Emperor lived in the Black-Corner Region. He immediately sent people bearing lavish gifts to pay a visit, desperate for a sliver of hope.
Though that Pill Emperor was proud and arrogant, the Tianxing Empire had simply offered too much.
And so, after accepting the gifts, the Pill Emperor proposed a workable solution.
The Azure Nether Longevity Pill!
This pill could extend one's life by ten years!
As long as the Tianxing Empire could gather three sets of ingredients for the Azure Nether Longevity Pill, the Pill Emperor would refine one for him.
With that promise secured, the Sky Star emperor went mad, mobilizing the entire nation to search for the necessary ingredients.
Tianying City backed onto the Black Eagle Mountains, the country's largest source of medicinal ingredients, so it was only natural that it received the decree.
Ding Dian had never spoken of these inside details. Chen Cang had accidentally "seen" them all.
A year had passed, and Chen Cang was now eleven.
His strength had also reached nine-star Dou Shi.
It was precisely this, coupled with his seemingly endless Dou Techniques, that allowed him to handle the Jade Wave Turtle with ease.
Ultimately, this big fellow's methods were simply too monotonous. The same two moves, over and over-once Chen Cang grew familiar with them, they posed no threat at all.
The Jade Wave Turtle knew nothing of Chen Cang's thoughts. The turtle knew only that this human was irritating and disturbed its sleep every day. Seeing that Chen Cang had no intention of attacking again, the turtle promptly swayed its way back into the lake.
Chen Cang could not help laughing. "I really must be lonely."
He shook his head slightly, waved, and turned to leave.
Since he intended to follow the mercenaries deep into the Black Eagle Mountains, he naturally needed to make some preparations. He also needed City Lord Ding Dian's permission.
Besides, he had asked Master Mo to help inquire about that sixth-grade Pill Emperor in the Black-Corner Region. Judging by how much time had passed, there ought to be news by now.
Chen Cang eagerly anticipated meeting this Pill Emperor, because he might very well be the first person from the plot that Chen Cang encountered.
And not some insignificant bit player, either.
From this man's information, Chen Cang could deduce many crucial details.
"Han Feng, is it you?"
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