First battle against a Dou Shi

"Stop!"

Xiao Qian reached out, his arm as powerful as steel, and seized Jia Lie Ao by the throat, hoisting him into the air.

He had intended to force out the details of the Jia Lie Family's plot, but a figure came charging toward him, stirring up a rush of wind.

He looked back, his expression shifting slightly.

The black-clad figure held someone in each hand: Xiao Yu and Xiao Yan.

More troubling still, a pale green veil covered the figure as he landed.

A Dou Qi Veil was the hallmark of a Dou Shi, which meant this newcomer was powerful and could not be underestimated.

"S-sorry... he was waiting on our way back to the clan..."

Xiao Yu and Xiao Yan were carelessly tossed to the ground.

Xiao Yan was still unconscious. A flicker of shock crossed Xiao Yu's eyes when she saw the black-clad men scattered across the forest floor, but when she looked at Xiao Qian again, she only felt guiltier.

Her heart brimmed with regret. He really could handle so many Dou Zhe. If she had not been so careless, if she had been a little more cautious, perhaps she would not have been captured or dragged Xiao Qian into such danger.

"I'm sorry..."

Never had Xiao Yu felt so powerless. From childhood, she had always charged around the clan unchecked under the Great Elder's protection, and no one dared provoke her.

Only now did she understand how terrifying the rain of blood and howling winds between clans could be. That helplessness nearly drowned her.

"You're Jia Lie Lin."

Xiao Qian's gaze darkened slightly, wariness showing in his eyes. He knew the Dou Shi before him was a formidable opponent.

"Don't move! Or I'll kill them!"

The Jia Lie Family's Dou Shi stared at Xiao Qian and threatened coldly, "Put Jia Lie Ao down, now!"

His voice was icy, a vicious gleam flashing in his eyes, as though he would strike without hesitation at the slightest movement from Xiao Qian.

"Ridiculous. Release those two first."

Not only did Xiao Qian refuse to put Jia Lie Ao down, his grip slowly tightened. "You'd better think this through. Our clan leader has three sons, after all, but that old dog of your Jia Lie Family has only one precious heir."

Despite being unconscious, Xiao Yan's body inexplicably twitched at that moment.

"Uncle, save me..."

Jia Lie Ao struggled desperately, but he could not escape that iron-vise grip. His face flushed crimson, his eyes filled with terror.

The corner of Jia Lie Lin's eye twitched. He softened his voice. "Boy, you managed to defeat two Eight-Star Dou Zhe. If I release them and you turn around and kill Jia Lie Ao, I might not even be able to subdue you."

"Then what do you suggest?" Xiao Qian asked, his eyes fixed on Jia Lie Lin, missing none of the changes in his expression.

"We release them at the same time!"

The other man answered without hesitation. He considered this the safest option available.

"Fine."

Xiao Qian remained composed and glanced at Xiao Yu. "Carry Xiao Yan on your back. Same as before."

The trust and encouragement in his eyes warmed Xiao Yu's heart. Her slender body trembled slightly, and she abruptly lowered her head, unwilling to let the Dou Shi beside her see the weakness of her falling tears.

She knew this was no time for weakness. Once again, she was so powerless that she could only depend on the boy before her, could only watch as he risked his life to fight for a sliver of hope.

She gritted her teeth and lifted Xiao Yan onto her back, firmly supporting his thighs, ready to follow Xiao Qian's instructions.

Xiao Qian slowly released Jia Lie Ao's throat. Jia Lie Ao scrambled away, wishing he could sprout four legs, wanting only to get far away from this terrifying harbinger of calamity. Terror still lingered in his eyes as he gasped for breath.

"Run!"

Just as Jia Lie Lin's attention shifted to Jia Lie Ao, a furious shout suddenly exploded.

Xiao Yu did not hesitate. Dou Qi erupted beneath her feet, and she shot forward.

Rather than running toward Xiao Qian, she fled in the opposite direction, because Xiao Qian had said, same as before!

Her figure darted rapidly through the woods, raising a gust of wind.

"Ah!" At the same time, Xiao Qian burst forward and kicked Jia Lie Ao squarely in the forehead.

With a miserable scream, Jia Lie Ao lost consciousness on the spot, his body collapsing limply to the ground.

"Bastard! You little bastard! Bastard!"

Jia Lie Lin flew into a rage. His Dou Qi erupted as he rushed forward and caught Jia Lie Ao as he was flung through the air, leaving him no chance to attend to the fleeing Xiao Yu and Xiao Yan.

Flames of fury burned in his eyes. He wished he could tear Xiao Qian into ten thousand pieces that very instant.

"You think this will let them escape? Don't underestimate a Dou Shi!"

Holding Jia Lie Lin in his left hand, he drew a long saber from behind his back with his right. Wind-type Dou Qi burst beneath his feet, and his figure flashed, covering a hundred feet in an instant to appear behind Xiao Yu and Xiao Yan. His speed was astonishing, like a raging gale.

"Die!"

He raised his saber and slashed at Xiao Yu and Xiao Yan. The blade gleamed coldly in the moonlight, carrying the breath of death.

Xiao Yu nearly lost her soul to fright. She stumbled, almost falling, her eyes filled with despair.

"Keep running!"

At that moment, Xiao Qian appeared behind them, crossing his arms to block the saber head-on.

For that instant, time seemed to freeze as Xiao Qian bore the tremendous force.

Drip, drip.

Blood seeped out beneath the clothing on his arms and dripped onto the ground, starkly vivid beneath the moonlight.

The blood resembled blooming red plum blossoms, exuding the breath of death.

"You actually blocked my strike. Boy, you really are a freak." Jia Lie Lin withdrew his saber and stepped back, the killing intent in his eyes growing stronger. "I absolutely cannot let you live!"

"Try me."

Xiao Qian lowered his gaze to his arms. The stinging pain was unmistakable.

Had his body not been so sturdy, that strike would have been enough to cleave any Dou Zhe in two.

"A Dou Shi really is stronger than I am right now," he said lightly. Not only was there no fear on his face, his fervor only intensified.

He liked this kind of challenge. The feeling of fighting a powerful opponent made his blood boil.

"Good. Very good. Two Eight-Star Dou Zhe weren't enough. A One-Star Dou Shi is just! Right! For me!"

Under Jia Lie Lin's astonished gaze, black light enveloped Xiao Qian's hands, transforming them into claws whose sharp tips gleamed coldly.

That black light resembled a phantom in the night, emanating a mysterious and dangerous aura.

"It's a High-Rank Dou Technique!" Jia Lie Lin could not help exclaiming. "Impossible! This isn't among the Xiao Clan's Mystic Rank or higher Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills!"

"If I told you I created this Mid-Level Mystic Rank Dou Technique specifically for myself, would you be even more shocked?"

Dark-Type Dou Qi was already rare, and his was rarer still, possessing a Devouring-Type Attribute within the dark type. Finding suitable Dou Techniques and cultivation methods was difficult, and practicing other Dou Techniques was barely workable.

Thus, he could only create his own. This was what made him unique, and it was also the source of his strength.

"You created your own Dou Technique? And it's mid-level Mystic Rank?!" Jia Lie Lin's heart and courage shook violently.

He could not imagine an eleven-year-old child possessing such astonishing ability. It completely overturned his understanding.

"You're only eleven! No, no, I don't believe it! I'll never believe it!" Faced with a fact that overturned everything he knew, he chose to deny it all to preserve his martial resolve.

His heart filled with fear and unease. If he acknowledged this fact, his convictions would crumble.

"I'll kill you! Everything will be fine once I kill you!" Jia Lie Lin charged at Xiao Qian, brandishing his saber, his eyes filled with madness.

Xiao Qian said nothing more. He settled his mind, and the man before him became the only thing left in his world.

This was how he looked when immersed in battle. Only his enemy remained in his eyes; everything else was cast from his mind.

Clang! Sharp claws clashed with the saber. Sparks flashed, accompanied by the ring of metal striking metal.

The sound rang especially loudly in the quiet woods, like the beating of a war drum.

Xiao Qian felt as though his claws had struck a solid wall. Vast Dou Qi surged toward him, pressing down until he could barely breathe.

That Dou Qi was like a surging tide, crashing against him wave after wave.

Swish, swish, swish. He immediately abandoned a direct clash. Driving power through his feet, he circled Jia Lie Lin and unleashed a frenzied assault.

His figure moved swiftly like a ghost, his claws striking at Jia Lie Lin again and again.

"If I weren't limited to one hand, slaughtering you would be child's play," Jia Lie Lin sneered. He channeled Dou Qi into his veil, making his defense so tight that not even a drop of water could penetrate.

His Dou Qi Veil shimmered beneath the moonlight, blocking Xiao Qian's attacks like a sturdy shield.

The gulf between a Dou Zhe and a Dou Shi was laid bare at that moment. And Xiao Qian was not even a Dou Zhe.

Dou Qi Veil... His gaze darkened as he stared at the emerald veil flowing like flames. Dou Qi churned within him, and a layer of pure, pitch-black radiance gradually covered his claws.

"Try this!"

Jia Lie Lin held Jia Lie Ao in his left hand, not daring to put him down for fear of giving Xiao Qian an opening. This severely hampered his speed, leaving Xiao Qian circling him in a frenzy of attacks.

But he believed that as long as he seized an opening, his strength as a Dou Shi would let him kill Xiao Qian with a single slash.

Pfft, pfft, pfft... When the claws shrouded in black light touched the Dou Qi Veil, they made a distinctly different sound from before. It sounded like something being corroded, making the heart tighten.

"W-what's happening?" Jia Lie Lin discovered that his Dou Qi Veil had actually grown a little fainter.

Xiao Qian sneered, withdrew his claws, then twisted and shifted, landing another claw strike on his back.

What was a devouring attribute? It devoured your Dou Qi, no questions asked!

A Dou Qi Veil was also constructed from Dou Qi. Once the opponent's Dou Qi was devoured, the veil would collapse without needing to be broken.

He intended to use his unique attribute to shatter his opponent's defenses.

"Even if I can't absorb this Dou Qi for my own use, it's enough to break your veil!"

Bang!

The Dou Qi Veil dissolved into countless emerald sparks, vanishing into the night sky like beautiful but fleeting fireworks.