Moon Bright, Stars Sparse, Smack a Big Black Rat

Moon Bright, Stars Sparse, Smack a Big Black Rat

Looking at the chance that had refreshed again, Chen Xiao broke into a delighted grin.

Back then, he had thought becoming Xiao Yan's friend would be easy. He had never expected it would take a full half year just to reach nodding-acquaintance status.

I'm already at Sixth Stage Dou Zhi Li. I've long had the qualifications to train in Dou Skills. Having no skill to my name isn't going to work. I'll Pre-pay Yan Return Strike first and train it for self-defense!

After mulling it over briefly, Chen Xiao quickly made his decision.

People always said children changed day by day, and that was not entirely false. In just half a year, Chen Xiao had grown by more than a finger's width.

On top of the relatively dependable impression he had left on people since childhood, during this period, some of the Xiao Family Elders would often have him run errands for them, and he inevitably had to leave the Xiao Family from time to time.

On one occasion, Chen Xiao had personally witnessed two mercenaries come to blows in the marketplace. Once they got heated, they ignored everyone around them and ended up dragging several unlucky stall owners into it.

In this world, without a bit of strength to rely on, one did not even have the right to watch the excitement.

After clearly understanding this point, Chen Xiao gradually grew more eager to train in Dou Skills.

Yan Return Strike was a Mystic High-Rank Dou Skill, so training in it definitely would not be easy. In the original timeline, Xiao Yan had started training in Eight Extremes Collapse, which was also Mystic High-Rank and was even said to rival an Earth Rank Dou Skill, when he was at the Fourth Stage Dou Zhi Li, but that was under the premise that he had Yao Chen's guidance.

Chen Xiao had no old grandpa tagging along with him. He did not ask to become proficient in Yan Return Strike. As long as he could grasp twenty or thirty percent of it, that would be enough to surpass ordinary Yellow Rank Dou Skills and give him a certain ability to protect himself.

More importantly, according to the timeline, Chen Xiao estimated that the point when Xiao Yan climbed the wall was very close!

After all, Xiao Xun'er's meridian problem had already appeared. A few days ago, Chen Xiao had even seen from afar that her little face was deathly pale, frighteningly so.

Therefore, after Pre-paying Yan Return Strike this time, completing the follow-up should truly not take too long. This Mystic High-Rank Dou Skill was free for the taking, so why not take it!

[Pre-pay Yan Return Strike?]

"Yes!"

Chen Xiao nodded in confirmation without the slightest hesitation.

The next moment, Chen Xiao only felt a swelling sensation between his brows, as if a great deal of information had appeared in his mind.

When he examined it carefully, it was indeed the training method for Yan Return Strike.

Turning qi into force, borrowing strength to counter strength, balancing hardness and softness, letting feint and reality give rise to each other...

As long as it was trained to the beginner level, it could rebound around ten percent of an enemy's attacking force. Once fully mastered, it could rebound a full sixty percent!

If sixty percent of a full-force attack was rebounded, the remaining forty percent would instantly become far easier to deal with. This was simply a supreme skill for the weak to overcome the strong!

"As expected of a Mystic High-Rank Dou Skill. It really is impressive. It's somewhat similar to the tai chi I practiced before, and its requirements for physical fitness aren't high either."

After trying to understand it a little, Chen Xiao quietly waited for the Pre-pay information to update.

[Follow-up: Stop Xiao Yan's uncivilized behavior, and practice boxing on Back Mountain for half a month.]

[The next Pre-pay can only be opened after completing the follow-up. Current available Pre-pay count: zero!]

What was going on?

Chen Xiao was somewhat surprised. At different points in time, would the follow-up for Pre-paying the same item also change?

He clearly remembered that the last time he checked, he only needed to stop Xiao Yan from climbing the wall.

But on closer thought, that did make sense. Chen Xiao imagined for a moment that if he became a Dou Ling or Dou Wang, or even higher, and then Pre-paid a Qi Gathering Powder, it definitely would not need to be that troublesome either.

"I'll figure you out sooner or later!"

Muttering inwardly, Chen Xiao tidied the room clean, then did his routine check of the gold coins hidden under the bed.

A Storage Ring was a good thing. Unfortunately, he did not have one.

After going to the Storage Room and finishing today's chores, then eating dinner, Chen Xiao headed straight for Back Mountain.

However, in order to make it convenient to see the situation in Xiao Xun'er's courtyard at any time, Chen Xiao did not climb over the peak. Instead, he picked a spot with a broad field of vision and began punching according to the Yan Return Strike training method.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Bursts of fist wind sounded, and at a glance, he actually looked somewhat decent.

However, Chen Xiao knew very clearly in his heart that this was a sign he had not grasped the essentials. Yan Return Strike had never been a Dou Skill famed for ferocity.

Added to that, while practicing, he still had to split his attention to monitor the situation in Xiao Xun'er's courtyard, which made his comprehension even slower.

"Haste makes waste. These next few days, I'll focus mainly on loosening up my muscles and bones. I'll let my body adapt first."

With that change in mindset, Chen Xiao practiced even more freely. It was fortunate there were no spectators present, or they would have had to cover their eyes.

Day after day, Chen Xiao repeated an almost three-point routine: cultivating, completing his daily tasks, and practicing boxing on Back Mountain...

This cycle continued until it was finally broken late on the night of the seventh day.

Late that night, Chen Xiao was practicing boxing on the mountaintop when, by the moonlight, he clearly saw a sneaky figure walk out from the courtyard next to Xiao Xun'er's, looking back with every step.

Honestly, because the figure was too small and was dressed in black, from a distance, he really did look like a Big Black Rat.

"Finally waited for you..."

Chen Xiao was twelve out of ten certain that this Big Black Rat was Xiao Yan!

Acting this furtively, what he wanted to do was not hard to guess. As the Xiao Family's third young master, if it were something aboveboard, would there be any need for him to behave like this?

Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Xiao immediately shot down the mountain.

The speed of Sixth Stage Dou Zhi Li was not especially fast, but a few hundred meters was still only a matter of ten-odd seconds. By the time Chen Xiao arrived behind the two courtyards, Xiao Yan had only just been about to climb the wall.

At the same time, inside Xiao Xun'er's room.

Xiao Yan's self-proclaimed secret little movements could not escape the senses of Ling Ying, the strongest Dou Emperor of the Ancient Clan.

"Miss, Xiao Yan is acting suspiciously and is sneaking over the wall. This old servant will throw him in front of Xiao Zhan right now and see how they explain themselves!"

As Ling Ying spoke, he was about to move.

Unfortunately, Xiao Xun'er stopped him.

"Old Ling, wait. The books all say that to catch a thief, you must catch him with the stolen goods. Hide yourself, and I'll keep pretending to sleep. Let's see exactly what Cousin Xiao Yan wants to do. If he harbors evil intentions, it won't be too late for Old Ling to stop him then."

The young girl still did not know that this seemingly meticulous decision could very likely cost her an unimaginable price.

Ling Ying was unwilling to let his young miss face even the slightest danger, yet he also could not disobey Xiao Xun'er's command. Just as he was torn over how to dissuade her...

Suddenly, he smiled.

"Miss, it seems we don't need to waste any more effort. That Chen Xiao has returned from practicing his punches and has also discovered Xiao Yan. I just don't know whether he'll stop—"

"Ow!"

Before Ling Ying could finish speaking, the two heard a thud from outside, followed immediately by a cry of pain that was clearly being suppressed with all his might.

Clambering up from the ground in a sorry state, Xiao Yan warily looked around, but did not discover a single figure.

Damn it!

Rubbing the lump that had swollen on his forehead, Xiao Yan gave an awkward laugh and returned the way he had come.

Clearly, unable to find the culprit, he assumed it was that mysterious cousin giving him a warning.

He had only just gotten onto the top of the wall and had been discovered, and from start to finish, he had not sensed anything at all. It was easy to imagine how bizarre this cousin's methods were. How could he still dare harbor even the slightest little thought?

You're the glorious and righteous Flame Emperor. You shouldn't have this kind of dark history.

Muttering inwardly, Chen Xiao wiped the ash from his hands clean, then turned with light steps and walked toward his residence.

Tonight's moonlight was, mm, extremely beautiful.