In the gazebo, after executing So Far Away twice, Gu He's eyes shimmered with excitement.
So Far Away was a movement technique based on soul power, allowing the user to traverse space instantly within the range of their spiritual perception.
With but a thought, Gu He could appear anywhere his soul power could reach—a speed akin to teleportation.
Of course, the distance of this "teleportation" depended on the practitioner's Dou Qi reserves. The farther the leap, the more terrifying the dou qi consumed.
Given Gu He's current strength as a Nine-Star Dou Emperor, even at full power, he could only use this technique fewer than ten times before exhausting his Dou Qi entirely.
However, this limitation also stemmed from Gu He's overwhelmingly powerful soul power. When fully unleashed, his spiritual perception could extend up to ten miles. In other words, with a single exertion, Gu He could instantly traverse a distance of ten miles.
Imagining the countless possibilities of So Far Away, Gu He's eyes gleamed with anticipation. With this technique, his ability to pursue or escape would be elevated to unprecedented heights.
Just then, Gu He caught sight of Xiao Jin playing atop a wall in the courtyard.
A thought flickered in his mind, and in the next instant, his figure materialized directly behind the little beast. Before Xiao Jin could react, Gu He's hand shot out and scooped him up.
Startled, Xiao Jin instinctively struggled, but upon recognizing Gu He's aura, he quickly calmed down. Chuckling, Gu He teased the little creature before vanishing back into the gazebo, his movements effortless and fluid.
At that moment, Gu He sensed Liu Ling stirring awake. Sure enough, after a short wait, the young man's eyes fluttered open.
As consciousness returned, the sealed knowledge within Liu Ling's mind surged forth, and his face lit up with astonishment.
Advanced Black agility-type Dou Technique!
And a movement technique, no less!
He understood full well the immense value of a Advanced Black agility-type Dou Technique.
"Did you grasp it?" Noticing Liu Ling's exhilaration, Gu He allowed a faint smile to grace his lips.
Liu Ling nodded eagerly. "Teacher, thanks to the insights you imparted, this disciple has achieved an initial mastery of this movement technique."
"Hmm." Gu He gave a slight nod. This outcome was well within his expectations.
"Good. With this, I've bestowed upon you three rewards this time." His gaze drifted toward the sky before he continued leisurely, "The next time you break through to Six-Star Dou Master—or attain the Third-Tier Alchemist rank—I shall grant you three more treasures as your teacher."
Liu Ling was momentarily stunned before his face erupted into unrestrained joy.
In that instant, he vowed inwardly to train relentlessly, striving to advance his cultivation and alchemy skills as swiftly as possible.
"Now that your rewards have been delivered, you may take your leave. Remember to arrive early for special training tomorrow." Gu He waved a hand, dismissing him.
"Yes, Teacher." With a respectful nod, Liu Ling rose and exited the courtyard.
As he walked back to his quarters, the sheer magnitude of today's gains tugged his lips into an involuntary smile.
'If I receive another empowerment and skill inheritance, I might even break through to the Dou Grandmaster realm!'
Just then, a moon-white figure entered his line of sight.
"Junior Sister Yanran, it's been a while." Liu Ling's face brightened as he greeted the stunning Nalan Yanran warmly.
Nalan Yanran was equally surprised to see him. It had been some time since their last encounter. In the past, Liu Ling had always trailed after her, his persistent attentions bordering on annoyance.
Observing his enthusiasm now, she frowned slightly and replied coolly, "Senior Brother Liu Ling."
Unfazed by her indifference, Liu Ling asked curiously, "Are you heading to Teacher's courtyard?"
Nalan Yanran nodded. "I have matters to discuss with Junior Sister Xian'er."
Liu Ling's expression shifted as a thought struck him. "I've heard you've been sparring with Junior Sister Xian'er lately. If you'd like, you could always train with me instead."
Nalan Yanran studied him silently.
Misinterpreting her hesitation, Liu Ling hastily added, "Don't underestimate me, Junior Sister. I've reached the Dou Master realm now."
With that, he released his aura.
The moment she sensed his aura, Nalan Yanran's eyes widened in shock. "You… you've also broken through to Dou Master?"
She knew Liu Ling's strength well. How had he leaped to Dou Shi in such a short time?
Liu Ling grinned. "Not just Dou Master—I'm a Five-Star Dou Master now."
Nalan Yanran's expression flickered before she finally regarded him with complex emotions. "How did you do it?"
Liu Ling nearly blurted out, "Teacher empowered me—"
But he caught himself, recalling Gu He's warning. "Teacher's guidance, of course."
Nalan Yanran said nothing, but her gaze lingered on him for a long moment before she turned and walked away.
"Empowerment…"
"Is this how Junior Sister Xian'er advanced so quickly?" She murmured the words under her breath.
…
Wu Tan City – Xiao Clan's Back Mountain
Hidden beneath a secluded cliff, within a narrow cave barely a meter wide, a black-clad youth sat cross-legged.
Opposite the cliff lay an abyss veiled in mist, concealing the perilous Magic Beast Mountain Range. Below, a bottomless chasm yawned.
The youth stroked the ring on his finger, and suddenly, an ethereal figure emerged from it—an old man with an immortal's bearing.
"Teacher, I'm ready." The youth's voice was steady, his gaze resolute.
The old man nodded. "Then let the breakthrough begin. The Qi Gathering Powder I refined will be enough to push you into the Dou Practitioner realm."
Taking a deep breath, the youth retrieved a jade vial from his robes. Tilting it slightly, a pill streaked in blue and green rolled into his palm.
Examining the lustrous Qi Gathering Powder, the youth inhaled its refreshing fragrance before popping it into his mouth without hesitation.
A cooling sensation spread across his tongue, followed by a surge of warm, potent energy flooding his body. His frame shuddered violently.
Maintaining his composure, the youth swiftly formed hand seals, channeling his Dou Qi. His breathing steadied as the faint dou qi within him entwined with the pill's power, refining it furiously.
The tranquil cave erupted with violent dou qi fluctuations. Wisps of pale Dou Qi seeped from the air, continuously absorbed by the youth's body.
His teeth gritted as the clashing energies sent waves of agony through his meridians. Fortunately, his toughened channels withstood the strain, though the pain was relentless.
Inside his body, clusters of Dou Qi enveloped the pill's energy, assimilating it rapidly. The Dou Qi expanded visibly, swelling like a rising tide.
Yet, no matter how much he refined, the medicinal energy seemed inexhaustible—for every drop absorbed, a torrent rushed forth.
As the Dou Qi saturated his veins, the youth realized with a jolt that his energy had reached a critical limit, straining his meridians to the brink.
"Now! Condense the Dou Qi Cyclone (Vortex)! Any delay, and your body will explode!" The old man's voice thundered in his mind.
Gritting his teeth, the youth's hand seals shifted abruptly—his fingers interlacing into an esoteric formation.
Responding to his command, the raging Dou Qi in his body surged toward his lower dantian, compressing under immense pressure.
"Faster! Use your soul perception to crush it further! Fail now, and you'll regress to the Eighth Stage of Dou Disciple!"
Nodding, the youth focused his formidable soul power, seizing control of the Dou Qi. With a mental roar, he compressed it ruthlessly.
The milky-white energy resisted, churning violently—but against his soul force, it was a mantis trying to stop a chariot. After a brief struggle, it yielded, shrinking relentlessly.
When the Dou Qi had compacted to palm-size, it solidified.
"Again!"
The youth's eyes snapped shut as his soul perception bore down with crushing force.
"Pop!"
A soft sound echoed within his body as the resistance shattered.
Exhaling sharply, the youth slumped, his chest heaving.
Lying on the cold stone, he reveled in the abundant dou qi coursing through him—a sensation absent for four long years. A smile tugged at his lips, widening into a grin, then a laugh, then outright euphoria.
Regaining his breath, he closed his eyes, sinking his consciousness inward.
Inner Vision—a skill exclusive to Dou Practitioner and above.
Within his lower dantian, a milky-white cyclone spun lazily, wreathed in nebula-like energy.
Though small, the power it housed dwarfed his previous Nine-Star Dou Qi by tenfold!
The difference between Dou Disciple and Dou Practitioner was like heaven and earth.
Testing his control, the youth willed a strand of Dou Qi to spiral through his meridians, delighting in its responsiveness.
Satisfied, he withdrew from his meditation.
His eyes opened, milky light lingering in his pupils before fading.
Exhaling a turbid breath, his complexion brightened.
Cracking his neck, he grinned at the old man hovering like a specter at the cave entrance.
"Teacher, I've succeeded."
The old man nodded. "If you couldn't even break through to Dou Practitioner, my reputation would be a joke."
The youth's lips twitched. "Breaking through to Dou Practitioner in just months is impressive, isn't it?"
The old man snorted. "Xiao Yan, Dou Practitioner is merely the beginning. In my prime, even Dou Emperor alchemists knelt to become my disciples."
"Dou Emperor… begged to learn from you?" Xiao Yan gaped. "Teacher, just what tier of alchemist are you?"
The old man waved a hand dismissively. "My origins aren't important now—they'd only distract you. Just know this: so-called 'Pill Kings' like Gu He are nothing but… farts."
Xiao Yan's jaw dropped.
'Gu He, the revered Pill King of the Jia Ma Empire… a fart?'
If word spread, the entire empire would think him insane.
Yet, the old man's words ignited his confidence.
Memories of the humiliating divorce flooded back, his eyes hardening with resolve.
'Nalan Yanran, just you wait.'
'In three years, I, Xiao Yan, will crush you in that duel!'
This black-clad youth was Xiao Yan.
The ethereal elder was of course none other than Yao Lao (Yao Chen).
'The Misty Cloud Sect has Pill King Gu He?'
'But my teacher far surpasses him!'
'When I step onto the Misty Cloud Sect, I'll show you what a true genius is!'
…
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