Chapter 10: Ten-Meter Greatsword
Inside the courtyard.
Yao Nong asked Yao Yan to wait for a moment before vanishing. When he reappeared, he was holding three fiery red scrolls, each one containing a fire-element Dou Technique. He began introducing them to Yao Yan:
"Mid-Tier Xuan Rank Movement Technique—Dragon's Roar. Once mastered, the user's movements become as agile as a dragon and can briefly take flight."
"High-Tier Xuan Rank Dou Technique—Blazing Flame Blade. It condenses a blade of fire for combat. This technique is highly versatile and can help an alchemist improve their flame control."
He paused slightly before introducing the last one, his tone growing more solemn.
"Low-Tier Earth Rank—Burning Heaven Seal of the Eight Wastelands. This technique has incredible power and destructive force. It places great strain on the user's soul and Dou Qi. If you use beast flames with it, it further tests your flame control. Without perfect mastery, it can backfire and cause self-harm."
After finishing, he used his soul force to push the three valuable Dou Techniques toward Yao Yan.
Yao Yan reached out, pressed each scroll to his forehead, and quickly memorized them. After a moment, he opened his eyes. These three techniques were indeed rare and exceptional. In the outside world, they would be nearly priceless treasures. But in the Yao Clan, an ancient imperial clan, they were just average. Still, they were perfectly suited for him at his current stage.
More than enough to turn a frail alchemist into a formidable fighter.
He stored the three scrolls in his storage ring, took a light breath, and said, "Let's go."
"Why not take some time to familiarize yourself with the techniques first?"
Yao Nong hesitated slightly, speaking with a rare tone of concern.
Yao Yan shook his head and smiled. "I already studied a few basic self-defense techniques at the clan academy. They're not high-level, but good enough for emergencies. As for these three, I can train them once we're in the Shennong Mountains."
These techniques were high-grade. Even just training them to the basic stage would take a month or two—no need to linger here.
He longed to see the outside world.
As for danger?
Hun Xuzi wouldn't let him die. So why not take some risks? With a safety net beneath him, there was no reason not to be bold.
Seeing he couldn't persuade him, Yao Nong dropped the matter. Grabbing Yao Yan by the shoulder, they soared into the sky. The space around them twisted rapidly. Like teleportation, they sped out of Danding City. Along the way, several powerful soul forces swept over them. Once they confirmed Yao Nong's identity, they ignored them.
Soon, the pair had left Danding City far behind. Endless mountain ranges unfolded ahead, and the distant clan monument grew ever smaller.
Back at the clan academy—
Yao Shan frowned slightly. Looking toward the direction Yao Nong had flown, he murmured, "Sending him to the Shennong Mountains after just reaching Dou Practitioner… isn't that too soon?"
After thinking for a while, he shook his head. He trusted his old friend to act with discretion.
…
Yao Nong carried Yao Yan as they flew past several massive cities. Eventually, they arrived at a vast plain. At its center stood a massive stone arch hundreds of meters tall. Within the arch was a twisting space, seemingly a portal to another world.
The plain teemed with flying magical beasts. Many of them had pavilions and trading hubs built atop them. The area bustled with activity.
Crowds of people moved through the space.
"This is the Yao Clan's gateway. It's usually guarded by several Dou Venerates. When the Yao Clan holds its grand alchemy gathering, outsiders pass through this portal to enter the medicinal realm. We use this to exit as well. Those over there are from the sects in the Shennong Mountains. Many of them rely on the Yao Clan's protection, and we in turn need them to provide certain resources."
Yao Nong explained, then descended with Yao Yan. After showing a jade token and registering with the gatekeepers, they slowly walked toward the stone gate.
As they stepped into the twisting space, their vision blurred. The vast plain transformed into a massive mountain gorge. Far ahead, part of a fog-shrouded mountain range came into view. Compared to it, humans seemed utterly insignificant.
Yao Nong didn't pause. With a flicker of movement, he left the gorge behind. In a few blinks, they arrived in a scenic valley.
Boom!
Yao Nong casually struck the cliffside with Dou Qi, carving out a cave.
After completing everything, he turned back to Yao Yan and warned, "In the Shennong Mountains, don't trust anyone—not even fellow members of the Yao Clan."
He paused briefly.
"…No one remembers a branch clan member with Tier 3 bloodline."
Yao Yan nodded. He agreed completely. In a xuanhuan world, even kin could turn on each other over a single heavenly treasure. If not for Hun Xuzi, someone like Yao Nong wouldn't have spared him a glance.
He wasn't foolish enough to think a few years of companionship could build real sentiment.
After explaining everything, Yao Nong vanished. As for cultivation resources, Yao Yan's storage ring was already stocked. What he lacked now was actual combat experience.
"From young master to wild man, huh…"
Yao Yan glanced around and couldn't help teasing himself. Then he began his wilderness survival, remembering the survival shows he'd watched in his past life.
He quickly mastered the Blazing Flame Blade. A golden, solid-looking blade formed in his palm.
This high-tier Xuan Rank technique's hardest part was condensing fire-type Dou Qi into a controllable flame blade and unleashing it in battle. For most Dou Practitioners, this was nearly impossible—only Dou Masters could barely manage it. But for Yao Yan, it wasn't an issue.
After all, he already controlled the Illusory Gold Flame—a beast flame of that tier. Using the technique's method to channel it made the skill easy to wield.
Whoosh~
Yao Yan casually slashed toward a distant lake. His Dou Qi surged, and a golden flame-blade slashed through the air, crashing into the water. Steam exploded upward with a loud bang, waves splashing in all directions.
"Feels a bit like 'Gathering Blade' from Star Soul…"
Yao Yan suddenly recalled a Chinese animation from his past life and murmured to himself. Then he manipulated the flame blade in his palm, making it longer.
Sizzle sizzle~
In the blink of an eye, the golden flame blade extended to about three zhang (ten meters).
"Guess this counts as a ten-meter greatsword?"
Yao Yan muttered, testing his limits and gauging the drain on his Dou Qi.
He quickly realized how powerful this Dou Technique truly was. Simply maintaining the flame blade over his hand used almost no Dou Qi. But the moment he fired it out as a projectile slash, the drain became massive. That single shot had consumed one-tenth of his total Dou Qi—even though he'd held back on its power.
If he went all out, one slash could empty him completely.
Still, just as Yao Nong had said, this technique was extremely adaptable. Its power scaled with the user's control—and it could even change form. For example: a fine needle…
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997