Chapter 157: Brother Lin, Can You Not Touch My Chest?
Fully flushed, Jiang Lin spread his six crimson-gold wings and soared into the sky, lifting Xiao Yan with him, leaving the Azure Lion below in a fit of useless rage.
"Uh, Brother Lin, can you not touch my chest?"
After escaping the danger, Xiao Yan relaxed for a moment, only to realize that his current position felt a bit off. Looking down, he saw that Jiang Lin had his arms wrapped around him from behind, with his warm palms resting directly on Xiao Yan's chest, and the heat radiating from Jiang Lin made him even more uncomfortable.
Flying at high speed, Jiang Lin responded with a silent look.
Yao Chen's voice in the ring: "…"
Whoosh!
Jiang Lin's face darkened as he immediately let go of Xiao Yan. Amid Xiao Yan's surprised yelps, he grabbed Xiao Yan by the ankle.
Instantly, feeling himself being held upside down in Jiang Lin's grip, Xiao Yan realized the situation was dire!
Buzz!
The six crimson-gold wings exploded with power, and with a sharp whoosh, Jiang Lin, still holding Xiao Yan's ankle, soared into the sky like a crimson-gold comet, heading toward the horizon!
"Ah!!! Help!!!"
The violent wind and terrifying acceleration caused Xiao Yan to scream in terror!
"My legs are going to snap off!!"
"Help!!!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Brother Lin, I'm sorry!!"
Boom!
In a beautiful, serene waterfall setting, Jiang Lin, unable to focus due to the furious gusts, threw Xiao Yan into the lake. Jiang Lin then dispersed his six-leaf wings in mid-air. The six crimson-gold blade-like wings detached from his back and disappeared into space, before Jiang Lin, glowing crimson, shot like a bullet into the cold lake.
Splash!
A massive splash erupted as Jiang Lin sank to the bottom of the lake. His eyes closed as he began to calm the raging heaven and earth energy inside him and exit the Dou Qi Furnace state.
On the lake's edge, Xiao Yan, drenched and startled awake by the cold water, crawled up onto the shore. Protected by Yao Chen's soul power, he turned back to look at the eerily still surface of the lake and couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, what's wrong with him? And was that the Flame Splitting Wave Ruler he used earlier?"
Buzz!
A flash of white light appeared, and Yao Chen's soul form appeared next to Xiao Yan.
"Huh? How did you come out?" Xiao Yan was startled.
"…"
Yao Chen silently glanced at Xiao Yan. His usual tone seemed slightly off now, though he couldn't quite place why.
"Uh…"
Seeing Yao Chen's reaction, Xiao Yan was taken aback, then embarrassment crept onto his face as he suddenly understood.
"That was indeed the Flame Splitting Wave Ruler. And he's perfected it. The only thing holding him back is his cultivation level. If his cultivation reaches Dou Huang or Dou Zong, the Flame Splitting Wave Ruler will have the power to split mountains and sever rivers," Yao Chen said calmly as he looked at the massive red energy source beneath the lake.
"Wow, if I train for a year, could I reach that level?" Xiao Yan asked, surprised, not expecting Jiang Lin to have perfected the Flame Splitting Wave Ruler in just a year.
"That depends on your talent," Yao Chen said, his eyes lingering on the red energy beneath the lake with a meaningful glance.
"He's cultivating a technique with huge side effects. It absorbs the violent Dou Qi from the surrounding world into his body, allowing him to temporarily accumulate energy equivalent to a Dou Ling's, which powers his six-winged Dou Tool," Yao Chen continued.
"However, this technique seems incomplete, or perhaps… flawed. Once the Dou Qi fire ignites inside his body, it's extremely hard to extinguish. Right now, he's using the lake's pressure to reduce the contact with heaven and earth energy to slowly put out the fire." Yao Chen stood calmly by the lake, speaking in a neutral tone.
As a former Pill Master, Yao Chen's insight was sharp, and he had deduced Jiang Lin's condition. However, some parts were off.
For example, Jiang Lin's six-leaf wings came with their own Dou Qi Furnace, which could function normally. But to maximize its effect, Jiang Lin needed to use his Dou Qi Furnace within his body. This would amplify his Dou Qi and, in turn, the six-leaf wings' Dou Qi Furnace.
But because of the chaotic nature of the heaven and earth Dou Qi, Jiang Lin currently couldn't control it. Even though the energy had expanded to the Dou Ling threshold, he could only use it for simple energy outputs. Using Dou Techniques required more precise control over Dou Qi, and as his own energy reserves dwindled, his control over the external Dou Qi weakened.
"Kid, do you need help?"
Yao Chen asked, his voice reaching Jiang Lin through the depths of the lake.
But there was no response.
"Teacher, did he drown?" Xiao Yan asked weakly.
Yao Chen shot a glance at Xiao Yan and replied in a deadpan voice, "As long as there's enough Dou Qi, a Dou Shi can use Dou Qi to replace breathing."
An hour later, Jiang Lin slowly emerged from the lake, drenched but seemingly fine.
"Your technique is fine, but it's incredibly taxing on your meridians," Yao Chen shook his head, then tossed a pill to Jiang Lin, who instinctively caught it.
"Meridian Nourishing Pill. It's not the best grade, and it won't do much, but it should help alleviate your current condition," Yao Chen said. The pill was one that Xiao Yan used regularly. Since Xiao Yan practiced Earth-rank Dou Techniques, he always had some on hand to prevent injury to his meridians during training.
Although Yao Chen couldn't fully discern Jiang Lin's state, he understood that his meridians were likely severely damaged. The side effects of the technique, which allowed Jiang Lin to absorb violent Dou Qi at the level of a Dou Ling with only a five-star Dou Shi's cultivation, placed immense pressure on his meridians. Yao Chen was amazed that Jiang Lin could still walk around like nothing happened.
Physically speaking, this resilience was characteristic of the ancient Stone Clan, wasn't it?
"…"
Jiang Lin looked at the Meridian Nourishing Pill in his hand, then glanced up at Yao Chen's soul form beside Xiao Yan, confused.
"Senior… What's the meaning of this?"
Was Jiang Lin truly someone so rigid, that he would damage his meridians just to help others?
Would he really ignore the consequences and push through just to save them?
He brought Xiao Yan along, but only because he didn't want Xiao Yan to take responsibility for the trouble Jiang Lin had caused.
Jiang Lin knew Xiao Yan wouldn't be in trouble, thanks to the ring's elderly protector.
But if that protector ever interfered, things would be different.
That would mean Jiang Lin had "doomed" Xiao Yan once.
Skeptical of Xiao Yan being the protagonist, Jiang Lin certainly didn't want to make such a big mistake.
(END CHAPTER)
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