Word Count: 2,904 Words
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Xiao Yan's voice emerged through gritted teeth, veins bulging across his forehead. The difficulty of cultivating a Tian Class Dou Technique was evident, and this was with his exceptionally strong physical constitution.
Time crawled by, second by agonizing second. He had no idea how long the torture lasted before it abruptly ceased. The dark gold liquid seeped into his hand like a receding tide and vanished without a trace.
Before he could even catch his breath, a massive surge of spiritual information crashed into his mind. The impact shook him to his core as a dark gold light flickered faintly in his pupils. Low murmurs escaped his lips.
"This is… the Great Heaven Creation Palm?"
Understanding flooded him. Xiao Yan sat cross-legged and began to absorb the spiritual inheritance. This transmission method mirrored how his ancestor Xiao Xuan had left information within the Yin-Yang Twin Flame at the Gate of Life and Death.
He closed his eyes and focused his thoughts. Spiritual information streamed into the depths of his mind. His soul's perception gradually blurred until he found himself within a strange, empty space.
This was the highest form of inheritance, where the person who left it could provide almost one-on-one guidance, including insights that would accelerate the cultivation process.
The space was not vast; it was empty and devoid of vitality. Xiao Yan's gaze swept across it before halting on a particular spot in the void. There, a figure stood with hands clasped behind his back. This figure appeared utterly ordinary. Xiao Yan could detect neither life signs nor traces of Dou Qi from him. He looked like the most common of men.
'Saint Zhao Hua.'
'This must be a transmission space hidden within the Dou Technique, and this figure is a fragment of his memory...'
Xiao Yan studied the figure and pondered thoughtfully. With his current experience, he naturally wouldn't be startled by such things. After brief contemplation, he discerned the figure's nature.
True to his expectations, the figure never glanced his way. Shortly after Xiao Yan entered, a voice as calm as still water echoed through the space.
"Great Heaven Creation Palm, Low Tian Class Dou Technique, created by this seat after devoting a lifetime to integrating hundreds of Dou Techniques. This palm technique pursues the concept of 'creation'—with the palm, break the sky; with strength, shatter all things."
Xiao Yan's eyes grew increasingly bright as he listened to the plain voice narrating as if talking to itself.
"A Tian Class Dou Technique transcends the mundane and surpasses the saintly. To discover the secret hidden within these bones means you are fated. Since you obtained the bones, your palm should already be tempered by the Golden Spirit Saliva. Remember, the Great Heaven Creation Palm must be executed with the tempered hand, or you will suffer a severe backlash!"
Xiao Yan nodded to himself. It was just like the God Seal Technique; if he had not opened the special meridians, attempting it would have resulted in self-injury.
"The Great Heaven Creation Palm possesses the power of creation…"
As the calm voice continued, the figure radiated a faint fluorescent glow. His body became transparent, revealing an intricate network of meridians within. A stream of dark gold energy raced through these channels, outlining a peculiar meridian pathway.
'This is the meridian route for cultivating the Great Heaven Creation Palm!'
Delight flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes. He focused intently and imprinted every detail of the energy's circulation path deep in his memory.
After several complete cycles, the meridian diagram gradually faded. Fortunately, Xiao Yan had already memorized the entire sequence.
Finally, after Saint Zhao Hua demonstrated the complete Great Heaven Creation Palm, his gentle voice thundered in Xiao Yan's mind like spring's first thunderclap. "Fated one, remember this Venerable's name—Saint Zhao Hua!"
The figure grew ever fainter within the black halo until it dissolved into nothingness.
The last image this mighty Dou Saint had left in the world faded away just like that.
Xiao Yan nodded silently and allowed the black halo to crash over him. It tore his consciousness apart as the inheritance concluded.
Back in the mountain cave, he opened his eyes and nodded to himself. He looked at his right hand. Eagerness surged through him, and he immediately began to practice.
'Let's try... the Great Heaven Creation Palm!'
A black circle of light gathered in his palm with a low hum. He thrust his hand forward. The ring expanded steadily until it reached a one-meter radius, then vanished.
He stared at the tiny black sphere, only a meter across, and couldn't help but smile wryly. This Dou Technique demanded an enormous amount of Dou Qi. If not for the power of the Flame Mantra, a single use would have drained him completely.
'Sigh, cultivating Dou Techniques truly is fraught with obstacles.'
Even the Hun Clan's Dou God bloodline offered little help with Dou Technique mastery!
By attribute classification, the Great Heaven Creation Palm belonged to the spatial category. This Tian Class Dou Technique represented an extremely profound spatial application, capable of annihilating everything within its bounds.
Xiao Yan understood the difficulties ahead. He calmed his mind and began training earnestly. The moment transported him back to his days in Wu Tan City, when he had received Venerable Yao's inheritance and spent countless days and nights tempering his body while mastering the Octane Blast.
…
Time in cultivation passed unnoticed. A month vanished in what seemed like moments. During these days, the Flower Sect disciples had gradually grown accustomed to Xiao Yan's presence as their sole male member.
"Ah! Grandmaster Xiao Yan!"
"Grandmaster Xiao Yan is so handsome!"
"I wonder what it would take to have Grandmaster Xiao Yan refine a pill for me."
"Dream on! He's the Pill Gathering champion. Your best chance might be offering yourself."
"Oh, shut up!"
Every day, disciples flocked to Xiao Yan's mountain peak to watch him practice Dou Techniques. Their eyes sparkled with excitement, and the occasional squeal of delight rang out.
Xiao Yan also grew used to the Flower Sect's atmosphere. As a hidden sect, their cultivation environment felt much more harmonious than the Yan Alliance's intense, competitive air.
'Hm? She's finished her seclusion?' Xiao Yan glanced into the distance. He sensed that Nalan Yanran had left her closed-door cultivation.
He opened a wormhole and, with a single step, landed atop a small peak just as Nalan Yanran pushed open her door. A rush of warm air spilled from the room, tossing her long hair into the wind.
With the help of the Heavenly Flame, the Ancestor Progression Pill, and Xiao Yan's alchemy skills, her aura had broken through to peak 9-star Dou Ancestor, an advancement of two full stars!
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. Nalan Yanran now wore the silver-moon long gown of the Misty Cloud Sect's Little Sect Leader. Her body radiated a subtle battle intent.
"Xiao Yan, let's fight! This time I definitely won't lose to you!"
Nalan Yanran smiled, her eyes narrowing slightly. After the Heavenly Flame's purification, her Dou Qi circulation felt unprecedentedly smooth, as if all her meridians had been completely unblocked.
Xiao Yan's lips curled upward when he saw her deliberately wearing that silver-moon gown. He suppressed his Spiritual Strength and Dou Qi to match her peak 9-star Dou Ancestor and perfected Mortal State levels. The Heavy Xuan Ruler struck the ground with a resounding clang.
'Seems this little maidservant is quite thoughtful, knowing I need to train my Dou Technique and deliberately offering herself as a target.' The moment reminded him of sparring with Zi Yan at Jia Nan Academy. Training through actual combat always yielded the fastest progress.
Finding a suitable sparring partner had become exceedingly difficult. Most of the time, he could only practice by himself.
After a month of cultivation, Xiao Yan needed to test how far his Great Heaven Creation Palm had progressed.
"Let this young master see how much his little maidservant has grown."
Nalan Yanran smiled confidently. "Hmph, your days as 'Young Master' end today."
Xiao Yan smiled faintly. This girl remained as self-assured as ever.
They slowly rose into the air. For cultivators who had reached the Dou Ancestor realm, the sky was simply another battlefield.
"Look! Isn't that Miss Yanran and Grandmaster Xiao Yan? Why are they fighting?"
"I think so. Perhaps they're practicing techniques together."
Many disciples quickly gathered to watch the battle.
Nalan Yanran took a deep breath and drew her Cloud Slaying Black Sword. She locked her gaze onto Xiao Yan. Her eyes radiated a sharp intent that seemed capable of piercing his body.
When she released her battle intent, her sword-like gaze swept through the area. Many onlookers felt as if their skin had been scraped by razor-sharp blades. They shuddered involuntarily. Xiao Yan, naturally, remained unfazed.
Their auras collided with a resounding boom!
Xiao Yan didn't bother using a flying-type Dou Technique. A flash of the Low Di Class Three Thousand Lightning Movement placed him behind Nalan Yanran. His speed rolled like thunder. An ordinary peak 9-star Dou Ancestor could never move so quickly!
Most people didn't even see how he got behind her.
In that flash of lightning, Nalan Yanran narrowed her eyes and made her move. A sword gleam flashed silently, as if she had anticipated his position.
'Six Joint Body Flowing Ruler, Raging Fire!'
Xiao Yan inwardly shouted as magnificent Dou Qi surged from his black ruler. It easily broke through Nalan Yanran's sword gleam. The ruler's shadow flashed, and a strange flame condensed at its tip with lightning-like speed!
During this period, Xiao Yan had also practiced the Six Joint Body Flowing Ruler. With his current Spiritual Strength, producing the Joint Fire posed little challenge.
He swung the ruler without producing a sonic boom or any unusual sound. There was only the deathly silence that precedes a volcanic eruption!
A low hum sounded. Nalan Yanran moved like a silver moon in a lightning flash and dodged his heavy strike. Her agility technique was ethereal beyond compare! With incredible speed, she stepped on wind vortices while her black sword became a streak of divine radiance that pierced straight for Xiao Yan.
Nalan Yanran's time with Yun Yun had not been wasted. When caring for Granny Hua, the old woman had occasionally instructed her. Only after entering the Flower Sect did Nalan Yanran learn this was a High Di Class agility technique called 'Silver Moon Floating Flower Steps.'
It made her impervious like the untouchable moon, extraordinarily nimble.
Xiao Yan showed no panic at the incoming sword thrust. If his opponent lacked skill, what would be the point of sparring?
'Flowing Body Fire.'
Xiao Yan's body turned, his ruler following the movement. With a series of clangs, they exchanged over a dozen strikes in an instant. He successfully blocked all of Nalan Yanran's sword techniques.
"Not bad. You've improved somewhat." Xiao Yan's eyes focused as Dou Qi gathered in his Heavy Xuan Ruler. In his heart, he shouted, 'Six Joint Fire!'
The black ruler swept horizontally with a tremendous boom. The Six Joint Fire lashed out with heavy force like an avalanche crashing toward Nalan Yanran. When this technique struck, the surrounding airflow drew in, creating a powerful suction that pulled opponents toward the ruler with no hope of escape.
Nalan Yanran's expression grew grave facing this powerful, crushing blow. Even with Xiao Yan suppressing his strength, his combat power far exceeded hers.
With a clear clang, her black sword flipped and stabbed forward. She met the attack head-on. As the sword split the air, flower petals briefly materialized. The sword flowers resembled a green lotus before vanishing in a flash.
Another clang rang out as the black sword precisely struck the Heavy Xuan Ruler. In that instant of collision, though Xiao Yan's Six Joint Fire proved extremely fierce, Nalan Yanran always managed to strike at the Dou Qi's weak points. She used softness to overcome hardness!
Xiao Yan pressed forward, using raw power to break through all techniques. They clashed at nearly imperceptible speeds. Their fierce battle in midair created wind vortices that repeatedly tore through space.
Had they not been fighting high above, the Flower Sect might have suffered devastating damage.
One figure moved ethereally, retreating to advance. The other broke through all with force, unyielding and fierce.
"Wind's Peak: Killer Meteorite, Continuous Thrust!" Nalan Yanran unleashed the Misty Cloud Sect's signature technique again. Countless wind-attribute Dou Qi surged and converged on her black sword.
Unlike before, this version featured continuous thrusts! Sharp sword lights stabbed toward Xiao Yan like pear blossoms in a rainstorm.
Xiao Yan smiled at the incoming sword lights. He allowed those laser-like thrusts to pierce his body. Lightning erupted from where they struck; it was merely a Lightning Illusionary Body.
'Open Mountain Seal!' Xiao Yan put away his ruler. His speed increased as he appeared behind Nalan Yanran. His hands formed seals as he struck toward her with his palm.
"Flower Substitution." Nalan Yanran formed hand seals, and with a soft sound, Xiao Yan's attack landed on a human-shaped puppet made of countless flower petals!
"Wind Flower Flying Sword Technique!" Appearing at his side, Nalan Yanran joined her fingers like a sword. With a sweep of her jade-like fingers, countless flower petals wrapped in wind-attribute Dou Qi surged from all directions.
These petals cut with incredible sharpness. They even sliced small openings in the surrounding space.
Having suppressed his cultivation, Dou Qi, and Spiritual Strength, and not using any Heavenly Flames, Xiao Yan momentarily found himself without a perfect counter.
But this was exactly what he wanted. Without being forced into difficult situations, his technique would never break through. He needed to push himself.
"Sea Flipping, Overturning Land, Sky Burying!"
Palm seals frantically struck out one after another. Nalan Yanran's expression grew grave facing his strange palm techniques. Even with Xiao Yan suppressing his greatest abilities, the battle remained arduous for her.
The gap in their actual strength remained vast. Even with his self-imposed limitations, his battle experience and spatial mastery far surpassed hers.
If Xiao Yan hadn't been deliberately training his techniques and avoiding Heavenly Flames, she would have been defeated long ago.
Thunderous sounds and sword winds continuously erupted from midair. The two peak 9-star Dou Ancestors fought with earth-shattering power. Natural energies constantly boiled around them!
"So powerful!"
"Are there really such strong peak Dou Ancestors?!"
"Don't be silly. Grandmaster Xiao Yan is a 5-star Dou Venerate, and he hasn't been using his Spiritual Strength or Heavenly Flames at all."
Everyone watched in awe. Even the Flower Sect elders who had come to observe couldn't help but gasp. The battle had surpassed their imagination.
A terrifying collision sent both fighters flying apart with a boom. Xiao Yan's breathing grew somewhat rapid. He had even suppressed his Qi Method to High Di Class, yet still felt his Dou Qi running low!
Nalan Yanran wiped blood from the corner of her mouth and removed the band holding her hair. Her long hair danced in the wind as she pointed her sword at Xiao Yan. "Xiao Yan, I couldn't use this technique last time. Today, I'll end this battle with it!"
A hum resonated through the world as the surrounding wind began to tremble. Cloud layers in the sky surged frantically. During their second confrontation, Nalan Yanran had planned to use Wind's Peak's ultimate secret but had been intimidated by Xiao Yan's five-Heavenly-Flame Five Ring Flame Expelling Technique.
Xiao Yan laughed. "Save your dreams for when you're sleeping. Even without Heavenly Flames or Soul Techniques, I remain invincible!"
He knew that the Misty Cloud Sect's strongest technique, Wind's Peak, was divided into three levels: Dazzling Sunset, Killer Meteorite, and the High Di Class final sword technique called "One Sword to Shock a Venerate!"
This had been Yun Po Tian's famous ultimate technique!
Zing!
Finally, Nalan Yanran's Dou Qi surged frantically throughout her body. Wind rose and clouds gathered as natural energy seemed to go mad. Even before she executed her technique, one could feel its merciless killing intent. Under this sword, all living things would tremble!
Xiao Yan took a deep breath, sensing the technique's fearsome power. This was exactly the feeling he wanted. Though he didn't dislike this stubborn girl, that was entirely separate from losing to her!
He, Yan Tianzun, could hold back, but he couldn't lose!
His hands moved through seals at incredible speed. Natural energy from a hundred miles around the Flower Sect surged toward him. Ripples appeared throughout the surrounding space. They even caused the sect's protective formation to tremble.
"A Tian Class Dou Technique!!!"
The Flower Sect's First Elder's eyes widened in shock. It's just a sparring match. Why are you two going this far?!
Dou Qi continuously poured from Xiao Yan's body into his tempered palm as a black sphere formed in his hand. The Great Heaven Creation Palm required not only vast Dou Qi but also terrifying control over space.
Nalan Yanran sensed the frightening power gathering in Xiao Yan's palm but didn't retreat this time. In fact, seeing him respond with a Tian Class Dou Technique filled her with secret joy.
How many people on the Dou Qi Continent could make him take them seriously?
Nalan Yanran stepped forward, charging toward Xiao Yan as she thrust her sword.
"Wind's Peak, One Sword to Shock a Venerate!"
One sword to achieve invincibility. Even the Dou Venerate level elders watching couldn't help but feel their hair stand on end. They unanimously believed Nalan Yanran's sword could potentially assassinate a 1-star Dou Venerate expert!
This sword would injure at minimum, cripple at worst.
Xiao Yan watched Nalan Yanran charge forward. He struck out with his palm and murmured softly, "Great Heaven Creation Palm."