"Dou Qi Stage, Third Segment! Grade: Low Grade!"
As the middle-aged man overseeing the test next to the Testing Magic Stone Tablet announced the results, the crowd of young boys and girls who had just quieted down stirred again.
They began whispering to each other in small groups, discussing who had just started Qi Refining, how fast their progress was, and which clan members had newly advanced to become Dou Disciples this year...
At the edge of the field, under a lush old tree, a young boy leaned against the trunk with his hands clasped behind his head. He watched the lively scene before him and curled his lip.
"Same thing every year, so boring. Too bad it's not that famous scene of the fellow countryman genius falling from grace. I really wanted to see that live."
Zhao Li's thoughts drifted to the distant future, crossing time and space. But although the beginning was the same, the story was not. The boy shook his head with a hint of regret.
"To get from the Eastern Region of the continent to the Northwestern Region, you'd probably need to be a Dou Emperor to be safe. Better to develop slowly and cautiously."
Zhao Li had been on the Dou Qi Continent for over ten years since he transmigrated. Over these years, he had learned a lot from his family and teachers, confirming that this was indeed the Dou Qi Continent from the book.
While excited, Zhao Li wanted to find a powerful backer and live a comfortable life. Unfortunately, he was in the Eastern Region of the continent, an unknown distance from the Northwestern Region where the story began.
"Distance isn't the main issue; if I put my mind to it, I can always get there. But why did I transmigrate at least a hundred years before the plot even started?"
Over the years, Zhao Li had gradually realized that the world he knew, those people, might not even have been born yet.
"Fine, there are still so many years. I'll just focus on cultivating. There will be plenty of opportunities later to witness the fall of a genius with my own eyes. I imagine it will feel different from reading a novel or watching anime, hehe~"
Perhaps due to having lived two lives, Zhao Li's soul power was much stronger than that of ordinary people. After the initial curiosity, Zhao Li tried cultivating, and then he discovered something incredible – he seemed to be a genius!
"Young master, the master is calling for you. He wants you to go see him."
A voice pulled Zhao Li's thoughts back. He turned his head and saw a clan guard. Zhao Li immediately sprang up with a carp-like jump, casually brushed off his robe, and followed the guard with large strides towards his home.
Zhao Li pushed the door open and saw his father lying in a rocking chair, swaying gently, looking very relaxed.
Poor me, I'm either pondering cultivation or practicing it. It's tough.
Thinking of his ten years of exploration, Zhao Li inwardly complained and then asked,
"Father, you were looking for me?"
Hearing Zhao Li's question, Zhao Lingxiao didn't even lift his head, just slowly rocked the chair.
"Did you go watch the clan's annual test again? How was it? I heard several of your clan brothers successfully condensed their Dou Qi Cyclone and became Dou Disciples this year."
Zhao Li gave an awkward smile. He wasn't really interested in that; he just wanted to satisfy his morbid curiosity.
Seeing his son's dry smile, Zhao Lingxiao thought he was anxious because he hadn't broken through in a long time. He comforted him,
"Don't feel any pressure. I see you're not far from condensing your Dou Qi Cyclone. I imagine you'll succeed this year. A twelve-year-old Dou Disciple, that's rare in our Great Qian Empire after all these years."
In the past ten years, even though Zhao Li spent more time researching and pondering new cultivation methods, he had still completed the Dou Qi Stage cultivation.
"Father, don't worry. I'm confident I can condense my Dou Qi Cyclone and officially become a Dou Disciple. Why don't you find me a few Cultivation Techniques to study first? I'll get familiar with them, and it'll be easier to cultivate after I break through."
Seeing his father had misunderstood, Zhao Li didn't explain, just grinned and prepared to ask his father for some Cultivation Techniques to study the cultivation of true practitioners and prepare further for his breakthrough.
When he first transmigrated and was reborn into this world, perhaps because his infant body was too weak to withstand Zhao Li's powerful soul force, Zhao Li would get very tired after even a little thinking. The tiny Zhao Li appeared very weak and sleepy.
Although there were no other effects, it worried his parents for a time. Eventually, they sought out Lin Lan, the sect master of the Pill Sect, the Great Qian Empire's top sect, and the only Seventh-Grade Alchemist in the Great Qian Empire, hoping he could refine a medicinal pill to help their child regulate his body and grow up healthy.
Lin Lan was also from Great Qian and did not refuse. When he later met Zhao Li, he was attracted by Zhao Li's powerful soul force. Furthermore, while regulating Zhao Li's body, he sensed Zhao Li's Fire Attribute with Wood Tendencies, making him a born alchemist.
Lin Lan had the idea of taking him as a disciple and made an agreement with Zhao Lingxiao that when Zhao Li began cultivating Dou Qi, he would formally accept him as his disciple.
Under Lin Lan's care, Zhao Li's physique gradually became able to withstand his immense soul force. Starting at age three, Zhao Li could think and live normally. It was also his parents' care during these three years that made Zhao Li accept his family in this life, giving him a sense of home in a foreign world. Everything from his previous life ultimately returned to dust.
After that, Zhao Li was attracted by this novel world.
But influenced by various cultivation novels from his previous life, Zhao Li didn't just dive headfirst into Dou Qi cultivation. Instead, he developed a strong interest in researching Dou Qi and the Dou Qi cultivation system, wanting to understand not just how it worked, but why. In these years, Zhao Li had already grasped the process of cultivation, which involved absorbing, taming, and using Dou Qi.
Strangely enough, Zhao Li discovered his comprehension was extraordinary. During his research, he frequently experienced epiphanies and sudden enlightenment.
Zhao Lingxiao frowned. His son had a different way of thinking from others since he was young, and over the years, he had become even more unfocused, spending a lot of time studying Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques that the clan didn't value. He gently reprimanded Zhao Li,
"Li'er, don't be greedy. Before you condense your Dou Qi Cyclone, reading Cultivation Techniques is useless. Focus on cultivating first and break through to become a Dou Disciple as soon as possible. Here, take this. This is the Qi Gathering Powder your teacher prepared for you. Don't let your teacher's good intentions go to waste."
Saying this, he took out a jade bottle and threw it to Zhao Li.
Zhao Li felt a warmth in his heart when he heard his teacher had specially prepared a medicinal pill for him. He quickly reached out to catch it and put it away.
Although he was fully confident he could condense his Dou Qi Cyclone without the Qi Gathering Powder, it was still his teacher's kind gesture. Besides, a Fourth-Grade Medicinal Pill was highly sought after. If he threw it into an auction house, it would fetch hundreds of thousands, even millions of Gold Coins. Who would turn down money?
"Has Teacher arrived?"
"He hasn't come. He sent someone to deliver this. Break through to become a Dou Disciple as soon as possible, and then you can follow your teacher and study."
"Understood, I will heed Father's teachings."
Zhao Li cupped his fists. He had long grown used to his father's lectures about his 'unfocused' behavior over the years.
After chatting about recent events for a bit, Zhao Li found an excuse to leave. "If there's nothing else, I'll go back to cultivate."
Hearing Zhao Li say this, Zhao Lingxiao waved his hand and replied, "Go on."
"I take my leave."
Watching Zhao Li leave the courtyard, Zhao Lingxiao was momentarily stunned, then shook his head and laughed softly.
"This brat, why is he feeling down? Ah, well, well, the little rascal has grown up after all. He'll have to go out into the world eventually."
"Hmm, I wonder if Senior Lin has prepared Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques for Li'er. This Mysterious Tier, Middle Grade Blazing Fire Technique is decent, but it's still a bit lacking. I'll give it to him then. It's a shame the few Mysterious Tier, High Grade Cultivation Techniques in the clan aren't Fire Attribute. I hope Senior Lin has other arrangements."
Zhao Lingxiao himself didn't notice the hint of pride and anticipation in his words.
The moon was like white jade, and the sky was full of stars. A light shone from the small house under the moon, and through the window, a well-proportioned shadow could be faintly seen sitting cross-legged, with its five centers facing the sky.
"Hoo~" Zhao Li let out a long breath and opened his eyes, ending his cultivation. He then furrowed his brow and mused,
"The Dou Qi in my body now has long surpassed the usual Ninth Segment. When it circulates, the effect of tempering and flushing the meridians is already minimal. It seems there's no point in cultivating further. Should I just condense the Dou Qi Cyclone now and officially become a Dou Disciple? Without condensing the Qi Cyclone, this Dou Qi is ultimately like water without a source, difficult to sustain."
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