Who was Hun Xiu?
He was the son of the Soul Clan's patriarch, Hun Tiandi.
Of course, that was just one part of his identity.
Hun Xiu's talent was also unimaginably monstrous—his potential was limitless.
After all…
Hun Xiu had awakened an eleventh-grade bloodline, a bloodline of such mythical quality that even in the ancient history of the continent, it had never once been awakened.
A tenth-grade bloodline alone was said to be the seed of an emperor; as long as one didn't fall prematurely, they were destined to become a Dou Emperor in the future.
Of course, that was assuming the right conditions existed.
Otherwise?
Even with such legendary bloodlines—those said to be exclusive to Dou Emperors—without sufficient Origin Qi, one would still only ever reach the Dou Saint realm, never touching the realm of emperors.
For example, Hun Tiandi and Gu Yuan had been stuck at the peak of Nine-Star Dou Saint for a thousand years. Even now, they remained stagnant.
It wasn't that they didn't want to advance. It was that the path forward had been severed. Even with their might—invincible across the continent—they still couldn't forge a road to the heavens.
Hun Xiu naturally understood the elder's meaning.
He nodded firmly and said, "Elder, this technique resonates with me. I choose it. It suits me very well."
The elder glanced again at Killer's Palm and shook his head. "Hun Xiu, listen to me. This palm art is nothing more than a high-level Yellow-grade technique. It's not suitable for you."
What a promising seedling—and yet his vision was so… poor? To choose a Yellow-grade technique?
And he even said it suits him?
Suits him, my foot!
What truly suited Hun Xiu were Heavenly-grade techniques. In the Soul Clan, even the most talentless members wouldn't stoop to pick Yellow-grade techniques.
But now… this very Yellow-grade technique that no one ever touched…
Had been chosen by the most gifted genius the Soul Clan had ever produced.
The elder was fuming inside.
If not for Hun Xiu's identity and his monstrous potential, he might've flat-out yelled: "Are you stupid?"
To pick a technique no one else would ever choose—that wasn't just dumb, that was brain-damaged.
An utter fool.
Hun Xiu calmly retrieved Killer's Palm from the elder's hands and said, "Elder, this is my choice. Just register it. No need to persuade me further."
With that, he turned and left.
Yes, Killer's Palm was a Yellow-grade technique—but that was only the beginning.
It was just the first form.
The second form? Mystic-grade.
The third? Earth-grade.
And the fourth? Heaven-grade.
With the system behind him, why would he only train in trash techniques? Of course he wouldn't.
But no one else could possibly understand him.
He could only sigh inwardly:"As expected, geniuses are always lonely. True strength is accompanied by solitude."
"Ah…"Watching Hun Xiu walk off with a Yellow-grade technique, the elder shook his head and muttered:
"Foolish child…"
Then he jotted it down:
"Hun Xiu: One high-level Yellow-grade technique, Killer's Palm."
He believed Hun Xiu would come to regret this. A mere Yellow-grade technique… would only hold him back.
After leaving the technique pavilion…
Hun Xiu headed straight to the rear mountain—his private training grounds, so to speak.
No one else ever really came to this secluded area to train.
He sat under a familiar old tree and began flipping through Killer's Palm. Although it only contained the first form, the variation and depth of its moves were beyond imagination—this wasn't something as simple as a mere single technique.
"Brilliant…"
As he browsed through it, Hun Xiu couldn't help but marvel inwardly. Even though it was just a Yellow-grade high-level technique, if cultivated to perfection, it could explode with power comparable to Mystic-grade techniques.
Sure enough, anything selected by the system couldn't be ordinary.
Hun Xiu memorized the moves, then stored the technique in his spatial ring and started cultivating it.
A full palm routine played out from Hun Xiu's hands. The palm wind was sharp and domineering. Each palm strike echoed with a thunderous boom.
In a flash, he appeared before a large tree and unleashed a palm.
CRACK!
The palm wind landed—and the tree was cleaved in half. A distinct five-fingered imprint was left behind, and a thick cloud of dust kicked up.
But the force didn't stop.
It continued on, tearing through the trees behind.
Crack!Crack!Crack!
In an instant, more than ten massive trees were annihilated by that single palm. Their collapse sent even more dust into the air.
Hun Xiu withdrew his palm, looked at the fallen trees, and shook his head.
"Yellow-grade techniques really are a bit too basic. With my current strength, I'm beyond Yellow-grade skills."
Despite his initial praise, it was true—Yellow-grade techniques couldn't fully display his potential. His Dou Spirit realm strength made their power seem underwhelming.
Though Killer's Palm was excellent, its grade was still too low.
He sighed:"Looks like I'll need to find the second form of Killer's Palm next. This first form isn't enough. Its power still doesn't meet my expectations."
One could only take one technique from the pavilion per day.
If one wanted another, they'd have to exchange their previous selection.
So today, it was impossible for him to acquire the second form.
He could only… wait for tomorrow.
He sat cross-legged atop the mountain peak, absorbing the Qi of the heavens and earth, entering a meditative cultivation state.
The next day.
At noon.
Hun Xiu returned.
He once again arrived at the technique pavilion.
"Elder."
He gave a slight bow to the elder at the registration desk.
"Huh? Hun Xiu? Why are you back?"
The elder was surprised to see him.
Hun Xiu replied truthfully, "I came to return my technique and choose another."
"Oh?"
The elder narrowed his eyes with interest. "You came to your senses?"
He remembered very clearly—Hun Xiu had insisted on a Yellow-grade technique the previous day, no matter how hard he tried to persuade him.
He had predicted this exact outcome.
And now? Less than a day later, here Hun Xiu was again.
In the elder's mind, this was simple: Hun Xiu regretted it.
And rightly so—how could someone with his level of talent train in something as low as Yellow-grade?
Hun Xiu didn't respond to the elder's comment.
He placed Killer's Palm on the desk, then turned and reentered the pavilion.
"Ah…"
The elder watched Hun Xiu go, noting how he didn't say a word—clearly embarrassed and awkward.
He shook his head and murmured:
"If only he had listened to this old man… Now he suffers."
"If you knew this would happen, why do it back then?"