[Thunder-Flame Body Tempering Art] — A low-tier Earth-rank cultivation method. It uses lightning to temper the body, allowing one to become akin to lightning itself. With lightning born from wood, wood can feed fire; thus, controlling both thunder and flame with this method produces Battle Qi as fierce as a beast flame of the same level.
[Heavenly Dragon Seal] — A low-tier Earth-rank Dou Technique. It can be cultivated by any element. Once activated, it draws in ambient energy of the same attribute to merge with the user's Battle Qi, transforming into a roaming dragon to attack. It has four stages:
Serpent Seal – stronger than low-tier Black-rank techniques, but only uses the practitioner's own Battle Qi.
Flood Dragon Seal – stronger than mid-tier Black-rank techniques, passively drawing in a thin trace of same-attribute energy from the surroundings.
Dragon Seal – comparable to a high-tier Black-rank technique and on par with a low-tier Earth-rank technique. Passively calls upon as much same-attribute ambient energy as a peak Dou Spirit can, and can also actively summon a small amount.
Heavenly Dragon Seal – low-tier Earth rank. Passively draws an amount of ambient energy equivalent to what a high-tier Dou King can summon. Actively mobilizes a vast quantity of same-attribute energy, rivaling the most monstrous peak Dou Spirits.
"!"
When he saw what was inside the two scrolls, waves roared in Xiao Ting's heart.
Honestly speaking, if not for the cheat that was the Great Dao Journal, mooching off Xun'er's soft rice would have been the best and fastest path available to him as a transmigrator.
Of course, your average transmigrator would have to worry about clashing with Xiao Yan or whether they could withstand the pressure the Gu Clan might bring.
But he was Xiao Yan's cousin. All he had to do was lie flat and wait for Xiao Yan to ascend to Dou God and awaken the higher-tier Dou God bloodline for those closest to him, then surge in strength and talent along with it. At that point, everything would fall into place.
Even now, with the Great Dao Journal's cheat, this soft rice tasted unbelievably good.
Everyone knew that magical beasts had the advantage in physique, while humans had the advantage in cultivation speed. In the end though, both paths could reach the same height, each with its strengths and weaknesses.
The Thunder-Flame Body Tempering Art allowed one to cultivate both thunder and flame, granting one's Battle Qi exceptional quality, and on top of that, tempered the body—an extremely rare trait.
But more enticing to Xiao Ting than that was the Heavenly Dragon Seal.
Battle Qi resonating with the ambient energy of the same attribute and drawing upon it for one's own use was the hallmark of a Dou King.
Some exceptionally gifted individuals, or those with potent soul power or special secret arts, could lightly brush against that threshold as high-tier Dou Spirits.
What made Earth-rank techniques so powerful was that they could imitate the "enchantment effect" of Dou King and Dou Emperor-level Dou Techniques.
The Heavenly Dragon Seal took that effect to the extreme.
With perfect mastery, a cultivator using this technique could face no bottlenecks when breaking through to Dou King or Dou Emperor.
That alone was enough to show how precious and carefully chosen Xun'er's gift was.
All that thinking took a long time to say, but in truth, Xiao Ting's thoughts flashed in an instant the moment he read the scrolls.
"Xun'er, thank you. I won't be polite with you." Xiao Ting carefully put the two scrolls away.
Surprise glimmered in Xun'er's eyes.
"I'd thought Brother Xiao Ting might refuse this favor."
"If I refused, it would only mean I didn't hold you in my heart," Xiao Ting replied as he picked out some food for her, his gaze clear and his tone earnest. "Low-tier Earth-rank cultivation methods and Dou Techniques—no one in the entire Jia Ma Empire is openly known to have them. Perhaps the royal family or the Misty Cloud Sect has some, but in my Xiao Clan, the best we have are only mid-tier Black-rank methods and techniques."
"After all these years, it's clear to me that your status isn't ordinary. If I want to be with you, I must become strong enough to stand at your side. These techniques you're giving me only prove that further."
"If I rejected such a precious favor and aid from you because of some ridiculous adolescent pride and insisted on relying purely on my own efforts, that would be true stupidity—and a betrayal of your feelings."
"I'm sure you had to shoulder a great deal of pressure and pay no small price to give me methods and techniques this precious."
"What I must do is grow stronger as quickly as possible—so you'll suffer fewer criticisms and so the Gu Clan will recognize the wisdom of your choice. That's what I should be focusing on right now."
Anyone could hear that Xiao Ting was speaking from the heart, with complete sincerity.
Even the hidden protectors around Xun'er felt that his attitude was proper and that he'd lived up to Xun'er's favor.
Only his last couple of lines were somewhat off—
For someone like Xun'er, taking out a low-tier Earth-rank cultivation method and Dou Technique involved no pressure at all.
And using those alone to catch up to Xun'er's current level was still far from enough. He'd have to work even harder.
"Brother Xiao Ting, Xun'er believes you definitely can do it!" Xun'er's eyes shone with unreserved trust.
If it weren't for certain special considerations, the methods and techniques she was gifting him wouldn't have been limited to the low-tier of Earth rank.
"Enough talk for now. Let's enjoy this meal first." Xiao Ting's eyes overflowed with warmth.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Xiao Ting smiled.
"How about we go up the back mountain tomorrow to look at the view?"
"Alright." Xun'er brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and nodded without hesitation.
After they chatted a while longer, Xiao Ting took his leave.
With a cultivation method like that now in his hands, he had to go back and begin cultivating the Thunder-Flame Body Tempering Art as soon as possible.
But when he returned to his own courtyard's training chamber, he didn't start cultivating right away.
Instead, he picked up the brush and continued his record.
Since this entry concerned himself, he hadn't rushed to write it on the spot, choosing instead to reconstruct it now like a daily journal.
[Location: Battle Qi Continent, a lower plane of the Great Thousand World. Time: Xiao Yan's sixteenth year.]
[Today I shared a meal and conversation with Xun'er, the number one rich and beautiful heiress of the Battle Qi Continent.]
[I personally prepared eleven dishes, mainly Huaiyang and Zhejiang cuisine, which she greatly enjoyed.]
[Before the meal, Xun'er gifted me the Thunder-Flame Body Tempering Art and Heavenly Dragon Seal to congratulate me on becoming a Dou Practitioner.]
[The Thunder-Flame Body Tempering Art is a low-tier Earth-rank cultivation method… the Heavenly Dragon Seal is a low-tier Earth-rank Dou Technique…]
[I did not refuse. Refusal would only be adolescent pride carried too far and an insult to a beauty's kindness.]
[For Xun'er, taking out a low-tier Earth-rank cultivation method and Dou Technique is easy. But for me, they are a great favor—like being granted a new life.]
[To repay it, I must quickly increase my strength, lessen the criticisms Xun'er will face, and win the Gu Clan's approval of her vision and choice. That is what I ought to do now.]
Xiao Ting didn't bother recording the specific details of the cultivation method or Dou Technique.
He planned to wait until he had made significant progress with them before writing down his insights and experiences in the journal, letting them count as his observations on the world's methods and arts.
Once he had finished, Xiao Ting pulled out the Thunder-Flame Body Tempering Art, studied its contents, and then immersed himself in cultivation.
Yet those few hundred words he'd just written were enough to stir up enormous waves in the hearts of the women with copies.
…
"Low-tier Earth-rank cultivation methods and techniques—just given away like that?"
Back in the Sacred City of the Snake-People Tribe, Queen Medusa had just entered the sacred pool to bathe. Her expression twisted into something quite complicated.
As the Snake-People's queen and a peak Dou Emperor, she had scoured ancient texts and even staked her life on leveraging a Heavenly Flame, just to find a path of evolution.
If she had possessed a cultivation method that perfectly suited her and was even slightly beyond low-tier Earth rank, she might already have broken through to Dou Ancestor. Even if she had still chosen to forcibly evolve with a Heavenly Flame, her odds of success would have increased by severalfold.
Xun'er had casually gifted such power to Xiao Ting without any pressure.
Truly, when it rained it poured—some lands were flooded while others were parched.
"I wonder if this Xun'er lacks a close personal girlfriend."
"This queen has been longing for one…"