Chapter 26: Hard Practice
「Eight Extremes Collapse!」
In a small grove at the mountain peak, a clear and cold shout suddenly rang out.
A nimble shadow leaped agilely through the woods, the dense thorns in the forest didn」t pose any hindrance to him at all.
In the next moment, the shadow abruptly stopped in front of a stout tree that was at least half a centimeter thick, its feet shifted, body leaning slightly, and the elbow slammed violently against the tree.
"Bang!" A muffled sound echoed, wood chips flew everywhere, and spider-like cracks spread out from the point of impact.
"Creak..." The tree, which had been blasted into a large hollow by that elbow, made a creaking sound as it swayed, and after a moment, it finally crashed down helplessly.
As the tree fell, that agile shadow, resembling a nimble monkey, quickly stepped back first and then lightly landed on a massive green rock.
Looking at the results he had achieved, a joyful smile filled Xiao Yan's delicate little face. For the first time in three months, he successfully used the advanced Xuan-level fighting technique, Eight Extreme Collapse. This so-called technique, which can rival Earth-level fighting techniques, truly lived up to Xiao Yan's expectations. The destructive power unleashed from just the sixth stage of fighting Qi was enough to compare with that of the eighth stage!
As the primary stage of fighting Qi progressed, the upgrade speed became increasingly slow. Ever since he bought all the necessary medicines last time, Xiao Yan had secluded himself for three months of hard training. It was only in the last few days of the third month that Xiao Yan accidentally jumped from the fifth stage of fighting Qi to the sixth stage...
After three months, he had improved a segment of his fighting spirit. Although this speed seemed much slower compared to the previous two months, Xiao Yan was very satisfied. Back in the day, he had trained for a full six months just to go from the fifth segment of fighting spirit to the sixth segment. Now, this speed was already quite terrifying.
With a powerful Eight Extremes Collapse, Xiao Yan felt like his whole body was like a sponge that had suddenly been squeezed dry, a sour and numb pain continually eroding his nerves. The veins on his arms were twitching slightly like they were cramping—that was a sign of overexertion.
Licking his lips, Xiao Yan struggled to tilt his head slightly to look at his right elbow, where it was already a bright red...
"Hiss..." With a split at the corner of his mouth, Xiao Yan gasped, bitterly muttering, "No wonder they had to go through such brutal beatings in training; otherwise, with a hit like that, it wouldn't be the tree that breaks, but my arm. This Eight Extreme Burst is basically a contest of who」s ** is harder."
Lying weakly on the cold giant stone, Xiao Yan's slightly rapid breathing slowly steadied, but the soreness and numbness in his body made him not want to move a single finger anymore.
With Xiao Yan's current sixth stage of Dou Qi, he could at most unleash one Eight Extreme Burst, and after using it, he would be completely exhausted until his stamina recovered.
Xiao Yan tilted his head back, squinting his eyes lazily at the clouds drifting in the azure sky, as a gentle breeze blew, lifting a strand of black hair to slap against his forehead.
Deep within his body, after absorbing the foundation-building spiritual liquid for several months, it now quietly seeped out from every corner, seamlessly repairing the exhausted muscles and cells, enabling them to bring strength to their master at the fastest speed.
"Teacher, how much longer do I need to reach the seventh stage?" With his eyes half-closed, Xiao Yan suddenly spoke softly.
As long as he reached the seventh stage, he would be qualified to enter the Dou Qi Pavilion to seek out techniques. Although he no longer cared for the Dou Qi techniques of the Xiao family, he had to have this qualification, as it concerned his father's face.
A gentle breeze blew by, and the transparent figure of Yao Lao appeared beside the giant stone.
With a smile in his eyes, Old Medic first assessed the broken tree on the ground, nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said with a grin: 「Your cultivation speed is somewhat beyond my expectations. I originally thought that even with the help of the spirit liquid, it would take you a year to reach the seventh stage... Perhaps it」s because you were previously suppressed too severely. Now that you」re bouncing back, you」re even more frenzied. At this rate, you」ll definitely reach the seventh stage of fighting qi within two months.」
Upon hearing this, a faint smile curved on Xiao Yan's lips. He really wanted to see the expressions of those clan members who had mocked him endlessly over the past three years when they witnessed his display of strength. The words he had said to Nalan Yanran that day in the hall were, after all, directed at them too.
"Three years ago, I, Xiao Yan, was able to create miracles, and three years later, I still can!" With a slight flicker in his gaze, Xiao Yan recalled half a year ago, the lonely back of that boy amidst the scornful gazes in the hall, stubborn and persistent!
"Nalan Yanran, I」m climbing step by step toward you, just wait patiently, in three years, we」ll meet at the Yunlan Sect!"
Suddenly, a rebellious smirk crept onto his lips as the boy jumped up, tilting his head to roar at the boundless sky.
Looking at the boy who was shouting, Yao Lao smiled slightly and didn」t stop him. People need pressure to mature; right now, Xiao Yan has enough talent, but what he needs is a kind of motivating pressure! Nalan Yanran's appearance sets up the best pressure for him.
"Treat her as your trial stone; you still have a long way to go on the road of the strong!"
"Let」s go, home to cultivate!"
After shouting a few times, the smile on Xiao Yan's little face grew even brighter. He jumped down from the giant rock, waved at Yao Lao, and laughed as he ran towards the foot of the mountain.