Reaching the pinnacle from Doupo

Chapter 570 Advancement, Combat Power

Elder Qingshan was quite clear about the level of aura emitted by someone who had just broken through to the Dou Sheng realm.

On Dragon Island, a one-star Dou Sheng is not uncommon!

"Hehe, Elder Qingshan has a good eye!" Lin Yuan smiled slightly, his gaze deep and unfathomable, as if concealing endless secrets: "I did indeed gain some insights during my breakthrough process, and by chance, my cultivation barely broke through to the late stage of a one-star Dou Sheng..."

Lin Yuan was able to directly leap to the late stage of the One-Star Dou Sheng upon breaking through to Dou Sheng, which was naturally due to his three natal pills, especially his natal blood pill and natal qi pill.

Although the Natal Blood Pill is not a pill that enhances cultivation, it still provides some pure and abundant energy after advancement.

Just like the abundant vital essence of a powerful being, it can help people improve their cultivation.

As for the Natal Qi Pill... Fu Xuan, during his months of seclusion, separated an excess of fire attribute essence, helping Lin Yuan to make a final push after breaking through the realm...

As a result, the spirit of Danhuo suffered considerable losses and entered a brief period of weakness.

However, it was only through the combined effect of the Qi and Blood Pills that Lin Yuan was able to make such progress, breaking through to the late stage of a One-Star Dou Sheng.

Lin Yuan's leap to the Dou Sheng realm was comparable to the hard work of an ordinary Dou Sheng over several years or even decades, enough to make countless cultivators envious.

Thanks to his previous planning, even after becoming a Dou Sheng, his cultivation continued to improve rapidly.

At the Dou Sheng level, the difference between each star is like an insurmountable chasm, so it is officially divided into three minor stages: early, middle, and late. The difference between each minor stage exceeds the difference of one star at the Dou Zun level...

In fact, Lin Yuan had already calculated the difference caused by the Dou Sheng Star Rank.

The difference between the early and middle stages of a Dou Sheng of the same star level, and between the middle and late stages, is close to one and a half stars for a Dou Zun; the difference between the late stage and the early stage of a Dou Zun of different stars is close to three stars for a Dou Zun.

(The power system in the original novel becomes quite chaotic after the Battle Saint stage. I'll try to standardize it here. See the chapter description for details.)

The difference of one whole star between Dou Sheng and Dou Zun is so great, it is close to the difference of five or six stars between Dou Zun and Dou Zun. The difficulty of fighting across levels is naturally terrifying!
Of course, for Lin Yuan, crossing levels was not very difficult.

His three natal cores, the secret techniques of the three cores, a physical body no less powerful than that of an ancient dragon of the same level, the wings of the Heavenly Phoenix, a soul at the late stage of the Heavenly Realm, the Azure Ice Flame, and various high-level combat techniques... These many trump cards make his combat power far exceed his apparent level!
In addition, Lin Yuan unexpectedly discovered that perhaps because a considerable portion of the energy accumulated by the Blood Pill came from his own blood and qi, it was absorbed exceptionally smoothly and was exceptionally effective.

This discovery gave him a novel idea.

Perhaps for him, his own essence, soul, and bone marrow were all excellent materials for alchemy.

If that's the case, if the necessary healing pills are prepared in advance, and given the body's natural recovery ability, it might be possible to use one's own blood and soul as materials to refine some special pills.

Having the power of the Three Thousand Burning Flames, I am not afraid of taking damage within certain limits!
By changing our perspective, we can transform our unused recovery abilities into special cultivation resources, thus paving the way for future progress.

Hun Xuzi's method of refining pills involves using others as materials, but it doesn't necessarily mean that one cannot use oneself as a material.

However, the specific details of this idea still need further refinement!
As for the remaining one of the three natal pills—the natal soul pill—it also greatly benefited this time, but it did not improve cultivation level, but rather the soul realm.

Taking advantage of his advancement to Dou Sheng and the upgrade of his Natal Soul Core, Lin Yuan successfully broke through the eighth level of the Demon Soul Saint Technique, and was only one step away from the ninth level, which represents perfection!
The day he breaks through the ninth level will be the day he advances to the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm.

Of course, although he did not advance to the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm this time, it was not without gains—breaking through the seventh level of the Demon Soul Saint Technique would have made him a late-stage Heavenly Realm expert; and the eighth level would have been a steady step forward in the late-stage Heavenly Realm, making him one of the best in the late-stage Heavenly Realm.

Its biggest impact was that his chances of refining ninth-grade pills improved even further!
Lin Yuan's confidence in refining the Treasure-grade Thunder Tribulation Pill has now increased to 90%, and his confidence in refining other Treasure Pills has also increased to 60-70%.

This is a significant benefit for him, who will be refining a large number of pills later on.

Even so, Lin Yuan was well aware that the difficulty of breaking through to the ninth level of the Demon Soul Saint Technique would be far greater than that of breaking through to the eighth level... that would be a huge hurdle!

Even for him alone, it would take years or decades to break through through arduous practice.

If advancing to the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm were not so difficult, there wouldn't be only a dozen or so people in this realm on the Dou Qi Continent, and they would all be people with extremely high strength and status.

In fact, breaking through to the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm in a few years or even decades... that's a cultivation speed that should make us kneel and thank the heavens!

Of course, this speed was not suitable for Lin Yuan, and he did not intend to take the normal route.

On the other side, Elder Qingshan, having received confirmation from Lin Yuan, couldn't help but gasp, a hint of envy flashing in his eyes—it had taken him a hundred years to complete the process from the early stage of a one-star Dou Sheng to the late stage of a one-star Dou Sheng!
Lin Yuan smiled slightly, then changed the subject and asked, "Elder Qingshan, did Ziyan return during my seclusion? Did she send any messages?"

He had just scanned the entire island with his soul power and knew that Zi Yan was not on the island.

"He hasn't returned, nor has he sent a message." Upon hearing Lin Yuan's question, Elder Qingshan shook his head and said in a deep voice.

"Deep within the void lies a vast and boundless expanse, even larger than the Dou Qi Continent!"

"Even if Your Majesty possesses a Heavenly Soul and has cultivated the Dragon Summoning Secret Technique, finding the ancient dragon ancestors in the void is almost like finding a needle in a haystack... Without sufficient luck and time, this trip will not be fruitful."

"However, Your Highness need not worry. The soul imprint His Majesty left in the clan is intact, so her safety is assured."

At this point, he couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

It was precisely because the void was so vast and boundless that the Ancient Dragon Clan of the Void was able to win the Warcraft War in ancient times with the strategy of "fight if you can win, run if you can't".

According to the records of the ancient dragon clan, the first Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit was obtained by the ancient Heavenly Phoenix. As a result, a super strong person appeared in the Heavenly Phoenix clan, who powerfully killed the ancient dragon at that time, almost causing the ancient dragon clan to be wiped out!
The ancient dragon clan hid in the void for hundreds of years before obtaining another Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, which allowed them to turn the tide and win the final victory.

If it weren't for the boundless void, how could the ancient dragon clan have avoided disaster for hundreds of years?!
But now, when it comes to finding the ancient dragon ancestors in the void and restoring the glory of the ancient dragon race, this boundless void has become a huge obstacle.

One drink and one peck, could it be a predestined decision.

Hearing Elder Qingshan's words, Lin Yuan felt slightly disappointed, but he was mostly relieved—as long as Zi Yan was safe and sound!
Compared to Zi Yan's personal safety, strengthening Dragon Island's power is not so important... For him, it would be good to find some mid-to-high-level Dou Sheng, but if he couldn't find them, there were still ways to change the strategy of stirring up the situation on the continent.

Relieved, Lin Yuan smiled and looked at Elder Qingshan, saying, "Elder Qingshan, help me find some opponents. I want to familiarize myself with the power of a Dou Sheng level through combat."

He has accumulated a wealth of combat experience through the illusions created by Nightmare Mist.

However, no matter how realistic an illusion may be, it is still just an illusion. To fully control one's own power and master the tactics for fighting enemies, one still needs to engage in real combat to adapt.

"No problem, I'll go find a few one-star Dou Sheng."

Elder Qingshan readily agreed to Lin Yuan's request and then went to find him a sparring partner. "Wait—"

However, Lin Yuan suddenly spoke up and called out to Elder Qingshan.

Then, under the questioning gaze of the other party, he said seriously, "Not just one-star Dou Sheng, but also two-star, three-star, and four-star Dou Sheng. I need opponents of all these levels. Find me some! Let me think..."

"In that case, tell the elders of the Saint Realm that I am going to hold a Saint Realm Martial Arts Tournament. I will decide how to distribute the six Grade 9 pills a year from now at the tournament."

At this point, he smiled slightly, a sly glint in his eyes.

The matter of refining pills for the saints of Dragon Island was already in Lin Yuan's future plans. He would have to give it to them sooner or later, so he might as well take advantage of it and make good use of it to deepen his control over Ancient Dragon Island.

For the newly unified ancient dragon race, the long absence of the Dragon Emperor on the island could easily lead to unrest among the people.

However, Zi Yan has not returned for a full six months this time.

Now that Lin Yuan had emerged from seclusion, he naturally wouldn't ignore this potential threat. So, while familiarizing himself with the power of the Dou Sheng, he helped Zi Yan calm the hearts of the people on Ancient Dragon Island.

Although he still had some matters to attend to, there were still three months until the Dan meeting, so there wasn't much of a rush!
Half a month later, in a chaotic world in the void, the saints of Dragon Island, who had been sparring for many days, gathered to bid farewell to the handsome young man before them.

"Elders, I entrust Dragon Island to you!" Looking at the respectful crowd standing before him, Lin Yuan clasped his hands in a salute and said with a light smile, "Before Zi Yan returns, I'll trouble you to protect Dragon Island. I'm going to the outside world to collect some medicinal herbs."

Compared to when he broke through the barrier half a month ago, the aura he exudes now is like a blade tempered by blood and fire, exceptionally solid and sharp.

Through battles with powerful individuals of various levels, he completely gained control of his rapidly increasing power!
A beautiful woman in purple robes stepped forward and said gently, "Your Highness is too kind. This is our duty. Please be careful while you are out!"

As she spoke, the powerful aura of a mid-stage four-star Dou Sheng faintly emanated from her body.

This beautiful woman is one of the four-star Dou Sheng that Zi Yan retrieved from the void. Her name is Zhu Yan. She is a senior figure of the Zhu Li lineage and one of the only two female Dou Sheng on Dragon Island.

As she finished speaking, the others echoed her sentiments.

At this moment, their gazes toward Lin Yuan no longer held only a thirst for elixirs, but also a greater sense of awe for his talent and power.

Is this how capricious geniuses are? He just broke through to the Dou Sheng realm, and his cultivation level immediately advanced to the late stage of a one-star Dou Sheng…

How could a one-star Dou Sheng have such excessive combat power?
Once that secret technique called "Three Elements Transformation" was activated, his strength jumped from the late stage of a one-star Dou Sheng to the early stage of a three-star Dou Sheng... Such a terrifying increase in strength is something that even the clan mark secret techniques of those ancient races could not achieve!
Recalling the scene where Lin Yuan unleashed his secret technique, spread his Heavenly Phoenix Wings, and effortlessly used various Heavenly Rank combat skills, even fighting to a standstill with Elder Qingshan, everyone fell silent.

Perhaps in just a few years, the young people in front of us will be able to far surpass them!

Seeing everyone's reaction, Lin Yuan nodded to himself—with the lure of the ninth-grade pill and the deterrent effect of his talent and strength, the hearts of the saints on Dragon Island were completely at ease.

Having achieved his goal, he didn't linger and politely bid farewell to everyone.

"Gentlemen, see you again in a few months!"

Having said that, Lin Yuan waved his sleeve, opening a spatial rift, and stepped inside...

As he entered, the spatial rift trembled slightly and then slowly dissipated, leaving behind the Dragon Island Saints who watched the rift disappear, their faces filled with emotion.

"Tsk, this old man who is thousands of years old was actually defeated by a kid in his twenties?"

"Silence, you old devil Yan! Don't act like an old man. That person is the Dragon Emperor's husband, a peerless ninth-rank Grandmaster, and a powerful figure whose strength surpasses yours... Even if he's not in your presence, you must not use such a frivolous address!"

"Old man Qingshan, we're all on the same side, why be so serious... Alright, I understand, I'll be more careful in the future."

"How did such an extraordinary person come to be connected with His Majesty the Dragon Emperor?"

"I must say, Her Majesty has excellent taste; the husband she has chosen is indeed worthy of her. It's just that the royal bloodline is subject to... well, let's talk about that a thousand years from now..."

"Feelings cannot be forced, and we have no right to interfere. Let His Majesty decide for himself!"

Over the past year, Lin Yuan's many extraordinary qualities have unknowingly changed the perceptions of many powerful members of the ancient dragon race!
-
One day later, in the Beast Realm, at the Nether Serpent Mountains.

"Shhhhh-"

In a sudden moment, several whooshing sounds rang out from the distant horizon.

Immediately, three streaks of light—one blue, one green, and one black—streaked across the sky and then swooped down, landing on an ancient altar.

As the light dissipated, three figures materialized—a handsome young man in a sky-blue robe, a charming young woman in a lake-green dress, and a bald, burly man in a purple-black outfit; these were Lin Yuan, Qing Lin, and Yao Ming.

In the center of the altar, a massive pale yellow stone tablet, hundreds of feet tall, stood silently, exuding an ancient and desolate aura.

"The Yellow Springs Stele, it's been so long!"

Lin Yuan looked at the ancient stone tablet, his eyes narrowed slightly, a fiery glint flashing in them. "Yellow Spring Demon Saint, Yellow Spring Heavenly Wrath... this time it will surely fall into my hands."

After leaving Dragon Island, he went straight to the Yellow Springs Stele to fulfill his declaration from several years ago.

Of course, it was also to obtain the Wrath of the Yellow Springs—during the half-month battle with the saints of Dragon Island, Lin Yuan not only greatly increased his combat experience, but also truly felt that he needed this top-tier sonic attack technique.

With the Wrath of the Yellow Springs, one's advantages in the soul realm can be fully utilized, completing the final piece of the combat puzzle...

　If you've read the original novel, you'll understand that the power system for Dou Sheng in the original work collapses drastically in subtle ways, especially when Xiao Yan appears... A one-star Dou Sheng can hold off three Dragon Kings for ten minutes, and a low-level Heaven-rank Four-Colored Fire Lotus can blow up and injure the three Dragon Kings... There are many similar situations.

　　In the original novel, the author gave Huo Huo a significant power-up, severely weakening his opponents' intelligence. This often allowed Huo Huo to unleash several attacks in a row to defeat his opponent's single attack, leaving his opponents with only one attack at a time. Furthermore, his opponents rarely used secret techniques to temporarily boost their strength, even though many of them should have them.

　　To avoid confusion, I will try my best to standardize the combat power system. Even when fighting against opponents of higher levels, I will provide a reason to maintain a reasonable combat power system.

　　Returning to the matter of secret techniques, assuming Xiao Yan's three-in-one bloodline is close to divine grade, when he used the divine grade bloodline mark at the Dou Zun level, he rose from the peak of the eighth star to the peak of the third stage, which, according to the setting of this book, is roughly 2.5-3 stars. When a Dou Sheng uses their clan mark, it rises from the early stage of the first star to the late stage of the first star, and from the late stage of the first star Dou Sheng to the early stage of the second star. Based on this calculation, a Dou Sheng's one-star awakening is roughly equivalent to five or six stars for a Dou Zun. Since the protagonist has his three natal cores for energy, he basically approaches the divine grade clan mark with each transformation. Of course, the quality of the three cores must be high enough; it would be better to use treasure-grade three cores for energy. The "Three Yuan Transformation" doesn't provide much improvement at the advanced Dou Sheng level.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)