Breaking the Masked Man

"Excellent, the foundation has been laid perfectly."

Hun Xuzi simply scanned with his soul power and clearly sensed the changes in Yao Yan's body. He nodded in satisfaction, then glanced at Yao Nong and said, "You did a good job. Get up."

"Thank you for your praise, sir."

The herb farmer stood up cautiously, not daring to utter a sound, standing silently to one side like an invisible person.

Hun Xuzi's gaze returned to Yao Yan. Compared to Yao Nong, Yao Yan was the person he truly valued. After all, he could have as many Yao Nongs as he wanted. He smiled and said in a low voice, "For the past two and a half years, I have been dealing with other matters, but I have been watching your performance closely. Being able to endure the loneliness of seclusion for two and a half years is quite impressive."

Seriously? Are you out of your mind?

Yao Yan was on the verge of a mental breakdown because of Hun Xuzi's words, but he still had to obediently say, "This disciple will follow Master's words."

"Becoming a Fighter is just the beginning. The path to becoming a strong person starts with becoming a Fighting King. Before that, you must not slack off."

Hun Xuzi gave instructions.

Yao Yan nodded and replied, "Disciple understands."

Hun Xuzi said calmly, "Now that you have broken through to the Dou Zhe level, you can no longer continue your secluded cultivation. From today onwards, you will go to the Shennong Mountains to cultivate. When you return, I will tell you who your enemy is."

"……Yes."

Upon hearing this, Yao Yan's eyes turned cold, and he replied in a deep voice.

Hun Xuzi found Yao Yan's expression quite amusing. His eyes flashed with black flames, making him look like a messenger from hell. He continued, "The herbalist will prepare the combat skills and cultivation resources for you. I will also take the time to guide your cultivation. Strive to grow stronger and don't let me down!"

Yao Yan nodded heavily.

Hun Xuzi glanced at the herbalist beside him and said in a chilling tone, "Arrange for him to go to the Shennong Mountains, let this little guy see what the real world is like, hehe~"

With a strange laugh, the surrounding black flames subsided and disappeared into Yao Yan's storage ring, while the surrounding spatial barriers also returned to normal.

This is how a Dou Sheng powerhouse manipulates space as easily as playing with mud, kneading it at will.

As Hun Xuzi departed.

With the return of sunlight to the courtyard, everything became brighter.

Yao Yan touched the storage ring on his finger, feeling melancholy. With the help of Hun Xuzi, he could become stronger quickly, but because of the other party, he had no freedom at all. He could only cultivate according to the other party's arrangements, and all his actions were under the other party's surveillance.

It can only be said that there are advantages and disadvantages. At present, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but Yao Yan obviously does not want to continue like this.

Without sufficient strength, thinking about these things is meaningless.

Yao Yan suppressed the jumble of thoughts in his mind, smiled at the herbalist, and said softly, "This matter will be troublesome."

"This is what this old servant should do."

The herb farmer became even more respectful and said in a deep voice.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 10 Ten-Meter Broadsword

In the small courtyard.

The herbalist asked Yao Yan to wait a moment, then disappeared from the spot. When he reappeared, he had three crimson scrolls in his hand, all of which were fire-attribute fighting techniques. He introduced them to Yao Yan: "Mid-level Xuan-rank movement technique - Dragon's Roar. When mastered, one's body will resemble a dragon and can fly briefly."

"Advanced Xuan-rank combat skill - Blazing Blade, which can condense a fire blade to fight enemies. This combat skill is highly malleable and can train an alchemist's ability to control flames."

He paused for a moment before introducing the last volume of fighting techniques, his tone becoming more serious.

"Low-level Earth Rank - Eight Desolate Burning Heaven Seal. This fighting technique is extremely powerful and has astonishing destructive force. It is extremely demanding on the cultivator's soul power and fighting spirit. Moreover, if there is beast fire, it will also test the cultivator's control over the beast fire. If one cannot perfectly control oneself, it is very easy to suffer a backlash and damage oneself."

After saying that, he used his soul power to push the three valuable fighting techniques in front of Yao Yan.

Yao Yan reached out and took them, placing them one by one on his forehead and memorizing them. After a moment, he opened his eyes. These three volumes of fighting techniques were all extraordinary, rare treasures in the outside world. However, in front of an ancient imperial clan like the Yao Clan, they seemed rather ordinary. But for now, they were extremely suitable for him.

That would be enough to make this skinny alchemist strong.

He stored the three volumes of combat techniques into his storage ring, then took a deep breath and said, "Let's go."

"Let's wait a bit and familiarize ourselves with the fighting techniques first."

The herb farmer pondered for a moment, then said rather considerately.

Yao Yan shook his head and chuckled softly, "I have learned a few self-defense techniques in the clan school. Although the level is not high, it is enough to defend myself. As for these techniques, it is not too late to learn them after I go to Shennong Mountain."

These fighting techniques are all of a high level. He will master them to a minor level in a few months or so. There is no need for him to stay here any longer.

Feeling restless, he also wanted to see the outside world.

As for the danger.

Hun Xuzi would never let him die. Since that's the case, he might as well go out and take a gamble. He already has someone to back him up, so why not be bolder?

Upon hearing this, the herbalist stopped trying to persuade him. He grabbed Yao Yan's shoulder and leaped into the air. The surrounding space rapidly distorted, as if teleporting, and they sped out of Dan Ding City. Several powerful soul forces swept past them along the way, but after verifying the herbalist's identity, they ignored them.

The two quickly left the area of ​​Dan Ding City, and an endless mountain range came into view, while the distance to the clan monument grew ever greater.

At this moment, inside the clan school.

Yaoshan frowned slightly, glanced at the direction the herbalist had left, and muttered to himself, "Isn't it a bit too hasty to send him to the Shennong Mountains for training when he's only a Star Dou cultivator?"

After thinking for a while, he shook his head. He trusted that his old friend, the herb farmer, knew what he was doing and wouldn't act recklessly.

……

The herbalist carried Yao Yan at high speed, passing over several massive cities. Finally, the two arrived at a vast plain. In the center of this plain stood a giant stone archway hundreds of feet high. At the center of the archway was a distorted space, seemingly leading to an unknown space.

The plains are home to a large number of flying magical beasts, on which pavilions have been built, creating a lively scene, with some seemingly serving as trading venues.

A large number of people were moving around.

"This is the gate of the Medicine Clan. In the past, it was guarded by several Venerables. When the Medicine Clan held its Medicine Ceremony, people from the outside world would come to the Medicine Realm through this gate. Similarly, we can only go out through here. Those are people from sects in the Shennong Mountains. Many of them depend on the Medicine Clan for their existence, and the Medicine Clan also needs these people to provide resources."

The herbalist explained something, then took the medicine down, showed his jade token, and after the gatekeeper recorded it, he slowly walked towards the stone gate.

The moment the two stepped into the distorted space, their vision blurred slightly, and the vast plain transformed into a massive mountain stream. In the distance, a huge mountain range shrouded in thick fog was revealed, making humans appear extremely small in comparison.

The herbalist, carrying Yao Yan, did not linger. In a flash, he left the mountain stream and quickly moved away from the location of the giant stone archway, eventually landing in a scenic valley.

"boom!"

The herbalist casually unleashed a burst of fighting spirit, carving a cave in the solid mountain wall.

After doing all this, he looked at Yao Yan again and instructed him: "In the Shennong Mountains, remember not to trust anyone, not even your fellow Yao clan members."

There was a pause.

"...No one will remember a branch of the clan with a third-grade bloodline."

Yao Yan nodded. He deeply agreed with what the other party said. This has always been the case in the fantasy world. Even people of the same clan would turn against each other for a rare and precious herb. If it weren't for his relationship with Hun Xuzi, a big shot like Yao Nong would obviously not have given him a second glance.

He wouldn't have developed feelings for the herb farmer after spending several years with him.

After explaining everything, the herbalist left in a flash. As for cultivation resources, he had no shortage of such things in his medicine storage ring. The only thing he lacked now was practical experience.

"He's gone from a young master to a savage..."

Yao Yan looked around and couldn't help but make a self-deprecating joke before starting his wilderness survival training. After all, he had watched Bear Grylls and Ed Stafford in his previous life.

Yao Yan didn't expend much effort to control the Fiery Blade, and a golden greatsword, almost tangible, gathered in his palm.

The most difficult part of mastering this advanced Xuan-rank combat skill is condensing fire-attribute battle qi into flames, then compressing and releasing them to control them against enemies. This is almost impossible for a fighter, and only a master can barely control it. However, this biggest difficulty does not exist for Yao Yan at all.

After all, he himself controls beast fire of the level of Illusory Gold Fire, and he can use this fighting technique simply by using the operating method of the Fiery Blade.

"Brush~"

Yao Yan casually swung his sword at the distant lake, his internal fighting spirit rapidly circulating. A golden flame sword aura, almost tangible, shot out and crashed into the lake at incredible speed. Accompanied by a large amount of rising water vapor, a loud explosion resounded, and waves splashed everywhere.

"It's somewhat similar to Xinghun's Qi Gathering into a Blade..."

Yao Yan inexplicably thought of a Chinese animation he had watched in his previous life, muttered to himself, and then manipulated the golden flame blade in his palm to lengthen.

"Chichi~"

In the blink of an eye, the golden flame blade stretched to three zhang (approximately 10 meters).

"Is this considered a ten-meter-long cleaver?"

Yao Yan sensed his own limits, muttering to himself as he simultaneously monitored the depletion of his fighting spirit.

He quickly discovered the power of this fighting technique. If he simply kept the flame blade covering his palm, it would hardly consume any fighting spirit. However, if he turned the flame blade into blade energy and slashed it out, it would consume a lot of fighting spirit. The previous strike had directly consumed one-tenth of his current fighting spirit, even though he was suppressing the power of the Flaming Blade.

If used at full power, it could probably drain the body dry in one go.

However, just as the herbalist said, this fighting technique is highly malleable. The strength of its power depends entirely on the practitioner's control, and it can even change form, such as a fine needle...

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 11 The wolves attack

Cultivating battle qi is very interesting, especially before becoming a Battle King.

The Battle Qi stage is a gestation period. The Battle Qi cultivated during this stage can mostly only nourish the muscles and bones, strengthen the body, and greatly increase the strength of the human body. Similarly, this is also the foundation for determining how far one can go in the future. Most young people do not have the patience to slowly temper their muscles and bones during this stage, and instead pursue breakthroughs in strength until they exhaust their potential.

A fighter condenses their Qi vortex, gaining initial control over their fighting Qi. They can enhance their attacks with this Qi, though they cannot project it outwards. However, this greatly increases their strength, defense, and speed, somewhat similar to internal energy.

When a Battle Master transforms Qi into liquid, they can initially release Battle Qi and condense Battle Qi into a veil. At this stage, the enhancement to the body increases significantly, and they can also begin to learn and control Battle Techniques.

At the Great Dou Master level, the liquid Dou Qi condensed will transform into solid crystals, somewhat similar to the Golden Core stage in immortal cultivation. Dou Qi begins to increase dramatically, and Dou Qi armor can be condensed. This level is enough to secure a place in some remote small towns.