Chapter 2: The Continent of Douqi

Fifteen years have passed... The low murmurs suddenly escaped from the boy's lips, boundless and unrestrained.

With a bitter shake of his head, Xiao Yan felt a sense of grievance in his heart. After all, he was completely unaware of what had happened to his body. During regular examinations, no signs of abnormalities had been detected. His soul had grown increasingly powerful with age, and the speed at which he absorbed Dou Qi was even stronger than during his peak several years ago. All these conditions indicated that his innate talent had never diminished. However, the Dou Qi that entered his body invariably disappeared without a trace. This strange situation left Xiao Yan feeling despondent.

Sighing while gazing at Xiao Yan's still somewhat youthful and handsome face, Xiao Zhan let out a breath, fell silent for a moment, and suddenly said: "Yan'er, you are fifteen years old now, right?"

Relying on these three conditions, one can determine who is stronger and who is weaker. In general, if one can possess a higher-level fighting technique, the benefits in the future are self-evident

If no unforeseen events had occurred, Xiao Yan might have truly been able to grow up under the title of genius. However, it is unfortunate that in the year he turned eleven, the title of genius was gradually stripped away by a sudden change, and overnight, the genius fell into the realm of ridicule, becoming a waste in the eyes of the public

As for the Heavenly Stairs ... it has not appeared for several hundred years.

In Xiao Yan's heart, there is a secret known only to him: he is not a person of this world, or rather, Xiao Yan's soul does not belong to this world. He hails from a blue planet called Earth. As for why he came here, he cannot explain the bizarre circumstances. However, after living here for a while, he gradually came to understand: he has crossed over.

Secondly, it is the cultivation method! Among strong practitioners of the same level, if your cultivation method is significantly superior to that of your opponent, then during the competition, the various advantages will be evident at a glance

In the Continent of Douqi, the distinction between strength and weakness, as well as the * map * book, depends on three conditions

In the Continent of Dou Qi, there are countless combat techniques; however, most of the widely circulated techniques are generally around the Yellow level. To acquire more advanced combat techniques, one must join a sect or an academy of Dou Qi on the continent

"Pah!" Spitting out the grass roots from his mouth, Xiao Yan suddenly jumped up, his face contorted with rage, and roared into the night sky: "Damn it, are you treating me like a useless piece of trash? Damn it!"

Xiao Zhan, who was equally well aware of Xiao Yan's background, could only sigh in response. He understood how difficult it was to cultivate four levels of fighting energy in a year. He gently patted Xiao Yan's head and suddenly smiled, saying: "It's getting late, let's go back and rest. Tomorrow, there will be distinguished guests in the family, so be sure not to lose your manners"

Certainly, some martial arts inherited from predecessors through fortuitous encounters, or those that have their own corresponding combat techniques, when combined with the combat techniques derived from these martial arts, exhibit even greater power.

Through statistical summarization, the Douqi Continent categorizes the levels of Douqi techniques into four tiers and twelve ranks, from highest to lowest: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow

A branch swayed, and a middle-aged man leaped out, a smile on his face as he gazed at his son standing in the moonlight

Of course, in order to cultivate the techniques of fighting energy, one must at least become a true fighter to be qualified. However, for Xiao Yan at present, that distance still seems quite far away

At the top of the cliff, Xiao Yan lay sideways on the grass, a blade of grass held between his lips, gently chewing, allowing the faint bitterness to spread in his mouth

Due to the vastness of the region, there are many unknown hermits. After their lives come to an end, these reclusive individuals may hide the martial arts they have created in some place, waiting for a fated person to discover them. On the Continent of Douqi, there is a saying: If one day you fall off a cliff and land in a cave, do not panic. Take two steps forward, and perhaps you will become a strong person

Yes, Father

Each level is further divided into three tiers: primary, intermediate, and advanced

The strengthening of the soul has also forged Xiao Yan's cultivation talent, and likewise, it has contributed to his reputation as a genius

As he grew older, Xiao Yan also developed a vague understanding of this continent

Due to the extreme proliferation of fighting spirit, countless methods of cultivating fighting spirit have diverged from this main line. As the saying goes, there are variations in length; naturally, the divergent methods of cultivating fighting spirit also vary in strength and weakness

I am sorry, Yan'er. If after a year your fighting spirit does not reach the seventh level, then your father will have no choice but to assign you to the family business. After all, this family is not solely under your father's control; those old fellows are always waiting for him to make a mistake..." Looking at the calm Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan sighed with some regret.

After all, if one does not become a fighter before the age of twenty-five, one will not be recognized by the family

As the name suggests, this is a special skill that utilizes fighting spirit. In the continent, fighting techniques are also categorized into different levels, generally divided into four tiers: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow.

First and foremost, the most important factor is one's own strength. If one's strength is only at the level of a one-star fighter, then even if one practices a rare high-level celestial technique, it would still be difficult to defeat a fighter who has cultivated a yellow-level technique.

The last one is called Duel!

However, advanced Dou Qi cultivation methods are difficult for ordinary people to obtain. The methods circulated among the common classes are at most Huang-level techniques. Some relatively powerful families or small to medium sects should possess Xuan-level cultivation methods. For example, the family to which Xiao Yan belongs has a top-tier technique that only the clan leader is qualified to cultivate: the Furious Lion's Rage, which is a wind attribute and is classified as a mid-level Xuan-level Dou Qi technique.

Theoretically, it is nearly impossible for an ordinary person to obtain advanced martial arts techniques. However, nothing is absolute. The Douqi Continent is vast and diverse, home to myriad races. In the north of the continent, there are the so-called barbarian tribes, known for their immense strength and ability to merge with beast souls. In the south of the continent, there are various high-intelligence families of advanced magical beasts, as well as the infamous dark races known for their cunning and ruthlessness, among others

One year, four stages? Hehe, if it were in the past, perhaps it would still be possible, but now... there is basically no chance at all... Although he was comforting his father with words, Xiao Yan couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating smile in his heart

"Father, have you not yet rested?" Looking at the middle-aged man, Xiao Yan's smile deepened. Although he possessed memories from his previous life, this father before him had showered him with affection since birth. Even after his downfall, the love only intensified. Such behavior made Xiao Yan willingly call him 'father'.

It is known that in the Douqi Continent, the soul is innate; perhaps it can slightly strengthen with age, but there has never been any technique that can solely cultivate the soul, not even a heavenly-level technique. This is common knowledge in the Douqi Continent

Rest assured, Father, I will do my best!" As he caressed the ancient ring on his finger, Xiao Yan murmured as he looked up.

"Hehe, Yan'er, it's so late, why are you still here?" In the forest, after a moment of silence, a man's concerned laughter echoed.

In another year, it seems that the coming-of-age ceremony will be held..." Xiao Zhan said with a bitter smile

"Yan'er, are you still thinking about the afternoon test?" Xiao Zhan said with a smile as he stepped forward.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan suddenly turned his head and warmly smiled at the dark forest, saying: "Father, you have come?"

In his previous life, Xiao Yan was merely an exceedingly ordinary member of the mundane crowd, with money and beauty existing as parallel lines that would never intersect with his own life. However, upon arriving in this continent of Dou Qi, Xiao Yan was pleasantly surprised to discover that, due to the experiences of two lifetimes, his soul was remarkably stronger than that of ordinary people

The level of the cultivation technique of fighting energy is also a key factor in determining future achievements. For instance, a practitioner of a mid-level Xuan rank technique will naturally be stronger than a person of the same level practicing a high-level Huang rank technique.

... ...

"Hehe, what is there to think about? It was all to be expected." Xiao Yan, mature beyond his years, shook his head, though his smile was somewhat forced

The middle-aged man, dressed in a luxurious gray robe, walked with a commanding presence, exuding a certain authority. His thick eyebrows added to his imposing demeanor. He is the current head of the Xiao family and also the father of Xiao Yan, a Five-Star Dou Master, Xiao Zhan

After roaring a few times, Xiao Yan's emotions gradually calmed down, and his face returned to its usual desolation. At this point, no matter how furious he became, he could not recover the Dou Qi vortex that he had painstakingly cultivated.

The consequences of this story have resulted in a large number of dreamers waiting daily at the edge of the cliff, ready to leap in pursuit of unparalleled skills. Of course, most of these individuals return with broken arms and legs

Above the Xuan level lies the Earth level, but such profound techniques may only be possessed by those transcendent powers and great empires

At the moment when Xiao Yan raised his head, the black ancient ring in his fingers suddenly emitted a faint and peculiar glimmer of light, which vanished in the blink of an eye, unnoticed by anyone.

This statement is not false; throughout nearly a thousand years of history on the mainland, there are indeed many stories of individuals who became strong through extraordinary encounters

"Esteemed guest? Who is it?" Xiao Yan asked curiously

On this continent, the cultivation of fighting energy has, through the efforts of countless generations, reached its peak. Moreover, due to the continuous proliferation of fighting energy, it has ultimately spread into the civilian population. This has led to fighting energy becoming closely intertwined with the daily lives of humans. Thus, the importance of fighting energy on the continent has become irreplaceable

The continent is known as the Continent of Fighting Qi, and it does not feature the various types of magic commonly found in novels; rather, Fighting Qi is the sole dominant theme of the continent

"We will know tomorrow." With a wink at Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan laughed heartily and left, leaving Xiao Yan feeling helpless

When an ordinary and mediocre person realizes that he has the potential to become the focus of countless people's attention, it is difficult for him to maintain his true self without sufficient determination. Clearly, Xiao Yan, who was merely an ordinary person in his past life, did not possess such superhuman resolve. Therefore, after he began to cultivate Dou Qi, he chose the path of becoming a renowned genius rather than gradually growing in tranquility

With a heavy sigh, Xiao Yan raised his hand, revealing a black ring on his finger. The ring was quite ancient, made of an unknown material, adorned with some indistinct patterns. It was the only gift his mother had given him before her death. He had worn it for ten years since he was four years old. This relic of his mother made Xiao Yan feel a deep attachment to it. Gently caressing the ring with his fingers, Xiao Yan said with a bitter smile, "In these years, I have truly let my mother down..."

The moon is like a silver plate, surrounded by countless stars in the sky

Sigh... recalling the test in the afternoon, Xiao Yan let out a light sigh, lazily withdrew his hand, rested both hands behind his head, and his gaze became somewhat dazed

Father, I will work hard. In one year, I will definitely reach the seventh stage of Dou Qi!" Xiao Yan said with a smile to comfort him

Although the Dou Qi is only in three stages, Xiao Yan's soul perception is much sharper than that of a five-star Dou Master. When he previously mentioned his mother, he sensed a slight movement in the woods.

In summary, this is a continent filled with wonders and the creation of miracles

Raising a pair of somewhat pale palms to shield the eyes, the gaze penetrates through the gaps between the fingers, gazing longingly at the enormous silver moon in the sky

Yes, Father, just one more year!" With a slight tightening of his palm, Xiao Yan replied calmly. He was well aware of what the coming-of-age ceremony represented. Once he passed the ceremony, if he had no potential for cultivation, he would lose the qualification to enter the Douqi Pavilion to seek Douqi techniques, and would instead be assigned to various family enterprises to manage some ordinary affairs for the family. This was the family rule, and even though his father was the clan leader, it could not be changed.