Night fell.
Chen Xiao, who had just advanced to Dou Ling, felt like he had inexhaustible energy. After letting Qing Lin go back to rest first, Chen Xiao intended to go to the Back Mountain to practice the various Dou Skills that Hai Bo Dong had given him.
Incidentally, he also wanted to get used to his surging power.
Upon learning of Chen Xiao's plan, Xun Er smiled sweetly and said she wanted to watch.
Chen Xiao readily agreed.
However, when the two arrived at the Back Mountain together, they found that someone had already occupied this quiet place first.
In front of the cliff, a figure sat cross-legged, meditating and cultivating. His hair was casually tied up, and even from the back, he looked a bit disheveled, as if he hadn't seriously tidied himself up in a long time.
Chen Xiao's steps paused, and he subtly pulled Xun Er into the shadows.
"It's Xiao Yan!"
It truly was a case of arriving at the right time rather than just early.
Chen Xiao had been curious about Xiao Yan's state today, and now he could observe him closely.
"His state isn't right. After so long, not only has he not made any progress, but it looks like he's about to fall from Dou Zhe to the Dou Zhi Li stage at any moment."
After observing carefully for a while, Chen Xiao quickly spotted the problem.
In his perception, Xiao Yan's cultivation technique was running, and his Dou Qi should have been increasing normally. However, Xiao Yan's current situation was the exact opposite; the more he cultivated, the more his Dou Qi decreased instead of increasing.
It was as if an invisible ghost was hiding in the dark, frantically devouring his Dou Qi. The speed of the devouring far exceeded Xiao Yan's cultivation speed, resulting in a deficit and creating the scene before him.
Xun Er felt the warmth and coolness in her hand, finding the sensation very peculiar.
Listening to Chen Xiao's low murmur, Xun Er also lowered her voice and replied, "He's been in this state for several days. At first, he could still hide it, making it difficult for others to notice, but the situation is getting worse and worse. Now it's reached a point where he can't hide it anymore. I heard that these past few days he's been using the excuse of arduous cultivation to stay indoors, and even his daily meals and other necessities are delivered by servants."
Chen Xiao nodded gently. This was not much different from his previous guess.
With Xiao Yan's talent, after cultivating arduously for many days without making any progress, he would easily realize that something was wrong.
However, having been the center of attention since childhood, he was unwilling to show this pathetic side of himself, which was why he tried his best to hide it.
Judging from the brief contact with Xiao Zhan today, it seemed that even Xiao Zhan was still unaware of this matter.
"Does Xun Er know why this strange thing is happening?"
"I'm not sure. His condition is different from any of the records I've read."
Just as the two were quietly communicating, Xiao Yan, who was in front of the cliff, also frowned and opened his eyes, looking utterly bewildered.
He raised his hands to look at them, then slammed them heavily on the ground, leaping up and fiercely pounding a tree with a trunk as thick as a bowl not far away.
"Why! Why!"
"What the hell is wrong!"
"Ahhh..."
After venting for a while, Xiao Yan finally stopped, panting heavily. Then he cried out in pain, looking at his hands which had visibly swollen, his expression even more miserable.
His fragile body couldn't withstand such rough treatment.
Chen Xiao, hidden in the shadows, looked at Xiao Yan's appearance and couldn't help but recall the time he spent in Green Mountain Town. He had also suffered such a loss back then, and he couldn't help but laugh unkindly.
Putting himself in Xiao Yan's shoes, if he were Xiao Yan and encountered such a strange thing, he wouldn't be able to accept it either.
That Medicine Venerable truly wasn't doing anything proper.
He could have just sucked Xiao Yan dry in one go, but he insisted on going through a process. He was probably hiding in the Storage Ring, covering his mouth and snickering as he watched Xiao Yan go mad, right?
After standing in front of the tree like a lost soul for a long time, Xiao Yan finally left the Back Mountain dejectedly.
The period immediately after his body started having problems was definitely the time when Xiao Yan's state of mind fluctuated the most, because he could foresee the kind of criticism he would face once this matter was exposed.
Conversely, as his situation got worse and worse, until he regressed to being a 'cripple' with three segments of Dou Zhi Li, and it became known to everyone in Wu Tan City, his state of mind would gradually stabilize.
After all, he was already a recognized cripple, how much worse could it get?
Being at the bottom, every step forward was progress!
Rustling sounds came from the shadows, and Chen Xiao and Xun Er appeared.
Without paying any more attention to the departing Xiao Yan, Xun Er looked at Chen Xiao.
"Chen Xiao brother, are you still going to practice Dou Skills?"
"Yes, I must practice!"
Xiao Yan's well-being didn't have much impact on Chen Xiao.
He just wanted to take a look himself to ensure that things were developing as they were in the original trajectory.
Now that his curiosity was satisfied, it was time to continue his own cultivation.
Hai Bo Dong's famous ultimate technique, Mystic Ice Dragon Flight, was not only powerful but also very cool. Chen Xiao had been coveting it for a long time.
Mystic Ice Dragon Flight was a Mystic High-Rank Dou Skill, but its cultivation difficulty and the consumption required were far greater than the "Roar of the Mad Lion" and Yan Return Strike that Chen Xiao had practiced before.
Of course, its power also far exceeded ordinary Mystic High-Rank Dou Skills, and it could be considered a move that could truly be used as a trump card.
Dou Qi surged, and ice flowers competed with the bright moon for brilliance.
Chen Xiao repeatedly mobilized the Dou Qi within his body, attempting to unleash the Mystic Ice Dragon Flight.
Unfortunately, no Dou Skill can be mastered overnight.
After repeated attempts, until dawn broke in the east, Chen Xiao could only manage to condense the rudimentary form of the Mystic Ice Dragon Flight.
"This Dou Skill is very powerful, but it's too flashy. If it could be more restrained, Big Brother Chen Xiao should be able to cultivate it faster, or it would be simpler to cultivate once Big Brother Chen Xiao's realm improves further."
Xun Er, who still needed to appear to be in the Dou Zhi Li stage on the surface, offered her insightful opinion.
Chen Xiao, who was already in the Dou Ling realm, nodded in agreement, feeling the same way.
But then again, if the Mystic Ice Dragon Flight were too restrained, would it still be the Mystic Ice Dragon Flight?
Therefore, Chen Xiao had no intention of improving it in this regard.
He didn't have the ability to do so temporarily either.
Compared to improving the Mystic Ice Dragon Flight, raising his realm was undoubtedly a simpler approach.
Having not returned all night, Chen Xiao glanced at the sky, immediately suppressing the urge to try again, and returned with Xun Er.
"Does Xun Er know about Jia Nan Academy?"
"I know a little, but not much. Jia Nan Academy is divided into the Inner Academy and the Outer Academy. When you first enter the academy, you are Outer Academy students. Outer Academy students who want to enter the Inner Academy must sign up for the annual Inner Academy selection. Only after passing can they enter the Inner Academy."
"Then if I go to the Outer Academy, can I directly sign up for the Inner Academy selection that year?"
"About that... Xun Er isn't quite sure, but Jia Nan Academy's teaching quality is famous throughout the continent. They probably aren't rigid people."
Hearing this, Chen Xiao nodded in satisfaction.
Special circumstances require special handling. This wasn't a big deal to begin with. With his current strength, Jia Nan Academy shouldn't refuse such a small request.
With this thought, Chen Xiao made a decision regarding the next advance.
Perhaps the Earth Core Body Tempering Milk could be used first!
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