Watching the young man's receding back, Yao Ye's expression was a complex mixture of expectation, optimism, and a hint of imperceptible loss.
"Great-grandfather, he won't let us down, will he?"
A figure materialized from the shadows. Jia Xing Tian smiled, his voice calm and firm as he replied, "No."
"When I first found him, the boy was withdrawn and barely communicated with anyone. After coming to the Imperial City, he changed a great deal. He became polite, mature, and gentle to all. But in truth, he remained solitary, forming no close friendships with anyone—including you, his sister. He never truly accepted the title, and his heart knew it."
"For a person like that to take the initiative and joke with you today is proof that he now accepts you from the bottom of his heart. That is enough. Let things take their course; do not force them. With him here, even if this old man is gone one day, the royal family will remain as stable as a mountain."
A playful glint entered the old Dou Huang's eyes. "Of course, Ye'er, you have grown up and are of marriageable age. If you two were to have a happy ending, your great-grandfather would be delighted to see it happen, haha."
Yao Ye rolled her eyes at her mischievous great-grandfather. Though young, her mind was exceptionally clear. She shook her head slightly and dismissed the idea. "No. The way things are now is for the best."
If Chen Guan truly had special feelings for me, he wouldn't have jokingly offered to call me his mother. Wouldn't it have been more appropriate to pledge himself to me?
The girl was sharp enough to read his attitude from those few words, and it only confirmed her own opinion. Unless, of course, the boy was a pervert.
Two flowers bloomed, each on their own branch. On the other side of the palace, Chen Guan had returned to his room.
After locking the door, he ignored the other resources Yao Ye had given him and took three scrolls from his storage ring, spreading them across the table.
A Xuan-rank Mid-level Qi Method: Supreme Saint Heavenly Heart Refining Art.
A Xuan-rank Mid-level Dou Skill: Thousand Flames Sword Art.
A Xuan-rank Mid-level Agility Dou Skill: Wandering Cloud Steps.
There was no doubt they were all treasures. He had selected them carefully from a collection of nearly one hundred. If these were placed in Wu Tan City, they would be enough to spark a bloody war between the three major families. The deep foundation of the Jia Ma Empire was on full display.
He was also certain that the royal family possessed even higher-grade techniques, but those were surely their most guarded secrets. To have been given access to Xuan-rank Mid-level skills demonstrated their immense sincerity and would be more than enough for him in the short term.
The Qi Method, the Supreme Saint Heavenly Heart Refining Art, had an intimidating name, but he knew better than to think it could actually lead one to the Dou Sheng realm. Still, it was a solid foundation.
The agility skill, Wandering Cloud Steps, was a perfect tool for both combat and escape. Once mastered, his combat power and survivability would increase dramatically. A certain Evil God of Fire from his past life once said that in the world of martial arts, speed is paramount. That truth applied here as well.
But it was the Dou Skill, the Thousand Flames Sword Art, that was his absolute favorite.
Although it was an incomplete art, with only three forms, the fact that just three moves were enough to classify it as a Xuan-rank Mid-level skill spoke volumes about its power. More than that, its potential for flair was off the charts.
The first form, Fleeting Moment's Splendor, was described in the scroll with flashy prose, but in Chen Guan's eyes, it was a variant of the legendary Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin. It could condense countless blades of energy behind him to unleash a covering attack on the enemy—a classic area-of-effect skill for maximum group damage. Its only drawback was that the individual attacks weren't exceptionally powerful.
After learning this, I'll never have to worry about being swarmed by weaker opponents again. One skill to clear the field. The amount of condensed sword energy was linked directly to his own strength.
The second form, Ocean Without End, was a one-on-one magical skill. It launched a continuous, wave-like assault, with each strike growing more powerful than the last, each wave rising higher than the one before. Theoretically, as long as one's Dou Qi held out, the attack could stack up to thirty-three waves. It was similar to Xiao Yan's Eight Extremities Collapse, though unfortunately, it lacked a hidden force component.
The third form, the Calamity of Ten Thousand Gods, was the true trump card. It condensed a pair of sword wings on the user's back, allowing for a brief, explosive burst of flight at extreme speed. The sword wings themselves were incredibly sharp and could produce miraculous effects in battle if used unexpectedly.
It was common knowledge that without a flying Dou Skill, only a Dou Wang expert could form wings from their Dou Qi. This ability was the primary reason why it was so difficult for a Dou Ling to challenge a Dou Wang. Many geniuses who could easily fight above their rank found themselves stymied at this stage.
But with the Calamity of Ten Thousand Gods, it was a different story. A Dou Ling, launching a sudden aerial assault, could feasibly assassinate an unsuspecting Dou Wang.
This move is perfect for ambushes!
Chen Guan's eyes burned with excitement. He couldn't wait to learn it. He had to physically pinch his own leg to force himself to calm down. With the meager amount of Dou Qi in his body now, he would be lucky to condense a few wisps of sword energy, let alone a full pair of wings. The most urgent task was to proceed step by step, master the new Qi Method, and improve his strength.
Setting the Dou Skills aside, Chen Guan held up the Supreme Saint Heavenly Heart Refining Art and read it carefully, memorizing the meridian paths and hand seals until he understood them completely. Only then did he sit cross-legged and begin to practice.
On the very first day, he felt the immense difference between a Xuan-rank and a Huang-rank method. The speed at which he absorbed and refined Dou Qi was more than twice as fast as before.
After completing a full cycle, Chen Guan paused, took out a first-grade Qi-Boosting Pill—a supplement specially provided by the royal family for those in the Dou Zhe realm—and swallowed it. The speed of his cultivation accelerated even further. The joy of cultivating with medicinal support was something ordinary people could never imagine, and he eagerly immersed himself in it.
One month later.
In his room, accompanied by a soft 'boom,' the youth sitting cross-legged opened his eyes. Feeling the abundant Dou Qi filling his body, he couldn't hide the joy on his face.
A four-star Dou Zhe. That's about what I predicted. Today also seems to be the day of the five-year test. I suppose I can go out and get some fresh air.
The martial arts training ground was exceptionally noisy. Nearly everyone from his batch was required to participate in the test. As Chen Guan walked out, he saw a thick wall of people surrounding the T-shaped sparring stage.
"Chen Guan, you finally came out! I thought you weren't even interested in this. Although Captain Yan exempted us from the test, it's still fun to watch."
A familiar voice called out. It was Zhao Gang, the self-proclaimed genius who viewed him as a lifelong rival.
Chen Guan smiled back. The royal family's arrangements are quite thoughtful. To prevent me from attracting attention for my special privileges, they exempted Zhao Gang from the test as well. On the surface, it seems perfectly fair. After all, in the eyes of their peers, the two of them were the undisputed top talents.
"A change of pace is good," Chen Guan replied. "You've made great progress recently."
"Heh, I've reached the seventh stage of Dou Zhi Qi. My talent speaks for itself. After their test is over, let's have another spar!" Zhao Gang gestured proudly.
Chen Guan seriously suspected the boy had been waiting at his door just for a chance to show off. A seventh-stage Dou Zhi Qi challenging a four-star Dou Zhe? Not even Xiao Yan is that brave.
"Let's skip it for today. I have something to do later. Next time, for sure."
Chen Guan declined politely. He really didn't want to crush the boy's spirit.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Alright then, we'll make an appointment for another day."
Chen Guan nodded, patted Zhao Gang's arm, and began walking toward the gate of the training ground. He had already spotted Yao Ye waving at him from the high palace wall opposite them.
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