Battle Through the Heavens: Heavenly comprehension

It seemed that after absorbing years of Dou Qi from Xiao Yan, Yao Lao's strength had indeed recovered to an unimaginable level.

Xiao Yan was quite satisfied with this outcome, feeling that his years of relentless Dou Qi cultivation hadn't gone to waste.

"As long as you follow my training plan, you too will one day be able to control the power of space. Now, take this and carry it on your back. From now on, even while you sleep, you're not allowed to take it off."

Yao Lao chuckled as a massive black object suddenly shot out from the ancient ring, landing heavily on the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

When the dust cleared, the object's true form was revealed.

It was a thick, solid black ruler without a sharp edge. The end of the ruler looked as though it had been sliced cleanly in half by some powerful force, leaving a smooth, mirror-like cross-section.

The ruler's surface was engraved with faint, mysterious patterns that extended to the handle, covering nearly the entire black ruler. Combined with its ancient black hue, it exuded a sense of mystique.

"I was just in need of a weapon," Xiao Yan said with a faint smile as he observed the ruler, which stood taller than himself.

Yao Lao watched as Xiao Yan tried to lift the ruler, barely suppressing his laughter.

Although Xiao Yan had already broken through to a Two-Star Dou Zhe, the material of the ruler was anything but ordinary.

Its appearance belied its tremendous weight. Even an average Dou Shi would need rigorous training before being able to wield it properly.

Gripping the handle, Xiao Yan exerted his strength to lift it and was startled by its extraordinary weight.

The Dou Qi stage was primarily about refining one's body, expanding the meridians, and creating a solid foundation.

Thanks to Yao Lao's consistent absorption of Dou Qi over the years, Xiao Yan's body had been nourished to a frightening degree, making his physical strength far exceed his Dou Qi level.

Yet, even with fifty percent of his strength, lifting the ruler was a challenge.

Yao Lao smiled and added, "This ruler is forged from Black Meteorite Iron, a material so rare that there might only be one like this on the entire continent. It's not only incredibly durable but also extraordinarily heavy.

"Most importantly, it has the unique ability to suppress Dou Qi. If you can adapt to its suppression, then during battle, when you remove this ruler, your unrestrained power will shock everyone. Moreover, the Earth-level Dou Technique I'll teach you next is tied to this ruler."

Xiao Yan clenched his five fingers and, this time, used his full strength.

With strength surpassing that of an ordinary Dou Shi, Xiao Yan managed to lift the heavy ruler with a resounding thud and held it horizontally in front of him. He gently ran his hand along its surface.

Seeing Xiao Yan handle the ruler as if it were an ordinary weapon, Yao Lao was dumbfounded.

Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened as he casually swung the ruler a few times. The heavy ruler produced sharp, piercing sounds as it cut through the air.

Its terrifying power could heavily injure, if not kill, an unsuspecting Dou Shi in a single strike.

Placing the ruler horizontally in front of him again, Xiao Yan nodded slightly. "Indeed, it has considerable weight—not something the average person could wield."

Watching Xiao Yan handle the Mysterious Heavy Ruler with such ease, Yao Lao couldn't help but draw a sharp breath.

This outcome was entirely different from what he had imagined—a Xiao Yan struggling to move, let alone lift, the ruler.

"It seems that years of Dou Qi cultivation have given you extraordinary benefits. Your physical strength surpasses that of most Dou Shi," Yao Lao remarked in amazement.

With a casual motion, Xiao Yan tossed the heavy ruler onto his back, using Dou Qi to secure it in place. He grinned and said, "It's always good to reap some benefits, isn't it?"

This seamless, effortless movement sent shockwaves through Yao Lao's mind.

Combining this display with the mastery Xiao Yan had shown in cultivating the Eight Extremities Collapse technique—harnessing both strength and flexibility—Yao Lao couldn't help but recognize Xiao Yan's potential.

Xiao Yan's mastery of power was truly extraordinary, far surpassing the talents of any genius Yao Lao had encountered.

It seemed as though he was born solely for cultivation and battle.

Xiao Yan said calmly, "Earth-tier Dou Techniques... My Dou Qi reserves are currently limited, so I'm not particularly interested."

"However, since this weapon is extremely heavy, I wonder if it could be forged into a smaller size. If so, the contrast between its appearance and weight could be astonishing."

"Uh..." Yao Lao was surprised by Xiao Yan's composure and rationality in the face of an Earth-tier Dou Technique.

After pondering for a moment, Yao Lao shook his head. "I'm afraid that's impossible. The material of the Heavy Xuan Ruler, Flame Meteorite Iron, is incredibly resistant to high temperatures—even otherworldly flames can hardly affect it. Forging it further would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens."

Pausing briefly, Yao Lao added, "However, if you were to obtain multiple types of Heavenly Flames in the future, you might be able to refine it anew."

"Alright then," Xiao Yan sighed. The Heavy Xuan Ruler indeed exuded a sense of unpolished greatness. Its sheer size made it clear that its weight was extraordinary—unlike the Heavy Iron Sword, whose appearance starkly contrasted with its heaviness.

If it could be reforged into a smaller size, the resulting contrast would be unimaginable. The Heavy Xuan Ruler itself would become a deadly weapon.

"Let's get to the main matter," Yao Lao said, blinking. "I need 23 different types of fire-attribute herbs and the fresh blood of three second-tier fire-attribute magical beasts. Fortunately, there are two herbs nearby. Go and collect them quickly."

Xiao Yan nodded and proceeded according to Yao Lao's instructions.

Carrying the Heavy Xuan Ruler on his back, Xiao Yan felt slightly uncomfortable.

The Dou Qi that had once flowed swiftly through his wide meridians was now suppressed, moving at a snail's pace.

Moreover, the ruler's extraordinary weight required Xiao Yan to exert all his strength constantly to avoid being overpowered by it and ending up like a flipped turtle.

However, carrying the Heavy Xuan Ruler immediately gave Xiao Yan, with his heaven-defying comprehension, a new direction for growth.

Under the ruler's suppression, Xiao Yan's strength was drastically restrained. Unless someone had exceptional soul power, they would only perceive him as someone who hadn't even reached the level of a Dou Practitioner.

In no time, Xiao Yan experienced an epiphany.

[You've gained insight from the experience of suppressing your strength while carrying the Heavy Xuan Ruler and have comprehended the technique "Concealment Art."]

["Concealment Art" allows you to significantly mask your presence, making it difficult for anyone without powerful soul perception to see through you.]

Easily creating an auxiliary secret technique, Xiao Yan felt that his heaven-defying comprehension had grown increasingly powerful since he began cultivating.

This was a completely natural phenomenon. With a solid foundation of cultivation knowledge, Xiao Yan's ability to draw inferences and innovate was unmatched compared to his earlier, self-taught days.

"Hm? Are there magical beasts guarding the herbs?" Xiao Yan frowned slightly and looked at Yao Lao.

"Your soul perception is much stronger than I expected," Yao Lao said with a sly smile. "High-quality herbs are often guarded by magical beasts. Get ready for battle."

(End of Chapter)

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