Chapter 14

After Xiao Yan stood up, he saw Xun Er pouting at him, clearly blaming him for using too much force.

Xiao Yan hurriedly ran over to check, and seeing that Xun Er's small hand had turned slightly blue, he felt a pang of heartache and helped her rub it.

"It's all Brother Xiao Yan's fault for using too much force," Xiao Yan said embarrassedly.

Seeing Xiao Yan's concerned expression and his hands continuously rubbing her forearm, Xun Er's face flushed red. She gently pulled her arm away and said shyly, "It's just a sparring match! I was being a bit too sensitive."

"Then I'll use less force later," Xiao Yan said, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"No need, it was I who underestimated Brother Xiao Yan's strength. Brother Xiao Yan's power is indeed astonishing, and your attacks are very swift. But I am at Stage Nine Dou Qi after all! If I needed Brother Xiao Yan to go easy on me, wouldn't I be a mere vase? Brother Xiao Yan, be careful, I'm going to start my counterattack," Xun Er said softly. Immediately, she stepped forward with elegant strides, her body as light as a butterfly, moving toward Xiao Yan. As she neared him, she gave a gentle push with her small hand.

"Oh, I was just afraid you might fall," Xiao Yan said, scratching his head awkwardly after putting Xun Er down.

No, the more he thought about it, the more tempted he became. He immediately said with embarrassment, "Is it possible?"

The roles of attacker and defender shifted between the two. Xiao Yan did not dare to be careless, as carelessness would lead to a great loss. Facing the palm Xun Er pushed out, Xiao Yan channeled all his strength and thrust his palms out fiercely.

Xiao Yan felt flustered under her gaze and had to change the subject: "Was that move you used today to push me so far away a Dou Technique?"

"Since when has Xun Er been so diligent?" Xiao Yan teased.

Seeing that Xun Er had already made her move, Xiao Yan did not dare to be careless. He immediately channeled all the Dou Qi in his body, pouring it into the acupoints of the 'Dou-Turning Star-Shifting' technique, and also gently pushed out his palms.

Seeing Xun Er actually fly backward, Xiao Yan instinctively took a stride to where she was about to land and caught her in his arms.

"Well, getting stronger is just getting stronger, what reason could there be! Does getting stronger need a reason?" Xiao Yan argued sophistically.

Not until Xiao Yan landed on the ground did Xun Er lightly tap her toes, her body retreating and flying backward before landing gently.

Feeling the soft body of the woman in his arms, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel a stir in his heart. He reached out to stroke Xun Er's hair and sighed inwardly: "Sigh! I must work hard to cultivate! Otherwise, if Xun Er lies in someone else's arms in the future..."

"Uh, is it possible?" Xiao Yan looked up; the sky had turned completely dark, and the moon had come out. However, with the appearance of the moon, the sky had actually become a bit brighter.

"Sounds good, right!" Xiao Yan was deeply influenced by the internet dramas of his past life, which featured countless martial arts moves; coming up with a nice-sounding name was simple.

Seeing Xiao Yan take that palm strike, a cunning smile appeared on Xun Er's small face, and she said playfully, "My attack isn't that simple, you know!"

"Xuan-tier Advanced Dou Technique: Swallow-Returning Strike... When practiced to perfection, it can reflect the opponent's attack back at them. I am only at the initial stage, so I can only reflect about one layer of the power." Seeing Xiao Yan change the subject, Xun Er had no choice but to say helplessly.

"Swallow-Returning Strike? That name isn't great. I think 'Dou-Turning Star-Shifting' sounds more imposing." Xiao Yan felt this Dou Technique was somewhat like the ultimate skill 'Dou-Turning Star-Shifting' from the martial arts novels, both being techniques that borrow force to strike back.

"I never thought Brother Xiao Yan would learn it on the first try. Back then, it took me over half a month to master it!" Xun Er said with a hint of envy.

Seeing the embarrassed and awkward expression on Brother Xiao Yan's face, Xun Er burst into laughter. She then tapped her finger, and a golden scroll appeared in her hand, which she gently handed to Xiao Yan.

"I learned it from Brother Xiao Yan. Brother Xiao Yan doesn't accompany me and goes off to cultivate instead. Am I really that unattractive?" Xun Er rolled her eyes.

Feeling the pain all over his body, covered in blue and purple bruises, Xiao Yan rolled his eyes and muttered to himself: "Women! They say they're fine, but they hold a grudge longer than anyone."

Seeing Xiao Yan suddenly sitting cross-legged on a giant rock to cultivate, Xun Er didn't understand why Xiao Yan, who had been so intimate just a moment ago, had suddenly changed his demeanor.

"It's because Xun Er taught me well!" Xiao Yan said happily. He hadn't expected to learn it so quickly either; he felt as if this Dou Technique had been tailor-made for him.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yan could no longer afford to enjoy himself and immediately stood up to cultivate. After all, when physical strength and Dou Qi are exhausted, it is the best time to cultivate.

Sensing that Xiao Yan had finished his cultivation, Xun Er also stopped and gradually opened her eyes.

Xiao Yan was genuinely tempted. After all, being able to return an enemy's move and then taunting them after killing them with it—"To die under your own famous Dou Technique, you can consider your death well-deserved and without regrets"—was quite something.

Seeing the beautiful scenery, Xun Er couldn't help but use Xiao Yan's arm as a pillow, her face full of happy smiles.

The two soft forces collided, and while Xiao Yan only felt a slight push, Xun Er was sent flying backward.

Xiao Yan slowly closed his eyes, recalling the acupoints and meridian pathways of the Dou-Turning Star-Shifting in his mind. He mobilized the Dou Qi in his body to slowly circulate along these acupoints and meridians.

Xiao Yan's hands also moved slowly and unconsciously, palms facing each other in a circle, level with his navel. His left palm faced down, his right palm faced up, and his hands crossed, forming a Yin-Yang fish shape. His hands slowly separated to the left and right, as if drawing a flat circular arc. When the palms faced each other again, he pushed them out gently, instantly feeling a soft force generated on his palms; although soft, it did not lack rigidity.

The two went back and forth, only resting when their Dou Qi was exhausted. But as soon as their Dou Qi recovered, they would spar again. Not until the sun gradually set and their physical strength was spent did they lie together on a giant rock, watching the beautiful sunset.

Xiao Yan took the scroll, and his soul perception sank into it instantly to check the cultivation method of this high-level Dou Technique. It took Xiao Yan the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to finish reading the contents. It was truly shocking! This was the second Xuan-tier Advanced Dou Technique he had come into contact with.

Looking at Xun Er in his arms, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned. Their eyes met, and they stared at each other, the atmosphere suddenly becoming somewhat ambiguous.

By the time Xun Er finished teaching everything, the sky had already grown dark. However, Xiao Yan didn't care whether it was dark or not; he couldn't wait to master this Dou Technique.

In the end, it was Xun Er who, with a flushed face, lowered her head and said shyly, "Aren't you going to put me down yet?"

As soon as Xun Er finished speaking, Xiao Yan felt a force erupt from her palms again. This force was incomparably fierce, sending Xiao Yan flying backward. Taking advantage of Xiao Yan being in mid-air, Xun Er launched a storm-like offensive, striking him like raindrops. Xiao Yan, unable to find leverage in the air, could only passively take the hits.

"Hee hee, I also want to see how much power this Dou Technique can generate in Brother Xiao Yan's hands!" Xun Er said with a smile. Immediately, a faint golden glow appeared on her palms, and she gave a gentle push.

"Then does Brother Xiao Yan want to learn it?" Xun Er asked with a cunning look.

"Brother Xiao Yan, now I will teach you the simple usage method first," Xun Er said calmly.

This Swallow-Returning Strike—no, the Dou Technique that had been renamed 'Dou-Turning Star-Shifting' by Xiao Yan—was even more profound than the Eight Extremities Collapse. After all, the difficulty of the Eight Extremities Collapse mainly lay in physical strength, while the acupoints and meridian pathways were relatively simple—of course, this was compared to other Xuan-tier Advanced Dou Techniques.

Not until the sky grew dark and the sun had completely set, feeling his Dou Qi replenished, did Xiao Yan stop cultivating. Seeing that Xun Er was also cultivating, Xiao Yan felt very surprised, as he had never seen this girl be so diligent; most of the time, she was playing or reading books.

Seeing that Xiao Yan was cultivating, Xun Er felt it was boring to watch the sunset alone, so she had no choice but to cultivate along with him.

"Then why does Brother Xiao Yan want to become stronger?" Seeing Brother Xiao Yan's eyes wandering, Xun Er asked again.

Seeing Xiao Yan stubbornly refusing to say, Xun Er's bright, large eyes stared straight at him.

"Bang!" The force generated by the two blew the surrounding leaves flying everywhere.

"Hee hee, is Brother Xiao Yan alright?" Xun Er asked softly with a smile, her laughter full of triumph.

"Then does Brother Xiao Yan want to test its power?" Xun Er said with a smile.

"Dou-Turning Star-Shifting?" Hearing this somewhat unfamiliar term, Xun Er's small face showed some confusion, but it certainly sounded much better than Swallow-Returning Strike. She then said with a smile: "Brother Xiao Yan's name is better; from now on, this Dou Technique will be called Dou-Turning Star-Shifting."

"This... Hahaha! Isn't it because I want to get stronger quickly?" Xiao Yan looked left and right, his eyes wandering as he spoke.

"I'm fine, but you're about to have a problem." Xiao Yan stood up and shook his whole body; this bit of pain was no different from an itch to him. His figure moved rapidly, and he attacked Xun Er again.

After all, Dou Techniques have to be taught hand-in-hand, so Xiao Yan did not stand on ceremony and began learning directly from Xun Er.

"I'm heading back first." Xun Er lowered her head, said a word, and hurriedly ran down the mountain.

Seeing Xun Er running faster than a rabbit, Xiao Yan put his hand to his nose, sniffed it, and said with a smile: "Still quite fragrant!"

(End of chapter)