5-Star Da Dou Shi was Zhang Yuan's current realm.
Over the past four days, he had first used the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame to assist Yao Chen in refining a Two Lines Green Spirit Pill. After consuming it, he steadily advanced by 3 stars. After that, he switched entirely to cultivating the Low Di Class Qi Method: Heavenly Thunder Art, which Xun'er had given him.
The Green Spirit Pill's medicinal effect was truly outstanding. Unfortunately, from Dou Shi to Dou Ling, each major realm could only consume one pill. If he wanted to take another, he would have to wait until reaching Dou Ling, and it would have to be a Three Lines Green Spirit Pill to raise his cultivation by 2 stars.
As for star levels, before becoming a Dou Zong, the difficulty of advancing from 1-Star to 2-Star was not fundamentally different from advancing from 8-Star to 9-Star.
If a Dou Qi cultivator were compared to a container, then a Dou Zhe was forging a cup, a Dou Shi was forging a basin, a Da Dou Shi was forging a vat, a pond, or a lake, while a Dou Huang was forging rivers. Upon reaching Dou Zong, because it involved comprehension of spatial power, another qualitative transformation would occur.
During the process of forging the container, star levels represented progress in capacity, while Qi Methods and talent affected forging speed, filling speed, and the quality of the energy poured in.
Dou Techniques were methods of output. Given the same amount of gunpowder, it could be turned into ten thousand bullets, a hundred artillery shells, or even a single missile.
After relying on his powerful talent and comprehension to smoothly enter the Heavenly Thunder Art, Zhang Yuan discovered that the 3-star increase gained from the Two Lines Green Spirit Pill had already stabilized. This was naturally also related to the fact that his physique rivaled that of Magical Beasts of the same realm.
That was why, upon obtaining a Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pill, he swallowed it without hesitation.
With a Heavenly Flame and a Di Class Qi Method, he could refine it even while sitting on horseback.
"Stop!"
After another half day of forced marching, Zhang Yuan saw that the sun had mostly set behind a distant mountain. He selected an open area and ordered everyone to set up camp and cook.
He himself found higher ground, sat cross-legged, and continued cultivating.
Boom!
After a simple dinner, just as Zhang Yuan was about to return to his tent to rest, a rumble of thunder suddenly echoed across the distant sky.
Not long after, the heavens grew completely overcast. Dark clouds rolled in, lightning flashed, and thunder roared.
"Perfect weather," Zhang Yuan said, his eyes lighting up.
He blasted several caves into the mountainside for his personal guards to stay in, leaving the tents for the Silver-Horned Black Rhino Horses.
After arranging rotating night watches and fire duty, he instructed everyone not to disturb him unless necessary. Not long after returning to a cave, he slipped away unnoticed and flew toward a thunder-shrouded peak using Heavenly Flame Transformation Wings.
Boom!
Bathed in lightning, Zhang Yuan could feel the excitement of the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame as it coursed through his body. The flame aspect continuously refined his Dou Qi, the lightning aspect tempered every part of his physique, and the dragon aspect repaired and reinforced everything.
Circulating the Heavenly Thunder Art, he felt an unprecedented smoothness. Countless insights into the Qi Method surfaced in his mind, and the speed at which his Dou Qi condensed began to increase.
The remaining medicinal power of the Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pill was refined in an instant, and his 5-Star Da Dou Shi realm rapidly stabilized.
He cultivated in suitably powerful lightning for the entire night, only stopping when the clouds dispersed and the rising sun appeared.
"So this is the correct way to use the Lightning Flame," Zhang Yuan murmured as he opened his eyes, a wisp of purple light flashing within them.
Heavenly Flames were the twenty-three flames born of heaven and earth on the Dou Qi Continent, each possessing unique abilities.
For example, the Sea Heart Flame, ranked fifteenth, was born in the depths of the ocean. It could borrow the power of the sea and allow its possessor to do the same, including during cultivation.
Another example was the Fallen Heart Flame, ranked fourteenth. Fire born from the heart, refining Qi and tempering bones, nicknamed the "cultivation cheat." It continuously generated heart-flame that refined the owner's Dou Qi without conscious control, placing the cultivator in a constant state of cultivation that surpassed ordinary effort.
Then there was the Three Thousand Burning Flames, ranked ninth, also known as the Three Thousand Star Fire Flames. Formed in the starry skies, it absorbed stellar power to grow endlessly. Whoever refined it would obtain the Three Thousand Star Constitution, said to be an Undying Body, capable of recovering so long as the body was not blasted into minced flesh, and its assistance in cultivation was naturally extraordinary.
As for the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame, ranked twelfth, it could grow stronger by devouring dragon energy, lightning power, and other flames. These three energies complemented one another, maintaining a perfect balance.
Those who refined the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame could use the power of dragon energy, flame, and lightning to raise their cultivation, with the added benefit of body tempering.
When it was in the one-dragon or two-dragon state, the effect was not very obvious, but after reaching the three-dragon state, the difference was unmistakable. It would only grow stronger in the future.
"And this Heavenly Thunder Art. To ordinary people, it is merely Low Di Class, but to me, it holds limitless potential. I really should thank Xun'er properly one day."
Thinking of the girl's peerless beauty, a gentle expression surfaced in Zhang Yuan's eyes.
But when he recalled her identity, that gentleness was quickly replaced by resolve.
'The road ahead is long.'
He slapped the ground and rose into the air, wings of Heavenly Flame unfurling as he dove downward.
Before reaching camp, he landed atop a large tree, then returned at a leisurely pace, blending naturally back into the group.
After breakfast, Zhang Yuan led his men onward. By dusk, fog began to appear along the official road ahead. Visibility steadily dropped, and in the distance, the silhouette of a city with walls over ten zhang tall emerged faintly.
This small city was actually a checkpoint known as Twin Dragon Pass, named because it was built before two canyon formations resembling dragon heads. Behind those canyons lay a vast mountain range shrouded in mist, the Illusory Mist Mountain Range.
"Imperial Black Armored Guards, make way!"
Soldiers were collecting entry taxes at the gate, but after Zhang Yuan's group presented their Black Armored Guard tokens, they were allowed to enter through a side gate.
Passing merchant caravans whispered among themselves.
"Another Black Armored Guard unit. They've been appearing frequently in the southern part of the Northeast Province lately. Is the Chu Yun Empire about to attack?"
"The Chu Yun Empire's old emperor failed a forced breakthrough to Dou Zong and is near death. Their court is busy fighting over succession. They have no time for war. This is just a rotation with the Soaring Dragon Guard."
"A rotation? So that's it."
"Three years, then another three years. You're still a peak Dou Zhe weakling."
"If you can't speak properly, then don't speak."
Once the Black Armored Guards entered the checkpoint, the merchant caravans resumed paying taxes and filing in.
No one noticed that an unremarkable man at the back of the crowd vanished into the mist.
Soon, he arrived beneath a tree by the water. After confirming no one was nearby, he lifted a stone and placed a slip of paper underneath it, reading: "The fat sheep has arrived."
Afterward, he circled back through the mist, returned to the checkpoint gate, presented his identification, paid the entry tax, and entered Twin Dragon Pass openly.
Twin Dragon Pass was tall in walls but limited in area, filled mostly with shops, temporary inns, and supporting businesses.
The man found a beggar by the street and casually inquired about the "Black Armored Guards." Learning that Zhang Yuan's group had gone straight to the imperial relay station and entrusted their Silver-Horned Black Rhino Horses to the stable hands, he tossed a few silver coins and left.
After weaving through several streets, he confirmed the guards were indeed staying at the relay station and resting after dinner. He checked into the nearest inn and continued to monitor them through the night.
At dawn the next day, Zhang Yuan led the Black Armored Guards out, retrieved their mounts, and headed for the southern gate.
Before the gate opened, several large merchant caravans had already gathered there, with markings such as "Qingyun Meng" and "Myriad Book Pavilion."
Among the Myriad Book Pavilion's caravan, a veiled woman preparing to board her carriage noticed Zhang Yuan. Her eyes shimmered as she summoned a steward-like middle-aged man and whispered a few words.
The man nodded repeatedly and turned to approach Zhang Yuan.
At that moment, a handsome young man stepped out from behind another carriage and said loudly, "Qing Yanjing, I do not agree to letting outsiders join our caravan."
'Qing Yanjing?'
Zhang Yuan froze, reflexively turning toward the woman.
'Isn't that Mu Chen's mother?'
'Judging by the timeline, she should not even be born yet.'
(End of Chapter)
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