In the early morning, a thin, pale white mist shrouded the peak of the mountain behind, lingering for a long time. A gentle breeze blew, suddenly bringing the muffled sound of flesh colliding. In a secluded grove on the mountain peak, Xiao Yan’s feet were planted into the earth like tree stumps, his toes gripping the ground, his teeth clenched tightly. Sweat poured down his forehead, and his nearly naked body, clad only in shorts, was covered with bruises and contusions.
Behind Xiao Yan, the Elder Pharmacist, in his spectral form, sat cross-legged on a boulder. He gazed at Xiao Yan with a solemn expression as he waved his hand gently. With the wave of the Elder Pharmacist’s hand, the air rippled slightly, and a faint red Dou Qi streak shot out from his palm, smashing heavily onto Xiao Yan’s shoulder, leaving a long bruise.
Xiao Yan’s lips trembled violently, and he sucked in a breath of cold air through his teeth. His shoulder suddenly felt numb, and a searing pain shot through his heart. Under this intense pain, even his toes felt weak, and he almost collapsed…
After the intense pain, there was a surge of thin Dou Qi coursing through his body. The Dou Qi, stimulated by the pain, seemed more vibrant than usual, flowing joyfully through the meridians and acupoints in his shoulder, seeping slowly into his bones and muscles, quietly strengthening them…
“Again!” As the pain in his shoulder gradually subsided, Xiao Yan’s youthful face was filled with determination and stubbornness, he gritted his teeth and said.
Seeing Xiao Yan’s persistence under the blows, a gratified smile appeared on the Elder Pharmacist’s withered face. He nodded slightly, and a light red Dou Qi streak shot out from his palm again.
*Pong, pong, pong…* Within the small grove, a series of eerie thuds and low groans mixed with pain continued to echo…
The Elder Pharmacist’s strikes were well-measured, each attack hitting the limit that Xiao Yan’s body could bear, ensuring that it would not cause severe injury but would still bring real pain. The piercing pain from the Dou Qi striking his body made Xiao Yan’s young face contort in agony. With each wave of the Elder Pharmaiser’s hand, more and more bruises appeared on his body…
*Pong!* Another Dou Qi streak struck, and Xiao Yan, who stood like a wooden stake, finally reached his limit. His legs gave way, and he collapsed, exhausted.
Breathing heavily for a while, Xiao Yan wiped the sweat from his forehead and raised his head, forcing a smile, “Teacher, how is it?”
“Very good. Today you endured eighty-four Dou Qi whips, much stronger than the nine times a month and a half ago…” The Elder Pharmacist nodded with a smile, a hint of hidden amazement in his old eyes. In the past one and a half months, the resilience Xiao Yan had shown exceeded his expectations. For example, today, he initially thought seventy whips would be Xiao Yan’s limit, but the latter persisted to the eighty-fourth. This truly made him marvel at the little guy’s endurance.
Hearing the Elder Pharmacist’s words, Xiao Yan breathed a sigh of relief, sitting on the ground for a while, resting until he regained feeling. He then slowly got up, took his clothes from a nearby rock, and put them on. As he dressed, the cool fabric touching the bruises made him wince in pain.
The transparent figure of the Elder Pharmacist twisted, and he flashed back into the black ring, leaving a concerned reminder: “Hurry back and soak your body in the Foundation-Laying Spirit Liquid; otherwise, the residual blood clots in your body will cause serious injury!”
Nodding in understanding, Xiao Yan, now dressed, slowly descended the mountain.
…Back in the small cottage, unable to bear the pain any longer, Xiao Yan quickly closed the windows and doors, removed his clothes, and climbed into the wooden basin filled with green liquid…
The icy green water touched his bruised skin, and Xiao Yan drew in several deep, cooling breaths, savoring the refreshing, almost divine sensation. He closed his eyes, lying straight in the basin, motionless.
Leaning against the edge of the basin, his rapid breathing gradually steadied, and finally, a soft snore came from his nose. After enduring such torment, Xiao Yan finally succumbed to both mental and physical exhaustion, falling into a deep sleep.
During Xiao Yan’s slumber, the green liquid swayed slightly, and a thin, warm energy flowed through his pores, cleansing the ugly bruises and continuously reinforcing his already-stressed flesh…
The sleep continued, and the reinforcement proceeded imperceptibly. While repairing and strengthening Xiao Yan’s body, the green liquid in the basin gradually faded, indicating that the medicinal properties were being used up.
…He didn’t know how long he slept, but when Xiao Yan woke up, the hot sunlight had already flooded the room, making it brightly lit.
Stretching lazily, his bones creaked loudly. Lifting his head, he felt an indescribable vitality and fullness throughout his body, and he couldn’t help exclaiming, “Feels so good!”
Standing up from the basin, Xiao Yan suddenly froze. He noticed that the green liquid in the basin had completely turned into clear, transparent water.
“Has the medicine been fully absorbed?” Rubbing his nose, Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly. Suddenly, remembering something, he closed his eyes and carefully sensed the condition of the Dou Qi within his body.
A moment later, Xiao Yan opened his eyes, clasping his hands lightly. A smile of undisguised delight spread across his face, “Finally, the fifth stage of Dou Qi!”
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