["Breathing Method of Dou Qi" – Through rhythmic breathing and exhalation, one can stir the energy of heaven and earth, refining it into incomparably pure Dou Qi. This Dou Qi nourishes the meridians, tempers the bones, and strengthens the body's foundation.]
No matter how one moves, breathing never ceases.
Reading this system message, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Xiao Yan's mouth.
This Breathing Method of Dou Qi was indeed worthy of the months he spent comprehending and refining it.
Not only did it eliminate the need for specific cultivation postures, but in terms of efficiency, it essentially doubled the speed of cultivation.
No matter how focused an ordinary genius cultivator might be, they still needed to deal with trivial everyday matters.
But breathing was different—no matter what distractions there were, one could not stop breathing.
The reason it took Xiao Yan so long to comprehend this method was because he had fundamentally altered and significantly upgraded a cultivation technique that had been iterated and perfected by none other than the Dou Emperors themselves.
This alone demonstrated the defiant power of his maxed-out comprehension!
After all, what took him mere months would be a blink of an eye to a Dou Emperor—yet not a single Dou Emperor in history had ever managed such a drastic overhaul of the foundational cultivation method.
Now that he had grasped the Breathing Method of Dou Qi, Xiao Yan didn't hesitate in the slightest. He began cultivating immediately.
During his first practice, Xiao Yan was especially focused and solemn.
He closed his eyes, calmed his mind, and began breathing rhythmically.
Moments later, his chest gently rose and fell, and a flawless circulation was established through his breathing.
A faint, almost imperceptible white mist flowed in through his nose and mouth, seeping into his body, gently nourishing his bones and meridians.
The energy of heaven and earth was refined into pure Dou Qi. It radiated a warm, moist sensation—like the early spring sun melting the icy surface of a lake, spreading warmth little by little.
With each smooth breath, Xiao Yan's bones, meridians, and very cells were being strengthened.
As his breathing deepened, the white energy current grew more powerful.
The days he spent cultivating in the womb had not only brought his strength to the third stage of Dou Qi but had also greatly enhanced his natural aptitude.
Even after birth, though he hadn't cultivated deliberately, his strength had continued to rise steadily.
Now, with the active practice of the Breathing Method of Dou Qi, and as he began drawing in the energy of the world, his cultivation at the third stage of Dou Qi broke through at once.
Streams of white energy trickled from the surrounding air, flowing continuously into Xiao Yan's body under the method's pull.
As this breakthrough unfolded, it caused another shockwave among the guests and Xiao Clan members gathered to celebrate his first birthday.
Even though everyone present was a prominent figure within Wu Tan City, none dared to even breathe loudly at that moment.
They all recognized what was happening.
A breakthrough—he was advancing in the stages of Dou Qi!
But this kind of breakthrough usually occurred among the young disciples of their clans.
A one-year-old child…?
Even these experienced clan leaders, who had seen much in their lives, were utterly stunned.
They all remembered: Xiao Yan had been born at the third stage of Dou Qi.
This breakthrough now meant he had reached the fourth stage of Dou Qi!
One year old, and already at the fourth stage. Who could imagine what kind of genius this child would become?
If not for the fact that Xiao Yan had already been betrothed to the Nalan Clan—one of the three great families of the Jia Ma Empire—many of these clan leaders would no doubt be scrambling to offer their daughters in marriage.
Even Yao Lao, whose soul resided in the ancient ring around Xiao Yan's neck, was deeply shocked.
He had originally planned to go into a deep sleep after noticing that Xiao Yan hadn't cultivated much since his birth.
But now, seeing this sudden and rapid breakthrough, where the child had already reached the fourth stage of Dou Qi, caught him entirely off guard.
What astonished Yao Lao the most was that this innate ability to passively cultivate from within the womb had reawakened after a brief dormancy.
A child who constantly and automatically cultivated Dou Qi—just imagining it made Yao Lao shudder.
An average person might take over a decade to become a Dou Practitioner.
But for Xiao Yan, five or six years would suffice.
At his current rate of absorbing Dou Qi, even three to four years might be enough.
A four- or five-year-old Dou Practitioner? Unless someone had been specially nurtured with a tier-seven or tier-eight medicinal pill from birth, no one could compare.
But such high-tier medicinal pills were nothing short of fantastical dreams for the current Xiao Clan.
To be able to achieve such cultivation speed solely through natural talent and self-cultivation—Yao Lao, the continent's greatest alchemist, had never seen the like.
The various noble clans of Wu Tan City, who had gathered to celebrate Xiao Yan's one-year birthday, naturally lavished him with praise.
Some time later, Xiao Yan was carried by Qin Yueyao to the front hall to take part in an important traditional ceremony for noble children—the Choosing Ritual.
With the powerful Dou King Xiao Lin still alive and the Xiao Clan's current prosperity, the blanket laid out for the ritual was filled with rare and precious treasures.
Xiao Yan rested his chin on his palm, black eyes gleaming with thought as he surveyed the items before him.
Now that he could formally begin cultivating Dou Qi, not only could he eventually resurrect Yao Lao, but there was also a chance Yao Lao would become even more powerful after being restored.
As for personal strength, that wasn't something he needed to rush.
Right now, the most pressing concerns were his grandfather and his mother.
His mother had died from a mysterious illness. Although her constitution had now been greatly improved, the threat may still linger.
As for his grandfather, who had been gravely injured in a feud—his life could only be saved through top-tier medical skill.
Saving a Dou King through ordinary healing methods? That would be a monumental challenge.
Having made up his mind, Xiao Yan crawled toward a medical tome and a jade-green first-tier magic core.
He hoped to absorb as much medicinal knowledge as possible in the next couple of years. With his heaven-defying comprehension, he could very well unlock miraculous healing techniques.
Grabbing the two items, Xiao Yan giggled with satisfaction, clearly pleased with his choices.
"Medical knowledge… and a magic core!" exclaimed Elder Han, the physician who had once treated Qin Yueyao. He was visibly moved. "Young Master will become a highly respected alchemist in the future!"
"An alchemist?!" Everyone drew in a sharp breath.
An alchemist was someone every power in the Dou Qi Continent would fight to recruit, no matter the cost. Their status was incomparably exalted!
Qin Yueyao lifted Xiao Yan into her arms and explained to the crowd, "Yan'er possesses fire-affinity Qi with a trace of wood. If his soul power is suitable, and he receives proper instruction, he could very well become an alchemist."
Proper instruction? The greatest alchemist in the Dou Qi Continent was already hanging from the child's neck!
Yao Lao was more than satisfied with this child's natural disposition. With such a choice, he was all but destined to become Yao Lao's disciple.
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