Chapter 26

"Eight Extremes Collapse!"

In the grove atop the mountain, a clear and cold voice suddenly rang out.

A nimble figure leaped nimbly through the forest, the dense thorns and brambles offering no hindrance.

In the next moment, the figure abruptly stopped before a tree as thick as half a meter. With a quick step, his body tilted, and his elbow fiercely slammed into the tree.

A muffled "Bang!" echoed as wood splinters flew, and a spider-web of cracks spread from the point of impact.

"Crack..." The tree, now with a large hollow from the elbow strike, creaked and swayed. After a moment, it finally collapsed with a thunderous crash.

As the tree fell, the agile figure, resembling a nimble monkey, quickly retreated and then landed lightly on a large green rock.

Looking at his achievement, Xiao Yan's youthful face was filled with a joyful smile. In the past three months, this was the first time he had successfully used the advanced Earth Rank technique, Eight Extremes Collapse. This technique, which was said to rival Heaven Rank techniques, did not disappoint Xiao Yan's expectations. With just the sixth level of Combat Qi, the destructive power was enough to match the eighth level of Combat Qi!

...

The lower levels of Combat Qi become increasingly difficult to advance as one progresses. After purchasing all the necessary medicinal materials, Xiao Yan had been in seclusion for three months. In the last few days of the third month, he unexpectedly advanced from the fifth level to the sixth level of Combat Qi...

Although advancing one level of Combat Qi in three months seemed much slower compared to the first two months, Xiao Yan was very satisfied. Back then, it took him half a year to advance from the fifth level to the sixth level. The current speed was already quite terrifying.

...

After using the Eight Extremes Collapse, Xiao Yan felt as if all the water had been squeezed out of a sponge. A numbing pain continuously eroded his nerves, and the veins on his arms twitched slightly, a sign of overexertion.

Licking his lips, Xiao Yan turned his head with difficulty to look at his right elbow, which was already bright red.

"Hisss..." His lips parted, and he drew in a sharp breath, muttering with a bitter smile, "No wonder such rigorous training is required. Otherwise, this strike would break my arm, not the tree. This Eight Extremes Collapse is simply a test of who has the harder body."

Lying on the cold rock, feeling utterly drained, Xiao Yan's slightly rapid breathing gradually steadied, but the numbness in his body made him unwilling to move a single finger.

At his current sixth level of Combat Qi, Xiao Yan could only use the Eight Extremes Collapse once. After using it, he would be completely exhausted until his strength was restored.

Lying on his back, Xiao Yan squinted his eyes and lazily gazed at the clouds drifting in the blue sky. A gentle breeze blew, lifting a strand of black hair to brush against his forehead.

Deep within his body, the Foundation Building Spirit Liquid, which he had absorbed for several months, quietly seeped out from every corner of his body, subtly repairing his tired muscles and cells, allowing them to quickly restore strength to their owner.

"Teacher, how much longer will it take for me to reach the seventh level?" Xiao Yan asked softly, his eyes slightly closed.

Once he reached the seventh level, he would have the qualifications to enter the Combat Qi Pavilion to search for cultivation techniques. Although he no longer found the Xiao Family's Combat Qi techniques appealing, he needed this qualification to uphold his father's honor.

A gentle breeze blew, and the transparent figure of Master Yao appeared beside the rock.

Staring at the young boy with a smile, Master Yao first examined the broken tree on the ground, nodded slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, said with a smile, "Your cultivation speed has exceeded my expectations. I originally thought that even with the help of the Spirit Liquid, it would take you a year to reach the seventh level... Perhaps it's because you were suppressed too much in the past, and now you are rebounding more fiercely. At this rate, you will definitely reach the seventh level of Combat Qi within two months."

Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Xiao Yan's lips. He wondered what expressions the clan members who had mocked him for the past three years would have when they saw his strength. The words he spoke to Nalan Yanran in the hall were also directed at them.

"Three years ago, I could create a miracle, and three years later, I can still do it!" His eyes flickered as Xiao Yan recalled the lonely figure of the young boy in the hall, half a year ago, standing amidst the disdainful and mocking gazes, stubborn and determined!

"Nalan Yanran, I am climbing towards you step by step. Wait patiently. Three years from now, we will meet at the Yunlam Sect!"

A defiant smile suddenly appeared on his lips, and the young boy leaped up, raising his head to roar at the vast sky.

Watching the roaring young boy, Master Yao smiled slightly and did not stop him. People need pressure to mature. Xiao Yan now had the talent, and what he needed was a driving force. Nalan Yanran's appearance provided the best pressure.

"Use her as your whetstone. The path of a strong person is still long for you!"

"Let's go home and continue cultivating!"

After a few roars, the smile on Xiao Yan's face became even more joyful. He jumped off the rock, waved to Master Yao, and ran down the mountain with a hearty laugh.