Chapter 22: I, Xiao Yan, am a gentleman!

"Brother Han, why doesn't your friend even know how to use object manipulation for flight?"

Jin Qing looked at Han Li with a face full of astonishment.

Object manipulation flight was the lowest level of spell in their cultivation world; even low-level Qi Refinement stage cultivators knew it. He hadn't expected that Han Li's friend wouldn't even know how to use this technique.

"This..."

Han Li was currently somewhat speechless, not knowing how to answer Jin Qing.

Didn't this Tang San say he was very powerful in the group chat? How could he not even know how to fly using object manipulation now? Could it be that this guy wasn't hiding his cultivation, but his actual cultivation was truly comparable only to the low-level Qi Refinement stage?

Seeing the strange gazes Han Li and the other man directed at him, Tang San only wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into. It was too embarrassing. Why could everyone in this world fly? Was flying skill just common as dirt here?

Wait a minute.

At that moment, Tang San suddenly thought of something. His thoughts shifted, and he hurriedly looked at Han Li to explain, "Han Li, every world has a different cultivation system. In our place, things like flying skills are not encouraged. Once a person learns to fly, they become dependent on it and subsequently forget to cultivate their physical body. How can you make progress in physical strength in the future if you do this?"

In order to demonstrate his physical prowess before the two of them, Tang San followed his words by performing the "Mystic Jade Hand," directly crushing a stone he had picked up from the ground.

Han Li:???

Jin Qing:???

"Brother Han, your friend seems quite interesting, but what on earth was he just talking about? Do you understand him?" Jin Qing froze for a moment, a strange expression appearing on his face.

He naturally understood what Tang San was saying. The other party was likely emphasizing that he was a body cultivator. However, being a body cultivator didn't seem to have a direct connection to object manipulation flight, did it?

And... what did it mean for this guy to pick up a stone and crush it at the end? Was he trying to express that he could crush stones with his bare hands? But isn't that just a trick that even mortal martial artists can do?

"Brother Jin may not know, but the cultivation method my friend practices is different from ours, which is why he cannot easily master the art of flight..." Han Li explained in a low voice, looking thoughtful.

He didn't quite understand Tang San's act of crushing stones with bare hands, but he took the words to heart. Every world's cultivation system and methods were different. Presumably, in Tang San's world, object manipulation and flight techniques were not the primary paths of cultivation, which was why he was unskilled in flying.

With this thought, Han Li stopped wasting words. He waved his hand, decisively summoned the Divine Wind Boat, swept Tang San up, and fled the area.

"Such fast flight speed..."

Feeling the fierce wind rushing toward him, Tang San's mouth felt like it was about to be blown sideways. He hurriedly circulated his soul power to protect his body, which made him feel slightly better.

However, he did not know that Han Li's Divine Wind Boat was already considered an excellent flying magic tool. Not only was its flight speed as swift as lightning, but it also possessed an array to shield against wind resistance, capable of isolating most of the force. If not for this, he would have been blown away long ago at such a speed.

Immediately after Han Li's trio departed, two streaks of light suddenly sped in from another direction, landing silently in the courtyard.

Inside the lights were an ordinary-looking man and a burly man dressed in black wearing a bamboo hat. They were Han Li's original body and his external avatar, Qu Hun!

"Brother Jin, that shadow clone was formed using more than half of my spiritual power. He carries many of my formation flags and magic tools, as well as one-third of the Gold-Devouring Beetles and puppets."

"As for that Tang San, although I do not know his exact cultivation, he calls himself 'Venerable' and is a Child of Destiny from another plane. He must possess many formidable methods. I hope that this time, you all can escape the fate of being persecuted by that Profound Bone and survive..."

Looking toward the direction Tang San and the others had gone, a flicker of complexity passed through the depths of Han Li's eyes.

Indeed, the one who had just left with Tang San was merely one of his shadow clones. However, that clone had condensed most of his spiritual power, allowing him to use many of his techniques. Additionally, he had handed over a portion of his puppets and Gold-Devouring Beetles to the other party.

The reason he went through all this trouble was that he wanted to see if the events occurring in that ancient cultivator ruin were truly the same as the cultivation novel Zhu Chen had given him, thereby further verifying the authenticity of the novel's contents and his own future.

As for why he called Tang San to help, there were two reasons. Primarily, he wanted to use this ancient cultivator's cave dwelling to figure out Tang San's specific cultivation level. If the other party truly possessed extraordinary cultivation worthy of the title "Venerable," then his friend Jin Qing could turn danger into safety and survive this tribulation.

But if the other party's cultivation was insufficient and he perished here, then Han Li would have eliminated a hidden danger for the chat group. After all, this person was insatiable, lacked integrity, and had already developed hostility toward him. Keeping him in the group would always be a menace; it was better to take this opportunity to get rid of him.

...

Meanwhile, in the Doupo World.

After closing the chat group, Xiao Yan began a new day of cultivation following Yao Lao. Because Xiao Yan had learned many skills from other worlds through the chat group, Yao Lao had made slight adjustments to his guidance.

Regarding cultivation methods, he had Xiao Yan continue to focus on the "Flame Mantra." However, regarding Dou Skills, he had Xiao Yan focus on Zhu Chen's "Vermilion Bird Treasure Technique."

Xiao Yan had downloaded this divine ability through the chat group, and thus had also obtained Zhu Chen's insights and realizations regarding the technique. Although he could currently only perform the first four strikes of the Vermilion Bird Treasure Technique, even so, the power of this technique far exceeded the imagination of both him and Yao Lao.

Yao Lao felt that he wouldn't even need to bring out the "Flame Splitting Tsunami" to make a fool of himself anymore. The power of just the first four strikes of this Vermilion Bird Treasure Technique was comparable to a Heaven-tier Dou Skill. If all ten strikes were performed, its power might even surpass a Heaven-tier Dou Skill.

Why waste time learning those mediocre Earth-tier Dou Skills when such a divine ability was available?

More importantly, his "Flame Mantra" and Zhu Chen's "Vermilion Bird Treasure Technique" both belonged to fire-type divine abilities; the two complemented each other perfectly, making them a match made in heaven. If Xiao Yan specialized in this treasure technique, his future achievements might far exceed the ending of the "Doupo Novel."

What was Hun Tiandi? Just a minor character. My disciple is the future Dou Di powerhouse!

"Hmm?"

Just as Yao Lao was lost in his fantasies, a powerful Dou Huang aura suddenly appeared within his perception.

"Could it be that female Dou Huang is coming?" Yao Lao's expression turned serious, and he quickly pulled over the cultivating Xiao Yan.

At that moment, above the Magical Beast Mountain Range, a green silhouette wrapped in Dou Huang wings swept in from the distance at an astonishing speed. The eyes of the master and disciple were almost instantly drawn to two faintly visible snow-white mountain peaks.

"What a surging aura!" Xiao Yan and Yao Lao exclaimed in unison.

As the female Dou Huang disappeared at the horizon, Yao Lao's mouth suddenly curled into a smirk. He nudged Xiao Yan's shoulder with his arm and grinned wickedly, "Kid, your chance has come. Go and refine a few more bottles of aphrodisiacs."

However, hearing this, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed instantly. He now knew that Yun Yun was Nalan Yanran's master; how could he possibly go and provoke that woman?

He reached out to wipe the nosebleed, took a deep breath, turned to look at Yao Lao, and said, "Teacher, although I am no saint, I will absolutely not do something like taking advantage of someone in their time of need. If I did, I think even you would look down on me, wouldn't you?"

...

(End of Chapter)