After his recent breakthrough to Peak 9-Star Da Dou Shi, Xiao Feng decided to take a well-earned breather. The air in Jia Ma Sacred City was fresh in the early morning, filled with the scent of street food, the hum of conversations, and the faint energy of countless cultivators moving through the city.
Wearing his usual white-gold robe, he strolled through the market district, his golden eyes calm as he casually scanned the lively street. Steam rose from sizzling skewers, and the aroma of roasted meat, sweet pastries, and spiced soups tempted even his disciplined palate.
He stopped by several vendors, purchasing a few skewers of flame-roasted boar meat and some fluffy spirit-fruit buns. With his strength and physique, these snacks were nothing more than indulgences—but sometimes, indulgence was necessary for the soul.
After a full stomach and a clear mind, Xiao Feng returned to his inn quietly.
> "Time to reinforce the foundation before soaring again."
---
For the next month, Xiao Feng entered complete seclusion.
Within his spacious, reinforced room, the soundproofing inscriptions made it an ideal cultivation chamber. He sat cross-legged, immersing himself entirely into refining his Dou Qi—compressing, circulating, and polishing it like jade. Though his Wind Spirit Body allowed him to rapidly advance, he never allowed his foundation to grow unstable.
Time passed unnoticed.
Each day, his Dou Qi became sharper, smoother, and more refined—like wind whistling through a blade's edge.
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One Month Later
Current Cultivation: Peak 9-Star Da Dou Shi (Solid Foundation)
Total Energy Points: 63,652,000
Daily EP: 370,000 → Will increase after breakthrough
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With calm, unwavering eyes, Xiao Feng opened the system shop.
> "It's time to ascend."
He selected the breakthrough pill he had been eyeing:
Spirit Ascension Pill – Mid 5th Tier
Cost: 230,000 EP
Effect: Enables Da Dou Shi to Dou Ling breakthrough by harmonizing spirit and Dou Crystal.
> Purchase confirmed. 230,000 EP deducted.
New EP: 63,442,000
The pale emerald pill appeared in his palm. He swallowed it, and a tidal wave of energy erupted from within. His Dou Crystal pulsed and began to morph violently, the solid rhombus-shaped crystals splitting and elongating like living things.
A massive vortex of wind Dou Qi surrounded him, forming a cyclone in the room.
His Dou Crystal evolved—becoming smoother, but now shaped like a sea urchin, its core surrounded by nine long crystalline spikes that radiated power.
This was the sign of a Dou Ling.
Each of those crystalline spikes represented a "star." As his cultivation advanced through the Dou Ling realm, one spike would vanish per level gained until all nine were gone.
Xiao Feng clenched his fist.
A pulse of Dou Qi surged out and wrapped around his body—not just a cloak, but now taking form. Armor made from condensed wind Dou Qi, faint green and semi-transparent, covered his limbs. Sleek and lethal. On his back, his wind-forged sword flickered faintly.
A breath.
With a soft gust, his body lifted slightly from the floor—a true Dou Ling was capable of flight, even without Dou Skills.
> "So this is... the next stage."
---
Breakthrough Complete: Xiao Feng – 1-Star Dou Ling
New Dou Crystal Form: Sea urchin-shaped with 9 long crystalline spikes
Abilities Gained:
Short-distance flight without wings
Materialization of Dou Qi into powerful weapons/armor
Enhanced attack and defense capabilities
New Daily EP: 400,000
Total EP Remaining: 63,442,000
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He stood in silence, absorbing the tranquility of the moment. The air around him seemed to carry a sharper edge, and even the wind outside responded faintly to his presence.
He was no longer simply a strong fighter.
He was now a true elite among cultivators.