Cultivating the Qingyun Hand

In the dimly lit room, slivers of moonlight filtered through the window, casting their glow on the floor in front of the youth. He sat cross-legged, his right hand enveloped in Dou Qi, swirling around a crystal-clear fruit. His expression was a complex mix of emotions. After a moment, he finally let out a slight sigh, gently tapping the fruit with his hand, which was then covered by a jade box. Only then did the rampant energy emanating from the fruit slowly dissipate.

"Old Coot, is this thing really as miraculous as Elder Qing said?" Li Yi gently stroked the jade box in front of him, his fingertips wrapped in Dou Qi, continuously enveloping the box to prevent any of the fruit's wild energy from leaking. A faint red light flashed on the Yunhuang Ring on his hand, and the figure of the Snake Venerable appeared in mid-air, frowning at the jade box. After extracting a bit of Dou Qi from his forehead and flicking it into the box, he revealed a smile, saying, "Indeed, this is a Nebula Fruit. You should know, this item is quite valuable. In some major auctions, it can fetch a price of one to two million gold coins without any issue. I was planning to find one for you to aid in your breakthrough to Warrior level, but unexpectedly, an elder in your family has such a thing, which is rare indeed..."

Li Yi frowned slightly and asked, "Is there any problem with this thing?" The Snake Venerable shook his head and replied, "What could be the problem? This is a natural wonder. Even if someone wanted to mix something else into it, it would only destroy it. So, there's absolutely no issue. Why, are you worried?"

"I am indeed worried," Li Yi hesitated, "because when Elder Qing gave me this, there was a clear killing intent in him... I don't know where that killing intent came from, but..."

"It's not hard to guess," the Snake Venerable said lightly. "I see your family's Elder Qing is probably several hundred years old, which is basically the limit for a King level lifespan. If he can't make a breakthrough in a few decades, he'll likely perish... His killing intent towards you is simply because he covets the Heavenly Demon Nine Transformations. After all, high-level techniques aren't easily encountered. But it seems your mother also has an extraordinary background, which made him hesitate to act. As for the Nebula Fruit, it's probably his way of appeasing you and winning you over... After all, he can see that you're destined for great achievements. Forming a relationship with you now would be most beneficial."

"I see," Li Yi nodded, "But even if he killed me on the spot, could he really obtain the Heavenly Demon Nine Transformations?"

"Naive kid," the Snake Venerable chuckled. "Not to mention myself, even a mere King like him would have a hundred ways to uncover the secrets of your technique after your death... That's why there's a saying on the Martial Deity Continent: every fallen powerhouse is a natural treasure trove. This is why, when a powerhouse falls, major forces do everything possible to retrieve or destroy the body, rather than let it fall into others' hands. That's also why there are often unprovoked killings on the continent. Killing one person might make you stronger, a temptation too great for many."

Li Yi couldn't help but smile bitterly, no wonder the Martial Deity Continent was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. If you had even a bit of strength, you'd be targeted.

"Don't worry too much," the Snake Venerable continued, "Although Elder Qing is desperate for a high-level technique, as long as he retains a shred of sanity, he won't target you. And even if he's foolish enough to try, do you think I'm just for show?"

"So, let's focus on cultivation. The Sacrifice Ceremony in two months is something you can't miss. Even with your current strength, your chances of survival are only fifty-fifty. Therefore, cultivating a high-level Dou Skill is imperative."

"You're right, Old Coot..." Li Yi spread his hands, "In that case, give me a Qinglong-level Dou Skill to practice."

"Qinglong level," although it wasn't the first time Li Yi had made such a request, the Snake Venerable was still taken aback. He coughed before scolding with a laugh, "Even if I have a Qinglong-level Dou Skill, do you think you can cultivate it? It's said that even the lowest Qinglong Dou Skills require at least an Emperor level to cultivate... With your current strength, you might not even manage a Baihu-level Dou Skill."

"So, Old Coot, do you have a Baihu-level Dou Skill?" Li Yi's eyes lit up like a cat spotting a fish.

"Whether I have it or not, you'll find out in time..." the Snake Venerable replied indifferently. "But I can tell you, I have a set of Dou Skills that perfectly complements your technique and can maximize its power. However, to cultivate this set of skills, you need an auxiliary item."

"What item?"

"Blood Eye," the Snake Venerable said slowly, "I don't know where to find it, so it's up to your luck... But no matter what, you must find it. It's not only useful for cultivating that set of Dou Skills but also greatly beneficial for your cultivation."

Blood Eye - Li Yi etched these two words in his mind. He sighed softly and asked, "So, what Dou Skill should I cultivate now?"

"For now, the Qingyun Hand you acquired should not be neglected," the Snake Venerable advised. "I've studied it these days, and once mastered, your hands will be like blades, their power comparable to a fifth-grade weapon. This Dou Skill might be somewhat superfluous for others... But for you, combined with your unique Dou Skills, it seems boundlessly powerful."

Li Yi was slightly startled, a point he had never really considered before. It seemed the Snake Venerable, the old fox, had probably anticipated this step. Indeed, once the Qingyun Hand was mastered and combined with his own Phantom Kill, it seemed its power would be even greater. "So, can this Qingyun Hand break through a Warrior's Dou Qi Veil?" he asked.

"This is, after all, a mid-level Zhuque Dou Skill. If it didn't even have that capability, it wouldn't deserve to be called Zhuque," the Snake Venerable replied nonchalantly. "However, whether it can or not depends on your skill and the strength of your opponent."

Li Yi nodded slightly, flipping his hand to put away the jade box and replacing it with the scroll emitting a faint green light. He had acquired this Dou Skill scroll a long time ago but never had the opportunity to cultivate it until now. The thought of his hands being as sharp as blades, combined with his unique Dou Skills, made him believe he could take on hundreds of opponents and leave them scrambling for their teeth.

"Kid, give me the scroll," the Snake Venerable said lightly. Li Yi nodded and tossed the scroll over. The Snake Venerable touched it lightly, and the scroll slowly unfolded. He scanned it and nodded, saying, "Although this Qingyun Hand is only mid-level Zhuque, it's a technique left over from ancient times and is quite profound."

"Kid, you must cultivate it well," he said. With a flick of his hand, the scroll turned into a cloud of dust, from which tiny glimmers of light emerged, eventually forming a powerful stream of information that rushed towards Li Yi's forehead and disappeared in an instant.

"The Qingyun Hand, a mid-level Zhuque Dou Skill. Once mastered, your hands will be as sharp as blades, and your movements as fluid as drifting clouds. For those accustomed to fighting barehanded, it is an extraordinarily mysterious Dou Skill."

Although Li Yi already knew the effects of the Qingyun Hand, the influx of information still made him shiver. He then immersed himself in the information stream, intending to understand everything about the technique as quickly as possible. After an unknown period, Li Yi finally opened his eyes, looking around with a peculiar expression, "Was the Qingyun Hand scroll a one-time use item?"

The Snake Venerable shook his head, "Not at all, but this method saves much more time than if you were to study the technique slowly. You don't have that much time to waste."

Li Yi couldn't help but smile bitterly. He had originally planned to sell the Qingyun Hand for some money after mastering it, but the Snake Venerable had dashed that idea. "Stop frowning and try it out. You should have fully understood the essence of this technique by now," the Snake Venerable's voice sounded again.

Li Yi hummed, knowing well that the Snake Venerable did this for his benefit. Due to the chaos and confusion in his situation, he didn't have the luxury of gradually cultivating Dou Skills, making this accelerated method necessary.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Li Yi began to cultivate under the watchful eye of the Snake Venerable. He extended his hands, slowly directing Dou Qi towards his palms and fingers. This time, the Dou Qi was incredibly thin, using only a small fraction of his total capacity. Such fine control of Dou Qi truly tested a person's ability.

Some could only use Dou Qi in a broad, unrefined manner, but not delicately. Those individuals might cultivate powerful Dou Skills that required large amounts of Dou Qi, unsuitable for prolonged battles as everyone has limited amounts of Dou Qi. However, the Qingyun Hand represented another extreme. It required condensing a thin layer of Dou Qi over the hands' surface, which then, through cultivation, became as sharp as blades, turning the hands into deadly weapons. The first difficulty in this cultivation was controlling the Dou Qi to a critical point - not too much, not too little. Too much Dou Qi would make it less sharp, too little would make it less durable. Finding this balance was uniquely challenging.

With a "swish" sound, the Dou Qi around Li Yi's fingers dissipated. He frowned slightly and said, "That was the thirteenth attempt. It seems there was too little Dou Qi this time. I'll try a bit more."

With a grunt, Li Yi once again carefully manipulated his Dou Qi. The Snake Venerable, watching his actions, did not mock but instead showed a faint smile. As days and nights passed, seven days later, Li Yi, who had been sitting cross-legged on the bed, suddenly laughed. A faint black glow now emanated from his hands, gently swaying with his movements. This thin layer of black light seemed harmless, but it contained a fierce energy that exerted a palpable pressure.

"I've finally done it!" Li Yi laughed heartily. "Old Coot! I've finally mastered the Qingyun Hand!"