*Chapter 17: The Heavy Xuan Ruler*

It seemed that after absorbing Xiao Yan's Dou Qi for many years, Yao Lao's strength had indeed recovered to an unimaginable level.

Xiao Yan was very satisfied with this outcome; his years of intense cultivation of Dou Qi had not been in vain.

"As long as you follow my training method, you will be able to control the power of space in the future. Now, carry this on your back. From now on, even when you sleep, you are not allowed to take it off."

Yao Lao chuckled as a massive black object suddenly shot out from the ancient ring and landed heavily on the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.

As the dust settled, the true form of the black object was revealed.

It was a thick, blade-less, giant ruler. The end looked as if it had been cut straight through with a single stroke, leaving a smooth, mirror-like cross-section.

The pitch-black ruler was etched with faint, mysterious patterns that stretched from the handle to almost every part of the black surface. Combined with its ancient and dark color, it exuded an aura of mystery.

"Just what I needed—a weapon," Xiao Yan smiled slightly as he looked at the black ruler, which was much taller than him.

Yao Lao watched as Xiao Yan tried to lift the ruler, holding back his laughter.

Though Xiao Yan had already broken through to become a two-star Dou Zhe, the material of this ruler was extraordinary.

Its appearance was misleading; its weight was far heavier than it looked. Even an average Dou Shi would need to train for a while before being able to use it.

Grabbing the handle, Xiao Yan gave it a strong lift, only to be surprised by its immense weight.

The Dou Qi stage's primary purpose is to temper the body and widen the meridians, creating a solid foundation. After years of Yao Lao continuously absorbing Dou Qi, Xiao Yan's body had been tempered to a terrifying level; his physical strength far surpassed his Dou Qi strength!

Yet, even after using fifty percent of his strength, he found it difficult to lift the ruler.

Yao Lao smiled and added, "This ruler is made of Xuan Iron Meteorite. There is probably only one of its kind on the entire continent. It is not only incredibly hard but also extraordinarily heavy."

"Most importantly, it has the magical effect of suppressing Dou Qi. If you can adapt to this suppression, when you fight others in the future and remove this burden, your strength will shock everyone. Moreover, the Earth-tier Dou Technique I will teach you later is also related to this weapon."

With a slight stretch of his five fingers, Xiao Yan grabbed the handle of the black ruler again, using all his strength.

A power far greater than that of an average Dou Shi surged forth. With a booming sound, Xiao Yan easily lifted the giant ruler, holding it horizontally in front of him and gently stroking its surface.

Watching Xiao Yan handle the ruler as if it were a regular weapon, Yao Lao was stunned.

Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed, and he casually swung the ruler a few times. The pitch-black ruler cut through the air with a sharp whooshing sound.

Its terrifying power was apparent; if a Dou Shi was caught off guard, they would be gravely injured, possibly even fatally wounded, with a single strike.

Xiao Yan once again held the ruler horizontally in front of him and nodded slightly. "It indeed has substantial weight; not something an ordinary person can wield."

Yao Lao took a deep breath as he watched Xiao Yan expertly wield the Heavy Xuan Ruler on his first attempt.

This was entirely different from what he had expected; he had thought Xiao Yan would struggle to take even a single step with the ruler on his back!

"It seems that your years of cultivating Dou Qi have brought you exceptional benefits. Your physical strength is incomparable, even to that of an average Dou Shi," Yao Lao exclaimed in amazement.

Xiao Yan casually tossed the Heavy Xuan Ruler behind him, using Dou Qi to attach it to his back, and chuckled, "There have to be some perks, right?"

This fluid and effortless motion caused a storm of astonishment in Yao Lao's heart.

Combining this with the balance of strength and flexibility Xiao Yan had demonstrated when practicing the Eight Extremes Collapse, Yao Lao realized just how extraordinary Xiao Yan's control over his power was. His talent far surpassed that of any genius Yao Lao had ever seen.

It was as if Xiao Yan was born for cultivation and battle!

Xiao Yan spoke calmly, "As for the Earth-tier Dou Technique, I'm not interested at the moment since I don't have much Dou Qi right now."

"But, since this weapon is incredibly heavy, I wonder if it can be forged into a smaller size. That way, the weapon itself would create a striking contrast."

"Uh..." Yao Lao hadn't expected Xiao Yan to be so calm and rational in the face of an Earth-tier Dou Technique.

After pondering for a moment, Yao Lao shook his head. "I'm afraid that's impossible. Xuan Iron Meteorite is extremely heat-resistant; even Heavenly Flames can't affect it. Further forging it would be almost impossible."

After a brief pause, Yao Lao continued, "However, if you manage to subdue multiple Heavenly Flames in the future, it might be possible to remelt and reshape it."

"Alright," Xiao Yan sighed. The Heavy Xuan Ruler indeed had an unpolished elegance. However, its large size made its extraordinary weight obvious to anyone, unlike the Heavy Iron Sword, which created a striking contrast between its appearance and weight.

If it could be reforged into a smaller size, the contrast it would create would be unimaginable. The Heavy Xuan Ruler itself was already a formidable weapon.

"Now, let's get down to business," Yao Lao said, blinking. "I need twenty-three different types of fire-attributed herbs and the fresh blood of three second-tier fire-attributed magical beasts. There are two types of herbs nearby, so hurry up and take action."

Xiao Yan nodded and moved forward according to Yao Lao's instructions.

With the Heavy Xuan Ruler on his back, Xiao Yan felt a bit uncomfortable.

The Dou Qi, which had originally flowed swiftly through his wide meridians, was now suppressed to a snail's pace.

Moreover, the ruler's incredible weight required Xiao Yan to exert his full strength constantly to avoid being toppled over like an overturned turtle.

However, after carrying the Heavy Xuan Ruler, Xiao Yan's unparalleled talent immediately found a new path for growth.

Under the ruler's suppression, Xiao Yan's strength was greatly constrained. Unless someone had extraordinary soul power, they would only regard him as someone not even at the Dou Zhe level.

Moments later, Xiao Yan experienced a sudden insight.

[Due to your experience with the suppression of the Heavy Xuan Ruler, you have gained an epiphany. You have comprehended the "Concealment Technique."]

[The "Concealment Technique" can greatly retract one's aura, making it difficult for those without strong soul power to discern your true strength.]

Easily grasping a supportive secret method, Xiao Yan felt that since he began cultivating, his extraordinary talent was becoming increasingly effective.

This was a natural occurrence. With a solid foundation of cultivation knowledge, Xiao Yan's exceptional comprehension allowed him to apply what he had learned more flexibly, unlike the times when he was just training behind closed doors.

"Hmm? Are there magical beasts guarding the herbs?" Xiao Yan frowned, looking at Yao Lao.

"Your soul perception is much stronger than I anticipated." Yao Lao chuckled. "High-quality herbs are often guarded by magical beasts. Get ready for battle."

(End of Chapter)