The Nebula Fruit

Li Yi felt a bitter sense of unease in his heart. By forcefully breaking the barrier just now, he feared that Elder Qing had clearly seen the secrets of his Dou Qi and Dou Skills. There were no similar techniques or skills in his family. If Elder Qing were to ask about them, Li Yi really didn't know how he would respond. Elder Qing's serene gaze seemed to see right through Li Yi's thoughts. He scrutinized Li Yi and then said, "However, your Dou Qi is extremely peculiar. I, who have traveled across the Martial Deity Continent, can't even recognize its attribute. The sharpness within your Dou Qi is no weaker than any other, which suggests the technique you cultivate is not simple. Kid, do you have someone guiding you in secret? If so, invite them to visit this Yanwu Pavilion sometime..."

Li Yi's heart skipped a beat. These experienced old eccentrics were formidable, almost completely seeing through his secrets with just a few glances. However, it was impossible for Li Yi to confess everything. He responded with a smile that best suited his current state, whispering, "Elder Qing jests. What kind of person could be behind me? As for the cultivation technique, it was left by my mother. She didn't clarify what exactly it is, so..."

"Your mother, Li Han's wife..." Elder Qing muttered these seemingly trivial words, but his eyes briefly narrowed, a strange frenzy flickering in his pupils before being suppressed by reason. "Since it's hers, it's not surprising that she left such a technique. It seems that your peculiar Dou Skills also came from her... In that case, I won't pry further. Let's talk about something else."

"Kid, according to the rules of our Li family, anyone who breaks the ninth layer's protection is qualified to cultivate our family's most profound technique, the Shuiying Jue, and can choose any Dou Skills from the clan. However, I see that the techniques you're currently cultivating are not inferior to the Shuiying Jue, so you probably won't be interested in our family's techniques. And your Dou Skills are also extraordinarily peculiar; the family can't offer you anything better... Well... Kid, I'll give you another kind of benefit then!" Saying this, Elder Qing flipped his hand, revealing a jade box which he casually tossed to Li Yi, saying, "Keep this item secret, or even I can't protect you."

Li Yi clapped his hand, and a gentle Dou Qi emerged from his palm, catching the jade box. When it landed in his hands, he felt a surge of violent power emanating from within the box through its thin layer, suggesting something extraordinary inside! Li Yi looked up at Elder Qing's calm face and couldn't help but whisper, "Elder Qing, what is this exactly?"

Elder Qing replied indifferently, "Open it and see for yourself." Li Yi licked his lips, and finally, he couldn't resist. He grabbed the lid of the jade box and slowly opened it. As he did, an extremely violent power burst forth, a dazzling golden light piercing the eyes. Li Yi squinted, struggling to see clearly, and realized what floated before him was a crystal-clear fruit. The raging energy inside was dizzying, but its crystal-like body exuded an unusual aura.

"This is called the Nebula Fruit, a naturally occurring marvel. Besides increasing Dou Qi, its greatest use is when consumed during a breakthrough to the Warrior level, enhancing the safety and stability of the breakthrough... In terms of value, this is no less significant than a high-level Dou Skill. Kid, consider yourself lucky." Elder Qing's gaze lingered on the Nebula Fruit, a hint of reluctance in his eyes, but it was clear from his words that while the fruit was useful to him, its effect on Li Yi was even greater. Breaking through from Fighter to Warrior is extremely difficult; if consuming this fruit could increase the chances, then its value was immeasurable.

Li Yi, fearing that Elder Qing might take it back, quickly placed the Nebula Fruit back into the jade box and tucked it into his storage ring. Elder Qing appeared somewhat surprised, nodding and saying, "I didn't expect someone as young as you to have a storage ring. I was thinking of giving you one, but it seems unnecessary now... Well, from now on, you can enter this Yanwu Pavilion anytime. If you want to learn any Dou Skills, just find them yourself. You might not be interested in them, but everyone who enters this place has this right, so I won't exclude you... Alright, kid, I've given you your benefit, you may leave now." With a slight wave of his hand, Elder Qing opened a gap in the barrier.

Hesitating for a moment, Li Yi quickly exited through the gap. Moments later, the gap closed. Elder Qing's gaze held a trace of peculiarity. He seemed to hesitate for a long time before shaking his head slightly, saying, "Never mind, even if I took his techniques, I might not break through from King to Emperor level... Besides, the family behind that woman is too terrifying. If anything gets discovered, the Li family's thousand-year foundation could be destroyed..."

After saying that, he let out a long sigh. Once outside the stone house, Li Yi gestured to the anxious Li Nana and quickly descended to the bottom floor. It wasn't until he saw the sparsely scattered clan members around that Li Yi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. In that room, he had clearly felt that Elder Qing harbored murderous intentions towards him several times. Although he didn't know why Elder Qing eventually gave up on that idea, it made Li Yi break out in a cold sweat. In the stone house, Li Yi had to pretend to be oblivious to everything, fearing that the old fox would discover something, which would spell his doom. As for the Yanwu Pavilion, after leaving this time, anyone who enters again is a fool.

Li Nana, carefully observing Li Yi, asked softly, "Brother Li Yi, what happened?" Li Yi forced a smile and said, "That elder said I was biting off more than I can chew. These past few days, I've seen so many Dou Skills, but none that I wanted to master. He originally wanted to give me a profound Dou Skill scroll, but I guess my lazy appearance annoyed him."

Hearing Li Yi's vague explanation, Li Nana nodded slightly and said, "Brother Li Yi, you need not be dejected. Actually, the Dou Skills in the Yanwu Pavilion are just..." She stopped mid-sentence, but then softly added, "If Brother Li Yi doesn't mind, Nana can give you a Dou Skill scroll?" Saying this, she flipped her palm, revealing a golden scroll that emitted a faint light. Li Yi's eyes twitched slightly, puzzled. What was the background of this girl, who could easily produce a Dou Skill scroll? This gesture was much grander than anything he could offer.

"A high-level Zhuque Dou Skill, 'Fiery Heaven Devourer'," Li Nana said softly, caressing the scroll. Her face seemed a bit flushed, but it was unclear why. "This is the highest level Dou Skill I have, and although it's most effective for those with fire attribute Dou Qi, it shouldn't be too difficult for Brother Li Yi to cultivate."

Looking at this invaluable item, it was impossible for Li Yi not to be tempted. A mid-level Zhuque Dou Skill was enough to cause a robbery, let alone a high-level one. Anybody would drop their jaws at the sight of it. But seeing the faint shyness on Li Nana's face, Li Yi couldn't bring himself to take it. Although it was a kind gesture from her... he had already deceived her; what if he ended up deceiving her heart? He couldn't accept it; doing so might obligate him to her in ways he couldn't fulfill. Li Yi wasn't a cat that didn't steal fish. He found Li Nana's delicate loli demeanor irresistible, but he was also clear about his past life as a playboy and knew he couldn't be a devoted lover in this life. The dilemma made him feel depressed. If Li Nana was just playing around, it would be different, but her genuine feelings made him hesitant.

Seeing Li Yi's odd expression, Li Nana sighed softly and said, "Brother Li Yi, why don't you take it? It's not good if others see it..." Li Yi frowned and finally said with reluctance, "Nana, it's better if you keep this. I can't accept it..."

"Do you despise it because it's too low-level?" Li Nana pouted, looking pitiful and almost crying. Li Yi smiled wryly and said with a faint smile, "No, Nana, you should know that the techniques I cultivate were not passed down from my family, but left by my mother. The techniques included with this method allow me to maximize my Dou Qi. If I cultivate other Dou Skills, it might affect my cultivation... Haven't you noticed I've just been browsing these last few days? It's not that I don't appreciate your Dou Skill, but having it would distract me..."

"I see," Li Nana brightened up, "I've heard that only techniques of Baihu level and above have matching Dou Skills. I didn't realize Brother Li Yi was cultivating one of those. It seems I was presumptuous." Li Yi chuckled awkwardly, shifting his gaze from Li Nana's innocent eyes, which put great pressure on him.

Two days later, stepping out of the thick doors of the Yanwu Pavilion and taking a few breaths of fresh air, Li Yi felt like he was reborn. During those two days in the Pavilion, Elder Qing had appeared several times. Although he only glanced at Li Yi from afar, it made Li Yi's scalp tingle. Under his gaze, Li Yi didn't even dare to communicate with the Snake Venerable, not wanting to reveal any flaws to Elder Qing and cause endless trouble.

On the other hand, Li Nana's increasingly affectionate behavior made him feel bitter. He didn't want her to fall deeper, as he would likely not be able to take responsibility in the end. Now outside, Li Yi's first thought was to find an excuse to seclude himself for cultivation and get away from Li Nana, who was becoming like a tail. He had had enough of such days.

Outside the Yanwu Pavilion, the Li family members had been waiting for a long time. Seeing their children come out, they quickly greeted them. Spotting Li Han standing not far away with his hands behind his back, Li Yi quickly walked over and said in a low voice, "Father." Li Han glanced at Li Nana behind Li Yi and smiled slightly, asking, "How did it go? Did you break through the ninth layer?" Li Yi nodded slightly, "I did, and I met Elder Qing." The mention of that name made Li Han sigh, but he laughed and patted Li Yi's shoulder, whispering, "From now on, you can freely enter the Yanwu Pavilion. The benefits inside are unimaginable..." Saying this, father and son exchanged a glance and laughed together.