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Noon, the next day.
The sun was already high in the sky, yet the little kitten in the adjacent room remained asleep. With his eyes closed, Lu Xian focused his senses, discerning the steady rhythm of her breathing—she was definitely still sound asleep.
On any other day, she would have been awake at the crack of dawn, banging on his door to rouse him and get their day started. Her biological clock was like an alarm set with unwavering precision.
But today, she slept straight into the afternoon.
She was too frail. Last night had truly exhausted her. She must have been utterly drained.
"As expected, I'm just too strong. And… well, too big. She'll have to endure it."
Feeling a touch of pride, Lu Xian decided against waking her. He reasoned she needed more rest. So, he took the little girl downstairs for lunch, packed an extra meal, and gently knocked on her door upon his return.
A moment later—
There was movement within. The door creaked open, revealing the sleepy-eyed kitten, still groggy. When she saw the two figures standing outside—one tall, one small—her beautiful eyes flickered slightly as the memories of the previous night's intensity flashed through her mind. Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson.
She had always known this day would arrive. From the moment she decided to follow him, she had mentally prepared herself for it.
She simply hadn't anticipated it coming so soon. And in such an unromantic, even somewhat rough, manner.
The recollections of the previous night surged through her thoughts, and she shot Lu Xian a fierce glare. This man truly had no idea how to cherish someone!
If the little girl weren't standing right there, she would have lunged at him and bitten him a few times. Even pet cats possessed tempers!
"Lunch."
Lu Xian chuckled softly and handed her the packed meal. "We're not traveling today—I've already extended our room for another night. You should rest properly. I'm taking the little one outside the city to see if we can awaken her martial soul."
Zhu Zhuqing accepted the lunch with a blank expression and slammed the door shut with a resounding thud.
"Big Brother Lu, are you and Sister Zhuqing fighting?" The little girl looked up timidly, noticing Zhuqing's fierce demeanor.
Lu Xian picked her up and gently ruffled her hair with a smile. "Nope, Nan Nan. Your Sister Zhuqing just worked a little too hard last night and got really tired. She just needs a day to recover."
Inside the room, Zhu Zhuqing nearly stumbled.
This bastard! How could he say something like that in front of a child?!
Lu Xian carried the little girl out of the hotel, playfully chatting with her as they strolled towards the outskirts of Nuoding City. Today was essentially a day off.
Nan Nan was special. Lu Xian wasn't certain if he could actually awaken a martial soul for her. And if she did awaken one, he had no idea what kind of unusual effects it might possess. He needed to find a secluded location.
If Nan Nan truly could awaken a martial soul, then perhaps the other members of their group could as well. That meant they might all be able to enter the Douluo world and obtain their own martial souls.
Individually, a martial soul wasn't particularly significant across the vast multiverse. But within the chat group, where everyone practiced The Way of Covering the Sky, martial souls could potentially be refined into Dao artifacts. This would grant everyone in the group an additional combat technique.
[Chat Group: Xiao Yan has uploaded "Vacuum Palm"]
[Chat Group: Xiao Yan has uploaded "Fire Blowing Palm"]
[Chat Group: Xiao Yan has uploaded "Eight Extremities Collapse"]
[Ye Fan: Yo, what are these? They sound like martial arts techniques.]
[Xiao Yan: Close enough. In my world, we call them 'Battle Skills.' Think of them like the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms. If the Dao Sutra you uploaded before is like an inner cultivation technique, then these are actual combat moves.]
[Ye Fan: Why the sudden generosity?]
[Xiao Yan: A good brother shares the wealth.]
[Lu Xian: Let me expose the truth here—these battle skills aren't that easy to master. I've seen Xiao Yan's story. He struggled like hell learning them. My guess is, he just wants us to suffer alongside him. Am I right, Fire Boy? Learning Eight Extremities Collapse must've been a blast with Yao Lao whipping you, huh?]
[Xiao Yan: …]
Damn it! How did he know?!
If only I could use the energy from the Wheel of Life to strengthen my body… then I wouldn't have to endure those damn whippings!
[Ye Fan: So it's not 'sharing the wealth,' it's 'sharing the suffering'! You fraud! I see right through you now!]
[Ye Fan: But wait… tell me more about the whippings.]
[Xiao Yan: Lies! Slander! I object!] [Ye Fan: Really? 🤨]
Jokes aside, the group members were downloading the battle skills with incredible speed. Curiosity was one reason, but there was also the possibility that these skills could genuinely help enhance their strength.
Lu Xian and Nan Nan arrived at a clear, shallow stream just outside Nuoding City. The water barely reached their ankles. Nan Nan spotted a crab and eagerly ran over to try and catch it. Lu Xian, grateful for a moment of peace, sat on a flat rock and silently began downloading Eight Extremities Collapse.
[Lu Xian has downloaded "Eight Extremities Collapse"]
The chat group sent a notification:
Innate Learning Physique—Activated! Eight Extremities Collapse: A high-tier battle skill specializing in close-range combat. Known for its overwhelming force, mastering it allows one to unleash eight layers of hidden power. At full strength, its force rivals an Earth-tier technique. The key to mastery is…
In just a few moments, Lu Xian had already grasped the essence of the technique. Compared to the Dao Sutra, this was significantly simpler.
To utilize Eight Extremities Collapse, one needed a strong physique and had to compress battle energy in a specific manner to concentrate it into a single point of impact. The true challenge lay in the eight hidden layers of force.
Mastering this required absolute control over one's energy—delivering the initial impact externally while simultaneously sending the hidden force directly into the opponent's body.
Lu Xian didn't possess battle energy, but he reasoned that soul power should serve a similar purpose.
He walked up to a thick tree, took a deep breath, and raised his fist. A faint flow of energy formed around his hand. After a brief moment of concentration, he delivered a powerful punch.
"Eight Extremities Collapse!"
BANG!
A muffled explosion echoed. Splinters of wood erupted from the point of impact, and cracks radiated outward from a small dent in the bark.
BANG!
A second, deeper explosion followed. This time, the hidden force detonated within the trunk, causing the tree to shake violently. It appeared as though a strong gust of wind could topple it at any moment.
Lu Xian's eyes lit up with interest. "This hidden force concept is intriguing. I only used one layer, and it's already this potent. Far more engaging than simple brute strength."
[Xiao Yan: Among these battle skills, Eight Extremities Collapse is the most difficult to learn. Even I've barely scratched the surface.]
[Lu Xian: Oh?]
[Lu Xian: (Picture of a shattered tree trunk)]
[Lu Xian: Really? Because I just learned it after one look.]
[Xiao Yan: …]
"....."