"Hm? To suppress it before the instinctual surge of Dou Qi?" The man whose form was like a blade, his gaze sharpened, showing a flicker of curiosity and appreciation. "Are you here to challenge my Enlake Dou Qi Hall?"

Challenge? To cause trouble? Qian Jin was startled, shook his head repeatedly: "No, I am just here to observe—to see if I can learn some Dou Qi and Dou Techniques here."

"Oh." Enlake exerted force with both wrists, pushing himself upright. His entire presence was more like a sheathed war blade; his legs moved like two dancing sabers, carrying him to the center of the training ground. He raised an arm, which was as sharp as a blade, and beckoned to Qian Jin: "So, you are still here to challenge. Then come in."

Qian Jin scratched his head. Are there no normal people in this village? Oulala concocts things that could kill someone every day, and Adams's strict requirements drive countless people mad. Thinking about it, only Uncle Black seems slightly more normal. Unexpectedly, Enlake, who looks like a living war blade, cannot even separate seeking knowledge from challenging the hall. "Which part of the hall do you want to challenge?" "I am here to seek learning." Qian Jin took off his shoes, walked to the center of the martial field, bent low, and bowed deeply; "I am not here to challenge."

"What's the difference?" Enlake swung his arm through the air, creating the sound of a war blade cutting through the atmosphere. "I never teach fools here. If you want to learn Dou Qi and Dou Techniques, you must first defeat someone of the corresponding rank to learn."

Qian Jin nodded in sudden realization. So, to learn here, one must first fight. No wonder he said seeking knowledge and challenging the hall were the same thing. Now, it truly seemed to be the same thing.

"Hey! Forget it! Since you are here to challenge, then just beat them one by one and leave." Enlake waved his arm in the air once more. Two children, about ten years old, ran out from behind Qian Jin and together pushed the thick door panels, blocking the light from outside the main entrance. Dong! The sound of the door closing struck Qian Jin's heart like a war drum. Huālā lālā lālā...

From the rooms flanking the character '[Dou]' (), rows of warriors with different appearances, dressed in black combat attire, emerged. They varied in height, some fat, some thin, some male, some female, some old, some young. The only similarity was that they all carried a palpable fighting intent!

"Hee!"

Over a hundred warriors stamped their feet simultaneously and let out a massive roar. The sound, mixed with the impact of their stomping, immediately formed an invisible pressure that pressed down on Qian Jin, merging with the vibration of the floor.

"Looking at you, you don't seem like an eighth-rank Dou Jin." Enlake returned to sit beneath the character '[Dou]', his two blade-like eyebrows slightly raised. "We'll start directly from the first tier! If you win the first tier, you will receive corresponding rewards, such as Dou Techniques or secret scrolls for Dou Qi cultivation." "I'll do it!"

Qian Jin listened to the crisp female voice and took in the young girl who leaped out from the crowd. She looked about sixteen or seventeen, with neat, refreshing short blonde hair, her chest just beginning to develop, slightly rounded. Due to long hours of practicing warrior skills, her physique was slender and tall; she might grow into a fine beauty in the future.

The Dou Qi from the Demon-Subduing First Battle erupted from the girl. Her fair, porcelain-like bare feet gripped the floor with her toes. Her body sprang forward like a compressed spring, striking out suddenly. Her feet tapped the wooden planks repeatedly, like a dragonfly skipping across the water's surface. In an instant, she reached Qian Jin. Her shoulders moved slightly, and both hands exploded from her lower abdomen, her ten fingers spread wide like a fully bloomed lotus, striking fiercely toward Qian Jin's lower abdomen.

What kind of Dou Technique is this? Why does it resemble a lotus? The movements were fluid and graceful, seemingly aimed at the lower abdomen, yet she could instantly spread her arms, transforming into a massive lotus to completely envelop her opponent! Qian Jin clicked his tongue in praise, standing still without moving.

Peng! The collision of fist and palm Dou Qi against muscle rang out with a deep impact. The formidable Dou Qi caused Qian Jin's protective clothing around his abdomen to vibrate rapidly.

One palm strike landed, and the girl’s hands did not pause. Her arms spread out like petals scattering from an enraged lotus, striking Qian Jin at different locations. The muffled sounds of colliding fists and feet echoed in the quiet training ground.

Qian Jin stood still, calmly watching the girl's strikes. Two years in the Four Seasons Valley's strange lake were not in vain. Perhaps other warriors from the Demon-Subduing Nine Battles could not calmly face the punches and kicks of the First Battle and endure them with their bodies without injury, but the Wind and Cloud Golden Body had been tempered for a full two years. Even the fists of Nilah, the Demonic Martial Artist with Troll bloodline, could barely be withstood. This Demon-Subduing First Battle technique, which sacrificed considerable destructive power in pursuit of speed, was little more than a tickle compared to it.

The intense collision of fists and feet resonated over a hundred times on the training ground. The warrior girl bent over, wiping the sweat from her brow, gasping heavily. She managed to lift her head to look at Qian Jin, who hadn't moved a single finger while remaining standing. Hoo—hoo—hoo—hoo—

Only the sound of the warrior girl's heavy breathing filled the hall. Qian Jin nodded gently, casting an appreciative gaze. To unleash a hundred explosive attacks with her Dou Qi fully unleashed without collapsing onto the floor from exhaustion was quite commendable.

"Done hitting?" Qian Jin reached out and gently touched the girl's head. "Speed is good, but it must be moderate. Pursuing speed too much and using ornate methods to confuse opponents is a fine idea, but this absolutely cannot be on the premise of sacrificing destructive power. Otherwise, a hundred of your punches are not as effective as one kick from someone else. What the outcome would be, I needn't tell you, right?"

The girl vigorously shook her head, flicking away Qian Jin's hand. She slightly crouched, and her Dou Qi followed by sinking down, and the entire person suddenly burst forth! Qian Jin's eyelids twitched. The exploding girl was no longer an unfolding lotus, but a blade! A war blade that emitted a chilling fighting intent the moment it was drawn! Her palms, pressed together, resembled a war blade trying to pierce the sky!

Chiu! Her twin palms sliced through the air with a sharp sound, slamming into Qian Jin's abdomen like an ancient chariot, eliciting a dull thud like crushing dry grass.

"What Dou Technique is this?" Qian Jin reached out, wrapping his arm around the girl's waist as she swayed from exerting force. He felt the elasticity of her waist muscles. "Although her Dou Qi wasn't enough to injure me, this move is incredibly powerful among warriors of your rank."

The girl, blushing, pulled away from Qian Jin's arm and turned, running barefoot back into the crowd. She hid behind a man who was plump like a huge, soft steamed bun, secretly watching Qian Jin.

"A decent protective Dou Technique," Enlake's blade-like eyebrows arched, his eyes shooting out cold light like the edge of a blade. "The Raging Lotus Dou Technique couldn't touch you, and the Ground Splitting Slash couldn't even break your protective Dou Technique. Good! You've earned one victory. Now you have three choices. One: Take the victory prize and leave."

Qian Jin shook his head. Since he came in, he wanted to see more. If even this little girl could unleash such sharp Dou Techniques, what about other stronger warriors? Learning more would increase his odds significantly when dealing with the Flame Demon. "Two: Take your victory prize, and we continue fighting." Qian Jin hesitated for a moment. "And the third?"

"Three: Wager your victory prize and continue fighting. If you win, you receive a better prize than if you didn't wager. Enlake smiled. "Of course, if you lose, the prize is gone. If you can keep winning and accumulate enough, you might even gain the right to ask me one question to resolve your doubts." "I'll wager the prize, and we continue."

"Answering me so quickly, without even thinking about it?" A faint smile touched Enlake's cheek, sharp as a blade slicing past. "If you lose, you get nothing. If you choose the reward, you can take the Ground Splitting Slash just earned."

Qian Jin's eyes swept over the people seated on both sides, searching for the next opponent.

The warrior whose figure was round like a ball, blocking the girl's body, slowly rose. His huge bare feet stepped onto the field. His steps, filled with Dou Qi and weight, caused the wooden planks of the martial field to tremble slightly.

Qian Jin looked up at his opponent, who was taller than him, calculating silently. This guy must weigh at least four hundred pounds, right? Such a build was rare among warriors.

Qian Jin took a deep breath. The one hundred and eight Dou Qi vortexes of the Demon-Subduing Nine Battles spun rapidly. Blood Qi mixed with fighting intent surged out of his body. Simply facing this massive weight required sufficient respect.

Warriors! Most were slim, with solid muscle and streamlined contours. If one's build was overly thin or overly fat, one should pay even closer attention.

There was no need to announce a start. The moment their fighting intents met in the air, they instantly collided, signaling the beginning of the fight.

The fat warrior took a deep breath, and his belly visibly expanded continuously, doubling in size compared to before! The Demon-Subduing Nine Battles Dou Qi also erupted from within him. His thick arms, like broken crossbeams from a great hall, carried a wuwu sound of air being split as they smashed down heavily, the strong wind rushing toward Qian Jin's face!

He moved like a giant brown bear pouncing on a large fish in the water. He kept one arm hidden near his waist, ready for both attack and blockade, while the other bear-like arm smashed fiercely toward Qian Jin's head. The Great Strength Exploding Bear Dou Technique!

The fat warrior activated his Demon-Subduing Nine Battles Dou Qi. The fat on his entire body vibrated incessantly. His throat and lungs moved, and the expelled airflow created a sound like the roar and snarl of a massive Dire Bear.

Among Beast Techniques, there are many Bear Techniques, and the Dire Bear Technique is a superior one among them. This fat warrior had already achieved a semblance of the Dire Bear form!

Qian Jin inwardly praised. This fat warrior was indeed worth noting. Beast Techniques were categorized into Imitation, Likeness, Form, Spirit, and Marrow! This move was already at the 'Form' level—rare! Truly rare!

Qian Jin stepped rapidly, his legs bent halfway, as if seated on a wooden chair. He raised a hand, supported it, and then abruptly clamped his five fingers down! Without even looking at the fat warrior's other hand reaching out, he suddenly twisted his left leg, engaging his waist strength, spinning his body to turn his back to the opponent, and swung his arm with full force!

Peng! Kacha-chacha! Qian Jin took the first punch. However, the wooden plank beneath his feet could not withstand the collision between two Demon-Subduing Nine Battles strengths. Fragments scattered like rain!

"Up!" Qian Jin twisted his waist, bent his back, grabbed the fat warrior's arm with one hand, and flung it forward forcefully. With a shoulder throw, he yanked the four-hundred-pound fat warrior off his feet, hoisting the massive man over his head with just one hand!

Qian Jin raised his left hand to catch the fat warrior's second punch as he flew up. The planks beneath his feet groaned under the impact of the weight and Dou Qi once more, causing the nearby planks to tilt away from the ground due to the pressure!

The fat warrior's back crashed heavily onto the ground, shattering more floorboards. Amidst flying wood chips, Qian Jin rushed forward at high speed. This fat man from the Demon-Subduing Nine Battles couldn't be dealt with by a single shoulder throw!

The fat man shattered the floorboards and bounced up from the ground like a rubber ball. Qian Jin's fist struck precisely into his protruding, obese belly.

A slight smile bloomed on the warrior girl's face. This belly wasn't just simple swelling; it possessed the rare Dou Technique, the Clinging Belly. It appeared incredibly soft, but when punches and kicks struck it, they would be completely entangled by the fat belly. A warrior of the same rank trying to pull their limbs out? Even if the bones in their hands and feet weren't broken, they would at least lose a layer of skin!

So soft! So sticky! Qian Jin's brows furrowed near his forehead. The deeper his fist sank, the more Dou Qi and strength were consumed. This mass of fat indeed complemented a special Dou Technique. "Heh heh..." The fat warrior grinned through the pain twisting his face, raising his fist high to smash down again toward Qian Jin's head. "Interesting!" Qian Jin supported it with one hand, twisting his shoulder. His Dou Qi rotated along his arm, and a surging punch suddenly twisted and pulled horizontally!

The Iron Arm Mantis bloodline's bloodline Dou Technique, [Splitting Gold Consecutive Slash]! The thick fat instantly seemed to be torn apart by several war blades slashing back and forth. A strange 'sissing' sound was pulled out of the fat warrior's belly instantly. Before the fat warrior's fist could land, his expression stiffened and flushed red. He opened his mouth and expelled a stream of air, and his fat belly rapidly shrunk back down.

Qian Jin tilted his head, letting the expelled Dou Qi graze past his ear, an attack as direct as a fist strike! This was the Clinging Belly's final trump card. "Alright, stop fighting." Enlake suddenly spoke. "You won."

The fat man opened his eyes, looking at the hand-blade stopped next to his cheek. He let out a cool breath. If that strike had actually hit his head, it might have cracked open. An opponent of the same rank was this formidable.

Qian Jin retracted the Splitting Gold Consecutive Slash and shook his arm repeatedly. Special bloodline Dou Techniques required a corresponding bloodline warrior to exert their strongest power and avoid any adverse side effects. Having just managed to simulate the [Splitting Gold Consecutive Slash] without fully understanding it, his muscles felt a slight soreness, as if scraped by several blades. "I should be content," Qian Jin dispersed the pain in his arm with his Dou Qi. "To be able to simulate a Dou Technique that others can only envy, that is already good fortune."

"Won again? Not only is your combat awareness very strong, but you also possess such great strength?" Enlake lightly clapped his hands; the sound resembled two steel blades colliding. He truly was like a humanoid war blade.

Strength? Qian Jin looked down at his arm. He really had Uncle Black to thank for his daily training, wielding increasingly heavy iron hammers, practicing the Eighteen Hammer Strikes of Ascending Edge. Even barbarians would probably be too terrified to speak their minds, right? He wondered if his strength was greater than that of warriors with Titan bloodlines.

"Now, you have three choices again..." Enlake stretched out three fingers, sharp as short daggers, looking playfully at Qian Jin. "First..." "I choose to wager the rewards from the first two victories and continue fighting." Qian Jin spread and then clenched his fists, repeatedly rotating his shoulders. "I want to accumulate enough rewards to ask you a question." "Oh?" Enlake applauded softly, his cheek, sharp as a slicing blade, revealing a hint of appreciation. "You aren't tempted by the Dou Techniques. Either you possess more and better techniques, or your will is firm as iron. Which are you?"

Qian Jin thought for a moment: "Who would ever say no to more Dou Techniques? My will is not firm as iron; I am just a young warrior urgently needing guidance from the strong."

"You now have two choices." Enlake extended two fingers. "First, challenge a stronger warrior. The next opponent will definitely be beyond your current realm, a full realm difference. If you can still win, the accumulated rewards will be enough to ask me a question once."

Qian Jin watched Enlake quietly. After hearing the first choice, he decided to hear the second one as well before deciding. Listening never hurt; one must remain composed. Failure or missed opportunities often result from excessive haste. Such a low-level mistake must be avoided.

"Hm? There is a choice you need, yet you didn't select it immediately?" Enlake adjusted his posture, leaning diagonally against the wall like a war blade driven into the ground. "I saw excitement in your expression just now, yet you immediately restrained it. Young man, you are not simple. Many people, upon seeing a goal they desire, cannot see any other options. Have you experienced too much? Or is there some other reason that cultivated such a calm demeanor?"

Experience? A faint bitter smile touched Qian Jin's cheek. What experience could a young man under twenty truly have? Perhaps it was mostly due to reading many books in the past, and meticulously remembering the experiences and words of many famous figures, that he possessed such composure.

"The second choice is a free-for-all." Enlake glanced at the eager warriors around them. "Of course, it's you against multiple opponents. You can specify the number, but I can tell you that every one of your opponents will be a warrior of your same rank. So, be careful when selecting the number."

A free-for-all? Qian Jin felt the fighting intent pressing in from all sides. Enlake's voice sounded again in the training ground: "There is one thing I must tell you beforehand: in a free-for-all situation, the more opponents you defeat, the greater your reward will increase. That is to say, in a free-for-all, your reward is directly related to how many opponents you fight." "Fight more, gain more?" Qian Jin nodded. "That is very fair."

"Of course, I am always fair. However..." Enlake drew out the sound, fixing a look of expectation on Qian Jin. "Now you have a problem. If simply winning only granted a small reward, you probably would have immediately chosen to fight above your rank, right?"

Enlake watched Qian Jin nod in agreement and continued: "But now, if you participate in a free-for-all, you can receive rewards for more than one Dou Technique or secret manual. Given your abilities, you probably can do more than just fight one or two. Therefore, the accumulated rewards will still be substantial. Now, I am eager to see how you, who has always been so composed, will choose?"