The Sand Python could be considered one of the apex predators among serpents, and the Nine-Headed Serpent, now relegated to legend, represents the absolute pinnacle of serpentine forms. When two such titans collide, a reaction is naturally inevitable.

“Doesn’t this mean…” Qian Jin clenched his fists tightly. He had been considering that even if Duan Feng Buer suppressed his Awakening, entering the Awakening Altar of the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline family would not be simple, unless he renounced the surname Duan Feng and reverted to the surname of the Nine-Headed Serpent lineage.

Now! With this strange water… there was a chance to strike a bargain with the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline family!

Qian Jin let out a long breath to the heavens. That was right! No bloodline family would ever complain about having too many members awaken their inherent power; they only ever wished for more. Furthermore, in most bloodline families, the majority fail to awaken successfully; only a select few ever truly succeed.

“Master, can we conduct another eye-swapping experiment today?”

Oulala studied Qian Jin with a perplexed gaze. What was wrong with this boy today? Why the sudden interest in eye-swapping experiments?

“Fine!” Oulala pointed toward the testing table. “Today, you’ll be the primary operator for the swap, and I’ll be right here to correct your mistakes.”

Six hours later, the actual procedure of eye-swapping proved infinitely more cumbersome than anticipated. Qian Jin sat exhausted on the floor; one eye-swapping surgery had nearly drained every ounce of his energy, proving no easier than soaking in the medicinal vat.

“Alright, you’ve stayed here with me longer than ever today,” Oulala waved him off. “Hurry up and move to your next station for study. You’ve delayed my experiments quite a bit.” Qian Jin pushed himself up from the ground, bracing with his hands, and bowed deeply to Oulala in a formal student gesture. These teachers, one after another, had sharp tongues, yet every single one taught with genuine sincerity. Here, he could truly feel mutual candor and warmth. Exiting the room, Qian Jin twisted his neck. It was fortunate he had experimented today under Oulala’s guidance; he realized how many mistakes he had been making. If he had blindly transplanted the eyes onto Chekefulite, the handsome demon might have ended up as a one-eyed handsome demon.

“Oh, right.” Oulala poked her head out the doorway, looking at Qian Jin’s retreating back. “This eye-swapping technique isn’t perfect, not yet, at least. When you were first experimenting, you mentioned wanting to swap eyes for someone, and these weren't ordinary eyes—they release intensely high-temperature flames. So, after you complete the swap, remember to tell him to use that ability sparingly. Since they aren't his own eyes, if he uses it frequently within a certain time…”

“They’ll go blind!” A chill swept over Qian Jin’s body. To think there was such a limitation to swapping the Demonic Eyes of Destruction!

It seemed he needed to make this clear to Chekefulite, but even if he explained, would the demon bother to listen? A demon willing to sacrifice his life wouldn’t care about a single eye, would he?

Stepping across the threshold of the blacksmith shop again, he was met by Uncle Black’s weathered, deeply lined face, and a pair of sharp eyes that were strikingly different from his usual drowsy look—they were like daggers piercing directly into the deepest recesses of one's being, allowing no secret to hide beneath their gaze.

“Dou Xin?” Uncle Black’s brow was etched with confusion, doubt, and an inexpressible astonishment. “You should still be some distance away from Dou Xin. How is it that you possess one?” Dou Xin? Qian Jin pursed his lips. This wasn't the first time he’d heard this name today, nor the first time he’d heard that, given his current level, possessing a Dou Xin was impossible. Yet, he truly did possess one.

“Oh…” Uncle Black nodded slowly. “It’s an incomplete Dou Xin, or perhaps, a premature one.” Premature? Qian Jin realized that Uncle Black was indeed more authoritative than Fentukuangge in this regard; at least he could discern that the Dou Xin was premature, and incomplete at that.

“Do you know what a Dou Xin is?” Uncle Black stared directly into Qian Jin’s eyes.

“Dou Xin…” Qian Jin hesitated slightly, then pointed toward his chest. “The center of Dou Qi, capable of borrowing power from the body’s surroundings.” Black turned and slowly settled back into the corner of the wall, puffing rhythmically on his pipe. “Is that your explanation for Dou Xin? It seems you have no real idea what it is. Go to Enlack’s place and ask him.”

Enlack’s Dou Qi Chamber? Qian Jin looked at Uncle Black in surprise. If he remembered correctly, he had recently received an order stating he absolutely could not re-enter Enlack’s Dou Qi Chamber until he had truly mastered his Dou Techniques.

“Uncle, I understood why you forbade me to go previously,” Qian Jin said, promptly plopping down in front of Black. In his recent battle against Qian Wutian, that young man with the awakened Elven King bloodline had utilized an advanced Dou Technique in his sword movement in an instant, another advanced Dou Technique in his physical movement, and there was a faint shimmer of a third advanced technique hidden near his waist. Even the light emanating from his eyes was an advanced Dou Technique designed to interfere with perception.

Four advanced Dou Techniques deployed at once! He looked incredibly formidable! However, Qian Jin was certain that if he were at the same strength level as his opponent, mastering his Seven Forms of Blood War into a single strike would instantly kill him.

Learning to use a Dou Technique isn't difficult, but truly mastering it—unleashing its full power—is far from easy. Learning and truly understanding are two completely different matters.

Enlack’s Dou Qi Chamber is a good place; training in the arena daily might help him learn more excellent Dou Techniques. But the problem is, learning them without truly mastering them means they are effectively useless in a real life-or-death battle.

“You only have the Dou Xin now, but you lack the Dou Xin awareness,” Black said, waving his hand and sinking back into silence, only the puffs of his pipe audible. Dou Xin? Dou Xin Awareness? Qian Jin turned and left the blacksmith shop, still puzzled. Fentukuangge had also mentioned Dou Xin and Dou Xin Awareness but couldn't truly explain what Dou Xin Awareness was, only saying it could control the power around the body.

Enlack’s Dou Qi Chamber was inconspicuous on the side of the street, its entrance not much larger than Oulala’s apothecary.

Qian Jin gently pushed the door open. Sitting in the middle of the hall was Enlack, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. As his own strength grew, meeting this powerhouse again made Qian Jin feel even more acutely the unfathomable depth of Enlack’s power. Even though Fabredis had completed his Sainthood, if the two were truly compared side-by-side, one could still faintly sense that Enlack was stronger than the ascended Fabredis!

“Uncle Black finally agreed to let you come,” Enlack patted the cushion beside him. “If you’re not busy running trials, sit down for a chat?” The cushion was incredibly comfortable. Qian Jin shifted a few times but couldn’t discern what material it was made of; it possessed a springiness that resembled neither the ‘sofas’ found in the grand houses of the Zhence Dynasty nor the cotton cushions of ordinary homes.

“Dou Xin? An incomplete Dou Xin?” Enlack’s surprised gaze swept over Qian Jin repeatedly. “I understand now. No wonder the Uncle sent you here; that’s the reason.”

“The Uncle told me to seek your guidance on what Dou Xin Awareness is.”

“You don’t know what Dou Xin Awareness is?” Enlack’s surprise morphed into outright astonishment, scrutinizing Qian Jin as if he were a traveler encountering a specter on a moonless night. “You don’t know what Dou Xin Awareness is, yet you condensed a Dou Xin? How?”

“This…” Qian Jin scratched his head, contemplating how to explain to Enlack. “I fought someone, and he was very powerful. With one strike, he broke the bones in both my arms. Strangely, his Dou Qi, upon entering my body, didn’t surge around wildly; instead, it rapidly formed something resembling chains, locking down my Dou Qiao, my Dou Qi, and my Dou Channels.”

Enlack’s eyes, though amazed, held a cold, contemptuous sneer. “Heaven and Earth Dou Xin Lock? The person who attacked you must be far stronger than you! What a stupid fool, actually using the Heaven and Earth Dou Xin Lock! If I were him, I would have killed you in one blow! What’s the point of displaying the demeanor of a master? Fools! Battles between warriors are about nothing but strength and life and death! That ‘masterly demeanor’ only gives your opponent time to grow stronger—it creates an enemy for yourself! Foolish! Utterly idiotic!”

Qian Jin looked at Enlack with an awkward expression. The bards spoke of peerless grandmasters displaying high conduct toward juniors, maintaining an air of magnanimity. But having actually encountered these top-tier powerhouses, Qian Jin realized that none of the truly supreme masters possessed any pretense of saying, 'Go train for two more years and come back to fight me.'

Both Fabredis and Enlack condemned the idiotic pretense of masterly conduct. If you lecture someone on bearing, and they feel insulted, they will go back, train relentlessly, and return seeking revenge—they certainly won't be lecturing you on bearing then.

Qian Jin frowned slightly. In fact, Qian Zhanxuan held similar views, only he wanted a descendant of the Qian family to act. That was why he set the two-month limit, assured that this Heaven and Earth Dou Xin Lock could not be undone within that time.

Compared to Enlack’s naked aggression, Qian Zhanxuan was far more venomous! Qian Jin shook his head slightly. If Qian Zhanxuan only possessed strength without malicious intent, he wouldn't be sitting on the Qian family patriarch's throne. He wasn't the only one whose Elven King bloodline had reached the Heavenly Extreme Awakening.

“He shouldn’t be familiar with you, right?” Enlack received an affirmative answer in Qian Jin’s eyes and immediately broke into a wide grin. “That’s it! If he had seen your actual combat capability, rather than just your Dou Qi strength, I suspect he would have killed you on the spot instead of letting you live this long.”

Qian Jin nodded gently. The moment he first saw Qian Zhanxuan, he felt the chilling killing intent hidden beneath that robust physique. The only reason he wasn’t killed then was perhaps to allow the beaten Qian family disciples to save face.

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