Qian Jin paused for a moment, thinking that staying in the Valley of Four Seasons for two years might actually be quite good. Almost no one would disturb him here, allowing him the freedom to venture boldly into the [Endless World] to study the mysteries of potions and the skill of forging.

The Dou Shi ore veins wouldn't be depleted in a single day; much of the Dou Shi would remain buried underground, allowing it to interact and naturally form even higher quality Dou Shi.

With Dou Shi available, he could focus on studying the Wind and Cloud Dou Qi, and he could freely enter the Endless World without worry. The more Qian Jin considered it, the more the idea of being confined to the Valley of Four Seasons for two years seemed appealing.

"Since you've come, stay for a while longer." The old man clapped Qian Jin on the shoulder. "It'll be good for you to help me hunt and gather food during this time, and it will also allow me to solidify the foundation of your Level Ten Warrior training. I'll set up a Dou Ling Grand Array for you, allowing you to instantly ascend to the rank of Demon-Slaying Warrior so you can begin learning the Wind and Cloud Dou Qi."

Hunting? Gathering food? Qian Jin shrugged, indicating he didn't mind. His trust in the old man deepened slightly; otherwise, the elder wouldn't have spoken of solidifying his Level Ten Warrior foundation.

The Qian family’s texts regarding the transformation from a Level Ten Warrior to a Demon-Slaying Warrior were not kept secret from any member of the clan. Detailed descriptions of Level Ten Warriors could be found in the records of every ancestor who had reached the ultimate awakening of their bloodline warrior status.

Many people, upon reaching Level Ten Warrior status, would rush into the Dou Ling Grand Array to seek breakthrough into the Demon-Slaying Warrior rank. While there was nothing inherently wrong with that approach, the meridians connecting the ten Dou Acupoints they established would be too narrow, severely limiting their future development even after becoming a Demon-Slaying Warrior.

The crucial step after becoming a Level Ten Warrior was avoiding haste. One needed to gradually expand those overly narrow meridians, transforming them from tiny streams into rivers before attempting the Dou Ling Grand Array to impact the Demon-Slaying Warrior breakthrough. This process yielded not only a higher success rate but also vastly greater potential for development once the Demon-Slaying Warrior rank was achieved.

"Oh, are you planning to stay here with me, or find a place of your own?" The old man looked at Qian Jin curiously.

Here? Qian Jin shook his head. Matters concerning the Endless World were best kept secret; staying here was actually less convenient than the cave at the entrance.

"You want to live alone? That’s fine." The elder nodded. "Then come over tomorrow morning. I didn't expect anyone to actually show up for this kind of arrangement, so I’ll need some time to prepare."

Qian Jin had initially thought he might be staying for two years, so he wasn't anxious about this day or so. He lifted his Zhanmadao (Horse-Slaying Saber) and turned to leave, but suddenly recalled a couple of things and stopped, turning back to ask, "Elder, my name is Qian Jin. I still don’t know how to address you."

"You want to know my name?" The old man squinted at Qian Jin, a sly smile on his face. "When you can defeat me, then you'll know."

"For now, you can call me Elder, or Old Man. Hmm, great hidden warriors must always maintain a degree of mystery to possess the aura of a master."

Qian Jin pursed his lips. What kind of thinking was that? Did this old man listen to too many wandering bard tales?

"Then, Elder," Qian Jin paused before continuing, "do you know if there are any beasts around here that are relatively easy to bully? Oh, I mean, relatively easy for a Level Ten Warrior. Preferably large ones, perhaps with some thick fur?"

"Oh, you head the opposite direction—that way. Follow the lakeside, and you’ll find some small things that should satisfy your requirements."

Qian Jin looked into the old man's eyes and suddenly felt as if he had seen that look somewhere before. Yes—Blacksmith Black, the old blacksmith from the Endless World. The same look he’d worn when tricking Qian Jin into the Western Mountain Range. It was best to avoid that direction for now.

"Anything else you want to know?" The old man looked at Qian Jin with slight bewilderment. A Level Ten Warrior in the winter Valley of Four Seasons might feel cold elsewhere, but surely not cold enough to require wrapping in fur for warmth?

"And the stones," Qian Jin pointed to the nearby stone forest behind him. "Are these stones problematic in some way?"

The old man grew increasingly curious about Qian Jin. An ordinary person arriving in the Valley of Four Seasons would at most marvel at how the stones formed a strange forest-like structure, thinking it quite magical, without noticing any other issues with the stones.

"Those are Oukelama Stones."

Oukelama Stones. Qian Jin shook his head. He hadn't heard of them. Although the Qian family possessed many books on stones, those were only consulted by clan members who failed their bloodline awakening and were relegated to managing the family's business, who would read the Record of Strange Stones.

"Simply put," the old man tapped his index finger on his forehead, thinking for a moment, "they are much heavier than a similar-sized piece of common rock."

A wave of realization washed over Qian Jin. No wonder those rocks, which he thought he should be able to move, seemed rooted to the ground—these stones were just heavier than others.

"Anything else?"

Qian Jin asked his few questions, then shook his head, indicating he had none.

"Very well, wander about freely. Oh, and it’s best not to bathe in the lake water; there are many fish in there more ferocious than the magical beasts on shore."

After giving a few warnings, the old man displayed surprising speed, and his figure quickly vanished by the misty lake shore.

Qian Jin looked at the lake water, from which he could clearly feel intense heat, and congratulated himself on the wisdom of his recent decision. Finding the Wind and Cloud Dou Qi with such luck, he couldn't help but let out a long howl to the sky.

The sound of the howl cut through the mist, reaching a wooden cabin by the lakeside. The old man heard the howl, smiled, and raised his head. "The boy's spirit sounds quite good. But I wonder if tomorrow’s training will make that good spirit disappear entirely? I’ve refined and strengthened the methods my own master used on me, and they are perfectly suited for this boy. This time, it's finally my turn to be the master!"

Vultures were large birds of prey with immense strength, capable of carrying a small pony in flight, but they certainly couldn't be described as intelligent birds.

On his way back, Qian Jin carried his Zhanmadao. During the two hours he spent lying motionless on the ground pretending to be a corpse, he managed to slay eight vultures that tried to eat him, plus the one he killed by the lake earlier, totaling nine vultures slain.

An adult vulture weighed about twenty jin (about 10 kg). Qian Jin, carrying the nine vultures plus the weight of his Zhanmadao, totaling around 400 jin (200 kg), returned to the cave entrance. Dropping the game he hunted, he startled the two girls who had been peering out from the entrance.

"These feathers are quite insulating. Be careful when plucking them. Weave the feathers together with dry grass for temporary winter clothing," Qian Jin said as he crawled into the cave. "The meat can be roasted and eaten."

The two women carefully plucked the feathers, storing them away, and selected one of the fattier vultures, tearing off a good portion of its meat to prepare dinner for everyone.

After dinner, Qian Jin still felt uneasy and rested near the cave entrance with his Zhanmadao close at hand. The cave now carried a strong scent of blood, and who knew if it might attract some hungry, bold beasts to try their luck.

The women's weaving skills were indeed lacking; they hadn't made much progress all afternoon and were huddled in the dry grass near the stove, resting.

Qian Jin took out the partially used Grade Four Dou Shi and began his daily, uninterrupted Dou Qi cultivation practice. Level Ten Warriors not only needed to accumulate more Dou Qi but also attempt to widen the meridians connecting the ten Dou Acupoints—what warriors professionally termed "nurturing."

The suction power of the ten connected Dou Acupoints was more than ten times greater than when they were separate. The Dou Energy within the Dou Shi flowed into his body continuously and rapidly, like water bursting through a dam. As the energy circulated through the Dou Qi training pathways, it converted a portion of the Dou Energy into Dou Qi.

"What a pity," Qian Jin sighed inwardly with a touch of disappointment, "it's only a Grade Four Dou Shi. In terms of both the refinement and the reserves of Dou Energy, a Grade Four Dou Shi simply cannot compare to a Grade Ten Dou Shi."

If it were a Grade Ten Dou Shi, converting it to Dou Qi would be much easier. The impurities in the Dou Energy of a Grade Four Dou Shi were too numerous; they needed to be decomposed and expelled before the energy could be converted into Dou Qi through the practice pathways.

In less than an hour, the Grade Four Dou Shi, which had stored Dou Energy, transformed from a dull gray state to a transparent, crystal-like state after losing all its energy.

Qian Jin placed the spent Dou Shi back on the ground, feeling the significant increase in Dou Qi within his body, and let out a soft sigh. This explained why elite family disciples, who received focused training, invariably surpassed those who did not—it was an indispensable factor.

The assistance of a Dou Shi naturally yielded much better results in cultivating Dou Qi. If they encountered any difficult or confusing issues, there were specialists available to explain. The accumulation of so many resources, combined with the fact that the selected individuals already possessed decent talent, theoretically meant they would have better development than those abandoned warriors.

Qian Jin glanced at the magical hat beside him but suppressed the impulse to enter the Endless World. Everything in the still unfamiliar Valley of Four Seasons called for caution; no one could guarantee that it would remain perpetually safe, free from wild or magical beasts.

Qian Jin had read many books detailing wild and magical beasts, knowing that in the world of beasts, true dominance and security were only established after one had truly shown their power and secured a victory.

Biluo had already fallen asleep, while Huang Quan was still deep in meditation, attempting the difficult breakthrough to convert spiritual power into magical energy.

Qian Jin could only sigh in admiration at Huang Quan’s efforts. Typically, when a Level Ten Mage reached their peak and needed to condense their spiritual power to transform it into magical energy, they required specialized magic arrays, often constructed with magic crystals and monster cores, to aid the breakthrough.

(Regarding today marking the hundredth chapter, let’s have some monthly votes to celebrate! To be continued. If you wish to know what happens next, please log in to Qidian. More support for the author means more support for genuine reading.)