In a world filled with harmony, Li Xiaotian sat cross-legged atop a mountain peak, observing the memories of Tian Ming and Dou Yan. Though both had fallen to his World Annihilation Fist, Li Xiaotian had, at the moment of their demise, used his Devouring Great Dao to absorb all their memories.
He studied their techniques, their Dao, extracting their essence and integrating it into himself.
The World Annihilation Fist was merely the beginning; he needed to continuously create his own techniques, building his foundation before ascending to higher realms.
Time flowed as Li Xiaotian began by observing their formative years.
Tian Ming was born into the Nether Clan. In his youth, he was unremarkable, but he was ruthless, daring, and combative, growing step by step into a powerful figure.
It could be said that his entire life was a campaign of conquest. Only in the last thousand years did he enter seclusion, preparing for the trials of Hundred Battles City.
Li Xiaotian studied his Dao and techniques. Despite Tian Ming's perceived dull talent, he possessed immense perseverance, creating a sword technique and a movement technique.
Dou Yan's life, in contrast, was relatively smoother. It was worth noting that he was not originally from the Dou Qi world but a being from another realm who had transmigrated into the Dou Qi world by chance.
"Transmigration and soul possession?" Li Xiaotian's eyes flickered with interest.
After all, this was a descendant of a high-level powerhouse, yet he had hidden it so well.
Soon, Li Xiaotian understood. After Dou Yan transmigrated to the Dou Qi world, he possessed a rare treasure that contained the remnant soul of a mid-level invincible powerhouse, a master of alchemy.
It was with this remnant's help that Dou Yan managed to deceive everyone.
"Thirty years east of the river, do not bully the young and poor."
Li Xiaotian murmured these words, spoken by Dou Yan in his youth. At that time, he had been betrothed to a woman who broke off their engagement, and in his rage, he had uttered this bold declaration.
"Interesting."
Li Xiaotian whispered. Dou Yan's life unfolded before him like a movie. It had to be said that Dou Yan's talent far surpassed Tian Ming's. He had created three distinct techniques.
One was a flame technique, fighting by integrating various exotic fires. Another was Dou Qi transforming into all things, and the third was a fist technique.
The flame technique focused on offense and lethality, integrating the might of various exotic fires to burn the void, possessing extremely domineering combat prowess. Dou Qi transforming into all things focused on body cultivation, condensing Dou Qi into armor for defense. The last technique, the fist technique, treated the fist as a weapon, possessing unparalleled attack power and growing stronger with each battle.
Li Xiaotian immersed himself in their memories, analyzing and absorbing them simultaneously.
Together, they possessed five combat techniques, which brought Li Xiaotian pleasant surprise, alleviating his regret for not having had satisfying battles this time.
"Hmm?"
As he viewed Dou Yan's entry into Hundred Battles City, Li Xiaotian's eyes suddenly showed a trace of solemnity.
It was Dou Yan's memory from the fourth trial. In his memory, he had encountered a female powerhouse who was not strong but extremely strange.
"It's her!"
A sharp gleam flashed in Li Xiaotian's eyes. The woman Dou Yan had met, he had seen before.
She was the woman from the Celestial Race, the same one Li Xiaotian encountered during his first exploration of the World Tree World. Later, he had even been sought out by a Celestial Race saint because that woman had gone missing.
"Something is wrong!"
Li Xiaotian's eyes flickered. Dou Yan had met this woman only a month ago, meaning she had never disappeared.
Li Xiaotian continued to watch Dou Yan's memories, reviewing all of the latter's memories from that period. However, when he reached the point where Dou Yan had direct contact with that woman, the memory suddenly vanished.
"This..." Li Xiaotian gasped. Dou Yan's memory hadn't disappeared; it had been erased by someone! All memories after meeting that woman were gone.
This was utterly baffling. Dou Yan was already a peak sixth-order powerhouse, far stronger than ordinary trial-takers, and such powerful individuals possessed various trump cards.
With his strength, how could his memories be erased without him noticing?
"There's a problem!"
Li Xiaotian frowned, carefully examining Dou Yan's memories. At the same time, a thought kept flashing in his mind.
It was a conjecture he had formed earlier, a suspicion that arose when he was targeted by a mysterious person at the peak of the World Tree.
Unfortunately, that mysterious mastermind had never reappeared, preventing his conjecture from being verified.
But now, Dou Yan's memories gave him more confidence in his speculation.
After a long while, a sharp gleam flashed in Li Xiaotian's eyes, and he looked up at the sky, his conjecture growing larger in his mind.
"I've discovered a shocking secret!"
"I think I've found the condition for passing the fourth trial!"
Li Xiaotian murmured, his eyes instantly sparkling with brilliance.
He recalled his entire experience entering the fourth trial, especially the mysterious black-clad figure he encountered at the World Tree's peak. That figure, wielding a half-divine longbow, had ambushed him, but it turned out to be a puppet.
And the transparent figure he finally encountered, which appeared from a World Tree leaf and was discovered by him, was eventually absorbed.
The memories he obtained after absorbing that figure were all darkness.
"Something formidable has appeared in the fourth trial!"
Li Xiaotian's eyes flickered as he finally understood. The mysterious mastermind had not only approached him but also Dou Yan, and had ultimately erased Dou Yan's memories.
This was clearly out of fear that something might be discovered in Dou Yan's memories, so they had intentionally erased them!
What kind of existence could appear at will within the World Tree and possess the ability to erase the memories of a peak sixth-order powerhouse without being detected?
Li Xiaotian's eyes flashed. He knew he couldn't accomplish this. He even believed that powerhouses like Shen Ming and Mo Tian couldn't do it either!
Therefore, there was only one explanation!
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, strange fluctuations diffused, like starlight, like ripples. A white light silently approached Li Xiaotian and shot towards him.
"Boom!"
Li Xiaotian reacted swiftly, turning and unleashing a punch.
The will of World Annihilation erupted, instantly submerging and annihilating the white light.
"Who? Get out!"
Li Xiaotian roared, his eyes filled with coldness, and a fleeting hint of mockery.
He had guessed who it was. He hadn't expected that just by having an answer in his mind, the other party would be unable to resist acting.
Suddenly, as soon as Li Xiaotian spoke, the void not far away cracked. Blinding light erupted, and a figure emerged from the shattering spatial rift.
"Heh heh, Li Xiaotian, you are indeed a being valued by the main body. You are very smart, guessing who we are!"
A voice sounded. The figure exuded a sacred radiance, like the moon shining high in the sky, instantly dyeing the surrounding space golden.