The dark scroll unfurled, revealing a pair of eagle wings. They weren't large, but they looked sleek and elegant.
The wings were predominantly black, with a metallic sheen and faint purple cloud-like patterns, adding a touch of exquisite beauty to what would otherwise be plain wings.
As Xiao Bai examined the lifelike wings on the scroll, he couldn't help but bring it closer. The faint breath of wind caused the tiny feathers on the wings to sway gently, as if stirred by a breeze.
"So magical!" Xiao Bai exclaimed in surprise.
After studying it for a moment, his gaze fell on a line of small text beside the wings:
"Black Flame Purple Cloud Eagle, a Fifth-Rank Magical Beast. Legend has it that it carries a trace of ancient phoenix bloodline. Its flying speed ranks among the top of all flying magical beasts. It is cunning and ferocious by nature, extremely difficult to capture. Mostly found in the southern region of the continent, in the Cloud Mist Zone."
"This Dou technique, named Eagle Wings, also known as Purple Cloud Wings, was created after I, along with several friends, spent considerable effort to successfully capture a Black Flame Purple Cloud Eagle. However, fate is unpredictable, and disaster struck. On my deathbed, I looked upon these wings with regret and sorrow. I treasured them and used a secret method of Dou Qi to draw them, finally bringing them to life. This method can only be learned by one person. Future generations must remember!"
At this moment, Yao Lao floated over and also read the small text. He sighed, "The person who lived in this cave must have been quite a sentimental one!"
After sensing the wings on the scroll, he stroked his beard and continued, "But the secret technique used in this Dou technique is quite peculiar. It fuses the soul of the Purple Cloud Eagle with its wings. No wonder such Dou techniques are so rare nowadays. It turns out they require these bizarre and obscure methods."
"Elder, you didn't know about this technique before?" Xiao Bai asked, noticing that Yao Lao seemed to be seeing it for the first time.
"Someone once offered me this as payment for refining a pill, but I declined. This thing isn't very useful. Only those below the Dou Wang realm would be interested in it. What's the point of learning it?" Yao Lao said with a hint of pride.
Born into an Dou Di Clan, though not highly regarded, Yao Lao had seen much of the world. In Ancient Clans, was Dou Wang even a challenge? For some with thin bloodlines, perhaps, but in the Dou Di Clan, using something like this wouldn't impress anyone—it would barely escape ridicule. In the Dou Di Clan, this thing wasn't even considered a triviality.
Hearing this, Xiao Bai smiled. He knew of Yao Lao's background and understood the reasoning behind his words.
Turning his attention back to the scroll, aside from the introduction, there were detailed instructions on how to practice the technique. Xiao Bai began to read carefully.
The final warning, "I advise the one who obtains this: unless you are absolutely confident in resisting the soul attack of the Black Flame Purple Cloud Eagle, do not attempt to practice this!" was completely ignored by Xiao Bai.
A mere Fifth-Rank magical beast? Even at its peak, its soul wouldn't pose a threat to him, let alone now when it was just a remnant.
Following the method described in the scroll, Xiao Bai gently pressed his hands against the wings. A soft, velvety sensation spread from his palms.
Before long, he felt a disturbance within the scroll. A violent aura emanated from the wings, and suddenly, an eagle's cry—audible only to the soul—rang out.
An invisible ripple, mixed with the sound, surged toward Xiao Bai's mind.
Xiao Bai's soul scanned the incoming force and he shook his head inwardly. Too weak! To him, it felt like a gentle breeze.
Seeing that its attack was futile, the remnant soul of the Purple Cloud Eagle in the scroll let out several rapid cries, each sharper than the last.
Xiao Bai remained unmoved, as steady as a mountain against the wind.
Realizing that its soul-shrieking had no effect, the eagle's soul fell silent for a moment within the scroll. Then, an even more violent surge of emotion erupted.
Xiao Bai sensed a ferocious soul rushing out of the scroll, traveling up his arm toward his sea of consciousness. He couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated. Did it really think it could just waltz into his sea of consciousness?
That place was home to a formidable presence—one even he couldn't handle.
Well, enough playing around. He couldn't let it reach his sea of consciousness.
The soul power charged directly toward the eagle soul on his arm, colliding with it. The once swift eagle soul froze for a moment, almost dissipating the weak soul body with the impact.
Lacking much intelligence, it instinctively sensed fear. Before it could react, Xiao Bai's soul power pressed it back onto the eagle wings in the scroll.
Then, using the method described in the scroll, Xiao Bai formed a seal. The purple cloud patterns on the eagle wings began to glow faintly, absorbing the eagle soul into them.
"Now I can begin cultivating!" Xiao Bai saw the purple glow dimming, knowing that he now had the qualifications to practice this Dou technique.
Following the method in the scroll, Xiao Bai circulated his Dou Qi, and when the Dou Qi appeared in his palm, he directed it into the scroll. Immediately, the scroll's light intensified, transforming into two fine purple-black rays that shot into his palm.
The purple-black light flowed along his meridians, eventually stopping at the shoulder meridians on both sides of Xiao Bai's back. Two small branches of meridians formed there.
A sharp pain surged, but Xiao Bai only furrowed his brows, showing little reaction.
After enduring the Yi Wood Righteous Thunder and Bing Fire Yang Thunder, his tolerance for pain had become extraordinary.
Observing through his soul power, after the two branches of meridians formed, the light gradually painted a palm-sized black eagle wing on his back, with purple cloud patterns appearing on it, identical to those on the scroll.
"This is the Purple Cloud Wings?" Xiao Bai murmured.
With a thought, the Dou Qi inside him began to circulate, flowing through the newly formed meridians into the tattoo.
The tattoo on his back gradually lit up, shimmering with purple light, and eventually formed a pair of purple energy wings, each about a meter long. Occasionally, silver lightning flashed across the wings.
Xiao Bai carefully controlled the wings and gently flapped them. His body immediately floated off the cultivation bed.
Looking down, Xiao Bai's smile grew wider.
"Haha, I can finally fly!"
Yao Lao, watching Xiao Bai's excitement, stroked his beard and smiled, shaking his head.
It was only at this moment that he felt this little guy was still a sixteen or seventeen-year-old young man.
"Don't get too excited. Be careful. Many people have accidents the first time they fly. You need to control the input of Dou Qi, maintain balance, and pay attention when landing," Yao Lao said, watching Xiao Bai constantly try as if he had gotten a new toy, gently explaining the flight essentials to him.
Under Yao Lao's continuous guidance, Xiao Bai quickly mastered the techniques. He tried flying in a small area within the cave, and fortunately, the cave's ceiling was high enough for him to practice.
"Thank you, Senior!" Xiao Bai said seriously, cupping his hands after landing.
Yao Lao nodded, looking at the energy wings behind him and praised, "Tsk tsk. Xiao Bai, your lightning and wind attributes are really great. These wings, with the lightning attribute, are at least 30% faster. As long as your Dou Qi can support it, your speed could rival that of a high-level Dou Wang!"
Upon hearing Yao Lao's words, Xiao Bai felt confident about his flying speed. He turned to look at the wings behind him, seeing the occasional silver lightning flashing across them. Suddenly, he seemed to have an idea, stroking his chin in deep thought.
"If I add Xiao Bing's power to the wings, I wonder if it would increase the speed even more?"