Duō Manor, Hidden Peak Province
Ten esteemed Duō Clan elders gathered within the grand hall.
Elder Duō Jìng spoke up, " The White Crane Sect's referral approaches. We must select our three representatives soon."
Elder Duō Liáng an elder at the 5th stage of the qi gathering realm nodded, "I propose Duō Zēn, Duō Ling, and Duō Wei. Their martial prowess is unmatched among our youth. They all have had breakthroughs to the 3rd stage, a sign of their outstanding talent"
Elder Duō Kūn an elder also at the 5th stage of the qi gathering realm chimed in, "Duō Xuān's swordsmanship is impressive, although he is still at the first stage, he is capable of fighting those a stage higher than his own, Duō Yī is also a prospect but.... His fragility makes him unsuitable, "
The room fell silent as Elder Duō Kūn glanced at Duō Chén Yǒng, who shot him a stern warning gaze.
Elder Duō Kūn cleared his throat, "Ah, yes, well, moving on... Duō Lóng's strength and Duō Huá's agility make them ideal candidates."
Elder Duō Fēng suggested, "We should consider Duō Yǒu's strategic mind and Duō Jiǎ's elemental affinity."
Elder Duō Wěi countered, "But what about Duō Zhì's exceptional archery skills?"
The debate continued, with various names being tossed around. After hours of fruitless debacle Duō Chén Yǒng intervened, "Enough!! We'll settle this with a martial battle. The top three winners will represent our clan."
The elders nodded in agreement.
Elder Duō Jìng announced, "The trial will commence in three weeks. All eligible descendants will participate."
As the meeting concluded, Duō Chén Yǒng's thoughts turned to his son, he let out a worried sigh.
" If only little Yi wasn't born with a weak physic, this would have been a great opportunity for him"
He let out another sigh before dispelling his thoughts.
.
.
.
Back at Duō Yī residence, his gaze fell upon the newly summoned replica cultivating in the corner.
"The qi required for the next breakthrough has doubled," he thought, "according to my research, a month of secluded cultivation is needed to accumulate the sufficient amount of qi. At this rate, I'll miss the elders' referral to the White Crane Sect."
Duō Yī studied his status board, re-examining each skill. Activating All for One, his energy parameters began to rise at a rate of 0.0001 per second.
"Sharing half the clone's qi, I'll reach the next stage in twenty-three days," he calculated. "Cultivating alongside the clone will halve the time."
Duō Yī recognized his physical training was lacking. "I haven't fought since arriving in this world. My battle experience may not hold up against locals."
With a clear plan, Duō Yī headed to the clan's pagoda to explore techniques to learn before the elders selected their referrals.
As he walked, Duō Yī's thoughts turned to his unique circumstances. "My HIVE abilities will give me an edge, but I must adapt and refine my skills."
As he approached the pagoda, two burly guards eyed him with disdain.
"Look who's here," Guard Wang whispered to Guard Li. "The failed son of the clan head."
Guard Li snickered. "More like a disgrace to the Duō Clan."
Duō Yī ignored their whispers, his expression unwavering.
"Clan Head's son or not, he's still a weakling," Guard Wang muttered.
"Pretty sure I could beat him with an arm behind my back," Guard Li muttered.
Duō Yī strode past the guards, entering the pagoda.
The guards' whispers faded into the background as Duō Yī focused on his mission.
Inside the pagoda, rows of ancient tomes and manuals lined the shelves. Duō Yī scanned the titles, searching for valuable techniques.
"Fundamentals of Elemental Fist" caught his eye.
Duō Yī unrolled the scroll, devouring the contents.
He grasped the fundamentals as it was only a basic technique.
"This complements my fighting capabilities and style. I'll adapt it."
More titles drew his attention
"Qi Flow: Optimization Techniques"
"Body Conditioning: Iron Bone Method"
Duō Yī's excitement grew.
"The Qi flow optimization method should increase the rate at which I gather Qi and this iron bone method should help strengthen my body. I may have gotten rid of the weak constitution but this body is still very weak"
"These should bridge the gap between cultivation and combat."
With newfound determination, Duō Yī continued his research.
After several hours of searching Duō Yī had gathered several basic fighting scrolls and Qi optimization techniques and began to leave the pagoda.
Guard Wang sneered, "Pathetic. What's the point of taking those scrolls? You'll just damage them, leave training to those that have talent."
Guard Li chimed in, "Yeah, give up, young master. Your fate is sealed. Live a life of luxury, and forget cultivation."
Duō Yī walked past them, his expression unwavering.
Guard Wang called out, "You're an embarrassment to the Duō Clan! Your father must be ashamed."
Duō Yī's eyes narrowed, his gaze lingering on the guards for a moment.
As he exited the pagoda, Duō Yī thought, "I'll make sure to kill those two fools when I'm done with what I have to do."
His determination solidified, Duō Yī returned to his residence.
With a cold smile, Duō Yī began to study the scrolls, his focus intensifying.