Vol 1 Chapter 31 (2/2)
Soon after, he realized that this ‘Exquisite Records of the Inner Qi Profound Origins Manual’ was simply created to refine the Black Pearl. For each and every branch of meridians in his body, even the most covert and subtle acupoints gates and meridians were cleansed away. Not even the slightest efficacy of the Black Pearl was wasted. He had fully refined and absorbed it to each and every part of his body, and not a single one was left out.
At this time, he felt that his heart was thumping like a drum, as surging blood like tidal waves were exuding damp but loud sounds in his ears. His blood vigorously pa.s.sed through each and every acupoints’ gates. And under the circulating qi, it was as if it would flush out from his skin like a hammer that continuously beat each point of his body, making all the joints and tissues s.h.i.+ver.
But Zhang Yan completely ignored all these sounds, keeping his mind calm as fully focused wholeheartedly.
After all the steps had been smoothly executed and the Qi finished circulating through all his meridians, he suddenly felt that everything became void and empty.
This kind of extreme stillness gave off the feeling as if the heaven and earth had yet to exist, that even the universe had yet to be born.
He fell into a trance along with his mind and consciousness without exception, forgetting about this world.
In this vast of emptiness and stillness, he didn’t know for how long he was still when suddenly, a brilliant spark raised from his heart, asking to himself: “Who am I?”
The reply spoke, “I am exactly myself, I am not myself, I am also myself, I am still myself.”
The brilliant spark of enlightenment came as the “clang, clang” voice sounded. It was as if like two swords were colliding with each other, or like a rusted mottled lock being dropped to the ground.
Suddenly, it was as if something was being separated and had broken free from the shackles. As light suddenly emitted from all over his body!
Luo Xiao, who had been protecting Zhang Yan, suddenly got up as brilliant ripples flashed over her beautiful eyes, she joyfully spoke, “Congratulations, Fellow Daoist! The profound sound means your restriction is unlocked and you are on the same path as me now!”
She quickly looked again and saw powerful chaotic mist appear and rise behind Zhang Yan. Spreading a mysterious cloud which was very difficult to recognize, and could not be measured nor estimated because of its boundless vastness.
After Zhang Yan opened his meridians, this meridian type’s apparition appeared.
Luo Xiao was immediately dazed. Even with her experience, seeing it made her confused. What meridian’s type was this?
After one opened his meridians, the meridian type was divided into three grades—low, mid, and top.
Low-grade meridian types had various strange and bizarre phenomenon/apparition, such as unstable weather thunder, and lightning, or the appearance of lower forms of life like flora and fauna such as flowers, birds, beasts, or insects. The mid-grade meridian type was divided into the categories of the five elements, the wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. And the top grade was only divided into two categories, the Yin and Yang.
But Zhang Yan’s meridian type was actually a ma.s.s of cloud-shaped gas, which only appeared in the low-grade meridian type—the “Mist Phase”.
Could it be… that… it was a low grade?
Impossible!
Luo Xiao immediately shook her head. Considering that he used the method from ‘Exquisite Records of the Inner Qi Profound Origins Manual’, aided with the Black Pearl’s efficacy to open his meridian, only to finally result in a low-grade meridian type… she refused to believe it.
Her mind even gave birth to the thought that it would be very possible for Zhang Yan’s case, ‘could it be far beyond the top grade meridian type?’ This thought unconsciously made her greatly startled.
Human cultivators usually spent great efforts and every means available in opening their meridians in order to have the top grade meridian type. But this was not only dependent on the efficacy of Flower Jade Spring and superior cultivation law for opening the meridians, but it also depended on their own opportunities and perception.
Being able to open the top grade meridian type was very rare. Zheng Xun, who had the low-grade meridian type, was already considered as having limitless future. The very few people who obtained the top grade meridian type also could only be heard from rumors, but none of these outstanding figures had a distinguished reputation in the most sects.
However, this was not without a reason. The higher the meridian type grade, the more unique and particular the cultivation laws and methods one could practice. And those cultivators with lower grade meridian type, due to their meridian type’s uniqueness, also fell into the same predicament and had even fewer cultivation laws to choose from. Finding cultivation laws to suit their unique meridian type is without a doubt, very difficult.
If Zhang Yan’s meridian type was far beyond the top grade… Luo Xiao’s eyes revealed some complicated thoughts. She really could not imagine what kind of achievements this person could have in the future… For the first time, she asked herself whether she really wanted to lift the Soulblood Contract with him or not.
At this time, there were sound and movements from Zhang Yan as the chaotic cloud apparition seemingly transformed and seeped into the depths of his glabella between his eyebrows. A light vertical mark finally condensed and was imprinted on his forehead. Upon seeing this, Luo Xiao was instantly dazed.
A meridian type’s opening would produce a faint and false apparition made out of qi, but how would Zhang Yan condensate the true spiritual essence manifestation? She suddenly felt that all the knowledge she knew was insufficient to fully understand all the inconceivable phenomenons that were occurring with this person right now.
Zhang Yan’s eyes opened. In a flash, a brilliant light bursted out and flashed the entire cavern.
As he stretched his body and stood up, he could feel that his whole body was very light and vigorous. His bearings became graceful like the floating clouds. Everything had become different, as if he had changed his body.
In fact, now he couldn’t even be called a “human” anymore. Once one had opened his immortal meridians, he had was already half a foot into the rank of the immortal and celestial cultivators.
After returning to the Azurewood Mountain, should his meridian type be appraised by the masters there, he would directly able to enter the Upper Court and could even obtain more superior Dao manuals!
[1] 太乙金书: Taiyi Jin Shu >>> literally: the Great 2nd Heavenly Stem Gold Manual, Taiyi itself means the extreme/highest unity of Yin and Yang or the primordial unity of Yin and Yang. Transliterating these words into English would be too long, not to mention it would lose the meaning, so I decided to leave Taiyi as is.
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