C10 Breakthrough

Aotian dedicated another six months to his cultivation, gradually deepening his connection with the universe. His ability to absorb elements steadily improved. With over two years of rigorous training, his muscles and strength had become formidable. Without using his battle qi, he might well defeat a level-6 expert with sheer physical prowess. And when employing his battle energy, Aotian was confident he stood on par with an intermediate swordsman, sure he could take one down. This belief was reinforced by witnessing his older brother, Loong Yu, a teacher at the Black Tortoise Academy, who at thirteen had already achieved the rank of intermediate swordsman and was a standout among his peers. Yet, Aotian felt he was just as strong, if not stronger. He was convinced he had the capability to challenge his brother and felt there was a sixty percent chance he'd emerge victorious. This conviction greatly bolstered his confidence and commitment to his cultivation journey.

This morning, as was his routine, Aotian began his cultivation exercises at daybreak. He could now complete a hundred laps of running in just over two hours, finishing his entire regimen in under ten hours. Afterwards, he settled on the grass to absorb fire elements, taking them in and processing them slowly. Initially, he watched with excitement as fiery red particles eagerly converged upon him. About two hours later, feeling saturated with elements, he methodically began to assimilate them.

Despite being born with the Nine Yin Meridians, which theoretically rendered the absorption of elements futile due to blocked meridians that couldn't handle large quantities, Aotian persisted. Any small amounts he did absorb were quickly lost, unable to be integrated because of the blockages. Moreover, the forceful absorption could be excruciating and potentially lead to meridian rupture, risking permanent disability without timely treatment.

In the beginning, the painful impacts were unbearable for Aotian, but the Soaring Dragon Ring would always come to his aid, infusing a soothing aura into his body to ease the agony. Initially, the elements he absorbed would vanish by the next day, leaving him confused and frustrated. However, after absorbing the wisdom his master had imparted, Aotian let go of these concerns and focused on his path forward.

That morning, Aotian once again discovered that the elements he had painfully absorbed and digested the day before had vanished. He turned to his master and asked, "Master, the elements within me have disappeared. You know I possess the Nine Yin Meridian and can't cultivate battle qi, so why have me absorb elements at all? It's not just painful but also a waste of time!"

"Kid, if I'm telling you to absorb them, it's for your own good. Do you really think I'd harm you? Do you understand why I'm having you absorb these elements?" Matt replied with a chuckle upon hearing Aotian's doubts.

"How am I supposed to know? If I did, why would I be asking you?" Aotian retorted, his youthful rebelliousness shining through.

"Ha, no more complaints! Let me explain. You have the Nine Yin Meridian, right? Ever wonder why? It's because, as a fetus, you absorbed an excess of Innate Qi, which led to your meridians becoming severely blocked, preventing you from absorbing external elements and circulating them. That's why it's said that those with the Nine Yin Meridian can't practice martial arts. Innate Qi is Yin, while the Blood Refinement Arts require you to absorb Yang elements, which can gradually neutralize the Innate Qi in your body. You might not see a major effect, but haven't you noticed your meridians are a bit more expansive than before? Still, this won't be enough to clear your meridians completely; otherwise, anyone with the Nine Yin Meridian could just train this way."

"The meridians of someone with the Nine Yin Meridian are extremely delicate due to the blockages. They can't endure the powerful assaults from masters. Merely absorbing external elements to clear the blockages is far from sufficient. The best that can be achieved is to slightly expand the gaps within the meridians, but this still won't enable one to cultivate Dou Qi. Moreover, the constant strain can cause minuscule fractures in the meridians. If this persists, in less than twenty years, the person's meridians will shatter before they ever clear, rendering them useless." After a brief pause, Dark Night continued his explanation.

"Master, aren't you just highlighting the downsides of me absorbing these elements? Then why are you still having me do it?" Aotian interjected, unable to contain himself.

"Kid, can you be patient, please? I haven't finished explaining," Dark Night Zhan responded with a hint of irritation upon being interrupted by Aotian.

"Alright, go on, Master."

"The thing is, those drawbacks apply to ordinary folks, not to you. In fact, for you, they're actually beneficial. Why, you ask? Well, the elements you're absorbing will vanish soon, but not before they linger in your body for a bit. And if your meridians are slightly cracked, that's even better. It allows a greater and quicker influx of elements into your system, deep into your flesh. Haven't you noticed the heat and restlessness in your body every night after months of absorption? That's the fire element at work, already starting to temper your body slowly."

At this, Aotian couldn't wait to respond, "Master, how can cracks in my meridians be good? You yourself said that continuing with cracked meridians could lead to them bursting! And another thing, have I reached the second tier of refinement?"

"Didn't I ask you not to interrupt? What's the rush? I haven't finished," Dark Night Zhan said, hearing Aotian's interjection once more.

"How can I not rush? My meridians are on the brink of bursting! How can I stay calm?" Aotian grumbled.

"Just relax. Once I've finished, you'll understand."

"Fine, then please, Master, continue!" Aotian urged, barely able to contain his eagerness.

"Yes, you haven't reached the Second Order yet, so don't get ahead of yourself."

"How can I even be happy? I'm nearly disabled. There's nothing to celebrate, breakthrough or not," Aotian thought sullenly.

"Listen, kid, if you don't want to hear it, I can stop. Don't think I'm oblivious to your thoughts. Remember, we're communicating telepathically—I can see your thoughts clear as day!" Dark Night Zhan retorted, picking up on Aotian's mood.

"Master, I don't want to think about it anymore. Just tell me!" Aotian, whose thoughts had been read, stuck out his tongue and spoke with a hint of nervousness. He really didn't want his master to stop explaining. "I promise I'll listen attentively, okay?"

"You're merely preparing to step into the Second Order at this point; you haven't truly entered it. You'll officially be in the Second Order only when the heat within you peaks. The reason I didn't have you start absorbing elements right away is that a robust physique is essential for entering the second stage. I waited until your body was sufficiently trained before allowing you to take in these elements. As for the slight ruptures in your meridians, it's not a serious issue. Remember what I said? They might only rupture after twenty years. What's there to fear? By then, you'll be at the Fourth Order and will need to rebuild your meridians anyway. It's not a significant concern. Besides, with me here, what do you have to worry about? Would I fail to protect my own disciple?!" Reassured by his master's words, Aotian settled down and began his day's cultivation.

Today, like always, Aotian absorbed the elements and circulated them thoroughly, embracing the pain that continuously prodded at his blocked meridians, a sensation that was both agonizing and exhilarating.

After completing his cultivation, Aotian returned to his room for another session of his master's rigorous training, honing his willpower and spiritual strength. He could now endure his master's assaults for up to four hours. Naturally, if his master unleashed his full power, Aotian wouldn't last nearly as long—barely a quarter of an hour, to be precise. The attacks powered by upgraded spiritual and soul force were formidable indeed! This marked another significant stride in his half-year of cultivation progress.

Four hours later, Matt ceased his onslaught. Observing Aotian, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction with his pupil's progress. It had taken him over three years to reach the level Aotian had achieved in just two and a half. Sensing the energy within Aotian, he believed the young man would soon be ready to enter the Second Order, a thought that filled him with pride. Aotian was on track to become the second fastest in their sect's history to reach this milestone. The first, that senior, was now... Well, the future surely held great things for Aotian!

"Kid, that's enough for today. Take some time to get yourself in order, then get some rest!"

After taking time to recuperate, Aotian glanced at the clock and realized it was late, so he settled down to sleep.

In the dead of night, Aotian, deep in slumber, was roused by an intense heat scorching his flesh from within, making him terribly uncomfortable. Despite the ring's cool aura soothing the fiery sensation, it was still unbearable. Waking up drenched in sweat, he wiped his brow and felt the internal blaze. His skin, reddened from the excessive heat, was intolerable to behold. He had experienced fevers before, but none as relentless as this—it was exceptionally severe tonight.

Feeling Aotian's distress, Dark Night appeared in his consciousness and urgently exclaimed, "Kid, the heat inside you has hit its zenith. Quickly follow the incantation I've given you and use this heat for the second phase of your cultivation—the Blood Refinement Arts! Otherwise, your recent hard work will be for naught, and you'll risk harming your body!"

Dark Night was astounded by Aotian's condition; he hadn't expected him to make a breakthrough so soon after mentioning it was imminent. That was incredibly fast!

With that, Dark Night imparted the incantation and method for the flesh-refining stage to Aotian.

Armed with his master's incantation and technique, Aotian began to meticulously channel the heat, refining his body from the inside out, one step at a time.