C3 Invigorated Meridian

A powerful force coursed through his body, unlocking pathways and invigorating his muscles. His blood surged, and his pores opened, gradually unleashing Luo Tongtian's potential and enhancing his physical abilities. However, the sheer intensity and wildness of this force brought an overwhelming sense of swelling that was hard to endure.

Fortunately, Luo Tongtian had an intimate understanding of his body's pathways. Without this knowledge, any misdirection could have led the rampant energy to destroy his system, leaving him incapacitated and unable to pursue his path further.

He first opened the eleven blocked paths among the thirty-six main ones, then proceeded methodically from the top down, like descending a pyramid. Under the onslaught of this fierce energy, nearly three hundred primary branches were successfully cleared.

The residual energy flowed from the primary branches into the secondary and tertiary branches, spreading out like a spider web. At this point, even Luo Tongtian couldn't control the energy's path; he could only watch as it spread through his pathways, naturally clearing them.

Boom!

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. In the distance, a dark line, having seen their advance team fail, dispatched a new squad of a hundred, charging toward Luo Tongtian with thunderous intent.

"Watch out, fall back!"

Facing the ruthless band of horse thieves and feeling the ground shake violently, Tongtian's expression changed drastically. He was trapped, unable to move an inch, as eleven enemies held him with their energy flows. With no other choice, Tongtian gritted his teeth and forcibly cut off his energy absorption from the enemies, retreating swiftly despite the turmoil within him.

The intense energy clash made him feel like his insides were about to burst, and his limbs ached with pain, forcing a cry from his lips. Yet, in this life-or-death moment, he pushed through the pain and ran with all his might.

Behind him, the eleven horse thieves, weakened by their energy loss, were violently thrown back by the energy backlash, either severely injured or killed, lying silent on the ground. Seeing this, the remaining horse thieves launched a barrage of arrows, creating a rain of arrows aimed at Tongtian.

Tongtian rolled on the ground to dodge the arrows and, without hesitation, used his newly learned horsemanship to command the herd to charge at the horse thieves. The sounds of collision, angry shouts, and the cries of horses being slain echoed through the sky.

Amidst the chaos, Luo Tongtian seized the chance to grab a swift horse and flee the scene. He rode hard until he reached the nearest station, where he sent a distress signal to the General's Mansion. Only after seeing the fully armed troops head toward the incident did he collapse to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Tongtian, are you okay?"

The sound of galloping hooves approached, followed by a fragrant breeze as Luo Youyou, dressed in flowing purple, rushed to his side with concern in her voice.

"I'm... alright, but the guards and horse trainers didn't make it."

Having just survived a life-and-death ordeal, Luo Tongtian's face was tense. He looked up at her beautiful face, struggling to speak.

"I'm just glad you're safe. When I heard you ran into the Black Scarf Bandits, I was terrified."

The two had grown up together, childhood friends with a deep bond. Luo Tongtian's brush with danger had left Luo Youyou visibly shaken.

"Sorry for scaring you."

Luo Tongtian managed a strained smile at the lovely girl before him.

"Silly, do we really need to apologize to each other?"

Luo Youyou gave him a playful look, gently biting her lip as she helped him to his feet.

As she grew up, she blossomed into a stunning beauty, her reputation spreading throughout the city. Yet, her care for Tongtian never wavered. Feeling her genuine kindness, Tongtian felt a warmth in his heart.

On the way back to the General's Mansion, Tongtian was unusually silent, his eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions. He had long been aware of Youyou's natural tenderness towards him, but given his slow progress in training and uncertain future, he never dared to fully acknowledge her affection.

With his energy channels now open and the path to cultivation clear again, his heart began to feel more alive. At the mansion's entrance, the cold-faced Yidao welcomed Youyou inside, leaving Tongtian standing alone. Seeing him linger, Yidao's gaze turned sharply menacing.

Back in his room, when Tongtian tried to examine his body, he was utterly shocked. The earlier surge of energy had miraculously opened all his channels. What was once a muddled state now revealed a vibrant network of pathways.

From the thirty-six main channels to the primary, secondary, and tertiary branches, all 36,000 pathways were fully connected, forming a complete elliptical symbol.

Though he didn't know what the Vein Seal symbolized, its intricate and orderly appearance suggested it held some profound meaning. It resembled a strange, swirling spider web, allowing energy to flow seamlessly through it. As the energy coursed through, a subtle glow flickered across Luo Tongtian's skin, signaling that his body's pathways were fully open. This was a sign that his energy was reaching its peak, on the verge of advancing to the third level of skin refinement.

This peculiar seal, formed by countless energy pathways, not only distributed power evenly throughout Luo Tongtian's body but also harbored a mysterious light at its center. Luo Tongtian had a hunch that this light was the source of his earlier weakness. After absorbing enough strength, it finally began to reveal its true form.

Feeling a mix of excitement and curiosity, he channeled his energy, causing ripples of power to surge through his veins. As these ripples passed through the oval-shaped Vein Seal, they intensified, like a hurricane sweeping across the ocean, filled with the roar of thunder and fire, wild and unstoppable. The force made his fists swell, and within the surging energy, lightning seemed to dance.

When the terrifying energy erupted, it unleashed a deafening thunderclap, shattering everything in the room. The powerful recoil forced Luo Tongtian to stagger backward. Initially startled, his face soon lit up with joy. "Wow, this Thunder Fist is so powerful that it actually creates a thunderous sound. That's incredible!"

Thunder Fist was an advanced combat technique taught to Luo Tongtian by General Luo Ning. However, due to his previous limitations, he couldn't unleash its full potential. Now, with his energy channels fully open and his power surging, the true might of Thunder Fist began to reveal itself, immersing him in a sea of strength.

Rough estimates suggested that Luo Tongtian's power had increased at least tenfold after his energy channels were cleared. Although he hadn't yet advanced to a Level Three Warrior, he was confident that he could take down the green-clad guard, Du Qing, within three moves.

The boost in strength from his opened channels thrilled him, yet he remained puzzled by the mysterious light and shadow at the center of his energy pathways. Despite numerous attempts, he couldn't grasp its form or meaning and eventually had to let it go. However, he was certain of one thing: the opening of these channels greatly benefited his training. Even though the increased number of energy points made advancing to a Level Three Warrior more challenging, he was still filled with excitement.

"Young Master, the General requests your presence!"

Just as Tongtian was contemplating his path to promotion, the guard's voice echoed from outside the door.