C1 Sesame for Watermelon

At nightfall...

In the secluded courtyard of the Lu family, located in the northern sector of Vast Dragon City, the chill of deep winter had set in. Yet, a young man, appearing to be in his mid-teens, sat bare-chested and cross-legged atop a massive stone, his eyes closed in meditation.

His features were refined, with thick black eyebrows, crimson lips, and pearly white teeth. A gentle gathering of Spirit Force enveloped him, eventually cocooning him in a shroud of white energy.

Abruptly, a soft crackle emanated from within the cocoon, and the Spirit Force shell began to fade, revealing the young man seated inside.

A smile played at his lips as his eyes, deep and steady like the night sky, slowly opened.

"Hahaha, after three days, the first meridian has finally opened! The heavens truly favor me, Lu Chen!" he exclaimed.

With a swift motion, Lu Chen rose to his feet, his mouth opening slightly. The ambient Spirit Qi swirled, converging above him as hidden wisps of energy in the courtyard coalesced.

"Dragon Sucking Technique!"

The next moment, a column of Spirit Force, as thick as an adult's arm, surged into Lu Chen like an enlightening elixir.

The influx of Spirit Force intensified the fluctuations around him, growing stronger with each passing second. When the final wisp was absorbed, Lu Chen's aura had reached the stature of a Grade Four Spirit Disciple.

"A Grade Four Spirit Disciple? Hahaha! My progress is truly meteoric!" Lu Chen reveled in the sensation of the abundant Spirit Force within him.

"This meridian is indeed formidable. Not only does it accelerate my cultivation, but mastering martial arts feels as easy as drinking water. Without any Spirit Force, I've managed to perfect the Heaven Grade technique, Dragon Sucking Technique! My thanks to you, Yao Wushuang, for this unexpected gift of fate!"

As Yao Wushuang's name crossed his mind, Lu Chen's teeth clenched in bitter resentment. In his past life, he was a Grade Nine Spirit Emperor in the Chaos Immortal Realm, blindsided by an assassination from his wife, also a Grade Nine Spirit Emperor.

"But the heavens are just, foiling your schemes and granting me rebirth. Not only have I been reborn, but I've also become the master of this extraordinary meridian!"

"Back in the day, you were nothing more than a maid at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. I took pity on you and kept you by my side, going through great pains to help you unlock your sealed meridian! To think that you would betray me for the Nine Circles of the Universe Pill, it chills me to the bone!"

In his past life, Yao Wushuang was merely a misunderstood maid who was believed incapable of cultivation. It wasn't until Lu Chen discovered the Nine-circle Divine Thunder Spell, a technique devised by a predecessor with a sealed meridian, that he was able to help her unlock it.

It was then that Lu Chen realized the fearsome potential of those with the sealed meridian!

For the average cultivator, opening a single meridian could mean a breakthrough to the next level. Opening additional meridians prematurely could lead to insufficient Spirit Force and atrophy, halting any further increase in power. But for those like Yao Wushuang, with the sealed meridian, as long as they had ample resources, they could continue to unlock meridians without issue!

This advantage gave the owner of the sealed meridian more spiritual channels and a denser Spirit Force than their peers at the same level.

Thanks to the sealed meridian, Yao Wushuang, who started as a mere maid, managed to catch up with Lu Chen, who had been at the Spirit Emperor Stage for a decade, in just a few short decades. Eventually, she even slightly surpassed him in strength!

"Very well, Yao Wushuang, you may have taken decades to reach Grade Nine Spirit Emperor, but I, Lu Chen, will do it in ten years. Within a decade, I vow to ascend to the Luo Imperial Palace and claim your head!"

The Luo Imperial Palace was the residence bestowed upon Yao Wushuang by Lu Chen when she ascended to Spirit Emperor. Each cultivator who reached the Spirit Emperor Stage was granted a title. Yao Wushuang was known as the Luo Emperor, while Lu Chen was dubbed the Ming Emperor.

The spiritual path is divided into eight realms: Spirit Disciple, Spirit Transforming, Controlling Spirit, Spirit Origin, Spirit Profound, Spirit King, Spirit Emperor, and Spirit Emperor, each with nine grades. The Spirit Emperors, especially those of Grade Nine, are the most formidable and elusive figures known to all.

Just then, the courtyard door burst open, and a young girl, appearing to be around Lu Chen's age, dashed inside.

The young girl's bright eyes and pearly teeth shone against her fair skin, and her hair was gathered into a simple wooden bun, exuding a sense of natural grace and vitality.

Despite her petite frame being swathed in an oversized brown garment that hinted at a servant's attire, it did little to conceal her subtly charming figure. In the dead of winter, she scurried about in a pair of black cloth shoes, her movements occasionally revealing a glimpse of her delicate skin, which stirred a longing in those who saw her.

What a beauty in the making!

Watching the girl hurry in, Lu Chen couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.

"Yue Yao, there's no need to rush like this. Haven't I told you time and again? Stay calm in all situations!"

Yue Yao was the only person Lu Chen had encountered since his rebirth three days ago. The body he now inhabited once belonged to the third son of Lu Yuanmo, the Lu family patriarch. Born with defective meridians, he was unable to cultivate and was regarded as useless within the family, practically left to fend for himself. His reputation as a scoundrel kept others at bay, leaving only Yue Yao willing to attend to him.

"Young Master Chen, there's trouble! Du Dahai, the fourth young master of the Du family, and their steward, Du Si, are demanding the Moon God River baptism slot reserved for you!" Yue Yao hastily straightened her clothes and spoke softly, her head bowed.

As she spoke, Yue Yao occasionally glanced up at Lu Chen, finding it odd how the young master had seemingly transformed over the past three days, shedding his former harshness and vulgarity.

The Du family? The fourth young master?

Lu Chen's brow furrowed. His predecessor's demise, which had paved the way for his rebirth, was the result of an encounter three days prior at the Du family's market. While out with Yue Yao, the original Lu Chen had run into Du Zheng, the family's second young master.

Lu Chen's notoriety as a nonentity was well-known, while Du Zheng was celebrated as one of the brightest talents of Vast Dragon City's new generation. Jealous and scornful upon seeing Lu Chen accompanied by a beauty, Du Zheng had provoked a confrontation.

But how could Lu Chen, a master with no martial prowess, hope to stand against Du Zheng, a formidable Grade Eight Spirit Disciple?

After Du Zheng's so-called "defensive counterattack," Lu Chen, who hadn't even reached the rank of a Grade One Spirit Disciple, was severely injured and left unconscious. He was embarrassingly carried back to the Lu family home.

Battling with his inner turmoil and faced with the family's intentionally slow healing efforts, Lu Chen soon passed away.

"Let's go confront the Du family's young master! I've been wondering how to get to you, and here you are, coming right to my doorstep!" Lu Chen declared before leaping off the boulder and heading out of the courtyard.

In Vast Dragon City, within the Lu family's Conference Hall, the room was packed. Most were elderly men and middle-aged individuals, with a stern-faced middle-aged man presiding at the head of the hall.

A haughty teenager, no more than fifteen or sixteen and dressed in fine garments, stood in the center of the hall, a portly middle-aged butler-like figure behind him.

Despite the crowd, the young man was undeterred, his arrogance palpable as he scanned the room before bowing to the man at the head of the hall.

"Uncle Lu, Dahai has come to request a spot for the Moon God River Purification from the Azure Cloud Sect. Naturally, I wouldn't ask for such a favor without offering something in return. Here is a Grade One Python Bull Pill, crafted by Master Chi Wu, for Lu Chen. With this, he'll no longer be an easy target for others' ridicule."

With that, the young man confidently placed an exquisitely crafted wooden box in front of the middle-aged man.

Inside the box lay a genuine pill, which he considered a generous offering to Lu Chen.

He was none other than Du Dahai, the third young master of the Du family, and the man behind him was the family's chief steward, Du Si.

Facing Du Dahai was the current head of the Lu family and Lu Chen's father, Lu Yuanmo.

Lu Yuanmo, seated at the place of honor, furrowed his brow. Du Dahai's presence was irksome, yet the Python Ox Pill from Chi Wu, the only Grade One Mentor in Vast Dragon City, held more immediate value than the distant promise of the Moon God River Purification.