C14 Become My Disciple

"I've accessed your memories. You're eager to advance your cultivation level swiftly and then return to defeat that lowlife at the Pulse Opening Stage, correct?"

Yang Wei was at a loss for words. To this fox, a warrior of the Pulse Opening Stage was nothing but trash. What did that make him? A mere speck of dust?

"Don't be shocked. I could crush millions of human Pulse Opening Stage warriors with a single hand. Frankly, they might not even amount to trash."

"Let's focus on the matter at hand. While I'm not entirely sure how you've managed to cultivate so rapidly, I have some idea of the process."

"You're aiming to break through to the Pulse Opening Stage, aren't you?"

"Yes, senior."

"Well, let me tell you this: the agony you'll face breaking through to the Pulse Opening Stage is dozens of times greater than what you experienced in the Body Refining Stage. Often, Body Refining Stage warriors attempt the breakthrough without guidance and mistakenly open the wrong vein, leading to their bodies exploding and death. Knowing this, do you still wish to proceed?"

Without hesitation, Yang Wei responded, "I must break through. It's essential."

The fox chuckled at his determination. "Brave lad, since you're resolute, I'll offer you some guidance."

Yang Wei's heart swelled with gratitude, and he bowed respectfully. "I'm deeply thankful for your guidance, senior!"

"There's one condition—you must accept me, the Immortal Sovereign, as your master."

"..."

"What's the matter? Reluctant? Don't be unappreciative, young man. In the past, countless people sought to become disciples of this Immortal Sovereign. If you're not interested, we can drop the subject."

"If your words hold true, senior, I am honored to accept you as my master."

The fox smirked at his reply. "The Immortal Sovereign never speaks falsehoods."

Upon hearing this, Yang Wei bowed deeply. "Disciple greets Master!"

The fox beamed with pride and quickly responded. "Rise, my good disciple."

Once Yang Wei stood, the fox continued, "A long time ago—so long I can't recall exactly when—someone told me the human body contains twelve meridians. To break through to the Pulse Opening Stage, one must channel their Astral Qi to relentlessly assault these meridians, thereby expanding them to unleash greater power in combat."

"To properly expand the power of the meridians, the balance must be exact—not too much, not too little. Excess can cause the meridians to burst, halting any further advancement in cultivation for a lifetime. Insufficient expansion, on the other hand, yields no effect at all."

"The twelve primary meridians include the gallbladder, liver, lung, large intestine, stomach, spleen, heart, small intestine, bladder, kidney, pericardium, and triple burner meridians."

"These meridians interconnect, forming channels for the vital energy of the body's five viscera and six bowels. They facilitate the flow of energy necessary for nourishing tissues and organs, ensuring smooth joint function, and maintaining ample energy during combat."

"The meridians operate on a schedule within the human body, corresponding to specific times: gallbladder at midnight, liver during the hour of the ox, lung at the hour of the tiger, large intestine at the hour of the rabbit, stomach during the dragon hour, spleen at the hour of the snake, heart at noon, small intestine during the hour of the goat, bladder at the hour of the monkey, kidney at the hour of the rooster, pericardium during the hour of the dog, and triple burner at the hour of the pig. These hours correlate with the most effective times for cultivating each respective organ's meridian. Clear meridians are essential for the free flow of Astral Qi, which is the basis for a warrior at the Pulse Opening Stage to possess powerful Astral Qi."

After explaining, the fox yawned and asked, "Did you catch all that?"

Yang Wei scratched his head, clearly puzzled, and replied, "Sort of... I think I got it?"

The fox looked at Yang Wei with a touch of disdain and said, "I knew you wouldn't get it. Let me simplify it for you. Generally, when a martial artist is breaking through to the Pulse Opening Stage, they must cultivate each of the twelve meridians during their respective time slots for a high success rate. This process is extremely painful, and it's common for martial artists to abandon their cultivation due to the unbearable pain, which results in their meridians becoming incapable of transmitting Astral Qi, and their cultivation ceases to progress."

The fox glanced at Yang Wei and added, "Another approach involves using Astral Qi to simultaneously surge through all the meridians in the body. This method is far less painful than the first."

Seeing Yang Wei show signs of being swayed, the fox pressed on.

"However, the second method can be perilous without a powerful guide. The uneven distribution of Astral Qi during cultivation could cause your meridians to rupture, leading to an explosive death."

Yang Wei pondered for a moment before responding.

"Senior, could you guide me while I cultivate my meridians?"

The fox grinned.

"Why would I help you?"

"Because you're my master, and you've promised to help me."

At this, the fox scoffed.

"What I promised was to give you some guidance after you accepted me as your master. I never agreed to safeguard you during your cultivation."

"..."

Seeing Yang Wei's reaction, the fox chuckled mischievously.

"Well then, I, the Immortal Sovereign, will be generous and assist you this one time."

Yang Wei's heart leapt with joy at the response.

"But you must make me one promise."

"Please tell me, Master."

"I want you to show me your world."

"..."

Once again, Yang Wei was at a loss for words.

It wasn't that he was unwilling to fulfill the fox's request; he simply didn't know if it was even possible to take the fox with him.

"What's the matter? Reluctant? Then I'm afraid I can't be of assistance. With all the guidance I've provided, I'm confident you can reach the Pulse Opening Stage on your own. Best of luck, my dear disciple."

"..."

"I promise, Master."

Hearing this, the fox's eyes sparkled with delight.

"Hee hee, excellent. You're teachable indeed, a true credit to your master."

Though Yang Wei was inwardly exasperated, he knew he needed to advance to the Pulse Opening Stage without delay.

He had no choice but to agree for now.

...

Beside the creek, Yang Wei sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, the fox perched on his shoulder.

"Begin by gently circulating the Astral Qi within your body. Don't rush the breakthrough. Start with a small amount of Astral Qi, allowing it to flow through each meridian. Once you're accustomed to the meridian structure, you can then channel more Astral Qi to widen the twelve primary meridians."

Upon hearing the instruction, Yang Wei mobilized the Astral Qi within him. The Astral Qi meandered through his twelve meridians for nearly an hour before the fox spoke up once more.

"You've become acquainted with the meridian pathways. Now, attempt to channel a greater volume of Astral Qi, striking each meridian simultaneously. Begin with a modest amount and gradually increase it."

A small quantity of Astral Qi took shape within Yang Wei, coursing through his meridians and bringing an immediate rush of warmth to his heart.

"Have you got the hang of it? Now, try to mobilize a larger amount of Astral Qi. Don't just let it flow at will; fill each meridian completely with Astral Qi. Once they're full, seal off the junctions between them. Completing these steps marks your initial progress."

Yang Wei followed the guidance, allowing more and more Astral Qi to flow through his veins. When his veins were saturated with Astral Qi, he directed a fraction of it to seal off the connections between the meridians.

The fox, which had been draped around Yang Wei's neck, paused for a moment before speaking in a languid tone.