Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Zhang Ruochen held Sword One once again and read it like crazy. He perceived it while nodding. Each character sprang to his mind like a sword.
Over the next few days, he still practiced the Scripture of Emperor Ming’s Empyrean for six hours as before, but he spent the rest of the time practicingSword One .
Three months later, he practiced to the fourth level of Sword One after successive breakthroughs.
Even Cyan-robed Emissary at the Seventh Change in the Fish-dragon Realm could only practice to the fourth level. However, it had taken her 10 times longer than Zhang Ruochen.
He had secluded himself for refining in the Scroll World for half a year. He completely solidified his cultivation and his Genuine Qi became very pure. His cultivation reached the acme.
“Now, I have at least a 70% chance of success to open up the first holy meridian.”
Although it was still dangerous, he decided to try it.
He spent one day adjusting his condition. He did not start to break through until he was completely relaxed.
Holy meridians were the foundation of the Holy Road.
The first three stages of the Fish-Dragon Realm were all about physical exercise, which was a preparation for opening up the holy meridians. That was because an ordinary warrior was unable to withstand the Holy Qi’s attack.
Only when one reached the Fourth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm and opened up the first holy meridian could it be called the real start of the Holy Road.
The first holy meridian was called the “Yinqiao Holy Meridian”. It started from the Qi Sea between a warrior’s eyebrows, went through more than half of the body, connected with the left foot, and finally broke through the zhaohai acupoint at the bottom of left foot.
After opening up the “Yinqiao Holy Meridian”, more than half of the warrior’s body would be unblocked, which was beneficial to improve his cultivation.
Zhang Ruochen mobilized the Qi of Saint Dragon inside the Dragon Pearl. It surged out of his heart and gathered in his Qi Sea. Then, he started to break through the entrance of the holy meridian by following the directions in the fifth-level exercises of the Scripture of Emperor Ming’s Empyrean.
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
…
Every time the Qi of Saint Dragon hit the entrance, a thundering sound would ring in his ears.
Other monks could ask a Half-Saint to open up a holy meridian for them, which was relatively simple. However, Zhang Ruochen could only do so forcefully by relying on his own strength.
After crashing over 200 times, there was a thread of blood on the corner of Zhang Ruochen’s mouth. He was shaking but he had not broken through the entrance.
Without giving up, he took a sip of Blood of the Wood Spirit to suppress his injury. He mobilized the Qi of Saint Dragon to continue crashing.
After crashing 1,300 times, he finally opened up a gap at the entrance of the holy meridian. He controlled the Qi of Saint Dragon and pushed it ahead slowly.
Even though the Qi of Saint Dragon moved forward only one inch, he felt as if he was being torn apart.
He had spent half a day but only opened up 10% of the Yinjiao Holy Meridian. Now, beads of blood were dripping from his pores and the vessels throughout his body bulged out.
Opening up the first holy meridian had to be accomplished in a single effort. If it was not completed or the monk fainted halfway, the chaotic Holy Qi would flow in reverse.
In this way, the monk would die or lose all his cultivation.
So, opening up the first holy meridian was really dangerous.
Zhang Ruochen spared no effort, using strong willpower, and finally broke through half of the Yinjiao Holy Meridian.
He was numb with pain. Beads of blood were constantly seeping out. They dripped from his forehead, neck, and arms, and dyed his white cloth red.
The pain was so unbearable that it would destroy people’s will. And then, one only wanted to give up or die immediately.
Yes, even die, as nobody was willing to suffer this pain.
“I must hold on and not give up. I can make it.”
Zhang Ruochen gritted his teeth and his body became tense. He pressed on without letup and continued to break through the meridian.
When he was about to open up 90% of the meridian, the skin of the left side of his body began to crack and generate many broken-ceramic-like bloody lines.
It was worrisome that he could die from exploding at any moment.
Standing nearby, Mu Lingxi held her breath and did not dare to make a noise. She was extremely nervous due to the fear that he would have an accident when opening up the first holy meridian.
“He can surely make it.”
Mu Lingxi gritted her white teeth and stared at him with her beautiful starlike eyes, without a blink.
“Boom!”
Suddenly, the flow of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to Zhang Ruochen sped up. It poured into the zhaohai acupoint, went through the Yinjiao Holy Meridian, and entered his Qi Sea.
When it went through the Yinjiao Holy Meridian, it turned into a wisp of faint Holy Qi. Then, it gushed forth to the 36 meridians throughout the body and ran inside.
Gradually, the bloody lines of the left side of his body cured rapidly.
The torturous pain disappeared and was replaced by an unspeakable comfort.
He had successfully opened up the first holy meridian, the Yinjiao Holy Meridian.
He finally reached the Fourth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm.
The Yinjiao Holy Meridian could not only absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi through the zhaohai acupoint and turn Spiritual Qi into Holy Qi, but it also could run inside and turn Genuine Qi inside into Holy Qi.
Since he had opened the holy meridian, he was able to mobilize the Holy Qi and display martial techniques.
It was bewildering how powerful it would be to display martial techniques with Holy Qi.
“Dragon and Elephant Furnace.”
Zhang Ruochen rushed up from the ground and flew up into the air. His whole body was like a scorching iron, demonstrating masculinity.
He struck out a palm and formed a 23-meter-long Fire Fingerprint. It went all the way up to the sky and shattered the clouds.
“Swoosh!”
He looked at his palms and said with delight, “Displaying a martial technique with Holy Qi will double its strength.”
However, a monk at the Fourth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm could only open up one holy meridian, so the Holy Qi inside was relatively thin. Just now, he had only struck out one palm, but that had exhausted the Holy Qi inside him.
Only when one continued to perform exercises and turn Genuine Qi into Holy Qi could he burst out such powerful strength.
Unless one broke through to the Fifth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm and opened up the second holy meridian, the transformation of the Holy Qi would not happen faster.
“Congratulations! Congratulations! Zhang Ruochen, your willpower is really strong. It’s admirable that you opened up the first holy meridian by just relying on your own strength.”
Mu Lingxi revealed a joyful face and walked gracefully. She came straight over to Zhang Ruochen, bringing with her a faint scent.
He looked at her with a strange expression. He said with a smile, “Senior sister apprentice Duanmu, you’ve also broken through to the Sixth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm. You are to be congratulated as well. And I also admire your practicing speed.”
Mu Lingxi gave him an angry stare and said, “I was already at the peak of the Fifth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm. After getting the Holy Source, I secluded myself for refining in the Scroll World for half a year. Had I still not been able to break through to the Sixth Change, it would have been strange.
“If you spare no effort to practice, you will definitely be faster than me.”
Although he secluded himself for refining, he spent most of his time practicing Swift Swordsmanship and perceiving Sword One , so he did not spend enough time improving his cultivation.
Zhang Ruochen did not care and said with a smile, “Whether the Holy Road or the Tao of the sword, they will be easier to practice in the later stages as long as one has learned the rudiments.”
“Exercises and martial techniques supplement each other. Next, I will probably spend a lot of time in perceiving the Tao of the sword and practicing martial techniques,” Mu Lingxi said.
She immediately stopped smiling and turned somber. “What are you going to do next? I heard from Blackie that you want to disguise yourself as Lin Yue, an apprentice of the Yin and Yang Sect, to look into something, right?”
Zhang Ruochen replied honestly, “Yes, I do.”
Mu Lingxi warned him, “There are many masters in the Yin and Yang Sect. Even if you use a top-class disguise, I’m afraid that you may not be able to hide the truth from a Half-Saint. Will you be taking too much of a risk by doing so?”
Zhang Ruochen laughed and said, “Don’t worry, I can handle it. If I don’t have a 70% chance of success, I won’t play dice with death.”
He was a prudent person. Seeing him so confident, Mu Lingxi thought that he had to have some advanced skills to be able to deceive a Half-Saint, or maybe even a Saint. Therefore, she was no longer worried about him.
Mu Lingxi laughed by presenting her bright eyes and white teeth. “Okay! I’ll go to the Yin and Yang Sect to look for you on the ninth day of September.”
“Are you leaving now?” Zhang Ruochen was a little surprised.
She was very optimistic and cheerful. When he was with her, he felt an unspeakable sense of relief.
Every time he ran into danger or needed help, no matter how powerful the enemies were, she would unhesitatingly come to face the danger with him together.
It seemed that she was standing by his side and watching him. As long as he needed her, she would instantly appear.
To him, she was a confidante who could cast away the shadow of his heart, and a faithful friend who could fight alongside him.
Even an ironhearted man could not possibly remain indifferent about the affection she invested.
He was loath to part with her, bearing a touch of loss. But he kept his thoughts to himself.
She blinked her eyes gently and looked at the nearby Sacred Prime Tree. “The Scroll World in the Yin Yang Wooden Graph is a perfect Holy Land for refinement. If I could choose to, I wouldn’t leave. Unfortunately, I’m not a hermit, neglecting fame and money. Instead, I’m a Saintess of the Moon Worship Sect. I’ve been outside for a long time, so I must go back!”
Obviously, she was more sentimental than him. She also hid her feelings deep inside.
“All good things must come to an end.”
Zhang Ruochen gave a mild smile and heaved a deep sigh. Then, he seemed to remember something. He slightly frowned and asked, “Are you going to the Yin and Yang Sect on the ninth day of September too?”
