Chapter 46: Second Body Tempering

Chapter 46: Second Body Tempering

Jiang Tang brought over a few small dishes and a sobering soup, then returned to Xun Mei.

Meng Yuan earnestly urged for a drink, and only then did Nie Yanian mention the Eighth Rank.

Entering the Eighth Rank is akin to opening one of the Central Thirty-Three Heavens.

The Lower Thirty-Three Heavens are located within the flesh and skin, with four in each limb, sixteen in the front and back torso, and one on the head, totaling thirty-three.

The distribution of the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens is similar to the Lower Thirty-Three, except they are situated within the muscles, bones, and internal organs.

To open the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens, enduring physical training and the harmony of tension and relaxation are essential, but they are no longer the most crucial aspects.

"Generally speaking, True Energy still impacts the acupoints, breaking through the blockages. Subsequently, it expands from a point to a surface, opening them all."

"However, the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens are within the internal organs and muscles, unlike the Lower Thirty-Three in the skin and flesh, making them harder to locate. This is the challenge. Therefore, you must first find those acupoints, which is the Sensory Skill. How do you sense them?"

"I've taught you the Gale Blade Technique's Energy Circulation Method, which operates within the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens. But with repeated use, you'll gradually sense the Middle Thirty-Three. Then, when you open the acupoints, it'll be as easy as water flowing into a channel!"

"Similarly, since they're within the internal organs and muscles, any carelessness could harm yourself. Thus, you can't rush; you must be slow."

Nie Yanian imparted all his knowledge without holding back.

"Can I try?" Meng Yuan asked.

"Sure...Hey! Stop!" Nie Yanian recalled that Meng Yuan had just said he wanted to try, and he ended up achieving Ninth Level Perfection. He quickly held Meng Yuan's arm, "No need to rush!"

"Yes." Meng Yuan was an honest man, always heeding advice, and immediately poured another drink.

"Wait a moment, take it slow." Nie Yanian spoke solemnly, "This is from experience."

After speaking, he was about to leave, but Meng Yuan stopped him and asked, "When the Empress Dowager goes out for a spring outing, will you take me to meet her? Don't embarrass me!"

Meng Yuan wondered what advice the Empress Dowager could offer. Was she also a martial artist? He didn't know, but his loyalty was unwavering, and he wasn't afraid to meet the Empress Dowager.

"When will we depart?" Meng Yuan asked.

Nie Yanian was about to respond but noticed Meng Yuan's eagerness. He quickly pointed at Meng Yuan and said, "Don't stutter when you meet the Empress Dowager. I'll tear my mouth apart if you do!"

"Nie Shi, you're underestimating me!" Meng Yuan immediately replied.

"That's because you haven't met the Empress Dowager!" Nie Yanian pulled Meng Yuan and whispered, "She's a celestial beauty; do you understand?"

"Is she truly a beauty that can shake nations?" Meng Yuan asked quietly.

"How could it be false? I watched the Empress Dowager grow up!" Nie Yanian boasted, but seeing Meng Yuan rubbing his hands, he quickly slapped them down and said irritably, "Don't get any funny ideas!"

"How dare you accuse me of something I didn't do!" Meng Yuan immediately defended himself.

"You're full of it!" Nie Yanian was well aware.

Meng Yuan felt guilty and didn't dare argue further.

Nie Yanian walked a few steps, then turned back, grabbing Meng Yuan's neck, "You go and bring the old Castrator and his apprentice to the Intoxicating Moon Tower. Put it on my tab!"

"Nie Shi, are you treating us?" Meng Yuan smiled.

"You don't need to be embarrassed. I'm not treating you; I'm not doing it for your sake! Your little girl cooks for me, and I'm doing it for her!" Nie Yanian said without humor.

After sending off Nie Shi, Meng Yuan sat alone for a long time, reflecting on Nie Shi's words.

Meng Yuan didn't go to the training ground but practiced the Gale Blade Technique in the courtyard, using the Energy Circulation Method. The True Energy in his Dantian circulated back and forth.

The first few attempts were still awkward, leaving a sense of stagnation. But after practicing over ten times, it became smooth, feeling perfectly rounded.

"Using the Gale Blade Technique this way, both strength and speed are enhanced."

"This is related to the amount of True Energy, the speed of circulation, and experience."

"Therefore, even if two people have the same Ninth Level Perfection, using the same Gale Blade Technique, there will still be differences in their abilities."

Meng Yuan practiced for half a day, but even when he felt tired, he still didn't sense the activation of the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens.

After dinner, Meng Yuan locked himself in his room, determined to temper his body with Vital Energy.

The first body tempering session loosened the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens, and from then on, he made rapid progress, reaching the Ninth Level Perfection.

However, after that, the Vital Energy cultivation slowed down, and it was only after consuming the Green Fruit that he achieved perfection again.

Meng Yuan estimated that this body tempering session would have even better results.

He wasn't in a hurry, so he first rested to restore his spirit. After his True Energy filled his Dantian, and his mind and body felt refreshed, Meng Yuan stripped off his clothes and sat on the ground.

With a slight thought, he saw a raging fire engulfing his body.

His heart stirred, and the Vital Energy exploded.

For a moment, Meng Yuan felt the flames raging within him, traveling along his meridians into his flesh, muscles, bones, limbs, and every part of his body, like a raging flood, unstoppable.

Then Meng Yuan felt the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens trembling incessantly, and after the flames scorched every acupoint, they surprisingly entered the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens and then into his organs and bones, causing a massive tremor. Finally, the Vital Energy completely settled into his Dantian, as if boiling his True Energy.

Meng Yuan felt his entire body burning, especially his Dantian, which was in excruciating pain. After enduring for a dozen breaths, the Vital Energy slowly subsided.

After a long while, Meng Yuan opened his eyes.

The discomfort in his body remained, and his Dantian felt like it was tearing apart.

Meng Yuan carefully observed the changes after the body tempering. Not only was his flesh and blood refined, but his meridians also became more expansive.

The first time he tempered his body with Vital Energy, he felt like his bones were transformed and his marrow cleansed, but compared to this time, he felt like all the impurities in his body were burned away, leaving him with a sense of clarity and connection to the world.

Not to mention his body was as light as a swallow, his mind was clear, and his strength and reaction speed had improved. Even the activated Lower Thirty-Three Heavens felt different.

It was as if the river channel had widened and deepened. And his Dantian was even more expansive, like a vast water storage area.

Before the body tempering, his True Energy was abundant and filled his Dantian, but now, he now felt a sense of emptiness, as if the True Energy stored within had diminished.

When he thought of Vital Energy again, it had shrunk to the size of a soybean.

This time, the Vital Energy tempering didn't open any acupoints, but Meng Yuan sensed that the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens had loosened.

Sitting in a meditative posture, Meng Yuan carefully sensed and visualized river water, and below the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens, he saw another river channel.

After carefully locating a specific spot, Meng Yuan attempted to guide his True Energy to impact it, but he felt a sense of fatigue.

"True Energy is insufficient; I need to cultivate more. And I'm still hungry!"

Meng Yuan didn't force himself, as serving the Empress Dowager wasn't something that required immediate action.

He got up and went to the kitchen to eat a few steamed buns to fill his stomach. Then he lay down to sleep, deciding to continue the next day.

As he dozed off, he heard someone enter the room. The person tucked in the blankets, touched his forehead with their small hand, and then whispered in his ear, "Brother, your food is on the table, your knife is by the pillow, and your homework is on the desk in my room."

After a while, Meng Yuan opened his eyes and saw a big face right in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" Meng Yuan was startled when Iron Ox leaned in to look at him.

But Iron Ox was very serious. "Brother, why are you sleeping so much?"

He tried to pull back the blanket, but hesitated, "Is Auntie hiding in your bed? My father said that if you keep sleeping and lack motivation, I need to remind you!"

"I understand," Meng Yuan replied, knowing that explaining to Iron Ox would be futile. He pulled back the blanket, "Auntie isn't here."

"Then I'm relieved." Iron Ox breathed a sigh of relief, but he still stretched his neck to look closely, as if searching for the little marmot's hair.

"Why are you here?" Meng Yuan rubbed his temples.

"I almost forgot!" Iron Ox slapped his forehead. "Hu Qian and Wu Changsheng asked me to find you and tell you to hurry to the training ground!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end