Perfection

Meng Yuan acted as soon as he decided, sitting down cross-legged at once.

He first reviewed the method Master Nie had taught him, then closed his eyes, emptied his mind, and shut out all sounds from the outside world.

After a while, he felt warmth in his dantian, his True Qi swelling and surging.

Following his will, True Qi slowly flowed out from his dantian, passed through the meridians, and reached the various acupoints.

The True Qi dispersed into the acupoints that had already been opened, then poured into them without end, battering against them. Meng Yuan felt strength spilling from his entire body, leaving him with the urge to temper himself fiercely.

Circulating True Qi in this manner could not be sustained for long. First, it was extremely taxing on the mind; second, it consumed far too much.

After Meng Yuan ate the Green Fruit, his dantian had expanded somewhat and held more True Qi, but his acupoints had also enlarged.

In only a short while, more than half the True Qi in his dantian had already been depleted.

Meng Yuan did not stop, forcefully squeezing out the True Qi within his dantian.

After a little longer, he suddenly sensed something unusual. Under the relentless infusion and impact of True Qi, the acupoint above his head seemed to form a faint connection with his dantian.

That connection was like a hazy, drifting thread. Though incomparably fine, it seemed impossible to sever or cut away.

Then, threads emerged from his limbs and torso, all connecting to his dantian, reflecting and inscribing themselves within.

At last, the thirty-three threads intertwined and interlinked again, seemingly chaotic yet somehow perfectly ordered.

Meng Yuan understood that as long as the True Qi in his dantian reached the reflected inscription, the corresponding acupoint would display its outward power.

With this, the Gale Wind Saber Technique could be wielded as freely as he wished, its power increasing further.

"Does... does this count as success?" Meng Yuan opened his eyes.

Nie Yannian's face was flushed red from drinking. Only after leaving the room did he realize this was not the Drunken Moon Pavilion—there was no need to flee the bill by pretending to pee.

"I treated him, and the wine was even sent by my daughter, yet that gelding did not spend a single copper coin!" Nie Yannian had half a mind to go back in for a few more cups and get his money's worth.

But when he looked back, Little Gelder had already sat down cross-legged, looking as though he meant to finish today's business today.

Seeing this, Nie Yannian was no longer in a hurry. He planned to stroll around the Training Field and return afterward.

Though he had just pointed out the method for connecting the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens, there were still many crucial details and experiences he had not explained. Nie Yannian believed Meng Yuan would surely encounter obstacles once he tried it and would have to come seek his guidance again.

No sooner had Nie Yannian stepped out of the courtyard gate than he saw a girl of thirteen or fourteen approaching along the road outside.

The girl held several thread-bound books in her arms. It was Jiang Tang.

When Jiang Tang saw someone come out of the house, she blinked her big eyes at him, then hurriedly curtsied and said happily, "May I ask if you are Teacher Nie?"

"You know me?" Nie Yannian smiled. He had secretly gone to the ranch to investigate Meng Yuan, so he naturally recognized Jiang Tang. But ever since the Jiang grandfather and granddaughter had come to the Prince's Residence, he had been busy outside, and this girl probably had never seen him before.

"I heard my brother mention you." Jiang Tang hugged her books and curtsied again.

"What did your brother say about me?" Nie Yannian asked with a smile.

"My brother said Teacher Nie taught him martial arts, and that if I met you, I should pay my respects as a junior." Jiang Tang spoke obediently.

"So that was it." Nie Yannian had originally wanted another drink, but since the family had arrived, it would not be appropriate to linger. "Your brother is in the room. Go on in. I'll be leaving."

"Teacher Nie, you seem to have been drinking. Shall I make you a bowl of sobering soup?" Jiang Tang quickly tried to keep him.

Nie Yannian had heard plenty of empty politeness like that, but when he looked at the little girl, he found that she was utterly sincere. Nor was she distant toward him; instead, she seemed quite familiar with him, as though she truly regarded him as a close elder.

"I remember you worked over at Xun Mei's place. Why have you come back?" Looking at the little girl, Nie Yannian could not help thinking of his own daughter.

"I came to see whether my brother had returned." Jiang Tang answered honestly.

"Oh? Where did he go?" Nie Yannian glanced into the courtyard.

"To the ranch." Jiang Tang was very serious. "My brother said that life is better now, but people must not forget their roots. So he went to the ranch to take a walk, remember bitterness and savor sweetness, so that he could cherish the present even more."

"That kid has some sense after all." Nie Yannian was much relieved to hear that Little Gelder had not gone chasing women, and asked, "Did Little Gelder say anything bad about me?"

"No." Jiang Tang immediately shook her head and said earnestly, "My brother never speaks ill of people behind their backs. Besides, Teacher Nie is an elder he respects. How could he possibly say such things?"

"Then what did he say?" Nie Yannian pressed.

"Before my brother went to the ranch, he told me that while he was away, if Grandfather and I were bullied, we should endure it for the time being. But if something serious happened, we should ask Teacher Nie for help." Jiang Tang answered truthfully.

Hearing that, Nie Yannian could not help but laugh. "Little Gelder and you both belong to Xun Mei. If something happens, why not go to Xun Mei instead of coming to me?"

"My brother said Mei-jie can indeed shelter people, but she is too far away, after all. Teacher Nie is someone who can truly get things done, so if there is something we cannot decide, we should seek Teacher Nie." Jiang Tang hugged her books and said delightedly, "Since my brother said that, Teacher Nie must be one of our own."

Nie Yannian smiled at that. "Little Gelder has latched onto me!"

Jiang Tang smiled as well. "Then it is only right and proper for me to make you a bowl of sobering soup."

"Fine. Go prepare it. I'll take a turn around the Training Field and come back." Seeing that the little girl was truly earnest rather than merely making polite noises, Nie Yannian agreed.

Still, he had seen enough of the ways of the world to know that Little Gelder was practicing now. It was fine to exchange a few words with the girl on the road, but it would not be proper to enter the room again.

Just as Nie Yannian was about to head for the Training Field, the door opened and Meng Yuan walked out, his face full of puzzled bewilderment.

He's run into a hurdle. Looks like I'll have to pass on more of the method! Nie Yannian laughed inwardly.

"Master Nie." Meng Yuan walked over, then patted Jiang Tang on the head. "Go make a few dishes. I'm treating Master Nie to a drink."

Meng Yuan felt he had reached perfection this time, but Master Nie had said that attaining that state took three to five days at the fastest, while some took years. Yet he had needed only the time it took to drink a cup of tea. It was far too quick.

Thus, he needed to discuss it with Master Nie and, while he was at it, ask about the method for opening the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens.

"Alright!" Jiang Tang immediately agreed. She curtsied once more to Nie Yannian before hurrying toward the small kitchen.

"I've drunk too much today. I need to leave." Nie Yannian put on airs.

"Master Nie, I haven't seen you in a long time. I just want to have a good, hearty drink with you!" Meng Yuan grabbed Nie Yannian and refused to let him go.

Nie Yannian was forcibly dragged into the room, pressed into a chair, and poured wine.

After exchanging a few meaningless words, Meng Yuan asked directly, "Master Nie, after reaching Ninth Rank perfection, how do I open the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens?"

"See? Rushing again." Nie Yannian drained a bowl of wine. "You have not even opened the book, yet you already want to place first in the imperial examinations?"

"Master Nie, I seem to have completed the reflected inscription and already reached perfection." Meng Yuan poured wine vigorously.

Nie Yannian casually said, "Then tell me what it felt like."

Meng Yuan immediately described the sensations of the reflected inscription when he connected the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens.

Nie Yannian said nothing after hearing him. His knuckles tapped against the table, and only after quite a while did he say, "You're damn well a talent!"

"Jade cannot become a vessel without carving. If not for Master Nie's excellent guidance, how could I be where I am today? When drinking water, one must remember its source. Master Nie, please drink." Meng Yuan poured him more wine.

Nie Yannian pointed at Meng Yuan with a finger for a long while, yet could not force out a single word.