Initial Meridian Condensing

## Chapter 22

The news of Chen Qing's awakening was like a lightning bolt in the dark night, instantly piercing the oppressive atmosphere of the Vanguard Camp.

When he walked out of his tent unharmed at dawn, Old Niu and Sun Quezi, who were guarding outside, could hardly believe their eyes. The Squad Leader, who had been on the verge of death seven days ago with severe internal injuries, was now not only fully recovered but his aura was as deep as an abyss. A dark red glint appeared whenever his eyes opened and closed, making it impossible to look directly at him.

"Squad... Squad Leader! You... you're alright?" Old Niu's voice trembled with joy and disbelief.

Chen Qing nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers who had rushed over upon hearing the news. Seeing the concern and awe in their eyes, he said calmly, "I'm fine. Prepare yourselves, we're on standby."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison, their morale soaring.

Captain Zhou Han soon arrived. He carefully examined Chen Qing, his eyes filled with shock and inquiry. He had personally checked Chen Qing's injuries, which were undoubtedly fatal, and would have required at least one to two months of meticulous care to recover. But now...

"Squad Leader Chen, you..." Zhou Han didn't know how to begin.

"Thank you for your concern, Captain. I am no longer in grave danger," Chen Qing replied calmly. "What is the status of the Northern Mang main force?"

Zhou Han suppressed the storm in his heart and said gravely, "Their main force is fifty miles away, setting up camp. They will launch a full-scale attack by tomorrow at the latest." He paused, looking at Chen Qing. "Can you still fight?"

A cold arc formed on Chen Qing's lips. "I need some killing intent to help me break through."

Zhou Han's eyes twitched. He gave Chen Qing a deep look. "Good! What do you need?"

"My unit will be the vanguard of the entire army," Chen Qing stated concisely.

Zhou Han was silent for a moment, then nodded heavily. "Agreed! Your unit will be the tip of the spear in the Vanguard Camp's first charge! I will order the archers and cavalry to provide full cover for you!"

"Thank you, Captain!"

* * *

The clouds of war hung heavy over the desolate Northern Frontier.

Fifty miles away, the Northern Mang encampments stretched like a black tide as far as the eye could see. Their wolf banners fluttered in the cold wind, and a palpable aura of killing intent rose to the heavens.

On the Great Yan defense line, all the soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, their faces pale as they gazed at the suffocating enemy formation in the distance. This was a decisive battle against overwhelming odds.

Chen Qing stood at the very front of the formation, with the fifty soldiers under his command behind him. Further back was the entire Vanguard Camp, and behind them, the main battle troops stood ready.

He closed his eyes, as if conserving his energy. But only he knew that he was mobilizing the killing intent from his fully integrated Fierce Tiger Iron Body and his newly awakened Black Tiger True Intent, attempting to break through the barrier that was preventing him from entering the Meridian Condensing Realm.

Ordinary martial artists needed abundant vital energy and specific cultivation techniques to slowly open up their meridians, allowing their inner energy (true qi) to circulate endlessly.

But his path was different.

He would use killing intent as his meridians! With the Black Tiger True Intent as his guide, he would completely fuse the overbearing killing intent tempered by Fierce Tiger Iron Body with his own vital energy, forcibly breaking open and widening his meridians, transforming them into what he called "Saber Meridians" capable of containing and circulating this special energy!

This method was unprecedented and extremely dangerous. Failure could result in shattered meridians, and that would be the least of his worries. But he had the system, the Black Tiger True Intent, and the absolute will forged in the crucible of life and death!

Wooooo--!

A low, mournful horn sounded from the Northern Mang camp, like the call of death.

The black tide began to move! Slowly at first, then faster and faster, eventually transforming into a torrent that swept across the land and surged towards the Great Yan defense line! Ten thousand horses thundered, shaking the very earth!

"Archers! Prepare--!" the Great Yan officer's hoarse roar trembled.

At the very instant the two massive forces were about to collide!

Chen Qing's eyes snapped open!

Dark red light shot out from his pupils as if it had substance! The restrained, ferocious aura around him erupted, no longer a chaotic diffusion but as if it had a life of its own, transforming into countless streams of dark red light that violently slammed along specific, previously blocked pathways within his body!

Rumble!

It was as if thunder exploded within him!

Agony! Pain far exceeding that of Blood Refining! It felt like countless red-hot iron streams were surging through his meridians! The veins on his skin bulged like earthworms, turning a grotesque dark red, making him look like a demon crawling from hell!

"Roar--!"

He let out an uncontrollable roar, filled with pain and ferocity! The sound faintly drowned out the thunder of ten thousand horses on the battlefield!

[Using Killing Intent to Break Through Meridians, Black Tiger True Intent Suppressing, Fierce Tiger Iron Body Proficiency +500!]

[Warning! Meridian Capacity Reached Limit!]

[...]

The system's prompts became rapid and blurred.

Just as he felt his body was about to be torn apart by the violent power!

Crack! Crackle!

Something within his body seemed to be forcibly broken open! Several major meridians were suddenly opened under the impact of the overbearing killing intent imbued with the Black Tiger True Intent!

Those violent dark red energies instantly found an outlet, flowing like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, surging and circulating within the newly formed "Saber Meridians" – several times wider and tougher than those of ordinary martial artists! One cycle, two cycles... the speed grew faster and faster!

The pain receded like a tide, replaced by an unprecedented sense of power and control!

He felt his strength, speed, perception, and even his control over the surrounding killing intent had taken a huge leap forward! The energy within him flowed endlessly, and with every movement, he could seemingly stir the pervasive aura of slaughter and death in the surrounding air!

Meridian Condensing Realm! He had succeeded!

And not an ordinary Meridian Condensing Realm, but one forged with killing intent as its core and the Black Tiger True Intent as its soul – a Saber Meridian!

[Breakthrough Successful! Realm Advancement: Meridian Condensing Realm (Early Stage)!]

[Fierce Tiger Iron Body has deeply fused with Black Tiger True Intent, comprehending a special state: Fierce Tiger Domain (Nascent)!]

[Fierce Tiger Domain (Nascent): Within a certain range around the body, Saber Meridian concentration increases, capable of slightly affecting the enemy's mind and amplifying one's own strength and recovery speed.]

Chen Qing suddenly raised his head, looking at the Northern Mang torrent that was already within arm's reach. The human emotions in his eyes were gone, replaced by the pure, cold, and bloodthirsty desire of a hunter.

He moved.

There were no shouts, no commands.

Simply, he pointed the ring-hilted saber in his hand forward.

The next moment, his entire being transformed into a black-red afterimage almost too fast for the eye to follow. He wasn't running, but rather flying close to the ground, at a terrifying speed, alone, he fiercely charged into the torrent of black that was the charging army!

"Break through the formation!"

A cold, low shout, like the declaration of Death, cut through the deafening war cries and clearly reached the ears of every soldier in the Vanguard Camp charging forward.

Old Niu, Sun Quezi, and the others watched the figure that charged into the enemy formation without hesitation, like a shooting star. Their blood instantly overwhelmed their fear!

"Break through the formation!"

"Break through the formation!"

"Kill--!"

Fifty men, like ignited gunpowder barrels, erupted with earth-shattering roars. Following that black-red figure, they fiercely embedded themselves into the vanguard of the Northern Mang's charge!

The great battle instantly entered its most brutal phase!

And Chen Qing was the most dazzling, and the most terrifying, streak of dark red within this brutal vortex!