The martial arts housed in the tower were numerous and varied. Though they were sorted into categories, perhaps the Yin Meridian was simply too obscure: after searching for several hours, Li Hao still found no mention of it in any cultivation manual.
Instead, he recorded two more low- and mid-grade Body-Tempering Arts, giving his body another small boost.
That evening, Li Muxiu returned through the air, looking somewhat weary.
Seeing Li Hao holding the Dragon River Divine Meridian manual, Li Muxiu shook his head with a smile. "What, you already want to achieve Meridian Opening? Have you even entered the Circulation Realm? Don't reach beyond your grasp."
"I just did," Li Hao said.
"?"
Li Muxiu froze, then asked, "You've reached the beginner level of the Hundred Dragons Body?"
"Yes."
Li Hao nodded. Full mastery counted as getting started, right?
"Come on, demonstrate it for me."
Li Muxiu wasted no more words and simply had Li Hao demonstrate. One look would tell him exactly where the boy stood.
Li Hao did not hide his ability either, freely going through the movements.
They had not known each other long, but the old man struck him as utterly open and straightforward. If the old man wanted to harm him, he would not be able to stop him anyway.
Besides, it was only full mastery of the Hundred Dragons Body. Surely that was no great matter?
As his fists swept through the air and his strength surged, an aura like a flood dragon rising from the sea burst from Li Hao.
Li Muxiu's gaze sharpened, then his expression went blank.
Li Muxiu stared at Li Hao in astonishment. Merely reaching the beginner level of the Hundred Dragons Body would have been nothing extraordinary-at most, it would have made him a rather outstanding genius. The Li Family never lacked geniuses. Throw a stone at random, and whoever it hit would be either a servant or a genius.
But there was the beginner level, minor mastery, and full mastery. This was the Hundred Dragons Body at full mastery!
Getting started in a day, then reaching full mastery in a day?!
Good heavens, this Body Refining talent was every bit a match for Xiao Jiu's cultivation talent, wasn't it?
Li Muxiu could not help studying Li Hao. Was this child's Body Refining talent really that exceptional? What a pity, though. Why was it only his Body Refining talent that stood out so much?
At that thought, Li Muxiu could not help heaving a deep, silent sigh.
Though he disliked pursuing fame and fortune, being able to cultivate was unquestionably a good thing for anyone.
Finishing his demonstration, Li Hao saw the old man staring into space. With innocent eyes, he took the opportunity to ask, "Old man, I saw the words 'Profound Meridian' in another Primordial Beginning Art manual. What kind of meridian is that?"
"You looked through that manual too? You haven't practiced it, have you?"
Li Muxiu came back to his senses. His brows immediately furrowed, and his expression turned serious.
He gazed at Li Hao's little face. Seeing the child's innocent expression, he realized he was overthinking things. The boy was so young. If he had truly divided his attention to practice something else, how could he have found the time today to bring the Hundred Dragons Body to full mastery?
Without waiting for Li Hao to answer, he continued solemnly, "You have tremendous talent for Body Refining. That's a good thing, but don't squander it! So many geniuses, hot-blooded in their youth, rely on their little bit of cleverness and learn this and that. In the end, they know a little of everything and can be called all-rounders. But guess what happens? Someone their own age whom they once defeated slaps them dead."
"That person only needs to practice one move. If that move is powerful enough, if it's enough to kill an enemy, they can sweep all before them!"
Li Muxiu said, "Look at those called Sword Saints, Saber Saints, Spear Gods, or Arrow Kings. They're all renowned figures. Do you think they don't understand the value of developing every aspect of themselves? Yet they focus only on their own field, constantly honing it! A human lifespan is limited. Even an entire lifetime might not be enough to reach the end of one path, let alone follow two. That would only destroy your future!"
At that point, he said to Li Hao:
"The advantage of an aristocratic clan like ours is that we have ample resources and foundations, so growing up is relatively comfortable. But wandering martial heroes without a powerful background face all sorts of complicated situations and hardships from childhood. They're forced to learn whatever is available, whatever will keep them alive!"
"But we're different. We get to choose!"
"They dabble in poisons, medicine, unarmed combat, sabers, and swords, but so what? Against someone in the same realm, they'll have a great advantage. But how much time does learning all that take? Say it takes ten years. If someone else spends those same ten years learning just one thing, they won't be in the same realm as you. By then, being one or two levels above you will be enough to crush and kill you with ease!"
"So only when you've reached a bottleneck, with no hope of advancing for the rest of your life, should you consider broadening your skills. Before that, there's no need."
His advice was earnest and heartfelt, and Li Hao understood the old man's reasoning.
Developing every skill would certainly make one formidable, but time did not allow it.
That, however, applied to ordinary martial artists.
He had a panel to cheat with.
Still, until he had ample Art Skill Points, Li Hao could only focus on the Sword Dao and his physical body. Even now, he prioritized his body, putting his cultivation realm first.
After sternly warning Li Hao, Li Muxiu sighed and returned to his casual manner. "The Profound Meridian you mentioned comes from the Primordial Beginning Body Refining Art. It's also the reason that incomplete art was allowed onto the Sixth Floor. But to learn how to open the Profound Meridian, you have to cultivate step by step to the third level. That takes far too much time. This art is harder to practice, too. Someone with good comprehension might need five or eight years. Someone with poor comprehension might struggle even after twenty or thirty!"
"So although the Profound Meridian is valuable, we can only give it up."
"Oh?"
Li Hao sat cross-legged, hugging his shins, his expression inviting the old man to explain further.
"The Profound Meridian is also called the Yin Meridian. Aside from normal Meridian Opening, rumor has it that the human body contains a total of one hundred and eight meridians!"
Li Muxiu said, "Our Li Family's strongest art, the Dragon River Divine Meridian, can open fifty-four meridians, while the Imperial Clan's Eastern Wasteland Scripture can open sixty-two. It's already the strongest Meridian Opening art."
"But that's still far short of one hundred and eight, so whether there really are one hundred and eight meridians has always remained a matter of rumor."
"However, beyond those one hundred and eight meridians, there are two Great Meridians: the Yin Meridian and the Yang Meridian!"
"If you open these two Great Meridians, the arts you cultivate will gain certain special powers, making your attacks fiercer and more overbearing. At the same time, these two Great Meridians can accommodate more energy circulating through heavenly circuits!"
He glanced at Li Hao. "If you can achieve one meridian, one hundred circuits, then in the Yin Meridian, you can achieve one meridian, one thousand circuits-a tenfold difference! You can stack and accumulate the energy of a hundred circuits within the Yin Meridian!"
"And one meridian, one thousand circuits isn't merely an accumulation in quantity. It's a qualitative transformation in explosive power. You'll see the specifics in battle. That's why anyone who can open these two special Great Meridians is a genius among geniuses, an outstanding figure even among the finest talents, rarely seen in a century!"
Li Hao understood. He had not expected there to be a Yang Meridian in addition to the Yin Meridian.
The two special Great Meridians were equivalent to an extra twenty meridians.
After all, even the Imperial Clan's strongest art only opened sixty-four meridians. Opening both special Great Meridians would be equivalent to an increase of one-third!
Then, even if he practiced his lineage's Dragon River Divine Meridian, he could unleash power surpassing that of the Imperial Clan!
"Opening these two special Great Meridians is extremely difficult. It requires opportunity, talent, and comprehension. Outside assistance can do little to help." Li Muxiu glanced at Li Hao. "Among our Li Family's second generation, only three people opened a special Great Meridian. Only your Ninth Uncle possessed both. His talent was peerless."
At that, he could not help sighing.
Li Hao, meanwhile, was somewhat dumbfounded.
After hearing all that, he had thought they were extraordinarily rare. Yet among the nine sons of the Li Family's second generation, three actually possessed one?
And that Ninth Uncle possessed both?
"Xiao Jiu was born with the Yang Meridian. He comprehended and opened the Yin Meridian himself later in life. Even this old man only had one special Great Meridian back then, much like your father."
Li Muxiu shook his head as he spoke.
Li Hao had nothing to say. This Ninth Uncle was the real cheat, wasn't he?
"All right, just keep your feet on the ground and cultivate diligently."
Li Muxiu told Li Hao, "Your talent is exceptional, but your meridians have been blocked since birth. That makes things harder for you than for other Body Refining practitioners. If you're unlucky, the Circulation Realm might be your limit. So don't let your attention wander. Practice the Thousand Dragons Sacred Body properly. If you reach the fourth level, you'll have a chance of breaking through to the Soul Succession Realm."
"Then you'll count as a martial artist who can hold his own. At least people won't be able to kill you on a whim."
Li Hao nodded.
Seeing how obedient Li Hao was, Li Muxiu felt quite pleased. "Read through the Dragon River Divine Meridian yourself when you have time. Come ask me if there's anything you don't understand. Your father and the others learned on their own back then, too. There were people teaching them, of course, but how should I put it? Your grandfather had a rather bad temper and didn't teach them himself. He hired military instructors instead. Often, before the instructors even realized what was happening, your father and the others had already learned it. Xiao Jiu could even infer three things from one. Heh..."
As though recalling those days, a small smile appeared on the old man's face.
Li Hao felt rather helpless.
The Li Family had so many monstrous talents that even a cheat like him seemed slightly unremarkable.
Of course, he had not yet gone all out to hunt for Art Skill Points. Otherwise, he could have progressed further.
But living was living. Besides cultivation, there still had to be life. Otherwise, what was the point of getting to live all over again?
In the days that followed, aside from spending each morning fishing with the old man, Li Hao spent his afternoons immersed in the tower, reading energy-circulation arts and Meridian Opening manuals.
Half a month passed, and all three top-tier manuals were recorded in his panel as he had hoped.
Li Hao felt his comprehension was probably fairly good. After all, he had to grasp the rudiments before he could record an art. One manual every five days meant he had not disgraced the Li Family too badly.
He had heard that ordinary direct-line descendants of the Li Family generally needed about half a month to grasp the rudiments of a supreme manual.
Still, with the mindset of someone who had lived two lives, Li Hao did not grow proud. He considered it merely a normal performance.
However, these three arts were not Body-Tempering Arts, so after recording them, his third-stage comprehension of the Path of the Physical Body had no effect on them.
Instead, another new Dao attribute appeared on his panel.
[Imperial Dao: not yet initiated]
Li Hao guessed that since these three manuals contained cultivation arts for ordinary martial artists, the Imperial Dao most likely corresponded to the ordinary path of cultivation.
The name was just a little strange.
But Li Hao did not dwell on it. As long as he could add points, that was enough.
And so he once again felt the scarcity of Art Skill Points.
Aside from fishing and playing board games, it's time to consider trying some painting in my spare time, and cooking...
These were all categories of art listed in the game. Barring any surprises, they should all grant Art Skill Points.
(End of chapter)
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