"I only broke through today." Lin Yi nodded slightly, admitting it.
"Good, good, my grandson. It seems my Lin Family has finally produced a true genius!"
Upon receiving Lin Yi's confirmation, Lin Zhentian immediately burst into hearty laughter.
Lin Xiao and Lin Ken also smiled faintly, overjoyed.
Lin Mang, standing to the side, wore a somewhat complicated expression.
"There are still about four months before the Hunting Competition. By then, Lin Yi will certainly have made considerable progress. The Lei and Xie families have taken advantage of our Lin Family repeatedly. This time, it's time to make them spit it all back out!"
Lin Zhentian stared at Lin Yi, his face full of anticipation.
Lin Yi smiled. "Grandfather, rest assured. I won't disappoint you. However, before the Hunting Competition, I hope everyone can temporarily keep the news of my breakthrough to the Earth Yuan Stage secret. When the time comes, we'll give the Lei and Xie families a huge surprise!"
"Haha, good. We'll do as you say." Lin Zhentian's eyes lit up at this, already looking forward to seeing the expressions on the faces of the Lei and Xie families.
"By the way, now that you've broken through to the Earth Yuan Stage, it's time for me to pass a cultivation art on to you."
Lin Yi shook his head. "There's no need. My master prepared a cultivation art for me in advance."
Lin Xiao had already told Lin Zhentian about the excuse Lin Yi had previously made up concerning a mysterious master.
"Mm. Then I'll teach you the Pure Yuan Finger. Also, if there's anything you need, just say so. As long as our Lin Family has it, I absolutely won't keep it from you." Lin Zhentian stroked his beard and smiled.
The Pure Yuan Finger he mentioned was the Lin Family's only fourth-grade martial art.
Hearing Lin Zhentian's words, everyone was shaken. Clearly, he intended to cultivate Lin Yi as the most precious core seed of the family.
Lin Xia and Lin Hong looked at Lin Yi with eyes full of envy.
However, Lin Yi's recent achievements truly qualified him for such treatment!
"Thank you, Grandfather." Lin Yi did not refuse.
Lin Zhentian waved his hand with a smile, then discussed some family matters with Lin Ken and the others before sending everyone away.
After returning to his room, Lin Yi sat cross-legged on the bed. With a thought, he took the first-rate secret manual, the Sky Profound Art, which the system had rewarded him with, out of the Universe Ring!
Lin Yi quickly browsed through the contents of the Sky Profound Art, and a hint of surprise involuntarily appeared on his face.
The so-called cultivation secret manuals were actually methods for guiding and tempering Yuan Power.
For example, the Lin Family's Azure Yuan Art could open four hidden meridians.
Those four meridians extended directly to the skin. During cultivation, as long as one activated the art, one could absorb the Yuan Power between heaven and earth through them.
Some second-rate secret manuals could open more than a dozen meridians!
First-rate secret manuals could open at least dozens of meridians!
Yet this Sky Profound Art rewarded by the system could actually open ninety-nine hidden meridians within the human body!
Lin Yi vaguely remembered that the first-rate cultivation art Great Sun Thunder Body, which Little Mink had brought out in the original story, could only open a little over forty meridians!
The more meridians one opened, the faster one could naturally absorb the Yuan Power of heaven and earth later on.
This Sky Profound Art definitely ranked among the most top-tier cultivation arts in the world!
"I wonder whether the Stone Talisman can improve this secret manual any further?"
Holding the secret manual, Lin Yi suddenly thought of something, and a hint of anticipation appeared in his eyes.
At this thought, Lin Yi slowly closed his eyes. With a shift of his mind, he appeared in the Spiritual Space within the Stone Talisman.
The space now contained three light shadows: the Tong Bei Fist, the Eight Desolations Palm, and the Mysterious Gate Seal.
After Lin Yi entered the Spiritual Space, the space behind the third light shadow gradually began to twist.
This time, however, the light shadow sat cross-legged.
Not long after the light shadow appeared, its body gradually became somewhat transparent. Countless lines resembling meridians emerged from within it.
Within the light shadow, golden lines began to surge, outlining the extremely obscure and profound meridian pathways in the human body.
Under the golden lines' outlining, one new meridian pathway after another gradually entered Lin Yi's eyes—one, two... ninety-nine...
When the ninety-ninth meridian pathway was simulated, Lin Yi's eyes suddenly narrowed as he stared fixedly at the golden lines that had begun to slow as they approached.
Under Lin Yi's gaze, the golden lines, which had slowed down, pushed forward again, inch by inch. Finally, they slid into an unfamiliar meridian pathway that had not appeared in the pathways recorded by the Sky Profound Art.
The hundredth!
Clearly, the Stone Talisman had successfully perfected the Sky Profound Art.
However, it had only perfected a single new meridian pathway before completely coming to a halt.
Lin Yi was already extremely satisfied with this.
Because this additional meridian pathway could nearly double his cultivation speed!
With a delighted heart, Lin Yi firmly memorized that profound and abstruse meridian pathway before exiting the Spiritual Space.
Next, Lin Yi used the Stone Talisman to refine the five Spirit Medicines he had exchanged for that day into medicinal pills.
After setting the Spirit Medicine pills aside for later use, Lin Yi began cultivating the Sky Profound Art. He guided the Yuan Power within his body, located a hidden meridian, and tried to open it.
When the Yuan Power in Lin Yi's body was depleted, he had only opened one-tenth of the first meridian!
Feeling the Yuan Power in his dantian run dry, Lin Yi immediately swallowed a medicinal pill without hesitation and continued charging forward...
After Lin Yi continuously took two medicinal pills, he finally succeeded in opening the first meridian.
"These dozen or so medicinal pills probably won't last long..."
After opening the first meridian, Lin Yi temporarily stopped. He stretched and shook his head helplessly.
"Once this batch of medicinal pills is used up, I'll go to Flame City. I wonder whether pills made from Fourth-Grade Spirit Medicine can last longer..."
After muttering softly, Lin Yi placed the Sky Profound Art manual and the remaining medicinal pills into the Universe Ring, washed up briefly, and then went to rest.
The next day, Lin Zhentian took the initiative to find Lin Yi. He personally passed on the Lin Family's only fourth-grade martial art, the Pure Yuan Finger, to Lin Yi, and also gave him three Third-Grade Spirit Medicines.
In the days that followed, Lin Yi once again immersed himself in cultivation.
The medicinal pills made from the Spirit Medicines were consumed at an astonishing rate.
In just half a month, all the medicinal pills made from the Spirit Medicines had been completely used up!
During that half-month, Lin Yi's cultivation results were also extremely gratifying. He had successfully opened fifteen hidden meridians!
As far as Lin Yi knew, Lin Xiao had spent a full three months back then to open the four meridians recorded in the Azure Yuan Art, while Lin Zhentian had taken half a year!
After using up the medicinal pills made from the Spirit Medicines, Lin Yi told no one. He disguised himself, then quietly headed to Flame City after blending into a merchant caravan.
After entering Flame City, Lin Yi made a few casual inquiries and went straight toward the center of the city. Before long, he arrived before an especially grand and imposing pavilion.
"Curio Building."
Looking at the three grand characters atop the pavilion, which exuded an archaic aura, a glint flashed through Lin Yi's eyes as he stepped inside.
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