Monsters

He could feel the spiritual energy around his body on his first attempt at cultivation, and guiding it to himself greatly boosted Ye Yun's confidence. However, even though he could draw the spiritual energy over, it didn't mean he could lead it into his body, as the acupoints around him hadn't been opened yet.

The first level of the Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao mainly focused on how to open the acupoints in the human body, then guide spiritual energy into the body, allowing it to circulate along fixed paths within. The requirement for the first level of the Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao was to lead spiritual energy into the body and have it circulate through thirty-six major heavenly cycles.

After reviewing the incantation for opening all the acupoints in the Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao once more, Ye Yun took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and followed the manual to open his acupoints one by one. To Ye Yun's astonishment, all his acupoints opened as he willed them to, as if there were no obstructions. This made him feel incredibly proud amidst his shock, believing himself to be a legendary genius.

Just then, a voice echoed in his mind, shattering his beautiful dream.

"Host, wake up, stop dreaming. The reason you could sense spiritual energy and open all your acupoints so quickly is because your body was previously strengthened by this system. Without this system's reinforcement, you would be at most similar to Tian Ling'er, and that would be at the same age. As for your unreinforced, transformed body, you should be extremely grateful for the speed Zhang Xiaofan has now."

"Can't you just not say it? Would it kill you to let me experience being a genius for a bit! By the way, System, have you collected enough energy to go back yet? I want to go home."

"Hey, System, talk to me, have you collected enough energy or not!"

"Damn it, don't play dead. Just give me a sound, any sound, you're making me anxious like this."

"Squeak."

This time, it was Ye Yun's turn to be silent.

"You win, System. I won't ask anymore. Remind me when you've saved up enough energy. I need to cultivate peacefully. Sad."

After waiting for a while without a response from the system, Ye Yun once again calmed his mind and prepared to guide spiritual energy into his body and circulate it through the heavenly cycles according to the Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao incantation. As long as he could complete thirty-six major heavenly cycles, he could go to his Shiniang, Su Ru, to ask for the second level of the cultivation method.

He had already opened his acupoints one by one, so this time, when he used the method to guide spiritual energy into his body and mobilized the surrounding spiritual energy, Ye Yun immediately felt a difference. Firstly, the spiritual energy surrounding him was denser than before. Secondly, the spiritual energy was no longer swirling around him randomly but began to rotate in a regular direction. Finally, after the spiritual energy formed a clockwise miniature tornado, streams of it quickly entered his body through the acupoints all over his body, while the vortex continuously absorbed the surrounding spiritual energy from heaven and earth, like a bottomless pit, taking in as much as it could.

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Yun felt a growing ache in his meridians. He understood that his body had reached its limit and further cultivation could potentially damage his meridians, so he stopped. After adjusting his breathing, he opened his eyes.

Feeling the magic power surging within him, Ye Yun couldn't help but grin. On his first attempt at cultivation, he had circulated the first level of the Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao for twelve major heavenly cycles. This was simply unheard of. Although he benefited from the system's help in cleansing his marrow and transforming his body, it was still incredibly terrifying. After all, even someone like Su Ru, a peak master of one of the seven peaks, would take over a month to lead spiritual energy into her body. If his current situation were revealed, it would likely scare people to death.

Ye Yun calmed his excited mood and recalled the realm divisions Su Ru had told him about earlier.

The Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao had three realms: Jade Purity, Upper Purity, and Great Purity. Each realm was further divided into nine layers (the original work wasn't clear, so let's assume nine layers). Disciples of the Qingyun Sect, including many intelligent individuals, couldn't break through the Jade Purity realm in their entire lives. However, even so, cultivating to the peak of the Jade Purity realm was already rare in the world.

Within the Qingyun Sect, which had nearly a thousand members, only a little over ten people, led by the sect leader True Master Dao Xuan, could break through the Jade Purity realm and practice the Upper Purity realm. Yet, with just these ten-plus individuals, the Qingyun Sect was one of the strongest and deepest sects in cultivation today. As for the legendary supreme realm, the Great Purity, it was said that only the peerless genius Ancestor Qing Ye had ever reached it.

Thinking of this, Ye Yun felt the urge to sit down and cultivate again. Because with his current cultivation speed, he would break through to the Upper Purity realm in no time. The Upper Purity realm was still considered a top master at that time, meaning he would soon have enough energy to go home.

However, too much of a good thing can be bad. His meridians could no longer withstand further cultivation. To cultivate again, he had to wait until his body fully adapted to the spiritual power he had refined and absorbed into his body. Besides, he was also a bit hungry.

With that thought, Ye Yun no longer hesitated. He got up and opened the door to the secret chamber. When he walked out of the Tai Chi Cave, he realized it was already evening. Half of the sunset in the sky had already dipped below the mountains.

When Ye Yun arrived at the dining hall, he happened to see the backs of Tian Buyi and his family of three at the entrance.

Entering the dining hall, he respectfully greeted Tian Buyi, Su Ru, and his senior brothers before taking his seat. As expected, as soon as he sat down, Tian Buyi began to ask him about his cultivation progress for the day.

Because his actual cultivation results were too astonishing, Ye Yun did not tell the truth. Instead, he downplayed it, only saying that he could sense the surrounding spiritual energy and was currently preparing to guide it to open his acupoints.

Tian Buyi did not suspect anything and nodded, then ignored him. However, the other senior brothers looked at him as if he were a monster, making Ye Yun feel a bit uneasy. Fortunately, with Tian Buyi and Su Ru present, everyone was somewhat restrained and didn't come forward to touch him.

Perhaps it was because cultivators had longer lifespans, but meals lasted at least half an hour (an hour). Even after more than three months, he still wasn't used to it, but there was nothing he could do about it since he was the youngest in seniority.

Ye Yun counted the grains of rice in his bowl while keeping an eye on Tian Buyi and the others. The moment Tian Buyi put down his chopsticks, Ye Yun, with lightning speed, shoveled the last bite of rice from his bowl into his mouth. He was just waiting for Tian Buyi to nod and signal them to eat freely so he could run out immediately, as the gazes of Song Daren and the others were too unnerving.

However, as the saying goes, man proposes, but heaven disposes. Before Tian Buyi could nod, a crystal-clear red ribbon floated out from under the table and wrapped around his waist, binding him tightly. What made it even more despairing was that his Shiniang, who had always doted on him, saw this but remained indifferent. She put down her chopsticks and walked out of the dining hall with her husband.

"Help me!" As soon as Tian Buyi and Su Ru left the dining hall, Ye Yun's muffled cry for help could be heard from within. However, neither of them looked back, walking straight towards their living quarters.