Internal Power Born, Dantian Blazing Hot

At noon atop Emei Golden Summit, the blazing sun was like molten gold hurled down by the White Emperor.

The ten-thousand stone steps shimmered with hazy waves of heat, while the aerial roots hanging from ancient nan trees condensed into amber-colored ribbons in the hot wind.

The sea of clouds had faded into a hazy veil, revealing rolling mountain ranges that resembled a colossal dragon lying coiled.

Back mountain.

Though the blazing sun hung high overhead, fierce mountain winds howled across the back mountain, leaving no trace of oppressive heat.

The bell outside the bamboo dwelling occasionally chimed in the gentle breeze.

Inside the bamboo dwelling, Gu Shaoan sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion woven from bamboo strips, his eyes lightly closed. His abdomen rose and fell with each breath, his expression peaceful, like a monk in meditation.

With Gu Shaoan's breathing, the Qi Foundation within him also slowly circulated.

Five consecutive days of diligent cultivation had made the Qi Foundation within Gu Shaoan, which had originally seemed liable to disperse at any moment, much more solid.

When paired with the Breathing Technique, the sensation of Qi moving through his body had also become several times clearer.

Yet at that moment, Gu Shaoan suddenly felt the Qi Foundation circulating within him stall at the Qihai acupoint below his navel.

But Gu Shaoan acted as if he had not noticed and continued cultivating with the Breathing Technique.

A quarter of an hour.

Half an hour.

Only after an hour had passed did a special strand of energy quietly begin to brew within Gu Shaoan's Qihai acupoint.

The instant this strand of energy formed, it impatiently burrowed into Gu Shaoan's Dantian.

In an instant, Gu Shaoan felt as though his Dantian had become a furnace, and a scorching heat spread through his lower abdomen.

Immediately afterward, that strand of energy traveled through his Meridians, and Gu Shaoan's body felt like someone in winter drawing near a brazier, warm from head to toe.

Internal power was born, the Dantian blazed hot, ten thousand pores welcomed spring, and harmonious yang filled the body, as though bathed in a spring breeze.

After a long while, that strand of internal power returned to his Dantian and slowly swam within it like a fish.

At the same time, a notification appeared before Gu Shaoan.

[First strand of Origin Internal Power condensed. Achievement Points +10.]

"Phew..."

After exhaling a breath of turbid air, Gu Shaoan opened his eyes. Seeing the notification before him, delight flashed through his gaze.

"I've finally condensed my first strand of Origin Internal Power."

A Martial Artist's internal power was divided into ordinary internal power and Origin Internal Power.

Even if ordinary internal power was depleted, it could be restored through meditation and breath regulation.

But once one's origin was depleted, it was gone forever.

Origin had another name as well: cultivation.

The deeper one's origin, the more abundant one's internal power would become, and the greater its might.

Thus, to Martial Artists, origin was the foundation of cultivation—the utmost priority.

Unless faced with a life-and-death crisis, few would willingly consume their origin.

Condensing internal power also marked Gu Shaoan's successful entry through the gates of martial cultivation.

After calming himself slightly, Gu Shaoan walked straight out of the bamboo dwelling.

On the back mountain, Third Senior Sister Bei Jinyi was instructing Zhou Zhiruo in the Willow Catkin Sword Technique, while Eldest Senior Sister Zhao Jingxuan and Second Senior Sister Ding Minjun had each chosen a spot to cultivate.

Since they were all on the back mountain, how could they dare slack off beneath Miejue's watchful eyes?

Over the past few days, aside from going out every morning to pay his respects to Miejue, Gu Shaoan had spent nearly all his time inside his bamboo dwelling.

Whenever he grew weary from cultivation, he would read the books Zhou Zhiruo had brought him.

Now, seeing Gu Shaoan walk toward Miejue's bamboo courtyard, not only Zhou Zhiruo but also Zhao Jingxuan and the other two women cast him surprised looks.

Yet just as Gu Shaoan reached the outside of Miejue's bamboo courtyard, before he could speak, a figure swiftly leaped from the bamboo dwelling and landed steadily before him.

Who else could it have been but Miejue?

Her gaze fell on Gu Shaoan. Sensing the faintly surging internal power within him, which had yet to fully settle, Miejue looked somewhat surprised.

"You've condensed internal power?"

Perhaps because she was surprised, Miejue's voice was slightly louder than usual.

"Junior Brother has already cultivated internal power? So fast?"

Hearing Miejue's words, Zhao Jingxuan and the others revealed astonished expressions and hurried over.

In response to Miejue's question, Gu Shaoan bowed. "Master's insight is truly keen. This disciple has only just condensed his first strand of Origin Internal Power."

At Gu Shaoan's reply, Miejue's eyes flickered.

A moment later, when Miejue looked at Gu Shaoan again, satisfaction appeared on her face.

The cultivation of internal power was like a suffering monk's meditation.

Especially when condensing the first strand of internal power, it was exceptionally dull and tedious—something ordinary people found hard to endure.

Not to mention a youth like Gu Shaoan; even many people in their thirties could not necessarily withstand such monotony day after day.

If not for that, there would not be so many Martial Artists in the world who remained stuck in the Postnatal Realm for their entire lives.

To strengthen his Qi Foundation and condense his first strand of internal power in just five days was enough to show that Gu Shaoan had not merely been putting on an act these past five days. He had truly calmed his mind and sat in bitter cultivation every day.

To possess such a steady temperament at his age was even more rare in Miejue's eyes.

As the thought crossed her mind, Miejue's satisfaction toward Gu Shaoan deepened.

"No wonder he resembles Senior Brother."

Gathering her thoughts, Miejue said, "Since you have already condensed internal power, I shall teach you Emei Sect's supreme Internal Cultivation Method, the Emei Nine Yangs Technique."

Hearing Miejue's words, delight rose in Gu Shaoan's heart.

Emei Sect possessed several Internal Cultivation Methods.

But the strongest of them was undoubtedly the Emei Nine Yangs Technique.

Legend had it that when Shaolin's Master Jueyuan passed away, he vaguely muttered portions of the Nine Yangs True Scripture.

Zhang Sanfeng, Guo Xiang, and Zen Master Wuse each memorized a portion.

Because the three differed in comprehension and martial attainments at the time, what they understood was also different.

Shaolin's Zen Master Wuse had the highest martial realm and thus the deepest understanding of the Nine Yangs True Scripture. Guo Xiang, the founding ancestor of Emei Sect, had learned the broadest range of knowledge, while Zhang Sanfeng, who had yet to establish Wudang Sect, had possessed no foundation in Martial Arts at the time. Because of this, what he learned was instead the purest.

Thus, among the three sects of Shaolin, Emei Sect, and Wudang Sect, Shaolin's Zen Master Wuse obtained its "height," Patriarch Guo Xiang obtained its "breadth," and Zhang Sanfeng obtained its "purity."

The Martial Arts of the three sects each had their strengths, but it could also be said that each had its weaknesses.

But strictly speaking, the Emei Nine Yangs Technique was the closest to the Nine Yangs True Scripture. Its breadth even approached seventy percent of the true meaning of the Nine Yangs True Scripture.

Therefore, once Emei Sect's Emei Nine Yangs Technique was cultivated to a profound level, it could, like the Nine Yangs Divine Skill within the Nine Yangs True Scripture, produce fierce and powerful internal power, generate internal power at an astonishing rate, and even heal injuries.

Though it was inferior to the Nine Yangs Divine Skill within the Nine Yangs True Scripture, it was absolutely still a High-Level Martial Arts Internal Cultivation Method.

Gu Shaoan took the opportunity to glance at Zhao Jingxuan, Ding Minjun, and the others.

Seeing that their expressions remained normal, Gu Shaoan guessed that they too practiced the Emei Nine Yangs Technique.

For this, Gu Shaoan could not help but be grateful that Miejue was not a petty and stingy person.

Had it been some miserly master, even if they possessed High-Level Martial Arts, they would certainly keep it hidden from their disciples.

Some sects had even stricter Rules. Certain profound Internal Cultivation Methods would only be passed down to the next Sect Leader.

How could they be like Miejue, teaching the Nine Yangs Divine Skill to Gu Shaoan the moment he joined the sect?