Acupoint Opening

After enjoying tea, Yue Huanjiang had his attendant bring out refreshments, allowing Xiang Yuan to fill his stomach while continuing his inquiries.

Xiang Yuan practiced divine arts, possessing an astonishing appetite. Three plates of exquisite pastries vanished in an instant, barely enough to tickle his fancy.

The shopkeeper's face showed disdain. A martial artist from the jianghu, utterly uncouth. Who knows where they got their guidance, yet they understand the ways of commerce.

Yue Huanjiang paid it no mind, praising his genuine nature and ordering another table of delicacies, specially prepared to entertain Xiang Yuan.

At the table, Xiang Yuan accepted everything offered, the clatter of plates and bowls echoing as he ate heartily.

Across from him, Yue Huanjiang ate with refined grace, his teeth never showing, speaking little. He picked up a pastry, took a small bite, and chewed slowly and deliberately in his mouth.

In the back courtyard, there were female attendants in yellow who could be called to accompany the meal, adding a feast for the eyes. However, Yue Huanjiang did not do so. He was not a lecher, nor did he imagine Xiang Yuan to be someone who indulged in the pleasures of the flesh.

To tempt him with beauty would be counterproductive.

If he truly wished to forge a connection, he should treat him with sincerity.

After the empty plates were cleared, Xiang Yuan let out a satisfied burp. The last time he had eaten so well was at Hongyun Garden, when County Lieutenant Qin treated him. But that time, he wasn't the main guest and hadn't eaten to his heart's content, only feeling about sixty percent full.

"Thank you for your hospitality, brother. My table manners are crude, I apologize for the spectacle."

"We are people of the jianghu, what's crude or refined?"

Yue Huanjiang dismissed it with a wave of his hand and asked, "Younger brother, what brings you to White Cloud Manor today? If you don't mind my bluntness, I can guide you."

"No need. I've bought everything I need to buy. I just need a suitable weapon, I'll pick one myself."

Xiang Yuan secretly thought, This is going well. He sighed, "The goods at White Cloud Manor are good, but there are no points or membership benefits. My hard-earned savings have all been pocketed by you, brother."

As he spoke, he mentioned, "Two hundred taels for a Blood Replenishing Pill, three hundred and fifty taels for an Acupoint Opening Pill."

"An Acupoint Opening Pill costs three hundred and fifty taels? That's so expensive?" Yue Huanjiang exclaimed in surprise, looking to the shopkeeper for confirmation.

"My lord, please don't jest. It's only three hundred and fifty taels, practically dirt cheap!"

"My lord, you may not know, but Mr. Xiang purchased a high-grade Acupoint Opening Pill. This pill is not easy to refine..."

The shopkeeper repeated the sales pitch the attendant had used, stating with absolute certainty, "That young man was ignorant. He undervalued this pill. Otherwise, we wouldn't sell it for even four hundred taels."

With that, he put on a look of regret, as if Xiang Yuan had gotten an unbelievable bargain.

Yue Huanjiang couldn't help but smile faintly and shake his head. "Return the money, and fetch me a supreme-grade Acupoint Opening Pill. I will gift it to my dear brother Xiang, free of charge, to repay your kindness in teaching and guiding me."

Supreme-grade? Medium cup, large cup, extra-large cup... Is supreme-grade the extra-large cup?

Xiang Yuan's eyes lit up. It was worth his effort. Finally, he had exchanged his words for the pure friendship of gentlemen.

When Yue Huanjiang spoke, the shopkeeper dared not disobey. Moreover, compared to selling it cheaply, he preferred giving it away. Losing one sale was far better than breaking the rules.

Soon, Xiang Yuan obtained a bottle of supreme-grade Acupoint Opening Pills. They weren't sold in the front courtyard, so they must have been exclusive to the back. Ordinary jianghu figures couldn't even dream of obtaining them.

He knew how to play the game too. When he saw the chance for profit, he took out the high-grade Acupoint Opening Pills and handed them to the shopkeeper.

He hadn't intended to give them away initially, planning to sell them to the shopkeeper for four hundred taels. With the rules in place, he wasn't afraid they wouldn't accept. It was only because Yue Huanjiang was present, exuding an aura of gentlemanly conduct, and his competitive spirit flared, that he gritted his teeth and chose not to pocket those four hundred taels.

This is a huge loss!

Such is human nature. Often, forcing oneself to suffer a loss for the sake of face is a blessing.

"Why do you need Blood Replenishing Pills, younger brother?"

"It might sound laughable to you, brother, but a while ago, while apprehending some criminals, they were numerous. I sustained external injuries and needed pills to replenish my blood," Xiang Yuan said briefly.

"So that's how it is."

Yue Huanjiang gave a wry smile. "It seems I've harmed you, younger brother."

"Ah?!"

You're also Sima Qingyan's fiancé? And you're mutually in love with her?

Seeing Xiang Yuan's confusion, Yue Huanjiang explained, "A while ago, the Six Doors confiscated smuggled goods from the Southern Border Five Poisons Cult. Among them were a large number of pills from White Cloud Manor. You were working at the yamen, so you must have been injured that night."

Yue Huanjiang was not from Dezhou. He was an inner disciple of White Cloud Manor and rarely ventured into the jianghu. He came here precisely to investigate this matter, to see which rat had tarnished White Cloud Manor's reputation.

"It's nothing. Why are we brothers talking about this?"

Xiang Yuan did not give a direct reply. Yue Huanjiang's guilt was a good thing for him. Not to mention anything else, there was still no news about his divine weapon.

Seeing his righteousness, Yue Huanjiang felt even more ashamed and said directly, "Although the pills can replenish what is lost, their medicinal properties are ultimately imbalanced, making it difficult to achieve perfection. The Manor has heavenly treasures that can be used for dietary supplements. I hope you will give me a chance to atone for my mistake, dear brother."

"You mustn't, you mustn't."

"It is only right."

And so, the shopkeeper went out again.

He finally understood. The young master fancied Xiang Yuan and intended to recruit him as a member. No, as a retainer.

Xiang Yuan had felt this way for a long time. He couldn't help but wonder, if he hadn't brought an umbrella that night, if he hadn't met Xiao He, would his future path be related to White Cloud Manor?

It seemed likely. Old Daoist Quexin's words were very clear: bringing an umbrella led to one outcome, not bringing one led to another. Where he went depended on his own choices.

Master, oh Master, if only you had revealed a little more back then!

On one side was the highly skilled Xiao He, and on the other was the gentlemanly Yue Huanjiang. Setting aside their character, just looking at their appearances, both were men, but Yue Huanjiang was far more like a thousand-year-old snake demon than Xiao He.

Xiang Yuan glanced up. Yue Huanjiang smiled faintly beside him. His delicate features were so refined that one could mistake him for a woman in disguise.

That's more like it!

Xiang Yuan, full of complaints, sighed and chose to accept reality.

He could multitask, but being indecisive was unacceptable. The path he chose, he had to walk, even if it meant tears. Since he had chosen to bring an umbrella, White Cloud Manor, no matter how good, was not meant for him.

"Why does my sworn brother sigh?"

"This junior brother regrets not meeting my elder brother sooner."

"We meet when fate dictates; this meeting is just right."

"It's too late; my future is already set."

"..."

Hearing Xiang Yuan's polite refusal, Yue Huanjiang felt a hint of bitterness. He didn't force the issue and instead grew curious about who had captured Xiang Yuan's heart before him.

It wasn't about wealth or beauty; anything White Cloud Manor could offer, it could offer doubly. If Xiang Yuan sought riches and honor, he wouldn't refuse.

It must be someone with immense personal charisma.

Curious!

An hour later, medicinal cuisine to replenish blood and nourish qi was served. Xiang Yuan devoured it like a bottomless pit, accepting everything that came his way.

With his depleted blood and qi fully restored, he could attempt Acupoint Opening after a short rest.

"The back garden of the manor is quiet and undisturbed; my sworn brother can cultivate here."

Yue Huanjiang slowly stood up. "When my sworn brother succeeds, I will come to celebrate. We shall drink together then; I hope my sworn brother won't shut me out."

Never, this is your home.

Xiang Yuan had exactly that in mind. The yamen was crowded and full of prying eyes; he worried about being disturbed while breaking through. His original plan was to find a Martial Arts School and rent a quiet room, but now he didn't even have to spend money on rent.

The more Xiang Yuan looked at Yue Huanjiang, the more he liked him. He admired the man's demeanor and compared him to that scoundrel Xiao He, finding him utterly inferior, not even worth picking up after.

Once the tea room and study were empty, Xiang Yuan retrieved a meditation cushion, sat cross-legged on the floor, opened the porcelain bottle, broke the wax seal, and swallowed the top-grade Acupoint Opening Pill in one gulp.

The joker is offline; the steady persona is online. At this critical moment, I can't let the joker's thoughts run wild.

The key to breaking through to the Acupoint Opening stage lies in the last acupoint of the Ren Meridian, Chengjiang. This acupoint, also known as the Heavenly Pool, is located in the center of the philtrum, generating saliva and moistening, soothing tendons, and activating collaterals.

For a martial artist, once Chengjiang is opened, true qi can be guided to the eyelids and circulate around the face. Only when qi flows through the Ren Meridian, connecting the five senses above and the perineum below, can one align with the Five Elements, internally refine the Five Viscera, and officially enter the Acupoint Opening stage.

The Acupoint Opening here does not refer to the Three Passes and Nine Apertures but rather the Five Viscera, internally regulating the Five Elements.

Because the Five Viscera are easily injured and are the foundation of the human body, any slight exertion of force can damage the foundation, leading to hidden injuries and the failure of the cultivation. Thus, the Five Elements cannot be directly regulated. Martial artists need to use the external manifestations of the Nine Apertures to proceed gradually.

The Five Elements are Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lungs, and Kidneys. The corresponding Nine Apertures are the mouth, nose, ears, eyes, and the front and rear yin.

Old Daoist Quexin said that the Human Race originally possessed a congenital body, with the Five Viscera and Five Elements opened internally and qi channels circulating externally. With the Nine Apertures perfected, they could seize the fortune of heaven and earth, with boundless prospects leading directly to the immortal path.

It is only because of the curse of the Demon Race that the Five Elements are obscure and the qi channels are blocked, preventing direct access to the principles of heaven and earth. This is why they now enter the Dao through martial arts, returning to the original state.

Demons have demonic arts; humans have the heavenly reward for diligence and self-improvement. Every cultivator must battle the curse of the Demon Race.

Today, it is Xiang Yuan's turn to challenge this hurdle.

"Spirit pill, aid me!"

According to unofficial news, the release date is December 1st.