Nirvana

What does this mean?

We all know that before the Spirit Scholar realm of Spirit Cultivator, there is a stage called Spirit Entry. Spirit Entry is divided into nine levels; only after reaching the ninth level can one truly step into the halls of Spirit Cultivator.

In reality, Spirit Entry is merely a preparatory stage for Spirit Cultivator. It actually represents the degree to which the meridians within a Spirit Cultivator's body have been cleared and perfected. Spirit Entry level one means one-tenth of the body's meridians are cleared and perfected, while Spirit Entry level nine means nine-tenths are complete. With just one more step, one can begin to cultivate spirit power.

This was exactly the situation inside Sanbao's body at this moment. Under Old Luo's examination, he discovered that almost all of Sanbao's meridians were cleared and perfected. In other words, without ever having cultivated spirit power, Sanbao had already reached the peak of the ninth level of Spirit Entry. This left Old Luo dumbfounded.

What kind of freakish talent is this?

There are countless geniuses on the Coiling Dragon Continent, but which one of them didn't start cultivating from the first level of Spirit Entry? It was only a matter of how fast they progressed.

Ordinary Spirit Cultivator usually start cultivating spirit power at six or seven years old, reaching the peak of Spirit Entry by seventeen or eighteen, and becoming a one-star Spirit Scholar before the age of twenty.

Geniuses, on the other hand, can generally reach this level before the age of fifteen.

There are certainly people who reached the peak of Spirit Entry at Sanbao's age, and not a few, but to be at the ninth level of Spirit Entry without ever having started cultivation made Old Luo feel it was truly incredible.

No matter how good or strange his talent was, what did it matter if his life was gone? Old Luo abruptly pulled back his thoughts, focusing on controlling his spirit power as it wandered through Sanbao's body.

Since all the meridians were cleared and perfected, logically, the body's circulation should not be a problem, yet the facts before him could not be denied.

Half an hour later, Old Luo had traversed almost all of Sanbao's meridians and found absolutely no issues. Furthermore, Sanbao's meridians were far wider and more transparent than an average person's, which was a clear manifestation of high natural talent.

"No, I must check the heart meridian."

Old Luo used the faintest wisp of spirit power he could control to follow a main meridian, slowly entering Sanbao's heart meridian.

Pop, pop.

Unlike the fully cleared meridians throughout the rest of the body, Sanbao's heart meridian was completely sealed. Old Luo's spirit power could only reach the exterior of the heart meridian before being blocked and pushed back.

The heart meridian was actually blocked. No wonder Sanbao's vitality was gradually dissipating. The Thirteen Guards had also said that Sanbao absolutely could not cultivate spirit power before his bloodline was activated; it seemed this was the reason.

As the dominant species on the Coiling Dragon Continent, the number of humans is vast, yet only one or two out of ten can become a Spirit Cultivator. Most people are ordinary folks who cannot cultivate spirit power.

There are many reasons for being unable to cultivate spirit power, but blocked meridians (including a blocked heart meridian) are definitely the primary cause. Of course, some with blocked meridians can rely on external forces—such as medicinal pills that alter one's constitution or having an absolute expert clear their meridians over a long period—to eventually become a Spirit Cultivator, though their potential for growth remains small.

But if the heart meridian is blocked, it is impossible to cultivate spirit power. After all, the heart meridian is the core of the human body and the central place for the transformation of spirit power; it must never be blocked.

It seemed the problem lay right here, but his spirit power was too weak to pierce through it.

Let's try increasing the spirit power a little.

Old Luo gritted his teeth; at this point, he couldn't worry about much else.

Pop, pop...

Still no good. Increase it again.

As the spirit power increased, the impact on the heart meridian grew stronger. If he lost control, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Beads of sweat the size of soybeans dripped from the forehead of the clan head, Luo Dingyi, onto the ground. His tightly closed eyes trembled slightly, which made the Luo family members gathered around worry incessantly.

Bang...

With a violent heartbeat echoing into Old Luo's body, a channel was finally opened in the heart meridian. Old Luo and Sanbao both shuddered slightly.

A powerful current of air surged out from the newly opened gap in the heart meridian, instantly rushing through all the meridians in Sanbao's body.

Old Luo immediately withdrew his spirit power, trying to minimize any interference with Sanbao's heart meridian, but he was still shaken by the massive surge of air and immediately opened his eyes.

"Father, how is it?"

"Grandfather, is Third Uncle still savable?" the Luo family members asked anxiously.

Old Luo nodded, then shook his head. He withdrew his hands, laid Sanbao flat on the ground, and spoke slowly.

"Sanbao's heart meridian was blocked. I used my spirit power to force open a channel, but now his fate is uncertain. Sigh, it will depend on Sanbao's own fortune."

"What? Heart meridian blocked? How is that possible? Didn't they say that we, the descendants of the Luo Clan, are born with all meridians cleared?" the second son, Luo Kaiyu, asked in return.

"That's right, Grandfather. Didn't you always tell us that the heart meridian is the foundation of a person and must never be disturbed by external forces?" Caiyang asked almost at the same time.

"Sigh, everyone, don't ask anymore. I will pray for Sanbao before our ancestors. You all should go back first." After Old Luo finished speaking, he knelt on the ground for a long time...

Seeing this, the crowd had no choice but to quietly exit the Luo Clan Ancestral Hall one by one.

One hour, two hours...

In the blink of an eye, five hours passed. Night fell quietly, and the two in the ancestral hall remained in the same positions as they had been during the day. Neither moved, not even to shift their bodies slightly.

Pa, pa...

Sanbao's lips suddenly made two faint sounds. A dark shadow moved, and Old Luo leaned gently against Sanbao's ear to ask.

"Sanbao, what do you want to say?"

"Water, water..."

"Alright, wait a moment..." Without time to instruct anyone else, Old Luo transformed into a streak of black light and shot out of the room.

Soon, Old Luo returned with a small cup of water and slowly fed it to Sanbao.

"How is it? Do you feel better?" Old Luo asked while supporting Sanbao, his hand gently pressing against Sanbao's pulse.

Although the pulse was very weak, it had gradually become regular. Combined with the increasingly steady breathing, Old Luo felt very relieved; Sanbao's life had likely been saved.

"Mm, I'm just so tired, I'm going to sleep for a bit~" Sanbao mumbled a few incoherent words before quickly drifting off to sleep.

By the time Sanbao woke up again, three days had already passed.

"Meimei, what day is it today? Is the ancestor worship ceremony coming up soon?" The first thing Sanbao did upon waking was ask the maid dozing by his bedside about the ancestor worship.

"Third Young Master, you're really awake? The ancestor worship was three days ago; I must go tell the Master." A delighted Meimei took small, hurried steps as she wobbled out of the room, not even hearing Sanbao's final words.

"I want to eat, I'm starving..."

Soon, Luo Dingyi and Luo Kaifeng arrived together.

Old Luo slowly withdrew his large hand from the Governor Vessel on Sanbao's back before saying with a chuckle:

"Incredible. Your meridians are completely cleared, the Gate of the Heart Meridian has opened, and you are at the peak of the ninth stage of Spirit Entry. There is no mistake; aside from the fact that your Dantian lacks even a shred of spirit power, you have achieved results that take others years of cultivation to reach. In other words, once you absorb enough spirit power, you will immediately become a one-star Spirit Scholar~"

"What?" Sanbao stared straight at Old Luo and asked.

The happiness had come so suddenly that Sanbao couldn't even process it.

"Alright, enough 'what-ing.' Come to my room tonight; I have something to tell you." Old Luo didn't offer further explanation and strode away, leaving Sanbao sitting on the bed in a daze.

"Third Young Master, don't you understand what the Master meant? Starting tomorrow, you can cultivate spirit power—oh, no, no, I should say, you are practically a Spirit Scholar already!" Seeing Sanbao's dazed expression, the maid Meimei happily explained.

For Meimei, who could not cultivate, Spirit Cultivators were high and mighty existences, and she was naturally overjoyed that her own master could become one.

It wasn't that Sanbao didn't understand what Old Luo meant; it was just that everything had happened in the blink of an eye, and he was struggling to digest it. Was this happiness real?

Sanbao fell into deep thought. In his past life, he had experienced such moments before, but they had always proven to be fleeting. This time? What would the outcome be?

No, regardless of anything else, he had to improve his strength. Only by grasping peak power could he avoid being swayed by anyone or anything. He had to take his fate into his own hands.