Seven Apertures

"With these three threads of qi and blood, I should be able to open at least six apertures of the Martial Pass today."

Zhou Yun stood in the middle of the Martial Arts Arena and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

His most urgent task was to improve his strength as quickly as possible, secure a part-time position as a guard, and find a steady source of income.

"The Black Ape Fist processes qi and blood too slowly. I'll use the Black Ape Movement Technique directly."

Zhou Yun found a quiet spot, planted his feet firmly in a horse stance, and began moving like a black ape.

Wherever he went, sand and stones flew, and dust swirled around him, as though a black ape were roaming through the forest.

Streams of qi and blood coursed through the meridians in Zhou Yun's body, continuously opening up each tiny knot and stimulating the acupoints throughout his body, before finally gathering at a single pass.

The fifth aperture—opened!

Zhou Yun let out a long breath. He had used up only one thread of qi and blood, with two more still untouched.

He struck his stance again and used both the movement technique and the fist technique, speeding up the flow of qi and blood through his body.

If the Black Ape Movement Technique hadn't emphasized nimble, unpredictable movement and using motion to overcome stillness, Zhou Yun wouldn't have passed up the chance to practice the basic stance work.

In a small corner of the Martial Arts Arena, a lone figure trained until he was drenched in sweat, entering a state of total immersion.

Time flew by, and before long the afternoon sun was blazing overhead.

When Zhou Yun came out of his absorption in the movement and fist techniques, the three threads of qi and blood he had received for the day were nearly exhausted, and his own cultivation had reached the sixth aperture of the Martial Pass.

With just one more step, he would qualify to knock upon the Bright Force gate and set one foot into the martial world.

"I'll do what I can."

Zhou Yun didn't force it. Instead, he relaxed and decided to use up the last thread of qi and blood.

But as he threw punches while using the Black Ape Movement Technique, a flash of insight suddenly came to him. He fully combined the movement technique with the fist technique and grasped the essence of these two Black Ape Martial Arts techniques.

Zhou Yun found the techniques easier to use than ever. His arms seemed to grow long and lean like a black ape's, yet they held the strength of a primate.

"The Black Ape Movement Technique and fist technique have reached minor mastery!"

Zhou Yun was overjoyed. He hadn't expected that entering a state of flow just once would bring both martial arts to minor mastery. The qi and blood in his body had suddenly grown even heavier.

He decided to press on, using the Black Ape Movement Technique and fist technique at minor mastery. As he familiarized himself with his two new insights, he also tried to open the seventh aperture of the Martial Pass.

This time, when he used the two martial arts, his qi and blood no longer felt congested in his body as before. Instead, they flowed far more smoothly, reaching every part of his body that needed them.

Fist and foot were one family, and Zhou Yun now understood this more deeply. His qi and blood flowed more freely, too.

At the very last moment, just before his qi and blood ran out, that surge of energy reached the Heaven Gate, then returned to his dantian.

The final aperture of the Martial Pass had opened.

Zhou Yun slowly opened his eyes. His gaze had grown much sharper, and his entire bearing had changed dramatically.

He could feel the qi and blood in his dantian moving with his breath, coursing freely through his body and increasing the strength of his limbs and other parts.

All seven apertures were open. He could now circulate qi and blood to a rudimentary degree, greatly increasing the strength of his limbs and temporarily toughening specific areas of his body against blows.

In other words, he could use qi and blood to strengthen himself.

Of course, Zhou Yun knew very well—

These methods of using qi and blood were still limited to the level of ordinary martial artists.

"Once I break through to Bright Force, the qi and blood in my body will completely transform into force. Only then will I truly be able to withstand clubs, blades, and spears."

Zhou Yun didn't let success go to his head.

Still, opening all seven apertures of the Martial Pass in just a few days was an astonishing display of talent. No one would believe it if they heard.

It was only because he had enough qi and blood to use the Black Ape Movement Technique and fist technique at the same time that he had been lucky enough to enter a state of flow.

Zhou Yun felt immensely satisfied. Something he had thought would trouble him for days had been completely accomplished today.

"After another couple days of consolidating my foundation, I can prepare to break through to Bright Force!"

Zhou Yun wasn't in a hurry. The most important thing in martial arts was to build a solid foundation. Otherwise, one would leave hidden injuries that were difficult to heal.

At best, qi and blood would become congested. At worst, the meridians would be thrown into disarray, the apertures would become blocked, and one's cultivation would regress. Such things were common.

Many of the martial artists outside, who had no proper masters to guide them, chased temporary gains and rushed to break through. As a result, they were left with hidden ailments that plagued them for life.

"I should go home and check in. I can pay back the Whale Sea Gang while I'm at it."

Zhou Yun thought that now that he had opened all seven apertures, he still couldn't get a steady income from a part-time position, but it was time to settle those debts.

"I've finally opened all seven apertures!"

In the Inner Courtyard, at the Disciple Courtyard.

Lu Meng suddenly opened his eyes, his face alight with delight.

"I've been pushing myself for over a month and used up a Blood Coagulation Pill. I've finally touched the threshold of Bright Force!"

He looked proud and smug. "Even among the Inner Courtyard disciples with Fourth Form Bone, there are very few senior brothers and sisters who open all seven apertures within two months. Looks like I'm a natural genius!"

"And what if that Zhou Yun comprehended the Black Ape Movement Technique? In the end, strength is what matters!"

Lu Meng gritted his teeth. The memory of being humiliated by someone with First Form Bone seemed to rise in his mind again.

"If I ever run into him again, even if he can use the Black Ape Movement Technique, I only need to exhaust his qi and blood, and he'll be mine to butcher!"

At that thought, Lu Meng felt some of his resentment ease, though he was still a little irritated.

"Maybe I should take this chance to get even for that day?"

"No. Today is my appointment with Miss Shen. I can't afford to waste a moment."

Lu Meng took the brocade robe from the nearby clothes stand and put it on, admiring himself in the bronze mirror.

"That Zhou Yun did keep his word. He really sent this robe over yesterday... Never mind, I'll let him off this time."

With that, Lu Meng raised his chin slightly and left.

If he could get close to Shen Qingxue, he would be able to throw his weight around Black Stone County.

She wasn't only the only daughter of the Chief Escort Leader of the Sky Sea Escort Agency. She also had Fourth Form Bone by birth and had already reached the threshold of Dark Force. Breaking through to Transformation Force was only a matter of time.

Besides, the Shen Family had more than one Transformation Force faction backing them.

There were three martial arts halls in Black Stone County. Besides the most renowned Black Stone Cultural Hall, there was also the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall, which shared its name with the Sky Sea Escort Agency.

The head of the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall was also surnamed Shen and belonged to the same branch of the Shen Family as the Sky Sea Escort Agency.

With two Transformation Force grandmasters backing them, the family could be called the second-largest power in Black Stone County, after the Black Stone Martial Hall.

Powers like that usually had a presence in the main city as well, though that was far beyond what Lu Meng could aspire to at present.

As Lu Meng walked along, he felt many of the junior and senior female disciples around him turning to look at him. His smugness grew even greater.

When he reached the gate to Shen Qingxue's courtyard, he deliberately cleared his throat and knocked.

"Miss Shen, are you in the courtyard?"

Before long, a cool voice came from inside.

"Is that Senior Brother Lu Meng? The door's unlocked. Come in."

Lu Meng pushed the door open and saw three men and one woman sitting in the courtyard. Wang Lan stood up and introduced him to the other two:

"This is Lu Meng, the younger brother of the Whale Sea Gang's leader, whom I wanted to recommend. He comprehended the Black Ape Movement Technique before reaching Bright Force, so he has decent aptitude. He can take on various entry-level part-time guard positions, and you can put him to the test yourselves."

As soon as he finished speaking, Liang Chengshi jumped to his feet, rubbing his fists. "I heard Junior Brother Lu comprehended the Black Ape Movement Technique before reaching Bright Force. What excellent aptitude! Why don't you spar with me?"

The moment the words left his mouth—

A familiar, yet indistinct, shadow resembling a black ape appeared right in front of Lu Meng. A fist as big as a sandbag came straight at him.

Lu Meng:?