Pulse Opening

After leaving that place, Xu Yan did not pause for a moment, fleeing onward.

He feared that the Heavenly Fox girl would catch up once her injuries recovered.

At the same time, he remained extremely vigilant, extending his divine sense to perceive everything within twenty zhang, his nerves taut at all times.

After riding the qi for half a day and fleeing a hundred li, Xu Yan finally stopped. He continued onward on foot while circulating the Taicang Breathing Technique to restore his spiritual power.

After walking for a long time, he found a secluded little valley deep within the vast mountains.

He surveyed the surroundings and, finding the place exceptionally well-hidden, finally entered.

The valley was barren, its spiritual qi thin. Presumably, no cultivators would come here.

Ordinarily, the richer the natural qi of heaven and earth in a cultivation ground, the better. But Xu Yan had gone against the grain.

Places thick with the qi of heaven and earth were inevitably accompanied by conflict. They were too dangerous.

Xu Yan had come this time only to open his meridians. With the Earth Treasure Spirit Spring, it was already enough for him to cultivate to the first level of Pulse Opening. Breaking through the first barrier would naturally pose no problem.

Holding the Green Pattern Dharma Sword, he came before a cliff face.

Xu Yan unleashed his dharma power and directly carved out a cave five zhang wide inside. He entered, then piled broken stones across the entrance.

Afterward, Xu Yan took a bronze array disk and several Great Banners from his Qiankun Bag.

Though he was only a half-baked Mystic Gate practitioner, he did possess some genuine skill. Otherwise, he could not have swindled and deceived people for several years; without real ability, that would have been impossible.

Using a most basic array, Xu Yan set up the Spirit Protection Array at the cave entrance. He then took out a high-grade spirit stone from his Qiankun Bag and placed it at the center of the Bagua Array Disk. The array activated at once. Dense array patterns emerged in midair, shrouding the area three zhang around Xu Yan.

"At the very least, it can withstand a single strike from a Pulse Opening cultivator. If someone launches a sneak attack, I'll have time to react."

Xu Yan thought to himself.

Then he took a deep breath, sat cross-legged on the ground, and first calmed his mind for half an hour.

Before entering the Immortal Treasury, he had already reached the ninth level of Qi Exhalation, nearly at perfection.

His mind sank inward. His dantian was brimming with dharma power, and as his divine sense descended, Xu Yan felt as though he had fallen into a deep sea.

When his divine sense observed his turbid meridians, however, he felt as though he were gazing upon an ancient mountain range that ran straight from earth to heaven!

Chaotic mist shrouded its interior, while wind, rain, thunder, and lightning shifted without cease.

"Primordial Spirit Vein... is this kind of meridian manifestation good or bad...?"

Xu Yan furrowed his brow. The cultivation world's classifications of meridian manifestations were exceedingly complicated, and their ranks were determined only by the cultivator's eventual accomplishments.

Some had cultivated rare spirit meridians to lofty realms and gained fame that shook the world, while other cultivators remained obscure and unknown.

The most important things in cultivation were talent and comprehension, followed by resources and background.

And on the path of cultivation,

From birth, the human body consumed the five grains and inhaled the hundred qi, accumulating the acquired turbidness within. When this turbid qi gathered into meridians, they became "turbid meridians."

The Qi Exhalation realm used Mystic Qi to nourish the fleshly body, preparing for Pulse Opening.

Pulse Opening used Mystic Qi to break through the barriers of the turbid meridians, gradually dissolving and expelling the accumulated acquired turbid qi within.

This was a process of [shedding turbidity and entering spirit], casting off the mortal fleshly body.

Xu Yan used his divine sense to manifest the interior of his body. A main meridian ran from the crown acupoint straight through to his lower abdomen, and around the entire main meridian lay countless tiny branch meridians, dense as a spiderweb.

The main meridian contained nine barriers. Each time one was broken through, the Dao body would undergo a transformation. The turbid qi within the meridians would be washed away, and the whole person would experience a qualitative leap.

Divine sense, physical body, and dharma power would all rise enormously!

"The Eight-Nine Profound Art is also a rare Pulse Opening method that cultivates body and qi together. Moreover, it is a Wanxiang method, without dharma power of any single attribute. It is exceptionally compatible with my Primordial Spirit Vein."

The Primordial Spirit Vein could evolve the five elements, even wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. It was unlike a spirit meridian of only one of the five elements.

He began carefully studying the Eight-Nine Profound Art.

Most Pulse Opening methods guided Mystic Qi to "scour" the barriers, slowly dissolving the turbid qi step by step.

But the Eight-Nine Profound Art was different. It followed the path of "actively striking, breaking barriers with force." This was why the physical strength it enhanced was far greater than that of other Pulse Opening methods, and the dharma power it cultivated was likewise more vast and mighty.

The first barrier was the Tiantu Pass, located at the throat of the Dao body.

"Throat locks the mystic pass, answering the heavenly constellation above. Turbid qi is like stone, blocking the jade hall..."

Xu Yan carefully examined the Dao text in his sea of consciousness. He observed it with his divine sense for half a day, and only when every step was crystal clear in his mind did he begin attempting Pulse Opening.

Xu Yan took out the jade-green bottle and drank a mouthful of Earth Spirit Spring water.

The spring water entered his stomach and immediately transformed into a warm current, sinking into his dantian. Vast earthly essence and flawless spiritual power spread through his limbs and bones. Xu Yan felt indescribably comfortable, as if he were about to ascend as an immortal.

Of course, that was only at the beginning.

Xu Yan's Qi Exhalation cultivation was nearly complete. If the spiritual power and earthly essence of this Earth Spirit Spring water remained within his body, it would become a great problem—it could burst his physical body apart!

He closed his eyes and focused his mind, silently reciting the Pulse Opening incantation as the dharma seals in his hands shifted.

At the same time, the Mystic Qi in his dantian slowly began to gather. The Mystic Qi that had originally flowed loosely like a stream rapidly converged under the guidance of his Pulse Opening method, becoming a raging torrent that roared violently through his body!

He fiercely drove this Mystic Qi upward along the main spirit meridian!

The great wave of Mystic Qi surged through his body and slammed straight into the Tiantu Pass.

Boom—

A tremendous rumble erupted from within his body. For a moment, Xu Yan's head buzzed, and even his vision blurred somewhat.

"Turbid qi is like stone. This turbid meridian truly is difficult to open."

The easiest meridians to open were spirit meridians of a single five-element attribute. Xu Yan's Primordial turbid meridian was like Pangu Stone, making one recoil at the sight of it.

But he did not give up. After resting briefly,

Xu Yan drank another mouthful of Earth Spirit Spring water. Mystic Qi throughout his body gathered into a savage torrent and charged toward the Tiantu Pass at his throat.

Rumble—

A deafening roar came from within his body, like a great drum being pounded. It made Xu Yan's ears ring and his head spin. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead, and the qi and blood within him began to boil. He felt as though he were inside a blazing furnace.

Lowering his head, he looked.

The skin around his neck had already turned incomparably crimson, a horrifying sight.

Yet at the same time, the meridians beneath the surrounding skin had appeared, and filth was being expelled through the pores of his Dao body, visibly pouring out before his eyes!

"Again."

Xu Yan was not discouraged. He sensed subtle changes taking place within him. Every impact brought enormous expenditure and pain, but once he recovered, Xu Yan discovered that his divine sense had actually grown stronger.

His body and dharma power were improving as well!

The Tiantu Pass at his throat was quietly loosening.

He swallowed more Earth Spirit Spring water, gathered Mystic Qi, and assaulted the Tiantu Pass.

This continued for two full days. Half the Earth Spirit Spring water in the bottle had been consumed.

Within the cave, Xu Yan looked somewhat terrifying. He had already removed his Daoist robe. Veins bulged all across his body, his skin was crimson, and the turbid qi and filth within him had been expelled from his body. His eyes were dark and bright, utterly clear.

He panted heavily.

After resting for half an hour, Xu Yan gritted his teeth and swallowed another mouthful of Earth Spirit Spring water!

Vast earthly essence and flawless spiritual power spread through his limbs and bones, like spring water flowing into a parched desert. Xu Yan's physical body began uncontrollably absorbing the Earth Spirit Spring water.

"Throat locks the mystic pass, answering the heavenly constellation above. Turbid qi is like stone, blocking the jade hall. Shake it with qi, shatter it with brilliance!"

Boom!

Mystic Qi gathered once more. The torrent burst forth like a colossal axe splitting mountains, charging forward again.

Xu Yan's entire Dao body shuddered violently. Turbid qi was forcibly driven out through the skin around his throat, while piercing agony spread through his limbs and bones. Xu Yan felt as though his head were being torn in half.

Cultivating body and qi together meant enduring not only the pain of the flesh, but also the pain within the mind.

"My divine sense has improved the most!"

The order in which each Pulse Opening method opened its barriers varied enormously. In the Eight-Nine Profound Art, the Tiantu Pass that had to be broken lay at the throat, nearest to the Niwan Palace at the crown acupoint. Xu Yan felt the improvement to his divine sense most clearly.

He could already perceive the world fifty zhang away. Even the faintest sound of wind was clear to him.

"Almost..."

Xu Yan rested for the time it took an incense stick to burn.

He swallowed a large mouthful of Earth Spirit Spring water, silently recited the incantation, and refined his Mystic Qi to the utmost limit. The torrent howled forth with a buzzing roar, and the fiercest assault yet crashed savagely against the Tiantu Pass!

Boom—

A thunderous explosion rang through his body. Xu Yan's eyes flew wide open, and he nearly fainted.

Immediately afterward, Xu Yan felt as though some barrier inside his body had been broken open.

Like a dam bursting, turbid qi first rippled out from every part of his Dao body. Then an incomparable sense of ease flooded him. Xu Yan felt his feet grow light, as though he were walking through the air.

His heart pounded, qi and blood churned, and the strength of his body had increased considerably.

Mystic Qi was also settling, like a dragon entering the great sea. Xu Yan swallowed another mouthful of Earth Spirit Spring water and circulated his breathing technique. It was devoured in only a few breaths, settling into his dantian and spirit meridians. His dharma power was far beyond what it had been in the Qi Exhalation realm.

His Niwan Palace was even clearer and emptier. His divine sense had increased severalfold; he could clearly sense even the sound of ants crawling along the ground thirty zhang outside the cave.

"The Tiantu Pass has been broken. I am now at the first level of Pulse Opening."

Xu Yan panted heavily, his eyes gleaming. He could clearly feel his own transformation.

He looked over his palms and thought of something.

Xu Yan raised a brow, focused slightly, and tried once more to activate the Edict Script in his palm with his divine sense.