Channel Opening Realm

Four hours later.

Jiang Yuan panted heavily, feeling the softness pressing against him from either side, a hollow emptiness filling his heart.

Sigh, I really am getting old. I'm far worse than I was in my younger days.

After a night of indulgence, he felt utterly listless and entered sage mode.

Though this long-lost feeling was wonderful, he knew he could not lose himself in this haven of tenderness. He had to keep making himself stronger.

It was easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury back to frugality.

In this world, the strong reigned supreme. Only sufficient strength could win him everything he wanted.

Having reached this point in his thoughts, Jiang Yuan got up, swallowed the Essence Origin Pill, and began cultivating.

He had expended too much. He had to replenish himself properly.

In an instant, a warm current surged up from his dantian, easing much of the emptiness in his heart.

The meridians throughout his body burned hot.

His cultivation was now at the ninth level of Qi Condensation. He only lacked a stroke of fortune to break through into the Channel Opening Realm. Once he did, he could be considered an expert even within the Under-Heaven Society.

This Essence Origin Pill might well be that stroke of fortune.

The next morning.

Jiang Yuan slowly opened his eyes. The true qi throughout his body had merged into one, while wisps of fine black qi seeped from every part of his body.

Cleansing the meridians and purging the marrow, the qi vortex opened the channels—he had finally entered the Channel Opening Realm.

Once a martial artist entered the Channel Opening Realm, the meridians and acupoints throughout their body would gradually be opened, until all twelve meridians had been opened and twelve meridian wheels condensed, forming a complete cycle. This was known as the twelve stages of Channel Opening!

With every meridian opened, the true qi one refined would undergo a qualitative transformation.

For example, the same strand of true qi could only pierce wood when wielded by a Qi Condensation martial artist, yet in the hands of a Channel Opening martial artist, it could pierce armor!

In other words, ordinary weapons and armor no longer held any meaning for martial artists who had cultivated to this realm.

For some who possessed special constitutions or cultivated special techniques, the nature of their true qi could even transform and produce particular effects—for instance, flame true qi, frost true qi, and so on.

Jiang Yuan's Everlasting Spring Technique was exceptionally special. The true qi it cultivated brimmed with vitality and could be used to heal injuries. Moreover, his reserves of true qi were far more abundant than those of ordinary martial artists.

Feeling the surging power of true qi within him, excitement flickered in Jiang Yuan's eyes.

The gains from this single night were simply enormous!

"The Essence Origin Pill's effects are actually this fierce?"

Jiang Yuan could scarcely believe it.

This pill was clearly only a low-grade medicinal pill. Otherwise, Liu Mang would not have given it to him so casually.

Could it be that he could increase even the cultivation effects of medicinal pills seventyfold?

That was far too terrifying.

Just as Jiang Yuan was about to rise, a soft moan came from beside him. The two women had awakened.

They had never expected that Jiang Yuan, an old man, would still be so vigorous. Last night, they truly had not been able to move even a finger.

"My lord, this servant will help you dress."

The two young women struggled to rise, only to find their entire bodies aching so badly that they could barely move.

"No need. This old man will do it himself."

Jiang Yuan put on his clothes, washed his face, and looked at himself in the mirror.

Mm, not bad. He had become quite a bit younger again.

Now dressed in a martial robe, Jiang Yuan looked like an immortal sage, radiant and full of life—nothing like a seventy-year-old man.

Before leaving, Jiang Yuan took several taels of silver from his robes, intending to reward the two young women.

The two women were horrified and frantically shook their heads. "My lord, you mustn't! If the steward finds out, he'll beat us to death!"

"So strict?"

Jiang Yuan frowned slightly and asked, "What are your names?"

The two women looked at each other. It was the first time anyone had taken the initiative to ask their names. Cautiously, they replied:

"My lord, my name is Chunlan."

"Her name is Qiuju."

"Chunlan and Qiuju? Are you sisters?"

The two women nodded.

Jiang Yuan rubbed his nose and said with a faint smile, "Good. To meet is to have fate. If the chance arises, this old man will redeem you."

"Ah?"

Chunlan and Qiuju were startled, then hurriedly knelt and kowtowed. "Thank you, my lord!"

Though it was only an empty promise, they were already overwhelmed by the favor.

Sigh, what pitiful girls.

In this world, how many fallen women are still waiting for this old man to save them? Amitabha!

Jiang Yuan shook his head and strode straight out the door.

Outside the room, Liu Mang had been waiting for him in the courtyard since early morning.

Seeing Jiang Yuan approach, Liu Mang greeted him with a beaming smile. "Old brother, you're up so early. How was last night?"

"Even in the Vermilion Bird Tower, those two girls would be top courtesans."

"Not bad."

Jiang Yuan spat out two words, then casually asked, "How much would it cost for this old man to redeem them?"

A man could not stand without trust.

Though he had only casually promised the two sisters, once words left his mouth, he had to do his best to fulfill them.

"Redeem them?"

Liu Mang froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Old brother, what a man of true temperament! Just keep them by your side to serve you from now on. Why would you need to redeem them?"

Jiang Yuan nodded and held out his hand. "Give me their contracts of sale."

"The contracts of sale?"

Liu Mang was startled. He quietly pulled Jiang Yuan aside and lowered his voice. "Old brother, you can summon them whenever you like. Your little brother guarantees that no second person will touch them. But those contracts of sale..."

"Is it troublesome?" Jiang Yuan asked, puzzled.

Liu Mang sighed. "Old brother, you may not know this, but our Black Market is a place of business. Everything here is the hall's private property. Redeeming people so easily violates the hall's rules."

"So serious?"

"Who says it isn't? Even when the family members of brothers in the hall want to redeem themselves..."

At this point, Liu Mang abruptly stopped and changed the subject. "Heh heh... Old brother, since you like them so much, your little brother will naturally do everything he can to help. I'll deliver the contracts of sale to you later."

Jiang Yuan did not press further and nodded. "Fine. Then many thanks, Brother Liu. Consider this old man owing you a favor."

"Oh, old brother, you're too polite."

Liu Mang smiled broadly.

Helping redeem two servant girls would earn him a favor from an old hand like Jiang Yuan.

This deal was no loss!

Before long, Liu Mang led Jiang Yuan to a grand residence within White Tiger Hall, where they went to see White Tiger Hall's Hall Master, Zhu Hu.

Along the way, the disciples who saw Jiang Yuan all wore curious expressions. Disciples of his age were truly rare; most people that old were elders or honored retainers. Yet none of them had ever heard of a person named Jiang Yuan.

At that moment, a burly man with a face full of flesh and rough features reclined in a tiger-skin chair, holding two lovely women in his arms with a lecherous grin.

"Hall Master, Liu Mang requests an audience outside," a disciple entered and said with a bow.

"Liu Mang?"

Zhu Hu's face was full of impatience. "That dog thing? Let him in."

A while later, Liu Mang led Jiang Yuan into Zhu Hu's room. The two gave a slight salute.

"Greetings, Hall Master Zhu."

Zhu Hu sized Jiang Yuan up, a trace of disdain flashing through his eyes. He said flatly, "Liu Mang, this is the senior expert you spoke of?"

"He looks... utterly ordinary."