Qi Surging Through the Spirit Meridians

At the dawn of the Great Dao, cultivation began.

One had to cleanse the marrow and sever the meridians before opening apertures and breaking through the meridians.

Thirty-six spirit apertures, seventy-two segments of turbid meridians.

As long as one could open a single spirit aperture, one could begin breaking through the meridians, drawing upon the spiritual power within the aperture to clear the turbid meridians.

The human body's turbid meridians ran from the Baihui acupoint atop the head all the way down to the dantian in the abdomen.

To step into the Qi Exhalation Realm, one had to clear the turbid meridians. Spiritual power would pass from the spirit apertures through the spirit meridians, continuously gathering in the dantian and eventually forming a "sea of qi." Once one cultivated the first level of Qi Exhalation, one had truly entered the path of seeking the Dao.

Inside the Emperor Bell, golden qi rippled through the surroundings.

Xu Yan practiced the Li Clan Body Tempering Art, and he felt his entire body grow scorching hot. The effects of this complete technique were far stronger than those of the incomplete version!

The Formless Crown Aperture, the Formless Great Palace Aperture.

One yin and one yang were forcibly brought into manifestation by the body-tempering art. The spiritual power within the apertures roared like a surging river.

Spiritual power drifted continuously through his meridians, then flowed in reverse toward the entrance of the "turbid meridians" at the Baihui acupoint.

Xu Yan looked inward at himself.

That turbid meridian was like an endless range of dark mountains. Every segment of the meridian was a towering pass, oppressive beyond measure.

Vast spiritual power billowed behind Xu Yan like monstrous waves crashing into the heavens.

Guided by the Li Clan Body Tempering Art,

the spiritual power became like a rampaging beast, madly charging into the turbid meridians!

Rumble—

Vast spiritual power surged without end, slamming into the murky world within the spirit meridians.

Waves battered the mountains, producing thunderous explosions.

Xu Yan only felt his essence and blood boiling like searing magma, while immense rumbling continuously echoed through the spirit meridians within his body.

Before long, a boom rang out.

One segment of his spirit meridian had been cleared. The dim, murky stretch of meridian instantly became bright beneath clear skies.

In that instant, a tremendous power flooded into his limbs. Xu Yan felt the strength of his physical body soar!

It was not over yet.

The spiritual power within the Formless Apertures was far more than this. Though Xu Yan had opened only two apertures, the depth of spiritual power within those two apertures already surpassed that of many his age.

Bang! Bang! Bang!—

Deafening sounds continuously erupted from the turbid meridians inside his body, like firecrackers going off without pause.

The second segment of his spirit meridian was cleared immediately after.

The third segment!

The fourth segment!

An hour later, Xu Yan's Daoist robe had already been soaked through with sweat.

Twelve segments of the turbid meridians within his body had been cleared!

At that moment, Xu Yan's flesh and skin were crimson red, thin spiritual mist steaming off him. His eyes trembled as beads of sweat ran down his face and dripped from his chin. He panted in huge gasps.

He felt like a savage bull, as though boundless strength had nowhere to vent itself.

Bang!

He stomped down fiercely, crushing a pit half a zhang deep into the ground.

Dust and shattered stones drifted within the bell.

"So uncomfortable..."

Xu Yan's state was terrifying. Not only was his entire body flushed red, but veins bulged across him as though they might burst apart.

He could not endure it any longer. With a single stride, he shot forward!

He moved at astonishing speed, raising a golden fist and smashing it into the Emperor Bell.

Boom!

In an instant, the Emperor Bell shuddered violently, and a massive bell toll rang out.

Yet he still felt unbearably uncomfortable all over. He swung his fists, raining blows down upon the Emperor Bell like a torrential downpour.

Only after pounding it for the time it took half an incense stick to burn—more than a hundred punches—did Xu Yan finally vent it all. He stopped, panting heavily.

His heart felt much more at ease.

At the same time, the human cultivators and experts outside were anything but at ease.

Outside the Emperor Bell, on the Great Road of the Borderlands.

To the north and south, human cultivators and the demon horde faced one another in a standoff. A great battle was on the verge of erupting.

Then, the Emperor Bell suddenly began to tremble violently.

Terrifying disturbances burst forth without end. The tremendous noise nearly ruptured people's eardrums, while golden soundwaves rippled outward, heaving up the earth veins within a hundred zhang. Broken stones and dust flew across the sky.

As wild winds howled, countless ancient trees had their trunks crushed down.

"What's going on?!" Yan Qing covered his ears, his eyes wide.

"Why do I feel like my Literary Gold Shuttle is in there too?" Luo Yujing frowned as he looked at the dense mass of spiritual items and treasure artifacts scattered across the Borderlands.

"Literary Gold Shuttle?" Yan Qing's eyes trembled. He immediately drew the Signal Gold Sword and sensed through it, then said in shock, "Xu Yan is here too?!"

Yan Qing revealed a stunned expression and hurriedly cast his Dharma Eye toward the human cultivators.

But after searching for a long while, he saw no sign of Xu Yan. His heart sank at once as an ominous feeling rose within him.

"Nothing could have happened to him, right? Please, don't let it be so!" Yan Qing said.

As the two crossed the Great Road of the Borderlands, the battle here had already erupted.

The wolf king Xiaofengzi roared, demon winds sweeping in waves as though they would swallow the sun and moon.

White Bone Madam, the Corpse Stiff King, the Bat King, and other demon kings had also arrived. The southern mountains were a vast expanse of black, so chilling that it made one's hair stand on end.

Demonic qi gathered into a thick mist, blotting out the sky above that place and turning day into night.

"Xiaofengzi?" Jiang Qingcheng frowned as he looked at the giant wolf, somewhat startled.

"Old wolf, why did you come out?" Nangong Wenqiu descended onto a treetop. Her narrow eyes curved as she looked teasingly at Xiaofengzi, like an old acquaintance greeting him. Smiling, she said, "What is it? Have your wounds healed?"

"Venomous bitch, don't try to act familiar with me!" Upon seeing Nangong Wenqiu, the Whistling Wind Demon King's scarlet eyes narrowed, and he snarled viciously.

Back when Emperor Jiaguang had campaigned against the Demon Race and expanded the realm, the Heavenly Capital Sect had joined the campaign as well. Nangong Wenqiu's father, the Heavenly Capital Sect Master, had even killed one of Xiaofengzi's descendants with a single hand.

The grudges and debts among these experts were tangled beyond measure.

"Xiaofengzi, you led the demon horde here. What, are you trying to ignite war again?" Jiang Qingcheng snorted coldly. His life-bound Dharma sword suddenly flew from its sheath, sharp beyond compare.

"This old monk has sent a flying sword message across ten thousand li to inform Benefactor Xu. Before long, he will personally lead troops here," said the old monk of Heavenly Treasure Temple, pressing his palms together serenely.

"Old bastard, do you think I'm afraid of Xu Fei?" Xiaofengzi's demonic pupils shook as he immediately roared in fury.

"If you are not afraid, then wait for the Prince of Wu'an to arrive. Just don't let terror shatter your courage," Nangong Wenqiu said with a giggle.

The human cultivators remained unruffled. Facing the Demon Race, whose numbers exceeded theirs by more than tenfold, they were entirely calm and composed.

Xu Fei's military camp stood at the border. One hundred thousand elite Moat Dragon troops guarded the Mang Mountain frontier. If the Demon Race made any large-scale movement, word would inevitably be sent at once.

Not to mention that the old monk had just notified him—several hours earlier, Xu Fei had already set out with his troops, advancing here in mighty force.

He did not concern himself with the grandmasters fighting over the spiritual items in the Li Ancient Secret Repository.

He could also ignore the Demon Race's attempt to excavate the tomb of the great demon Qiu Dragon.

But if they gathered a demon host to violate the peace of the border and bring calamity upon the human world, this Prince of Wu'an would certainly not stand by and watch.

Xiaofengzi's sun-like pupils trembled. He gritted his teeth, and a bloody stench poured from his mouth as he roared, "You humans stole an item of our Demon Race's sacred ancestor! Return it at once, lest a bloody calamity befall you!"

"We have yet to fully explore the Li Ancient Secret Repository. Where would we find the time to visit the tomb of your Demon Race's sacred ancestor?" Nangong Wenqiu narrowed her eyes and smiled.

"Xiaofengzi, you have crossed the line. Get lost!" Jiang Qingcheng said without the slightest courtesy.

They could turn a blind eye to a few lesser demons crossing the Great Road of the Borderlands.

But if a demon king like this led a vast demon horde across the border, the nature of things would change entirely.

"You dare!"

Xiaofengzi flew into a towering rage at those words.

He had once been a demon king who battled Emperor Jiaguang. Now, being slighted by several juniors, fury rose from the depths of his heart. Riding the demon wind, he charged forth, his fanged maw agape and murderous intent filling the heavens.