Acquired Returning to Innate, a Mad Idea!

Outside Star Luo City.

Zhu Fan drove the carriage slowly onward, until the city behind them could no longer be seen.

Inside the carriage.

Beneath Dai Chengfeng's feet, a yellow Soul Ring suddenly rose.

At the same time, strands of golden airflow surfaced over Dai Chengfeng's hands.

This was the First Soul Skill he had obtained after absorbing the Geng Metal Beast's Soul Ring—Geng Metal Qi.

Its effect was that Dai Chengfeng could attach Geng Metal Qi to any object he touched, including his own body.

After being attached, the "object's" sharpness would increase wildly by dozens of times, and it could slash out Geng Metal Sword Qi.

"A little like the feeling of the Old Celestial Master activating the Golden Light Spell in the anime Under One Person from my previous life?"

Dai Chengfeng lowered his head and looked at his hands glowing with golden light. "Except the Golden Light Spell gave the Old Celestial Master invincible defense, while my Geng Metal Qi gives me the ultimate sharpness!"

"But! This is not the limit of Geng Metal Qi!"

Dai Chengfeng murmured under his breath, a dazed look flashing through his eyes as he involuntarily recalled the memories of his previous life.

In his previous life, Dai Chengfeng had been a student at a Daoist academy.

Whenever he was bored, he would study some ancient texts and classics.

However.

After all, the Blue Star of his previous life had merely been an ordinary world, without any mystery at all.

Therefore, the Daoist knowledge he had learned could at most only make his body strong and healthy.

But Douluo Continent was different.

In this world, Soul Power truly existed.

Those ancient texts and classics that had seemed useless in his previous life had completely found new soil here.

"And right now, the most important thing is to transform Geng Metal Qi through Acquired Returning to Innate, making up for the White Tiger Spirit's innate lack of Innate Geng Metal Origin."

As for how to achieve Acquired Returning to Innate?

In an instant.

The name of a classic appeared in Dai Chengfeng's mind: "Yellow Emperor's Outer Canon"—Three Gates Ascending and Descending Chapter.

Perhaps ordinary people would think that Innate Qi was that wisp of breath before a person was born.

And once an infant came crying into the world, the Innate Qi would also dissipate along with it.

But in truth, that was not the case!

For every person, regardless of birth, old age, or illness, Innate Qi existed forever within the human body.

In the Three Gates Ascending and Descending Chapter, Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor's minister Wu Xian once asked: In which meridians are the three gates of the human body?

Qi Bo, who co-authored the Yellow Emperor's Inner and Outer Canons with Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor, answered on his behalf: The three gates are the gates of the river chariot!

Above is the Jade Pillow, in the middle is the Middle Kidney Spine, and below is the Tail Gate... They concern the Gate of Life between life and death, therefore they are called gates.

Wu Xian asked again: What is meant by the meaning of life and death?

Qi Bo said: The Gate of Life is fire within water.

Within water and fire, Innate Qi is truly hidden.

The qi of the spleen and stomach is Acquired Qi.

If Innate Qi does not intersect with the acquired, then Innate Qi does not grow.

If Acquired Qi does not intersect with the innate, then Acquired Qi does not transform.

The two qi must intersect at the Day and Night Intersection, and only then will life continue without end.

However, Acquired Qi must first be met by Innate Qi before it can be born.

And Innate Qi must rise from below to above.

It descends into the spleen and stomach to disperse among the various organs and viscera.

The three gates are the pathways along which Innate Qi travels.

When qi is abundant, rising and descending are unobstructed; when qi declines, it becomes blocked, and when it is blocked, a person falls ill.

Wu Xian finally asked again: If qi declines, how can it become abundant?

Qi Bo answered: Aid the fire of the Gate of Life and enrich the water of kidney yin, and qi will become abundant once more.

By the same principle.

Since a person inherently possessed Innate Qi, and Innate Qi could also be cultivated through acquired means, causing it to flourish again.

Then could Geng Metal Qi, as Acquired Qi, also use this to return to the innate and make it flourish?

Even—

A thought that was somewhat mad suddenly flashed through Dai Chengfeng's mind.

"If I combined Geng Metal Qi with soul power and let them return from Acquired to Innate together..."

"As long as it succeeded..."

"Would all the soul power I cultivated from now on be transformed into Innate Soul Power?"

Thinking of the insane possibility of Innate Soul Power at level 99, Dai Chengfeng subconsciously swallowed, his breathing quickening.

After all, on Douluo Continent, Innate Soul Power had an extremely powerful amplifying effect on cultivation.

Its importance went without saying!

For a moment, Dai Chengfeng could hardly wait to sit cross-legged and close his eyes.

"Upper Jade Pillow, Middle Kidney Spine, Lower Tail Vertebrae..."

"Since these three gates are the pathways traveled by Innate Qi, then I'll use them as the breakthrough point."

Dai Chengfeng silently thought this through, adjusted his breathing slightly, and slowly mobilized the soul power and Geng Metal Qi within his body, beginning their circulation from the Lower Tail Vertebrae Gate.

As the starting point of the three gates, the Lower Tail Vertebrae was the foundation of the Gate of Life.

It also contained the primal power of Innate Qi, the most violent fire.

Because of that, Dai Chengfeng did not dare to be careless in the slightest. He cautiously guided the fused power of soul power and Geng Metal Qi, slowly climbing upward along his spine.

The process was slow and difficult. For every inch it rose, Dai Chengfeng had to concentrate all his Mental Power to draw it along.

After all, with the slightest carelessness, not only could this power deviate from its track, it might even leave him seriously injured.

Even though he had already found theoretical support...

Dai Chengfeng still could not find the right method.

For a full four hours, Dai Chengfeng remained trapped at the difficult hurdle of attacking the Middle Kidney Spine.

The Middle Kidney Spine connected the Lower Tail Vertebrae Gate and the Upper Jade Pillow Gate, and was a crucial node in the circulation of Innate Qi.

Yet every time the power Dai Chengfeng guided reached the Middle Kidney Spine, it encountered an extremely powerful resistance, as if there were an invisible, solid "city wall" ahead blocking his power from advancing.

"Why won't it work?"

After a long while, Dai Chengfeng opened his eyes and clenched his teeth, filled with unwillingness. "Where exactly is the problem?"

"Chengfeng, you've finally finished cultivating."

"It's almost Zi Time now. Should we find somewhere to lodge for the night?"

Just then.

Outside the carriage, Zhu Fan seemed to have heard the sound Dai Chengfeng made inside and suddenly spoke up to ask.

"Zi Time?!"

In that instant, it was as if a thunderclap exploded out of nowhere in Dai Chengfeng's mind, and he suddenly grasped something. "I understand. I finally understand..."

"The timing is wrong!"

"Qi Bo said that the two Qis must meet at the Day and Night Intersection before they can generate endlessly!"

"And the soul power I'm cultivating now, as well as the Geng Metal Qi, are both Acquired Qi."

"If I want them to merge with Innate Qi and use that to return to Innate, then I must do it at the moment when day and night intersect!"

Dai Chengfeng's eyes were filled with excitement. The problem that had plagued him for four hours was unexpectedly solved at this moment.

"Truly, those in the middle of it are blind!"

Thinking of this, he said to Zhu Fan, "Uncle, you rest first. I still need to cultivate!"

With that said.

Dai Chengfeng closed his eyes and sat cross-legged once more.

However, this time, he did not rush to break through again. Instead, he silently waited for that subtle moment when day and night alternated.

Finally, the time arrived.

Between heaven and earth, Yin Yang Qi began to quietly transform.

"Success or failure hinges on this one move!"

Dai Chengfeng took a deep breath and once again mobilized the soul power and Geng Metal Qi within his body, starting their ascent from the Lower Tail Vertebrae Gate.

This time, he could clearly feel that the surrounding power of heaven and earth seemed to be gathering toward him, becoming an aid for his breakthrough.

And when the two Qis once again reached the Middle Kidney Spine...

"Now!"

Dai Chengfeng gave a low shout in his heart, strengthening his guidance and control over this power.

Boom—!

Everything advanced like splitting bamboo. The soul power and Geng Metal Qi finally broke through the obstruction of the Middle Kidney Spine and surged toward the Upper Jade Pillow.

The Upper Jade Pillow was located in the head, the highest point to which Innate Qi ascended.

When the soul power and Geng Metal Qi reached this place, Dai Chengfeng could clearly feel as though his consciousness had been infinitely magnified, and everything around him became incomparably clear.

The faint fluctuations of soul power in the air, the tiny chirping of insects drifting over from far away...

Everything, all of it, seemed unable to escape his perception.

It was wondrous!

In the words of a National Martial Arts practitioner, this realm was—Microscopic Perception!