Meridian Opening Realm

[You consumed 2000 Merit. Using the Innate Qi Transformation Technique as a template, Primordial Unity True Art: Foundation Establishment evolved into the new martial art, Primordial Unity True Art: Meridian Opening: Remnant.]

A stream of information flashed before Zhao Zhi's eyes.

The Meridian Opening martial art was complete.

However, Zhao Zhi possessed only one Meridian Opening martial art, the Innate Qi Transformation Technique. With such limited material, there was not much he could draw upon.

Moreover, he did not have enough Merit to create a complete and perfected Meridian Opening martial art.

Therefore, the Meridian Opening martial art he had created could only be considered an ordinary one. It was neither perfect nor wholly suited to him.

He needed more Meridian Opening Realm martial arts.

There were quite a few Meridian Opening Realm martial arts within the Profound Nether Platform, all requiring merit points to exchange for.

Merit points.

I have only just become a Formal Profound Nether Guard and have yet to take on any other missions. It seems I need to accept more missions, earn merit points, and obtain Meridian Opening Realm martial arts.

Missions would also be connected to Merit.

The two could advance side by side.

With that thought,

Zhao Zhi shifted his attention back to the Merit Panel.

[Martial Arts: Primordial Unity True Art: Meridian Opening: Remnant (Uninitiated), Giant Gate Palm (Perfected), Wild Wind Saber Technique (Perfected), Moon-Treading Step (Perfected)...]

[Merit: 1135]

He still had 1135 Merit.

With a thought from Zhao Zhi,

[You consumed 1000 Merit. Primordial Unity True Art: Meridian Opening: Remnant has reached the entry level.]

In an instant,

a fresh, mysterious energy surged within Zhao Zhi's body. It followed an even more profound circulation route of the Primordial Unity True Art, drawing the inner qi within his meridians, cycling through Houtian, and transforming energy.

The energy gradually turned into inner qi.

The circulating inner qi seeped into his flesh and blood, opening up the ethereal dantian qi sea.

The Foundation Establishment Realm was about forging the foundations of martial arts. Those foundations were divided into physical strength and a martial artist's inner qi.

Once both were achieved, one possessed a foundation.

The Meridian Opening Realm was the gradual transformation of a martial artist's foundation into a force that affected the entire body, giving rise to strange abilities capable of intruding into the outside world.

To reach such a level, one needed to open the martial artist's dantian qi sea, granting inner qi a place to hide and a ground upon which to be nurtured, allowing it to grow stronger step by step.

Afterward, inner qi would open the sluggish, tiny meridians throughout the body and circulate from head to toe, spanning a thousand li, arriving at a single breath's call.

That was the Meridian Opening Realm.

The Meridian Opening Realm was divided into four minor stages: entry, minor accomplishment, major accomplishment, and perfection. They respectively corresponded to opening the dantian qi sea, unblocking the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, connecting the Twelve Primary Meridians, and reaching a state where not a single meridian in the body remained blocked.

Zhao Zhi carefully sensed the state of his own dantian qi sea. His inner qi was vast and vigorous like a deep pool, far surpassing the puddle recorded in the Innate Qi Transformation Technique.

This was the manifestation of the difference in cultivation techniques.

The density and toughness of Zhao Zhi's inner qi now exceeded that of most Meridian Opening Realm minor accomplishment martial artists, even rivaling those at major accomplishment.

The difference between him and martial artists of those realms lay in the fact that his meridians were not yet broad enough, and his inner qi could not flow through them freely without obstruction.

What a pity.

He had run out of Merit.

Earn Merit properly.

Zhao Zhi slowly rose to his feet and stretched. His bones crackled like fried soybeans.

An inexplicable sense of comfort welled up within him and spread throughout his entire body.

He sought out He Peng, intending to pay Yan Qing a visit.

After all, Yan Qing had shown him care by allowing him to join the Profound Nether Platform.

While he had been carrying out a D-grade Mission, Yan Qing had been undertaking a C-grade Mission. She had completed it and become a Banner Officer of the Profound Nether Platform, with Tang Chuxue as her superior, the Chief Banner Officer.

During the time Zhao Zhi had returned to submit his mission and cultivate a breakthrough, she had accepted another C-grade Mission.

She truly was diligent.

Zhao Zhi sighed. Without giving it much further thought, he headed to the Mission Hall. Among the many C-grade Missions, he selected one.

[C-grade Mission: Capture or kill the Wind-Chasing Bandit Luo Hong.]

[Mission Note 1: Luo Hong is a Meridian Opening Realm martial artist and excels in movement techniques.]

[Mission Note 2: Luo Hong was spotted in Linquan County, Shanshui Commandery, on the ninth day of the seventh month. Information may be obtained from the local female constable, Zhu Yunzhen.]

[Mission Notes...]

"Luo Hong? Meridian Opening Realm? Movement technique? The ninth day of the seventh month?"

Zhao Zhi examined the relevant information on the small scroll, pondering in secret.

The ninth day of the seventh month.

That was seven days ago.

He had appeared in Linquan County seven days ago. By now, he might no longer be there and could have gone elsewhere.

This was what made some missions difficult to handle.

Mountain strongholds and water strongholds all had fixed locations.

Once there, one only needed to find a way to deal with them.

Capturing or killing a martial artist, however, required a great deal of time.

Given Zhao Zhi's current strength, and comparing the other missions that required the cooperation of several or even dozens of Profound Nether Guards, only this mission could be carried out alone. It suited him quite well.

"Linquan County?"

Zhao Zhi glanced at the location written on the small scroll—Linquan County—and immediately set off.

Shanshui Commandery, Linquan County.

Linquan County was considerably larger than Qingfeng County, and its overall strength was a tier higher as well.

According to the Profound Nether Platform's records, the strongest cultivator in Linquan County was Xue Qingyi, the county yamen's chief constable, who stood at Meridian Opening Realm perfection.

After arriving in Linquan County, Zhao Zhi immediately sought out Zhu Yunzhen.

Zhu Yunzhen was a figure of considerable renown in Linquan County.

Since childhood, Zhu Yunzhen had loved the martial path rather than rouge and finery. At a young age, she joined the Linquan County yamen and became the only female constable in Linquan County's history.

After becoming a female constable, Zhu Yunzhen was no mere vase. She truly had some skill, solving several cases in Linquan County in succession and becoming Xue Qingyi's right hand. She was also one of Linquan County's chief constables.

For a time, everyone sang her praises. She even became the object of envy for many young ladies in their chambers.

The Wind-Chasing Bandit Luo Hong was one of the cases under Zhu Yunzhen's charge.

Luo Hong had once entered a martial hall called Gale Martial Hall to cultivate the martial path. He displayed a degree of talent and earned the hall master's favor.

His future might have seen him become the next master of Gale Martial Hall.

Yet Luo Hong cultivated a demonic art and suffered qi deviation, slaughtering all fifty-eight people in Gale Martial Hall before fleeing.

From then on, Luo Hong committed countless killings throughout Jing Prefecture.

No fewer than three hundred people had died at his hands, including many lineages he had wiped out root and branch.

The range of his crimes was extremely broad. Cases involving him could be found in Shanshui Commandery, Baishui Commandery, and Linshui Commandery alike.

In recent years,

he had mainly committed crimes in Shanshui Commandery.

Three months earlier, he had slaughtered nine people at a dye workshop in Shanshui Commandery, enraging the commandery governor. Yet there had been nothing the governor could do to Luo Hong.

Only under such circumstances had the mission to capture or kill Luo Hong appeared in the Profound Nether Platform.

The Profound Nether Platform stood above the constabulary system, but that did not mean it handled every case. Only when a case arose that ordinary constables could not deal with would the Profound Nether Platform intervene.

Inside a teahouse,

Zhao Zhi sized up Zhu Yunzhen, the female constable with no small reputation in Linquan County.

She appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, her face bore light makeup, and she cut a valiant, spirited figure.

"Constable Zhu, thank you for your trouble."

"Lord Zhao, there is no need for such courtesy." Zhu Yunzhen smiled faintly, her manner free and easy. "Whatever you wish to ask, I will certainly answer all I know."

Zhao Zhi lifted his teacup and took an unhurried sip. "Then I shall speak plainly. In Linquan County, the Wind-Chasing Bandit Luo Hong has chiefly been handled by Constable Zhu. I presume you know him quite well. On the ninth day of the seventh month, Luo Hong appeared in Linquan County, then vanished without a trace. In Constable Zhu's estimation, where might Luo Hong have gone? Could he still be in Linquan County?"