Hidden Meridians

Tang Tian had already fallen into despair when the sudden power within his dantian left him completely stunned.

Fortunately, this power caused him no harm. It swiftly healed his severe injuries, reconnecting his broken ribs.

What was even more surprising was that this power was striking open his meridians.

One had to know that the most fundamental stage of cultivation for cultivators was opening the meridians of the human body, known as "Meridian Tempering."

Meridian Tempering was further divided into opening the body's Twelve Main Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Meridians.

In merely a moment, the twelve meridians, such as the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian and the Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, had already been opened.

The surging power expelled the impurities within Tang Tian's meridians from his body, as though cleansing his tendons and washing his marrow.

His entire body felt sticky, covered in a layer of black grime.

"Hmm? This constitution?"

Tang Tian froze. He had originally assumed that, with this body possessing only mid-stage Meridian Refining Realm cultivation, its aptitude must be terrible. Yet he had not expected its constitution to seem remarkably powerful.

Even with his vast experience, he could not make heads or tails of it.

With the danger gone, he could finally calm down and carefully examine the many unfamiliar memories within his soul.

"That fatty was Lin Baoquan of the Lin Family in Starfall City?" Lin Baoquan had effectively died at Tang Tian's hands, and the enmity between him and the Lin Family was now beyond reconciliation.

At the same time, Tang Tian understood that the culprit behind his rebirth into this body with the same name and surname was precisely the Black Treasure Pagoda within his dantian!

"Back then, I was besieged by that group. My body was ground into dust. Shouldn't my soul have scattered and my body and spirit both been destroyed?"

As Tang Tian recalled everything that had happened before, it felt like waking from a dream.

"You aren't dreaming. If not for me, you'd have been finished long ago."

The voice was somewhat lewd and carried a trace of exhaustion as it rang through Tang Tian's mind.

"Hmm?"

Tang Tian paused. Thinking of his rebirth and all that was happening now, it seemed that an expert had saved him.

He immediately thanked the person sincerely. "Thank you, Senior, for lending me a hand. Might I see you? This junior would like to repay you properly."

"Don't make me laugh. What do you have to repay me with right now?"

The voice snorted disdainfully, its mockery utterly undisguised.

"Uh..."

Tang Tian was helpless. He was no longer who he had been in the past. After being reborn, any random cultivator could take his life.

What repayment could he possibly speak of?

"Don't lose heart. Just because you have nothing now doesn't mean you'll have nothing in the future. You are, after all, someone this emperor chose. Have faith in my taste!" The voice sounded lewd, weary, and weak, yet also unbearably smug.

Even though Tang Tian was lying suspended in midair, the corners of his mouth could not help twitching...

Why did this senior sound like such a piece of work?

Praising himself so extravagantly was truly... truly shameless!

As for the words "this emperor," Tang Tian could not understand whether they represented a cultivation realm or whether this senior was an emperor.

"However, let me tell you this: never underestimate the first few realms of cultivation. The Meridian Refining Realm, Blood-Burning Realm, Bone-Forging Realm, Organs-Hiding Realm, and Soul-Emergence Realm all require a solid foundation. Only then can you be unbreakable and possess greater potential. Do you think the Meridian Refining Realm is merely about opening the Twelve Main Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Meridians?"

Just as Tang Tian was lost in thought, the voice suddenly turned serious and asked him a question.

"This..."

Tang Tian was abruptly stunned, as though struck over the head with a club.

He immediately said with delight, "I understand what you mean, Senior. Just as the great rivers of this continent can be counted on one's fingers, there are still tributaries, underground rivers, and streams!"

"You're right. The meridians in the human body are the same. Beyond the Twelve Main Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Meridians, which are Manifest Meridians, there are also thirty-six Heavenly Gang and seventy-two Earthly Baleful Intent, for a total of one hundred and eight Hidden Meridians. The pagoda's power is enough for you to open them, so hurry and find those Hidden Meridians. I've said too much. I'm getting tired..."

The lewd voice yawned several times before falling completely silent.

Tang Tian was no greenhorn fresh from the mountains. How could he fail to understand the meaning behind this senior's words?

One hundred and eight Heavenly Gang and Earthly Baleful Intent Hidden Meridians—he had simply never heard of such a thing!

In truth, the other party had not told Tang Tian that, throughout the world, there were almost no people capable of opening Hidden Meridians.

That was because so-called Hidden Meridians were merely a theory. Even if they truly existed, opening them would be immensely difficult.

In his previous life, Tang Tian had commanded the winds and clouds, yet he had ultimately become stuck at a cultivation bottleneck, unable to advance another inch.

After pondering bitterly for a long time, he realized the reason was that he had not built a solid foundation when cultivating in those years. He had relied on heavenly treasures and pills to charge forward again and again, until his potential was exhausted.

Now that he knew of Hidden Meridians, whether they were real or not, he had to try! After all, the other party had no reason to harm him. Otherwise, why save him?

"Senior, I haven't yet asked how I should address you?"

Tang Tian was completely confused, especially about what kind of divine object this Black Treasure Pagoda was, to actually be capable of raising his cultivation.

Seeing that this mysterious senior did not seem willing to say much, he temporarily stopped asking, lest he provoke the other party's displeasure.

"It's better if a brat like you doesn't know my great name. From now on, call this emperor Master Fan."

The voice suddenly rang out in Tang Tian's mind again, then vanished strangely once more, making Tang Tian's hair stand on end.

The power within his body continued opening his meridians. His cultivation had already reached the peak of the high stage of the Meridian Refining Realm and was gradually moving toward completion.

Had the mysterious expert not appeared, Tang Tian would certainly have followed the natural course of events, borrowing the power flowing from the Black Treasure Pagoda to cross realm after realm and raise his cultivation.

After all, very few people could hold fast to their true heart in the face of such an immense temptation to increase their realm.

Fortunately, Tang Tian had lived another life, and his willpower was far beyond that of ordinary people. He quickly steadied his mind and carefully sensed the Hidden Meridians.

In his previous life, Tang Tian had been an incomparably powerful alchemist, most skilled in the principles of medicine and healing.

Therefore, it was not long before he sensed the first Hidden Meridian, located directly beneath the heart meridian!

Pfft!

When Tang Tian poured power into this first Hidden Meridian, the violent force made his entire body tremble. It felt as though he were being torn apart, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Opening a Hidden Meridian was harder than climbing to the heavens. Tang Tian would never retreat so easily, and he continuously controlled the power within his body to strike against it.

To live another life and become strong once more!

Returning to take revenge had become his conviction.

Tang Tian gritted his teeth and persevered. The power surged again and again like crashing tides, finally breaking through the barrier of the first Hidden Meridian.

The power pouring from the mysterious Black Treasure Pagoda was like floodwaters released from a dam, advancing continuously along the first Hidden Meridian.

Tang Tian, floating horizontally in the air, closed his eyes and struggled to use his consciousness to control the vast power within his body, attempting to open all one hundred and eight Hidden Meridians.

A full three days passed before Tang Tian opened his eyes. A sharp gleam flashed through them, and he felt his entire body brimming with power.

Judging by Tang Tian's experience, his current cultivation was only at the high-stage great completion of the Meridian Refining Realm, yet even if he fought a peak cultivator at the high-stage great completion of the Blood-Burning Realm, it would absolutely not be a problem!

This was the benefit of opening Hidden Meridians and building a solid foundation!

The moment he awoke, the mysterious Black Treasure Pagoda withdrew its protective power.

Tang Tian landed steadily on the ground, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"It's time to go home!"

[Author's Note]: Chapter two is here. If you have any thoughts, feel free to tell me in the book review section. I've also set up a character thread, so you can tell me what kind of character you want most.