The Map Begins to Take Shape

Lin Xiao pressed his right fingertips against the area below his left chest, his Soul Power probing inwards like fine threads. Sweat streamed down his temples.

Lu Yuan stared at the dark purple mist in his palm. The flow of the mist paused slightly every few breaths.

"Is it congested again?" he asked.

Lin Xiao didn't open his eyes, only managing to squeeze out a single word through gritted teeth. "Hmm."

The charcoal pencil scratched across the grid paper. Lu Yuan noted the seventeenth instance of hesitation and drew a circle next to it.

"It's not a traffic jam," he put down his pen, "It's a fork in the road."

Lin Xiao opened his eyes, his pupils clearly bloodshot.

"Your Soul Power just now," Lu Yuan drew two forked lines on the chest and abdomen of the human body diagram, "You felt two 'paths,' didn't you? One leads deep, narrow, but smooth. The other is the direction you want to go, wide, but a dead end."

Lin Xiao thought for a moment and nodded.

"Take the narrow one."

"But where does this narrow path lead to?--"

"Let's go first," Lu Yuan interrupted him. "We're exploring the map, not building a main road. Every passable tributary could lead somewhere else."

Lin Xiao stared at the blueprints for a few seconds, then closed his eyes again.

This time it's even slower.

Soul Power seeped into the narrow fork in the road, and a soreness spread from my chest. But strangely, there was no stagnation. After walking for about a third of an incense stick's time, the path ahead suddenly opened up—not physically, but perceptibly. The flow of Soul Power became smooth all at once, like a stream flowing into shallow water.

Moreover, he sensed a familiar fluctuation.

It's the lingering effect of the "demonstration road" that was opened up earlier.

The two pathways were actually faintly connected deep within the body.

Lin Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and he didn't dare to be distracted. His Soul Power followed that smooth feeling, circled around, and finally bypassed the stagnation point in his chest and abdomen from the side, and re-entered his main meridian.

He opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

The mist in my palm returned to a stable dark purple.

"We've gone around it." Lin Xiao licked his chapped lips. "And that narrow path connects to the path we took yesterday."

Lu Yuan's eyes lit up.

The charcoal pencil quickly added a dotted line to the human figure drawing, marking it "Path Two (Detour)". Next to it, a line of small text read, "Potential connection with Path One exists, pending verification."

"Very good." He put down his pen. "This shows that you have more natural tributaries in your body than you thought. There may be undiscovered networks hidden among them."

Lin Xiao looked at the increasingly complex diagram, which seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

Is this still his body?

The family's martial arts techniques never mentioned these intricacies. They only taught how to charge forward and how to be more powerful.

"Rest for fifteen minutes," Lu Yuan said, "Then try the third one. Walk from the waist down to the legs."

Lin Xiao didn't object, took the water pouch and drank two mouthfuls. The water was mixed with Qingzhu, slightly bitter, but it made him feel more relaxed.

The sunlight outside the cave shifted an inch.

Lu Yuan took advantage of the break to organize the data. He placed the parameters of the two paths side by side, comparing the turning angle, peak flow velocity, and Martial Soul resonance intensity. He discovered a pattern—in all the passages where the Martial Soul had produced a pleasant resonance, the turning points were smoother and the flow velocity was more stable.

Martial Soul have preferences. Only paths that align with them will be recognized.

"Time," Lin Xiao suddenly spoke.

Lu Yuan looked up.

How long has it been?

"Eight days," Lu Yuan said. "Eighty-two days remain until our three-month agreement."

Lin Xiao remained silent.

Eight days, two routes. There are still nineteen routes to choose from.

Is there enough time?

Lu Yuan didn't answer immediately. He looked at the stack of blueprints on the stone platform, then at the outside of the cave. Qingzhu walked along the fence of the medicinal herb garden, bending down to examine the leaves.

"There's still time." He turned back, "But we'll have to try a different approach."

What method?

"No more exploring each individual branch." Lu Yuan drew several large circles on the human figure with a charcoal pencil. "Divide adjacent bottlenecks into regions. Within each region, explore all tributaries simultaneously, directly constructing a local network."

He paused.

"It's more efficient and can discover hidden patterns faster. The downside is that it's more mentally taxing, and a mistake could affect the stability of the entire area."

Lin Xiao smiled after hearing this.

"Let's do it this way," he said. "Anyway, this body is already riddled with holes. How much worse can it get?"

The new strategy began on the ninth day.

Lu Yuan chose the left shoulder area as the first test zone—there are three points of stagnation here, close to "Path One," providing a reference.

The process is even more agonizing.

Lin Xiao had to simultaneously sense three streams of Soul Power, exploring them concurrently within the narrow meridians. His attention was divided into three parts, each requiring absolute focus. The slightest lapse in concentration could cause one of the streams to go out of control, bringing a needle-like stinging pain.

Lu Yuan's tasks have also become more demanding.

He had to record real-time data for three paths simultaneously, drawing their directions, relative positions, and any signs of interaction on the drawing board. The charcoal pencil moved swiftly across the grid paper, the lines weaving together like a net.

On the first day, only one-third of the exploration of the left shoulder area was completed.

But the gains were enormous.

They discovered that the blockage at these three points was not due to narrow meridians, but rather because three main "natural tributaries" converged here, their flows conflicting with each other. The family's cultivation method forcibly unified the flow, resulting in the three streams of Soul Power fighting at the nodes, causing the blockage to worsen.

The solution isn't to clear blockages, it's to replan.

Based on the data, Lu Yuan designed a "diversion plan": two of the tributaries would be diverted to avoid a direct convergence, bypassing them from the side, and then rejoining downstream. The third tributary would maintain its original direction, but its flow velocity would be reduced by 30%.

Lin Xiao tried to do as instructed.

The process of adjusting Soul Power is painful. Changing course means forcibly reversing established flow habits, like making a river suddenly turn at a right angle. The meridians are stretched, and a sore and swollen feeling spreads from the shoulder to the entire left arm.

But he held back.

An hour later, the adjustment was complete. The three tributaries went their separate ways, and the conflict disappeared. The feeling of blockage at the three points on the left shoulder was significantly reduced.

"Did it work?" Lin Xiao asked, panting.

"Partial success." Lu Yuan stared at the blueprints, his brow furrowed. "But there's a problem."

"What?"

"The two tributaries you diverted have increased the pressure at their downstream connection points," Lu Yuan said, pointing to a spot on the map. "This area originally only had to withstand one stream of Soul Power, but now it has to withstand two. It's fine in the short term, but it might create a new bottleneck in the long term."

Lin Xiao was stunned.

"What should we do then?"

"Continue exploring downstream," Lu Yuan said. "Find new tributaries that can alleviate the pressure, or adjust the upstream path to reduce the flow at the source."

Work has returned to square one.

But this time, neither of them was discouraged. They understood that reconstructing the Soul Power network wasn't about building a road, but about designing the entire city's transportation system. If there's a congestion here, clearing it might cause congestion there. A holistic approach was necessary.

The retreat has entered its fifteenth day.

Lin Xiao's left shoulder area was completely opened up. The three obstruction points disappeared, and his Soul Power flowed smoothly. As a result, the flexibility of his entire left arm also improved. When summoning his Martial Soul, the dark purple mist in his left hand was more solid than that in his right hand.

The price he paid was that he lost weight.

The intense mental exertion, coupled with the constant "work" of Soul Power within the body, drained physical energy far beyond what was typical of cultivation. The medicinal soup that Qingzhu brought every day contained herbs to replenish qi and blood, but the replenishment couldn't keep up with the depletion.

Lu Yuan's eyes were dark and his knuckles, which were calloused from holding the pen, were worn thin. The drawings had piled up to a thick stack, and there was no room on the stone table, so they were piled in a corner and weighed down with stones.

But the progress is real.

The successful experience from the left shoulder area was quickly extended to the right shoulder, chest, abdomen, and back. Lu Yuan summarized the "regional exploration process": first, map the direction of all tributaries, identify conflict points, design diversion schemes, verify them, and then extend downstream to prevent new blockages.

It's more than three times faster than exploring each route individually.

The Soul Power network within Lin Xiao's body is being redrawn at an unprecedented speed. Those originally stagnant and blocked "main roads" are being replaced by a network of agile and smooth "tributaries." In some areas, old and new paths coexist—certain sections of the old path are indeed the optimal choice, so Lu Yuan retains them and only makes minor adjustments.

The work has become a meticulous Soul Power transportation plan.

Lu Yuan is the chief designer, and Lin Xiao is the construction team member and quality inspector. The two are working together more and more smoothly. Often, just a glance from Lin Xiao is enough for Lu Yuan to know what kind of problem he has encountered; if Lu Yuan draws a symbol on the blueprint, Lin Xiao will know where to explore next.

On the evening of the twentieth day, Lin Xiao broke through.

It wasn't a breakthrough in Soul Power Level, but a natural increase in total amount. After reconstructing more than 30% of the key cycles, the Soul Power that was wasted and accumulated due to stagnation was reintegrated into the effective cycle. The total amount of Soul Power increased by about 10%, not much, but it was real.

Lin Xiao himself was startled.

He circulated his Soul Power, and dark purple mist surged from his hands, at least two times denser than before. The silver light within the mist was also clearer, occasionally flashing and causing subtle spatial fluctuations.

"This is..."

"Release of existing resources," Lu Yuan explained. "Previously, much of your Soul Power was stuck behind bottlenecks, unable to flow or be used. Now that the path is clear, it will naturally flow into the main cycle."

Lin Xiao clenched his fist.

The feeling of power spread from the palm to the forearm. It wasn't an explosive increase, but a deeper, more stable sense of fullness. It was like someone who could only breathe shallowly before suddenly being able to take a deep breath.

He looked at Lu Yuan, as if he wanted to say something.

Lu Yuan waved his hand and continued organizing the blueprints. His face showed no joy, but rather a more solemn expression.

"Don't be too happy yet," he said. "The remaining areas become increasingly complex, especially those points at the junction of the chest and abdomen, which are the hubs for the flow of Soul Power throughout the body. A change in one part affects the whole."

Lin Xiao nodded.

He understood. The progress of the past twenty days was, in a sense, just a warm-up. The real tough challenges were yet to come.

On the twenty-fifth day, they encountered their first real challenge.

At the junction of the chest and abdomen, there is the fourth point of stagnation. This point is not simple—it connects six main tributaries, three from the upper body and three from the lower body. It is the key hub for the circulation of Soul Power.

The family's technique here is extremely brutal: it uses powerful Soul Power to forcefully break through, forming a "storm eye" type node. The Soul Power flows through at a very fast speed, but it is extremely unstable, and each time it breaks through, it causes slight damage to the surrounding meridians.

Lin Xiao used to hate this spot the most. Every time his Soul Power flowed through it, his chest would feel tight and painful.

Now, they want to restructure it.

Lu Yuan's design was very cautious: he retained two main tributaries from the upper body, but adjusted their angle of inflow to avoid a head-on collision. Of the other four tributaries, two were diverted and two were merged. Finally, he designed a buffer zone downstream of the node to allow the six streams of Soul Power to converge smoothly.

It is theoretically feasible.

Lin Xiao began implementation.

The first few steps went smoothly. The two main tributaries adjusted their angles, and the dull pain lessened as the Soul Power flowed through them. The diverted tributaries also found new paths, which, although narrow, were unobstructed.

The problem lies in the two steps of the merger.

When Lin Xiao attempted to merge the two streams from his lower body into one, the Soul Power flows from the old and new paths slightly clashed.

It's not a conflict, but a counterbalance—the flow of Soul Power along the new path and the residual inertia of Soul Power along the old path are in opposite directions at a certain minute point.

The two Soul Power collided.

"Well!"

Lin Xiao groaned, his body trembling violently. His chest felt like it had been struck by a heavy hammer, his blood surging. He gritted his teeth, trying to steady himself, but the opposing force exploded in his meridians, rushing out of control in all directions.

A warmth spread across my lips.

When Lu Yuan looked up, he saw a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of Lin Xiao's mouth. Lin Xiao's face instantly turned deathly pale, his breathing became disordered, and the fluctuations of his Soul Power surged like boiling water.

"Stop!" Lu Yuan shouted in a low voice.

Lin Xiao forcibly severed his Soul Power, causing him to fall backward and slam his back against the stone wall. He clutched his chest, gasping for breath, each breath accompanied by blood and foam.

Lu Yuan immediately stood up, poured out two emergency pills given to him by Qingzhu from a medicine bottle in the corner, and put them into Lin Xiao's mouth. The pills dissolved, and the cooling medicinal power seeped in, barely suppressing the churning blood and qi.

The cave was eerily quiet.

Only Lin Xiao's heavy breathing and the rustling of the wind blowing through the herb garden outside the cave could be heard.

It took Lin Xiao a while to recover. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, looked at Lu Yuan, and his eyes were filled with lingering fear.

What... happened just now?

Lu Yuan didn't answer immediately. He squatted down, picked up the charcoal pencil that had just fallen, drew a few lines on the drawing paper, and did some calculations.

Then his expression turned even uglier.

"We can't rush this." He raised his head, his voice unusually deep. "This is a crucial point; a change here will have far-reaching consequences. When the old and new paths alternate, the residual inertia of the Soul Power will cause interference. Our design just now ignored the inertia decay time."

He pointed to that node on the drawing.

"You need at least three days to allow the inertia of the old path's Soul Power to completely dissipate before you can safely merge those two tributaries. Otherwise, a clash is inevitable."

Lin Xiao remained silent.

Three days. Time is what they lack most.

"Is there no other way?"

Lu Yuan thought for a moment.

"Yes," he said. "We need a medicine that can temporarily soothe and channel the conflicting Soul Power. Taken when the tributaries merge, it can soften the opposing impacts and buy time."

He thought of the Qingzhu.

The old man's herb garden is filled with countless herbs; perhaps he has this kind of medicinal material. However, such medicines are usually rare, and their preparation is time-consuming. Will the Qingzhu provide enough?

Moreover, even if there is medicine, it means that time will be wasted—collecting herbs, refining them, taking them, and waiting for them to take effect.

Lin Xiao had also thought of this. He looked outside the cave; dusk was gathering. There were only sixty-five days left until the three-month deadline.

Time, like sand slipping through your fingers, flies by rapidly.

Lu Yuan followed his gaze to the outside of the cave. In the herb garden, Qingzhu was carrying a wooden bucket and watering a herb with thick leaves, her movements slow and leisurely, as if she were never in a hurry.

He turned his gaze away and looked at Lin Xiao.

"I'll go see Senior Qingzhu tomorrow," he said. "You rest and let your chest injury stabilize. Under no circumstances should you push yourself further."

Lin Xiao nodded, offering no objection.

He leaned against the stone wall and closed his eyes. His chest still ached faintly, but what hurt even more was the feeling of helplessness—he had clearly seen hope, yet he was tripped up by a seemingly insignificant obstacle.

Lu Yuan sat back down in front of the stone platform and picked up the charcoal pencil.

On the drawing, that complex node was highlighted with a red circle. Next to it was a line of small print. "Medication is required, or wait for the inertia to dissipate (at least three days)."

He stared at that line of text for a long time.

Then, another line was added to the blank space: Time cost must be recalculated.