A Quiet Night

Doctor Sun had no intention of keeping Hu Mang in suspense. Seeing that he had agreed, he went straight into the so-called "Dao foundation method."

"Have you heard of reincarnating and cultivating anew?"

Reincarnation?

The corner of Hu Mang's eye twitched.

"I've only heard that immortals can reincarnate."

"Or of the legendary worlds of yin and yang and the six paths of reincarnation."

Doctor Sun glanced at Hu Mang and explained:

"The important part is cultivating anew."

"Cultivating anew?" Hu Mang immediately realized he had misunderstood.

"Heavenly Gate's basic cultivation method, the 'Universal Qi Refining Instruction,' sounds crude and inferior to some ancient methods, but it was actually developed by Wang Jing, the first sovereign of the human race. After the new Heavenly Gate was established, Wang Jing gathered all the founding sages and masters of the Dao to work from the ancient methods they had collected, deducing, integrating, and reforming them into a foundational cultivation method with universal applicability."

"With this as your foundation, whether you have three, four, or five Spirit Roots, as long as you study diligently, train hard, and build a solid foundation, Foundation Establishment is no problem. It's only a matter of how long it takes."

"That's an advantage the ancient methods simply don't have."

"After all, in the world of ancient cultivation methods, you wouldn't find a group of Nascent Soul mighty figures pouring out their hearts and blood to work out cultivation methods for menial disciples."

"That goes against the values of ancient-method cultivation."

"But this creates another problem. If a cultivation method has a low enough threshold for entry, its ceiling can't be high enough. So for some absolute geniuses, the 'Heavenly Gate General Qi Refining Instruction' can't be a 100 percent match-at least when it comes to developing top-grade Spirit Roots."

"So Heavenly Gate has its own solution to this problem: it established 'Young Heaven's Chosen Classes' at academies across the country."

"They gather gifted young cultivators together for specialized training. Have you heard of them?"

"I think it rings a bell."

Hu Mang thought for a moment before answering.

His own year hadn't had one, but the next year did.

He had heard people talk about it.

"Right. The young cultivators in these Young Heaven's Chosen Classes also cultivate the 'Heavenly Gate General Qi Refining Instruction,' but theirs are customized versions that can develop their talents to the fullest."

"This approach also came from ancient methods. Some ancient cultivation methods with extremely high requirements often had 'secret transmissions,' 'annotations,' and 'method explanations.' These 'secondary creations' often originated from elders' notes on a cultivation method and could greatly lower the threshold. Some cultivation methods couldn't even be practiced without such a 'method explanation.'"

"This was also often where the different treatment of inner and outer disciples came in."

"Ancient methods went from difficult to easy, while Heavenly Gate goes from easy to difficult, but the thinking is the same."

"Based on this approach, a new way of cultivating was developed. Younger cultivators from relatively well-off families, or those whose elders have higher cultivation but whose Root Bones aren't good enough to get them into a 'genius class,' also have a way to strengthen their foundations."

"This method is 'cultivating anew.' First, pills, empowerment, and other means are used to forcibly raise the younger cultivator's cultivation to Foundation Establishment, then it's forcibly knocked back down."

"During this process, the young cultivator's meridians are reinforced as their cultivation rises, and their understanding of the cultivation method also improves. Under these circumstances, they can even practice some 'method explanation'-level versions of the 'Heavenly Gate General Qi Refining Instruction.'"

"After all that, these 'artificial geniuses' might not match those who are truly extraordinarily gifted, but they won't be far behind."

"According to some statistical data, these 'artificial geniuses' even have a somewhat greater chance of breaking through to Golden Core."

"That's the method I was talking about."

Hu Mang stared for a moment, then said:

"From what you're saying, this method could be widely adopted. So why isn't it... what are the difficulties?"

"There are certainly difficulties. First, when the cultivation is knocked back down, a cultivator with high cultivation has to stand guard throughout the process. A specialist like me also has to provide targeted meridian treatment to prevent hidden injuries. The cost of the process isn't something an ordinary family can afford."

"Besides, without breakthroughs in the study of meridians, this wouldn't be possible either."

"This method also makes certain demands on a young cultivator's perseverance. After all, they're cultivating anew, and at a higher level of difficulty."

"And you happen to meet that condition."

"First, with your current cultivation, you have no choice but to cultivate anew. And although the turbid Qi damaged your foundation, from another angle, it left the meridians in your lower Dantian exceptionally clean."

"As for protection, you don't need to worry. I've provided 'cultivation-reset care' many times," Doctor Sun said with a smile, waving the Heavenly Origin Bone-Strengthening Salve in his hand.

"You're not short on medicine, either."

"What about the 'Heavenly Gate General Qi Refining Instruction,' then?"

"Don't forget, I have to treat the meridians while providing 'cultivation-reset care.' Naturally, those parents wouldn't conceal the 'annotated methods' from me. I have at least dozens of 'method explanation'-level versions of the 'Heavenly Gate General Qi Refining Instruction' on hand. One of them is bound to suit you."

Hu Mang understood completely now, and his doubts vanished. Then another question suddenly occurred to him.

"But how come I've never heard of this? Does your internal meridian medicine department offer a medical service like that?"

Doctor Sun smiled faintly.

"Running cram classes is private work. How could we talk about it openly?"

"Within Heavenly Gate, the goal is equality for everyone when it comes to cultivation education."

"..."

And so, at the ripe old age of nearly thirty, Hu Mang enrolled once again in a nine-year compulsory education "cram class."

His plans had to change as well.

Under the original arrangement, since he had opened the three yang meridians of the hand on the first day, he wouldn't even need another six days. Four or five would have been enough to completely clear the turbid Qi from his meridians.

But now that he had added the task of cultivating the "Heavenly Gate General Qi Refining Instruction" anew,

it would be best to draw things out, because Doctor Sun could help adjust his meridians during the process—and locate any "demon acupoints" his Demon Race bloodline might have left him.

That would take at least twenty days.

Of course, during those twenty days, Hu Mang would have to pay for the use of the artificial lightning tribulation tower himself.

In other words, the 200,000 spirit coins in compensation definitely wouldn't cover it. Hu Mang would have to dip into his own private stash to make up the difference.

Hu Mang went back over it all in his head.

He realized that Doctor Sun really was a sly old fox. All he had to do was offer one tube of Heavenly Origin Bone-Strengthening Salve, and he had talked Hu Mang into willingly cooperating with the experiment.

Other than that, he barely had to give up anything.

No, he did have to provide his Golden Core-level medical skills.

All Hu Mang could say was that doctors really were in demand in modern cultivation society.

Ten days later

"Mm, that's enough turbid Qi expulsion for today."

Doctor Sun spoke as he looked over the medical sheet in his hand.

"As of now, the twelve regular meridians have been completely cleared. All that's left are some smaller meridians among the eight extraordinary meridians. You can already resume basic cultivation."

"Oh, right, here's your physical examination report. Want to see it?"

Doctor Sun pulled out one of the sheets.

Hu Mang took it and glanced over it.

Name: Hu Mang

Cultivation: Fifth Layer of Qi Refining

Lower Dantian Spiritual Qi storage: 60,000 Spiritual Qi units (standard: 50,000)

Spiritual Qi output from the limbs: 800 Spiritual Qi/second (standard output: 500 Spiritual Qi/second)

Peak output from the limbs: 1,200 (standard output: 800)

Spiritual Qi absorption rate: 600 Spiritual Qi/second (standard absorption: 500)

Spiritual power circulation speed: one complete cycle per half a shichen (lower Dantian)

Maximum spell output: 15,000

Divine sense coverage radius: none

"According to this report, you're roughly on par with a cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining. That's enough to sweep aside most of the kids in the nine-year compulsory education stage."

Doctor Sun was joking.

Hu Mang ignored the joke. He snapped his fingers, and a wisp of lightning struck the paper, reducing it to ash in an instant.

"What's going on with me right now?"

Hu Mang asked.

Crackling sounds came incessantly from all around Hu Mang, and every now and then a streak of golden lightning flashed past.

His whole person gave off an indescribable sense of menace.

It was like facing a bolt of demon-subduing divine lightning head-on.

"Some lightning power remained in your body during the expulsion of the turbid Qi. Just wear a Thunder-Warding Robe for the next couple of days, and it'll dissipate on its own after a while."

"You don't have a Lightning Spirit Root, so you can't absorb it. On top of that, earth and wood generate lightning, which will only make the lightning power linger longer. Bear with it for now."

Doctor Sun tossed him a coat somewhere between a white doctor's coat and a raincoat.

"Oh, right. You need to apply the medicine when you go to bed, so just undo it then. You'll be at home anyway, so you don't need to worry about anyone seeing you naked."

"Okay, I'll head back, then."

Hu Mang made as if to leave, then suddenly turned back to Doctor Sun.

"None of the twelve regular meridians had any 'new acupoints.' Can our deal still continue?"

Doctor Sun smiled.

"Finding 'new acupoints' isn't that easy. It was always a matter of giving the tree a couple of whacks, dates or no dates. Who knows how many Nascent Soul-level medical experts have studied the twelve regular meridians who knows how many times? It's perfectly normal not to find any. Besides, aren't there still the 'smaller meridians'?"

Hu Mang nodded and left, his face full of fatigue.

Doctor Sun stood where he was, lost in thought.

He had one more report in his hand: Hu Mang's blood test report.

And the report's findings were, well, a little unusual.

Hu Mang, his face full of fatigue, took a spirit shuttle straight home.

He didn't even have the strength to fly a shared flying sword.

After managing to rub Heavenly Origin Bone-Strengthening Salve over his whole body, Hu Mang fell into bed and went to sleep, paying no mind to the lightning that kept leaking from him.

At worst, I'll just change the sheets tomorrow.

The only things left in the room were the crackling sounds and a faint, singed smell.

But as the lightning flashed, a fragment on the bedside table glowed faintly for the briefest moment.

Meanwhile, in the dim living room, a figure slowly walked over to the dining table and unhurriedly took out the things Hu Mang had brought back from the hospital.

Among them happened to be a book—the "Heavenly Gate General Qi Refining Instruction: Supplement on Qi Meridians."

So he sat on the sofa in the darkness and read in silence, picking up his teacup for a sip now and then.

The night passed without a word.