The Aftereffects of Shattering the Void

Hu Mang couldn't help but say:

"Is this a sign of stricter regulations?"

"It's alright. The restrictions have been loosened quite a bit now. Basically, as long as you don't become an official, there shouldn't be any major problems. Private sects are even more open. My master's situation is a bit special. He's an academician of the Heavenly Gate, so the report would definitely not be approved on the grounds of beating up his grand-disciple."

Sun Jidao chuckled smugly, thinking to himself that this guy was quite humorous.

Hu Mang put down the documents, pondered for a moment, and said:

"Actually, the things we did before weren't that technically difficult."

Insights into the Flower of Spirit, some ancient alchemical methods, and data from various human Golden Core experiments.

The most precious of these is undoubtedly the "Flower of Spirit." Without this Flower of Spirit, there would be no "Golden Core Elixir Separation and Re-formation" operation, nor the idea of a "Golden Core Elixir Substitute" based on this operation.

However, the "Enlightenment of the Flower of Spirit" can be entirely attributed to a flash of inspiration from a genius researcher.

However, apart from these, the Artificial Lightning Tribulation Tower and the "research on essence, energy and spirit" in ancient alchemy are not particularly advanced.

The entire research on "re-forming the core" can actually be described as a product of a flash of inspiration.

Dr. Doctor Sun's main profession is researching Innate Acupoints.

"If only it were more advanced," Sun Jidao said with a wry smile. "I heard from my grandmaster that within Heavenly Gate, a team has already developed a 'Golden Core substitute,' and they're doing it even faster than we are here. Apparently, the team leader is a Nascent Soul expert of the same generation as my grandmaster."

"So powerful!?" Hu Mang exclaimed in surprise. "Does this mean the so-called Golden Core cultivation era might actually be coming?"

Sun Jidao is under immense pressure.

"It's not that exaggerated; at most, it will only increase the success rate of some people in forming their core."

Although Sun Jidao knew that this was already quite exaggerated.

What's even more remarkable is the series of industrial innovations brought about by this "external elixir formation," which are far more useful than simply increasing the number of Golden Core pills.

"Alright, boss, the Core Formation project is finished. What I'm reporting to you now is the 'Innate Acupoints Project,' or, as you named it, the 'Human Immortal Project.'"

"Oh, you said it," Hu Mang said calmly.

Sun Jidao sighed inwardly. The main project hadn't yielded any results yet, while the side business was booming. Where could he find a reason for this?

"Actually, thirty-two Innate Acupoints models are already quite a lot. There shouldn't be a single one inside the Heavenly Gate yet," Hu Mang said, sensing the other's emotions and beginning to comfort him.

"But are you sure these Innate Acupoints models are accurate?"

"Uncertain," Sun Jidao said with a wry smile, "That's why it's just a model."

"The Innate Acupoints I found on this 'Human Immortal Lightning Puppet' cannot be replicated on a human body, no matter how many methods I use."

At this point, Sun Jidao was quite frustrated.

"Whether it's Nascent Soul level Divine Sense locator, a large acupoint microscope, or some internal meridian detection devices, if these treasures weren't all sourced from Heavenly Gate and had an anti- Divine Sense coating that prevents them from being interfered with by external forces, I would have suspected that the feng shui here is bad."

When a researcher starts talking about metaphysics instead of science, it's probably because they've hit a bottleneck.

"I once suspected that these Innate Acupoints might only exist on certain special bloodlines. For example, the Longbo Bloodline you sent, boss, easily detected the Spiritual Qi fluctuations of more than a dozen Innate Acupoints."

Hu Mang stroked his chin, remaining silent, feeling somewhat disappointed.

If these "Innate Acupoints" cannot be activated by ordinary people, then they are indeed not very useful, since not everyone has the bloodline of Longbo.

However, Sun Jidao quickly became excited again.

"However, I soon made a new discovery!"

That is to inject a wisp of Longbo's Qi and Blood into the body of Golden Core cultivator, and let him circulate it in the same way he would with his internal energy.

In this state, I used my Nascent Soul Soul-level Divine Sense locator to detect a slight fluctuation of Innate Acupoints. Although this fluctuation was very subtle, I was certain that Innate Acupoints also exist in ordinary human bodies!

This is quite a turn of events!

Zhao Longbo's death wasn't in vain.

Hu Mang thought for a moment and said:

"So, if you want to locate the Innate Acupoints, you must first stimulate the meridians with something like Longbo Qi and Blood, right?"

"I don't mind exposing Zhao Longbo, but does Heavenly Gate allow this kind of research to be openly discussed?"

Compared to the Human Immortal Lightning Puppet, Longbo's physical body at least has a verifiable battle record.

However, no matter how powerful Longbo's Qi and Blood are, it's impossible for him to supply hundreds of thousands or millions of cultivators.

Sun Jidao nodded.

"That's what I think too, so I've been researching how to lower its stimulation threshold. For example, my recent achievement is that by refining the 'Longbo Bloodline,' I used a trace of 'Innate Qi' to experiment. The result was that although the number of fluctuations in the 'Innate Acupoints' was reduced by half, the other half could still be stimulated in the same way using Innate Qi."

That's good news.

Hu Mang nodded.

Activating Innate Acupoints with Innate Qi is definitely more convenient than using the Longbo Bloodline.

Putting aside other matters, Heavenly Gate has made significant achievements in the study of Innate Qi.

As far as he knew, artificial Innate Qi had already been put to some use, for example, the Clear Bomb, whose power was comparable to a strike from the Spirit Transformation.

However, if we use this method, we might have to cooperate with the Heavenly Gate authorities.

After all, only by utilizing someone else's large-scale cultivation project can artificial Innate Qi be condensed.

So here's the question: while "external core formation" could be attributed to a flash of inspiration from a brilliant scientific researcher, how do we explain such a vast amount of accurate data on Innate Acupoints?

Sun Jidao had most likely thought of this as well, which is why he didn't seem particularly excited when the news came out.

Moreover, to put it bluntly, the Innate Acupoints operated with artificial Innate Qi are not much better than Longbo Bloodline. The former is not a common commodity, and countless research institutions are eagerly awaiting the application of artificial Innate Qi.

After thinking for a moment, Hu Mang described the changes in Longbo Bloodline that he had sensed through "Shattering the Void," especially the Dao patterns.

Sun Jidao slammed his hand on the table, becoming excited.

"Perhaps this is the key! This is the key!"

"Shattering the Void, that's right. I've seen the research the advisor did before. The essence of Shattering the Void is pushing the human body to its acquired limits. Since it's the acquired limit, then it's only natural to come into contact with innate things."

"If it's a martial arts cultivator who Shattering the Void, perhaps they can forcibly activate innate acupoints by circulating Qi and Blood," Little Zhang, who had been listening quietly to the lecture, suddenly interjected.

Upon hearing this, Sun Jidao's expression darkened. It wasn't that he was showing off his authority as a mentor, but rather that he had thought of another piece of bad news.

Seeing the two looking over, Sun Jidao sighed and said:

"As you may know, my mentor's mentor, who was also my grandmaster, was an academician in both the Meridian and Golden Core fields. According to him, he had studied more meridians than I had ever seen in a living person. Ordinary people were one thing, but he had studied those at the Nascent Soul stage and even the Spirit Transformation stage, including some rare meridian types, such as the 'Shattering the Void' type."

"Within our Heavenly Gate, martial arts aren't exactly popular, not even as much as swordsmanship. But overseas, like right here, it's far more popular than swordsmanship. With more people, there are more powerful ones. For example, the ultimate realm of martial arts is what you've achieved: Shattering the Void."

"Your grandmaster even studied cultivators who Shattering the Void?" Hu Mang asked in surprise.

"Actually, it was fortuitous opportunity. To be precise, it was someone from overseas who took the initiative to contact my master. To put it bluntly, there was an overseas Chinese with deep ties to Heavenly Gate. Several of his friends had gotten into trouble, and he knew that Heavenly Gate's medicine was advanced enough to treat even Nascent Soul level illnesses. So he found a way to contact Heavenly Gate, and that official then used his connections to find my master. My master was quite interested in what exactly 'meridian atrophy' caused by reaching the limit of cultivation was all about, so he took on the job and left the relevant information."

"The overseas Chinese you mentioned, you wouldn't happen to be from the Nanyang Chinese Affairs General Company, would you?" Hu Mang asked rhetorically.

This is a standard old-established dominant force in Nanyang. Although its business seems to have declined in recent years, the old ship still has three nails. It is at least much stronger than Zheng Family Garden. In terms of heritage, it is even more profound than Wanshun Sea Hall.

"I think that's the name. They're in engineering, Grand Pure One," Sun Jidao thought hard for a moment, but couldn't recall it, so he gave up.

"However, the key point is that the extent to which those old men's meridians had atrophied was truly astounding as it seemed. If it weren't for my master's intervention, those old men would have been dead long ago."

"But those old men are also incredibly energetic. I've read the relevant information; their martial arts intent is fully unleashed, their Divine Sense strength is comparable to that of Nascent Soul, and they even possess the ability to suppress evil and dispel impurities—it's quite unique."

"Wait, those old men you mentioned, are they all at the Shattering the Void Realm?"

"Certainly."

"Were they injured together? Who injured them?"

"It wasn't an injury, it was atrophy of the meridians. To be precise, once you comprehend the realm of Shattering the Void, your Qi and Blood surge for a short time, pushing your physical potential to the limit of the acquired realm. But after the limit comes the trough, and behind it are sheer cliffs. These old men seem to have made a pact to explore further, and with that exploration, they fell off the cliff."

Sun Jidao complained:

"Don't be fooled by how energetic those old men are. I've read the data; their physical bodies are so weak they're worse than even a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. If it weren't for my master saving them, they would have been dead long ago."

Shattering the Void has this negative effect!?

Hu Mang was shocked. So, does that mean I'm also on the edge of a cliff now?

"Don't worry, my master said that after Shattering the Void in martial arts realm, there is at least a peak period of sixty years. Only after the peak does the trough begin."

"During this period, the physical body underwent all sorts of incredible transformations."

"Moreover, if you can successfully form your Nascent Soul within sixty years, you will be able to reverse your acquired Qi, interrupt the low point, and remain in a state of peak Qi and Blood forever."