Jiang Xun sat cross-legged on the cracked stone floor of the ruined shrine, his saber across his lap. The walls around him bore faded sigils and blackened prayer-scrolls, offerings to forgotten gods now lost to the dark tide. Wind stirred the dust, whistling through the shattered roof beams like a low flute.
Before him, an altar lay broken in half. Behind it, a headless statue slumped in prayer.
He closed his eyes.
[Breakthrough Initiation: Meridian Path – Stage 1]
Confirm? Warning: Failure may result in backlash or inner injury.
[Confirm]
The moment he accepted, his breath hitched. A sudden heat welled inside his dantian, like someone had ignited a furnace in his core. The Essence he'd gathered from slaying the Bonefiend pulsed and spread outward, racing along invisible rivers within his body.
His vision blackened at the edges.
Breathe. Focus. Ride the flow.
The system didn't guide him in meditation—it simply enhanced what was already within him. It was up to him to make the leap.
Jiang Xun gritted his teeth as the energy surged into his limbs, then toward his spine and chest. It was like forcing molten iron through old, brittle pipes.
Crack.
A sensation—not physical, but deeper—shuddered through him as a channel gave way. Not in pain, but in release. Like a door flung open in a sealed chamber.
Another burst of heat flowed. His bones trembled.
[First Meridian Cleansed – 1/3]
Vital Breath efficiency increased. Minor stamina regeneration unlocked.
Warning: Spiritual pressure rising. Anchor your intent.
The pressure in his chest built until it felt like he might rupture. Blood roared in his ears. Ghostly voices whispered at the edge of hearing—not demonic, but something ancient, submerged within the cultivation world itself.
He focused on his saber—on the cut, the breath before movement, the silence before the clash. In his mind, he imagined a single, perfect strike.
The heat steadied. Flowed more smoothly.
[Second Meridian Cleansed – 2/3]
Nerve conductivity improved. Reaction time slightly boosted.
Path Stabilizing... Final channel priming.
A deep ache bloomed along his spine as the last current surged toward the nape of his neck. Jiang Xun felt a sudden clarity descend on him. He could feel each breath, the grain of stone under him, even the movement of Lin Yue's sleeping breath a few paces away.
Then—
Snap.
[Final Meridian Cleansed – 3/3]
Breakthrough Complete – Meridian Path Stage 1 Achieved!
All physical stats slightly improved. Essence flow stabilized.
Martial insight +1. System interface expanded.
Jiang Xun opened his eyes.
Everything looked sharper. Not brighter—but clearer. His body felt... lighter, stronger. The ache in his limbs remained, but it was distant now, like an echo after thunder.
He exhaled.
And the breath came out steady. Controlled.
...
He stood, walking out into the cool night. Lin Yue sat on a rock just outside, knees drawn to her chest. She looked up quickly when she saw him.
"You're awake. I thought…" she trailed off. "You were sitting there so still. For hours."
"Just meditating," he said.
She tilted her head. "You look... different. Stronger."
"Maybe," Jiang Xun said. He flexed his fingers, then turned toward the trees.
The system flickered.
[New Function Unlocked: Technique Refinement Mode]
Choose an acquired martial technique to enter Deep Practice.
Focus and repetition under system resonance enhances mastery gain.
Available Technique: Ironblood Saber Arts – Form I: Cleaving Wind
[Initiate Deep Practice?]
[Yes] / [No]
He selected [Yes].
A sudden hum filled his awareness—not sound, but a resonance in his bones. The world around him dimmed, and his focus narrowed. His hands moved.
He stepped forward, saber sweeping horizontally in a powerful, efficient arc. Then again. And again.
Each strike landed with greater balance. More precision. More intent.
Ironblood Saber Arts +12% Mastery (30%)
Minor Insight Achieved: Cleaving Wind is most effective against wide-bodied or multiple foes. Consider integrating feints or footwork enhancements.
New Variation Available: Branch Form – Sundered Gale
Jiang Xun's eyes widened.
The system didn't just track his growth. It refined it.
This was what made it so dangerous—not flashy spells or instant power-ups, but sheer optimization. A ruthless tool for those who could endure the grind.
And he would endure.
Because he had no choice.
...
Later, as he stood watch while Lin Yue slept again under his cloak, he watched the horizon darken. Far in the distance, faint howls rose through the mist. Not wolves.
Demons.
"There's more of them out there," Jiang Xun murmured.
He looked at his hands. Calloused. Blood-streaked. But steady.
Then up at the stars—unmoving and uncaring.
"I'll meet them head-on."
He turned his saber in his grip.
"And I'll carve my path one corpse at a time."