"System! What's going on?! Is this your 5-point optimization plan?!" Li Fan roared inwardly, shocked and furious. This wasn't optimization; it was a precursor to Qi Deviation!
［Emergency recalculation complete.］The system's voice remained steady, but slightly faster.［Problem source: The optimization plan was generated based on the Qi Guidance Technique's general spiritual energy model and a standard human meridian template. The host's current physical meridians possess a minor congenital variation, located approximately 0.3 inches upstream of the 'Tianfu Acupoint' on the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, causing turbulence and redundant energy accumulation when the optimized spiritual energy flows through this point.］
"Congenital variation?" Li Fan endured the discomfort in his right arm, his face grim."Does that mean your plan wasn't custom-made, but a mass-produced 'one-size-fits-all,' and I just happen to be an 'irregular fit'?"
［That is an accurate analogy. System V1.0's database does not yet contain data for all rare physiques and meridian variations.］The system conceded frankly.［Solution: The plan requires personalized fine-tuning to bypass or adapt to this variation point. Recalculation requires the consumption of 3 points.］
Li Fan glanced at his remaining balance of 1 point and nearly spat up blood from sheer frustration.
"I have no points left! And this is your plan's mistake; are you going to make me pay for it?"
［The system adheres to the principle of equivalent exchange. The plan itself has no logical error; the problem lies with the host body's 'non-standard' characteristics.］The system responded coldly.［Alternative Solution: The host may rely on personal conscious guidance to attempt the 'manual' clearance of the blockage, or wait for the congested energy to naturally dissipate slowly, estimated time: 7-15 natural days.］
Seven to fifteen days? During that time, his right arm would be practically useless. How could he cultivate? If Zhao Hu came knocking again, he wouldn't even be able to strike a pose!
Relying on the system was out. Li Fan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. His engineering mindset told him: analyze the problem, solve the problem.
Since the system had provided the "root cause"—spiritual energy turbulence and energy accumulation due to a meridian variation. The solutions were only two:
* Modify the"flow path"(optimize the plan) to bypass the variation point. This required points. PASS.
* Enhance the"flow path's""pressure resistance" and"clearing ability," which meant strengthening this specific section of the meridian so it could adapt to the optimized spiritual energy flow.
How to strengthen the meridians? His memories of cultivation lore suggested nothing but steady, slow work, gently nourishing them with spiritual energy, or consuming specific pills. He had neither.
But he had the scientific method.
"Turbulence… energy accumulation…" Li Fan muttered, enduring the discomfort, and focused his consciousness on the blockage. He stopped trying to force the spiritual energy through, and instead, like debugging code in his previous life, began to carefully"probe."
He controlled a thread of spiritual energy, finer than a hair, approaching the blockage at an extremely slow speed. A feeling of swelling pain hit him, but he didn't retreat, carefully sensing the subtle feeling of the spiritual energy colliding and rebounding against the meridian wall.
Then, he tried to change the "form" of this spiritual energy thread. Instead of a straight impact, he made it slowly rotate like a drill bit.
Ineffective. The pain persisted.
He tried again, dispersing the spiritual energy into countless finer tributaries, allowing them to seep through from different angles, like a stream flowing over pebbles.
Minimal effect.
Attempt after attempt, failure after failure. The numbness in his right arm was even exacerbated by his repeated attempts to push through. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his face was pale.
［Warning: Multiple non-standard operation attempts may aggravate local meridian damage. Suspension is advised.］The system warned.
"Shut up," Li Fan snapped quietly, but his eyes grew brighter. In the countless failures, he wasn't without gain. He sensed that when the spiritual energy vibrated at a specific, extremely subtle high frequency, the obstruction at the blockage seemed to diminish slightly!
The feeling was fleeting, but it gave him hope.
Frequency! It was a problem of vibration frequency!
He recalled the physics he had learned in his previous life—Resonance! When the frequency of an external force approaches an object's natural frequency, it can most effectively transfer energy, even causing structural change.
Could this congested spiritual energy mass, or this variant section of the meridian, also have its own natural "resonant frequency"?
It was a bold, almost insane hypothesis. But at this moment, he had no other choice.
He discarded all distracting thoughts, plunging his entire consciousness into the blockage. He stopped trying to attack or penetrate, and like tuning a radio, began to control the tiny thread of spiritual energy, continuously and extremely meticulously adjusting its vibration frequency.
1 Hertz... 5 Hertz... 10 Hertz... Ineffective.
50 Hertz... 100 Hertz... The pain seemed to worsen.
Adjusting in reverse, low frequency... 0.5 Hertz...
This was an incredibly mentally taxing process, requiring microscopic control over spiritual energy. If his soul had not been subtly strengthened by the transmigration and system binding, making him stronger than an average person, this delicate operation would have been impossible.
Time ticked by, and the sky outside the woodshed grew dark.
Just when Li Fan felt his mental energy was about to run out and he could no longer hold on—
Buzz!
A barely audible, gentle hum, as if coming from deep within his body, sounded!
When the vibration frequency of that thread of spiritual energy was adjusted to a specific, critical threshold, the stubborn blockage suddenly seemed to gain life, and with this particular frequency, it began to vibrate slightly in synchronization!
The previously stagnant spiritual energy, under this harmonious resonance, began to loosen and dissipate like snow under sunlight, flowing smoothly and merging back into the main spiritual energy current, following the optimized path!
Success!
Li Fan was ecstatic, but he dared not relax for a moment. He maintained the profound resonant frequency, guiding the congested spiritual energy to melt away bit by bit.
Half an hour later, the numbness and swelling pain in his right arm completely vanished. The spiritual energy flowed more smoothly than ever before, feeling even more seamless than it had been after the initial optimization!
Not only had the blocked spiritual energy been cleared, but he clearly felt that after this "resonant dredging," the previously "fragile" variant meridian segment seemed to have been slightly widened and strengthened!
［Abnormal energy accumulation within the host detected and cleared. Target meridian channel adaptability increased by 3.7%.］The system's prompt sounded appropriately, carrying a barely perceptible［…data analysis…recording…］ suffix, as if silently logging this accidental discovery.
Li Fan let out a long, slow breath. He was physically exhausted, but his spirit was wildly exhilarated.
He had not only averted a crisis but had, through misfortune, found a unique way to potentially strengthen his meridians—the Spiritual Energy Resonance Method! This was absolutely unique to him, a technique developed through scientific methodology and personal practical exploration!
"System, record this'Li's Spiritual Energy Resonance Dredging Method'! Apply for a patent!" he joked, half-seriously, in his mind.
［Recorded. This method is based on the host's individual specificity and its universality is pending verification. Patent application is temporarily unavailable.］The system replied stiffly.
Li Fan smiled, unfazed. He felt the spiritual energy flow inside him, noticeably larger and more robust, and his confidence soared. At this rate, breaking through to the first layer of Qi Condensation was just around the corner.
Over the next two days, Li Fan continued to refine his "spiritual energy quantification" data during the day while secretly observing Wang Tiezhu's condition. He prudently avoided deep cultivation, instead continuously using the "Resonance Method" to nourish and consolidate that segment of his meridian, with significant results.
From Wang Tiezhu, good news came quickly. The honest man had strictly followed the "diet" and stretching routine Li Fan provided, and cultivated the Body Strengthening Technique using the adjusted muscle engagement techniques. In just two days, he excitedly rushed to tell Li Fan that the long-standing shoulder and knee pain was greatly relieved. Furthermore, the persistent stagnation during cultivation was gone; his raw power finally seemed to find an outlet, and the bottleneck that hadn't budged in five years was showing signs of breaking!
Watching Wang Tiezhu's incoherent excitement, Li Fan was genuinely happy for him. Simultaneously, the system's prompt sounded:
［Side Quest:"Body Cultivation Potential Assessment and Training Plan Optimization" complete! Based on preliminary practical verification, the plan is effective. Quest Reward: 15 Research Points have been issued!］
His point balance instantly jumped to 16 points! Li Fan felt the wealth of having a full wallet.
However, just as he was preparing to exchange for a more advanced cultivation plan and fully put his skills to use, an unexpected person appeared at the door of the woodshed.
The person was clad in the pale-blue inner disciple robes, with a graceful figure, delicate features, and a cool, distant aura. It was the talented young woman who had watched him with curiosity from the outer sect competition stands a few days prior—Su Miaoran.
She looked at the slightly messy woodshed and Li Fan sitting on the straw pile, her fine brows slightly furrowed, but the inquiry in her eyes outweighed any disdain.
Her cherry lips parted, her voice clear and calm:
"Li Fan? I am here on the Sect Leader's order to take you to see him."
The Sect Leader summons him?!
Li Fan's heart jolted, and countless thoughts raced through his mind. Was it because of his"Research Report on Improving the Cultivation Efficiency of Qingyun Sect Outer Disciples"? Or had his"deceiving" Zhao Hu and guiding Wang Tiezhu reached the higher-ups? Was this a blessing or a curse?
He looked at the cool, talented Inner Disciple before him, took a deep breath, and nodded.
"Thank you, Senior Sister Su."