Morning sunlight filtered through the windows of Lin Sheng's residence.
Inside the quiet room, the rhythmic sound of fists slicing through the air echoed repeatedly.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Lin Sheng's body twisted sharply as he drove another punch forward.
His stance was stable.
His breathing controlled.
The Vajra Fist Technique flowed naturally through his movements like instinct itself.
Compared to several days ago, the difference was enormous.
Every strike now carried explosive force.
The muscles in his arms and waist moved in perfect coordination, transferring power from heel to fist in one seamless motion.
Even the air seemed to vibrate faintly beneath the force of his punches.
Then the chip's interface flickered before his eyes.
• [Vajra Fist Technique]
• Current Stage: Peak Mastery
• Estimated Combat Efficiency: 97%
• Further Progress Detected
• Minor Achievement impossible under current conditions
• Requirement: Internal Energy / Qi Circulation
Lin Sheng slowly lowered his fists.
Sweat dripped lightly down his forehead.
His breathing was slightly heavy, but his eyes remained calm.
"So this is the limit for now..."
He had already expected this outcome.
The martial techniques of this world were divided into several stages.
Entry.
Proficient.
Mastered.
Minor Achievement.
Major Achievement.
Perfection.
Most ordinary martial artists spent years reaching the Mastered stage.
Yet with the chip's assistance and his enhanced thinking speed from the Opening Aperture Realm, he had forcefully pushed the Vajra Fist Technique to Peak Mastery in only a few days.
But beyond this point, the technique required qi.
Not spiritual qi.
But internal energy.
Only by circulating energy through the body could one truly temper the fists and bring out the real strength of the Vajra Fist Technique.
Unfortunately, that crossed into martial cultivation.
And according to family rules, those who had not yet left for martial training were forbidden from cultivating martial methods.
Lin Sheng wiped the sweat from his face and exhaled slowly.
"That's enough."
For now, Peak Mastery was already more than sufficient for his age.
What he lacked was no longer skill.
It was foundation.
His body still required tempering.
And more importantly, he needed knowledge.
Especially after yesterday's conversation with Old Liang.
Meridians.
Internal energy.
Acupoints.
These things were no longer abstract concepts to him.
They were real.
And dangerous.
After changing into a clean robe, Lin Sheng left his residence and descended Dragon Yuan Mountain once more.
The bustling mortal city beneath the mountain had already fully awakened.
Vendors shouted loudly across the streets.
Children chased one another through alleyways.
Martial trainees practiced within public courtyards.
Compared to the cold isolation of immortal cultivators, this place felt alive.
Lin Sheng calmly walked through the familiar streets before eventually arriving at the Wu Pavilion.
As usual, the ancient building stood quietly amidst the noise of the city.
But the moment he stepped inside, he immediately noticed something unusual.
Old Liang was absent.
The counter near the entrance stood empty except for a young assistant organizing scrolls nearby.
The assistant appeared around seventeen years old and wore simple grey robes embroidered with the Lin Family insignia.
Seeing Lin Sheng enter, he nodded politely.
"Young Master Lin."
Lin Sheng returned the greeting lightly.
"Where is Elder Liang?"
The assistant awkwardly scratched his cheek.
"Elder Liang stepped out briefly."
"He should return shortly."
Lin Sheng nodded slightly.
Since Old Liang was not here yet, he decided to use the opportunity wisely.
His gaze drifted toward the bookshelves deeper within the pavilion.
Specifically, the sections related to anatomy and martial theory.
If opening meridians truly carried fatal risks, then blindly experimenting would be suicide.
Without hesitation, he walked deeper into the shelves.
The quiet scent of old paper filled the air.
Countless books lined the walls.
Some were damaged from age.
Others looked newer.
Lin Sheng carefully scanned the titles one after another.
Then his gaze paused.
A thick dark colored book rested quietly near the corner shelf.
Its title read:
"Annotations About Human Body Channels"
Lin Sheng immediately pulled it out.
The book was heavier than expected.
Dust scattered lightly into the air as he opened the first page.
His eyes sharpened instantly.
The contents were surprisingly detailed.
> The human body possesses countless systems and channels...
Among them, meridians form a closed yet integrated system...
They transport and refine energy throughout the body...
Lin Sheng slowly turned the pages.
The descriptions became increasingly profound.
Meridians were pathways.
Channels carrying energy throughout flesh, organs, muscles, bones, and senses.
The human body contained multiple categories of meridians.
The Twelve Primary Meridians.
The Eight Extraordinary Meridians.
Collateral Meridians.
Network Meridians.
The twelve primary meridians mainly connected externally through the limbs and body surface.
The eight extraordinary meridians connected internally through the five zang and six fu organs.
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
This resembled an advanced biological energy circulation system.
Far beyond anything modern science had achieved in his previous life.
He continued reading.
> The first realm of Martial Dao...
Meridian Opening Realm...
Also known as the Acquired Realm...
Requires the opening of the Twelve Primary Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Meridians...
Forming a complete Heavenly Cycle...
At this stage, the body becomes internally and externally unified...
Allowing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to enter the body...
Using external qi to facilitate Body Metamorphosis...
Lin Sheng's pupils contracted faintly.
Body Metamorphosis.
So martial artists truly utilized spiritual qi.
Just differently from immortal cultivators.
He continued reading deeper.
> This metamorphosis begins with the opening of the Baihui Acupoint between the Ren and Du meridians...
Forming the gateway into the Innate Realm...
Lin Sheng paused.
Acupoint.
That word again.
He immediately flipped to the section discussing acupoints.
Only to freeze.
The next several pages had been forcibly torn out.
Cleanly.
Deliberately.
His eyes narrowed instantly.
"...Interesting."
The missing pages clearly were not accidental.
Someone had intentionally removed all information related to acupoints.
And judging from Old Liang's explanation yesterday, Innate Realm martial artists were comparable to Qi Refining cultivators.
Which meant true martial cultivation methods were dangerous.
Too dangerous to leave accessible to ordinary mortals.
Lin Sheng's thoughts moved quickly.
"The family intentionally removed all Innate level information..."
"...probably to prevent mortals from threatening branch cultivators."
It was only a theory.
But it made sense.
After all, a powerful martial artist without spiritual roots could still threaten weaker immortal cultivators.
Especially in close combat.
While he contemplated this, footsteps approached from behind.
"Young Master Lin."
The assistant bowed slightly.
"Elder Liang has returned."
"He asks that you meet him in the inner courtyard."
Lin Sheng calmly closed the book.
"I understand."
The inner courtyard behind the pavilion remained as quiet as ever.
Leaves drifted lazily beneath the large tree overhead.
But this time, Old Liang sat beside the stone table playing go against himself.
Black and white pieces covered the board in chaotic patterns.
Old Liang did not immediately look up.
Lin Sheng also remained silent.
He simply stood nearby, quietly watching.
A few moments later, Old Liang suddenly spoke.
"Interesting thing about go..."
"A single move can determine the entire future of the board."
He softly placed another black piece down.
Click.
"Life is often similar."
Lin Sheng thoughtfully looked at the board.
Then calmly replied,
"But games can still be adapted to."
"A poor move does not always determine defeat."
Old Liang paused.
Then suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"Good!"
"Very good!"
He finally turned toward Lin Sheng fully.
"I thought youths your age only understood brute force."
"It seems you possess some brains."
Lin Sheng merely smiled faintly.
Old Liang slightly narrowed his eyes.
"You checked the meridian books."
It was not a question.
Lin Sheng nodded honestly.
"Yes."
"And this junior has several questions."
Old Liang leaned back casually.
"Ask."
Lin Sheng paused briefly before speaking.
"How is internal energy generated?"
"How much energy is required to open meridians?"
"Why are only the Primary and Extraordinary Meridians opened?"
"And..."
"...what exactly are acupoints?"
The courtyard became quiet.
Old Liang studied him for several moments.
Then slowly nodded.
"You ask the right questions."
He picked up a white go piece and rolled it between his fingers.
"In ancient times..."
"...there was a saying."
"The body's inner qi is insufficient to withstand the violent qi of heaven and earth."
"So cultivators devised a method..."
"...called Refining Essence into Qi."
Lin Sheng's eyes sharpened immediately.
Old Liang continued.
"Martial arts are similar in principle."
"Internal energy originates from Qi and Blood."
"It is essentially the body's essence transformed through circulation and refinement."
"That is why martial artists constantly temper the body."
"The stronger the flesh..."
"...the stronger the generated internal energy."
Lin Sheng immediately understood.
Jing.
This directly corresponded to one of the Three Treasures.
Martial arts refined Jing into internal qi.
Old Liang calmly continued.
"There are countless meridians within the human body."
"But after generations of experimentation..."
"...it was discovered that only the Twelve Primary Meridians possess enough stability to form a Minor Heavenly Cycle."
"And when combined with the Eight Extraordinary Meridians..."
"...they create a Grand Heavenly Cycle capable of withstanding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi without tearing the body apart."
Lin Sheng's thoughts accelerated rapidly.
This was effectively the creation of an energy circulation network.
A framework strong enough to safely channel external spiritual qi.
Without that framework, the body would collapse under the pressure.
Then Old Liang suddenly paused.
His eyes locked onto Lin Sheng.
"As for acupoints..."
Silence lingered briefly.
Then Old Liang smiled faintly.
"It seems you already guessed the truth."
Lin Sheng remained outwardly calm.
But inwardly, his theory was confirmed.
Old Liang placed another go piece onto the board.
"The family removed all Innate level information from public libraries."
"To prevent ordinary mortals from accidentally crippling themselves..."
"...or becoming dangerous."
"After all..."
"...a single Innate martial artist is enough to slaughter dozens of ordinary people."
His gaze deepened slightly.
"But you'll soon leave for martial training anyway."
"So telling you now changes little."
Lin Sheng listened attentively.
Old Liang slowly spoke again.
"Acupoints..."
"...are like stars in the sky."
"Numerous beyond count."
"But instead of existing in heaven..."
"...they exist within the human body."
"There are approximately one thousand two hundred and ninety six acupoints."
"Yet martial artists utilize only a fraction of them."
"Just like meridians."
Lin Sheng's heart shook faintly.
1296 acupoints.
Far more complex than he expected.
Old Liang lightly pointed toward his own head.
"To step into the Innate Realm..."
"...one must open the Baihui Acupoint."
"This point lies between the Ren and Du meridians."
"It acts as the gateway connecting internal qi with heaven and earth."
"And even after entering the Innate Realm..."
"...more acupoints must still be opened."
His voice became increasingly profound.
"Acupoints are points."
"Meridians are lines."
"The points absorb and store spiritual energy."
"The lines circulate and refine it."
"Together..."
"...they form a complete cultivation system."
Lin Sheng fell silent.
For the first time, he truly began understanding the structure of this world's cultivation system.