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Asher hesitated briefly, considering his options. But ultimately, he saw no downside to showcasing his abilities now. He was sure that Elder Su, or even Xinyue, could sense his cultivation realm in the future. It was better to come clean now than to risk distrust later.
"Alright, let me just check and make sure; it might take an hour," Asher agreed, ready to demonstrate his skills and earn Xinyue's trust. He was unsure of the timing, so he made a random guess. The Aether should speed up the process considerably.
"And can you ask Elder Su to prepare hot water for the soup?" Asher asked.
Xinyue, hearing his request, only waved her hand gracefully, and Asher watched as Elder Su immediately sprung into action from the corner of his eyes.
A slight twitch played at the corners of Asher's lips at the sight of Xinyue's display, knowing she deliberately made the motion. 'Testing me, huh?'
But he refrained from commenting, focusing instead on the matter at hand.
Not receiving any response from Asher, Xinyue let out a soft tch, a playful expression crossing her features. "You're no fun," she muttered under her breath, but her words fell on deaf ears as Asher remained silent.
After a moment of silence, Xinyue cleared her throat, breaking the tension.
"You have chosen which meridian to open, right?" Xinyue asked, her curiosity evident in her tone when she received no response from Asher.
"Yeah, I'm going with the heart meridian," Asher confirmed, noting a flicker of surprise on Xinyue's face before it shifted to understanding.
"Ah, yes, that's a good choice," she acknowledged, her approval evident.
Sensing that he might be overlooking something important, Asher asked directly, "Should I consider opening any other meridian?"
Xinyue's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Why would you do that? The heart meridian is the most optimal choice for cultivation; it's just hard to find…" she explained, regarding him as if he had asked a nonsensical question.
Puzzled by her response, Asher asked, "What do you mean by 'most'? Does it make a difference?"
He noted her answer about it being hard to find. He only selected Heart Merdian due to instinct. He narrowed his eyes as he thought the System didn't give any details about that.
Xinyue paused, taken aback by his common question, looking more confused. "Well, not significantly in the later realms. But your choice of the first meridian is crucial in the initial realms until you form your Core."
Asher's mind raced with new information. 'Did the system trust me to instinctively make the right choice?' He was relieved that he had shared the details with Xinyue; after all, he couldn't rely on the system to guide him through every aspect of cultivation.
There would be no guarantee if the system tried any underhanded method to get something from him. His part of the soul might help in life and death situations, but it couldn't be there for every nitpick. At least not until it gains complete control.
Focusing on the new term he had learned, "Core? What's that?" He asked as he got a clue about the later realms.
"Ah, right. You're only familiar with the first stage, correct?" Xinyue remarked, her tone getting into sage mode as she explained further. "The second stage is called Foundation Establishment, and the third is Core Formation. Until you form your Core, your Qi capacity and nature are determined by your first meridian, which acts as a hub during this period."
Asher nodded, absorbing the newfound knowledge. Foundation Establishment and Core Formation... The new terms added to his understanding of the cultivation process.
Before he could inquire further, Xinyue interjected, refocusing their conversation. "Anyway, your choice of the heart meridian is a good one. So open it, and I'll share more information about cultivation with you."
The information about the heart meridian was not necessary to him but could be crucial later. In particular, this newfound knowledge would undoubtedly be helpful if he ever decided to share the Heavenly Rivers Formation with Alissa or his family.
As he returned to the present, a surge of determination filled him.
According to the memories from the Cultivation Capsule that he got, piercing the Heart meridian was the key to unlocking and connecting his pathways. Despite not fully understanding its advantages, he anticipated an increase in mana and improvement in his physical strength.
Along with the teachings from the cultivation novel he had read. Though they were fiction, he was sure there was some semblance between the methods. 'Limitless Energy and Superhuman body, Here I come…'
Preparing to consume the Aetherblossom, he paused to examine his Heart meridian.
Entering his inner realm, he watched as his semi-translucent form materialized before him once more. Time was of the essence, so he quickly entered the heart meridian and observed a mixture of advanced and basic meridian materials.
Seeing it, a thought flashed across his mind. 'What if I upgraded my meridians fully with heavenly lightning?'
Better to start with a firm foundation than upgrade them later on. 'Didn't Xinyue say that the first meridian is important?'
As he was considering, he soon realized the problem. Despite possessing the means to expand his meridians, he lacked the necessary materials.
The heavenly lightning, a significant part of the material used for his meridians, had been depleted from his Heart meridian, its remnants consumed to create the advanced meridians.
The rest of the heavenly lightning was dispersed to other meridians to prevent them from collapsing.
He sighed as he was running out of time; the mana he used to enter the inner realm was not infinite, and he still didn't find the answer.
Despite his advantage as a reincarnator, strength remained essential to take full benefit.
His current situation required him to seek external aid to establish a strong foundation for his cultivation journey. It would have been optimal if he could consume all the resources before opening his meridian. Still, circumstances didn't align with his desires.
At that moment, a crazy idea sprouted in his mind. A spark of ruthlessness ignited within him. What if he forcefully used the lightning from another meridian? So what, I have some collapsing meridians? It's not like they will be damaged permanently. I only have to live with some discomfort and weakness.
Asher glanced at the heart meridian, then zoomed out to observe the other meridians. There was still some mana left, so he took his time. Can't make a mistake that might cripple him later. Looking at the semi transparent body with the meridians, he realized how powerful his skills were.
Xinyue had mentioned that the heart meridian was the most challenging to locate. Yet, Asher already knew the positions of all twelve meridians. He even felt confident he could discover hidden ones with more practice.
Asher focused on the meridians near his heart, trying to find the closest one. After a few moments, he zoomed on the lung meridian. The situation hadn't changed much since the last time. Only a minuscule deterioration was evident.
Already having thought of the plan, he directly targeted the heavenly lightning. At first, the lightning resisted, stubbornly clinging to its place. But with a bit of pressure from his soul, Asher exerted his willpower, compelling the lightning to yield. Gradually, he expelled all traces of heavenly lightning and transferred them to the heart meridian.
As he prepared to return to the heart meridian, a wave of weakness washed over him. The damaged pathways of the lung meridian were getting worse, much faster than he expected. Are ruptured meridians that harmful?
His brows furrowed in confusion and concern as he searched for answers, his mind racing with doubt about his decision. He sifted through his memories, going deeper and deeper when he found the answer in Heavenly Rivers Formation.
The lung meridian, now devoid of heavenly lightning, would gradually deteriorate until it stabilized with the new normal.
Even though the lightning slowly deteriorated the meridian, it still helped maintain a steady situation.
Asher sighed as he looked at the new problem. If the answer comes from the Heavenly Rivers Formation, the solution should also be there.
He started to examine the technique memories. The Heavenly Rivers Formation technique revealed its true advantage in upgrading meridians, particularly when starting with a fractured foundation. It was the second best starting point after the underdeveloped meridian of a child.
Though the pain and weakness posed challenges, having superior-grade materials than your meridian would tremendously help upgrade it.
The 'pain and weakness,' He smiled as he got his answer in those parts of the technique.
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