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He took the soup containing Aetherblossom and downed it in a single gulp. He was nervous but waited for the liquid to take effect. Like the previous time, it should take a few moments.

Just as he thought he was scammed, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his veins as the potent liquid took effect.

The new system message blinked before him, wrought by the Aether. A smile tugged at his lips, looking at the screen.

 

A tiny drop of Aetherblossom Consumed!

Increased Mana Capacity! … 90x
Increased Mana Regen! … 90x

Forced Energy Unlocked: Aether

Aether Capacity: 29

Optimum Time Remaining: 1:59:21
Ruptured Pathways Detected. System Assistance Granted.

Warning! Time Remaining Reduced by 1 hour
Optimum Time Remaining: 0:59:21

Asher's brow furrowed as he glanced at the reduced time and the system assistance. But he already expected something along this, so he plunged back into the inner realm, focusing solely on harnessing the newfound power at his disposal.

With each breath, he could feel the Aether pulsing in his inner realm, its potency far surpassing mana.

It was a gamble to upgrade the full content, but one he was willing to take to elevate what remained of his shattered meridian.

Standing once more before his Heart meridian, Asher steeled himself for the task ahead, determination burning bright in his eyes. Though the situation was stable, he knew it wouldn't last much longer.

Concentrating intently on the Aether, Asher summoned a small amount of Aether, drawing upon the reservoir of power within him.

As he felt the Aether coalesce in his grasp, he was immediately struck by the weight of it, a sensation that threatened to overwhelm his senses. 

The Heart meridian quivered beneath the strain, a tremor rippling through its ethereal form like a faint echo of distant thunder. 

Unlike mana, which flowed freely and unencumbered, there was a palpable heft to the Aether, as if the essence of the cosmos had been condensed into that single unit. 

It was a sensation that stirred a distant memory within Asher, reminiscent of the teachings of the Stellar Primordial Scripture.

Yet, he knew in his heart of hearts that the Aether surpassed it in every conceivable way, its power unmatched by any other force in existence.

As he held the tiny object aloft, he couldn't shake the feeling that the heavenly lightning, once a source of strength and vitality, now regarded the Aether with a hunger bordering on primal instinct. 

The crackling tendrils of energy danced and writhed in anticipation, their movements almost... slobbering, as if drawn to the potent energy emanating from the Aether in Asher's grasp.

As the heavenly lightning surged forth, lashing out with an almost predatory instinct, Asher found himself momentarily caught off guard by the ferocity of its assault. 

Yet, instinct took over, and he reacted with lightning-quick reflexes, channeling the full force of his soul into a desperate bid for control. 

But like a rabid dog, the Heavenly Lightning fought back fiercely, resisting his efforts to tame it. This ferocious resistance caught him off guard; it was the first time he couldn't easily suppress it. 

Despite his best efforts, Asher found himself gradually losing control. With each passing moment, the heavenly lightning threatened to overwhelm him completely to consume the Aether.

He felt his soul pulsating within him, urging him to relinquish control. It was a risky move, different from him utilizing the strength.

It was a gamble to let go of the control, but it was an advantage he had to wield as he lost more ground to the Heavenly Lightning.

Slowly, he released his grip on control, allowing his soul to take the lead. It was a gamble, but he believed it was his best chance at success. 

With each passing moment, he felt a sense of liberation as his soul guided him through the swirling energy around him. It was like his senses were being muddled a little as he reacted without input on some convoluted knowledge.

With a surge of power that bordered on the divine, he wrestled against the Lightning, his will mixing with the strength of his reincarnated soul.

Gradually, the resistance of the heavenly lightning began to weaken under the relentless onslaught.

Yet, it left a lasting impression on his consciousness. Asher felt the might of the Heavenly Lightning for the first time. And he didn't want to repeat it anytime soon.

The exertion was not without consequence, as Asher felt a noticeable drain on his mental reserves. Weariness settled over him like a heavy cloak, weighing him down with its insistent grip.

 

---

 

( Xinyue POV )

After watching him close his eyes, Xinyue noticed that he was breathing normally this time. 

Elder Su was beside her, looking at Asher. 

She motioned toward her to create a telepathic link. As the spiritual sense connected, she directly asked what both were thinking, 'Do you think he is in the Spiritual Realm?'

'I'm not sure, but he does seem to concentrate inside. Either it's a meditative technique, or he really is…' Elder Su didn't finish her thought, but Xinyue knew what she meant.

'If Asher can access the Spiritual Realm, it would change the political and military situation again…' Xinyue said what they were thinking.

'Yeah, his value will increase through the roof, especially for us…' Elder Su said, but she turned contemplative toward the end as she looked at Xinyue. 

'But it would depend on whether he can share it?' Xinyue said, 'Or if it is unique to him?'

'Let's hope he can share it…' Elder Su looked again at her with a complicated gaze. 

After a moment, Xinyue changed the subject, 'So what did you find in the soup?'

'Strange energy fluctuations, it was slippery. I stopped as it started to react due to my spiritual sense,' Elder Su said as she remembered the information her spiritual sense gave. 

'Not mana?' Xinyue asked in surprise. 'Didn't you [Identify] it?'

'The skill didn't work, and it was my first time sensing these energy types…'

'Strange...' Xinyue said before watching him. 'Maybe we can ask Asher later…'

 

---

 

( Asher POV )

Despite the mental strain, Asher didn't take back control and let his soul guide him. It was a precautionary measure, a readiness to respond swiftly if the heavenly lightning launched another sudden attack.

And he was sure that using it was more efficient. Even if he may pay with a headache or a long sleep. 

With the unit of Aether in hand, Asher deftly employed the Heavenly River Formation technique, channeling the power of the Aether to manipulate the Heaenly Lightning directly. 

Though his initial intent had been to divide the energy into thirds, a subtle prompting from his soul prompted a last-minute adjustment, reducing the allocation to one-fourth instead.

As the lightning separated into distinct parts, Asher supplemented it with Aether, practicing the Heavenly River Formation skillfully. The technique maintained tight control over the process without letting the lightning consume it.

The potent energy of the Aether was quickly absorbed by the Heavenly lightning, its efficacy far surpassing that of mana alone. 

One.. Two... The count stopped at two, and he realized that it was more due to the potency of Aether and of Heavenly Rivers Formation. 

'A top-tier technique is genuinely marvelous. Not even wasting a single shred. Consuming whole and using it.' 

With the mixture saturated and the material refined to perfection, Asher cut another part of his meridian and mixed it with the material.

Yet, the strain of removing such a large segment of his meridian put undue pressure on the delicate balance of his spiritual pathways. 

With a bit of command, he connected with the shielding in the lung meridian. He redistributed a portion of the shielding from his lung meridian to fill the gap, ensuring that the equilibrium was maintained.

Refocusing his gaze on the newly created material, Asher sensed its inherent superiority compared to the previous one of mana and heavenly lightning. 

It seamlessly slotted into place within his meridian, and he can almost feel the ecstasy going through his body.

With unwavering resolve, Asher decided to utilize the Aether to upgrade his heart meridian, even the part mixed with mana and heavenly lightning. 

Despite the uncertainty surrounding replenishing the heavenly lightning, he hoped the risk was worthwhile to lay a better foundation for his cultivation journey. 

Xinyue's words echoed in his mind, reminding him of the pivotal role that the first meridian played in the early stages of cultivation.

After four more sessions of intense refining, Asher finally completed the upgrade of his heart meridian. 

The first two sessions were dedicated to the meticulous process of upgrading and directly consuming the heavenly lightning. This task pushed his already fatigued mental state to become more strained.

Even though the effect was manageable, he felt he would reach his limit after opening the meridian.

Despite putting in his best efforts, Asher lost ten percent of the heavenly lightning during the process.

 

 

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