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First Meridian Broken!!

Mana Capacity Increasing

Mana: 12... 42... 70... 86... 100... ....122

Numbers flickered before his eyes, indicating the increasing mana reserves within him. From 12 to 42, then to 70, 86, and finally reaching an astonishing 100. But the surge didn't stop there; it climbed relentlessly, surpassing all expectations.

His mana reserves soared to 122, far beyond anything he had hoped.

As the numbers stabilized, he felt a surge of exhilaration at the newfound power pulsating within him.

With his strengthened foundation, he could not only harness mana but also sustain various esoteric energies, channeling them into his meridians. 

However, despite his ability to contain different forms of energy, he only had mana, as it was the only energy he could produce.

But a new screen stopped his train of thoughts.

 

Congratulations, New Reward have been distributed.

Reward: Memory Slip #Mana Constituation. Open: ?? 

 

The new reward was in the golden color that he remembered. 'Mana Consitution? Didn't I already have Breathing Mana? Is it really suggesting to make me a Mana Entity or whatever?'

He was thinking about the rewards when he saw movement. 

Xinyue's eyes were intense, narrowing as she examined every inch of Asher's form. 

He couldn't help but feel self-conscious under her close inspection.

He could also feel Elder Su examining him with her spiritual sense. 

"See, I told you I can do it," he stated confidently, with a big smile.

Her response was a little halted as she still looked shocked. "How is that even... how do you feel?" she asked after controlling herself, her voice betraying her disbelief.

Asher couldn't suppress a grin at her incredulity. "Like a newborn baby," he quipped, flexing his muscle with pride. The metal fatigue had been reduced, but Asher knew it was only adrenaline speaking.

As soon as the adrenaline rush ended, he would have to pay for the accumulated weariness.

As the first stage of Qi Condensation completed, Asher felt a rush of exhilaration course through him. 

He was ready to revel in his success and bask in his newfound power's glow. 

But reality quickly set in as he realized he didn't feel much increase in his strength. His excitement faltered, replaced by a growing sense of disappointment. 'Shouldn't my whole body upgrade with my cultivation?' 

He had hoped for a significant boost in his abilities, but only his mana had improved. 

There was a vitality in him, a sense of energy pulsing beneath his skin, but no exponential increase in the strength that he had expected.

He wanted to check his meridian but stopped himself. There was no time limit and he could check it later. Also, he had consumed all the Aether, so there was nothing more to do. 

He also needed to pinpoint where he had gone wrong. 

At least his Lung meridian remained shielded, a small comfort amid his disappointment.

A spark of idea ignited in Asher's mind when he thought about the lung meridian. 'That's right,' he mused internally, 'Ruptured meridians must be the most common problem in cultivation. Perhaps Xinyue has some medicine or pills to counteract their effects. Maybe I can even use them.'

Returning to Xinyue, he noticed the shock still written plainly across her features. 

He could see the intense gaze entering her eyes. Asher felt a shiver race down his spine, intensifying with the look. 

"Hey, Xinyue," Asher said, his voice breaking the momentary silence, "Do you have materials that can help from the total collapse of your meridians?" He hoped his question would jolt her out of whatever reverie she was lost in.

Xinyue's gaze sharpened as she snapped from her thought, "Maybe... It depends if you are going to tell why you want it?" she responded, quickly controlling herself and giving him a once over. "Didn't you open your first meridian? You don't seem like someone who needs those pills." 

'So it is a pill,' Asher thought as he heard her words. 'And she wants knowledge of what I will do with them.' Not surprising, as they were totally different things from what he should be asking. 

Asher shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny, his mind racing to come up with a convincing explanation.

'I guess I can share the Heavenly Rivers Formation with her in exchange for her knowledge and materials.' He couldn't shake the feeling of being shortchanged, though. 

While he didn't know the total value of the technique, he wasn't foolish enough to believe that it was weaker than an immortal rank.

Despite his reservations, Asher knew he needed Xinyue's assistance to progress further in his cultivation. 

And if sharing his knowledge meant gaining access to the resources he required, then it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. 

Also, most of his confidence was in knowing he would upgrade to a better technique. 

The system gave the technique, so he was a little wary of it and will change it the first chance he got.

"Well, let me tell you about my problem..." Asher's said as he began to recount the ordeal with his meridians. "The poison I ingested has had a more profound effect than I told you." 

He felt that Xinyue realized where he was going with it. Her eyes widened in disbelief, her breath catching in her throat. "Did it rupture your meridian…?" her voice barely above a whisper.

Asher couldn't help but find her reaction somewhat excessive, but he nodded nonetheless, acknowledging her question. "Yes, Its primary function was to strain my meridians. While I don't believe my family knew the precise mechanics of the poison, their actions, whether deliberate or unwitting, resulted in the rupture of my meridians."

"What!" Xinyue stood up in shock as she heard that. Beside her, Elder Su appeared equally alarmed, her expression mirroring Xinyue's incredulity.

As Asher observed their reactions, a nagging thought crept into his mind. 'Why was Xinyue more perturbed by the mention of my meridians than my own well-being?'

"How do you know that your meridians have ruptured?" Xinyue asked, the same intense look returning to her eyes.

Asher hesitated momentarily, seeing the look as he realized he was missing something important. "Ah... well..." he stammered, searching for a plausible explanation. "It's one of the skills I unlocked from my memories," Asher said. 

'My lies are piling up bigger than I thought. At least I didn't create multiple ones. As long as it is a single thing.' He was sure that his future self would handle it.

Xinyue narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of suspicion flickering across her features. "You got a skill without a system?? Or did you get a system?" she probed, her gaze scrutinizing Asher for any sign of deceit.

Asher met her gaze evenly, his heart pounding in his chest. "No system, but yeah, family secret, so don't tell anyone, alright..." he said, accompanied by a shushing motion to emphasize the confidentiality of their conversation.

Xinyue's expression softened slightly as she absorbed Asher's revelation. "I didn't realize that the Silverstar family had such rare skills in their repertoire," she remarked, her voice tinged with admiration. 

"There sure are many crouching tigers on this side of the world," she added in a low voice.

"It's not exactly a Silverstar thing, but more like something inherited from my parents. I don't think the rest of the family knows about it," Asher explained, reluctant to give the Silverstars undue credit.

Xinyue's eyes lit up with intense curiosity. "Hmm... Is that so? Can you teach me? Or does it have an activation requirement, like nearly dying or those hidden memories? That's how you acquired the skill?" she asked her voice hopeful and intense gaze.

Asher was taken aback by the question. 'Shouldn't this be a common skill? Isn't it a staple in every xianxia novel?' 

"Maybe I'm not sure, but don't you already have something to scan your meridians? I'm sure it would be more advanced than what I have," he replied, trying to deflect the attention away from himself.

Xinyue's expression fell upon hearing that Asher wasn't sure about the skill, but she didn't press him further. Instead, she offered a wry smile.

Shaking her head slightly, she remarked, "You may not be aware, but due to the system, we cultivators are unable to connect with the spiritual realm."

 

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