Daoist Competition
Chapter 62 - 31 Yin Yang Shell King Who Will Own Xuanzhu (Part 3)_2

Chapter 62: Chapter 31 Yin Yang Shell King Who Will Own Xuanzhu (Part 3)_2

At first, he cautiously extracted a strand from the Yin and Yang Qi and slowly fused them together. This was a test of his mastery over Qi Mechanism Control. When the two streams of Qi Mechanism combined, the amount extracted from each had to be perfectly equal—neither a fraction more nor less.

It didn’t take long before he realized that with his prior experience in maneuvering Qi Mechanism, performing this task was effortless, requiring no strain at all. Taking it further, he boldly drew over a hundred Qi Veins at once, cycling them through his meridians together.

Before long, he fully integrated the two streams of Qi Veins into one and stored them in his abdomen, where they rested heavily as if lead and mercury had been deposited within.

By this point, all the prerequisites for Opening Meridians had been completed.

Next, it was time to activate the mental method, wrapping the power of Primordial True Qi around the Xuanzhu’s medicinal essence to roam across the secret meridian acupoints, breaking through the constraints limiting his body, severing the shackles binding him from the path of the Immortal Dao, and forging a body suitable for cultivating superior Grade Daoist Skills as an Immortal!

Calming his heart and mind, Zhang Yan began circulating the Xuan Yuan Method, which he had already mastered to perfection, along his meridians.

Soon, he realized that the "Xuan Yuan Inner Secrets" seemed tailor-made for refining the Xuanzhu. Even the most hidden meridians and acupoints were thoroughly cleansed through the repetition of the spell, ensuring that not a single shred of the medicinal power from the Xuanzhu went to waste—it was entirely absorbed into every corner of his body, with none left untouched.

At this moment, he felt his heart pounding like a drum. The blood in his veins surged, roaring audibly like tides in his ears. Every acupoint throbbed vigorously, while the Qi Mechanism coursing below seemed ready to burst through his skin—as though a hammer was relentlessly striking every part of his body, even his joints and fascia trembling in resonance.

He paid no heed to these disturbances, steadfastly guarding his heart and spirit, focusing solely on moving and guiding.

Once the entirety of the spell flowed smoothly, and the Qi Mechanism settled into the Dan Acupoints throughout his body, he suddenly felt an overwhelming stillness around him.

This was an ultimate stillness, as if the heavens and earth had not yet opened, chaos had not yet divided, and no creation had come into existence—an ineffable and mystical state.

In this void-like silence, he lost awareness of himself and the universe, his heart and spirit flickering between presence and absence.

In this serenity, he did not know how much time had passed until suddenly, a spark of Spirit Light arose within his mind, asking, "Who am I?"

The answer arose: "I am me. I am not me. I am also me. I am still me."

With this epiphany, a sharp "clang clang" rang out, akin to the clash of blade and sword—or perhaps like a rusted, mottled lock crashing onto the ground.

Abruptly, as if freed from some restraint, his entire being lightened in an instant!

Protecting Zhang Yan throughout the process, Luo Xiao suddenly stood, her beautiful eyes shimmering with radiance, and exclaimed joyfully, "With the reverberation of the Celestial Bell and the release of the Golden Lock, congratulations, Fellow Daoist—henceforth you are one of our kin in the Dao!"

She then raised her gaze, and saw a cloud-like mist of chaos manifest behind Zhang Yan’s figure, shapeless and indistinguishable, profound and immeasurable.

This was the meridian phenomenon revealed after Zhang Yan opened his Immortal Veins.

Luo Xiao froze in astonishment. Even with her vast knowledge, she found herself puzzled—what kind of meridian phenomenon was this?

The meridian phenomenon determined the attributes of one’s Immortal Veins upon opening, divided into three grades: Upper, Middle, and Lower.

Lower-grade meridian phenomena often presented as strange and peculiar attributes—such as wind, cloud, lightning, flora, fauna, and insects—while Middle-grade meridian phenomena correlated to the Five Elements. The supreme Upper-grade phenomena bore exclusively the Yin and Yang attributes.

Yet Zhang Yan’s meridian phenomenon appeared as a cloud-like mist. This seemed akin to the "Fog Phase" seen only in Lower-grade phenomena.

Could it be... a Lower-grade phenomenon?

Impossible!

Luo Xiao shook her head emphatically. Considering the Xuan Yuan Origin Records and the extraordinary Xuanzhu used in the process, claiming this to be a Lower-grade phenomenon was absolutely beyond belief.

A thought arose in her mind—could Zhang Yan’s meridian phenomenon have surpassed even the Upper grade? This notion startled her greatly.

Among the Xuanmen cultivators, everyone strained to produce an Upper-grade meridian phenomenon during opening—yet this did not merely depend on the efficacy of the Jade Liquid Pool or the superiority of the Opening Meridians spell but also relied heavily on individual fate and insight.

Achieving an Upper grade was already exceedingly rare. For example, Zheng Xun’s attainment of the top-tier Upper grade meridian phenomenon marked him as someone with infinite potential. Upper Middle grades were exceedingly uncommon as well. The legendary top-top grade phenomenon existed only in hearsay, and those with such occurrences enjoyed unmatched prestige within the Xuanmen.

For good reason: the higher the grade of the meridian phenomenon, the broader the range of compatible Cultivation Techniques. Conversely, although Lower-grade phenomena were unique and peculiar, they severely limited the scope of available Cultivation Techniques, rendering the search for a suitable technique improbably difficult.

If Zhang Yan’s meridian phenomenon had leaped beyond even the Upper grade, a complex expression flickered in Luo Xiao’s gaze. She couldn’t fathom what heights this person might ultimately reach. For the first time, she wavered in her resolve to maintain her Essence Blood Oath.

At this moment, Zhang Yan stirred again. The chaotic, cloud-like mist phenomenon abruptly recoiled, converging deep into his brow before condensing into a faint vertical mark there, leaving Luo Xiao bewildered once more.

Meridian phenomena were the manifestation of Qi Mechanism and Void Qi—how could they solidify into physical representation? Suddenly, she felt that everything she knew was insufficient to decode the unfathomable mysteries emerging from this man.

Zhang Yan’s eyes snapped open, and in that instant, a glimmering radiance erupted from his gaze, illuminating the entire cave in one brilliant flash.

He stood tall, feeling an unprecedented lightness throughout his body. Every movement was ethereal, like riding clouds—everything had changed, as if he inhabited an entirely new vessel.

In truth, he could no longer be considered "human." With his Immortal Veins opened, he now had half a foot in the realm of the Immortal Dao cultivators.

Upon his return to Cangwu Mountain, he would seek appraisal of his meridian phenomenon from the Master, and thereafter enter the Upper Court to study even more advanced Daoist Formulas and Dharma techniques!