Chapter Six: Late Stage of the Primordial Vein Realm

“Grandfather, the little apprentice from Star-Gazing Valley is absolutely unwilling to help. Even the most generous promises couldn’t sway him. Our only lead has been cut off,” Meng Rushan reported his failure with deep frustration inside the ancestral home of the Meng family.

“A mere apprentice possesses such loyalty? It seems the alchemist behind him is no ordinary figure; otherwise, he would never entrust such precious pills to a junior for sale,” replied Meng Wuchang, gently stroking the teacup on the table with his fingers. He pondered for a moment before his voice turned cold and sinister. “Find out who that young pill seller is, and then investigate the person behind him. If we can’t uncover any clues, we’ll have to rely on the Azure Heaven Sect—but if we report to them, we’ll only get the scraps.”

Meng Rushan accepted the order. “Grandfather, I will do my utmost to uncover the alchemist who crafted that pill infused with vitality.”

“Good. You may go.”

...

Returning to his quarters in the outer sect, Chen Mu felt an overwhelming sense of danger, as if he were a mouse under the gaze of a cat. It was all too clear—he was simply too weak. If the Meng family uncovered his secret, it would take them but a flick of the finger to end him.

Fortunately, their main focus was still on the phantom alchemist. Otherwise, they might have disregarded Star-Gazing Valley’s reputation entirely and simply kidnapped him to extract all his secrets.

“I should never have sold that pill to Meng Rushan… But even if I hadn’t, he could have forced it from someone else… It was my own lack of caution…” Chen Mu slapped his own cheeks with both hands, resolving to raise his cultivation as soon as possible and become an inner disciple—only then would the Meng family not dare to lay a hand on him.

He took out the Meridian-Penetrating Pills he’d bought from Liu Quan. This time, instead of taking them one by one as before, he decided to consume two at once. The recent tearing and remolding of his meridian channels had made them tougher, and he hoped the double dose would be more effective.

As two pills entered his stomach, a torrent of heat surged through him, ripping his meridians apart as if they were mere paper. The pain was so intense that his teeth drew blood, but he clenched his jaw, circulating a thread of vital energy to repair the damage.

He dared not make a sound, fearful of attracting the attention of sect members. Instead, he stuffed a towel into his mouth and bit down with all his strength.

The effect of two pills was formidable. In less than an hour, he had cleared one more meridian. The benefits were great, but the cost in strength and endurance was tremendous.

After calming the worst of the pain, he swallowed another two pills, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth.

...

The heat surged again, ferocious and wild, like a blade churning within him. Chen Mu was in agony, near to suffocation, and to make matters worse, his heat-cold ailment flared at that moment—sudden chills followed by burning heat, as if he were experiencing countless winters and summers in rapid succession.

He could endure no longer. His limbs convulsed as he desperately circulated the vital energy to heal himself, but at last, under this double assault, he slipped into unconsciousness.

He awoke the next day at noon. His absence from daily labor had drawn the attention of outer sect disciples, who, seeing his ailment had relapsed, immediately reported to Liu Quan.

Opening his eyes, he found Liu Quan beside him, regulating his breath. When Liu Quan first entered, his brows had knit in concern at the sight—Chen Mu was in a wretched state, a mouthful of fresh blood, his hard bed soaked with sweat, limbs splayed at odd angles, twitching from time to time. What could have caused such a condition?

After dismissing the onlookers, Liu Quan asked with concern, “Feeling any better? Chen, I’ve already helped regulate your heat-cold ailment. But what’s with all this blood? Has your sickness gotten worse?”

Chen Mu struggled to sit up, but the taste of blood in his mouth made it hard to speak. He washed up, then replied, “My ailment happened to flare up last night while I was cultivating, and this was the result.”

He glossed over the truth, saying nothing about his heavy use of meridian-clearing pills.

“You… Cultivation can’t be rushed. Forcing it will only backfire… Fortunately, your body seems largely unharmed. Rest well, and don’t worry about herb garden duties for a while.”

“Sorry for the trouble, Elder Liu.”

“Remember to know your limits in cultivation. Never act so recklessly again.” After a few more admonishments, Liu Quan left, assured that Chen Mu was out of danger.

Letting out a sigh, Chen Mu checked his meridians. After the previous night’s ordeal, he had opened two more channels. Though wracked by pain, the gains were substantial. He now had twenty meridians opened.

“I have to reach the late Meridian Opening stage soon. The sect assessment isn’t far off. If I become an inner disciple, I won’t have to live so wretchedly.”

...

After about a week of near-inhuman torment, Chen Mu had grown nearly numb to pain. His meridians were constantly being torn and healed, but he remained indifferent, drenched in sweat, as if he’d become immune to suffering.

When he consumed the last of the pills, he slowly opened his eyes, exhausted, and examined his meridians. Seeing that thirty-three channels had been opened, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

“Just three more to go. Once all thirty-six are open, I’ll finally reach the late Meridian Opening stage. Then I can stop doing menial labor,” Chen Mu said with a bitter smile.

When he went to register his advancement, the news caused quite a stir among the outer disciples. Had Chen Mu gone mad? How had he gone from mid- to late-stage in just a week?

Amidst envy and jealousy, Chen Mu was at last exempted from labor. Having reached the late stage, he could now choose a new technique to study. Without hesitation, he selected a movement technique—Meteor Step.

Meteor Step was the most popular top-tier movement technique among the outer disciples of Star-Gazing Valley, renowned for its speed. Though it lacked some finesse, its long-range dashes, pursuit, and escape speed were second to none.

For now, Chen Mu only received the first half of the manual, covering techniques for the Meridian Opening and Foundation Establishment stages. The latter portion could only be obtained upon entering the inner sect.

With his technique chosen, Chen Mu went up the mountain to the clearing where he usually trained, practicing Meteor Step and reviewing his Starfire Manipulation spell.

Again and again he dashed forward, again and again he leapt. At first he noticed little, but as his repetitions increased, he began to leave trails of white light, as brilliant as meteors in the night.

Halting his steps, Chen Mu extended his palms. A faint white flame appeared between them. He released it, sending a line of fire streaking toward a rock, which exploded into fragments.

Time passed. Chen Mu lay on the ground, lips pale, all his energy spent after prolonged practice. But he was satisfied—the combination of Meteor Step and Starfire Manipulation was becoming ever more seamless.

Day after day, Chen Mu seized every spare moment to practice these two arts. With each charge, white flames shot out, striking their targets with ever greater precision. His mastery of both spells reached new heights.

Upon reaching the late Meridian Opening stage, he was granted a chance to return home for a family visit. It had been over two years since he arrived at Star-Gazing Valley, and he hadn’t seen his father in all that time.

Chen Mu resolved that after this homecoming, he would strive to excel in the upcoming sect assessment and become an inner disciple, so his father could see that he had brought no shame upon their family.

After packing and bidding farewell to Liu Quan, he left Star-Gazing Valley and rode a brown horse toward the Chen family in Fancheng.

Under blue skies and white clouds, through green hills and clear waters, he traversed winding mountain roads, drinking in the beauty of the natural world. After three days and two nights, Fancheng finally came into view.