Matias awoke shivering uncontrollably, cursing his father for stripping him before killing him. He would need to remedy his wardrobe malfunction sooner rather than later. But before he can go back into the forest and start gathering the resources he will need to grow his dungeon and clothe himself, he will need to get stronger. There are only two things he can do to grow stronger while still inside the dungeon, cultivate until he reaches F-1 and open his first meridian. He still had trouble wrapping his head around how he now had 13 meridians to open.
Still seated with his bare ass on the ground, he attempted to get comfortable in a lotus position. This could take a while. Feeling for the energy around him he was surprised to see that it was unaspected. There was no natural phenomena that he would need to convince in order to attract the essence, it was a blank slate. So he held in his mind the feeling he had when his consciousness was pulled into his core, and focused the pull on the essence around him. The swirling maelstrom of energy rushing into him would have been a miraculous sight if it were denser and more visible. He felt awash with power. He also felt most of that power dissipating out of him after he drew it in, but the more he concentrated the more he was able to keep in at once. Matias could practically feel the moment when his essence counter increased.
Cultivation:
- Rank: F-0
- Requirements for next rank:
- 1/10 Essence
That rate of progress was absurd to Matias, he had spent months in the beginning trying to absorb a single essence, only recently had he been able to get 3 in a sitting due to his relation with air essence. Now, not only was the essence unaspected but he also has an absurdly high willpower from the transformation.
It was around a half hour for each essence to be absorbed, controlled and stored in his core. After another bland meal and a couple hours of meditation he finally advanced.
Cultivation:
- Rank: F-1
- Requirements for next rank:
- 0/20 Essence
Matias was ecstatic, and not only did his rank increase but he finally had enough energy to open a meridian for the first time in his life! Previously he had always failed the exercises the church gave them, but that was most likely because he had no meridians to begin with.
Pushing his consciousness and energy into his body, he was able to make out thirteen streaks of darkness looping out from and returning to his core, they had the feeling of extremely stubborn essence. Matias chose the one that runs through his heart, Father Gustov always said that is the most important one, and pushed his energy into it. The line lit up much like the murky puddle of a core he used to have, indicating that it is full of impurities. He held a mental image of driving out the sludge while he poured his 10 collected essence into the task. The impurities began to move, slowly at first starting from his core and picking up speed as his essence rushed along the meridian. It purified and strengthened the meridian and tissues as it went. He shuddered as his heart stopped for a moment when all the corruption was driven through it, but as the corruption soaked into the blood and was distributed throughout the body for disposal it began to beat stronger than ever before. The rest of his vascular system was improved as well as the corruption and essence fought. When he stopped meditating and opened his eyes there was a layer of filth on his skin, and he coughed up blood so dark it was almost purple. Despite the disgust at the sight and smell, he felt better than he ever had. This was confirmed by a system message
* Meridians Open: 1/13
* Opening the Heart Meridian has vastly increased your cardiovascular health
* +5 constitution, +1 Strength
*
* Constitution: 10
* Strength: 6
But the next message was less welcome.
* 10 Essence used in clearing the first meridian
* Cultivation Rank F-0 (0/10)
Apparently a side effect Father Gustov didn't mention is that opening a meridian consumes the essence needed. Looks like Matias has another long session of cultivation to grind out.