Wang Feng grinned. He already had more than a hundred points before. Now with the things he brought back, he gained more than 200 points, from which he brought the herb as well.
.....
After getting the herbs, Wang Feng thought for a few seconds before he went back to the Coiling Dragon Stream. He chuckled as he walked there, "I basically started living in an area of the sect that is used for prisoners."
As he exited the woods that lead to the Stream, he saw a figure standing near a small wooden hut. Wang Feng raised an eyebrow in surprise before a mischievous smile formed on his face.
This small hut was something he made for himself from the wood of the surrounding trees, during the 35 days he stayed here.
He slowly approached the figure that seemed to be too absorbed in it's own thoughts. 'Should I do it?.... Uh.... *Fuee* Wang Feng, be a man... You can do it!', he mentally cheered himself on as he neared the figure, who for some reason still didn't detect him and seem to be staring at the hut.
The figure finally seems to break out of it's trance when Wang Feng was just behind it. Making it detect Wang Feng, but it was too late...
Wang Feng suddenly wrapped his arms around the waist of the figure and pulled it close, startling it and to nearly retaliate. But fortunately, Wang Feng spoke before that, "I missed you a lot Senior Sister..."
The figure was none other than Xia Ning Chang, one of the three people who knew about him living in this place. The other two being Meng Wu Ya and Ling Taixu.
Xia Ning Chang who was about to retaliate with force, suddenly froze at his voice. She regained her senses a second later, making her face and even her exposed shoulders to turn red. She didn't move to violently, not wanting to hurt Wang Feng.
Wang Feng chuckled at her blushing face, though his own was blushing lightly. He let go of her and she instantly jumped away, "J.. ju.. junior brother...wh..wha..when did.. you get ..back?", Xia Ning Chang asked, her voice increasingly getting lower with each word.
Wang Feng lightly coughed, internally praising her cute and shy stuttering, 'd*MN she is too cute to not fall for!'. "I.. uh.. I just got back..... What were you doing here, Senior Sister..... You... were too lost in thought to even notice me."
Wang Feng answered and asked her. Xia Ning Chang's eyes widened before she answered while looking away, "no.. nothing." Wang Feng didn't buy it, he could tell she got nervous and increasingly more shy when he asked her the question just now.
Since the two 'officially' met for the first time, they had met and spent quite some time in each other's presence so he could determine her behavior most of the time.
A thought occurred to him, 'it couldn't be... Could it?'. "Hmmm...", he hummed suspiciously while moving towards her slowly. Xia Ning Chang saw this and panicked slightly and started moving back as well.
Soon she didn't have any more space, her back pressed against the wooden hut. Wang Feng stood in front of her as she looked up at him with her wide, doe eyes. He smiled and said, "Senior Sister was so lost looking at my hut...."
He suddenly placed his right hand on the hut's wall, right next to her head. Locking her in the famous 'Kabedon' as he leaned a bit closer. "...could it be...", Xia Ning Chang's breath hitched at the sudden closeness as Wang Feng continued, "...that Senior Sister was missing me~?"
Xia Ning Chang's face turned tomato red as she tried to get a word out but couldn't and ultimately just lowered her head, not meeting his eyes. Wang Feng gulped seeing this, 'sh..she really was!!'
He slowly and hesitantly raised his other hand to pinch her chin and made her look up. She was again startled and looked at him with wide eyes. Wang Feng didn't know from where he suddenly gained so much confidence, but he decided to go with the flow.
He loosened the pinch on her chin and moved his hand under her veil, and stroked her cheek, while looking into her eyes and whispered, "I don't know about you, Senior Sister.... But, I missed you there."
At the moment the two felt like the world around them froze and only the two of them existed. He looked into her pure and doe eyes that were full of innocence and shyness. While she looked up into his sharp and deep eyes that were full of tenderness and appreciation.
The two stood there for who knows how long before Wang Feng stroked her cheeks for the last time and slowly pulled back, smiling at her all the time. It took her minute to break out of her daze before she blushed hard again and quickly moved, "I..I... Master is calling me!!"
With that she instantly ran and jumped away like a deer in the headlights. Wang Feng shook his head and smiled fondly at her residing back. After she was gone, he stood there and reflected on his decisions just now.
'I like her, very much. That, I can not deny.... But, I don't think I love her to the extent to take the next step... Neither is she herself ready for that yet.', he knew that there was a spark between them, a very intense spark. But he didn't know what the outcome would be.
He sighed, "*haah* well, let's leave it to fate...", saying that, he turned around and sat down in his usual spot. He thought about what he was about to do.
"I have already reached the 11th Stage of Body Forging Realm. Now It's time for the 12th Stage before breaking through to the Qi Sea Realm."
He continued to himself, "after 9th stage, the body of a partitioner becomes ready for Cultivation. But after those 9 stages are 3 different stages, the divine stages."
"In the 10th Stage, the partitioner opens the 1st Divine Meridian. A Meridian that is responsible for the regulation of all functions of body. By opening this Meridian and connecting it to the first 9 Meridians through a Pulse, the Body of a Partitioner is further enhanced, refined and purified. Making it stronger and sturdier."
"In the 11th Stage, by opening the 2nd Divine Meridian, which is responsible for Qi refinement, the partitioner gains a massive boost in his Blood Qi and it's purity. But it's effects gets stronger with time. This permanently increases the reserves of a cultivator by at least three times, along with the increase in the purity of Qi."
"... As for the 12th Stage. The Partitioner opens the 3rd and the last Divine Meridian, which is responsible for spiritual and emotional connection. The Partitioner 's mental capabilities are enhanced and it also helps in strengthening the spiritual energy and soul of the partitioner."
Wang Feng went through all the knowledge of the 3 Divine Meridian before taking a deep breath. "Now all that's left for me is to open the 3rd Divine Meridian.", he stood up as he spoke. He took a deep breath and started performing the stances of the 3rd Stage of Divine Meridian Foundation Technique.
He expected to feel the pain as soon as he started. But he went through more than 50 stances before he felt a strain. He frowned slightly but continued. The more he practiced, the more he felt something off.
'what is this feeling...', Wang Feng thought to himself as he continued. When he was nearly through the first cycle of the 3rd stage, he felt something which made his eyes widen.
'What!!!!.….. this.... How...', Wang Feng thought as he completed the 1st cycle. He immediately surged his Blood Qi into his body and felt it.
'How is my 12th Meridian Opened!!??!!', he screamed in his mind and opened his eyes. He thought intensively, 'wait.... it isn't opened?.... Just what is happening?... Is it .... I need a clearer situation.'
He quickly got up and ran towards the only person he can ask for assistance. He reached the Treasurer Hall in a few minutes and bursted in, "Old Meng!"
Meng Wu Ya, who was just going through a scroll was surprised and looked at him, "what happened?", his voice sounded a little annoyed but also carried a touch of worry. Wang Feng stood in front of him and extended his hand with a serious look on his face.
"I need you to look at my meridians.", Meng Wu Ya grew serious after hearing his words and seeing his look. Meng Wu Ya silently extended his hand and grabbed his wrist before sending his Divine Sense into his body.
The reason he came and even proposed this to Meng Wu Ya was because Xia Ning Chang had told him about her conversation with Meng Wu Ya and how he and Ling Taixu had already known about the two opening the Divine Meridians.
In just a few seconds, Meng Wu Ya's eyes twitched and frowned before he slowly opened his eyes in contemplation. He looked at Wang Feng and said, "Your 12th Meridian is nearly opened..... How long have you been cultivating it?"
Wang Feng eyes widened as Meng Wu Ya's words confirmed his guess. He then narrowed his eyes in thought and told Meng Wu Ya, "I haven't.... I just started a few minutes ago..."
Meng Wu Ya's eyes widened as he now looked at him in slight awe, worry, fear, doubt and a bit of respect. Wang Feng felt the change in his gaze and asked, "what happened?.... Do you know how this happened.", Wang Feng asked him first in confusion but later understood that he might know why his 12th Meridian was opened.
Meng Wu Ya continued to look at him for a second before he stated, "yes I think I do.... Sit down." Wang Feng obligated and sat down on the chair next to Meng Wu Ya's.
Meng Wu Ya started, "As you might know, the 12th Meridian is responsible for Spirit and Spiritual Energy. So when one opens it, he will gain a great boost in his soul(mental) strength. Now technically, there is more than one way to open this meridian."
He continued as he saw Wang Feng nod with surprised eyes, "One way is to cultivate your technique, which is the easier way. The other one ...". He looked at Wang Feng in the eyes, "..is to withstand constant soul attacks till you breakthrough a limit and survive. Since this Meridian is connected to Soul Strengthening, the pressure from that constant soul attacks gives enough stimuli for the Meridian to open, or half open.... Did you have such an incident?"
Wang Feng's eyes twitched and slightly widened at Meng Wu Ya's words, which Meng Wu Ya noticed as well. 'this... How... When did I....', Wang Feng thought to himself as he suddenly remembered one such incident.
He clinched his fists and looked at it, 'it's the only time my soul was attacked....', Wang Feng thought back to the moment he was absorbing the Undying Golden Skeleton. At that moment, his soul was at the verge of collapsing. But at the last second, he meticulously felt a boom in his head and his consciousness strengthened and cleared.
*Fueee*
Wang Feng exhaled deeply. He then looked up and saw Meng Wu Ya still looking at him. Wang Feng answered, "yeah... I did." Meng Wu Ya looked at him evenly for a few seconds before he sighed and waved his hand, "now get out, I have work to do."
Wang Feng smiled and stood up before leaving the hall. Meng Wu Ya looked at his residing back, his mind immersed in his thoughts.
....
Wang Feng then returned to the Coiling Dragon Stream while thinking, 'this would make things easy now... Since the Meridian is already more than half opened, it shouldn't take long to open it completely.', his eyes shining at the possibility.
After returning, he took his place and started practicing, determined to open the last Meridian as quickly as possible.