Chapter 24: Awakening the Meridian and Seeding Energy
The night was shrouded in a blanket of clouds, obscuring both stars and moonlight. In the bustling city of An'nan, the streets remained lively, with brightly lit brothels filled with painted courtesans beckoning passersby.
In the west of the city stood the sprawling Huang family estate, a cluster of ornate buildings occupying a vast expanse of land. Within its brightly lit main hall, a young man lay on a stretcher, his body swathed in bandages. His face twisted in misery as he spoke to a middle-aged man dressed in an elegant black brocade robe, whose towering stature and stern visage bore a resemblance to the youth.
The man was Huang Tai, patriarch of the Huang family and a Condensed Qi realm expert of the ninth tier, a figure of undisputed authority in An'nan.
"Father, you must avenge me!" cried Huang Yi, his face pale and contorted with hatred. "If we do not respond, how will the Huang family maintain its standing in An'nan?"
Huang Tai's expression darkened as he took in the sorry state of his son. "What happened? Who dared to wound you so grievously?" he demanded, his voice heavy with anger.
"It was the Mu family!" Huang Yi snarled, his voice hoarse. "A boy from their household stopped my horse in the street, injured my guards, and cut off my arm! It's them, Father, I swear!"
"Mu family…" Huang Tai murmured, his brows knitting together. "We have always maintained a truce with the Mu family. Why would they act against you now?"
"I don't know, but I swear it was them! Father, you must take action! Kill that brat and bring justice for me!" Huang Yi's voice cracked, his desperation palpable.
Huang Tai waved a hand to quiet his son's pleas. "Calm yourself. I will get to the bottom of this. If it truly was the Mu family, I will demand retribution. But we cannot act recklessly. The Mu family may be declining, but their main branch is still a powerful presence in the Southern Realm."
"But, Father—" Huang Yi protested.
"Enough!" Huang Tai interrupted, his tone sharp. "Do not underestimate them. Even a wounded tiger can still kill. I will visit the Mu family tomorrow to confront them directly. Rest assured, the one who severed your arm will not escape unscathed."
"Yes, Father…" Huang Yi replied, his eyes burning with malice. "I will have his head. I swear it!"
Meanwhile, in the Mu family estate, the air was still, save for the faint rustle of autumn chrysanthemums blooming in the courtyard. Inside a modest hall, three figures stood in dim lamplight. White Ziyue stood with his head bowed, facing Mu Feng, whose stern expression radiated authority.
"Have you decided?" Mu Feng asked, his voice steady and serious. "The path of cultivation is not to be taken lightly."
White Ziyue lifted his head, his eyes resolute. "I have decided. I've had enough of scraping by in the streets. I want strength. I want to change my fate."
Mu Feng's gaze sharpened. "And if this path leads to death?"
"Then I will face death without regret," White Ziyue replied, his tone unwavering.
"Good." Mu Feng turned to Mu Zhong, who stood silently in the corner, holding a searing iron brand. "Uncle Zhong."
Mu Zhong stepped forward, the glowing iron in hand. "Strip off your shirt," he commanded.
White Ziyue obeyed without hesitation, removing his top to reveal a lean but scarred torso.
"As an outsider, you must bear the Mu family's mark if you are to learn our techniques," Mu Feng explained. "This is the law. Betray the family, and the mark will ensure you are hunted to the ends of the earth."
With no hesitation, Mu Zhong pressed the red-hot brand against Ziyue's upper arm.
Hiss!
Smoke rose as the iron seared his flesh, and the air filled with the acrid smell of burning skin. Ziyue's body trembled, his teeth gritted against the pain, but he made no sound.
When the brand was lifted, the mark of the Mu family—a stylized character for "Mu"—was etched into his skin.
"It is done," Mu Zhong said, stepping back.
Without pause, he placed a hand on Ziyue's head, channeling a surge of pale white energy into his body. Ziyue's face relaxed momentarily as the energy coursed through him, but the reprieve was short-lived.
"Argh!"
A guttural cry tore from his throat as Mu Zhong's energy began forcefully opening his first meridian. The pain was like molten fire ripping through his veins.
"Hold on!" Mu Feng ordered, his voice steady. "This is the price of power!"
The process, known as Meridian Awakening, was a privilege reserved for those under the guidance of a Condensed Qi master. By planting a seed of energy in a novice's first meridian, their journey toward cultivation could begin. Without this intervention, the path would be long and arduous.
As the process neared its end, Ziyue spat out a mouthful of blackened blood, the impurities expelled from his newly opened meridian. He slumped forward, his body trembling but his eyes alight with newfound strength.
But then, something unexpected happened.
A sudden suction force drew Mu Zhong's energy into Ziyue's body, pulling more than intended. Mu Zhong's face paled as he quickly withdrew his hand.
"What's going on?" Ziyue asked, alarmed by Mu Zhong's shocked expression.
Mu Zhong stared at the boy, his brow furrowed. "You… absorbed my energy!"
Ziyue's face turned pale. "I—I didn't mean to—"
Mu Zhong's intense gaze didn't waver, his mind racing.
Could this boy possess a rare, unknown constitution? Or something even more extraordinary?
Ziyue, oblivious to Mu Zhong's thoughts, shivered under his scrutiny. "Is he… looking at me like that because he's… interested in me?!" he thought, his imagination spiraling into panic. His discomfort grew, and he instinctively clutched his shirt tighter around himself.
As the tension eased, Mu Feng's expression turned thoughtful. "Interesting," he murmured. "It seems there's more to you than meets the eye, Ziyue."
From this night onward, the course of White Ziyue's life would change forever.