Chapter 25: Charging Through Eight Meridians
"Hey, kid! Come here," Mu Zhong beckoned to Bai Ziyue with a wave of his hand.
"What... what do you want?" Bai Ziyue instinctively raised his hands to cover his chest and backed away two steps. "I'm telling you, I don't swing that way!"
Mu Zhong froze, and then, realizing what the boy meant, laughed and cursed. "You little rascal! What nonsense are you thinking? Get over here now!"
With a wave of his hand, a suction of Yuan energy enveloped Bai Ziyue, yanking his slight frame forward. Mu Zhong placed his palm on Bai Ziyue's head, channeling a steady flow of Yuan energy into his body.
Mu Feng and Mu Kuang watched from the side, curious about what Mu Zhong intended to do.
"It hurts! It hurts! Stop!" Bai Ziyue yelped as his body swelled with an intense pressure, like an overfilled container ready to burst.
Frowning, Mu Zhong slowed the inflow of Yuan energy and began to guide the power already within Bai Ziyue's body. As he observed, his eyes widened in astonishment.
"What... could this really be one of those legendary constitutions?" Mu Zhong muttered under his breath, his expression growing serious.
Taking a bold step, he condensed the Yuan energy into a concentrated stream and aimed it at Bai Ziyue's second meridian.
"AAAAAHHH!" Bai Ziyue screamed as a searing pain tore through his body. The Yuan energy, honed into a sharp lance, surged into his second meridian, forcing it open. Shockingly, the energy caused no damage to Bai Ziyue's meridians.
"Uncle Zhong, stop! This is dangerous—he could die!" Mu Feng yelled, realizing what Mu Zhong was attempting.
"Relax, young master! He's already broken through his second meridian!" Mu Zhong reassured, waving him off.
"Third meridian—open!" Mu Zhong declared, his voice firm as he directed the energy towards Bai Ziyue's third meridian.
"AAAAAHHH! You crazy old man! What are you doing? Feng-ge, save me!" Bai Ziyue's voice cracked with anguish as veins bulged across his crimson face. Blood spurted from his mouth, staining the floor.
Mu Feng and Mu Kuang exchanged panicked glances, unsure of what to do.
Outside, Bai Ziyue's screams had drawn a crowd. Members of the Mu family gathered near the courtyard, murmuring in confusion.
"That's coming from Young Master Feng's courtyard! Is something wrong?"
"Those screams are horrifying. What's going on in there?"
A squad of armed family guards arrived at the gate, shouting, "Young Master Feng, is everything all right?"
"We're fine! Just training. Stay out of it!" Mu Feng called back, his voice firm.
"Training? Training sounds this painful? Could he be opening his Purple Mansion?" someone speculated, bewildered.
The guards dispersed the onlookers, and the courtyard quieted again—save for Bai Ziyue's relentless cries. Inside, his body was drenched in blood, and Mu Zhong finally released him.
Bai Ziyue staggered, his face pale as a sheet. "You... you old bastard... I'll kill you someday..." he muttered weakly before collapsing into Mu Feng's arms.
Mu Feng glared at Mu Zhong. "Uncle Zhong, what have you done to him?"
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Mu Zhong sank into a chair. "Calm down, young master. This boy may have a rare and extraordinary innate constitution. Using my Yuan energy, I managed to open seven of his meridians without harming him."
"What? You opened his meridians with your Yuan energy? That's impossible!" Mu Feng and Mu Kuang exclaimed, stunned.
"In normal cases, yes. Only the first meridian can be opened with external help—any attempt to open additional meridians risks shattering them. But this boy's body seems to harmonize with external Yuan energy. My power flowed through him as if it were his own. I took a risk, and it worked. He now stands at the threshold of the eighth meridian. I didn't dare push further, or his body might collapse from exhaustion."
Mu Feng and Mu Kuang exchanged incredulous looks, staring at Bai Ziyue with newfound awe.
Mu Feng finally spoke, his voice tinged with disbelief. "First I discover my own unique cultivation method, and now this boy has a body that can directly absorb Yuan energy for cultivation. What kind of monsters are we?"
Mu Zhong nodded gravely. "He has great potential. With proper guidance, he may one day rival even you, young master. Take care of him—he could become your greatest ally."
Mu Feng glanced at the unconscious Bai Ziyue and sighed. "We'll see. For now, I'll focus on helping him recover."
The next day, Bai Ziyue awoke to the aroma of nourishing broth. Mu Feng had arranged for him to be served medicinal dishes to rebuild his strength. While he ate, a visitor arrived: Mu Lan, a demure young woman dressed in a sky-blue robe. Her delicate features and graceful demeanor made her a renowned beauty among the Mu family.
"Feng-ge, I've been sent by Uncle Hai to serve as your attendant," she announced, her voice soft yet resolute.
Mu Feng frowned. "Mu Lan, you're a talented cultivator. There's no need for you to waste your time serving me."
"Feng-ge, do you dislike me so much?" Mu Lan asked, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, her expression heartbreakingly pitiful.
"No, that's not it!" Mu Feng stammered. "I just don't think of you—or anyone here—as a servant. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"Hmph! You just don't want me around, do you?" Mu Lan pouted, her voice quivering with emotion.
"Fine, fine! You can stay!" Mu Feng relented, exasperated. "But don't trouble yourself with chores—just focus on your cultivation."
Mu Lan's tears vanished as she broke into a radiant smile. "Thank you, Feng-ge. I promise I won't disappoint you!"
Mu Feng sighed, his resolve to maintain a low profile steadily unraveling in the face of her persistence.