Chapter 35: The Condensed Qi-Binding Beast
Mu Feng's Purple Core, which had once been cultivated and opened, had shattered alongside his meridians during his catastrophic fall. However, unlike most cultivators, he did not need to start anew; he only needed to restore what was already there.
Humans possess three dantians:
Upper Dantian (Sea of Consciousness):Located at the center of the forehead, it houses the spirit.Middle Dantian (Purple Core):Situated an inch above the navel, it stores and refines qi.Lower Dantian (Mud Pill Palace):Positioned in the lower abdomen, it nurtures the body's essence.
While the Lower Dantian is innate, the Sea of Consciousness and Purple Core must be carved out through cultivation.
"Mu Feng, if you truly wish to become a great cultivator, you must condense and open your tenth, eleventh, and twelfth meridians," Xiyue's ethereal voice suddenly echoed in his mind, startling him.
"Xiyue, could you at least give a warning before speaking like that? It's enough to scare the life out of me!" Mu Feng muttered, exasperated.
"Huh? Who are you talking to, Feng?" Mu Kuang asked, puzzled.
"Not you—focus on your surroundings!" Mu Feng replied, knocking Mu Kuang lightly on the head.
"Right… sure, who else could it be?" Mu Kuang grumbled under his breath.
"You don't need to speak aloud. Just focus your thoughts on the Shura Divine Jade, and I will hear you," Xiyue explained.
Mu Feng directed his thoughts inward. Why should I open the forbidden meridians? Aren't they off-limits for a reason?
"The concept of 'forbidden meridians' applies only to techniques below the Earth Rank. Advanced techniques, like the Shura Codex, not only permit it but encourage it. By opening these meridians, your energy refinement speed will far exceed that of typical nine-meridian cultivators," Xiyue explained.
"You're saying the Shura Codex is an Earth-Rank technique or higher?" Mu Feng was astounded, having assumed it was no more than Profound Rank.
"Obviously. Do you think ordinary techniques integrate methods for self-recovery, body refinement, and qi cultivation all in one?" Xiyue retorted sharply.
"Heh, I suppose I underestimated it." Mu Feng scratched his head sheepishly.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream echoed from ahead, sending both brothers into a crouched position. They concealed themselves among the dense foliage.
"That was a human voice. Let's move in quietly to investigate," Mu Feng whispered.
Mu Kuang nodded. The two crept forward, unaware they were venturing deeper into the perilous heart of the Annan Ridge.
A Grim Scene Unfolds
After traversing several hundred meters, Mu Feng and Mu Kuang reached the edge of a small ravine. Below, a scene of chaos and death unfolded.
The ravine, about 30 meters deep and lined with jagged cliffs, was dotted with shrubs and boulders. A stream trickled through its center, flowing toward the dense forest beyond. However, the idyllic setting was marred by the presence of three men.
One man lay lifeless on the ground, his face blackened, a clear sign of venomous poisoning. Surrounding the remaining two were dozens of venomous snakes, their scales shimmering in a kaleidoscope of colors. Among them slithered several massive pythons, each as thick as a man's thigh and over ten meters long. Their icy, unblinking eyes were locked onto the remaining survivors.
One of the men, burly and clad in leather armor, wielded a broad sword. The other, thinner and similarly equipped, held a steel blade.
"Damn it, all this over a few stolen eggs!" the burly man cursed, glancing nervously at the oversized leather sack strapped to his back.
"Boss, what now? Liu's already gone; there's no saving him," the thin man said, his voice trembling.
"Don't just stand there! Pick him up and throw him to the snakes! It'll buy us time to escape!" the leader barked coldly, slicing an approaching serpent in two with his sword.
The thin man hesitated, but self-preservation won out. He grabbed the body of their fallen companion and hurled it toward the writhing mass of snakes.
"Slash!"
The leader's sword gleamed as he unleashed a blade of golden qi, cutting through the airborne corpse and slicing it clean in half.
Blood sprayed across the ravine floor, and the bisected body landed with a sickening thud. The snakes immediately swarmed the remains, their hisses and slithering growing frenzied as they devoured the offering.
"Now's our chance—run!" the leader shouted, hacking his way through the snake-filled gorge. His blade flashed again and again, severing the heads of any serpents that dared block his path.
From their vantage point, Mu Feng and Mu Kuang watched in silence.
"Both of them are Purple Core cultivators. They must be mercenaries," Mu Feng murmured.
"That guy's ruthless, using his own teammate as bait to save himself," Mu Kuang said, disgust evident in his tone.
"This is survival," Mu Feng said grimly. "In desperate times, people will do anything. I once drank an enemy's blood to stave off thirst on the battlefield. But yes, that man has the air of someone who'd kill for less."
A Greater Danger Awaits
As the two men fled down the ravine, their path was suddenly blocked by a massive shadow. The ground shook as a colossal serpent, over 30 meters long and as thick as a barrel, emerged from the depths.
The serpent's scales gleamed an ominous green, each one the size of a human palm. A single fleshy horn protruded from its head, marking it as a Python Wyrm—a creature of legendary might, with faint traces of draconic bloodline coursing through its veins.
"By the heavens… a Qi-Binding Python Wyrm!" Mu Feng muttered, his voice tight with disbelief.
The beast roared, its speed belying its massive size. It crashed through the forest with terrifying force, reducing bushes and saplings to splinters as it charged toward the fleeing men.
The two mercenaries glanced back, their faces pale with terror.
"Boss, what do we do? Maybe we should just give back the eggs!" the thin man stammered, drenched in sweat.
"Give them back? These wyrm eggs are worth a fortune! One of them could set us up for life!" the leader snapped. He turned to his companion, his eyes cold. "Don't worry. I'll remember you, little Zhang. I'll even burn incense for you every year."
Before Zhang could respond, the wyrm's blood-curdling roar drowned out all else.