Kai unrolled the Heavenly Thunderstorm scroll, his eyes finding the section on the Crown Meridian he had opened the night before.

Key Technique: 'Electric Meridian Flow' - Use controlled bursts of lightning qi to gradually open and fortify the meridians.

He took a deep breath, centering himself. Okay, I've opened the meridian. Now I need to fortify it. Sounds simple enough... right?

He closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation of qi flowing through his body. After his experience on Thunderpeak Plateau, it was easier to identify the unique feeling of lightning qi.

It's like... a tingling current, always wanting to move.

Following the manual's instructions, Kai began to direct small bursts of lightning qi towards his Crown Meridian. The first attempt was... less than successful.

A jolt of electricity shot through Kai's skull, making him wince. Ouch. Okay, maybe a little less power next time.

He tried again, this time using a gentler touch. The lightning qi flowed more smoothly, creating a pleasant buzzing sensation at the top of his head.

That's more like it, Kai thought, a small smile playing on his lips.

As he continued the exercise, Kai felt the meridian slowly expanding, becoming more receptive to the flow of lightning qi. It was a strange sensation, like his skull was becoming a lightning rod.

I wonder if this is how Benjamin Franklin felt, Kai mused, then chuckled at the absurdity of the thought.

Time seemed to slip away as he focused on the technique. The world around him faded, his awareness narrowing to the flow of qi through his body. It was almost meditative, in an electrifying sort of way.

Suddenly, Kai felt something... shift. The Crown Meridian seemed to pulse, and for a brief moment, he could have sworn he saw a flash of light even with his eyes closed.

A series of system notifications popped up:

Congratulations!

You have successfully fortified the Thunder's Crown Meridian!

New Skill Unlocked: Crown of Lightning (Level 1) (Passive)

Description: A temporary, visible aura of lightning can form around the cultivator's head during meditation, boosting the cultivator's qi regeneration by 5%.

New Skill Unlocked: Sky's Favor (Level 1) (Passive)

Description: The cultivator's absorption rate increases by 5% whenever they are under an open sky, this increases to 10% when under stormy weather.

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New Skill Unlocked: Electric Resistance (Level 1) (Passive)

Description: The cultivator gains 5% resistance to lightning-based attacks, reducing the damage taken from electric or lightning-based techniques.

You have gained 300XP

Kai's eyes widened as he read through the notifications. Now we're talking! This is way better than just Static Charge.

Initially, he had been somewhat disappointed when opening the meridian had only granted him the Static Charge skill and a 2% increase in lightning affinity. These new skills, while still offering relatively small percentage boosts, were much more promising.

And they'll likely improve as I open more lightning meridians. The Electric Resistance, in particular, could be incredibly useful in a lightning-focused sect like this.

Kai nodded, pleased with himself. He couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. It was one thing to gain skills through the system, but actively cultivating and unlocking new abilities felt... different. More rewarding, somehow.

Eager to continue his progress, Kai turned his attention back to the cultivation manual. His eyes fell on the next section:

Meridian of the Storm Eye

* Location: Third Eye (Forehead)

* Method to Open: "Lightning Insight" - The cultivator focuses on the space between their eyebrows, visualizing a storm cloud gathering. A special herb, Thundergrass, is placed on the forehead to stimulate the meridian's opening.

Kai let out a small sigh of relief. At least this one doesn't involve standing on a mountain peak during a thunderstorm.

He read through the instructions carefully, committing them to memory. The use of Thundergrass intrigued him. I wonder what other mystical herbs exist in this world. Maybe I should start a garden...

Shaking off the momentary distraction, Kai focused on the task at hand. He knew he'd need to close his Third Eye meridian before attempting to reopen it with the lightning technique. But first things first - he needed to get his hands on some Thundergrass.

I'll get the herb before I close the meridian.

Decision made, Kai stood up, stretching to work out the stiffness from sitting so long. He made his way out of the pavilion, looking for Chen Wei.

He found the young disciple in the garden, seated in a meditation pose. A faint glow surrounded Chen Wei, indicating he was in the middle of cultivation.

Good, Kai thought approvingly. He took my advice seriously.

Not wanting to disturb Chen Wei's cultivation, Kai waited patiently. He took the opportunity to observe the garden, noting the various plants and flowers. Some looked familiar, while others were completely alien to him.

I wonder if any of these have special properties for cultivation, Kai mused. Even though I don’t want to specialise in alchemy, it wouldn’t hurt to learn more about magical plants.

After a few minutes, the glow around Chen Wei began to fade. The young disciple's eyes fluttered open, a look of contentment on his face.

"Ah, Senior Brother!" Chen Wei said, quickly scrambling to his feet and bowing. "I'm sorry, I didn't notice you there. Do you need something?"

Kai waved off the apology. "No need to apologize. I'm glad to see you taking your cultivation seriously."

Chen Wei beamed at the praise. "Thank you, Senior Brother. I was just practicing the breathing techniques you showed me."

"Good, good," Kai nodded. "I need your help with something. Do you know where I can get an herb called Thundergrass?"

Chen Wei's brow furrowed in thought. "Thundergrass? I believe I've heard of it. It's used in some lightning-based cultivation techniques, right?"

"That's right," Kai confirmed. "I need some for my next stage of cultivation."

"I see," Chen Wei said, nodding. "Well, the sect should have some in the Celestial Herb Pavilion. That's where they keep all the special cultivation resources."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Celestial Herb Pavilion? Fancy name."

Chen Wei chuckled. "Everything in the sect has a fancy name, Senior Brother. You should see what they call the latrines in the Outer Sect."

Kai couldn't help but laugh at that. "I'm almost afraid to ask. Alright then, can you show me the way to this Celestial Herb Pavilion?"

"Of course, Senior Brother," Chen Wei said eagerly. "It's not far from here. Follow me!"