“Wake up, Carto,” a whisper sounded in Ling Xuan’s ear, causing his face to twitch slightly.

“Carto, wake up,” the whisper resounded again, more insistent this time.

Slowly, Ling Xuan opened his eyes, greeted by a thatch ceiling. The room was dimly lit, with the soft glow of sunlight filtering through a small window.

“Uggghhh. Where am I?” Ling Xuan mumbled as he scanned his surroundings. The humble room, with its simple wooden furniture and earthy smell, was a far cry from the grand places he had been before.

“Your plan succeeded, Carto. The Qi Beholder Method was successful,” the whisper echoed in his mind.

As Ling Xuan heard these words, instead of feeling happiness or excitement, he felt nothing. The emptiness within him was overwhelming, a void that no amount of success could fill. He had achieved what many thought impossible, yet the sense of fulfilment eluded him.

“Urizen, you there?” Ling Xuan mentally called out.

“Yes.”

“Why do I feel so empty even after I was successful?”

“You know the answer very well.”

Ling Xuan went silent, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again.

“The Qi Beholder Technique must reach its full potential. I must become the strongest organism. I must acquire my purpose!” Such thoughts began roaming in Ling Xuan’s mind. His resolve hardened, the emptiness within him overshadowed by an intense drive.

“I can’t rest. I have to complete my task!” Ling Xuan tried getting up, yet only pain greeted him, shooting through his limbs and torso like fire. Frustration and determination mingled as he struggled against his weakened state.

In that moment, he noticed someone sitting near him, head bowed in sleep.

“Hello?” he called out softly, his voice raspy.

Startled by the sound, Zhang Wei awoke, blinking rapidly. “Wha—oh, you’re awake!” he exclaimed, relief flooding his features. “How are you feeling?”

“Where am I?” Ling Xuan asked, his voice more stable.

“Oh, well, this is Xiaonei Village. We are located in the territory of the White Blade Sect,” Zhang Wei replied, trying to gauge Ling Xuan’s condition.

“White Blade Sect… that means I am near Grey Whisper City!” As Ling Xuan realised this, he understood something crucial.

“So that’s why my body is all bruised up and aching!” he muttered to himself. The realisation dawned on him that Glorious Flag City and Grey Whisper City were quite far apart, with an entire region between them. If he had fallen into the river while unconscious, the current must have carried him for miles. His body would have been battered against rocks and debris, explaining the extensive pain and injuries he now felt.

Zhang Wei, noticing Ling Xuan’s distress, quickly intervened. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal. The river must have carried you a long way. It’s a miracle you survived.”

Ling Xuan looked at Zhang Wei with gratitude. “Thank you for saving me. Your kindness won’t be forgotten.”

Zhang Wei smiled warmly. “It’s nothing. You’re safe now. Rest and recover. There’s no rush.”

Zhang Wei, sensing Ling Xuan’s urgency despite his words, decided to share more. “This village is small, but we’re well-connected. If you need anything or anyone, just let us know. We’ll do our best to help.”

Who knew if this youth was actually the heir of a rich family, if he treated him well he could be rewarded !

Ling Xuan appreciated the offer. “Thank you. I may need your assistance soon. For now, I’ll rest and regain my strength.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

As Zhang Wei left the room to bring some food for Ling Xuan, the latter closed his eyes and began to attract Qi towards him. Yet this Qi was not meant for any time of cultivation; instead, it served a different purpose.

Ling Xuan slowly let the Qi envelope his lungs, which made it difficult for him to breathe, yet it was not too bad. As the Qi fully seeped into his lungs, he could finally sense it. His meridian!

"The technique actually works!" Ling Xuan thought with delight.

Self-Created Skill - Energy Map!

This technique was created to solve the issue of detecting meridians in the body. Ling Xuan, even before the Qi Beholder Method was completed, had already devised this technique based on the principles of echolocation.

It worked in a simple and complex manner, first the user casts a thin layer of Qi, which slowly seeps into the body part. Since meridians are objects where Qi is highly concentrated, this thin veil of Qi bends when it encounters a meridian. By observing the bending of the Qi veil, the user can accurately observe their meridian’s shape and size.

To illustrate, consider how doctors use ultrasound technology to examine the human body. Ultrasound waves bounce off tissues and organs, creating an image based on the reflections. Similarly, the Energy Map technique uses the interaction between the Qi veil and the meridians to create a rough image of the meridian.

As Ling Xuan observed the meridian, he nodded and let the veil of Qi disperse. “I have established the first meridian. What rank did I create again?”

“Ox, Ling Xuan. You are in the Ox realm of the Qi Beholder Method,” Urizen replied.

“Ah, thanks.”

The Qi Beholder Method could be called the advanced version of Qi Storage Techniques. Ling Xuan had created it with the viewpoint that the entire world had a wuxia theme. What would happen if someone happened to drop a mage into such a world? Complete and utter dominance would be the result, as while the Grandmasters might be able to crush mountains with their bare hands, a mage could perform almost anything with Qi, given enough skill!

Thus, the Qi Beholder Method used the storage of Qi in the form of meridians as a sort of fuel that could be used for techniques and skills. Yet another problem arose: how would the meridians even be placed in the body? If one needed to bring out its complete power, placing them in strategic locations could surely help. But in which way could it be done?

Ling Xuan had a solution to that as well. Using the 361 acupoint structure of the body as a reference, he constructed the 361 Qi Meridians. Each meridian corresponded to an acupoint, creating a comprehensive network that maximised the efficiency and flow of Qi throughout the body.

Yet this wasn’t the only feature of the 361 meridian structure. The meridians devised by Ling Xuan could be divided into five pathways, each layered on top of the other. When someone managed to condense 90 meridians, an entire pathway would be formed, allowing the individual to not only absorb Qi easily but also manipulate it just like mythical beasts! The more complete the pathway became, the more powerful Ling Xuan would become until he achieved a state of power equal to that of dragons!

In total, there were five pathways to be constructed, and Ling Xuan had given each of them a name, designating them as stages. Thus, the pathways of the Ox, Serpent, Tiger, Dragon, and the Golden Immortal came to be. Currently, Ling Xuan had only manifested the first meridian of the Ox Pathway.

“Urizen, calculate the amount of time it’ll take to construct the entire Ox Pathway,” Ling Xuan mentally instructed.

“I have made the necessary calculations beforehand. It will take about five years at the least to complete the Ox Pathway and more than 100 years to achieve the Golden Immortal stage,” Urizen responded.

Ling Xuan sighed. Although the technique was incredibly powerful, the time taken to condense even a single meridian was undoubtedly enormous. The prospect of taking five years just to complete the first pathway was daunting.He had only managed to quickly condense the first meridian due to using the dissipating Qi of the Supreme Yin Sect Expert who was helping him escape.

“I can’t afford to wait even two years! The sects have already rebelled, and the royal family is preparing for war. Who knows? Perhaps in the next few months, the war would have already begun!” Ling Xuan’s mind raced with urgency.

At that moment, Zhang Wei entered the room again, holding a bowl of hot soup in his hand.

"Drink this; it’s made from Jianma wheat." Zhang Wei helped Ling Xuan sit up straight and brought the bowl to his lips. The soup was quite watery, but the broth contained a few pieces of vegetables and meat, making it a delectable dish for Ling Xuan.

After he finished eating, a thought crossed Ling Xuan’s mind. "Senior, are there any bandits around this place?"

Zhang Wei was surprised by Ling Xuan’s question. "Yes, there is indeed a gang of thieves hiding in the mountains near the village. But worry not; with our close proximity to Grey Whisper, they rarely cause trouble here!" Zhang Wei assured Ling Xuan.

"Okay, thank you," Ling Xuan said, thanking Zhang Wei, but for a reason entirely his own.

"If this gang happens to possess adepts, then I can use that technique to absorb their dissipating Qi and condense my second meridian!" Ling Xuan thought to himself.

Although Ling Xuan had been reduced to a weak state, with the use of the Potential Transmutation Art and Martial Ghost Fang, he was quite confident in being able to easily wipe out a gang that trained only in Commoners Cultivation Arts.

He clenched his fist under the blanket, feeling a surge of determination. "Senior, would you mind telling me more about these bandits? How many are there, and who leads them?"