“You should’ve thought of that before you tried to kill my daughter!” Xing said coldly.
He raised his hand and brought it down like thunder, striking Song Meng in the middle of his chest. The dead pugilist sagged to the ground, eyes filled with death, staring into the void, that was once his life.
“Monster,” Xia Tao whispered from behind.
Xing turned and eyed the Young Master venomously and walked towards him. Young Master Tao hadn’t moved an inch, as he was frozen in fear after watching Xing decimate the men he’d hired.
“Monster?” Xing scoffed, stepping on a plain of grass. “I’ll show you what a monster truly is Young Master,”
Tao mustered up some form of strength and scampered as he realised how close Xing was to him. Xing though, kept his composure, continually walking towards, slowly.
The young master snatched up one of his men’s sword and pointed it at Xing in defence, as if he could take Xing, but the way the sword shook in his hand.
Xing chuckled maniacally, shaking his head in disbelief. At least he’s brave enough to protect himself, He thought ruefully.
Xing performed an Instantaneous Step, appearing in front of him in flash. He slapped it out the sword his hands and shifted to the left, bring his right hand dunning, pushing into the ground, face first, then yanking up into air, sending him flying ten meters. “If you don’t want to die. Leave.” Xing said.
The Young Master dropped to the ground with a scream. Then rolled to the side breathing heavily. He looked around trying to gauge where he was and saw that he was a few meters off from Xing.
He jumped up, trying to run, but fell back down when he realised his foot was hurt, so instead of scampering off, limping away. “I can’t risk killing him,” Xing said softly “I don’t know who his family is. If I kill him, they might investigate his death. I can’t afford that now.”
The poison began to flare within Xing’s meridians, weakening him by the second. His eyes traced the area looking for the doll swordsman.
“Found it.” He said after a few seconds of hunting.
He kicked off the ground, legs on fire from tainted Qi flowing through his legs. Landing right by the doll soldier which was a good distance from the corpses.
Xing scooped up the figurine and tried cradling it into Li’er’s hands, but she wouldn’t stop crying.
He ran back to his sack, snatching it up and began feeding her, she spat back out the milk. “What's the matter?” He said trying to soothe her, “was it too noisy just now don’t worry my dear, nothing but silence from here.”
As smooth and as sweet as Xing was, trying to soothe Zhao Li was hard. She cried and cried and cried to the point she was losing her voice.
And that only infuriated him further.
Eventually, Li’er finally settled down, allowing him to rest her on the ground as she fell asleep. He placed her figurine next to her and sagged to the ground, feeling the poison roiling within his meridians.
Xing ceased the circulation of Qi throughout his body. Jolts of pain in the form of fire began crackled throughout his body, making him ground his teeth from the pain.
He sent a smidgen of Qi to his legs, trying to understand where the poison transitioned throughout his body.
The poison flared up in the meridians. The poison roiled back and forth, starting from his feet. As the Yin essence got out of control trying to quell it.
Xing spat out a mouthful of blood, then hit his acupoints, sealing a section within his left arm and waist. He inhaled deeply, feeling the cold wind race into mouth, sending a ripple goosebumps through his body.
Qi held the essences of Yin and Yang. The balance of these essences, however could easily be disturbed from a bad diet or poison.
The Soul Dantian was located a few centimeters below his navel. The Soul Dantian was the primary Dantian for generating Qi, if that was damaged, then your ability to cultivate Qi would be destroyed.
If it were poisoned, just as his was currently, then the balance of Yin and Yang would make it hard for him to utilise his Qi.
As the poison roiled within his dantians, he slow began moving it from his Soul and Core Dantians.
He began pushing the poison to the right side of his body, specifically his right hand which took him awhile. He slashed his forearm and began to expunge it from his body.
A stinging pain pulsed around his forearm. He tapped the acupoints on his hands, ensuring that the poison didn’t go down a a different meridians, as he felt some poison trick through.
As relief resonated in Xing’s chest, as he continually expunged the poison. The sizzling sensation was still there, but it was held to his right hand.
He opened his eye, glancing down at his right arm. He saw how maligned his forearm was. His skin had changed to purple with white veins being visible.
It the urge to vomit even strong, despite him trying his best to hold it in.
Xing spat out a mouthful of blood and growled out in agony. He felt his Core Dantian began to rumble as he slammed his hand against his chest trying to alleviate the crackling sensation he felt.
No, He thought flustered, not now I’m not ready yet!
Xing’s Mind Dantian began to rumble, violently. As he felt the crackled in his mind, like a lighting going off in his mind.
He pushed all the Qi within his Core and Soul Dantian into his Mind Dantian as he hadn’t felt this sensation in years.
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I’m Ascending to the Qi Perception Realm, He mused bitterly, but I’ve been poisoned…
He inhaled deeply, feeling as his Mind Dantian began to slowly expand. He watched from the corner of his eye, as Li’er soothed herself by shaking the figurine all around.
A figure in the distance appeared behind Li’er, walking towards her robes swaying through the grass. No…Xing thought.
The Young Master hadn’t left, he was watching from the shadows! Waiting for me to let my guard down! I can’t even GET UP!
“It seems Bodhidharma still favours me!” The Young Master said, snidely.
Xing slammed his fist into the ground, trying to force himself up, but with his Mind Dantian expanding, he couldn’t do anything but watch.
WHY NOW?! He huffed.
Xia Tao picked up Li’er, then nestled her into his hands, hands mockingly stroking her hair as he goaded Xing as he stepped towards him. “It was a good thing I told those fools to smear their swords with poison,” He rasped.
Xing swirled Qi into existence from his Soul Dantian, reciting words from the Soft Heart Mantra.
Master said the Soft Heart Mantra served better as a breathing technique to calm one self, He noted, feeling those though he could’ve done better to recite the words.
Beads of sweat began to rush down his face like a waterfall. He kept the poisoned Qi within his forearm and pushed the newly generated Qi into Core Meridian. his right hand isolated. from how much he was overtaxing himself in that light.
Young Master Xia Tao, stood over him like a tree, holding Zhao Li. He smothered his nose into her then twirled. “You should’ve killed me when you had the chance!” He said coldly.
But Xing said nothing, forcing himself, but his chest exploded from pain.
Xing’s Core Dantian shattered all the strength he had, dissipated in an instance. The poisoned Qi he was isolating began to rush through his body, forcing himself to spit out another mouthful of blood.
He hunched over, blood pooling beneath him, feeling like like an ant, trying to lift his own body.
He dropped to the ground.
A loud smack echoed throughout the river bay, as Xing’s face hit the rock. He tried turning his head, but couldn’t move as the poisoned had filled not just his meridians but also his Soul Dantian.
No no no, I must purge it!
Xia Tao stomped Xing’s face, pressing him further into the ground, using him as a some form of a stepping stone. He painted a wicked smile on his face, then licked his lips. “You asked me what I planned to do with this little demoness.” The Young Master said. “As I own her now, I could as well tell you. This thing you have here is exotic and highly desirable within certain circles within Huaxia. You might think this thing is dirty, she is NOTHING BUT A WHORE TO BE SOLD AS I PLEASE!”
Feng Chaoxiang made one final request of Xing. “Protect her,” Xing reminisced, “Susu isn’t strong enough, not yet. So I charge you with her care.”
Xing failed.
How could he face his master in heaven…so soon, showing how pathetic he is.
I’m sorry Master, Xing said to himself. I can’t move!
Why now of all times must his Mind Dantian expand? WHY?!
But now his Core Dantian was shattered, because of the poison.
As Young Master Xia Tao, kept kicking him at the back of his head, he still tried to expunge the poison from his body.
The jolts of pain slashing against Xing’s face from being stomped, made his body quiver from the pain.
He couldn’t use his Qi to alleviate the pain, but he used it to expunge the Qi from his Core Dantian.
After ten seconds, the poison had flooded out of his body, but the expanse of his meridians shrinking.
He knew what that meant, but the sound of Li’er’s cries ached his heart. He couldn’t see what that bastard was doing to her, but he also didn’t allow his mind to linger.
Now that the poison is gone, I must consolidate my Mind Dantian!
Xing felt the Qi swirling within his Mind Dantian continually crackled from the expansion. He used the Qi to not just expand, but to also contract his Dantian walls.
He didn’t want to shatter his Mind Dantian as the poison did to his Core Dantian.
Xing gritted his teeth, entire body trembling as he focused every ounce of his remaining strength on expanding and consolidating his Mind Dantian.
Beads of sweat poured down his face, mixing with the blood spattered across his battered features.
Young Master Xia Tao continued his taunts, bouncing the wailing Li’er in his arms and laughing maniacally. “Look at your pathetic father, little demon. He couldn’t even protect you” He sneered at Xing. “Warrior Jiu. I have to thank you. I’ve made BIG GAINS TODAY!
“I’ll make ensure to sell your daughter to the sickest den of depravity I can find. Maybe then you’ll understand the consequences of trying to raise this DEMON!”
Xing didn’t block out his words, but used them as motivation. Motivation to whirlwind his mind to concentration.
His Mind Dantian expanded again and calcified his Qi around his Dantian walls, stopping it from shattering. His Mind Dantian reverberated again, only to expand once more.
Where are they? Xing asked, where are the meridian points!
“Oh dear!” Young Master Xia Tao shouted, “It seems I’ve broken him, when I haven’t used my full STRENGTH!”
The kicks and stomps continued, and Xing felt…everything. He felt the pain on his face back, but that’s not what ripped him apart inside.
It was the sound of Zhao Li’s crying that made Zhao Xing want to rip this Young Master Xia Tao limb from limb.
Xing spat another mouthful of blood and his head began to thrum violently from the stomps and not from his Dantian expanding.
His Dantian expanded again, and this time, he allowed it to expand with calcifying it.
Two Meridian points appeared, and his Qi began to flow through them. Not yet, He thought, reminding himself to stay calm.
Reaching the final meridian point is what he needed before he could fully calcify his Qi, and consolidate his Mind Dantian.
Xing failed to protect Yun Yan. He failed to protect Li'er’s real mother and father. He watched his master die, yet he felt he was one of the reasons for his death.
Now, he was watching Li'er be taken away from him. Is this what my life amounted to? Wine and women? Failing my loved ones? Xing said to himself.
He knew why he drank, womanised and sullied around cities looking for the next best crux. He just wanted to forget, but where did that ever get him?
Nowhere.
Then it hit him. Of course, you fool, you’ve never shattered a dantian. If you had before you would’ve lost your ability to practice martial arts a long time ago.
“Fine.” Xing finally whispered. “I accept my faults, paint and weaknesses…I won’t forget, but use them as the pillar to make me a better man, in this life or the next.”
Xing closed his eyes and did like his master once told him when he first felt that spark of qi within his Soul Dantian.
He began swirling it, feeling his Soul Core and Mind Dantians form back into existence, sucking all the dispersed Qi that just left his body.
The final meridian point within Xing’s Mind Dantian swirled open.
This was it…
Xing had done it. He’d pushed his mind and body to an extent, forcing himself to accept his past for him to take the next step.
The Qi Perception Realm.
Xing opened his eyes, bewildered by the newfound brightness around him. He didn’t understand, but his body felt lighter as well. What just happened, Xing thought.
He pushed himself up, legs waggling from the lack of strength. He didn’t show it, but held it in his mind.
In a blur, he shot up from the ground and hit Xia Tao in the chest, snatching Li’er from his hands in one smooth motion, cradling her protectively against his chest as he stared down at the whimpering Xia Tao.
“You had your chance to leave,” Xing said, voice cold as ice. “But you forced my hand. Now you'll learn what happens when you threaten my family.”
He looked at Xia Tao with dazed eyes as he held Li’er in his arms. Her figurine was broken from a fall. No wonder she was crying, Xing thought.
“You destroyed Li’er’s favourite toy.” Xing said softly. “...and for that, I can’t let you live.”
The first step he made toward Tao was like lifting a boulder and dragging it along with him. The second step was no better, but it was easier, slightly.
“MERCY MASTER KUNG! I BEG FOR MERCY!” Xia Tao shrieked, falling to his knees, offering up Li'er as if she were some token to be given away, which infuriated Xing further.
“Did you have any mercy in your heart when you said you were turning Li'’r into a Whore? No…you didn’t so let me show you what it's like to live a life of misery!”