This notion wasn't without merit.
For those with poor aptitude, reaching the same realm of cultivation required many times more time and resources than someone with a natural talent—sometimes by dozens of times or more. They might even encounter insurmountable bottlenecks, spending a lifetime unable to break through. Such stagnation could turn a life into a tragedy. In some ways, refusing entry into the cultivation world was a mercy.
Of course, diligence can make up for inadequacy, and it's not unheard of for mortals to defy destiny and ascend like immortals. But for such feats, one needs overwhelming fortune. If your destiny is strong enough, and you persevere without ceasing, then even those with poor aptitude can surpass geniuses. Still, such individuals are extremely rare. Sects cannot afford to accept every fool with delusions of grandeur. That would be sheer folly.
Yi Tianxing began visualizing the "Ancestral Dragon Diagram of the Four Seas" within his Divine Sea. The Ancestral Dragon coiled within, swallowing and exhaling the energy of the heavens and earth.
With a thought, strands of True Dragon Qi began to flow. They surged from his Divine Sea and rushed into the large intestine, which was connected to the Divine Sea through the Large Intestine Meridian, known in full as the Yangming Large Intestine Meridian of the Hand, passing through twenty acupuncture points.
Shua!!
Yi Tianxing's spirit connected with each strand of True Dragon Qi as they entered the meridian.
Immediately, he felt as though he had entered a dried-up riverbed—one littered with rocks, silt, toxins, and an overwhelming putrid stench. It was a dismal and horrifying sight. This was his first impression of the meridian's interior.
These were the accumulated toxins and impurities within his body.
Meridians are the pathways through which Qi and blood flow, the very core channels of strength and energy transmission. Since they hadn't been cleansed before, they had accumulated decades' worth of filth and poison. Not even Yi Tianxing was exempt from this buildup. That said, the width of his meridian river was quite remarkable.
To compare: a typical person's meridians are like tiny streams, while those of someone with better aptitude form larger rivers, then streams, and eventually even great rivers or mighty torrents.
A wider meridian meant faster and more efficient absorption of energy from the heavens and earth.
While such meridians are partially innate, they can also be expanded through intense refinement—though that's a slow and arduous process.
In Yi Tianxing's case, his meridian river resembled a mighty river—not quite at the level of a vast torrent, but far superior to the average person's. His aptitude was clearly extraordinary.
However, this river was currently clogged with impurities, as if abandoned and toxic.
To make this river truly his own—part of his power—the first and most critical step was to cleanse the meridian, removing all filth and toxins. In this process, the True Qi would act as the river's flowing water.
By comparison, Yi Tianxing's meridians weren't in the worst state. Some people's meridians are completely blocked with impurities—an agonizing ordeal to cleanse. Moreover, as one ages, toxins continue to accumulate, which is why the older one is, the less suited they are to begin cultivation.
That's why cultivation must begin young—to maximize one's potential.
Otherwise, even if one forcefully enters the path of cultivation, it often leads only to a life of regret.
"I didn't realize there were so many toxins in my meridians. Meridian cleansing means clearing these channels, and the twenty acupuncture points along them are the toughest barriers. They must be broken through, one by one. Since that's the case, let's begin."
Though shocked by what he saw, Yi Tianxing didn't hesitate. He unleashed the True Dragon Qi, sending it surging into the meridian river.
Rumble!!
The True Dragon Qi, fierce and unstoppable, burst into the meridian and unleashed devastating force. It smashed through the accumulated filth, like flames clashing with ice—pure destruction. The dragon Qi scoured the sludge, breaking it apart and washing it out. Naturally, the True Dragon Qi was also being consumed in the process.
Using Qi to grind down impurities is the standard method—but Yi Tianxing's True Dragon Qi was far more dominant and efficient.
It opened wide, biting down on sludge and even solid blocks of impurities, devouring them whole. As it swallowed, the True Dragon Qi became coated in black, as if dyed by ink.
This was a reciprocal process.
Once the sludge was cleansed, the meridian river beneath was revealed—glowing with a jade-like brilliance, pure and pristine like polished white jade.
This is the transformation known as "Purified Jade from Washed Dust."
Now, the purified meridians resonated with heaven and earth, drawing in their energy. Within the river, the True Dragon Qi swam freely, like dragons diving through rivers, faster and stronger than ever.
Shua shua shua!
One by one, the strands of True Dragon Qi entered the meridians, swallowing sludge and toxins, turning black in the process. Once fully blackened, they returned to the Divine Sea, where they were devoured by the Ancestral Dragon and refined.
Not all of it was waste. Some of what they consumed included vital energy, Qi and blood, and even Innate Qi.
While the toxins would be purified, the vital energies could be converted into cultivation.
This refining process was far slower than absorbing pure innate energy—but its benefits were greater. It allowed him to retain his inner origin, refining it rather than discarding it.
Rather than losing vital energy by expelling impurities, refining them preserved his foundational essence—his Innate Origin.
Using True Dragon Qi this way came with all the benefits and none of the drawbacks. It was the perfect method.
Strand after strand of True Dragon Qi surged into the meridians, purifying them. Once blackened, they returned to be refined by the Ancestral Dragon. But for every ten strands returned, only one would be successfully refined in the same time. The rest remained in the Ancestral Dragon's body, undergoing slow refinement.
The process of refining was ten times slower than the consumption rate.
If he could refine and consume at the same pace, he could cleanse all meridians in one go, without pause. Still, even with this limitation, his efficiency far exceeded that of ordinary cultivators.
Others had to stop and recover their Qi between each step. Yi Tianxing's cultivation technique—the "Dragon-Taming Heavenly Scripture"—stood apart in speed and strength.
Where others wore down their impurities, he devoured and dominated them. No resistance allowed.
As the True Dragon Qi tirelessly cleansed the meridians, a transformation occurred. The jade-like channels began to be etched with ancient dragon patterns, imbued with majesty and imbued with draconic power. These meridians grew tougher and more resilient, subtly exuding dragon might.
The cleansing process progressed rapidly.
Yi Tianxing had built up a reserve of True Dragon Qi over the past few days, making this breakthrough feel natural and fluid. Each moment saw another section of meridian purified and opened.
Unconsciously, he approached a gate deep within the river—a massive stone, gleaming white, blocking the flow completely. It exuded immovable strength, as if no force could make it budge.
"This must be the acupuncture point barrier. This stone is on another level—far beyond the sludge. But even this won't stop my True Dragon Qi. And it's not toxic. I can sense potent Innate Origin Energy within. If I can absorb and refine it… my cultivation will soar."
Unlike the earlier sludge, this stone was different. It radiated pure, potent essence.
Roar!!
With a thought, the True Dragon Qi roared in unison and lunged at the white stone, biting down with immense force. Crack! A chunk was bitten off, swallowed whole. The blackened strand turned back, returning to the Divine Sea—where the Ancestral Dragon awaited to devour it.
(To be continued)