C6 Halfmartial Body

As soon as Ling Rui finished his task, a pretty maid quickly stepped forward with a basin of water and said, "Young Master, please wash your face."

Ling Rui gave a knowing smile and gently touched the maid's cheek, saying, "Xiao Mei, you're so considerate."

"Young Master, you're such a tease," Xiao Mei playfully chided, turning her face away.

"I'm naturally mischievous. Don't lock your door tonight; I'm planning some mischief," Ling Rui said with a smirk, taking a towel from the basin and starting to wash his face.

A delicate blush crept up Xiao Mei's cheeks, reaching her ears as she softly replied, "Yes, Young Master."

After washing his face, Ling Rui seemed to recall something and asked Xiao Mei, "Haven't Freckle and Dog Nose come back yet?"

"Not yet," she responded.

"Those two dolts are so slow," Ling Rui muttered, tossing the towel back into the basin with a flick.

Just then, two figures stumbled into the room—it was Freckle and Dog Nose. One was holding his nose, the other bent over clutching his groin, tears streaming down their faces. They quickly knelt before Ling Rui and cried out, "Young Master, please help us!"

"What's the matter?" Ling Rui asked, confused.

With Freckle's nose hurt and his speech unclear, Dog Nose haltingly explained their recent ordeal.

Ling Rui kicked each of them in frustration and scolded, "Idiots! You're both fourth-level Martial Disciples and you can't even defeat a weakling? You've completely disgraced me."

Dog Nose shook as he said, "Young Master, he was too fast. We couldn't see his moves before we were hit."

Freckle nodded emphatically in agreement.

"Damn it, are you telling me he's already cultivating profound strength?" Ling Rui cursed, his face twisted in anger.

He had confronted Ling Xiao days earlier, intent on wiping away the Ling family's humiliation. Despite Ling Rui's surprise attack, Ling Xiao had survived and even dared to challenge his men. Ling Rui was livid. How could Ling Xiao, that worthless fool, treat him with such disdain? But then, a nagging doubt arose. Wasn't Ling Xiao just a nobody? How had he managed to defeat his two underlings effortlessly? Could it be that Ling Xiao had truly tapped into the elusive power of profound strength?

Ling Xiao's meridians were irreparably damaged, and even the Grand Elder had declared he'd never be able to cultivate profound strength in his lifetime. It must have been a stroke of luck.

"Young Master, we swear we're telling the truth. That guy fought dirty—broke Freckle's nose and kicked me right in the groin. Then he took off with all our gold coins!" Dog Nose said between sobs.

"You've disappointed me. Xiao Mei, give them ten gold coins each for their treatment and send them on their way. Now, out!" Ling Rui ordered, his voice laced with displeasure and a hint of underlying anxiety.

Xiao Mei gave a quick nod and led the two men out of the courtyard.

Gripping his long sword, Ling Rui let out a roar and swung with full force at a tree in the courtyard, as tall as two men. The tree fell as he withdrew his blade.

"Even if you can cultivate profound strength again, what of it? The family test is in two months. Unless you're unable to take part, I'll make sure you vanish from this world," Ling Rui hissed through gritted teeth.

The night was cool and tranquil, the moon suspended high, its light casting playful shadows through the trees.

It had been over half a month since Ling Xiao had achieved his first meridian breakthrough.

Now, he was ready to tackle the sixth meridian once again.

He had once believed it would take three months to open all twelve meridians. Yet now, he was clearing each one in just two to three days. Ling Xiao was overjoyed. The Three Divisions Essence Returning Energy was working wonders, speeding up his cultivation many times over. Initially baffled, he eventually conjectured that his rapid progress might be the result of cultivating Heavenly Frost Energy, Cloud Expelling Force, and Wind God Technique in tandem. He couldn't help but revere Sanjue for creating such a singular and potent method.

Having unlocked five meridians, vitality surged through Ling Xiao's body. His once weak and sickly physique had transformed, his skin now radiant with health. He was the very image of vigor and newfound handsomeness.

"If not now, then when?" Ling Xiao mused, ready to break through. He positioned his hands downward, and from the Gushing Spring acupoint, two warm currents erupted, splitting into five robust streams of Qi that coalesced into a solid, thumb-sized orb of energy. With determined intent, it surged toward the blocked pathway, seeking to break through.

The energy orb blasted through the blocked meridian with a resounding "Boom!"

Ling Xiao's cry of pain echoed as he bit down, drawing blood from the corner of his mouth.

His initial attempt had ended in failure.

Yet, Ling Xiao remained unfazed by this setback. He knew that meridians wouldn't yield on the first try; they demanded the continuous compression and condensation of profound strength, enduring strike after strike, much like ancient soldiers who hammered away at city gates with battering rams until the iron doors could no longer withstand the punishment.

With a resolve steeled by past failures, Ling Xiao compressed his profound strength once more, launching another assault on the stubborn meridians.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

After a series of relentless attempts, he finally succeeded in opening another meridian.

"Haha!" Ling Xiao sprang from his bed and dove into the bucket of water he had prepared, his face alight with joy.

Now with six meridians open, he had attained the rank of a Half-Martial Body.

Some are born with their meridians sealed, forever unable to cultivate profound strength. Others, fortunate to have all twelve main meridians clear, are destined for greatness in martial cultivation.

However, not all meridians are created equal. Smaller meridians slow the pace of cultivation, extending the time needed for advancement and limiting one's ultimate potential. Conversely, larger meridians facilitate faster cultivation and allow for the accumulation of more profound strength, unleashing greater power in battle. Those with large meridians are often hailed as natural-born martial artists or geniuses, a rarity in any realm.

Ling Xiao belonged to this elite group. Despite his meridians having been previously damaged, their size remained unchanged. With six meridians now open, he was halfway to unlocking all twelve, justifying his title as a Half-Martial Body.

A Half-Martial Body might have its advantages over an ordinary person, but unless Ling Xiao could open the remaining six meridians, his martial capabilities would remain stagnant at the level of a Martial Disciple, and the rank of a Profound Warrior would elude him.

Ling Xiao's path forward was filled with hurdles, but the Three Divisions Essence Returning Energy was proving to be a remarkable asset. It seemed only a matter of time before he would unlock all twelve main meridians.