Immortal Path Space

Wang Hong entered the Dean's Office, finding Old Dean seated by the Tea Table, savoring his tea.

"Student Wang Hong, greetings to the Dean." After a few days' absence, Old Dean seemed more spirited, with noticeably fewer white hairs.

"Haha! Wang Hong is here! No need for formality in my presence. Treat it like your own home. Come, sit down and taste my tea. What do you think?" The warmth in their interaction might lead one to believe they were family.

Wang Hong took a seat nearby, and Old Dean handed him a cup of tea. Wang Hong, having been impoverished in the past, barely had enough to eat, let alone experience tea. This particular tea, with its initial bitterness followed by sweetness and a lingering fragrance, left an impression on his taste buds.

Expressing his appreciation for the excellent tea, Wang Hong's enthusiasm prompted Old Dean to share a wealth of knowledge about tea. Wang Hong listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with questions, leading to an enjoyable conversation.

After a while, Old Dean brought up official matters. "I observed your brisk and powerful strides when you entered the academy, full of vitality. But have you already taken the Immortal Pill?"

"Yes, indeed. I have taken the Immortal Pill and used it to break through to the Acquired stage," Wang Hong replied truthfully.

"That's good. I called you here precisely because of this matter. There are some rumors circulating outside; you might have heard a few. It's advisable not to venture out of the academy easily recently. While you carry the identity of an Immortal Older Brother, and no one would dare to harm you openly, there are those with misguided motives who might target you in the shadows."

Wang Hong nodded in understanding. In front of many people, he had taken the elixir to signify that he no longer possessed the Immortal Pill.

"Furthermore, there's an empty Small Courtyard on the west side of the academy. Move in; this is the key." Old Dean handed a key to Wang Hong.

Accepting the key, Wang Hong thanked Old Dean. As he was leaving, Old Dean also gave him a pound of tea leaves.

Using the key to unlock the gate, Wang Hong was greeted by a small lawn adorned with unfamiliar weeds and scattered wildflowers. Inside a wall about the height of a person were six rooms, complete with furniture, tables, chairs, benches, a kitchen, and other facilities.

On this night, Wang Hong broke his routine and did not engage in cultivation. Instead, he brought out a lounge chair, lay down on the lawn, and gazed at the starry sky. In his hand, he held a handful of raspberries, the favorite of his Younger Brother, savoring them slowly.

"I wonder how my Younger Brother is doing now? Is anyone bullying him?"

As the saying goes, the elder brother is like a father. Wang Hong reflected, "As the elder brother, I haven't taken good care of my Younger Brother. On the contrary, I've taken advantage of him gaining many benefits. A true man stands between heaven and earth, embodying principles and setting an example for others. How can I, Wang Hong, rely on the title of Immortal Older Brother to get by?"

Wang Hong stood up, summoned an Iron Spear from Spatial, and, after assuming a starting posture, began the "Immortal's Guidance" and "Azure Dragon Emerges from the Sea" movements. The spear displayed both real and illusory, with peculiar and precise techniques. It advanced sharply, retreated swiftly, with perilous momentum and short intervals. Motionless as a mountain, yet thunderous as a lightning strike. Wang Hong practiced the set of movements known as the "Thunderous Spear Technique" more than ten times until the moon reached its zenith, leaving him drenched in sweat.

After a refreshing shower, Wang Hong entered Spatial and went to sleep. Several hours passed within Spatial, but only a quarter of an hour had elapsed in the outside world. Emerging from Spatial, Wang Hong, though mentally refreshed, still felt physical fatigue. Moving his muscles caused soreness, prompting him to begin meditating and cultivating his inner strength.

Wang Hong has successfully opened the Governor Vessel Meridian, entering the Acquired stage. The next step is to open the remaining six meridians of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, namely the "Thrusting Meridian," "Girdle Meridian," "Yin Linking Meridian," "Yang Linking Meridian," "Yin Heel Meridian," and "Yang Heel Meridian." Only when all Eight Extraordinary Meridians are opened can one be considered to have completed the entire cultivation of the Acquired stage.

Opening the Governor Vessel Meridian is already quite challenging. For most people, it takes several years of normal cultivation, and some may even need ten to twenty years to enter the Acquired stage. Opening the remaining six meridians is even more difficult, and the majority of martial practitioners may reach a plateau at the Acquired stage. Only a very small number of martial artists can open all Eight Extraordinary Meridians in their lifetime, thus entering the Innate stage. Innate practitioners, in turn, need to open the six meridians of the hands and feet, totaling twelve meridians.

Wang Hong continued his cultivation until dawn, stabilizing the recently opened Governor Vessel Meridian to some extent. At this rate, reaching the Innate stage seemed like a task that would take an extended period.

Wang Hong's plan was to cultivate at least until the Innate stage before venturing to Qingxu Mountain in search of Qingxu Immortal City. The journey ahead was fraught with dangers, and Wang Hong did not want to be devoured by ferocious beasts halfway.

"It seems I need to figure something out. Those Medicinal Herbs in Spatial should be helpful; I just don't know how to use them."

After the morning Battle Formation Drill, Wang Hong, without eating, went to the Library and borrowed a stack of Medical Books. Carrying them back, he muttered along the way, "It's true what they say: one regrets not having enough books when needed. I should read more in the future."

Back at the small courtyard, Wang Hong took out some Spatial Produce Rice Grains, which he had long wanted to eat but hadn't had the chance. These Rice Grains were as thick as a finger, golden-yellow, emitting an enticing fragrance of rice.

Wang Hong grabbed a handful, rubbed off the husk with a twist of his hands, blew away the chaff, leaving behind grains the size of fingertips, sparkling and white.

Wang Hong processed more than a pound of rice before tossing it into the pot. He brought the water to a boil first, then simmered it over a very low flame. Only the intermittent wafts of the rice fragrance were noticeable, making Wang Hong feel like his throat was reaching out.

Using an iron pot to cook rice, a high flame after the water boils easily results in burning, and the lid should not be opened in the middle; otherwise, the rice might turn undercooked. It has to be slowly simmered over low heat, producing fragrant rice with a good texture and a crispy rice layer at the bottom. Wang Hong was an expert in cooking, though he hadn't had many opportunities before due to his past poverty.

It took nearly half an hour for the rice to cook thoroughly. The cooked rice was translucent, fluffy, and each grain sparkled. Wang Hong didn't bother with any dishes; he devoured six large bowls, still not satisfied. Using a spatula, he scraped off the crispy rice at the bottom, holding it as a post-meal snack.

After eating, Wang Hong felt a subtle warmth in his abdomen, not as intense as when he had taken the Immortal Pill last time. Wang Hong meditated with crossed legs for two hours. The heat in his abdomen disappeared, and the newly opened Governor Vessel Meridian had become much more stable. At this rate, only five or six more times would be needed to completely stabilize it.

Wang Hong felt ecstatic. The power gained from cultivating after just one meal was equivalent to the daily practice of four or five days.

"Haha! As long as I eat two meals a day, I can achieve a cultivation speed nearly ten times faster than others. In the future, I can also pretend to be a genius."

Wang Hong made a few pancakes with Spatial Wheat and ate them, finding the effect similar to that of Spatial rice.

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