Taking the Lustful Path: Starting with Sister-in-law

Liu Yizan stood barefoot on the soft soil, feeling its coolness against his skin. 

He spread his arms outward, standing straight as he took a deep breath. 

Tilting his head back, he gazed at the vast sky above, releasing his breath slowly. 

The warmth of the sun bathed his face, and he imagined the energy of the heavens descending through him, connecting him to the earth beneath.

He took another deep breath, this time turning his head to the left. 

Lifting his left leg, he bent it slightly and touched his left knee with his right hand. 

As he exhaled, he lowered his foot back to the ground, the movement smooth and deliberate. 

Repeating the action on the other side, he turned his head to the right, lifted his right leg, and touched his knee with his left hand. 

Each breath was synchronized with his movements.

Lowering himself onto one knee, Liu Yizan placed one hand flat against the ground, his fingers pressing into the soil. 

His other hand stretched upward toward the sky, his palm open as if reaching for the heavens. 

He held the posture, steady and composed, his breathing deep and controlled. 

In this stance, he felt a subtle shift, a faint but distinct pulse of energy coursing through him. 

It started from the ground, flowed into his fingertips, and traveled through his entire body, like a rhythm that resonated with his very being.

He transitioned through several stances, each one seemingly awkward yet purposeful. 

One movement led to another, forming a cycle that felt both natural and profound. 

As he continued, the connection he felt with the earth grew stronger. His breaths became conduits, drawing energy from the ground and circulating it through his body.

At first, the sensation was faint, like a whisper, but with each repetition, it grew more pronounced. 

The pulse of energy became tangible, a steady beat that permeated his limbs and filled him with vitality. 

Sweat began to bead on his forehead, but he didn't stop.

The movements, though strange to an observer, had a rhythm that harmonized with the earth itself. 

With every stance, every breath, he felt his bond with the ground deepen. 

It was as if he were learning a forgotten language, the language of the Earth Pulse, and with each moment, he grew more fluent.

Liu Yizan smiled faintly as the energy coursed through him. 'This is it,' he thought. 'This is how it begins.'

As Liu Yizan continued practicing the Earth Pulse Exercise, he felt the subtle energy circulating through his body, penetrating deeper into his organs. 

With each pulse, the energy seemed to cleanse something within him. 

At first, a slight stinging pain accompanied its movement, sharp enough to be noticed but not unbearable. Then, moments later, a soothing relief would follow, as if the energy were expelling some hidden toxin or clearing away a blockage.

'So, the purification process has already started? What a quick speed. As expected of the High-Level Martial Talent,' Liu Yizan thought to himself, a flicker of amazement crossing his mind as he maintained his stances.

The purification process was a crucial step for any martial artist, and its importance could not be overstated. 

As the name suggested, it was a process that purified the body, eliminating impurities accumulated through food, water, and air. These impurities, while negligible for ordinary people, were disastrous for martial artists.

The purpose of this cleansing was to prepare the body for the opening of the Chi Gate. 

The Chi Gate served as the entry point for Chi, the life force energy, to flow freely through the body. Once opened, the Chi Meridians—the pathways through which Chi traveled—would also become functional. 

If these meridians remained clogged with impurities, it would severely limit a martial artist's growth potential. 

Even someone with High-Level Martial Talent, capable of reaching Rank 6, might find their progress stunted at Rank 3 or 4 if their meridians were blocked from the beginning.

Though Liu Yizan's purification process had already begun, he knew it was slow, and the reason was clear—his mastery of the technique was still at the intermediate level. 

The Earth Pulse Cultivation Technique, while basic, still required higher mastery to accelerate the purification process.

'If I can raise my mastery further, the purification will speed up significantly,' he mused. 

The system had already given him a head start, allowing him to reach this level within a week, but it was clear how arduous this path would be for those without such an advantage.

Most martial artists, even those with High-Level Martial Talent, struggled to remove 100% of the impurities from their bodies. 

This was because the purification process depended heavily on one's martial talent and their mastery of their cultivation technique. 

The greater the mastery, the faster and more thorough the purification. 

Normally, someone with High-level talent would need at least a year of focused practice to reach intermediate mastery on their own.

And this was just for a basic cultivation technique like the Earth Pulse Cultivation Technique, which capped at Rank 2. 

This limitation underscored how difficult it was for the average person to even begin their journey into martial arts. 

Those with Low-Level Martial Talent often didn't bother trying, knowing the odds of success were slim.

Liu Yizan glanced at his hands, feeling the subtle yet significant progress. 'Without the system, this would've taken me at least a year,' he thought, gratitude mixed with determination. 'But now, I can compress years of effort into weeks, maybe days. I'll make the most of this opportunity.'

He steadied his breathing and returned to his practice. 

The road was long, but with the system, Liu Yizan was confident he could pave his way to greatness.