Chapter 20: Eradicating the Terminal Meridians Constitution
As soon as Lou Mu Yan returned to her small courtyard in the Imperial Academy, she set up an array around the building to prevent being disturbed while absorbing and refining the Marrow Cleansing Pill.
She poured the medicinal solution into a bathtub first, then entered the bath to soak.
Two hours later, she took out a white porcelain bottle and tipped a pill into the palm of her hand.
A serene pill fragrance filled the room in an instant and her lips curled up. She placed the pill in her mouth and the moment it entered, it melted.
The gentle medicinal effect flowed through her meridians. The Terminal Meridians constitution was mainly caused by the block of a person’s meridians, so as long as the blockage was dispersed, then it would be able to absorb the Spiritual Force of Heaven and earth and convert it into Spiritual Energy.
When the gentle medicinal effect spread throughout her entire body’s meridians, Lou Mu Yan’s eyes filled with firmness.
She gathered the medicinal energy within her body together again, then, starting from her first meridian, she began to push forward.
It hurts, it hurts… Every time the force of the medicine advanced a little, Lou Mu Yan felt that her entire body trembled with pain.
Her forehead and nose were covered in sweat and her small face paled. However, she bit her lip to prevent herself from making a sound and continued to use her Mental Energy to control the medicinal energy to shove against her blocked meridians.
After her first meridian was unblocked, Lou Mu Yan’s whole body was wet with sweat, and her face was drained of blood. But she didn’t give up nor rest, and continued to push through the second, third…
When the last meridian was unblocked, she opened her mouth and gasped heavily for air. After resting a little, she took out the Spiritual Energy Enhancing Pill and swallowed it, then continued to sit cross-legged to refine and absorb the medicinal effects.
This time, the result didn’t disappoint those who tried1—not only did she open all her blocked meridians, but she also endured the pain and used her Mental Energy to guide the medicinal effects to help more than double the width of her meridians.
The medicinal effects of the Spiritual Energy Enhancing Pill were also dissolving in her body and a coolness spread throughout, nourishing the widened meridians.
A day later, Lou Mu Yan opened her eyes that appeared filled with dazzling stars and a full smile adorned her face. She stood up and washed herself, then ate something simple.
It took her an entire three days to unblock her meridians. She took a look at the twinkling stars in the night sky, then walked towards the middle of the courtyard and sat cross-legged on a stone platform to absorb the Spiritual Force of Heaven and earth to her heart’s content.
The next day, only when the first ray of morning glow fell on Lou Mu Yan, did she open her eyes and stretch lazily, a cheerful smile on her lips.
Ever since coming here, she hadn’t been able to absorb the Spiritual Force of Heaven and earth, so there wasn’t any Spiritual Energy in her body. It always felt like she was missing something. Now that her meridians were unblocked, not to mention doubled the size, the speed of absorbing the Spiritual Force was even faster than the average Sword Masters by almost two to three times.
Only when the traces of the Spiritual Force soaked into her skin and travelled to the various veins in her body, did she feel a sense of security in her heart.
Her body was like a bottomless pit, filling up the Spiritual Force that she had been lacking for many years overnight. She felt that her whole body was now full of strength, and even if she was still weak, it was a good start.
She took a deep breath, then punched a rockery within the courtyard, and it instantly exploded into numerous halves.
“Only the strength of the Eleventh-Layer Meditation Stage, I need to quickly find the Spiritual Herbs to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.” Lou Mu Yan unclenched her hand as she muttered to herself.
After tidying up briefly, she left the courtyard and rode the Tailwind Horse back to the Lou Clan in the Imperial Capital.
Right when Lou Mu Yan disappeared from the entrance of the Imperial Academy, two men walked out, their eyes closely following the disappearing figure.
“Yi Xuan, do you feel that the aura from Lou Mu Yan has changed?” Yun Jin asked Chi Yi Xuan in surprise.
There was complexity in Chi Yi Xuan’s eyes, then he retracted his gaze and said simply: “If I didn’t see incorrectly, she was already an Initial-Phase Great Sword Master.”
“Initial-Phase Great Sword Master? Impossible.” Yun Jin shook his head incredulously. “With her Terminal Meridians constitution, she couldn’t even absorb the Spiritual Force of Heaven and earth to convert into Elemental Energy. How could she break through to the cultivation base of Great Sword Master? Did you see incorrectly?”
“No. The aura she exuded was definitely the Great Sword Master.” Chi Yi Xuan said decisively. Because the cultivation methods he practiced was special, he could very accurately determine a Sword Master’s cultivation base.
Yun Jin stroked his chin and said with amusement: “I heard she recently went to the Blazing Mountain Range. She probably had a fortuitous encounter.”
“How did you know?” Chi Yi Xuan was recently in closed-door cultivation to prepare for the Academy’s annual competition, so he didn’t know that Lou Mu Yan wasn’t in the Academy.
“I’m not very clear on the specifics. I just heard that she accepted a mission from the Mercenary Union to the Blazing Mountain Range, then followed the employer there.” Yun Jin shrugged and said: “She never had a Tailwind Horse before. Though I’ve got to say, Lou Mu Yan’s quite eye-catching now.”
Chi Yu Xian frowned slightly, then said: “Let’s go.”
Lou Mu Yan rode directly back to the Marshal’s Mansion. The moment she hopped off the Tailwind Horse, she saw a grey-haired, spirited old man who smiled and opened the door excitedly. “Young Miss, you’re finally back.”
“Grandpa Yi!” Lou Mu Yan shouted with an affectionate smile.
This old man was the chief steward of the Marshal’s Mansion and had always taken good care of her. He was also an old associate who fought alongside her grandfather in the past. As he had never married, he now settled in the Marshal’s Mansion for his later years and was an Advanced-Phase Great Sword Master.
“Young Miss, quickly go to the lobby, Marshal, General and the two Young Masters are all there.” Lou Yi looked at Lou Mu Yan affectionately. He always treated Lou Mu Yan as his own granddaughter and exceptionally pampered her.
Lou Mu Yan nodded and handed the rein in her hand to Lou Yi, “Then I’ll bother Grandpa Yi to find a place for my Tailwind Horse.”
Although Lou Yi was curious about why Lou Mu Yan had a Tailwind Horse, but he didn’t ask, took the rein, and said, “Just leave it to me.”
“Ok, then Grandpa Yi, I’ll head over to the lobby first.” Seeing Lou Yi nod, Lou Mu Yan hurried towards the lobby where the people of the Marshal’s Mansion used to discuss formal matters.
And right now, several people were sitting in the lobby.
Lou Mu Yan’s grandfather, Lou Zhan Tian; her father, Lou Mo Yu; eldest brother, Lou Mu Bai; and her elder twin brother, Lou Mu Ting.
Lou Mu Yan also had two uncles, but one was guarding the battlefield in the frontier, while the other left to travel.
“Grandfather, father, eldest brother, second elder brother.” Lou Mu Yan entered the main lobby and addressed each of them with a warm expression.
“Yan’er is back.” Lou Mo Yu looked at his daughter affectionately as she entered the door, “How did you lose weight?”
The corner of Lou Mu Yan’s mouth twitched—where did she lose weight? She was just right.
“Humph, stinky girl, you still know to return?” Lou Zhan Tian snorted, but the smile in his eyes still revealed that he was very happy.
Lou Mu Yan immediately stepped forward right beside her grandfather to appease him: “Grandpa, didn’t I come back to surprise you?”
“Stinky girl, what sort of surprise could you give us?” Lou Mu Ting tugged at Lou Mu Yan’s arm and the face that looked highly similar to Lou Mu Yan’s wore a brilliant smile.
Lou Mu Bai’s handsome face also revealed a soft smile and looked at Lou Mu Yan with warmth in his eyes.