บท 128: Chapter 128: Cleansing the Marrow and Meridian
Hearing this, Lu An pondered for a moment and tentatively replied:
"Did Master wish for me to observe the competitors and the mysteries within the Green Mountain?"
Chong Wen chuckled softly and then shook his head.
"To have opponents in your heart is to make the world your enemy. To have no opponents in your heart is to walk the path freely. It is as simple as that. Why speak of opponents?"
Lu An reflected on this statement and heard Chong Wen continue:
"The reason I had you enter last was to avoid letting you fall into the trap of competing for rankings."
"This Green Mountain trial is not about who climbs the fastest but who climbs the highest and stands the most steadily."
"Every step you take to the next level leaves no room for retreat."
"Each step of the staircase presents a different view. If you focus only on competing for first place, wouldn't you waste a tremendous opportunity?"
Chong Wen paused, then continued:
"You also know that each step up the staircase imposes immense pressure."
"But remember, you must never use your true qi to resist the pressure of the steps."
Lu An was moved and bowed deeply to Chong Wen.
"Thank you for the guidance, Master."
Then, he suddenly thought of something and a trace of doubt appeared in his eyes.
Chong Wen noticed and smiled slightly, saying:
"Are you wondering why I didn't provide guidance to that child Xidong?"
Lu An nodded. As Chong Wen's personal disciple, Ji Xidong was closer to him, so it seemed odd that Chong Wen would guide him but not Xidong.
Chong Wen shook his head, glanced briefly in the direction of the Qi Emperor, and said slowly:
"This kind of secret is not for everyone to know. At least Xidong is not qualified yet."
"Furthermore, opening this Water Sky Secret Realm requires consuming vast resources. Previous conferences did not last long."
"This time, His Majesty personally ordered the removal of the time limit and kept it confidential. Do you understand?"
With that, Chong Wen fell silent.
Lu An was slightly startled, realizing that this order came directly from the Qi Emperor and was known only to him.
As for why, it was clear to him now. It seemed the talisman charging method he provided had an effect beyond expectations.
Compared to the national military strength, the Qi Emperor making an exception for him was not too surprising.
Every action and decision indeed followed its own rules.
When he had offered the charging method earlier, Lu An had never considered the future rewards. He had simply thought that with Great Qi facing internal and external troubles, this method could enhance the country's military strength and perhaps alleviate some immediate concerns, so he had presented it.
Now, the results of the seed he had sown earlier had already borne fruit.
One should not underestimate the few pointers from the National Master; they were immensely beneficial to him. The other participants were unaware of this and would naturally rush to climb higher, missing out on the benefits of each level.
By the time they realized this, they would already be high up, and the terrifying pressure would make it impossible for them to hold on for long, forcing them to withdraw in frustration.
Lu An was different. With the Qi Emperor removing the time limit, he could carefully comprehend each level and climb to the peak.
In this way, the gains he obtained would surely be incomparable to those of others.
With this thought, he cupped his fists in respect to his Master and then deeply bowed to the distant Qi Emperor.
He then transformed into a streak of light and headed towards the Water Sky Secret Realm.
His figure passed through the enormous shadowy gate, and just as a slight dizziness hit him, Little Black at his wrist flashed with light, instantly dispelling the dizziness.
In the next moment, Lu An appeared at the foot of the Green Mountain.
He lovingly patted Little Black's head. With Little Black around, he no longer feared spatial travel.
Retracting his gaze, he looked around.
At the base of the Green Mountain, there was no sign of anyone; even the least skilled cultivators had left him far behind.
However, with his Master's hint, he was not anxious. Instead, he calmly walked towards the first step.
As he stepped up, Lu An immediately felt a tremendous force pressing down on him.
He furrowed his brow. Though the pressure was immense, if he used his true qi, his strong cultivation would allow him to run on the steps without problem.
However, his Master had instructed him not to use true qi to resist. Although he did not understand why, he had no choice but to follow.
Once he was fully standing on the first step, the surrounding pressure instantly increased.
The terrifying force pressed heavily on his shoulders, bending his knees sharply.
Yet, Lu An's physical body had already reached the extreme realm. Although he had not practiced body-tempering techniques, he was not comparable to cultivators of the same realm.
Faced with this immense pressure, he managed to endure it.
The terrifying pressure continued to seep into his body, a sensation that penetrated to the bone, pinning him firmly to the ground, making even the slightest movement difficult.
On the viewing platform, the National Master returned to stand behind the Qi Emperor, observing Lu An's scene on the water screen with a nod.
"Is he really Yue Wu's disciple?"
The Qi Emperor's gaze was deep as he asked slowly.
"Yes, he carries the five-colored disk. There's no mistake."
Upon hearing this, the Qi Emperor couldn't help but chuckle and then showed a nostalgic expression.
"Speaking of the idea of digging out the Dao Stele, it was actually my suggestion. Back then, you and your brother took the blame for me."
Chong Wen also smiled, appearing to reminisce about that time fondly.
"It was inevitable. At that time, you were the crown prince. If such a major issue occurred, your position would be in jeopardy."
"For us, it didn't matter. With the support of our Master, the late Emperor wouldn't have done anything."
The Qi Emperor did not dwell on this matter but instead focused on Lu An.
"This child has received your guidance and already grasped the essence of climbing the Green Mountain. After undergoing the cleansing marrow and meridian trial, his future achievements will not be inferior to you and your brother."
"Only, I wonder how many steps he can ascend relying solely on his physical body."
"After all, the opportunity to gain cultivation every hundred steps is also a remarkable chance."
Chong Wen shook his head and spoke:
"It's almost impossible to rely solely on the physical body to climb a hundred layers."
"But compared to the cleansing marrow and meridian trial, what is cultivation?"
"The chance to change one's root bones only comes once. As for cultivation, it can naturally be made up with years of hard practice."
The Qi Emperor grunted in agreement, clearly recognizing this.
The reason he made an exception for Lu An was, first, due to the importance of the talisman charging method he provided to Great Qi.
Second, it was because of the old bond between him and Chong Wen and Yue Wu. Saying they grew up together without clothes would not be an exaggeration. Although there was now a difference between ruler and minister, he could not ignore the disciples of his former brothers when they first met.
On Lu An's side, the terrifying pressure had almost permeated his entire body, leaving only his dantian unaffected.
Just as the pressure began to affect his dantian, an unexpected change occurred!
The extreme true intent in his dantian suddenly activated on its own, then spread throughout his body.
From his limbs to his head, from the twelve meridians to the eight extraordinary vessels.
Lu An suddenly felt that he could move.
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