Chapter 103: Chapter 99: Tianzong Acupoint

The next morning, Zhao Lin clocked in for duty and headed to the fish and bird market near the East City docks.

Sparrows were the most common birds by the river, and catching them would be a hassle. It was easier to just buy some here.

"Sir, why have you started selling birds instead of turtles?"

Zhao Lin wandered over to a bird stall and was surprised to find that the owner was the same old man who had sold him the turtle.

The old man exclaimed, "Well, look who it is! A regular customer."

"You still remember me?"

"Heh, this old man’s memory isn’t what it used to be, but it’s hard to forget an officer’s uniform like yours."

’That makes sense,’ Zhao Lin thought. He asked, "Why the switch to selling birds?"

The old man sighed. "It’s getting cold, isn’t it? The turtles are hibernating and not very active, so I went to the outskirts of the county to get some birds to sell."

Zhao Lin glanced at the stall, where a dozen or so birdcages were arranged at various heights.

The cages held parrots, mynas, canaries, orioles, and some other birds he couldn’t name, all chirping away incessantly.

"So, Officer, looking to buy a bird?"

the old man asked, seeing Zhao Lin staring at the birds.

"Yes, could you pick a few for me?"

"Alright! Are you looking for pretty ones, or ones with a beautiful song?"

Zhao Lin thought for a moment. "It doesn’t matter. Just give me some sturdy ones."

"Sturdy ones?"

’He’s probably worried he won’t be able to keep them alive,’ the old man thought, which would explain the request. He did as Zhao Lin asked, picking out four lively, energetic birds with bright, glossy feathers.

"A parrot, a Lark, a myna, and an oriole. That’s twenty-one wen in total. I’ll knock off the one for you, so just twenty wen! Come again next time."

"Will you still be selling birds next time I come?"

"Haha, you have a good sense of humor, Officer. But then again, who knows?"

Zhao Lin carried the four birdcages to the riverbank and lined them up on the levee.

"Who wants to be first?"

The birds were wary of their strange new surroundings. Some were even trembling. Only the parrot was making a racket, squawking nonstop. "SQUAWK! SQUAWK! SQUAWK!"

Zhao Lin glanced at it and said to himself, "You’ll do."

A moment later, the parrot’s Essence Soul slowly began to rise.

Zhao Lin took a deep breath and looked at the Spirit Beast Scroll in his mind.

Just as he expected, it moved again!

Zhao Lin frowned, watching blankly as the Essence Soul dissipated in the air. After a long moment of thought, he suddenly reached for the myna’s cage...

An Essence Soul rose, and the Spirit Beast Scroll flickered and trembled.

He drew a sharp breath.

This time, Zhao Lin couldn’t remain calm. This was a clear sign that he could, in fact, absorb the Essence Souls of birds.

But why couldn’t he before?

’Did the Spirit Beast Scroll change somehow, or was it because of me?’

He looked at the remaining Lark and oriole, hesitated for a long while, and finally shook his head.

’I can’t act rashly until I figure out why!’

He could absorb the turtle’s Essence Soul last time, but the cost was that the other Essence Souls were either sealed off or damaged. That was unacceptable.

Zhao Lin stood up and left the riverbank, leaving a scattering of bird feathers behind.

...

After noon, Zhao Lin returned to the Liuhe Sect, carrying two birdcages.

The apprentices in the front courtyard looked over curiously, wondering why Zhao Lin kept bringing birds to the sect. ’Is he trying to curry favor with Master?’ they thought.

Zhao Lin, of course, was oblivious to their thoughts and went straight to the study in the rear courtyard.

Zhu Huaishan knew he would be back around this time and was already waiting in the study. Hearing the knock, he told him to come in.

"Why did you bring birds with you?" Zhu Huaishan asked with a frown.

Zhao Lin wanted to observe the birds’ behavior to find inspiration, but he couldn’t explain that to his master. He made up an excuse. "I get restless being alone underground for so long. The birds are just to relieve the boredom. Don’t worry, Master, it won’t affect my training."

Zhu Huaishan nodded slightly, reluctantly accepting the reason, and took out a key for him.

"This is the key to the study. Take it. In the future, if I’m not here for some reason, you can let yourself in to train. Just remember to close the secret chamber door properly."

"Yes, Master."

Zhao Lin took the key, pushed aside the bookshelf against the wall, and entered the secret chamber, closing the door behind him.

’Which acupoint should I work on today?’

Zhao Lin thought to himself as he recovered his cultivation base by retracting his internal energy, then looked inward at the six yang meridians within his body.

The six yang meridians were the Hand Shaoyang, Hand Taiyang, Hand Yangming, Foot Shaoyang, Foot Taiyang, and Foot Yangming Meridians.

These six meridians originated in the hands and feet, hence their names, and their related acupoints were spread throughout the entire body.

’The Hand Taiyang Meridian has the fewest acupoints. I’ll start with that one!’

Zhao Lin quickly made his decision. He activated the Sea Return Skill, driving his internal energy to surge toward the Hand Taiyang Meridian.

The Hand Taiyang Meridian started at the Shaoze Acupoint on the finger, traveled up the arm, across the shoulder blade, and ended at the Tinggong Acupoint by the ear.

The entire meridian had nineteen acupoints. Zhao Lin had already broken through ten of them when he took the Moisturizing Pill to open his Qi Sea. This time, it was the Tianzong Acupoint’s turn, located below the shoulder blade.

Breaking through acupoints required no great skill, only perseverance and patience.

One had to apply continuous pressure to make the acupoint respond, yet not use too much force and damage the meridian. Controlling the force was a true test of one’s mental fortitude.

A dull rumbling echoed within Zhao Lin’s body as his internal energy crashed against the Tianzong Acupoint like a violent tide.

At first, he carefully controlled the force, but after a few tries, he began to gradually increase the intensity.

He dared to do this because the Spirit Beast Scroll had absorbed the Essence Souls of the bear and the Golden Leopard, making his meridians much wider and more resilient than those of other martial artists. He didn’t have to worry about causing any damage.

In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the area around the Tianzong Acupoint grew scorching hot, and a tearing pain emanated from its center.

But compared to the torment of absorbing an Essence Soul, this pain was nothing to Zhao Lin. He gritted his teeth and endured it until the agony gradually faded into numbness.

He couldn’t give up halfway when breaking through an acupoint. If he did, it would return to its original state overnight, and all his previous efforts would be wasted.

After about two hours, the Tianzong Acupoint finally showed a hint of loosening.

’It’s about to break.’

A flash of excitement appeared in Zhao Lin’s eyes. He sped up the rate of impact, ramming it with all his strength.

In the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, his body shuddered. The Tianzong Acupoint suddenly burst open, and his internal energy swarmed in, rapidly filling the acupoint and reaching the surface of his skin.

The Hand Taiyang Meridian had extended another section.

Zhao Lin let out a soft breath and calmed his mind. He tried to control the internal energy on the surface of his skin but quickly gave up.

This internal energy could only vibrate in a one-inch radius around the acupoint; it couldn’t leave that area.

Only by reaching the First Layer of the Qi Realm, when the six yang meridians were all connected, could he truly control this internal energy and form a protective layer on the surface of his skin.

By the same logic, covering his fists with internal energy would also increase his attack power.

’Only by entering the First Layer of the Qi Realm can I control this internal energy at will and give myself an extra layer of protection.’

As Zhao Lin was thinking this, he was suddenly struck by a thought. He felt as if he had grasped something crucial and muttered to himself, "At the First Layer of the Qi Realm, internal energy can flow on the surface of the skin."

"Controlling the flow of internal energy, the flow of qi... I understand!"

A look of joyous surprise flashed in Zhao Lin’s eyes. If he hadn’t been worried about his master hearing him from outside, he would have burst out laughing. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

’So that’s it! The reason I couldn’t absorb the Essence Souls of birds before was because I didn’t have this ability.’

’But it’s different now, because I’ve already entered the Qi Realm!’

’By controlling the flow of internal energy over my body’s surface, I can generate airflow. If I were in the air, it would have a gliding effect. And if I reach the Second or Third Layer of the Qi Realm, I could project my internal energy even further, maybe even fly like a jet!’

At this thought, everything suddenly became clear to him!