"Planting Lotus in Fire" is a Daoist term originally used to describe a cultivator’s demeanor of remaining unwavering and calm in adversity.
But simultaneously, this phrase can be extended to mean a magnificent scene of stepping steadily through flames, planting lotus flowers with each step.
Imagine, amidst a sea of fire, you traverse through, and with each step a lotus blooms underfoot, what kind of a mystical leg technique must this be.
Zhao Ya never expected his leg technique to advance so successfully.
Overjoyed, Zhao Ya opened the attribute panel.
Name: Zhao Ya. Age: 21 years. Remaining lifespan: 2313 (+89 days) years.
Skills: Eight Vajra Longevity Skill (Peak Performance 99%)
Wind-Slaying Saber Technique (Extraordinary to Saint)
Immovable Ming King Fist (Returning to the Essence 13%)
Light as a Feather (Returning to the Essence 99%)
Spirit Turtle Hibernation Technique (Returning to the Essence 80%)
Great Stone-Throwing Hand (Peak Performance 99%)
Golden Body Armor Technique (Returning to the Essence 60%)
Planting Lotus in Fire (Returning to the Essence 2%)
[Large Intestine Unlock Progress: 9%]
[Small Intestine Unlock Progress: 7%]
After the New Year, Zhao Ya’s age increased by one year, but other than that, all aspects of martial arts, including the intestinal unlock progress, had no significant changes.
This was also related to Zhao Ya’s continuous focus on leg technique during this time.
Then Zhao Ya opened the human body outline map and saw that the Dantian was dazzling with starlight, and the Middle Cavity Acupoint below the Dantian was also lit.
Zhao Ya took a deep breath, found a flat and sheltered spot, and began to cultivate the Star-devouring True Power.
At this moment, the new year had just ended, the sky showed no trace of moonlight, only huge stars flickering continually.
In this wild countryside, Zhao Ya quickly entered a state of meditation.
He felt the starry glow across the sky flowing into his body with each breath, continuously converging in the Dantian.
Soon, the previously dormant Star-devouring True Power in the Middle Cavity Acupoint became active.
Zhao Ya’s mind stirred slightly and he guided it with a bit of intention.
In an instant, the Star-devouring True Power effortlessly broke through the Qu Bone Acupoint and came to the Huiyin Sea Bottom Acupoint.
Zhao Ya’s body trembled slightly, first because the Qu Bone Acupoint was successfully broken and refined, and second because the Sea Bottom Acupoint was touched.
It should be known that the Sea Bottom Acupoint is the connecting point of the Ren and Du Meridians, one of the body’s most hidden and significant acupoints.
Zhao Ya had thought breaking through the Qu Bone Acupoint would already be quite good, but unexpectedly, the Star-devouring True Power which should have waned after breaking the Qu Bone Acupoint suddenly became active again.
The Middle Cavity and Qu Bone Acupoints, together with the Dantian, brightened and assisted, propelling the previously stagnant Star-devouring True Power forward.
Without a sound, Zhao Ya only felt a massive tremor throughout his body, and then the Sea Bottom Acupoint was successfully breached.
After breaking through two acupoints in succession, the Star-devouring True Power finally calmed down.
Subsequently, Zhao Ya slowly opened his eyes and exhaled deeply.
Although only a moment had passed, his entire body was drenched in sweat.
Despite this, Zhao Ya felt an indescribable freshness, as if the world before him had become clearer.
Recalling the scene when breaking through the Sea Bottom Acupoint earlier, where the Middle Cavity and Qu Bone worked together to assist, Zhao Ya felt a surge of excitement.
He originally thought that with his cultivation progress, refining and opening the Ren and Du Meridians would be a time-consuming endeavor.
After all, he’d have to refine one acupoint at a time.
But now Zhao Ya discovered that after refining an acupoint, it not only wasn’t a burden but also provided additional support.
One or two might be inconspicuous, but what if numerous acupoints were refined?
When a massive amount of support accumulates, wouldn’t the progress in opening meridians and refining acupoints accelerate significantly?
Zhao Ya increasingly believed that Fu Dongjun, who created the Star-devouring True Power, was indeed a prodigy.
Key was, this cultivation technique seemed tailor-made for him, even the creator Fu Dongjun couldn’t have better results than Zhao Ya in his cultivation.
Zhao Ya speculated, in his time, Fu Dongjun likely broke through meridians first, then refined acupoints, and used them as mini Dantians.
But with the human body outline map, Zhao Ya took a completely different path.
He could refine acupoints first, then gradually breakthrough relying on the combined power of Dantian and acupoints.
Realizing this, Zhao Ya felt his confidence soar.
Now that his leg technique had advanced, the breakthrough in Lightweight Body Technique should also be imminent.
And after discovering the characteristics of the Star-devouring True Power, Zhao Ya felt he should shift his focus to cultivating it.
After all, whether leg technique or Lightweight Skill, they are merely applications of power.
All power stems from the realm.
As long as he can unblock the Ren and Du Meridians in a short time and advance to the Meridian Opening Realm,
Then in the Azure Dragon Temple or places beyond the world, he would truly possess self-preservation strength.
Zhao Ya certainly did not believe that Xia Jiye and others would let go of Yu Zhang’s death easily.
They would most likely retaliate against him after the situation calmed down a bit.
That’s why Zhao Ya felt such a strong sense of urgency.
In the following days, apart from continuing to study in the library during the day, Zhao Ya spent almost every night cultivating the Star-devouring True Power.
And indeed as he expected, with the increase in refined acupoints, the support grew larger, and progress naturally surged, achieving progress almost daily.
Fifteenth of the first lunar month.
This was the final festival of the new year, and after this day the new year was officially over.
Those disciples of the Azure Dragon Temple who went home for the new year had all gradually returned.
The Azure Dragon Temple, quiet for several days, had become lively once again.
Many people, after returning, still hadn’t quickly returned to their usual state. Instead, they called friends over, gathering in groups to drink.
Especially since today was the Lantern Festival, this was even more the case.
Gui Xuanqing also invited Zhao Ya to drink, but Zhao Ya declined.
Now that his cultivation had reached a critical moment, Zhao Ya naturally didn’t want to slacken even the slightest bit.
So, after declining Gui Xuanqing, Zhao Ya once again headed to the back mountain, finding a quiet and sheltered spot to continue his cultivation.
In just a dozen days, Zhao Ya had surprisingly opened more than half of his Ren and Du Meridians.
If this progress were spoken of, probably no one would believe it.
Because it had never been heard of anyone breaking through these two meridians so easily.
These are, after all, the great bridges for the circulation of Qi Blood in the human body.
Especially involving the acupoints on top of the head, which are of utmost importance, with even a slight negligence potentially causing severe consequences.
Therefore, from ancient times to the present, anyone attempting to open these two meridians would make proper preparations and seek experienced masters to protect and assist them.
There’s no one like Zhao Ya, who has independently cultivated for less than a month, and almost completely opened them.
At this moment, Zhao Ya proficiently entered a meditative state, then began to mobilize his True Power, accumulating strength, striving to break through successfully in one go today.
Currently, the Star-devouring True Power of Zhao Ya had already broken through to the Ren Meridian Jianli Acupoint; with just the Lower Cavity, Water, and Shen Que acupoints, the Qi Sea could be fully opened through, thus accomplishing the complete opening of the Ren and Du Meridians.
Despite being just a step away from success, Zhao Ya dared not slacken or be careless in the slightest.
Those who travel a hundred miles should consider ninety as halfway.
The closer to this final moment, the more caution and care are needed.
Zhao Ya prepared for a full hour, feeling as if the starlight in his Dantian and various acupoints had merged into one before he somewhat used his mind, continuing to break through.
The Lower Cavity Acupoint was overcome without any hindrance, easily broken through.
The following Water Acupoint was the same.
But when it came to the final acupoint, Shen Que, the previously unstoppable Star-devouring True Power finally encountered an obstacle.
It was as if an extremely tough thin film blocked the way, and regardless of how the Star-devouring True Power assaulted it, it couldn’t advance even a step.
After several consecutive attempts, even Zhao Ya, who had anticipated it, couldn’t help but feel a bit irritable.
Thus, he decisively stopped cultivating and withdrew from the meditative state.
At this time, a full moon hung in the mid-heavens, as it had just snowed a few days ago, making the mountain forest as bright as daylight.
Zhao Ya stood up, his figure lightly flashing, leaping from the ground to the treetop.
The dry branches didn’t even shake, only a few snowflakes were stirred up.
Then, Zhao Ya transformed into a gust of wind under the moon, swiftly running through the mountain forest.
Wherever he passed, aside from a faint trace, almost no impression was left.
In the blink of an eye, Zhao Ya sprinted out for over a dozen miles, arriving before the large lake he frequently trained at.
Even after the New Year, the lake surface was still frozen with a thick layer of ice.
Zhao Ya casually smashed open a large hole, didn’t bother to undress, and jumped straight in.
The icy lake water swiftly engulfed him.
Zhao Ya quickly sank to the lake’s bottom, then sat cross-legged, beginning his cultivation.
The water pressure forced Zhao Ya into a state of internal breathing, while this isolated state made Zhao Ya’s mind immensely clear and serene.
In just a moment, Zhao Ya felt countless starlights continuously pouring into him.
But it wasn’t enough; Zhao Ya felt something was missing.
Suddenly.
He lifted his head, opening his eyes.
Even through the thick ice layer, Zhao Ya could still see the bright moon in the sky.
Then Zhao Ya slightly shifted his mind, consciously guiding the moonlight into his body.
Compared to the faint starlight, the moonlight was far more intense.
With just a thought, the boundless moonlight surged in like a tide.
Instantly, Zhao Ya felt his Dantian and various acupoints swelling with fullness.
Without waiting for Zhao Ya’s intention, the Star-devouring True Power surged directly towards the Shen Que Acupoint.
The once resilient obstacle was gradually worn away...
Suddenly.
Zhao Ya’s body trembled, and the surrounding lake water surged up in massive waves.
Even the ice on the lake surface was shattered, with a water column shooting up a dozen meters high before slowly falling down.
Such a terrifying momentum echoed far and wide in the silent mountain forest.
Many wild beasts were startled away.
At the same time, a figure fluttered and landed gently on the snow.
The thick snow didn’t indent at all, seeming as if what stood above wasn’t a person but an ethereal shadow.
Then, Zhao Ya slowly exhaled a mouthful of murky air.
His breath, like an arrow, shot out straight for five to six meters before dissipating.
Meanwhile, steam rose from Zhao Ya’s body, and in the blink of an eye, his wet clothes dried as if they were new.
Then two lines of prompts appeared before Zhao Ya’s eyes.
[Body Technique upgraded successfully, gained Stepping on Snow Without Leaving Traces]
[Ren and Du Meridians refining successful, advanced to the Meridian Opening Realm]
With years of hard work and perseverance, Zhao Ya finally advanced to the Meridian Opening Realm at the age of just twenty-one.