Chapter 99: Joint Meridian Opening (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99: Joint Meridian Opening (1)
Namgung Jun asked, his voice laced with doubt.
“A sudden meridian opening?”
“The intensity of your seizures has been getting worse since the second opening, hasn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s unavoidable.”
Opening the nine severed meridians one by one didn't mean the Yin Cold Qi of the Nine Yin Severed Meridian would decrease. It was merely an opening; the fundamental constitution of the Nine Yin Severed Meridian itself was not altered or weakened.
Instead, the Yin Cold Qi would concentrate even more intensely in the remaining, unopened meridians.
Consequently, the difficulty of each subsequent opening skyrocketed with every success.
There was no way to perform all nine openings in succession, and the chances of a human body enduring such a violent process were infinitesimally low. Yet, if the openings were performed separately over time, the process only grew more difficult, and the seizures more severe. This was one of the reasons the Nine Yin Severed Meridian was so notoriously difficult to treat.
“I’ve consulted the Azure Medicine Pavilion Master,” Lee Se-ha said. “He agreed that opening them as quickly as possible is the only answer for now.”
“That may be true, but…”
Namgung Jun couldn’t readily accept her proposal. Having experienced the process firsthand, he knew all too well the immense toll it would take. Worrying for his master above all else, he asked again.
“Will you be alright, Master? It will place a massive burden on you. In the worst-case scenario, you could suffer severe internal injuries.”
Lee Se-ha lightly balled her fist and tapped him on the forehead. Flashing a mischievous, playful smile, she then gently stroked his hair.
“What kind of master holds back when her disciple needs help?” Lee Se-ha added in a warm voice, “Besides, I told you when I took you in—I said I would help you open your meridians.”
“I remember.”
In Se-ha’s large, clear eyes, only Namgung Jun’s reflection could be seen. She knew the risks and the burden, but her attitude made it clear that none of it mattered if it was for her disciple.
Reading her heart, Jun could only manage a small smile. “With two martial artists who have mastered the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula working together, opening a Nine Yin Severed Meridian should be nothing.”
After a brief moment of contemplation, Jun had no choice but to yield.
“I suppose there’s no other way.”
“Besides, if we’re going to do the future openings together, we need to get the hang of it and gain experience as quickly as possible. The first and second meridians were opened so suddenly that we didn't even have time to coordinate.”
Jun glanced around Se-ha’s office. The bookshelves were filled with more medical texts on severed meridians and acupoints than martial arts manuals. There were even transcriptions of manuals from the Tang Clan. It seemed she had acquired medical books every time she ventured into the Jianghu on a mission.
It was clear that Se-ha had been tirelessly researching how to open the Nine Yin Severed Meridian in her own way. Her warm, unwavering devotion felt almost tangible.
“Very well. Let’s go.”
Jun and Se-ha headed straight for the Azure Medicine Pavilion. They intended to utilize not only their own strength but also all the assistance the physicians of the Azure Medicine Pavilion could provide.
* * *
When they entered the Azure Medicine Pavilion, the physicians were already bustling about, as if they had been notified in advance.
The Azure Medicine Pavilion Master looked at the master and disciple walking in side-by-side, his expression grim.
“Welcome. Are you really going to attempt it now?”
Se-ha nodded, her eyes on Jun. “We’re already quite late as it is.”
“That is true. Ideally, we should have opened them sequentially, starting from the very first one.”
Jun could only offer an awkward smile. The first two times had been forced by unavoidable circumstances, leaving him no choice but to endure them. This third opening, however, was being conducted with thorough preparation, which eased his mind considerably.
The discussion began. Not only the Azure Medicine Pavilion Master but also several of the pavilion's most skilled physicians stepped forward to contribute.
Medicinal decoctions and acupuncture techniques capable of suppressing the cold energy of the Nine Yin Severed Meridian, even if only slightly, were prepared. The Pavilion Master and Se-ha unrolled a detailed chart of human acupoints and went over the finer points.
“Do not think of this as simply lending him your internal energy,” the Pavilion Master warned Se-ha. “Since you are participating directly in the opening, it wouldn’t be surprising if you suffered internal injuries from the Yin Cold Qi of the Nine Yin Severed Meridian.”
“I am prepared,” Se-ha replied firmly.
The Pavilion Master pointed out the recommended pathways for the opening and added, “We have prepared various countermeasures, but in the end, you, Heavenly Sword Hall Master, will have to face it directly and adapt on the fly.”
“Understood. I’ll do it.”
After finishing their consultation, Se-ha sat behind Jun, who was seated cross-legged in the lotus position.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Good.”
As the Pavilion Master nodded, the master and disciple drank their medicinal decoctions and immediately took out a spirit elixir. It was a high-grade spirit elixir they had been awarded in recognition of their contribution to raising the Heavenly Sword Hall's strength during the recent evaluation. They planned to borrow the elixir’s power as a precaution.
Wuuuung!
As the raw, potent energy of the elixir filled his meridians, Se-ha immediately placed her hand on Jun’s Mingmen Acupoint. Feeling his master’s soft touch, Jun also immersed himself in Qi Circulation.
Focusing on his internal state, he felt the internal energy of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula flowing in from the Mingmen Acupoint on his back. It was an incredibly familiar sensation.
Unlike her disciple, his master had achieved Great Accomplishment in the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula. Although she had not yet reached Peak Mastery, her energy radiated an immense, overwhelming heat. With this level of power, even the Yin Cold Qi of the Nine Yin Severed Meridian would be suppressed. Feeling Se-ha’s Scorching Yang Qi firsthand gave him confidence that she would play a massive role in this opening.
I need to advance my own Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula quickly.
Lately, he had been so engrossed in the Spear King Azure Aura that his progress with the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula had stalled. Jun was reminded once again that he needed to balance the cultivation of both arts.
—Jun, I'm starting.
—Yes. I will guide my internal energy through the Yunmen Acupoint.
Even during Qi Circulation, the Voice Transmissions between master and disciple flowed without pause. As agreed beforehand, they circulated the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula through different pathways, a strategy to prevent the Yin Cold Qi from spreading to other meridians.
As the two streams of Scorching Yang Qi gradually approached the third severed meridian, the Nine Yin Severed Meridian reacted instantly, as if it were a living creature.
Kwaaaa!
A powerful wave of Yin Cold Qi surged like a raging river, centered on the third severed meridian. In an instant, the frigid energy greedily flooded the meridians throughout his body.
As expected, it's much stronger.
The speed and range at which his meridians stiffened and froze exceeded his expectations. Yet, neither master nor disciple backed down, pushing their Scorching Yang Qi straight forward. The two opposing energies clashed within countless branching minor meridians. There was no compromise. The conflicting forces bit, tore, and shoved against each other relentlessly.
Kwagagang!
Clashes of Yin and Yang erupted like miniature explosions around the third severed meridian. An excruciating pain, as if his body were about to be torn apart from the inside, washed over him, but he had already steeled himself for this.
Jun maintained his composure and continued his Qi Circulation.
Mmh.
A severe chill crept through him, as if he had been struck by the Internal Heavy Hand Technique of an ice-art master. He had to bear the brunt of the collision, but Jun did not waver. With Se-ha supporting him from behind, the impact was dispersed. Furthermore, he now possessed a second power that he hadn’t had during the second opening.
Jun slowly began to draw upon the Spear King Azure Aura. The pure, noble internal energy, which had been resting quietly in his Dantian, began to flow out. It not only protected the meridians being shaken and torn by the clash of Yin and Yang but also lent strength to the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula, which was losing ground in the power struggle.
He had already confirmed through multiple circulations that the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula and the Spear King Azure Aura did not conflict. While it was impossible for the two distinct internal energies to merge completely, they were more than capable of assisting each other.
The Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula and the Spear King Azure Aura filled his meridians simultaneously. Under Jun's precise control, the two energies pressed down on the Yin Cold Qi.
Kuuuung!
A massive internal rumble shook his mind once more. For a split second, Jun felt his consciousness fade, but he immediately snapped back to attention.
This is no easy task.
The third severed meridian was far thicker and tougher than the previous ones. Had he attempted this alone, it would have been nearly impossible. But Jun could clearly feel the warm, steady presence supporting him from behind.
Kwaaaa!
From another direction, the Great Accomplishment of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula poured down like a waterfall. The Thunder Qi that Se-ha had refined stretched out like a long spear, relentlessly battering the third severed meridian.
—Jun, are you alright?
—I can endure it. I think you can increase the power.
—Understood.
Exchanging thoughts through Voice Transmission, the master and disciple hammered at the third severed meridian without pause. Although the Yin Cold Qi flared up in various places, the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula and the Spear King Azure Aura moved independently to counter it. Even for Jun, who possessed memories of a past life and could perform peerless-level internal energy manipulation, this was no simple feat. It felt as though he were managing dozens of chaotic battles erupting all across his body's meridians.
It's a pity to use the Spear King Azure Aura this way, but I have to be content with it playing a supporting role.
Since the Spear King Azure Aura did not possess a hot Yang nature, its ability was limited to overwhelming and suppressing the Yin Cold Qi. It was of little help in refining and absorbing the scattered Yin Cold Qi. Any energy that wasn't properly refined would remain in his meridians, potentially forming another blockage or worsening his internal injuries. Ultimately, he had to rely on the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula to fully refine and absorb all of the Yin Cold Qi.
Koong!
The war of attrition inside Jun's body dragged on. However, the master and disciple did not rush, steadily suppressing the Yin Cold Qi step-by-step. As the grueling battle slowly began to tilt in their favor, Se-ha played a card she had been holding in reserve.
It was the raw, unrefined energy of the high-grade spirit elixir.
She channeled the raw energy directly into him, bolstering her Scorching Yang Qi and hammering the third severed meridian with renewed force. Sensing this, Jun sent a Voice Transmission in surprise. He had expected her to save that energy in case they ran low, not use it so early.
—Master?
—Don't worry. A mere elixir is nothing. Besides, if its energy remains in my disciple's body, I have nothing to regret.
Koong! Koong! Koong!
How long had they been hammering at it? Perhaps because he had experienced it so many times, his mind seemed to have adapted; even the brain-rattling impacts now felt strangely peaceful.
It was undoubtedly a fierce battle. Yet, one thing was certain: it was far smoother than when he had attempted the openings alone. Although he had received outside help during the first and second openings, it was nothing compared to the support his master was providing now.
She is truly reliable.
In the entire Jianghu, masters who had cultivated Scorching Yang Qi to such a high level were exceedingly rare. A master he could trust completely with his back was even rarer. Because of this, Jun felt that this opening was actually easier than the first two. The third severed meridian was tougher and thicker, but with his master by his side, he never once doubted they would break through.
Kuuuuung!
It was at that moment, as the stubborn meridian shook more violently than ever before.
—Jun.
—Yes, Master. Let's do this.
Both master and disciple sensed the opportunity simultaneously. At that instant, the energies of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula, which had been alternately hammering the meridian from two different directions, merged into one.
—Follow the mnemonic formula of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula exactly.
—Understood.
Since they practiced the same martial art, no lengthy explanation was needed. Even simple internal energy manipulation carried one's intent.
Reciting the exact same mnemonic formula, the master and disciple unleashed their Scorching Yang Qi as one.
Kwaaaaang!
In an instant, the combined energy surged forward like a raging torrent, shattering the third severed meridian.