As night fell, the bustling city of Chang'an was shut out by the palace walls. Deep within the Bixie Division, a secluded, airtight room was illuminated by a flickering lamp and filled with the faint scent of medicinal herbs.
Xiao Wuchen stood respectfully in the centre of the room, facing the powerful Bixie Chief Eunuch. The Chief Eunuch's face was perpetually shrouded in an unsettling shadow, but his eyes were as sharp as stars in the cold night sky.
'You're very good, Xiao Wuchen.' The steward's voice was hoarse and emotionless. 'Since joining the company, you've acted decisively and with unwavering resolve, exceeding my expectations.'
Xiao Wuchen bowed and replied, 'This subordinate dares not take credit; it is all thanks to the steward's guidance.'
'Guidance?' The steward sneered, lightly tapping the sandalwood table before him. 'Perfecting Qi Refining at your age is considered exceptional talent. But did you know that Qi Refining is merely a basic skill for strengthening the body? The true martial world begins with Establishing Meridians.'
He raised his hand, Qi surging in his palm. The air in the room seemed to freeze for a moment.
'Internal force is like a turbulent, noisy river, while true Qi is like the deep sea: calm and vast. If you cannot transform the turbulent river into the deep, calm sea, you will only ever be a second-rate fighter, unable to achieve greatness.'
The steward stared directly at Xiao Wuchen, his tone suddenly turning icy. 'Your system can help you to progress faster than ordinary people, but it can't replace the lessons learned through life-or-death combat.'
'I'm giving you one chance to decide whether you can truly step into the martial world.'
He took a sealed dossier from his robes and slowly pushed it onto the table.
'In the west of the city, there is a retired martial arts master known as "Iron Hand". He committed a bloody crime in his youth, for which he was expelled from the court. However, he has been living in seclusion for many years, having reached the early stage of the Qi Establishment realm. He knows the Evil Exorcism Bureau won't let him off easily and is therefore extremely vigilant.'
Xiao Wuchen's heart clenched. Early stage of the Qi Establishment realm! He was currently at the peak of Qi Refining, and even with the system's assistance, there was a nine-in-ten chance of death facing a master with a stable cultivation level.
The steward's voice carried an undeniable authority. 'Your mission is to defeat him. Remember: not simply to capture him alive, but to utterly defeat him, or even end his life."
This is your trial to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. If you complete the mission, you will truly cross this threshold and rise to great heights. If you fail..." The steward didn't finish his sentence, but the unspoken implications were heavier than any threat could be.
Xiao Wuchen took a deep breath, stepped forward and took the dossier. It was warm to the touch, as if it were carrying immense pressure.
'Your subordinate obeys!' A fighting spirit ignited in his eyes. Only when crisis and opportunity coexist can potential be unleashed.
The steward nodded in satisfaction and, with a wave of his hand, two items landed in front of Xiao Wuchen:
One was an ancient jade bottle and the other was a formation plate that shimmered with a faint light.
'The bottle contains a Gathering Yuan Pill, a top-grade elixir. It can help you to accelerate the refining process and solidify your foundation during true qi conversion.'
'As for this array plate...' The steward paused slightly, a meaningful glint in his eyes. 'Your system is a fortuitous encounter, but it has its limits. This item can temporarily secure your opportunity to 'build meridians'. It is only when you fight powerful enemies and face life and death that you will truly understand what 'building meridians' means.'
'Go. I await your news within seven days. I look forward to seeing you at the True Qi Realm, Xiao Wuchen."
Xiao Wuchen put away the pill and the array plate, bowed deeply and turned to leave the meditation room. The moment he stepped out of the Evil-Repelling Bureau's gate, he felt an unprecedented sense of pressure, but at the same time, he felt a surge of excitement and a sense of impending transformation fill his chest.
Target: Early-stage Foundation Building Grandmaster, 'Iron Hand'. Trial difficulty: Extremely High. Reward: Realm Breakthrough to the True Qi Realm!Back at his residence, Xiao Wuchen immediately went on high alert and prepared himself. First, he summoned the system interface. Current realm: Qi Refining Perfection (99%)
Core Technique: Hun Yuan Qi Refining Technique (Perfect)
Martial Skills: Thunderclap Palm (Proficient); Flowing Wind Step (Mastered).
New Mission: Meridian Building Trial: Defeat the early-stage Meridian Building Grandmaster, 'Iron Hand'. Mission reward: Realm Breakthrough: Qi Refining Perfection and Early-stage Meridian Building. Xiao Wuchen didn't rush to take any pills, but instead began meticulously calculating every detail he could improve. 'System, analyse the power gap between me and an early-stage Meridian Building Grandmaster and determine the optimal time to use the "Gathering Yuan Pill" and the "Meridian Building Array Plate".' The system's cold voice sounded: Analysis results: Power gap: the host currently uses internal force to drive martial skills, while the Grandmaster uses true qi. Internal force is weaker than true qi in terms of strength, endurance and explosive power. The host's base combat power is 45% of the Grandmaster's.' Tactical deduction: In order to have a 20% chance of victory, one must trigger the critical point of the cultivation realm during a fierce battle, use the Gathering Yuan Pill to accelerate the conversion of internal energy into true qi, and then briefly lock the cultivation realm channel with the Meridian Building Array. Xiao Wuchen's gaze fell on the 'Meridian Building Array'. He knew that this was not for cultivation assistance, but for survival and breakthroughs. It needed to be used as a last resort in the most dangerous moment. He therefore decided to focus his cultivation efforts on mastering martial arts techniques. 'Consume 1000 proficiency points to upgrade Thunderclap Palm to Mastery!' In an instant, the mysteries of palm techniques and forceful techniques flooded his mind, and the palm wind carried a hint of lightning. In an instant, he was flooded with knowledge of palm techniques and force exertion. The palm wind carried a faint hint of lightning, its power increasing even further. He knew that, in the presence of a Meridian Building master, even the slightest difference could mean life or death.
Having reached the pinnacle of Qi Refining, Xiao Wuchen had mastered the art of night-time movement. Rather than approaching his target personally, he used the Evil-Repelling Bureau's intelligence network and the clues provided in the chief administrator's files.
'Iron Hand' was hiding in an abandoned observatory on the outskirts of the city.
Xiao Wuchen retrieved all the files on 'Iron Hand'.
Name: Lu Qingfeng.
Realm: Early Stage of Meridian Building (possibly improved since twenty years ago).
Martial arts: Iron Hand Shattering Stone Technique (a unique skill that converts external martial arts into internal martial arts) and Qingfeng Swordplay (a sword technique that employs unorthodox methods).
Weakness: Old injury. He suffered a hidden injury to his left rib during a duel with a master in his early years, which causes his internal energy circulation to become slightly sluggish on rainy days.
The most crucial intelligence came from a file marked 'deceased' — a spy who had infiltrated Lu Qingfeng's inner circle for many years.
Key information from the spy's notes: Lu Qingfeng dug three secret passages beneath the Star Gazing Platform, one of which leads directly to the abandoned Earth Fire Chamber. He is extremely wary of the Earth Fire Chamber, suspecting that it contains either hidden treasures or deadly traps.
A glint flashed in Xiao Wuchen's eyes. Directly confronting a Foundation Establishment Grandmaster would be too risky. His greatest asset is his intelligence advantage.
Tactical deployment: Luring the Enemy Out of His Hole
Based on intelligence and system analysis, Xiao Wuchen quickly devised a tactical plan.
Environmental Advantage: Avoid rainy days, but choose night-time. The Star Gazing Platform's high elevation will allow him to use the 'Flowing Wind Step' to manoeuvre.
Instead of a direct assault, exploit 'Iron Hand's' wariness of the Fire Chamber by detonating the mine. Create a disturbance to lure him into the Fire Chamber.
Decisive Battle in the Fire Chamber: The narrow tunnel and high temperature will interfere with the flow of Grandmaster True Qi, weakening his sustained advantage in the True Qi Realm.
A Life-or-Death Struggle: When Iron Hand is hampered by the environment and his old injuries, deliver a fatal blow while consuming a Gathering Yuan Pill and activating the Meridian Building Array to achieve a breakthrough in his realm under dire circumstances!
Xiao Wuchen slowly closed the scroll, carefully concealing the pill and array plate close to his body. Seven days remain, only five. He must seize this time to conserve his energy and prepare for the life-or-death Meridian Building battle.
Xiao Wuchen did not rush into action for the next three days. Instead, he used his authority within the Evil-Repelling Division to arrange perimeter patrols, creating a safe and undisturbed environment for reconnaissance.
On the fourth night, thin clouds obscured the moonlight, making it the perfect time for stealth.
The Star Gazing Platform was situated on a solitary mountain on the outskirts of the city. The main structure was a towering stone platform surrounded by dilapidated pavilions and towers. 'Iron Hand' Lu Qingfeng's residence was located among the ruined stone houses below the Star Gazing Platform.
Wearing night clothes, Xiao Wuchen mastered the Flowing Wind Step to its fullest extent. His movements were as swift and silent as a fish in water. Rather than approaching from the front, he climbed up the cliff face on the back of the mountain.
System Notification: Mastery of the Flowing Wind Step. Speed and flexibility have reached the limits of the current realm (Perfect Qi Refining). Movements are perfectly concealed.
Upon reaching the top of the observatory, Xiao Wuchen lay face down on the cold stone slab, holding his breath. His perfected Qi Refining realm granted him a sense of hearing and perception far beyond that of ordinary people. He could clearly hear faint breathing sounds and the frequency of true Qi circulation within the stone houses.
The aura was steady and powerful, like a lurking tiger — the oppressive presence of a Foundation Establishment Grandmaster.
Xiao Wuchen slowly moved around the outer wall at the base of the observatory, searching for the entrances to the three secret passages. He knew that, given a Grandmaster's vigilance, the entrances would undoubtedly be disguised or equipped with simple mechanisms.
Finally, his gaze settled on a seemingly random pile of discarded stone mills. Their placement created a subtle feng shui obstruction in the terrain, concealing them extremely well.
He extended a finger and gently touched one of the millstones, his true qi probing slightly along his fingertip.
System Notification: Disguised mechanism detected. Simple structure; can be opened by pushing a specific stone with internal force.
Xiao Wuchen didn't force his way in, but instead circled around to the entrance of the second secret passage: a dry well covered in vines. This entrance was for escape and was definitely free of traps. He quietly climbed down the well and entered the dark network beneath the observatory.
The narrow, damp passageway of the dry well quickly led to the main passageway. Using the simplified topographical map provided by the system, Xiao Wuchen accurately located the branch path leading to the Earth Fire Chamber.
Located beneath the core of the Star Gazing Platform, the Earth Fire Chamber was originally used in ancient times for refining elixirs or firing pottery. The further Xiao Wuchen went through the passage, the higher the temperature became, and the air became increasingly scorching.
As he approached the entrance to the Earth Fire Chamber, a wave of scorching heat rushed towards him.
Instead of rushing in, he used a thin silver needle combined with a burst of true qi to pierce the crack in the door.
System Alarm: Complex interlocking mechanism detected!
Mechanism structure: Pressure-triggered mechanism. Once the central bluestone slab of the Earth Fire Chamber is subjected to pressure exceeding 100 jin, the following will happen simultaneously:
1. A falling rock formation will come down from the ceiling.
2. Oil will spray from the side walls.
3. The secret passage will be blocked.
Difficulty of solving: Extremely high.
Xiao Wuchen gasped. 'Iron Hand' Lu Qingfeng was no ordinary martial artist. He had set up the Fire Chamber as a deadly trap that threatened the survival of any enemy lured in.
This confirmed the accuracy of the spy's notes — the Fire Chamber was Lu Qingfeng's most prized possession.
Having confirmed the lethality of the trap, Xiao Wuchen immediately revised his tactics.
Original tactic: Lure the Grandmaster into the Fire Chamber for a high-temperature duel.
Revised tactic:
Revised tactic: Do not enter the Fire Chamber. Instead, use the trap as a deterrent.
The Grandmaster retreated back to the secret passage and left a barely perceptible mark at the fork leading to the Fire Chamber. Only he could understand this mark, which was used to confirm whether the Grandmaster had truly entered the Fire Chamber.
His ultimate goal was to use the "Gathering Yuan Pill" and the "Pulse Building Array Plate" to engage Lu Qingfeng in a life-or-death duel on the most open and advantageous spot — the top of the Star Gazing Platform — and then detonate them while the Grandmaster was distracted in the Fire Chamber, thus achieving a breakthrough.
Having confirmed all the details, Xiao Wuchen silently left the Star Gazing Platform via the same route.
Now, all the elements were in place; he awaited dawn.