Chapter Nine, the Eight Meridians Manifest.

In the past two years, he has been specializing in source patterns, and he can faintly sense the profound and formidable nature of source patterns. The study of source patterns is somewhat akin to using a slight force to move a great weight, where a small amount of power constructs mysterious source patterns, ultimately unleashing an immense force

Evidently, this technique for drawing in air is called the Dragon Absorption Technique, which sounds quite impressive. I wonder how effective it is in practice, but it must be something extraordinary if it is being presented by the old man in black.

The old man in black, upon hearing this, chuckled and said: "What a cunning little fellow, to be so greedy."

Clearly, the method employed by the old man in black to stimulate the resurgence of the eight meridians within him possesses a considerable degree of danger

The old man in black gently stroked his beard, his gaze flickering slightly as he fell into a silence, as if he were contemplating something. However, in the end, he let out a light sigh and said: "Yao Yao, you are right; if this young man is too weak, it would only bring you trouble."

The old man in black stared at Zhou Yuan with a half-smile, saying: "What are you trying to say, you little rascal, in such a roundabout way?"

The old man in black nodded in agreement upon hearing Zhou Yuan's words and said: "The world is ignorant, viewing the Source Patterns as a minor path, finding it obscure and difficult to master. Yet, they do not realize that the path of Source Patterns emphasizes the spirit and soul. Once refined, it can complement the path of the Source Master."

She gently caressed the small beast with her jade-like hand, her calm and exquisite gaze lingered a bit longer on Zhou Yuan, clearly surprised by his obsession with the cultivation of opening the meridians.

Zhou Yuan chuckled and said, "How about you, senior, be a good person to the end and grant this young man a bit of opportunity?"

Zhou Yuan was somewhat astonished as he stared at her; this young girl in green attire was actually unable to utilize source energy as well

No matter how dire the current situation may be, can it be worse than the time when he couldn't even locate the eight meridians? How much more difficult can it be to open the meridians? Yet, there is finally hope, is there not

The old man in black raised his eyelids slightly and said, "Do not think that the death aura you just experienced was false. If you cannot activate the Eight Meridians for protection at the last moment, then now... you are truly dead."

You were born with the eight meridians already open, a natural conduit. However, it is unfortunate that you encountered calamity at birth, and the eight meridians within you sensed the impending destruction from the outside. As a form of self-protection, they retreated deep within your body. Therefore, over the years, even when you reached the age when the eight meridians would normally manifest, they still have not appeared.

Breath Control Technique, Dragon Absorption Technique

Zhou Yuan's mind suddenly roared, as if a great bell was echoing in his brain, countless ancient characters swirling in his vision. Finally, as the tumult gradually subsided, a stream of information began to flow from within his heart.

Behind the old man in black, the young girl in green lifted the water jar and gave it a gentle shake. Instantly, small red lights appeared on the body of the little beast, completely evaporating the water droplets. Only then did she contentedly pick it up.

The old man in black shook his head and then sighed, "However, to meet here is also a matter of fate. Although you, young man, have come for my teachings, I shall temporarily accept you as my disciple."

Now that your eight meridians have manifested, I shall impart to you a technique for guiding energy.

I see that your spirit is vibrant and full of life; it seems you possess quite a talent for the source patterns. I shall impart to you another technique for soul forging.

"Hey, you little rascal, you are indeed quite sharp." The old man in black was also taken aback by Zhou Yuan's decisive action, exclaiming in admiration. He had only slightly relaxed his tone, and as a result, this kid directly began to seek apprenticeship. This was truly a skilled application of taking advantage of the situation.

Hehe, for certain special reasons, Yao Yao indeed cannot utilize source energy. The old man in black beside him chuckled and then teased Zhou Yuan, saying: "However, do not underestimate her. Her mastery of source patterns is entirely taught by me. Although she is about the same age as you, in terms of her understanding of source patterns, she is more than capable of being your teacher"

The Contemplation of the Chaos God

Zhou Yuan keenly sensed that there was no anger in the words of the old man in black, and thus he smiled and said: "Isn't it for the purpose of better fulfilling your instructions, senior? Otherwise, if I were to encounter danger, with my small arms and legs, it seems that the only thing I could do is to die in front of Sister Yao Yao, with no other use?"

Zhou Yuan's thoughts were in turmoil as he suddenly looked towards the old man in black and said with a pained expression: "Senior, although I am now able to open my meridians and cultivate, I am already a step behind. To reach a level where I can protect Sister Yao Yao, I fear it will take quite some time."

Under normal circumstances, given Zhou Yuan's current status, he would likely not have the opportunity to encounter such powerful individuals. However, since this opportunity has arisen, Zhou Yuan naturally wishes to seize it as much as possible

"Grandpa Hei, if you do not wish to become the one who hinders me in the end, and instead want me to protect you, it would be better to agree to him," Yao Yao said softly, gently stroking Tun Tun with her jade-like hand, her red lips slightly parted.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan was immediately overjoyed and respectfully bowed down.

Zhou Yuan's eyes were filled with astonishment and suspicion, for the young girl in front of him, dressed in green, surprisingly possessed an exceptionally profound mastery of source patterns, which was truly unexpected

However, the drowsiness quickly faded, and Zhou Yuan carefully contemplated the information that appeared in his mind

Zhou Yuan took a deep breath, shook his head, and slowly said: "As long as I can open my meridians and cultivate, I will take the risk, no matter how great it may be. Therefore, whether I knew in advance or not is of little significance; it is just that reflecting on it now brings a sense of lingering fear."

This is fate

Zhou Yuan nodded and said earnestly: "The source pattern is vast and profound, and should not be underestimated"

His pitiful appearance, coupled with that youthful face, appeared somewhat comical. Beside him, Yao Yao's red lips couldn't help but curve slightly, her eyes sparkling. This fellow is indeed interesting

As his fingertips touched the center of his brow, Zhou Yuan immediately felt a surge in his head, followed by a flood of information pouring in, causing his mind to become somewhat dazed at that moment

Boom

The fingertips of the old man in black shimmered with light, as if subtle characters were flowing, and then he suddenly pointed his fingertip at the space between Zhou Yuan's eyebrows

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan immediately cast a grateful glance at her; however, the young girl remained indifferent, as if she had not heard.

He even had a premonition that if it were to be any later, he would likely die

"What? Did the old man not inform you in advance?" the old man in black said with a smile.

Zhou Yuan noticed that the old man in black spoke of the Source Patterns with a certain pride, and he understood that the old man must possess extraordinary expertise in this area of Source Patterns

When the meridians are opened, the body is unable to store source energy, thus one cannot cultivate true techniques and can only practice the Qi Induction Technique. Only after all eight meridians are opened and one steps into the Nourishing Qi Realm can one officially cultivate techniques

In the midst of his excitement, Zhou Yuan felt a chill run through his body upon hearing these words. He stared blankly at the old man in black, his face slightly pale, clearly recalling the intense aura of death he had just experienced.

However, it is unfortunate that the source patterns cannot undergo self-transformation, and they are vast and profound. To achieve any accomplishments, one must inevitably expend energy. Therefore, many source masters merely regard it as a minor path and are too lazy to pursue further cultivation

The old man in black retracted his finger, glanced at Zhou Yuan, and said with a smile: "I noticed that you have the source pattern engraved on you; are you interested in this path?"

Oh?

He stared at Zhou Yuan, his gaze deep and profound, and slowly said: "However, the methods of this old man are not to be shared with outsiders"

After all, this is truly too important for him

The old man in black looked at Zhou Yuan, who was meticulously completing the apprenticeship ceremony, and his aged eyes softened somewhat. He said, "Since you are so determined, I shall not be stingy either"

He is also yearning to open his meridians, to step into the path of primal energy, and to master the power that reaches the heavens and penetrates the earth

But you need not belittle yourself; the difficulty of opening your meridians now is indeed greater, yet with every sacrifice comes a gain. Therefore, with each time you open your meridians, the benefits you receive will be stronger than those of ordinary people said the old man in black with a smile

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan slightly furrowed his brows, but soon relaxed them and said: "At the very least, I have more hope now than I did before, don't you think?"

Before the thatched cottage, the youthful face of the boy, which appeared somewhat thin and tender, was now filled with an unmistakable excitement. He trembled as he touched his own body, experiencing a sensation akin to rebirth, which even made the mature-for-his-age Zhou Yuan unable to help but break into a silly grin.

The old man in black nodded slightly and said with a hint of appreciation: "You, young lad, may not be very old, but your disposition is quite commendable."

Zhou Yuan, being exceptionally intelligent, immediately knelt down upon hearing these words and respectfully said: "Disciple Zhou Yuan, pays respects to Master!"

Although the Eight Meridians are hidden, they can ultimately sense a crisis. Therefore, to once again stimulate them, one must place oneself in a life-and-death situation to compel the Eight Meridians to reveal themselves

The elderly man in black before me is clearly unfathomable. According to Zhou Yuan's estimation, his strength has likely reached an unimaginable level, at the very least, far surpassing that of his father, Zhou Qing.

"It is not a big deal that I cannot cultivate my pulse; I am equally unable to utilize the source energy," she said, her red lips slightly parted, her tone indifferent.

Zhou Yuan's eyes brightened slightly; he understood that with each opening of the meridians, his physical condition would improve. According to the old man in black, it was evident that his enhancement would be stronger than that of ordinary people. Thus, it seemed that although opening the meridians was more difficult, it was still acceptable.

The young girl in the blue attire clearly belongs to the type of person with a rather indifferent disposition, showing little interest in people or things that do not capture her attention, to the extent that she cannot be bothered to glance at them even once. Yet, at this moment, this statement surprisingly carries a hint of consolation.

As the years go by, those peers, both young men and women, begin to cultivate their abilities, showcasing different talents. Although Zhou Yuan usually conceals his feelings well, deep down, he is still filled with envy towards this.

The old man in black smiled, and in the next moment, his eyes suddenly emitted a brilliant light, which directly shot into Zhou Yuan's pupils

This day is one he has long dreamed of

However, although the Eight Meridians have reappeared now, do not be too pleased too soon. You originally had the Eight Meridians opened, but with their concealment over the years, they have once again become blocked and sealed. Therefore, you must start your cultivation from the beginning and thoroughly open all Eight Meridians in order to transcend the Opening Meridian stage and enter the Qi Nourishing stage

Moreover, your situation makes it even more difficult for you to open your meridians compared to ordinary people, because in order to avoid calamities, the eight meridians within your body have been self-sealed, thus making the difficulty of opening the meridians greater than that of others said the old man in black, shaking his head