Chapter Six: Awakening the Spiritual Veins

After leaving the family hall, Ye Cheng hurried back to his small room, his heart burning with anxiety. Under Old Mu’s signal, he carefully closed all the doors and windows—after all, in his current state, Old Mu was not fit to appear in public.

Turning around, a phantom-like soul emerged from the jade pendant around Ye Cheng’s neck and floated in midair before him.

“Master, you’re finally out,” Ye Cheng said joyfully as he gazed at the old man before him. Though he didn’t know whether Old Mu could truly resolve his bodily woes, at least there was hope—surely someone of Old Mu’s caliber would not make empty promises.

“Heh, look how anxious you are,” Old Mu replied with a dry smile, his withered face creasing as he spoke. Noticing the vial of Azure Spirit Elixir in the young man’s hand, he continued, “I was just pondering where to find an energy source to serve as a catalyst for your spiritual veins, but this potion is perfectly timed—it saves me quite a bit of effort. Tsk, to think you could get your hands on a tier-three potion in such a small place. Your two elders must have worked hard for this.”

Hearing this, Ye Cheng was filled with gratitude. For anyone else attempting to condense blood lines, this Azure Spirit Elixir would directly form ten or more blood lines, enough to achieve the Minor Accomplishment stage of the Blood Qi Realm. The youth silently swore: the day he achieved success, he would repay this kindness a hundredfold.

Suddenly, Ye Cheng recalled something Old Mu had just mentioned. Furrowing his brows, he murmured in confusion, “Spiritual veins?”

“Yes,” said Old Mu, “what’s called ‘spiritual veins’ are not the meridians laypeople speak of, but the most secret network within the human body—the reservoirs of energy. Ordinary martial artists possess a few dozen spiritual veins, but this is less than a tenth of what someone with a Devouring Physique has. And the spiritual veins of ordinary martial artists are active; even without deliberate effort, they can passively absorb ambient energy, though it’s meager. But as time goes by, it adds up. For those with a Devouring Physique, however, these spiritual veins are dormant, which is why cultivation is so difficult in the early stages. However, once they’re awakened…”

Here, Old Mu paused deliberately, watching Ye Cheng with keen interest.

“What happens then…?” Ye Cheng pressed eagerly, unable to contain his curiosity.

With a slow smile, Old Mu continued, “Once your spiritual veins are activated, their liveliness will reach its peak. Your energy absorption will far outstrip that of other martial artists. Of course, this doesn’t solve all your problems; otherwise, this physique wouldn’t be considered a crippled one.”

Ye Cheng’s brows knit more tightly, his face full of expectation and tension. “Then, Master, what is your solution for my condition?”

Old Mu didn’t answer directly. His withered hand reached out, and, under Ye Cheng’s puzzled gaze, tapped the crown of the youth’s head.

Instantly, a stream of information surged into Ye Cheng’s mind, leaving him briefly dizzy.

“This is the exclusive art for the Devouring Physique, the Spirit Devouring Formula,” Old Mu said as he withdrew his hand and tucked it into his sleeve.

“An exclusive art? Aren’t all martial arts in the world divided into three classes and nine ranks? I’ve never heard of exclusive arts,” Ye Cheng said, touching his nose in puzzlement.

Old Mu smirked, teasing, “With your limited knowledge, how could you know? The three classes and nine ranks only cover low-level martial arts. Beyond that, there are even higher levels. Once your strength grows, you’ll naturally come into contact with them.”

Ye Cheng’s mouth twitched at this—so his teacher’s vision was truly on a different plane. By comparison, the Ye family’s best martial art in Luoyang Town was merely a low-grade technique at the top level of the basic classification.

“Then what rank does this exclusive art hold?” Ye Cheng asked, realizing that what Old Mu had passed to him was certainly extraordinary.

“It has no rank or grade,” Old Mu replied with a faint smile at Ye Cheng’s wry expression. “It’s a special art outside the standard martial classification system, suited only for those with particular constitutions. Whether it’s the conventional ranking system or these exclusive arts, they’re all created by individuals who reach a certain level of power. Common arts fit the majority, but exclusive arts are for the rare few. For instance, this Spirit Devouring Formula was created by a powerful ancestor with the Devouring Physique—a dear old friend of mine, though he’s long since fallen.”

A trace of sorrow flashed across Old Mu’s clouded eyes, but it was soon replaced by a smile. “But you’re lucky, boy—you’re the second to receive this art.”

Sensing his master’s hidden grief, Ye Cheng tactfully refrained from mentioning it. Following Old Mu’s lead, he shrugged and grinned, saying, “I suppose I’m just fortunate by nature.”

Old Mu laughed and scolded, “You rascal. Enough idle chatter—any questions can wait. Now, focus on the art I’ve just imparted.”

Hearing this, Ye Cheng composed himself, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and rested his hands on his knees, quietly sensing the flow within. Before long, the information of the technique filled his mind.

Watching Ye Cheng settle into deep meditation, Old Mu waved his withered hand in front of him. A surge of force shot out, suspending the Azure Spirit Elixir in midair. The porcelain vial shattered, shards scattering across the floor as the liquid within, guided by the old man’s arcane power, slowly poured into the youth’s mouth.

“With the energy of this Azure Spirit Elixir, activate the Spirit Devouring Formula,” Old Mu’s solemn voice echoed in Ye Cheng’s ears.

A strong metallic taste spread through Ye Cheng’s mouth. Immediately, potent energy surged from the elixir, penetrating his body and forcefully widening his meridians. The immense pain drained the color from his face. Remembering his master’s instructions, he steadied his mind and guided the energy along the spiritual vein routes described in the formula. One by one, the hidden spiritual veins were awakened; as the energy passed through each, it thinned out, but the veins themselves were reborn, brimming with vitality. Wisps of blood energy emerged from each, and every time a vein was activated, Ye Cheng’s blood energy grew a bit stronger. In just a few minutes, the energy had been mostly consumed, and as it faded, the youth’s trembling body gradually steadied.

Sensing that the energy within him had dwindled to less than a third of what it had been, and with the Spirit Devouring Formula only halfway complete, Ye Cheng grew anxious. This was the moment to change his fate—there could be no mistakes.

In the simple little room, Old Mu watched Ye Cheng, who was deep in cultivation, rubbing his reddened eyes. As he saw the youth’s aura begin to falter, he frowned, alarmed that the boy was about to run out of energy. “The Devouring Physique truly is extraordinary—it takes so much energy just to condense a single blood line,” he thought.

After a moment’s hesitation, a torrent of energy burst from Old Mu, surging swiftly into Ye Cheng’s body.

With this support, the youth’s body shuddered.

A blood-red line, faint at first, rapidly climbed up Ye Cheng’s neck, growing clearer with every moment. The formerly delicate face now carried an almost demonic allure.

When the blood line fully condensed, a formidable power emanated from the youth’s body.