Promise!

Chapter 198, Innate

June 29th, Linji County.

The last of the eight extraordinary meridians—the Governing Vessel—has also reached its completion!

After another round of meditation, Zhuang Jin felt that his Ren and Du meridians were full and complete, and his internal energy had reached the limit of the twelve regular meridians and eight extraordinary meridians. He continued to circulate his energy, and the meridians throughout his body resonated faintly. His internal energy was like water about to boil, rippling and showing signs of boiling. This was different from before, and a spark of inspiration arose in his mind.

"Sure enough, my talent is effective for the first of the three innate gates, the 'Spiritual Gate,' allowing me to ignore all conditions, directly awaken my innate spiritual light, and pass this gate."

Suppressing this impulse, Zhuang Jin got up and went out to instruct people to prepare some things. It was almost noon, so they went to have lunch. During the meal, Zhuang Jin even told a story that made Yu Xiaoxiao and Song Lan laugh so hard they almost fell over. Everything seemed normal.

Only Chen Yun, who was the most perceptive and knew him best, seemed to have noticed something, but she didn't show it, or perhaps she forced a smile, and ate lunch as usual.

……

In the afternoon, Zhuang Jin and Chen Yun went to the quiet room.

"Husband, are you about to take that step? I've been practicing that secret technique on a dummy every day for the past few months, and I'm already very proficient at it."

Zhuang Jin could only truly trust Chen Yun, so naturally he entrusted the secret technique to her as a backup plan in case of emergency.

The secret method that guarantees survival even after failing to break through to the innate level essentially involves finding a trusted person by your side, and in a situation where all else fails, puncturing a meridian to release the flood. This person cannot be an ordinary person, but there are no high level requirements either; they must be a practitioner of fetal breathing or a martial artist with open meridians.

—With the enhancement of internal energy, the physical functions of a Fetal Breathing martial artist are greatly improved, creating a huge gap between them and ordinary people. However, it is not to say that a Fetal Breathing martial artist, with active cooperation, cannot even perform acupuncture.

This breakthrough to the Innate Realm is different from the previous ones. When breaking through Qi Condensation, Meridian Opening, and Fetal Breathing, opening the twelve regular meridians and eight extraordinary meridians, the martial artist's mind is kept clear. During the breakthrough process, a sneak attack from a martial artist of the same realm might succeed, but a sneak attack from a martial artist of a lower realm, with profound internal energy protecting the body, would be suicide...

Facing the 'Divine Gate' of the Three Gates of the Innate Realm this time, my mind and spirit were in a state of utter despair, like a person in a vegetative state. In the worst-case scenario, even a Qi Condensation martial artist could perform acupuncture.

"Yes, in case of the worst-case scenario, we'll need Yunniang to save our lives."

Zhuang Jin smiled and nodded, saying, "Yunniang, once you open the Xuan Guan acupoint, you must undergo the 'Divine Gate' test. Your mind and spirit will sink, and at this time, your internal energy will transform into innate true qi, and the pressure will come to your meridians..."

"The secret method states that once you awaken your innate spiritual light and begin your breakthrough, you can start acupuncture if you fail within twenty breaths. However, this varies from person to person. My meridian strength exceeds that of ordinary martial artists, and my cultivation technique will also operate on its own to relieve some pressure. Only when I reach the state described in the secret method, where 'the veins on my body bulge and I look like I'm about to burst,' should you make your move, Yunniang."

The Black Fiend Technique can operate spontaneously, but just like normal cultivation, after consuming Black Essence Powder, one needs to actively refine the cultivation resources. This passive spontaneous operation is dozens or even hundreds of times slower than actively operating the technique.

The process of breaking through to the innate stage involves the transformation of internal energy into innate true qi, with the primordial energy of heaven and earth flooding into the body like a torrent. Relying on the Black Fiend Technique to passively and spontaneously operate and dredge the innate true qi is merely a drop in the ocean.

"I understand," Chen Yun said solemnly, nodding carefully.

"There's no need to be so tense. Yunniang, this is just a backup plan, better safe than sorry. I'm confident that I can succeed on the first try, and there's a high probability that I won't need to take action."

Zhuang Jin said that this was the last time he had reviewed the breakthrough experience and insights, which he had read countless times and knew by heart. He also simulated all the possible situations that might occur during the breakthrough process in his mind. Then, he used his strength to shatter all the boxes of herbs that had been brought here.

This is a little trick from my experience: it increases the concentration of the spiritual energy in this place, thus increasing the success rate.

After that, he thought for a moment, then took out the Tongxuan Pill again and crushed it.

—When we successfully killed the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon, as agreed, we could have directly obtained the experience and insights for breaking through to the Innate Realm and the secret technique for not dying if we failed to break through. However, we saved this Profound Enlightenment Pill.

As the Tongxuan Pill was crushed, the primordial energy of heaven and earth was attracted and gathered, becoming even more concentrated. Taking a breath made one feel refreshed and invigorated.

The effect was indeed remarkable, but if other martial artists saw this scene, they would be heartbroken and would curse Zhuang Jin for wasting such a precious thing.
'Even the most precious things only have value when used. Crushing this Profound Pill and gathering the vital energy of heaven and earth—as long as it increases my chances of breaking through, it's all been put to good use.'

Zhuang Jin looked at Chen Yun, their eyes met, and he nodded slightly: "Yunniang, I'll begin!"

"I wish my husband a successful breakthrough!" Chen Yun bowed gracefully, then held the golden needles and waited attentively to the side.

She is as resilient as a reed, and a reed is as tough as silk, possessing its own resilience. In crucial moments, she can stand alone.

"Then I'll accept Yunniang's kind words."

Zhuang Jin felt that his energy and spirit had reached their peak at this moment, and a resolute look appeared on his face. He closed his eyes and circulated his cultivation technique. A spark of inspiration appeared again. He then stopped suppressing it, focused his mind and made the spark of inspiration in his heart grow brighter and brighter, until it finally enveloped his entire mind.

In this state, he felt as if he had grasped something in the darkness, and then he 'saw' the mysterious gate, and truly understood the true meaning of Ning Tongxuan's words: "The mysterious gate is neither inside nor outside, yet it is inseparable from the body. One enters it by concentrating one's mind on emptiness, and one opens it by clarifying one's mind in the void."

'So that's how it is! Emptiness illuminates the mind, opening it up completely; with the mind opened, profound truths naturally reveal themselves!'

Zhuang Jin felt a sense of great freedom and enlightenment. He focused his mind and mobilized his inner energy, which then pierced through the Xuan Guan acupoint.

boom!
The next moment, the primordial energy of heaven and earth surged in through the Ren and Du meridians, and was compressed through the Xuan Guan acupoint, causing the internal energy to boil and truly transform into innate true energy.

In an instant, the twelve regular meridians and eight extraordinary meridians bear an enormous burden. If there is even the slightest damage, it will be like a thousand-mile dam with an ant hole, which will break down in an instant.

And it was at this most dangerous moment that the most mysterious of the three innate barriers, the 'Divine Barrier', arrived, and this test also began.

Zhuang Jin also experienced the special state that Ning Tongxuan had described, the state of mind that one would enter after opening the Xuan Guan acupoint.

This is indeed a state similar to enlightenment, but it is a false enlightenment, like a dream. In the dream, it seems that some difficult problem has been solved. You try to remember it, but when you wake up and examine it closely, you find that it was all nonsense... In addition to this state of false enlightenment, there is also a kind of great bliss, like being on the verge of death, similar to the pleasure of sexual asphyxiation.

In short, it is an extremely confusing and mind-altering state that makes people unwilling to break free, or rather, unaware of it and unable to break free.

Next, Zhuang Jin verified two points: First, the 'Divine Gate' of the Three Gates of the Innate Realm is indeed related to essence, energy, spirit, and soul; second, his initial guess that he had transmigrated and that his two souls had merged, resulting in essence, energy, spirit, and soul far exceeding those of ordinary people, was true.

At this moment, his condition was extremely unusual.

If other martial artists at this moment were to become mentally unstable, like those addicted to gambling, unable to extricate themselves, as if they had lost their minds; then Zhuang Jin would be like someone with extremely strong willpower, clearly aware of what he is doing, and able to withdraw at any time if he wants to.

'The final of the Three Innate Gates—the Divine Gate—is nothing special!' Zhuang Jin chuckled, his mind focused, and he took the initiative to control the Black Fiend Technique. The originally slow speed of its operation instantly increased by dozens or even hundreds of times.

hum!
Just as a door hinge never rusts and flowing water never stagnates, the pressure on the meridians was instantly relieved as the Black Fiend Technique was activated. The primordial energy of heaven and earth surged into the body, entering through the Ren and Du meridians and then being compressed through the Xuan Guan acupoint, quickly transforming into innate true energy.

—Because Zhuang Jin had taken a secret medicine, his internal energy attribute changed and turned into a light ink color, while the attributeless innate true energy was milky white. The two neutralized each other, and his innate true energy turned into a light silver color.

As the innate true qi circulates through the twelve regular meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians, each acupoint and all the vital energies in the body are instantly nourished, like rain after a long drought, radiating a hazy, pale silver light and bursting forth with vigorous vitality.

This is a sublimation of life level. From then on, after being nourished by innate true qi, the aging of the human body will become slower. Many diseases and even terminal illnesses that are common to ordinary people will be difficult to invade. One can prolong life and enjoy wealth and glory for two hundred years in this world!
……

Chen Yun noticed that the indoor light seemed to have become brighter, and tiny silver particles emerged around Zhuang Jin, dancing and forming a ring of silvery-white light. This was the first breath of innate true energy nourishing his body, and the resulting scattered particles made him seem to be enveloped in a hazy halo, looking indescribably harmonious and natural, pleasing to the eye.

'This sign means my husband has successfully broken through!'

She thought to herself, her tense mind relaxing, and a look of joy appeared on her pretty face. However, she still dared not make a sound, for fear of disturbing Zhuang Jin.

Until a quarter of an hour later.

Zhuang Jin gathered his true energy into his dantian, and the silver light surrounding him also receded into his body. He then opened his eyes.

boom!
At this moment, the Ren and Du meridians act as a bridge between heaven and earth, connecting the sky and the earth, and the Xuan Guan (mysterious gate) connects the inside and outside. The person's aura is like an active volcano erupting and soaring into the sky.

If one were a martial artist with open meridians, they would perceive with their martial arts intuition that Zhuang Jin possessed an immense presence, as vast as mountains and seas, reaching to the heavens and earth. This was a level truly different from the Qi Condensation Realm.

……

County government.

Under the doctor's advice, Teng Yuansong's kidneys, after several months of rest and recuperation, finally reached the time to be released from abstinence. Today, he indulged in his newfound sexuality: "This period of abstinence is finally over. Let me show you, my little hussy, how well I've managed to conserve my energy over these two months."

"What the hell?!"

After he finished speaking, he had just gotten into the zone and was about to be overwhelmed when he suddenly felt a powerful, overwhelming force, like a raging flood. In a jolt, he ejaculated profusely.

"How can it be so fast? This is much faster than before!"

This was a girl from a modest family. As an ordinary person, she didn't sense that aura and didn't think much of it. However, she quickly realized that she had misspoke. The county magistrate was a good official, and she should respect his pride: "But he is still very impressive."

To prove that this statement was true, he even chanted it twice.

This caused a look of humiliation to appear on Teng Yuansong's face. He shook his head, ignoring the fleeting moment of fear that had just passed, dismissing it as an illusion. He circulated his inner energy, bringing it to his dantian: "That was... an accident, it doesn't count. Let's begin the second round..."

……

Zhuang Jin circulated his true energy, entrusting his presence to the heavens and earth. In just an instant, his aura subsided, and he appeared as ordinary as a regular person.

"Congratulations, my husband, on your successful breakthrough! You've taken a giant leap forward in your martial arts."

"This breakthrough went smoothly."

It wasn't just smooth sailing, it was unbelievably smooth sailing. So smooth that Zhuang Jin subconsciously had a thought: the Three Innate Barriers that the world fears like tigers, is this all?!
Zhuang Jin's smooth and simple awakening was also due to the fact that he had no bottleneck in his talent. He naturally awakened his innate spiritual light. If he had awakened his innate spiritual light through the secret medicine made from the beast pearl or the hundred-year-old Tongxuan Grass, it would have been a different story.

To put it simply, the secret medicine made from beast beads has a 10-20% chance of awakening innate spiritual light. However, the beast beads contain the residual will of strange beasts. If one truly awakens innate spiritual light through this method and enters the breakthrough process, the transformation of internal energy into innate true qi will be affected, becoming extremely violent. This will put greater pressure on the meridians and also affect the essence, qi, spirit, and soul in a short period of time, making it even more difficult to wake up while in the 'divine barrier'.

A hundred-year-old Tongxuan Grass is more dangerous than a secret medicine made from beast pearls. A forty-year-old Tongxuan Grass can be used as the main ingredient of Tongxuan Pill to help break through the embryonic breathing realm, let alone a hundred-year-old Tongxuan Grass.
After taking it, during the breakthrough process, the innate true energy became violent, even more terrifying than the secret medicine made from the beast pearl. The requirements for the 'body barrier' meridians more than doubled; the 'spirit barrier' was also more troublesome. The mind was already in a state of depression and false enlightenment. With the Tongxuan Grass adding another 'Tongxuan', the difficulty of breaking through the 'spirit barrier' also doubled!
In other words, using beast cores and beast beads to concoct secret medicines, or using hundred-year-old Tongxuan grass to awaken innate spiritual light, is a trick to the first level, the "Spiritual Barrier," but the difficulty is increased in the latter two levels.

This is why prodigies like Ning Tongxuan first attempt to naturally awaken their innate spiritual light. However, this natural awakening is like striking it by chance; some people may not awaken it for ten, several decades, or even a lifetime, while others may have a sudden feeling of awakening, but if the circumstances are wrong, they waste the opportunity.

Due to various factors, there are so few innate martial artists. Even the core talents of powerful families cannot guarantee a successful breakthrough, and many fail at the innate level.

"My husband has broken through, we should celebrate properly tonight. I'll go and make some preparations." Chen Yun knew that Zhuang Jin had a habit of summarizing and reflecting on the changes he experienced after a breakthrough, so she didn't linger and left.

"Alright."

Zhuang Jin watched Chen Yun leave, recalling this breakthrough, a thoughtful look on his face: "This breakthrough to the Innate Realm has also given me a deeper understanding of my own talent. To summarize, there are three points."

"First, one must accumulate enough experience to meet the basic requirements for a breakthrough before one's talent can take effect."

Before completing the accumulation of the Eight Meridians Realm, Zhuang Jin circulated his cultivation technique but never sensed any spiritual light or signs of awakening innate spiritual light. However, once the accumulation of the Eight Meridians Realm was completed, it would be a natural progression.

"Second, during the breakthrough process, non-material, metaphysical, and abstruse requirements can be directly ignored and bypassed."

Just like the various bottlenecks encountered in condensing qi, opening meridians, and fetal breathing before, this time, the first of the three innate gates, the 'spiritual gate,' awakens the innate spiritual light.

"Third, my talent can ignore bottlenecks and allow me to enter the breakthrough stage, but it does not help with the dangers in the breakthrough process. In other words, the success or failure of the breakthrough and even life or death are not guaranteed."

During this breakthrough, Zhuang Jin could clearly sense that if his meridians were damaged or leaked, or if his mind and spirit were to falter, causing him to fail in his breakthrough and die from his body exploding, his talent would be completely irrelevant.

"I can only say that my talent gives me a great advantage over others in breaking through realms, but it is not without its limitations."

Only by understanding one's own talents can one make better use of them. Zhuang Jin noted down these three points before he began to carefully experience the earth-shattering changes that occurred after he broke through to the Innate Realm.

……

(End of this chapter)