After the internet was disconnected, I connected to the magic world.

The Taisu Palace wasn't very popular with worshippers, and there weren't many tourists, so it was quite quiet.

A young Taoist priest, about sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a blue Taoist robe, was standing at the entrance of the main hall, sweeping the steps with a broom.

Lin Ze walked over and politely asked:

"Greetings, Daoist Master. I would like to ask you some questions about meridian health preservation. Are there any knowledgeable Daoist masters in the palace?"

The young Taoist priest raised his head, looked him up and down, and smiled.

"You came here because you read martial arts novels, right?"

Lately, many young people have been asking about this, things like the Ren and Du meridians and internal energy cultivation methods—these are all made up in novels.

"Our Taoist practice involves meridian health preservation, but we don't have any martial arts secrets; it's just a method to strengthen the body."

Lin Ze laughed and followed his words: "Pretty much. I write online novels, and I'm going to write one with a cultivation theme."

I'm afraid of being criticized for making mistakes, so I came here specifically to gather material. I'd like to find some authentic classic texts to read, and ideally, someone could explain the general principles to me.

"A novelist, huh?" the young Taoist priest exclaimed in realization.

"Alright, come with me. I'll take you to see Uncle-Master Xuanqing. He usually manages the guest hall and knows a lot about these things."

Lin Ze thanked him and followed him to the backyard.

The backyard was where guests were received. There were several wooden tables and chairs, and an old Taoist priest with a goatee was sitting there drinking tea. He looked to be in his fifties or sixties and had a leisurely demeanor.

"Uncle-Master, this gentleman is a novelist and wants to ask about the Eight Extraordinary Meridians."

The young Taoist priest said something and then went back to continue sweeping the floor.

Master Xuanqing raised his head, glanced at Lin Ze, and pointed to the chair opposite him: "Sit down."

Lin Ze didn't sit down; instead, he took out a red envelope from his bag and handed it over.

"Master, here's a small donation for incense. Thank you for your help."

The red envelope contained two thousand yuan in cash, which wasn't a small amount, but it wasn't particularly conspicuous either.

Master Xuanqing didn't refuse, accepted the red envelope and put it aside, his tone becoming much more amiable:

"Don't mention it. What would you like to know?"

"It mainly involves the eight extraordinary meridians," Lin Ze said, sitting down and getting straight to the point.

"I just want to understand what exactly the eight extraordinary meridians are, what each one does, what the order is, and what the effect is when they are unblocked."

And what about the commonly mentioned Small Heavenly Circuit and Great Heavenly Circuit?

Master Xuanqing picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly began to speak:

"The eight extraordinary meridians are eight meridians that are not directly connected to the internal organs. They are different from the twelve regular meridians, hence the name 'extraordinary'. What are these eight meridians?"

Ren, Du, Chong, Dai, Yin Qiao, Yang Qiao, Yin Wei, Yang Wei.

He held up his fingers and counted them one by one, saying:

"The first one is the Ren meridian. It runs along the middle of the front of the body, from the perineum upwards to below the lips."

The body's yin blood is governed by a meridian called the "Sea of ​​Yin Meridians." A woman's qi and blood, as well as her fertility, are all related to it.

"The second one is the Governing Vessel. It runs along the middle of the back, from the perineum up the spine, past the top of the head to the upper palate of the mouth."

The Du meridian governs the body's Yang energy and is called the "Sea of ​​Yang Meridians." A person's energy and strength depend entirely on the vigor of the Du meridian.

"The third one is the Chong Meridian. It originates at the perineum along with the Ren and Du Meridians, rushes upward to the chest, and is known as the 'Sea of ​​the Twelve Meridians' or the 'Sea of ​​Blood'."

It governs the balance of Qi and blood throughout the body, much like a main reservoir.

"The fourth one is the belt meridian. It wraps around the waist like a belt. It controls and restrains all the longitudinal meridians in the body, preventing them from wandering aimlessly."

"The remaining four are Yin Qiao and Yang Qiao, which run along both sides of the legs and are responsible for leg and foot flexibility, as well as keeping your eyes open while sleeping."

The Yin and Yang Wei meridians run along both sides of the torso, governing the Yin-Yang balance within and outside the body.

Lin Ze listened attentively and silently memorized the information.

It roughly matches what he found online before, but the Taoist priest explained it more clearly, making the function of each meridian crystal clear.

Master Xuanqing put down his teacup and continued:

"The twelve primary meridians are like rivers on earth, flowing every day, and ordinary people can access them."

The eight extraordinary meridians are like reservoirs nearby. Normally, the river has enough water, so it doesn't reach the reservoirs. Therefore, in ordinary people, the eight extraordinary meridians are only partially blocked.

"Those who cultivate health and wellness should first nourish the twelve regular meridians. Only when their qi and blood are abundant will they be able to gradually fill the eight extraordinary meridians."

"The commonly referred to 'small circulation' is to first open the Ren and Du meridians."

Qi and blood flow down from the dantian, through the perineum, up the back along the Du meridian to the top of the head, and then down back to the dantian along the Ren meridian, completing a full circle.

Once this step is completed, the body will be completely transformed; all the minor ailments will disappear, and one will have abundant energy and vitality.

"Once the Ren and Du meridians are open, we can slowly nurture them, and the remaining six extraordinary meridians will gradually open as well."

When all eight extraordinary meridians are open, the twelve regular meridians plus the eight extraordinary meridians form a complete great circulation, allowing qi and blood to flow into every part of the body—that is the Great Circulation.

"When one reaches the Great Circulation stage, according to Taoist teachings, it means returning from the acquired to the innate state, shedding the mortal body, and one's lifespan and spirit will far surpass those of ordinary people."

Lin Ze's heart skipped a beat.

Returning to one's innate nature after birth.

This corresponds exactly to the innate realm he envisioned.

When all twelve regular meridians are open, it signifies acquired perfection; when the Ren and Du meridians are open, it signifies the initial stage of innate perfection; when all eight extraordinary meridians are open, it signifies innate perfection, and the Great Circulation is formed.

The path became clear immediately.

"Master, when it comes to opening the meridians, which one should you usually open first?" Lin Ze asked again.

"Naturally, we should start with the Du meridian, then the Ren meridian," Master Xuanqing smiled.

"Only when the yang energy is sufficient can the yin meridians be opened."

First, open the Du meridian, then the Ren meridian. Once the Du and Ren meridians are open, the Small Heavenly Circuit is complete, and the remaining six meridians will be easier to manage.

"However, I must remind you that these are all health-related claims. You can write whatever you want when you're writing a novel, but don't try to practice them on your own."

"Without proper lineage, blindly guiding qi and blood can easily lead to problems, ranging from dizziness and internal heat to damage to internal organs."

Lin Ze nodded: "I know, it's for writing novels, I won't practice it randomly."

Master Xuanqing stood up, walked to the bookshelf next to him, and took out three books.

"Take these three books and read them. One is an excerpt from the Ling Shu Jing, which discusses the basics of meridians."

A book titled "Study on the Eight Extraordinary Meridians" by Li Shizhen details the eight meridians.

There is also a handwritten copy of "The Essentials of the Zhou Tian," which explains the methods of the microcosmic and macrocosmic orbits.

"They are all authentic classics, with expert translations, and none of the messy martial arts fiction content."

This is enough for your novel writing.

Lin Ze took the books; they were all old, with yellowed pages and a faint scent of ink.

He quickly thanked him, "Thank you, Taoist priest. How much is it? I'll pay you."

"No money required," Master Xuanqing waved his hand.

"They're all reprinted books, they're worthless."

"Just don't practice anything random when you get back. If you're really interested in health preservation, practicing Baduanjin and Zhan Zhuang (standing meditation) is enough."

"Okay, sure."

Lin Ze thanked him a few more times and carefully put the book into his bag.

After chatting for a few more minutes about everyday things, he said goodbye and left.

As he stepped out of Taisu Palace, a mountain breeze blew, and he felt a sense of clarity and joy.

It was worth the trip.

Not only did he obtain the authentic classic texts, but he also thoroughly understood the pathways of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and the Microcosmic and Microcosmic orbits.

The rest is simple. Just follow the order: first open the Du meridian, then the Ren meridian, complete the Small Heavenly Circuit, and step into the Innate Realm.

Once the innate talent is fully developed and spiritual power surges, then practicing the Divine Transformation Magic will be a sure thing.