Legend of The Young Master

Chapter 49: Qi Is Ubiquitous

Wuyi heeded Gao's earlier counsel, shutting out all sensory distractions to focus solely on the moment. As Gao's Qi moved through, it felt like an unknown current coursing through his veins. He stood his ground, refusing to be swayed by it. But then, he sensed a shift.

Gao was no longer merely helping him form a pathway; he was manipulating the flow of Qi, making it erratic; he really wanted to end Wuyi's cultivation journey today.

If this continued, Wuyi's meridians would be damaged. It seemed that his open channels were making Gao curious; today he had come with the thought to harm Wuyi before Wuyi's bloodline manifests and Wuyi gets stronger.

Even though the statue had hidden Wuyi's cultivation level, Gao, while guiding the path, found the flow of Qi to be too smooth, which made him more curious and increased the level of harm. Instinctively, Wuyi acted; the Statue of Valor activated within him. Red Qi was released from the statue; the red Qi overpowered Gao's erratic Qi, calming down the flow he had induced.

Thrice Gao's Qi surged through Wuyi, and thrice he calmed it down.

When Gao finally withdrew, his nod was grudging. But what caught Wuyi's attention was the flicker of fear in Gao's eyes. It was as if he had glimpsed something within Wuyi that unsettled him. Maybe Gao believed Wuyi's bloodline was already manifesting, which means Wuyi was already in a threatening position for Gao. Wuyi had come to understand that Qi was ubiquitous, its mastery dependent on technique.

While a good technique could expedite the process, one could still cultivate without it, albeit at a slower pace. Because of this, Wuyi was sure he did not need Gao, but he couldn't just leave the training. He planned to reach Qi adept level quietly and leave the fort. This was his path to freedom.

When he reaches Qi Adept, Wuyi had decided he would learn some Qi martial techniques from the books that Chao had given him.

While Wuyi was engrossed in his plans, Gao had realized that Wuyi was not like the other kids; he was more talented and had already learned to channel Qi somehow; that would explain the smooth flow of Qi in his channels.

He did not believe that Wuyi was a Qi Initiate already, but he was sure Wuyi had channeled Qi. This realization seemed to unnerve Gao, and his behavior towards Wuyi grew increasingly malevolent in the days that followed. His words were barbed, his blows unrelenting, but Wuyi remained undeterred.

During one such episode, Gao struck Wuyi across the face with his lash, leaving a visible welt. Wuyi had stopped flinching from Gao's usual lashes.

As fate would have it, Boluo was present in the dining hall that day when Wuyi entered. Boluo's eyes widened at the sight of Wuyi's injury, and he rose abruptly, fists clenched. Wuyi averted his gaze. After a tense moment, Boluo turned his back and exited the room. Wuyi felt a momentary relief, but then his eyes met Gao's.

The triumph in Gao's expression sent a chill down his spine; it was clear that Gao would create more trouble for him.

The following months were a filled with some pain for Wuyi. He had decided to consider it as training for his patience until he was strong enough. Gao spared no effort in demeaning him, yet Wuyi excelled in every exercise Gao assigned.

While the others struggled to grasp the nuances of Qi flow, for Wuyi, it was as effortless as drinking water. He had already improved his cultivation and was now cleansing his vessels and meridians.

In the first four stages of level one, also known as the Qi initiate or body cleansing stage, cultivators are supposed to open four points: Baihui, Mingmen, Yongquan, and Laogong. Once these four points were opened and nurtured, they absorbed Qi and helped open the dantian.

The Qi then passed through the dantian and moved to the vessels and meridians. Now, Wuyi was essentially at level five of the body cleansing stage. He had to cleanse two vessels: the Conception Vessel and the Governing Vessel.

After that came the cleansing of three meridians.

Lung Meridian Starts from the lungs and ends at the thumb.

Heart Meridian Starts from the heart and ends at the small finger.

Liver Meridian Starts from the liver and ends at the big toe.

Only the first level of cultivation, the body cleansing stage, had 10 stages; all other levels had only nine stages.

Days continued to pass, and Wuyi kept growing. Every once in while came the moments that Wuyi hated. It was one of those days, Gao held his hand, guiding the Qi flow through his meridians, and suddenly spoke, instructing him to chant, "I am a bastard, and I shame my clan's name."

Wuyi had grown accustomed to Gao's demands such as this; he complied, masking his emotions, letting Gao be pleased.

But Gao's next words sent a shiver down Wuyi's spine. "You are cultivating some different cultivation method, aren't you, bastard! This path is different from cultivation I am teaching. How are you strengthening your meridians and body? Do you think I will not find the source? The flow is too smooth for you to be doing it for the first time."

Gao's smile was predatory, revealing all his teeth. Wuyi recoiled and kept quiet, letting Gao use as many abusive words as he liked to his heart's content.

In the days that followed, it was a precarious game of hide-and-seek for Wuyi. He had to let Gao inspect his cultivation while also making Gao's flow of Qi less smooth, so it felt as if Wuyi was learning it for the first time whenever Gao tested his vessels .

He had to pretend to learn Gao's Qi flow technique while being cautious not to reveal anything.

But this did not continue long, Gao realized Wuyi was intentionally making the flow of Qi rough to make him feel that he was learning it for the first time.

"Don't mock me!" Gao bellowed after one such session, his face turning red with fury. The other students looked at each other, bewildered.

"Attend to your own exercises!" he roared, redirecting his ire towards them.