Chapter 41: Unblocking the Spleen Meridian, Charging Through the Liver Meridian! (Please add to your favorites, and keep reading!)

No matter why the Witch Institute is recruiting new members, it's a tremendous opportunity—one that Shang Lu does not wish to miss.

But entering the Witch Institute is not something achieved merely by wishing; at the very least, one must possess cultivation at the Bone-Cleansing stage.

Shang Lu is currently only at the initial stage of Meridian Opening; he still has much work to do.

"You need to work hard as well. Seize this opportunity and strive to pass the exam for the Witch Institute," Shang Lu said, patting Du Feng on the shoulder.

"With my abilities, entering the Witch Institute? I wouldn't even dare to dream of it," Du Feng replied, shaking his head with a wry smile. After bidding Shang Lu farewell, he turned and headed back to the magistrate's office.

Braving the rain, Shang Lu hurried home.

As he turned into the narrow alley, he saw two lanterns at the door—one red, one white.

Despite the wild wind and torrential rain raging between heaven and earth, the lanterns still illuminated Shang Lu's path home.

"I'm back," he called as he pushed open the gate.

He was greeted by a remarkable sight: though outside the rain poured and the wind howled, within the courtyard not a trace of wind or rain could be found—the ground was dry.

On closer inspection, Shang Lu realized that the lush canopy overhead acted like a great umbrella, shielding the courtyard from the storm.

Rainwater either landed outside the compound or trickled down the tree trunks into the drains, keeping the entire courtyard dry and comfortable.

As soon as Shang Lu closed the door behind him, Third Lady removed his raincoat and set it aside.

She then brought him a towel and fresh clothes, helping him dry off and change out of his wet garments.

Shang Lu couldn't help but tease, "Third Lady, this isn't fair. You've helped me dry off so many times; when will you let me serve you in return, and let me help you dry off?"

"Pah!" came Third Lady's voice from the courtyard.

The sound was crisp and clear, not the least bit muffled.

Shang Lu was about to say something more when Third Lady's voice rang out again: "Then you need to work harder."

Indeed, he had to work harder! Whether to enter the Witch Institute or to finally unveil Third Lady's veil and steal a kiss, he needed sufficient cultivation.

After changing clothes, Shang Lu went straight to the courtyard to continue practicing the Five Beasts Vitality Art.

Previously, in Shuanggui Village, he'd only just begun his practice before being summoned to the county office for questioning.

Fortunately, he possessed the Temple of Five Viscera and the idol of the Spleen Spirit, which helped him transform the spiritual fat and bloody meat paste he'd consumed.

Otherwise, without timely refinement of the spiritual fat, half of its effects would have been wasted.

This time, as he practiced the Five Beasts Vitality Art, Shang Lu gained many new insights.

Until today, he'd regarded the Five Beasts Vitality Art merely as a basic exercise to strengthen his qi and blood.

But in his fierce battle with the Black Wind Gang, he discovered that each animal form within the art had its unique effect in combat.

The Ape Form was nimble, perfect for evasion and maneuvering.

The Bear Form was powerful—not only good for carrying heavy loads, but also exceptionally effective in grappling bouts.

The Tiger, Deer, and Bird Forms each had their own distinctive features.

With renewed practice, Shang Lu no longer treated the art as a mere foundational exercise; he began analyzing how each move could be applied in actual combat, considering when and how to use them.

As he trained, the art gradually evolved on his body.

The Tiger's ferocity, the Bear's dominance, the Ape's agility—all were greatly enhanced compared to before.

It was no longer simply a matter of imitation; he now embodied both the spirit and the form, achieving true integration.

Shang Lu repeated the Five Beasts Vitality Art dozens of times before finally stopping.

Spiritual fat was indeed a wondrous thing; the refined qi and blood it produced were far superior to an equivalent amount of bloody meat paste.

However, while bloody meat paste was available every day, there was only one piece of spiritual fat.

Moreover, he had no idea how Third Lady managed to cut the serpent demon's flesh so perfectly—each portion she gave him matched his current cultivation precisely, with not a bit wasted.

But spiritual fat was different; though it produced more refined qi and blood, Shang Lu couldn't absorb it all at once.

Ideally, spiritual fat should be divided into several portions to maximize its use.

Yet Shang Lu had another plan: he intended to use the spiritual fat to break through acupoints and open his meridians.

When reading "True Explanation of Meridian Opening" over dinner, he'd seen that, with the aid of elders and external elixirs or tonics, one could use their power to break through acupoints and open meridians.

Shang Lu possessed the Spleen Spirit idol and Third Lady, both far more effective than any elder.

The spleen's function was to control the blood, so it could naturally command the refined qi and blood from spiritual fat to break through acupoints—entirely feasible.

However, Shang Lu didn't rush into opening his meridians; instead, he took out "True Explanation of Meridian Opening" and the cultivation notes of the senior at the Qi Refining stage, and carefully read through them.

The "True Explanation of Meridian Opening" was straightforward, with no obscure theories, so he finished it quickly.

The cultivation notes were similar—concise, hard-earned experiences from the senior's arduous path, few words but all valuable.

According to both books, stepping into the Meridian Opening stage begins with unblocking the Ren and Du meridians.

But after that, which meridian to open next depends entirely on personal circumstances; there are no fixed requirements.

Most people, having first opened the Ren and Du meridians, proceed with the Eight Extraordinary Meridians—like Captains Niu and Ma.

But Shang Lu, considering his own situation, decided to start with the Twelve Primary Meridians.

Especially those related to the five viscera!

After all, within his body lay the Temple of Five Viscera.

Opening the meridians associated with the five viscera would undoubtedly strengthen the temple and enhance its functions.

Having made his decision, Shang Lu immediately activated his qi and blood, launching an assault on the starting Yinbai acupoint of the Spleen Meridian!

Under the guidance of the Spleen Spirit idol, Shang Lu's own qi and blood acted as a guide, leading the surplus refined qi from the spiritual fat through the two Spleen Meridians, like a flood breaking through a dam, rushing forward with unstoppable force.

The spiritual fat provided by the court, though laced with a strange black-red aura, was full of energy, and the refined qi it produced was powerful.

With its help, Shang Lu opened all twenty-one acupoints of the Spleen Meridian in one go, completing the meridian opening!

He even had enough strength left over to open four acupoints in the Liver Meridian.

If Shang Lu had actually reached the peak of Bone-Cleansing, with this piece of spiritual fat, he might have been able to enter the Meridian Opening stage directly.

After finishing the acupoint breakthrough, Shang Lu withdrew his energy and reviewed his gains.

Within the Temple of Five Viscera, the Spleen Spirit idol appeared brighter and more vivid, as if imbued with greater spirituality.

Though the Liver Spirit idol still hadn't revealed its true form, the mist shrouding it had dissipated considerably.

Moreover, since many acupoints of the Spleen Meridian are located in the lower limbs, opening it allowed qi and blood to flow more smoothly and swiftly through his feet, greatly increasing his strength.

This was excellent news for his practice of the Tiger Step technique.

Many acupoints of the Liver Meridian were also in the lower limbs; once it was opened, his leg strength would surely rise another level.

By then, the Tiger Step would likely become Shang Lu's trump card.

So, after finishing the acupoint breakthrough, Shang Lu immediately began practicing the Tiger Step.

The night passed quickly.

Near dawn, the heavy rain finally ceased, and a pale light appeared in the sky.

The dense branches overhead parted, letting sunlight stream into the courtyard.

Inside, Shang Lu continued to practice the Tiger Step.

Having stayed awake all night, his face showed not the slightest trace of fatigue.

He was full of vigor, moving like a true tiger patrolling his territory.

The night's cultivation allowed Shang Lu to grasp the essence of the Tiger Step, marking his entry into its practice.

He also took the opportunity to practice the Chaotic Cloak Blade Technique, yielding impressive results.

After ending his training, Shang Lu took a cold bath and prepared to report to the magistrate's office.

Performance evaluations were now over, so he could no longer slack off as before, skipping work day after day.

At the very least, he had to show up and check in before sneaking off.

"Third Lady, I'm planning to hunt the High Serpent at Yunhua Mountain. Would you like to join me?"

As he stepped out, Shang Lu extended his invitation.