Vital energy begins at the tip of the little finger at Shaoze, travels along the outer edge of the palm through Qiangu, Houxi, Yanggu, and Yanglao points, and exits at the styloid process of the ulna. It then follows the lower edge of the ulna, passes through Zhizheng point to reach the Shaohai point at the elbow, ascends along the posterior edge of the outer upper arm to the shoulder joint at Jianzheng and Naoshu points. Winding upward to the scapular region, it passes through Tianzong, Bingfeng, Quyuan, Jianwaishu, and Jianzhongshu, converging at the Dazhui point. It then moves forward into the supraclavicular fossa, descends to connect with the heart, travels along the esophagus through the diaphragm, reaches the stomach, and is associated with the small intestine. One branch ascends from the side of the neck to the cheek, reaches the outer canthus of the eye, and turns into the auditory organ.

Because this sword technique is so unorthodox, with the flow of vital energy running counter to the norm, even disciples with true Emei lineage must first master the Emei foundational mental method to perfection and have their masters supervise them before they can attempt to practice it.

The Yuanyang Sword Technique is not a foundational skill for beginners; even if disciples from other sects obtain this sword manual, without having practiced the Emei foundational mental method, they simply cannot cultivate it.

Richard King dared to take the risk and try because...

He had the foundation of the Demonic Awareness of Duoluo, which allows for “a thousand transformations of vital energy; the illusion and annihilation of cultivation”!

The “Five Awarenesses Demonic Scroll” of Tianxin Temple has no power for combat and is almost useless in battle, but once the Five Demonic Awarenesses are mastered, each awareness has incredible and mysterious uses.

The Duoluo Awareness can open the most secret apertures between heaven and earth!

These apertures are external to the body, extremely mysterious and secret, indescribable and beyond words.

The apertures of heaven and earth are like the acupoints of the human body; once opened, all vital energy can be transferred into them, leaving the body with not a trace of vital energy, achieving “the illusion and annihilation of cultivation.”

The vital energy transferred into these apertures can be returned to the body at any time, but what is returned is no longer the original vital energy, but the most refined and pure primordial energy of heaven and earth, devoid of any specific qualities.

Primordial energy of heaven and earth is the source of all energies, without any particular attribute, yet it can be transformed into any kind of vital energy in the world.

Using this primordial energy to cultivate any mental method is like being gifted years of cultivation by a true immortal of the past, allowing for instant mastery, no different from what would be gained through years of hard training.

Because Richard King had the foundation of Duoluo Awareness, he was not afraid of being investigated by members of the Emei Sect; within his body, he only had the heterodox mental method passed down by the Daoist Yan, with shallowly cultivated vital energy, and not a trace of the demonic cultivation of Tianxin Temple.

Richard King activated the divine power of the Five Demonic Awarenesses, used Duoluo Awareness to draw back all the demonic vital energy hidden in the apertures of heaven and earth. The demonic vital energy he had transferred into these apertures had long since been transformed into the most refined primordial energy of heaven and earth, with no trace of its original qualities.

If an ordinary person tried to cultivate this sword technique, even with true Emei transmission, it would take at least several years just to get started.

Richard King had a solid foundation, outstanding talent, and the assistance of the Demonic Awareness, so as he held the sword case, silently visualizing the Yuanyang Sword Technique, a continuous stream of primordial energy arose from Shaoze; his little finger swelled, ached, itched, tingled, and felt numb, sore, heavy, and clumsy—all sorts of sensations.

After half an hour, he felt his little finger lighten, and a wisp of Yuanyang vital energy was born.

If Richard King were to convert the primordial energy of heaven and earth back into the vital energy of Tianxin Temple, he could recover his full cultivation within a few hours at most, but converting it into Yuanyang vital energy yielded only this single wisp, less than one-eighth of his original power.

He silently savored this wisp of Yuanyang vital energy, unable to help but praise inwardly: “Yinding Xiu, the old Daoist, is truly remarkable. Judging by the profoundness of this sword technique alone, all the Daoist methods of Tianxin Temple combined cannot compare.”

Heaven and earth have their set order; the vital energies of the Daoist and Demonic schools are ranked by quality into nine tiers and thirty-six grades, and anything outside these thirty-six grades is considered impure energy!

The heterodox methods of Tianxin Temple produce mixed and impure vital energy, which has long since fallen outside the nine tiers and thirty-six grades, and is classified as impure. Yuanyang vital energy, however, is the highest grade of the seventh tier, counted among the ranks of Supreme Primordial True Energy!

Therefore, this single wisp of Yuanyang vital energy is worth more than thousands upon thousands of wisps of Tianxin Temple’s vital energy.

Richard King cultivated for two or three hours, converting one or two percent of his power, unblocking three acupoints, channeling vital energy from Shaoze through Qiangu to Houxi. Although the Yuanyang vital energy he cultivated was only a tiny thread, it was genuine and solid, marking his entry into the threshold of this sword technique.

If he were an Emei disciple, mastering this sword technique would surely earn him praise from his elders!

Unfortunately, Richard King absolutely could not let anyone know that he had secretly learned Emei’s Yuanyang Sword Technique and the twelve forms of the Yuanyang Sword Art.

Otherwise, not only would the Emei Sect reclaim all his sword skills, they might even behead him with a flying sword to prevent the sect’s secrets from leaking. Even if the Emei elders felt pity for him, they would still imprison him for life, leaving him to die in loneliness.

Richard King opened his eyes slightly and saw a faint glimmer of light. He knew that dawn had broken, and if he didn’t return soon, he might be discovered by the Emei disciple who brought him food. So he quietly took the Yuanyang sword case, exited the secret path, and returned to his stone cave dwelling.

Just as he arrived, the Emei disciple who brought him food called out from outside, “The Turner Brothers, come eat!”

Richard King casually tossed the sword case to the ground, kicked it under the bed, strolled out unhurriedly, and said with a smile, “Once again, I must trouble Brother Shaw to bring me food. I’m truly grateful!”