Inside his own dantian, he didn’t know when a skeleton had actually appeared! A skeleton about the size of a thumbnail, its bones pure white like jade! This skeleton sat cross-legged on the ground, its entire frame radiating a gentle luster, its face solemn and dignified!

It was clearly just a skeleton, yet Ethan Brooks still felt this absurd sensation.

What was this now? Ethan Brooks felt like crying but had no tears! The things that happened after circulating the Wuchang Art were simply too bizarre, far beyond Ethan Brooks’s wildest imagination. First, his Ren and Du meridians were opened, then his meridians were widened and reinforced, and now a pure white skeleton had appeared in his dantian.

Drawing his mind a little closer, Ethan Brooks suddenly sensed a gentle energy radiating from the skeleton, continuously pouring into his meridians, circulating endlessly along the Wuchang Art’s energy route.

Gang Heart? The thought suddenly popped into Ethan Brooks’s mind! He was immediately startled by this ridiculous idea.

What level was he at? Before this, Ethan Brooks couldn’t even be considered first grade in the Tempering Gang stage—at best, he was a half-grade, knowing only some basic cultivation methods. Although he had just opened his acupoints and that cool energy had widened and reinforced his meridians, it hadn’t brought the slightest improvement to his realm.

In other words, Ethan Brooks was still not even at the first grade of Tempering Gang!

Yet, someone not even at first grade actually possessed a Gang Heart? Lucas Clark only formed his Gang Heart at third grade, and the most outstanding disciple since Tianxiu Sect’s founding formed his at second grade. Not to mention the Li Tang Empire—even across the entire Tiangang Continent, there had never been any rumor of someone forming a Gang Heart at first grade! Not even in legends.

But now, he, someone not even at first grade, actually possessed his own Gang Heart—and this Gang Heart was a delicately carved, lustrous, jade-like skeleton!

Even though Ethan Brooks could hardly believe it, he had no choice but to accept it!

Suppressing his excitement, Ethan Brooks thought for a moment and finally understood the cause and effect. Oscar Bennett had given him ten years of ghostly cultivation in the underworld, and had once told him this would help his body after reincarnation. Ethan Brooks just hadn’t expected the help to be so powerful.

How much was ten years of ghostly cultivation worth? Ethan Brooks didn’t know, but the fact that it allowed him to form a Gang Heart before even reaching first grade, and also opened and widened his meridians, gave Ethan Brooks a sense of just how formidable ghostly cultivation was.

“Hahahaha!” Ethan Brooks couldn’t help but burst out laughing—he’d struck it rich! Even though Oscar Bennett’s ten years of ghostly cultivation had been completely used up, the foundation it laid for him would benefit him endlessly!

A hundred-story tower rises from the ground—what’s most important? The foundation!

With such a base, Ethan Brooks only needed a little effort to reap far greater rewards than others!

Chapter 8: Cultivation

Focusing his mind to circle around the Gang Heart in his dantian a few times, he saw that the little skeleton still looked a bit fragile. Although its bones were flawless and white, like pure jade, it was like a newborn infant—unable to withstand any wind or rain.

Other people’s Gang Hearts were blades, swords, flowers, plants, lightning, clouds—why was his a little skeleton? What benefits could it possibly bring him?

But the more he looked, the more he found the little skeleton rather endearing. Thinking of this, Ethan Brooks felt a surge of energy throughout his body.

What it could ultimately bring him could only be proven once his strength grew in the future.

Reluctantly withdrawing his mind, Ethan Brooks turned to look out the window. The sky was still dark, so he simply began circulating the Wuchang Art, starting his first true cultivation session.

All the meridians in his body had already been opened by Oscar Bennett’s ghostly cultivation. With a single thought, Ethan Brooks felt a warm current rise from his dantian, circulating endlessly through the acupoints along his two main meridians.

At the beginning of life, essence is formed first; when essence is complete, marrow is born. Bone is the trunk, meridians are the channels, tendons are the ties, flesh is the wall, skin is tough and hair grows long. Grain enters the stomach, meridians are clear, and blood and qi flow.

Whether cultivating external or internal arts, the most important thing is the body’s meridians and muscles. These are the foundation—if the foundation is solid, future cultivation will yield twice the results with half the effort.

With every breath, spiritual energy from the outside world continuously entered Ethan Brooks’s body. The little skeleton in his dantian resonated in response, constantly generating energy and injecting it into his meridians.

Ethan Brooks was in no hurry to let the spiritual energy he cultivated circulate through his meridians. He left only a small portion as a base, channeling the rest into his bones and muscles, letting the energy temper every part of his body.

Oscar Bennett’s ghostly cultivation had only helped open and expand his meridians, but hadn’t strengthened his physical body. What Ethan Brooks needed to do now was temper his body to be as tough and unbreakable as his meridians!

Gradually, Ethan Brooks entered a state of complete self-forgetfulness. Everything around him faded away, all his senses shut off. If someone approached Ethan Brooks, they would surely find that he had no breath at all, and his heart would only beat with a strong, metallic thump after a long interval—almost indistinguishable from a corpse.