Ryan Lawson’s whole body trembled as that ancient, dragon-like divine meridian within him lit up halfway, a layer of deep blue scales appearing, shimmering with a cold light.

  “It worked!”

  “I actually activated my martial meridian! No, it’s a divine meridian!”

  Ryan Lawson almost cried out, his whole body shaking.

  For more than three years, he had tried everything, consumed countless rare materials, but hadn’t managed to awaken even a trace of his martial meridian.

  Because of this—

  His father had been missing for years, Emily Nash had to bear the burden of an engagement, and he himself suffered endless humiliation at the academy.

  But today—

  He had activated his martial meridian in just one night, even if only halfway.

  It must be known—

  The length and volume of Ryan Lawson’s divine meridian far exceeded a normal martial meridian by ten or even dozens of times.

  This was all thanks to the long time Ryan Lawson had spent tempering his body in the Body Tempering Realm, consuming many rare materials, including that top-grade “Meridian Opening Pill” “sponsored” by the Du family.

  “With the martial meridian activated, the rest of the meridian opening process will be much easier.”

  Ryan Lawson suppressed his excitement.

  Once the divine meridian was opened, his fate would truly leap forward.

  “I’ve heard that after a martial meridian is activated, the body undergoes some changes. Some powerful martial meridians even produce special phenomena.”

  Ryan Lawson suddenly thought of something.

  At this moment—

  He felt his senses becoming sharper, his body filled with a mysterious, powerful energy.

  Let’s give it a try!

  Ryan Lawson found a stone slab weighing over a hundred pounds.

  With his previous strength, he could at most leave a palm print an inch deep on the slab.

  “I wonder how deep the palm print will be this time.”

  Ryan Lawson looked on with anticipation.

  Pa!

  Gathering all his strength, Ryan Lawson struck the stone slab with his palm.

  Crack!

  Instantly, the surface of the slab was covered in dense cracks, and the palm print in the center was at least several inches deep.

  “So strong!”

  Ryan Lawson exclaimed in awe—the power of this strike was one or two times greater than before.

  With this strength, even without using spiritual sense, he could easily crush family scions like William York.

  Ryan Lawson was about to look away.

  Hiss!

  A layer of pale white frost condensed on the cracked stone slab, emitting a chilling aura.

  “This, could it be…”

  Ryan Lawson’s eyes widened.

  Crack!

  The stone slab suddenly shattered, turning into a pile of icy shards, the cold biting to the bone.

  “So powerful!”

  Ryan Lawson couldn’t help but gasp.

  “Could this be an innate ability only martial meridians above the Earth rank possess? But my divine meridian is only half opened, not fully awakened yet.”

  Ryan Lawson was excited, but also filled with doubt.

  Afterwards—

  He tested himself in various ways in his room, discovering that his strength, physique, and even agility had all improved greatly.

  Ryan Lawson also gradually became familiar with the power of the divine meridian within him, able to initially control and use it.

  “Xiaotian, come eat, you have to go to the academy soon.”

  A gentle, melodious girl’s voice, as beautiful as a heavenly song, came from outside the room.

  A graceful girl in plain clothes, like a fairy from a painting, had prepared a large bowl of meat noodle soup for Ryan Lawson.

  Such a scene had lasted for four or five years.

  But in two months, this pure and beautiful girl, like a celestial maiden, might have to marry the ugly young master of the Du family.

  “Xueyao. I’ll soon open my martial meridian and become a martial artist. Once I pay off the debt, you won’t have to marry Charles Duke.”

  Ryan Lawson said seriously.

  These words were his promise!

  “Xiaotian, I believe you. But don’t put too much pressure on yourself…”

  Emily Nash smiled gently, not really taking the boy’s words to heart.

Chapter 004 Richard York

  After eating—

  Ryan Lawson arrived at Qingchang City’s only martial arts academy, Qingfeng Academy.

  Qingfeng Academy had been established for nearly a hundred years, divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes.

  At age ten, Ryan Lawson had entered the intermediate class directly with a sixth-level Body Tempering cultivation.

  At twelve, after reaching the ninth level of Body Tempering, he had already entered the advanced class.

  Students in the advanced class were either prodigies with great potential or had already broken through to the Meridian Opening Realm—the gathering place for all the young geniuses of Qingchang City.

  On the way—

  Some young students looked at Ryan Lawson with strange eyes, their expressions mocking and pitying.

  “This loser is still in the advanced class?”

  “Did you hear? Yesterday this guy beat up William York pretty badly.”

  “Injured William York? Tsk tsk, there’s going to be a good show! Even if he doesn’t die, he’ll lose a layer of skin.”

  ……

  Ryan Lawson frowned slightly and entered the advanced class classroom.

  At this moment, he again felt some pitiful and gloating gazes in the class.

  Something’s wrong!

  Ryan Lawson expanded his spiritual sense, his perception greatly enhanced, and began to “eavesdrop” on the nearby discussions.

  “Ryan Lawson, that guy, actually injured William York?”

  “Heh, William York’s older brother, ‘Richard York’, is a Meridian Opening Realm martial artist, he just usually doesn’t come to class.”

  Richard York?

  A Meridian Opening Realm martial artist?

  Ryan Lawson was shocked—he hadn’t expected William York to have such a brother.

  But this wasn’t Ryan Lawson’s fault.

  There were over a hundred people in the advanced class, and he had always been ostracized and bullied, a marginal figure unfamiliar with many.

  Especially some of the Meridian Opening Realm geniuses, who usually didn’t even attend class.