“You’ve spent years racking your brains, gathering like-minded companions, and creating your own guiding technique—wasn’t all of this preparation for this very grand method? Regulating the meridians and absorbing vital essence is not impossible. Besides, this Devouring Essence Technique has already been improved quite a bit. Though its power has diminished, there’s no longer any risk of internal energy running amok.”

“But this guiding technique is still incomplete! And the Devouring Heaven Metamorphosis still has flaws. Moreover, if this dual-meridian body cannot be improved, practicing this method will only be like that Five-Ginseng Bone-Fortifying Decoction—”

Two voices argued endlessly in his mind, and Henry Clark’s expression shifted between gloom and brightness, ever-changing.

After a while, Henry Clark suddenly smiled and sat down again.

His mind was incomparably clear—self-preservation came first. If time allowed, he would naturally want to perfect the Devouring Heaven Metamorphosis before cultivating it. But right now, what choice did he have?

The first snow and the rising sun—everyone said there was nothing to worry about, but it only made him more uneasy. If something truly unexpected happened, he needed some means of self-defense.

Moreover, if it was only used to absorb the essence of these medicines, the Devouring Essence Technique shouldn’t pose any hidden dangers.

Having made up his mind, Henry Clark immediately began circulating his breath. He had studied this Devouring Heaven Metamorphosis countless times, even rehearsed various scenarios in his mind.

Now, as he activated his energy, everything went smoothly, as if he’d done it a thousand times. He easily drew the medicinal power from the water into his body—this was the first step, “Devouring Heaven.”

Next, using the internal breathing guiding technique, he manipulated the streams of warmth within his body, transforming them into vital energy and spiritual power. Then, enduring the pain, he followed the heart formula, making the energy circulate continuously, compressing and refining it step by step—this was the second step, “Metamorphosis.” It sounded simple, but the process was extremely complex. The slightest mistake would mean all previous efforts were wasted.

When he had absorbed seventy percent of the medicinal liquid in the tub, Henry Clark felt as if his abdomen was about to burst. It was as if countless mice were running wild inside him, crashing and scurrying uncontrollably. Cold sweat drenched his body, and all his meridians felt as if they were splitting apart.

Yet Henry Clark was not alarmed but delighted. His expression grew solemn, his eyes shining with spirit. He suddenly uttered a low shout, saying “Open.” Forcibly controlling the vital and spiritual energy he had refined countless times, he rammed it toward a point half an inch below his navel.

Immediately, he felt a wrenching pain in his abdomen, a thunderous roar in his ears. His blood and energy suddenly reversed, his consciousness blurred, and he was overcome by dizziness.

But when Henry Clark regained his senses, a trace of joy immediately appeared on his face.

Chapter 006: Ancient Spirit of Dragon Marsh

Unlike a few days ago, when no matter how he examined himself, he could only sense a vague feeling of energy—

When Henry Clark looked inward again, he could now clearly perceive the endlessly flowing meridians, and the interlocking, vast, and intricate chakra wheels that subtly echoed the laws of heaven and earth.

As the intense pain gradually faded, a warm sensation also rose in his chest and abdomen.

This was the gathering place of all spiritual power, true essence, and internal energy—the very source of all “qi”! It was also the origin of the nine chakra wheels of the body, the only vital point that could directly connect with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth before breaking through the body’s chakras!

Not long ago, Henry Clark could only probe this place with special techniques, but could not sense it accurately.

The spiritual energy he painstakingly guided inside could not be stored within. Even if he forced it in, it would slowly dissipate.

Now, in Henry Clark’s spiritual perception, he saw that a white mass of energy had appeared below his abdomen.

Looking deeper, he saw a white sea of mist before his eyes. Strands of liquid-like energy flowed within. At first glance, it was snow-white, but upon closer inspection, there were some tiny gray-blue specks mixed in.

These were the residual vital essences he had refined from the Five-Ginseng Blood-Fortifying Decoction using the Devouring Essence Technique. With a bit more transformation, they could be converted into internal energy.

The amount inside was nothing compared to when he dominated the Cloud Realm in his previous life—it was like the difference between a pond and a sea. But it already made Henry Clark feel his chest open up, all oppression gone.

“The opening of the qi sea marks the beginning of the chakra wheels—”

In his previous life, in the game, Henry Clark had created countless characters to study the mysteries of the chakras. Using the fully simulated virtual world, he tested his novel ideas and verified the so-called “self-created” martial arts he had cobbled together.

Naturally, he had opened the qi sea countless times.

But in reality, this was the first time, and the feeling was completely different. This was not a game character, but true power that belonged to him.

This was the beginning of all meridians. Only after opening it could one truly step onto the path of a martial artist and qualify to cultivate various martial arts.

“However, though this Devouring Heaven Metamorphosis is miraculous, no matter how much I refine the absorbed vital essence, there are still some impurities. Just as I expected—”

Thinking of the differently colored specks within the white energy mass, Henry Clark’s joy faded a little, replaced by solemnity.

Those impurities were not obvious for now. But if left unchecked, once his cultivation reached the level of breaking through the body’s chakras and the amount accumulated, it could be fatal.