The Essence of True Qi

The skeleton warriors slain by the disaster knights wielded weapons that were utterly incomparable; they possessed no valuable additional abilities and were merely mundane instruments of battle.

Consequently, my heart of the undead warrior could not absorb these worthless items. Wang Zhong had long since distributed the spoils of war, and now, our small group was equipped with weapons, marking a modest yet significant leap in our strength. 

"Hey!" Just as I was lost in thought, a small voice interrupted my reverie. The female college student, Sun Yan, had quietly seated herself beside me.

Do you think we are still alive, or have we, like the creatures here, already perished?" I glanced at her and replied matter-of-factly, "Of course we are still alive." 

"That's a relief! I've been worried that if I stayed here too long, I might end up like those skeletons!" I couldn't help but scold her for such a ridiculous notion, "You really have a screw loose.

Sun Yan, unfazed by my rudeness, leaned slightly against me with a forced smile and asked, "So do you think we can leave this place? What should we do next?

I was nearly tempted to grip her throat and silence her incessant chatter.

I had far too many matters to contemplate to concern myself with her nonsensical thoughts. After a moment's deliberation, I suppressed my impatience and said, "Where there's a will, there's a way. Overthinking won't help; I need to rest now, so please don't disturb me." 

After I clearly expressed my refusal, Sun Yan, indeed, refrained from further prattling. However, she soon began to sniffle, which only heightened my irritation.

Here, take this magic card and keep quiet. Otherwise, I'll come back," I said, handing her the card for the petrification magic missile. I had already discerned her intentions, but as a guide, my task was to train this group into competent warriors, so I had no reason to be stingy;

after all, such magic held little significance for me. Upon receiving the petrification magic card, Sun Yan immediately ceased her sobbing and obediently sat beside me, remaining silent. 

My thoughts were in turmoil, and I unconsciously began to circulate the nameless martial arts technique. This meditation lasted for several hours.

Suddenly, I felt a stirring in my dantian, and a faint yet chilling essence of true qi rose, elusive yet palpable.

Hmm!"

I was slightly taken aback as this essence quickly dissipated, retreating back into my dantian. Nevertheless, this phenomenon instilled a sense of confidence within me. When I resumed the practice of the nameless martial arts technique, that ethereal essence of true qi reemerged. 

Familiar with this technique, I effortlessly guided the delicate essence of true qi through the eight extraordinary meridians.

When it returned to my dantian, I realized it had subtly strengthened. Unlike my usual experience with the nameless martial arts technique, this essence felt like an integral part of my being, responding to my commands with fluidity and precision. Immersed in the refreshing chill of this true qi, I expanded the nameless technique further.

The essence grew increasingly potent, and eventually, I inadvertently directed the true qi into the twelve primary meridians, only to encounter significant resistance.

On Demon Island, I had been unable to channel true qi into any of the twelve meridians, which was utterly unexpected. 

Driven by curiosity, I meticulously guided the true qi inch by inch through the hand taiyin lung meridian. With each acupoint traversed, the nameless true qi grew stronger, and the resistance in the meridian diminished. When I finally jolted awake from my meditative state, the true qi flowed freely within the hand taiyin lung meridian, a process that had consumed the entire night. 

By now, it was already the following morning, and everyone had vacated the stone chamber. I pondered the secrets of the nameless martial arts technique and the power cards from Demon Island.

These power cards must conceal secrets I have yet to uncover. Although Wang Zhong's martial arts are only at the level of Demon Island, he can still harness them in the disaster realm, while my nameless technique cannot be employed.

It seems the powers derived from the cards are not truly my own. Yet, I managed to cultivate a strand of true qi through the nameless martial arts technique—what could that mean?" 

The eight extraordinary meridians flowed unobstructed, while the twelve primary meridians remained convoluted and challenging. Clearly, practicing the nameless martial arts technique had not been in vain; the only explanation for this situation was that this technique could indeed be practiced in the real world.

Though challenging compared to the ease of drawing power from the cards, this was undeniably a genuine strength of my own. 

I had grown accustomed to circulating true qi in my daily life; whether walking, eating, sleeping, or working, it never interfered with the flow of true qi.

However, upon entering the disaster realm, I had been left without true qi, merely occasionally guiding a wisp of thought through the empty meridians. Now, I had regained that state. 

The disaster knights had left behind only their remnants and weapons, while the terrifying mounts—blood-red beasts with goat heads, skeletal necks, and exposed muscles—remained in the camp. I never wasted energy when slaying disaster knights, leaving seven or eight alive. Without their masters, these creatures appeared surprisingly docile.

When I emerged from the stone chamber, I found Tang Lei directing Zhang Bo, Wang Lili, and Gu Lengzhai in slaying these monsters, to my great frustration that no one thought to capture them for our use. Fortunately, Wang Zhong was unlike those fools; he had safeguarded the black steed of the disaster knight leader. 

After the battle, the group appeared markedly different from the previous day, exuding a newfound air of toughness. Even the timid Huang Shengqiu was wielding a long war fork, practicing various techniques within the camp.

Upon seeing me, Tang Lei greeted me with a friendly smile and said quietly, "Wang Zhong has already scouted the surroundings. Aside from the old farmhouse we encountered, there are no other structures nearby. However, not far from here lies a north-south road. Where should we head next?" 

In my heart, I mused, "If it were up to me, I would certainly choose north, where the dark overlord reigns and the disaster army's stronghold lies, promising even more battles. But how to lead these people there will require considerable effort."

Wang Zhong and Gu Lengzhai were engaged in conversation, but upon noticing Tang Lei speaking to me, they approached.

Gu Lengzhai remarked, "We seem to have arrived in a world imbued with magic. We must unite our efforts to survive. Perhaps even after our demise here, we will journey to another realm;

this is not the eternal end of life, but I refuse to give up so easily."

Wang Zhong's words were even more forthright as he produced an object and said to me, "I found this on the leader of that knight. What are your thoughts on this world?" In his hand was a rune stone; with a mere glance, I recognized it as a command tower for a legion.