Ch 6 - Death Qi, First Point

Death qi.

It circulates through the body like a snake, constricting around every vital part of Adlet with reckless abandon. Where the mysterious heaven skill of the tang sect moves through the body caressing and nourishing body and soul inside out, the death qi felt like a thin stream of acid.

'The points along the death qi path felt like leaking cracks in a dam. I only need to break them open to unlimited power. At a cost I cannot afford. Walking this path is truly like making a deal with the devil.'

The death qi could be divided into segments, or rather circuits. Adlet spent the days Mirellia and Raven were recuperating to meditate on this new power. The death points were divided into a cultivation path of four segments.There were far fewer points than the meridian network, which helped him understand their purpose quickly.

The first circuit of points were the least, and located in the center of each of the five major organs. One in the brain, channeling down into the second in the heart, then into the liver. The pathway split in two, connecting to each kidney, then back up to each lung. Both pathways connected back to the beginning to complete the circuit in seven death qi points.

The second circuit consists of nine points connected to the body's senses. One point at the back of his neck that connected to his skin (touch), the path went up to his tongue (taste), then his nose (smell). Then the path split to each eye and each ear (sight and hearing). Each path connected to one point on each side of his brain before completing the circuit. He wasn't certain on what those last two points were for.

The third pathway circuit has eleven points, but they aren't as important as the path itself. It snaked its way through all of his organs, some multiple times. Adlet believed, after several days of meditation, that each point of the third path connected to a system of the body: reproductive, nervous, skeletal, etc. Based on what organs and body parts the pathway naturally wrapped around.

The final circuit consisted of nine points in a ring, in his brain. He could tell they were connected but had no idea what they connected too. Nor how they were important like the other points.

'Hopefully as I unlock these other points in the three death qi circuits, I'll understand what these last nine are about.'

Another discovery made in the past few days was that he could open up one of the points if he wanted. Most of the death qi points he couldn't open without dying, but one felt safer.

Not safe, but just, safer.

The center point of the brain. His brain seemed to be the focal point between the four segments, so it made sense that the first point to open was the key to the rest.

He didn't unlock it immediately, that would be suicidal, he instinctively knew it. Instead, he focused on learning everything he could about it through deep meditation.

*** Mirellia ***

Days after getting out of the hospital, Raven and Mirellia returned to their classes and went right back to being the leaders of class four, alongside Tian Meng (Skydream).

The students didn't question the two about their absence thanks to a timely glare and not so subtle threat from the teacher. With the staff aware of their recuperating status, more time was spent on theories in the classroom than was probably normal.

After a week of study and training Adlet came to them with a massive grin on his face. "I finally worked out how to safely open the first qi point. But to do that, I'm gonna need some help. Specifically, Skydream's help."

"Why Skydream? I remember you said the first point is in the brain, but what can only he do, that you need him for?" They weren't really friends with the million year spirit beast. They had a few meals with him and brought him to Shrek, but that was about it.

"When I open that point, I believe my brain will 'die' temporarily. I need a powerful mental spirit to keep my necessary mental functions working while I'm out, or I'll die permanently. I'll need to do this for each of the first three points, have someone externally carry me over the hurdles of opening these major organ points. The last four points include my two kidneys and lungs, so I can probably open them safely, so long as I do it one at a time."

The human body only needs one lung and one kidney working to function so he felt certain in his thinking. Still it would be better to have a back up plan in case something goes awry.

"How are we going to convince Tian Meng to help us?" Raven spoke up in curiosity.

"We should use our main card for this, we cannot let him hold back while Adlet's life is in danger." Mirellia knew they'd understand what she meant. Their big card was the knowledge Tian meng was a spirit beast. And he was probably pretending to be weaker than he was in order to blend in. But if they were going to get his help in this matter, than they better get his full cooperation.

"Also I think it's about time we start prepping for our future allies. The Shrek seven is a unit of the seven of Shrek's best. That means not only the best strength, but also the best teamwork. We should start making the next generation team, and who better to include than Skydream."

Mirellia considered this and added her thoughts as well. "There is also Wang Dong, Ning Tian (spirit pagoda), and Xiao Xiao (Flute and Cauldron spirits) in our year alone. Not to mention a few key seniors from canon. All people with great potential."

"Regardless, let's get the worm on our side to help me, and then go from there."

*** Skydream ***

"So what, is, up, buds?" Skydream spoke to the trio who invited him to a private talk in the woods.

'Nailed it! Man I'm getting great at this blending in. At first I was drawing a lot of attention to myself for unknown reasons. Now, most people completely ignore my existence. Perfect camouflage.'

"Skydream, we know you're a spirit beast that reincarnated into a human."

'F*ck! They saw through my perfect camouflage!'

"We are also willing to keep your secret, but we recently discovered we need your help with a private matter. We need the help of a powerful mental attribute cultivator. Will you help us?"

'Lie you idiot, maybe she only suspects your true nature!'

Skydream listened to Bing Bing's advice and tried to follow through. "Haha that's a funny joke Mirellia-chan but I-"

"It's not a joke, nor is it funny, nor are you a good liar." She cut him off with a deadpan expression.

'Alright let's kill them, they know too much.'

'That's not possible Bing Bing, we're deep in enemy territory. If they find dead bodies and us missing, they'll hunt us down. I've seen many people run and hide in the spirit forest because only in there, they might escape detection. I don't have the option to safely go back there.'

'If fighting isn't an option, then negotiate. You must make sure you can offer something they will continuously need. Or they may kill us after they think we have no more use for them.'

"What is it you need my help with?" Skydream didn't like this, but agreed with Xue Nu. While in this human form, they needed to work with the humans.

"I'm actually the one that needs your help." Adlet stepped forward, getting his attention. "I need to do an extremely dangerous thing for my future cultivation. But once I do it, I'll temporarily be brain dead. I need your mental power and control to make sure I don't die during that time."

"So is this a one off matter. Once you've done this, you won't need my help any more?" Skydream didn't realize that made it sound like he didn't want to help further.

"Hopefully that'll be the only time we require your help, but I really can't guarantee that."

Mirellia stepped in beside Adlet to follow up on his words. "We don't intent to simply threaten you without offering compensation. We know of something that'll likely be key to your future survival. You help us with this and any future cultivation problems, in return we'll help make you an asset not worth killing."

'What?'

'What?!'

'Wha- Get her to explain further, Baka'

"Um, Explain please."

"There are far too many title douluo in the world for you to stay hidden long enough to gain the strength to protect yourself. But if you become a major asset and have strong allies, it won't be worth it to try and kill you. We could be strong allies in time, and teach you to become an invaluable asset."

"I feel it would be better to be a 'valuable' asset actuall- owowow." Bing Bing was twisting the ear of his mental avatar when he began spouting stupidity.

After talking a bit more, they explained to Skydream exactly what Adlet was about to do. The girls gave them some distance as he stood directly behind the meditating Adlet.

It took almost an hour for Adlet to concentrate all of his available death qi on the point in the center of his brain. With a mental push, he pierced the first death qi point. His eyes went black and he immediately fell into a comatose state.

Skydream held his head in both hands, holding the life of a very strange kid. He kept the body alive until he felt a pull on his spiritual energy, trying to steal it. He was a master of manipulating spiritual energy but the surprise caught him off guard. The moment he disconnected from Adlet's mind, black veins spread from his head to the rest of his body.

Everytime he tried to reconnect with Adlet's mind his spiritual energy was mercilessly torn from him, devoured by the spiritual black hole that seemed to form. Arguably, he didn't take much of Skydream's energy before he seemed to stabilize. However, the spiritual energy of a million year spiritual beast is of such an incomparable quality that assimilating it would be immensely beneficial to any cultivator of any level.

Once it was clear Adlet didn't need his help anymore, he stepped back and watched. Slowly Adlet's spiritual sea assimilated the stolen spiritual energy and made it a part of his own. The black lines that twisted all around his body like veins began to wriggle and change color. They became a golden and crystalline script of letters none could comprehend.

But Skydream recognized them. He'd seen similar strange letters of gold and crystalline coloring on his million year body. Only Skydream ever saw his million year form, so no one else immediately made that connection.

'Welp, hopefully this doesn't cause us problems in the future.'

*** Adlet ***

Adlet awoke to the sun shining on his face. He activated his martial spirit and his stomach let out the loudest growl he'd ever heard, enough to wake the buxom redhead sleeping next to him. He felt extremely weak and confused, but Xiaotao was ready to explain things as soon as she got done yawning.

"Good Morning Adlet. You had an enlightenment and were in deep meditation for over a month. Mirellia and Raven asked me look after you during the times they're in class, but I decided to train and live here until you awoke. It would be extremely dangerous for someone to disturb your enlightenment after all."

The moment he went to speak, Xiaotao stuffed his mouth with food. She explained how many cultivators will go their whole lives without ever attaining an enlightenment. And because she experienced one just a couple years ago, she knew to have food at the ready. She also seemed to enjoy spoon feeding him while she filled him in on some of the things he'd missed this past month, which wasn't much. They lived in two different worlds at the moment.

"What did you gain from your enlightenment? When I had mine, I gained the ability to draw upon the essence of my Phoenix bloodline and combine it with my spirit power and abilities. This made a qualitative leap in the quality of my fire and evolved several of my abilities."

Adlet had some massive changes as well. For one thing, his spiritual energy was so powerful he had no doubt he could hold a ten thousand year spirit ring. The second, was his mind constantly drawing in, refining, and compressing spiritual energy. However, he decided to disclose something else.

"An original technique I was working on previously now makes perfect sense. I had an idea about my first spirit ring ability that I couldn't quite make work. After our fusion, I was fairly certain it would be possible with enough training, trial and error. Now it feels like all the pieces have come together, and I might be able to do it without even my spirit ring."

Xiaotao was practically bouncing on her heels when she heard that. She moved her hands over his body, sending soothing heat into his muscles and joints until he could move them comfortably. She wanted to see this technique but contained herself until he finished eating and stretching his locked up muscles. No human body could enjoy sitting in a static posture for a month straight.

A few hours after he awoke, he agreed to try out his new technique. "Since I'm a defense specialist, I wanted a technique to supplement that. I want you to attack me without your fire."

"Alright."

Adlet activated his first spirit ring (Physical Displacement) and loosened his muscles. Normally he'd use this skill to become, effectively, an immovable wall. Now he wanted to move.

Xiaotao came at him with a solid punch in the shoulder, clearly telegraphing her attack to help him with showing off his technique. She didn't need to do that, but she couldn't have known. He took the hit without any attempt to dodge or defend, twisting from the impact and shooting a fist at her face.

She caught his fist, hit with the same force she punched him with. The rebounding force transferred to his rising knee that missed her as she backpedaled. He reversed the direction of the force, slamming his foot down and kicking off after her.

His 'original' technique was a full body version of the clear sky hammer sect's world renowned technique. Constantly using the rebounding force from their hammering to empower their following attack. Rinse and repeat. It's simple and extremely effective.

His version has one major difference from their's. His evolved spirit ability transfered the force without needing to limit this technique to just his physical capabilities. Unfortunately, that didn't stop his first ring from being a thousand year ability. After using the rebounding force six times, it became too much for his ring to control. He slammed his foot into the ground, directing all of his built up force downward, saving his body from taking a massive amount of damage.

'The more I can train my body to control the rebounding force, the more I can use the ring in a supplementary fashion. Also, using the skill to kick off the ground means I'll be able to move at incredible speeds.'

Adlet was practically drooling by the time Xiaotao snapped him out of it. She pinched his cheeks until she noticed his eyes sharpen, staring directly into her cleavage.

"Like what see, do you?"

"Yes. Wait..." Adlet answered the innocent question before realizing it hadn't come from Xiaotao. Raven stood behind him, smirking.

"You'll have to give me a few more years before I can compete with those melons." She hugged him and squeezed until completely content. "It's good to see you awake. We were quite worried when you didn't wake up. It was actually your teacher that came at our request, who understood what was going on. We assumed it was enlightenment, but weren't certain."

She then went on to explain that they had begun training Skydream in spirit guide development. They assumed that his mental spirit would make him an adapt designer. But he had a surprising weakness in being unable to think of new mechanical ideas. They had spent the last month getting him to understand the basics of what spirit guide tech is, and figuring out what he might be good at instead.

*** Raven ***

Raven and Skydream entered the smithing workshop space. Adlet awoke from his enlightenment weeks ago and had a lot of catching up to do. Not just school work, but the muscle deterioration from long term meditation doesn't disappear overnight either.

Raven spent a lot of the past month with Skydream in this workshop, making the spirit beast an invaluable asset. He lacked ideas for designing mechanical devices like Mirellia and his dexterity was subpar for engraving spirit guide cores like Adlet. Much to everyone's surprise, he had a talent for smithing. Or more accurately, metal analysis.

"What are you looking into today?"

"I'm going to analyze mixing silver and iron today."

"Try to go easy on the silver, that gets pricy quickly." Raven informed the him. Skydream was making, analyzing, testing and documenting the creation of metal alloys. This was a completely un-researched field of smithing, in this world.

First, Skydream took an ingot of iron and silver off the shelf, to hammer the impurities out of them. Completely forgetting Raven's request. He set the silver on the anvil and froze it, letting his ultimate ice permeate throughout the metal. Then he grabbed his special hammer, made of a pure blue metal, and struck the silver. His hammer smashed down but didn't rebound back up.

Skydream used his control over the ice, improved by his immense spiritual strength while having Bing Bing and Xue Nu assisting him, to control the heat, pressure, and vibration from the strike. He channeled the energy of the strike, by controlling the ice, straight to the center point of the metal. The vibrating energy slowly expand three dimensionally outwards in a slow moving wave until it reached the surface of the metal. All of the impurities were caught in that thin superheated wave as it expanded outward, forming on the surface of the silver like sweat.

Once he wiped off the silver and purified the iron, he moved on to stage two: Liquifying. This time he went to the fire pit, Where Raven had started hammering.

One of her first priorities as a blacksmith was the thousand hammering technique mixed with some of her life blood. The resulting steel was then shaped into a long-handled hammer with a very thin head. She placed her metal on an anvil after heating it up, raised her hammer up high and concentrated. Sword qi focused on her sword-like hammer, it practically charged the air. Then she swung, stopping the hammer right above the metal.

A "V" shaped indent was made into the metal. Raven originally became a blacksmith to build up her strength, but after learning to use sword qi she enhanced her training. Now she was trying to create a technique, where she only hits what she wants. More precisely, she was trying to only strike the impurities in the metal.

It was a work in progress.

On the other side of the forge was Skydream with four petri dishes of molten metal. Two were iron and two silver. He took a drop of iron and put it in the pure silver while taking a drop of silver and putting it in the pure iron. He blended and mixed the metals before cooling them and tested them. Durability, tensile strength, conductivity, etc. Once he had his data, the mixed metal were Liquified and another drop was added.

Rinse and repeat.

After spending half of his afternoon testing metals, he joined Raven in shaping her refined metals according to Mirellia's designs. She was able to refine and shape metal faster than ever, thanks to Skydream's first ring abilities, Spiritual Sharing and Spiritual Detection.

She could see the impurities in the metal she attacked and could see every angle of the metal while shaping it. This improved the rate of their production of metal considerably. That didn't stop them from staying most of the evening in her workshop. Once they left, she voiced her excitement for next week's tournament.

"I almost feel bad for the other students. Class four is going to trash them in the upcoming new student exam." Their class was the only one with 2 three-ring spirit masters. And Skydream was just a cheat.

"Yeah!.... new student exam?"

'He'd be a lot more of a cheat if he paid any attention in class though. Then again, I suppose sleeping is his form of cultivation. Lazy worm.'