10: Chapter 10 The Nine Yang Manual and the Demonic Daughter

Yang Yuan sat on a stool by the window, staring blankly at the jujube tree in the courtyard.

His mind kept cycling through the three options provided by the System—

[① Nine Yang Manual Incomplete Manual (Internal Skill path, supreme Yang and hardness)]

[② Jade Maiden Heart Sutra Incomplete Manual (Internal Skill path, Yin-soft and enduring)]

[③ Three marrow cleansing pills (Spirit Medicine, can be consumed personally or bestowed upon wife and child to reshape Foundation)]

The marrow cleansing pill was good stuff; it could reshape one's Foundation and clear the Meridians.

Three pills were just right—one for himself, one for Cheng Ying, and one for his daughter.

But this item was for building a Foundation; it could not make one stronger immediately.

The Jade Maiden Heart Sutra required two people to Cultivate together.

Cheng Ying had just given birth and her Origin Qi was severely damaged; she could not practice it in the short term.

Moreover, this Cultivation Technique was biased towards Yin-softness and might not necessarily fit his daughter's "All Meridians Unblocked" Physique.

The Nine Yang Manual was different.

Having read Jin Yong's novels in his past life, he knew the weight of this item—endless Internal Energy, invulnerability to blades and spears, and immunity to all poisons.

Even as an Incomplete Manual, it was far superior to the common goods on the market.

Its supreme Yang and hardness might even resonate with his daughter's Innate "All Meridians Unblocked" Physique.

He closed his eyes.

Select one.

[Selection confirmed: Nine Yang Manual Incomplete Manual.]

[Rewards being distributed...]

[Hint: This Incomplete Manual contains the first three levels of the Nine Yang Manual Mind-Cultivation Technique. Once mastered, one's Internal Energy will be robust, significantly increasing the operational efficiency of the Qi Cultivation Method.]

The next second, a massive stream of information flooded into his Sea of Consciousness.

A Cultivation Technique was stuffed directly into his brain—the circulation routes, breathing methods, and Acupoints locations were all carved deep into his consciousness.

Yang Yuan let out a muffled groan, gripping the edge of the stool with both hands, his fingernails digging into the wood.

It hurt.

His head felt like it was being chiseled, and his temples were throbbing.

But the pain only lasted for a few breaths, followed by a wave of coolness that cleansed him from the inside out.

He closed his eyes and sank his consciousness into his Sea of Consciousness.

There, a golden scroll of scripture had appeared.

He could not "see" the specific text, but the content was already carved into his brain—the first three levels of the Nine Yang Manual:

Level One: Accumulate Yang. Using the Dantian as the core, gather the Yang Qi within the body to condense into a "Yang Core."

Level Two: Circulate Yang. Circulate the power of the Yang Core along the Ren and Du Meridians to complete the Minor Circulation.

Level Three: Break Yang. Force the Internal Energy to break through the barriers of the Meridians, widening the channels so that Internal Energy can flow without obstruction.

Three levels.

It didn't sound like much, but Yang Yuan knew clearly—Zhang Wuji spent five years in the valley to master the Nine Yang Divine Skill.

He only had the first three levels now, but combined with the Foundation of the Qi Cultivation Method, he should be able to get started faster.

He opened his eyes.

It was not yet dawn.

Yang Yuan did not disturb Cheng Ying and walked lightly to the courtyard.

Under the jujube tree was a flat stone slab, which was where he usually Cultivated.

He sat cross-legged on the stone slab, closed his eyes, and began to operate according to the first level of the Nine Yang Manual Mind-Cultivation Technique in his mind.

The Internal Energy consumed during the delivery yesterday remained in his Dantian, with only a faint breath left, like a candle flame in the wind.

Following the guidance of the Mind-Cultivation Technique, he compressed that breath toward the center of his Dantian.

The Nine Yang Manual was far more overbearing than the Qi Cultivation Method.

It forcibly twisted the scattered Internal Energy into a ball, compressing and compressing it again until it condensed into a substantial core.

His Dantian felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand, then released, then gripped again.

With every squeeze, the Internal Energy inside concentrated a bit more.

Yang Yuan gritted his teeth, sweat rolling down his forehead.

By sunrise, there was something new in his Dantian—a small, scorching gas mass.

It was real, pulsating Yang Qi.

[Nine Yang Manual Level One—Accumulate Yang, mastered.]

The first level was just the beginning.

His goal was the third level—Break Yang.

He continued to operate the Mind-Cultivation Technique, pushing that mass of Yang Qi up along the Ren meridian, passing the Huiyin, up the spine, rushing to the Baihui, and then descending from the Ren meridian in front of his body back to the Dantian.

One cycle.

Two cycles.

Three cycles.

Each cycle made the Yang Qi more solid.

His Meridians were stretched, torn, and then healed, causing him to break out in a cold sweat from the pain, but he gritted his teeth and held on.

He didn't know how much time had passed.

Perhaps an hour, perhaps two.

The Yang Qi in his Dantian finally condensed into a core the size of a fist, weighing heavily in his lower abdomen like a miniature sun, constantly emitting heat.

[Nine Yang Manual Level Two—Circulate Yang, mastered.]

The second level was just to connect the Minor Circulation; the third level was the key—Break Yang.

Breaking through the Meridians' barriers to let the Internal Energy truly flow without obstruction.

He operated the Yang Qi again, forcibly smashing it against the walls of the Meridians.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Every time he smashed it, a tearing pain shot through his Meridians.

Only by being stretched, torn, and healed could the Meridians become wider and tougher.

He gritted his teeth and persisted.

He didn't know how many times he had smashed it.

Finally—

"Crack."

A soft sound, as if something had broken.

The next second, the mass of Yang Qi found an exit, rushed through the constraints of the Meridians with a swish, and began to circulate wildly along the Ren and Du Meridians.

Ten cycles, twenty cycles, one hundred cycles—it spun faster and faster, smoother and smoother, finally turning into a torrent that surged endlessly within him.

[Nine Yang Manual Level Three—Break Yang, mastered.]

[Congratulations Host, you have broken through to the second-rate Realm!]

Yang Yuan opened his eyes.

It was already broad daylight.

The Yang Qi in his Dantian was now a "sea."

With every breath, endless Internal Energy poured out from the Dantian, flowing through his Meridians and throughout his whole body.

He stood up.

He lifted his foot and stepped lightly—

His whole body sprang up, jumping directly over the branches of the jujube tree and landing on the wall two zhang away.

He was stunned for a moment.

Lightness Skill? He had never learned Lightness Skill.

But he thought about it, the Nine Yang Manual was famous for its profound Internal Energy.

With enough Internal Energy, a simple jump would be faster than an ordinary person running.

He jumped down from the wall, landing without a sound.

There was a stone stool in the courtyard, very heavy; Yang Yuan usually could not even move it.

He walked to the stone stool and stood still.

He took a deep breath.

The Yang Qi in his Dantian surged, rushing along his Meridians towards his right arm and pouring into his palm.

He raised his hand, clenched his fist, and smashed it down—

"Bang!"

A muffled sound.

The stone stool exploded.

It shattered directly into seven or eight pieces, gravel splashing everywhere, hitting the ground with a clatter.

Yang Yuan retracted his hand and looked down at his fist.

The skin was not broken, the flesh was not swollen, and the bones were intact.

He stared at the shattered stones, his breathing becoming rapid.

Smashing a stone stool with one punch. What kind of concept was this?

According to the classification of the Jin Yong world, this was at least the level of a second-rate expert.

He could not beat a first-rate expert, but he should be able to handle ordinary Jianghu experts now.

"You..."

A voice came from behind him.

Cheng Ying was holding little Xue Jian.

Her face was still a bit pale, but she was already able to walk.

At this moment, she was staring at the shattered stone stool on the ground, her eyes wide, lips slightly parted.

"When did you become so powerful?"

Yang Yuan smiled: "I was lucky, I picked up a Cultivation Technique, and after practicing it for a while, I broke through."

Cheng Ying looked down at the child in her arms.

"Don't overexert yourself."

She only said these three words and turned back to the room.

Yang Yuan stood where he was, watching her back.

She did not ask further.

She knew that everyone had their own secrets.

He clenched his fist and followed her in.

In the room, little Xue Jian had woken up, opening her dark, round eyes, her little mouth open, making babbling sounds.

Cheng Ying sat by the bed, placing the child on her knees and gently rocking her.

Yang Yuan walked over and gently touched his daughter's cheek.

Just then, a line of text flashed before his eyes again—

[Detected that the Host has Cultivated the Nine Yang Manual Incomplete Manual, and daughter "Yang Xue Jian"'s "All Meridians Unblocked" Physique resonates with the Cultivation Technique.]

[Resonance effect: The daughter's affinity for Internal Energy is further improved; when Cultivating the Nine Yang Manual series of Cultivation Techniques, the speed increases to five times that of an ordinary person.]

[Hint: This effect is a passive bonus; no additional operation is required.]

Yang Yuan stared at those lines of text, his heart rate accelerating.

Five times.

Five times that of an ordinary person.

He looked down at his daughter; little Xue Jian was blinking her eyes at him, her little fists clenched, waving in the air.

This child was an uncut jade.

He would carve her well and let her become a peerless expert in this chaotic world.

He raised his head and looked out the window.

The leaves of the jujube tree swayed in the wind, and the sunlight spilled down through the branches and leaves.

Just then, the System popped up another hint—

[Next stage mission updated: Have the daughter master basic sword techniques by her first birthday.]

[Mission reward: Intermediate Cultivation Technique "Huashan Sword Technique".]

[Hint: The younger the daughter, the stronger her learning ability. The "All Meridians Unblocked" Physique can open martial arts enlightenment early.]

Yang Yuan stared at the line of text, his brow relaxing a little.

A year later, what kind of Prodigy would his daughter be?