CHAPTER 9

— Myriad Manifestation Meridians —

Just after Chen hour, Yuan Qiongshuang, clad in magnificent purple robes, arrived at the training ground surrounded by a crowd of disciples. Her gaze swept over Tong Tong, who was lying ungracefully on the ground, and her brows furrowed slightly as she asked coldly, "He Dong, what is the result?"

He Dong was that muscular, fitness-obsessed gentleman.

He revealed a mouthful of white teeth and grinned foolishly, "Reporting to the Elder, she did indeed complete ten rounds, but..."

"But what?" Yuan Qiongshuang shot him a glance, seeing his hesitation, and intensified her tone, "Speak!"

He Dong hurriedly reported the entire incident of Su Yan giving Tong Tong the elixirs without missing a single detail, adding generous embellishments of his own imagination along the way. He skillfully employed a series of rhetorical devices such as metaphors, personification, and parallelism, vividly portraying a shameless young woman striving for advancement, while subtly hinting at the misconduct of certain "individuals" who held positions without fulfilling their duties—greedy and incompetent. This masterful blend of discreet accusation and slander, incorporating various advanced linguistic arts, was truly effective, k!lling two birds with one stone!

As expected, after hearing his words, Elder Yuan—known for her straightforwardness, seriousness, and impartiality—flung her sleeve and stormed toward the young girl Tong Tong with fierce momentum.

Tong Tong was resting with her eyes closed when she suddenly felt the temperature around her plummet, an inexplicable chill spreading through the air. Startled, she snapped her eyes open. Upon seeing the scene before her, her initial fear turned into an awkward, stifled laugh—according to her intuition, the person standing above her head should be that expressionless obasan. However, when she opened her eyes, what she saw was indeed a purple robe—except it was wrapped around two full, rounded curves...

Tong Tong blinked, her face slightly flushed, and silently rolled to the side to stand up, bowing her head as if guilty of some wrongdoing: J-just now, it seemed like she saw something she shouldn't have... Hiss—the Elder is truly domineering! A 36D is enough to look down on all other females! Fortunately, she wasn't a boy, otherwise this obasan would have suffered a great loss!

But any man who could observe from this angle was probably not far from death, right?

Tong Tong nodded to herself in silent agreement, only to hear Yuan Qiongshuang ask coldly and suspiciously, "What is your relationship with Su Yan?"

"Huh? What relationship? There's no relationship at all..." Tong Tong had been prepared to answer questions, ready to report that she had successfully completed her task without letting down her superiors' trust and guidance. She had even considered whether she should emphasize her perseverance and hard work. But she never expected such an irrelevant question, so she instinctively replied.

Though no trace of deception could be seen in Tong Tong's clear, innocent eyes, Yuan Qiongshuang still snorted coldly. She took half a step closer, releasing a hint of pressure as she stared intently into Tong Tong's eyes. "Don't play dumb with me! He gave you a bottle of elixirs yesterday, didn't he?"

"Y-yes..." Tong Tong's face paled under the pressure, as if the air around her had been instantly sucked away, compressing her in place, unable to breathe or move.

Seeing her on the verge of fainting, Yuan Qiongshuang realized she had gotten a bit too worked up. A flicker of regret flashed in her eyes, and she quickly withdrew her pressure, masking it with a curt command. "Let me see it."

Just having regained her breath, Tong Tong's expression changed at those words. She hid her hands behind her back, stammering, "W-what do you want? D-don't come any closer! This was given to me..."

"..."

Yuan Qiongshuang felt that years of cultivated composure were about to be destroyed right here—no amount of self-restraint could withstand such a troublemaker. What was with that look, as if she were some kind of robber or invader?!

As a dignified elder of Chonghua, would she stoop to snatching something from a disciple? The very thought would make people laugh their heads off!

Too lazy to waste words, Yuan Qiongshuang narrowed her eyes slightly, using her gaze to convey a clear message: 'If you don't obey, don't blame me for being ruthless!'

Surprisingly, the naturally naive Tong Tong accurately grasped the murderous intent behind that look. After weighing the power difference between them and the value of the little jade vial versus her own life, she reluctantly gave in.

Pouting, she unwillingly extended the hand hidden behind her back, slowly offering it to Yuan Qiongshuang.

Yuan Qiongshuang snatched it away with an air of authority. She toyed with it in her hand for a moment, about to say something, when her expression suddenly changed. Her hand holding the bottle paused, and she gave it a gentle shake, tilting her head to listen. Her frown deepened. Then, she uncorked it and took a light sniff before turning the bottle upside down to pour out its contents—not even a speck of residue remained.

The look she gave Tong Tong was so complex that the latter couldn't help but take two steps back.

"You ate them all?" she asked incredulously.

"Y-yes..." Tong Tong swallowed nervously, replying in a timid voice.

"Yesterday, in one day, the entire bottle, every last bit, gone?" Yuan Qiongshuang's gaze grew even more terrifying, like a tigress that had cornered its prey, ready to pounce and devour at the slightest sign of weakness... So scary!

Tong Tong clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering and cautiously asked, "W-what's wrong?" Gathering a bit of courage, she added in a small voice, "Even though I relied on this bottle of elixirs to finish those ten laps, my strong willpower played a part too... Obasan, don't think I'm useless just because of this..."

The more she spoke, the more convinced she became of her own reasoning. Tong Tong cheered herself on inwardly, waving imaginary flags of triumph. But then she noticed the other party had fallen silent, only to feel two icy fingers press against her wrist. Through that touch of coldness, a steady stream of warmth began to flow into her, leaving her utterly bewildered. She wanted to pull her hand back but didn't dare act without permission, so she cautiously glanced up—only to meet Yuan Qiongshuang's slowly curving lips. Her heart skipped a beat, and her first thought was: 'Oh no! That eerie smile—is she planning to silence me for good? No, no, noo!'

She turned to flee, flailing her arms and legs desperately, but someone grabbed her by the collar, rendering her immobile.

"The rest of you continue your cultivation freely... You, come with me." Ignoring the expressions of shock and horror on the faces of the surrounding disciples, Yuan Qiongshuang wore a faint, pleased smile, her usually icy eyes now brimming with warmth—how long had it been since she last smiled?

However, Tong Tong, being dragged along with her back turned, missed her expression entirely. Instead, she was consumed by increasingly dire speculations, trembling with fear and anxiety.

Yuan Qiongshuang's strength seemed deceptively slight, yet her slender fingers clamped onto Tong Tong's collar like steel pincers. No matter how much she squirmed or struggled, she couldn't break free. Under the pitying or resentful gazes of the onlookers, she was hauled away.

"Ah..." Tong Tong sighed in despair, her greatest regret being the jade vial—she hadn't properly thanked Senior Brother Su Yan... nor had she asked how much the vial was worth!

"Open the door." Yuan Qiongshuang's voice snapped her out of her endless regrets. She looked up and blinked in surprise. 'Huh? Isn't this my new residence, the Yunyin? What does this Obasan want here? Could it be... she plans to k!ll me and burn the place down to cover her tracks?'

Trembling at her own imagination, she froze halfway through reaching for the jade slip in her pocket, unsure whether to continue.

"What are you dawdling for?" Yuan Qiongshuang shot her an impatient glare, her smile fading from her lips, though her eyes remained gentle and amused, as if something delightful had happened.

Tong Tong thought to herself: 'Whatever could make this Antarctic-brand Obasan so happy must be a monumental joy! Maybe if she's in a good mood, she won't k!ll me after all?' Comforted by this thought, she quickly fished out the jade slip and presented it with obsequious enthusiasm, bowing and grinning. "My humble abode is rather crude—please don't mind its simplicity..."

Yuan Qiongshuang's expression suddenly turned odd, as if she had reverted to her usual cold, impassive demeanor. Tong Tong, sensitive to such shifts, immediately wondered: 'What did I do to upset her now?'

Yuan Qiongshuang ran her fingertip across the center of the jade slip, and as the door swung open, she strode inside first, casually tossing the slip back to Tong Tong. Her voice was cool, laced with a hint of frost. "I used to live in this courtyard."

The implication was clear: How dare you call my former residence a 'humble abode'? Are you itching for a beating, courting death, or simply tired of living, hmm?

"Ah... I see! No wonder I felt an immediate sense of grandeur and radiance upon entering, and a wave of familiarity welled up from the depths of my heart! To think this treasured place was once the esteemed elder's dwelling—truly, heaven has blessed me! Hahaha..." Tong Tong glanced at the courtyard, which after her tidying and repairs had finally shed its haunted-house aura, and loudly praised it against her better judgment.

"Hmph." Yuan Qiongshuang strode straight into the inner room without changing expression, but Tong Tong sensed a hint of proud, almost playful delight in that cold snort.

Convinced that she wouldn't harm her, Tong Tong trotted along into the inner room. Seeing that she had already unceremoniously taken the main seat, she obediently sat down in a subordinate position, legs together, hands resting on her knees, eyes fixed downward in a posture as proper as that of a model student.

Yuan Qiongshuang held a cup of tea that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, taking a slow, deliberate sip before speaking. "Starting today, you no longer need to go to the training grounds to practice body-forging techniques... I will personally guide your cultivation."

"Huh? Why?" Tong Tong's jaw dropped in surprise. Getting one-on-one tutoring from this Obasan? Can I refuse? Although private lessons should be good for her, the thought of being taught by this Obasan made her feel like she'd freeze to death one day! Even if she didn't freeze, with that capricious temper of hers, she'd probably be tormented to death for offending her! No matter how you looked at it, it wasn't worth it!

—But it seemed she didn't have the right to refuse.

Receiving Yuan Qiongshuang's threatening glare, Tong Tong nodded spinelessly. "It would be my honor... Um, may I know why?" 'Even if I'm going to die, at least let me die knowing why...'

"Because you possess the Primordial Chaos Meridians [Guiyuan Hundùn Mai (归元混沌脉)]," Yuan Qiongshuang said, her eyes lighting up.

"Huh? Longan Wonton? Where?" Upon hearing this, Tong Tong's eyes also lit up, and a faint glimmer of drool appeared at the corner of her mouth.

T/N: [混沌 - Hùndùn: Sounds very similar to Wonton (馄饨 - Húntun) and, 归元 - Guīyuán: Sounds similar to Guiyuan (桂圆 - Guìyuán), which is the Chinese word for Dried Longan (a sweet fruit often used in desserts, sometimes called "Cassia" in older translations).]

Although she'd never heard of this variety, it sounded nourishing and probably delicious!

Yuan Qiongshuang's hand holding the teacup trembled, and she almost threw the scalding tea at Tong Tong—all she thinks about is food! What a disappointment! And here she thought she'd found a promising talent! What a waste of such a rare meridian!

'Don't get angry, don't get angry...' After calming herself down, Yuan Qiongshuang took a sip of tea, avoiding Tong Tong's sparkling eyes, and continued on her own: "The Primordial Chaos Meridians are a type of meridian, also known as the Myriad Manifestation Elixir Meridians. They represent a superior immortal foundation that appears only once in a thousand, or even ten thousand years. The previous Sect leader of Chonghua, Gui Hongzi, possessed them as well."

"Wow! That sounds amazing!" Tong Tong's eyes gleamed with excitement, and her courage grew as she tugged on Yuan Qiongshuang's sleeve, asking hopefully: "So what's the use of this Longan Wonton with Shaomai?" Is it something that makes cultivation twice as effective and allows rapid progress?

T/N: [Again, in Tong-Tong's food-loving ears, she misheard "Mai (Meridian)" as Shaomai (a delicious steamed dumplings).]

She knew it—she really was the chosen one, wasn't she? Ahahaha...

Before the little figure in her heart could finish laughing maniacally, Yuan Qiongshuang's calm voice drifted over lightly: "The so-called Primordial Chaos Meridians are a domineering meridian constitution that can accommodate and devour everything. To put it simply, they are all-encompassing. For example, an ordinary person's meridians are like silk threads, a Qi Refining disciple's are like an ox's tail, a Foundation Establishment disciple's are like a small stream, and a Core Formation disciple's are like a great river... But someone with the Primordial Chaos Meridians is born with meridians like the vastest ocean, boundless and without end."

Tong Tong stared solemnly at her own slender arms and legs, finding it hard to imagine a turbulent ocean hidden inside them.

"This is also why you were able to swallow an entire bottle of Huanzhu Elixir in such a short time without any issues—for an ordinary person, even a Foundation Establishment disciple, they could only take one pill a day at most. Otherwise, their meridians would shatter, and they'd explode and die."

And when she had channeled a strand of true essence into Tong Tong's body, it had vanished without a trace, like mud sinking into the sea—as a Great Ascension cultivator, her true essence was something even ordinary Nascent Soul disciples couldn't withstand, let alone a disciple who wasn't even at the Qi Refining stage.

Hearing this, Tong Tong patted her flat chest with lingering fear. Luckily, she was that Longan Wonton with Shaomai... otherwise, she'd be dead for sure!

Then another thought crossed her mind: Why didn't Su Yan warn her not to take too many at the time...

As if able to read the shifting emotions on her face, Yuan Qiongshuang sneered: "Take a look at what's written at the bottom of this jade vial!"

Taking the jade vial she had tossed over, Tong Tong looked at the bottom and indeed saw four neat, elegant characters: "Take one pill daily."

"Uh...well... no one told me I couldn't eat more..." Tong Tong's face flushed slightly. It seemed she really hadn't paid much attention at the time, only thinking about eating whenever she felt hungry.

"Ah, well... let's not dwell on the details! Just tell me, what benefits does this meridian have for cultivation?" That was what she most wanted to know.

Glancing at her coolly, Yuan Qiongshuang concealed the gleam in her eyes and said indifferently, "Oh, it's actually not that useful. It just means you won't die from overeating, no matter what you consume."

Whether it was spiritual medicine, immortal herbs, or even innate treasures, all could be absorbed into her body and utilized. With enough rare and precious resources to nurture her, she would undoubtedly achieve heaven-defying cultivation in the future—though for now, she had no intention of telling Tong Tong this, lest the fool get too cocky and go around bragging.

After all, her Myriad Manifestation Spiritual Meridian were a highly sought-after delicacy for demonic cultivators and monstrous beasts.

Unaware of the mix of delight and concern in Yuan Qiongshuang's eyes, Tong Tong stared bitterly at her wrist, where faint blue veins were visible. Tears welled up in her heart as she thought: Could it be that my future means of attack will be the same as Jiya's—eating? Yamete! [No way!; Nooo!; Stop it.]

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