Lin Qiu was seen as a good-for-nothing, while Lin Feng was seen as a prodigy.
Aside from being blood relatives, they basically lived in completely different worlds.
After Xu Zimo left the main hall, he found Jiang Changsheng waiting for him nearby.
“Get ready. We’ll be leaving the sect for a while soon,” Xu Zimo said.
“Got it,” Jiang Changsheng nodded. “Then I’ll go train for now. Let me know if you need me.”
After parting ways with Jiang Changsheng, Xu Zimo returned to his courtyard.
Grand Heaven Mountain had become noticeably quieter recently. Most disciples were training hard for the upcoming Nine Heavens Gathering and didn’t have time to wander around.
Back in his courtyard, Xu Zimo began training with the Strange Meridian Sutra.
The 36 strange meridians are spread throughout the body, from the soles of the feet to the top of the head.
Opening them isn’t as difficult as opening the main meridians, but it’s still not easy.
There are 36 strange meridians in total. Every 5 of them form a major cycle, totaling 7 full cycles, or 35 meridians.
According to the Strange Meridian Sutra, once you open 35, you’ve basically reached its peak.
The 36th meridian is considered legendary.
Some say the manual’s creator made it up and it doesn’t actually exist.
Others say opening the 36th meridian leads to a whole new realm.
In any case, opinions vary widely.
For now, Xu Zimo didn’t worry about the final meridian. In each cycle of 5 meridians, the last one is the hardest to open.
These difficult meridians are the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, and so on.
They’re known as the Seven Major Chakras.
They are: Crown Chakra, Brow Chakra, Throat Chakra, Heart Chakra, Solar Chakra, Navel Chakra, and Root Chakra.
Xu Zimo thought that with his God Meridian cultivation, opening strange meridians would be easy.
But when he reached the first major cycle, the fifth meridian, the Root Chakra, already gave him trouble.
The energy in his body couldn’t penetrate the Root Chakra. It was as if his spiritforce couldn’t enter the strange meridian.
But the four meridians he had already opened were emitting a new type of energy.
Xu Zimo called this energy "meridian energy." To open the Root Chakra, he would need to gather enough of it.
Only with sufficient meridian energy could he break through.
He wasn’t in a rush. These things required foundation, and his foundation was deeper than anyone his age.
With the strange meridian path hitting a bottleneck, Xu Zimo switched to practicing meridian-based techniques.
…
Night fell. Grand Heaven Mountain was completely silent.
There was no moon, and even the stars were hidden behind clouds.
The sky was heavy and dark, the clouds had cleared a bit, but the air still felt oppressive, like it could swallow a person’s soul.
In Xu Zimo’s courtyard, the Long brothers were getting sleepy and chatting to stay awake.
Neither of them noticed a shadow silently climbing over the courtyard wall.
The figure stuck to the shadows, moving along the wall, slowly making his way to the house.
He gently opened the door, stepped inside, then quietly shut it behind him.
Step by step, he approached Xu Zimo’s bed.
With a sword in hand, he slashed down hard.
Bang! The whole bed nearly split apart.
“No one’s here?” the shadow muttered, surprised, and turned to leave.
Suddenly, the room lit up. The darkness vanished.
Xu Zimo was calmly sitting at the table, pouring himself a cup of tea.
“Want some?” he raised the cup and smiled.
“You…” The shadow hesitated, confused by Xu Zimo’s calmness, then lunged with the sword again.
Xu Zimo simply raised his hand. A powerful pressure burst from him like a crashing wave or an avalanche.
Though still seated, his presence became overwhelming, like an uncrossable chasm.
The shadow froze on the spot, completely unable to move.
He stared in horror at Xu Zimo, pupils shrinking. He was too shocked to speak.
Everyone in Nine Heavens Imperial Sect believed Lin Qiu from Grand Heaven Mountain was a total waste, his meridians blocked, unable to cultivate.
But now, the man in front of him felt completely unfamiliar.
“I’m really curious, so late at night, you still came to kill me. Even here in Grand Heaven Mountain, I’m not safe?” Xu Zimo smiled.
He walked over step by step and pulled the black cloth off the attacker’s face.
“It’s you,” Xu Zimo said with a bit of surprise, recognizing the disciple.
The disciple was Yang Cheng, also from Grand Heaven Mountain.
He was just an inner disciple, and with nearly ten thousand of those, it’s surprising Xu Zimo even knew him.
But that’s because Yang Cheng had been following Lin Feng, Xu Zimo’s older brother, around for the past three years as his lackey.
Whenever Lin Feng had tasks, Yang Cheng was usually the one to carry them out or deliver messages.
“Tell me, why did you try to kill me?” Xu Zimo asked calmly.
Yang Cheng snorted and turned his head, refusing to answer.
“My good brother sent you, didn’t he?” Xu Zimo asked again.
Still, Yang Cheng said nothing.
“Ever experienced hell?” Xu Zimo asked with a grin.
Yang Cheng glanced at him, slightly confused.
“No rush. We’ll take our time,” Xu Zimo said, waving his hand.
He brought Yang Cheng into the True Fate World, into the eighteen levels of hell.
“Greetings, my lord,” said Bai Changfeng, the Slaughter God and current ruler of this hell, as he hurried over.
“How’s this place coming along?” Xu Zimo asked.
“The framework is in place. The system of judgment between good and evil is still being built. I’m planning to recruit some ghost soldiers soon to help manage it,” Bai Changfeng reported.
“I’ve got someone for you. In three days, I want to know all his secrets,” Xu Zimo said, tossing Yang Cheng over.
“Don’t worry, my lord. No matter how tough someone is, they’ve never lasted even one day with me. They beg to die, but can’t,” Bai Changfeng said with a bloodthirsty grin.
“What… what are you going to do to me?” Yang Cheng finally panicked.
He shouted, “Where is this place? If I disappear, the Imperial Son won’t let you off!”
…
After leaving the True Fate World, Xu Zimo felt like the past of his previous self was becoming more and more interesting.
He didn’t understand, he was a so-called “useless” person who didn’t threaten anyone. Why would even his own brother want to kill him?
The night passed quietly. The next morning, as Xu Zimo was still cultivating, he was woken up by a loud commotion outside.