Chapter 279: Simulation Ended, First Ladder Complete! (Combined, Extra Cultivation)

【Prompt: Today's reincarnation simulation has ended. Please return tomorrow. Save file has been stored.】

【One day in the mortal world equals ten years within the cauldron!】

【Save time: fifty years.】

【Rewards are being acquired—please check your inventory!】

Obtained ten strands of Mediating Primordial Qi.

【Warm Reminder: This simulation altered the fate of the world, sparing the common people from the ravages of war, establishing the White Horse Oath, and ensuring peace and prosperity for the northern populace—thus earning reward from the Kunxu World.】

【Reward being drawn…】

As the light screen atop the cauldron slowly faded.

Especially!

The fixed reward displayed ten strands of Mediating Primordial Qi—this was the first time he had received such a generous reward.

Last time, just two strands had been enough to repair his meridians.

It seems his meridians will now be fully restored.

A smile unconsciously spread across Yu Ke's face.

He turned his gaze to the text below—there was still one more "draw."

Yu Ke's face glowed with excitement, grateful for his decision; had he cultivated on Mount Zhongnan, he would never have gained such a reward.

Next simulation—he should still leave the mountains, or rather, re-enter the world.

"Unify the rivers and mountains!"

"Shatter the void!"

The first phrase was easy to understand; the second was obscure.

Shatter the void, transcend this realm.

There were other phrases too: "Attain the Dao and ascend," "Become an Immortal!"

All these phrases were veiled in mist, sparking boundless imagination—especially the last one, which stirred the soul, as if one stood atop the Nine Heavens, gazing upon the ineffable realm.

After becoming an Immortal, there must exist an Immortal Realm.

If one ascends from the Kunxu World, where would one go?

As Yu Ke was lost in thought—

The ancient, weathered great cauldron trembled violently, its roar like thunder shaking the ears!

The greatest sound is silent!

Within the brilliant light screen, tadpole-like characters drifted and wove slowly.

They formed intricate diagrams of stars and constellations—mysterious, unfathomable, yet dazzlingly radiant.

In an instant!

The diagrams solidified.

Yu Ke widened his eyes, utterly bewildered.

"Ah Ding, I can't understand this!"

The great cauldron seemed to answer his call, roaring again, releasing a radiance like that of a primordial deity.

Suddenly—it changed!

It transformed back into familiar text.

【Acquisition complete. Drew: one chance to personally participate for one day. After the participation ends, this ability may be used at any time within the next ten simulations.】

Yu Ke felt an inexplicable sensation—the Kunxu Cauldron had changed.

The screen displayed:

It was not a treasure—but a "personal participation."

Personal participation meant he could enter the cauldron's world.

What use was this?

The duration of personal participation was now a full day.

Remember!

His first personal participation lasted only a few hours.

The second lasted barely half a night—six hours at most.

This reward granted him a full day of participation.

It might not be useful now, but later it could prove vital.

The text atop the cauldron shifted again.

Ten strands of Mediating Primordial Qi—accept?

Without hesitation, Yu Ke sent his spiritual intent: "Accept."

With experience from the last two times—he had nearly fainted each time—he prepared himself.

"Ah Ding, please be gentle!"

In that instant!

The Kunxu Cauldron deep within his heart-sea stirred as if awakened, trembling faintly, exuding a misty, chaotic energy.

The patterns upon it pulsed like fish scales.

"Ding!"

Ten brilliant strands of energy emerged from the cauldron, slowly flowing into his body.

"Here it comes!"

The familiar sensation returned—warm, soothing.

Yu Ke felt as if he had climbed a long mountain path under winter sun, reaching the summit as the sun set, breathless and exhausted.

He could barely stand, drenched in sweat.

Just then!

At the summit stood a hot spring inn open at night.

Outside!

A gentle, captivating innkeeper, smiling brightly, around thirty, graceful and beautiful, with striking curves.

He stripped naked and slipped into the steaming spring, sipping a warm cup of tea!

The more he thought about it, the more dazed he became.

He felt a tingling numbness, his cheeks flushed.

"So blissful!"

A soft rustle came from beyond the curtain—the innkeeper stepped slowly through the rising steam.

The innkeeper softly asked:

"Guest, have I come at an inopportune time?"

Yu Ke's spirit was weary, overwhelmed by sleepiness—he answered naturally:

"No… you've come at the perfect time."

Sleep washed over him like a tide.

He could no longer resist; his eyelids felt as heavy as lead.

The dream shattered!

He shifted into a more comfortable position, turning over.

He fell into deep sleep.

During Yu Ke's slumber, the cauldron within his body rotated slowly.

Streams of spiritual energy swirled around him, then flowed into the cauldron in his heart-sea.

The ancient cauldron grew heavier, its inscriptions more vividly lifelike.

…………

…………

The next day!

The four great suns rose as usual.

When the first ray of sunlight pierced the window and spilled into the room,

Yu Ke slowly awoke in the warm glow.

He lazily opened his eyes, stretched out a long, languid yawn, feeling unprecedented ease and lightness throughout his body.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes, sat up on the bed, glanced around—and a flicker of confusion arose.

"Where's the innkeeper?"

"What innkeeper!"

He slapped his face to wake himself, sat up straight, heart pounding with excitement and anticipation.

He focused his spirit, turned inward.

Ten strands of Mediating Primordial Qi had merged into his body.

His meridians were fully restored, circulating a complete Minor Celestial Cycle.

Now he was only one final step away from opening all seven hundred and twenty-one acupoints.

Entering the Second Ladder's "Great Perfection" realm.

His spiritual sense sank slowly into it.

The human body has acupoints, meridians, and dantian.

As his mind sank deeper, a map of the human body's "mountains, rivers, and earth veins" appeared.

The acupoints are mountains!

The meridians are like countless waterways of the mortal world!

The dantian is the source of living water—a single "spring well."

The current acupoints resemble jeweled mountains glowing with crystal light, inhaling and exhaling spiritual energy.

Steam rises from the Cloud-Meng Marsh!

Each meridian shimmers with waterlight, like small streams winding around the jeweled mountains of the acupoints.

They flow along the Central Yellow Court and the Golden Hall, then surge upward, piercing the Yellow Court's barrier—the three palaces along the spine.

Another river flows through Huiyin, Weilu, Zhongshu, Guanyuan, Baihui, Mingmen, Qihai, Zhongshu, Shendao, and Shanzhong, eventually converging upward toward the Upper Dantian.

Water and mountain harmonize!

Yu Ke nodded slightly—this was the "achievement" wrought by the two strands of mother qi last time.

A small heavenly cycle had been opened between all his acupoints.

He slowly drew in spiritual energy.

Every pore on his body opened like wings unfurling, following the method recorded in the *Cultivating the Dantian's Mandate*.

"Within a single grain of millet lies a world."

"In half a cauldron, mountains and rivers are boiled."

The body is a furnace, burning and refining the mountains and rivers!

Thin threads of spiritual energy were drawn into the dantian.

Within the dantian, fresh spiritual energy rose again in misty swirls.

The acupoints trembled; the meridians flowed.

Like jeweled mountains refining light, like mountain springs singing, gentle and clear.

They glowed with the luster of pearls and treasures.

As spiritual energy continuously gathered and rose, this cycle repeated nine times.

Yu Ke's entire body burned hot; beneath the nourishment of spiritual energy, he felt as if he bore an iron furnace packed with blazing firewood.

Next step.

"Disperse!"

Riding the coiled dragon, mastering the six qi, the spiritual energy rose to become spiritual qi.

A vigorous autumn rain!

It fell upon the mountain-like acupoints of the human body.

The great heat left Yu Ke's body; the luster of the jeweled mountains of his acupoints brightened by a hair's breadth.

After several cycles.

The swirling mother qi within the dantian finally emerged slowly.

Yu Ke's eyes brightened.

The protagonist only appears at the end!

Ten strands of mother qi split into three, beginning to carve open acupoints along one side.

The remaining seven strands of mother qi!

Under Yu Ke's mental control, they automatically dispersed—thinner and finer than a single strand.

Soon!

They became tens of thousands, slowly flowing into the stream-like meridians and sinking into the acupoints.

The acupoints within his body grew ever brighter.

Yu Ke sat cross-legged, everything proceeding methodically!

Time passed slowly.

The morning sun rose to its zenith.

The shadow of the pear tree in the courtyard shifted from slanting westward to a dense pool of shade beneath it.

The pond clearly reflected the pear tree's shadow, gently swaying with the breeze.

An entire morning had passed!

Yu Ke sat upright on his bed, eyes closed, expression solemn and focused.

His breathing grew ever steadier, forming perfect resonance with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him.

Finally!

Yu Ke's eyes snapped open.

"Cultivation relies entirely on the central earth; gradual progress depends on the spring of the Upper Valley."

"The old farmer with long brows holds up the heavens; if you ask of this mysterious device, you will understand."

"Beyond this mystery lies no other mystery—where is there not the Great Luo Heaven?"

This was the final passage on meridians in the *Cultivating the Dantian's Mandate*'s Foundation Establishment chapter—the very end of the entire text.

The methods after Foundation Establishment must be acquired through sect merit, or by entering the Inner Sect!

White hair is qi: when qi reverses up the Governor Vessel, it guides the body's fluids and yin essence down the Conception Vessel, descending along the head and face to form the "Magpie Bridge"; the Conception and Governor Vessels connect when the tongue touches the palate, allowing qi to flow freely.

It reveals the wondrous principle of yin-yang harmony and water-fire equilibrium. The Conception Vessel, as the "Sea of Yin Vessels," complements the Governor Vessel.

The cultivator must, while guiding qi upward along the Governor Vessel, skillfully direct the body's fluids and yin essence downward along the Conception Vessel, moistening the entire body and transforming qi into essence.

"Open!"

Upper Dantian, Middle Dantian, Lower Dantian.

The Niwan Palace, Shengyang Mansion, Kunlun Peak—all fully opened.

Only two remain!

The Lingtai acupoint among the seven hundred twenty acupoints.

And one more: the True Dantian!

The True Dantian lies below the navel; some call it the Qihai's abyss, the repository of life, symbolized by Zhinv as yin.

Zhinv represents the kidneys, true yin, the trigram Kan.

Niulang represents the heart, true yang, the trigram Li; when yin and yang unite, they become true spouses, and from their union, the elixir is born.

Thus arises the metaphor of Kan-Li interaction, male-female union, yin-yang union giving birth to the elixir—heart-kidney union, water-fire union, dragon-tiger union.

All three posterior gates are open!

When the Niwan Palace opens, wisdom sprouts; the yang energy of the Shengyang Mansion rises and gathers at Kunlun Peak—yang energy emerges!

Yu Ke took a deep breath; every one of his body's myriad pores swayed like aquatic plants.

Only two critical points remain, urgently needing breakthrough!

Memories of cultivation began to surface slowly.

Images of each human acupoint.

"First: the Lingtai acupoint among the seven hundred twenty acupoints."

"This point lies deep within the brow's center, the pivot connecting heaven and earth, the key to perceiving all things; once opened, hearing sharpens and vision clarifies!"

"Second: the True Dantian!"

"The True Dantian's location lies three inches below the navel, in the abyss of Qihai, the repository of life."

"This is the crucial point where yin and yang meet, water and fire balance; Zhinv symbolizes the kidneys, source of true yin, trigram Kan water; Niulang symbolizes the heart, source of true yang, the two mutually supporting!"

"Now, all three posterior gates are fully open, the Conception and Governor Vessels flow unimpeded, qi and blood circulate without obstruction—cultivation has reached its bottleneck."

"Only by breaking these two final barriers will all acupoints connect."

Then comes the Great Heavenly Cycle!

The mother qi flowed gently, like fish leisurely swimming in a river, slowly nourishing every sinew and vein with a steady, enduring stream.

Yet it could not budge the two stubborn acupoints, standing firm as unyielding rocks.

"No rush!"

Yu Ke silently recited—he knew the path of cultivation required gradual progress to achieve natural success.

Thus, he abandoned the desperate "forceful assault" method and adopted a gentler, more enduring strategy.

Over six hundred acupoints had already formed a continuous circuit within his body.

He slowly closed his eyes.

Continue the cycle, move the spiritual energy!

Accumulate spiritual energy, refine it into spiritual qi, and slowly disperse it into the acupoints.

Reorganize the "troops"; the three strands of mother qi, now transformed into spiritual fish, gradually dissolved, merging entirely into his body through acupoint circulation.

The first layer of the Second Ladder's cultivation reached its profound mystery.

【Golden Skin, Jade Vessels】!

Yu Ke's body was wrapped in a cocoon of light woven from spiritual energy; beneath his skin, spiritual energy surged, forming a brilliant radiant veil.

Then his skin began to transform—patches of old, dead skin began to peel away!

White dead skin fell from his cheeks like snake scales.

"Huh—"

A breath of turbid qi exhaled!

"Huh——"

With a long exhalation, the stagnant qi within his body was fully expelled; his meridians, cleansed by spiritual energy, became clearer than a mountain stream, transparent to the bottom.

The speed of absorbing and circulating spiritual energy surged to an unprecedented level.

With this divine ability, he could now breathe underwater, no longer needing mouth or nose to breathe.

Every pore could truly breathe.

Like replacing his body with a powerful new "engine"!

This was also the essential foundation for cultivating the supreme techniques of the Fourth Heavenly Ladder, such as the "Nine Heavens Absorbing Qi Method."

"The time has come!"

With this divine ability aiding him, the "army" pushing through the barrier intensified its assault.

"Open!"

A low roar, like a spear piercing through battle lines, unstoppable and sharp.

"Shentai Point"

It opened in response; the qi of the "soldiers" surged, breaking through like bamboo split by a blade.

They launched their final assault on the "True Dantian," the last acupoint — the entire process flowed smoothly, effortless and easy.

"True Dantian opened!"

"Ha——"

All acupoints in his body opened, forming a great circulation.

Yu Ke's face broke into a smile.

"Second Heavenly Ladder fully perfected!"

"Now I only need Foundation Establishment to enter the Third Heavenly Ladder."

"Today, I've finally resolved my body's condition — it's been nine days since I crossed over."

Yu Ke did not delay!

He continued circulating spiritual energy, completing the Great Heavenly Cycle; his dantian expanded further.

Clear-headed and refreshed!

Like suddenly shedding all restraints, his shoulders felt lighter.

His former body's peak had been this very realm — only Foundation Establishment remained.

No rush!

First solidify the foundation, then pursue Foundation Establishment.

Yu Ke felt utterly comfortable, light as air, his entire aura transformed.

At this moment!

The message jade pendant at his waist trembled slightly — a message had arrived.

Yu Ke picked it up and looked.

It was a message from "Little Fortune" Xie Wanwan.

(End of Chapter)