Chapter 0003: The Peach Pit Transforms into a Dantian

Losing this meal would leave Yang Wu hungry for a fourth day in a row.

He had finally earned a meal to silence his grumbling stomach, yet someone had kicked the little food he had obtained from his hand. Naturally, he was furious!

Zhu Gan, the culprit, continued to stomp the remains into the dirt. Looking down on the newcomer, he growled a cold warning, “Don’t forget what Elder Sister Wang told you, brat. If you don’t obey, you starve.”

“Go to hell!” Without a second thought, Yang Wu launched to his feet and swung a fist toward Zhu Gan’s face.

Alas, the young man lacked the strength to deal the damage he intended, and his opponent wasn’t an average prisoner. The thin man grabbed Yang Wu’s wrist, and with a smooth twist, broke it.

“Argh!”

Yang Wu screamed in pain as he broke out in a cold sweat.

“What a piece of trash. If Elder Sister Wang didn’t find you so attractive, I’d beat you badly enough to vomit blood,” Zhu Gan hissed as he landed a fierce kick to Yang Wu’s gut, sending him flying.

Yang Wu lay limp in the dirt for a long moment.

“Listen carefully, brat. If you don’t go crawling into her bed tonight, you’ll be dead by tomorrow.” With that said, Zhu Gan turned and left.

The other inmates watched, envious. Everyone knew Wang Yan was the head honcho in block 68. Whoever earned her favor would enjoy the little luxuries available in the prison, yet this boy didn’t seem to appreciate the opportunity.

Regardless of his fury, which he had no way to vent, Yang Wu lacked the strength to climb to his feet.

Skinny Monkey, however, wasn’t as cold-hearted, and he helped his new friend up. He then broke his own bun in half, offering the second piece to Yang Wu, “Come, brother. Take half of mine and eat.”

Yang Wu’s bloodshot eyes began to calm, revealing mixed feelings. “They’ll make you pay for helping me, you know.”

“It’s no big deal. I may seem scrawny, but I’m pretty tough. I’m not afraid!” Skinny Monkey declared, pounding a fist on his chest.

Yang Wu extended a hand to accept the shared meal, flashing a sincere smile for a brief moment. “From now on, I’ll consider us brothers,” he announced, shoving the bun into his mouth as if afraid Zhu Gan would return.

Once Skinny Monkey finished his food, he walked over to pick up the bun Zhu Gan had trampled. Brushing the dirt from its crust, he waved it at Yang Wu. “You want more?”

Yang Wu shook his head, unable to accept the soiled food. With a shrug, Skinny Monkey took a large bite.

“If we can’t manage to survive, how are we going to get out of this hellhole?” The thin boy muttered to himself.

His words struck a chord in Yang Wu. That’s right. If I can’t survive, how will I escape?

Yang Wu immediately took half of the dirty bun and shoved it into his mouth, finally understanding what ‘survival’ meant here.

Once the boys had finished their meals, they returned to their respective dens without another word.

Prisoners weren’t given rooms in this mountain prison. They all had to carve out a place for themselves, somewhere they could burrow in against the night’s cold wind. Without any protection, freezing to death was a real possibility.

Yang Wu’s condition improved significantly after some food. More importantly, the peach pit he carried seemed to radiate a magical energy that restored his stamina over time.

When he returned to his own den, he retrieved the pit, glancing at the little dog curled up against his side.

“Is this some kind of treasure, Sooty? Somehow, I have a feeling that this is no ordinary peach pit.”

The little dog blinked and nodded as if confirming the thought.

“Tell me, then. If I eat it, will it help my injuries heal?” he asked.

The pup nodded again, its eyes bright and understanding.

“If this were truly a magical item, you’d have swallowed it long ago. How can I trust I’d survive?” The young man lamented, stuffing the pit back into his belt.

[TL Note: Some ancient Chinese clothing is completely made of cloth, including the belt. Such belts were wide and tied tight enough that one could hold small items securely. A money pouch, for example. Here is an example: https://img.jk51.com/img_jk51/135131356.jpeg.]

Yang Wu had recovered a fair deal of his strength after eating, but with his cultivation crippled, gathering energy proved impossible. He couldn’t help the ache he felt over the ordeal.

“If I can’t restore my qi, I’ll be dead sooner or later. Don’t tell me I’m fated for such a life,” Yang Wu muttered indignantly. “The poor Yang Clan has been loyal and devoted in our service for generations, yet the imperial family abandoned us so easily. If I manage to escape one day, I swear to rise up against the court and restore my family’s honor!”

The pup at his side listened intently, brilliance flashing in its gaze while the boy drifted to sleep.

Once Yang Wu had fully passed out, the little black dog pounced on his lap, carefully pulling the peach pit free. The puppy then slipped the pit through the young man’s open lips.

Anyone who witnessed this scene would have been astounded; just imagine a little dog kissing a grown man.

If Yang Wu had known, he would’ve been humiliated. Even a dog was willing to take advantage of him, stealing his first kiss! He’d be devastated!

After feeding the boy the peach pit, the dog gently pawed at his face. Yang Wu fidgeted in his sleep, feeling the tickle, and his mouth opened wider, allowing the pit to roll down his throat.

The peach pit was about the size of an egg. Anyone would choke if they tried to swallow it without warning, and Yang Wu was no exception.

Before he was startled awake, however, the pit lit with a soft glow and flowed smoothly down his throat like warm water. Fortunately, Yang Wu was exhausted and didn’t fully wake. Dazed, he rolled over and returned to his slumber.

With the pit in his stomach, a celestial symphony began to play within him like hundreds of blooming flowers. Immortal Energy flooded his twelve major meridians, limbs, bones, and organs like a vibrant life force filling his battered body.

Before Yang Wu had been imprisoned, expert cultivators had scattered the Profound Energy within him and shattered his dantian. He could no longer absorb natural Profound Energy or practice martial arts. Now, this peach pit took the place of his broken dantian, connecting to his twelve major meridians and forming an endless cycle of Profound Energy, reestablishing his ability to absorb it.

[TL Note: There is a difference between Immortal Energy and Profound Energy, it is not an error. The novel will explain the difference later on.]

Cultivators absorbed energy to cultivate, refining this energy as it flowed through their meridians. They could easily release the energy as formidable forces, granting them the abilities to split mountains and scale seas. There was nothing they could not do. Crippling a cultivator in such a way was as good as sentencing one to death. If Yang Wu hadn’t held on to his worries and determination to live, he would’ve given up long ago.

By rebuilding his dantian, Yang Wu could cultivate again. The pup and this peach pit had given him a new lease on life.

Energy pulsed from the thousands of tiny holes in the peach pit’s shell. This energy flowed along the twelve major meridians, nourishing both major and minor. Some hidden injuries healed instantly; even his scars began to vanish. The meridians enlarged and toughened, while the acupoints regained their vitality. Blood rushed to his internal organs, explosively improving his life force.

The transformation was akin to receiving healthy bone marrow and a new bloodline, forcibly altering Yang Wu’s body for the better. It also significantly increased his life span. Absorbing the strange peach pit had been a heaven-defying opportunity.

[TL Note: In such novels, one’s heritage contributes greatly to one’s talents and potential. This is often manifested in blood. The changing of marrows and bloodline would be like swapping one’s ancestors for more powerful ones, allowing one to gain some of those abilities.].

Yang Wu remained in a deep sleep, unaware of the changes to his body. He was only aware of the fantastic dream he enjoyed, leaving him drooling.

In his dream, he entered a celestial palace, home to various spiritual beasts that flew along multi-colored rivers. Fairy maidens carried bamboo baskets, jade vases, or colorful sashes as they rode the clouds to a warm, misty pool. They were all alluring in their own rights, beautiful and charismatic in their own ways.

As they frolicked in the pool, they began to undress, removing one piece of clothing at a time. Their perfect figures shone like jade statues as their ivory skin shimmered in the sun. They were naturally seductive.

It was a rare scene of lasciviousness, one which any man could hardly resist.

Yang Wu watched like a shameless voyeur, and he struggled to stop the blood flowing from his nose.

Interestingly, the maidens didn’t shun him upon his discovery. One even sashayed up to him to give him a kiss.

The youth was mesmerized. He stared with a silly smile on his face, unaware this was simply a dream.

If he had known the kiss was not, in fact, from a fairy, but from the little black dog he had rescued, he might have regretted that smile.

The fairy took hold of Yang Wu’s hand and flew into the air.

Not only did these maidens allow him to bathe with them, but they also teased him from time to time, making the virgin boy blush.

Of course, these fairy maidens were pure and didn’t attempt to seduce the boy. Rather, they shared the peaches from their grand banquet. Once he devoured one of the peaches, he found he could float alongside these fairies. As they flew, the fairies taught him immortal spells to ride the clouds and move the oceans, astounding Yang Wu.

Do these formidable spells really exist in this world?

Sooty watched the immortal light move through Yang Wu’s body with indifference until the latter smiled lewdly. The pup then gave him a disdainful look.

As Yang Wu’s body finished absorbing the energy, a beam of light shot forth from the pup’s glabella, striking the boy in the same place. Mysterious chanting, as loud as the morning gong, reverberated in Yang Wu’s mind:

Nine is a heavenly number; the universe is infinite. When primordial chaos first split, yin and yang interacted. As time passed, it created the heavens and earth. Refine the essence to energy; gather the energy into a river. Reach the highest heaven; peek into its mysteries and become immortal ….

With his energy gone and tired from helping his savior, the small, black pup soon passed out.