The meridians were the pathways through which Qi traveled. They threaded through the body like an invisible network, connecting the organs, limbs, and dantian.
Before reaching the Qi Gathering Realm, a person could absorb spiritual energy into their body, but they could not truly circulate it. The energy remained scattered, gathering wherever the body could contain it.
Entering the first realm changed that.
Qi Gathering was the moment the body learned to circulate what it had absorbed. For most people, the process required years of preparation before their meridians were strong enough to withstand the pressure. But Orson already knew how to circulate Qi.
The moment he pushed the energy through his body, his meridians responded.
Then something went wrong.
The metal poison embedded within his meridians resisted the flow. Instead of allowing the Qi to pass, it mixed with it.
Orson’s eyes widened.
The poison began spreading through every pathway the Qi touched, carried deeper into his body with every circulation. The spiritual energy that should have nourished him began turning foul.
His meridians burned.
His blood felt cold.
And then the corrupted Qi reached his core.
Orson collapsed onto the ground, his body trembling as lightning flashed across the sky around him. He could feel something spreading inside him—something that shouldn’t have been there, but was. He coughed out a mouthful of blood.
Damn it. I was too focused on my surroundings. I didn’t even realize a bomb was already in me.
Lightning cracked across where the third island was as wave after wave of explosions followed. Orson looked around.
Wow. Just wow. So this is it for me. I’m just going to die here.
He coughed again, another mouthful.
Was this my karma for what I did? I was ready to die anyway, so why was I even brought back? Was it just to die again? Well, I do deserve it.
But what is wrong? I already accepted my death, but why does my body fight back?
Just then, a face flashed in his memory. Her. She must be waiting at home for him.
Orson looked up as the man who blasted him took the Saintess sword on the ground.
"Wow, a Saintess tier 3 sword in your hands. Well, it mine now."
With that, he placed it in his ring space before walking up to Orson. The lightning was hitting from the island above toward them, but as it hit the suit the man was wearing, the suit looked to absorb it.
Orson looked at the man walking forward as another lightning hit his suit.
Wait. Lightning.
Just then, a crazy idea entered Orson’s mind. It was so crazy that even Orson knew he may die, but it was better than laying here thinking about the past.
With that, he looked around. His body was already paralyzed from the poison. Weird enough, the poison which was used on him was also used in his past life.
So seeing it in a future world was strange. And also, the poison was dormant. It was like whoever put it in his body was waiting for him to have life energy in his body and die. So if it was not this poison that killed Orson, what did? And why was he even here?
But there was no time, because the fucking bastard was walking toward him.
Weird. Have I been saying weird phrases? I have not known, but I do.
Orson took out the orb as lightning cracked all around him. There was a point at his side the lightning had struck three times.
Weird. I thought they said lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice.
With that, Orson took out the core. It was green in color and it glowed with a lot of energy. So the plan was simple, really. Use a technique he knew to absorb energy from the orb into his body to flood his body so that the energy and the metal poison energy would fight for control. But if he gave the energy a lightning advantage—
He looked up at the lightning before placing the orb there and used the other hand to do a hand sign seal.
Just as it did, Orson looked at the bastard. He was close. He looked back at the lightning that was cracking.
Come on.
Fifteen steps. Well, don’t ask how I know. I am just coming up with numbers.
Ten steps.
Come on.
Seven steps.
Will you strike already?
Five.
Four.
Come on, please.
Three.
He coughed another blood.
Three.
As he looked up, a shadow was already covering him.
Two.
Lightning cracked overhead as the man was taking the last step.
It came down with a deafening bang.
Orson’s body seized as energy and lightning moved in his body. Lightning veins started to surge around his body as it looked like Orson’s body started to crack as the energy just kept pouring more and more with the lightning as well.
The man was sent back a bit because of the surge of energy, and as the man watched, Orson started to float as the energy moved around his body, seizing him.
Meanwhile, that movie was horrible. I mean, the actors had one job—act—and they failed at that.
Emily just sighed. "I know, right? I mean, the love story did not even make sense. You both love each other, just say it. I mean, it took you ten years just to say it. That is not romantic or sweet. That’s just sad."
"I know, right? That should have never made that show."
Emily and Lenora laughed as they walked away into the hover car. The drive was not really long, and Lenora loved Emily’s company, but before Emily took Lenora home, they stopped at a shop to order food for Lenora before they drove home. Emily dropped Lenora off before driving away.
Lenora watched before going back home. On her way, she saw the stairs as she reached them. A memory flashed—it was of Orson lifting her in his hands. Then his body felt warm when he carried her.
But Lenora shook her head.
What is wrong with you? Get a grip. You’re the Storm Saint. I mean, you were. Not now. You’re—
Lenora called for her system screen.
Name: Lenora Sloane
Astral contract being: Destroyed
Rank: Error
Error: User body is too damaged to make a full status statement.
With that, Lenora closed it and looked up at the stars in the sky. The moon was bright today, she thought. Weird, I guess you feel a bit free to look at the moon now when you cannot sense it trying to kill you.
She took a deep breath before walking inside.