From Five Animal Exercises to being hailed as a saint and ancestor

The chilling atmosphere around the lake had not completely dissipated; a faint stench of blood and lingering terrifying energy still permeated the air.

Vice President Xiao Yunhai has been taken away by the deacon who rushed to the scene to treat his injuries.

While a severed arm is not fatal for a cultivator at the Purple Mansion Realm, it is enough to damage their foundation.

It will take some time and effort to recover, but fortunately, the head of the Spirit Medicine Pavilion is here, so there shouldn't be any major problems.

Dean Ouyang Shuo stood there, gazing in the direction where Li Hanshan had disappeared, his expression still solemn, his eyes complex and unreadable.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, which condensed in the air and did not dissipate, faintly carrying the sound of wind and thunder, showing that his inner state was far from as calm as it appeared on the surface.

He turned around, his gaze falling on Yao Mengkang. His gaze was deep, scrutinizing, and also carried a hint of barely perceptible expectation.

"Come with me." Ouyang Shuo's voice was deep and carried an unquestionable tone.

With a flick of his sleeve, a gentle yet irresistible force enveloped Yao Mengkang. The next moment, the two disappeared from the lakeside and appeared in the dean's quiet room.

The quiet room was simple and unadorned, containing only a few futons, an incense burner, and a cauldron, with wisps of smoke rising from it, exuding the calming and soothing fragrance of sandalwood.

"Sit down!" Ouyang Shuo pointed to a futon, then sat down in the main seat, his breathing gradually calming down.

Yao Mengkang sat down as instructed, his mind racing.

Today's events have had a huge impact.

Li Hanshan's power and strangeness, Vice Dean Xiao's crushing defeat, the Dean's angry attack... all of these are far beyond what he can currently comprehend.

Do you know who Li Hanshan is?

When Ouyang Shuo spoke, his voice regained its usual authority, but upon closer listening, a trace of lingering fear could still be heard.

"The student only knows him as the lord of 'Netherworld'," Yao Mengkang replied respectfully.

"The Lord of the Underworld... Hmph, I suppose so." A complex look flashed in Ouyang Shuo's eyes.

"But his identity is far more than that. Before I tell you about him, you need to have a clearer understanding of the path of cultivation in this world."

He paused, looked at Yao Mengkang, and slowly said, "You've reached the Opening Meridian Realm. How does it feel?"

Yao Mengkang's heart stirred slightly, and he said, "I feel the Yuan energy surging within my body, the twelve meridians are unblocked, and my strength has greatly increased."

Ouyang Shuo gave him a deep look and continued the conversation.

"The Meridian Opening Realm is the beginning of cultivation, aiming to open up the meridians throughout the body and build the foundation for the circulation of Yuan Power."

"As is commonly known, the pinnacle is when all nine meridians are connected."

"However, the secrets of heaven and earth are far more than this?"

"Above the nine veins, there are three hidden veins: the Ancestral Aperture, the Dragon Spine, and the Divine Bridge, also known as the 'Three Divine Veins'."

"If one can achieve this, one can lay an unparalleled foundation for the Dao, and the quality and quantity of one's Yuan Power will far surpass those of one's peers, filling the meridians. This is the twelfth level of opening the meridians."

The dean paused, thought for a moment, and then said...

"Reconstruct the Chaos Chakra to govern the entire body; this is the thirteenth level of opening the meridians."

"Few people in the world can reach this level. As far as I know, among all the living people in the world, only Li Hanshan has ever reached this level."

Yao Mengkang was shaken. So that's how it is? That Li Hanshan…

Ouyang Shuo continued, "Once the Meridian Opening is complete, one can attempt to break through to the second realm, the Spirit Sea Realm."

"Within the dantian, qi is transformed into liquid, condensing true essence to form a vast spiritual sea. The power and endurance of this liquid qi transformation far surpass those of the Opening Meridian Realm."

"After the Spirit Sea Realm comes the Yuan Dan Realm. The Spirit Sea is compressed, the impurities are removed and the essence is retained, and the liquid true essence is condensed to the extreme, transforming it into a solid Yuan Dan stored in the dantian."

"As long as the Yuan Dan remains, the Zhen Yuan will never cease, and one's lifespan will also increase accordingly."

"At the peak of the Yuan Dan realm, one needs to construct a divine bridge to connect the lower dantian with the upper dantian (sea of ​​consciousness)."

"This is the fourth realm, the Divine Bridge Realm. Only at this stage can one begin to control Qi with the spirit, and the divine thought and true essence begin to combine, allowing one to unleash wondrous supernatural powers and techniques, which are extremely profound."

"Once the Divine Bridge is stable, one can attempt to break through to the fifth realm, the Purple Mansion Realm."

"The Yuan Dan is sent from the lower dantian to the upper dantian, merging with the origin of one's own divine consciousness, thus giving birth to the Purple Mansion Spiritual Infant."

"When a spirit infant is first formed, its own spiritual energy possesses a trace of divinity, which can automatically protect the body, sense the heaven and earth, and travel in the void. Vice Dean Xiao is in this realm."

Yao Mengkang held his breath, his Purple Mansion Spiritual Infant! So Vice Dean Xiao was actually a powerful being of such a level!

"Above the Purple Mansion Realm lies the sixth realm, the Divine Transformation Realm. As the spiritual infant grows stronger, its divinity increases day by day. It can begin to mobilize the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a certain range for its own use. Every move it makes possesses immense power, and it is no longer an ordinary being."

Ouyang Shuo's tone grew increasingly solemn: "And above the Nascent Soul Realm lies the universally acknowledged pinnacle of this era—the Throne Dao Realm!"

"The Throne Realm is no longer simply about accumulating power. One must forge one's own 'Path'."

"Comprehend the rules and condense them into your own 'domain.' Within this domain, I am the master, practically invincible!"

"Each throne represents a powerful figure who suppresses a region and is a true strongman of the continent."

Yao Mengkang was deeply moved. The Throne Realm, comprehending the rules, invincible within the domain! What a magnificent sight!

"Then Li Hanshan..." he couldn't help but ask.

A hint of apprehension and a touch of... indescribable emotion flashed in Ouyang Shuo's eyes.

"Li Hanshan is a peak-level expert at the Throne Dao Realm! Moreover, he is among the most outstanding and terrifying in this world!"

He looked at Yao Mengkang, his tone becoming serious.

"This man comes from humble origins; it is said that he is the son of an ordinary blacksmith in a small border town, with no background whatsoever."

"However, he is a true prodigy! At the age of fifteen, he came into contact with cultivation by chance, and within a month, he broke through several barriers, reaching the forbidden realm of the thirteenth level of meridian opening!"

"What?! Thirteen months in a month?!" Yao Mengkang exclaimed in disbelief.

"Excellent, thirteen levels, connecting all visible and hidden meridians, a truly perfect meridian opening!"

Ouyang Shuo affirmed, "For the next three years, he traveled with his sword, his swordsmanship reaching a divine level, and he never suffered a defeat!"

"He once defeated the then-dominant Daoist Master of the Heavenly Dao Sect in a head-on confrontation, making him famous throughout the continent!"

The Heavenly Dao Sect! Yao Mengkang had seen this name in ancient texts. It was the universally recognized supreme holy land on this continent, leading the righteous path and with influence throughout the world.

"However, it was precisely because of his background and experience that he saw through the hypocrisy and cruelty beneath the glamorous exterior of the Heavenly Dao Sect."

Ouyang Shuo's tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

"The Heavenly Dao Sect regards the entire continent as its backyard and all living beings as straw dogs."

"The so-called maintenance of order is nothing more than a means to more easily harvest resources and consolidate rule."

"Some dirty and bloody things are inconvenient to do personally, so I entrust them to others or clean them up in secret."

"Li Hanshan has personally experienced or witnessed too many such events, and his Daoist heart and ideals are incompatible with those of the Heavenly Dao Sect."

"He was unwilling to compromise his principles, and even more unwilling to see the continent fall into ruin."

"So he betrayed... no, he never joined in the first place; he embarked on the path of rebellion against the Heavenly Dao Sect!"

"He established the 'Netherworld Prison' to gather talented individuals from all over the world who were dissatisfied with or had been harmed by the Heavenly Dao Sect, and to wage a comprehensive confrontation against the Heavenly Dao Sect in the shadows."

"Assassinating key members, destroying their resource points, sheltering the 'traitors' they are hunting... their actions are extreme and secretive."

"But its original intention was to break the monopoly and oppression of the Heavenly Dao Sect and restore a true bright and clear world to this continent."

Ouyang Shuo sighed: "This man is a madman, a rebel against heaven, but he is also a... hero."

"However, its methods are ruthless and its influence is far-reaching. Coupled with the propaganda of the Heavenly Dao Sect, the Underworld is considered an evil demonic force in the mainstream perception of the mainland."

"Twenty years ago, he was already at the peak of the Throne Dao Realm."

"No one knows the extent of his current cultivation level."

"In our exchange just now, although I was angry, I knew I was no match for him. He probably didn't even use 30% of his strength."

Yao Mengkang was deeply shocked and remained silent for a long time. The image of Li Hanshan in his mind was completely overturned.

Beneath that seemingly slovenly and unruly exterior lies such a shocking secret and such a grand ambition!

To stand against the strongest force on the mainland with just one person and one organization? What courage and strength that takes!

He recalled the appreciative glance Li Hanshan gave him as he left. There seemed to be some kind of expectation in that gaze.

Ouyang Shuo looked at Yao Mengkang, who was deep in thought, and said in a deep voice.

"I'm telling you this so you know that there are always things beyond your understanding, and people beyond your abilities."

"The path of cultivation is long and arduous; one's realm is not the only factor. One's Dao heart and one's choices are equally important."

"Li Hanshan recruited you because he saw your potential. But the choice is yours."

"The Heavenly Dao Sect is not as righteous as it appears; the Underworld is not entirely evil either."

"In this world, things are often not clearly black and white. Ultimately, you have to walk your own path and make your own judgments."

Yao Mengkang took a deep breath, stood up, and bowed deeply to Ouyang Shuo: "This student will remember the Dean's teachings."

In his heart, a broader and more complex world is slowly unfolding.

Opening the meridians at the thirteenth level is just the beginning, and the throne realm is not the end either.

In the fog ahead, two distinct paths seem to emerge, each fraught with difficulty and challenge.

What will his choice be?