Ancient Godly Monarch Chapter 1: Cultivation with Broken Meridians

AGM 0001 – Cultivation with Broken Meridians

High above the firmament of the Nine Skies Province, nine galaxies of astral rivers span the heavens. Each of these celestial rivers is formed by the weaving together of countless constellations. Collectively, these nine vast galaxies are recognized as the Nine Layers of Heaven.

In this world where cultivation is supreme, humans emphasize meditation as the primary way to perceive the Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth. They begin practicing breathing techniques at a tender age to temper the spiritual Qi within their forms and bolster their life force. By training in martial techniques, they strive to eventually earn the title of Martial Cultivator.

Those blessed with extraordinary perception can, through deep meditation, sense the presence of the nine astral rivers. By drawing in the energy radiating from the infinite stars and establishing an innate connection with a constellation, they can condense an Astral Soul, becoming a respected Stellar Martial Cultivator.

However, even more powerful individuals exist. Upon becoming Stellar Martial Cultivators, they continue to refine the Astral Qi harvested from the stars, relentlessly hardening their physical bodies to transcend their current limits. They forcibly unlock the astral gates within themselves, allowing them to bridge connections with even more constellations and condense diverse types of Astral Souls.

Legends claim that the most peerless cultivators in the Nine Skies Province can open a new astral gate with every breakthrough in realm. Their talent is so profound that they can even link with constellations residing beyond the Nine Layers of Heaven, eventually evolving into world-shaking entities known as the War Gods of the Nine Layers of Heaven.

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Chu Country, Sky Harmony City, Bai Clan.

Beads of sweat rolled down the forehead of a girl named Bai Autumn Snow. She seemed to be enduring agonizing torment, yet she gritted her teeth and refused to give up.

Beneath the cloak of night, the brilliance of the infinite stars above seemed to converge, bathing Autumn Snow’s body in light. The glow highlighted her graceful and lovely figure; her translucent robes, dampened by perspiration, clung to her skin and revealed the pale jade of her abdomen. At this moment, however, Qin Wentian felt no desire to appreciate such beauty.

“Keep your heart steady; the pain is only a temporary thought. Relax and envision yourself full of life and grace, drifting through the nine galaxies of the astral rivers. Lose yourself in the dream of the beautiful stars, and the agony will fade as you wake.”

His voice, soft and soothing, carried on the breeze into Autumn Snow’s ears, causing her body’s tremors to subside.

Once her convulsions ceased, Qin Wentian produced nine silver needles and inserted them into specific acupoints on Autumn Snow’s head.

“Ah...” Bai Qing, watching from the side, couldn't help but gasp. She instinctively covered her mouth, shocked by Qin Wentian’s seemingly reckless treatment of her sister.

“Draw the energy of the stars into your body. Guide it through your meridians and pathways, then lock it within your astral gate.” Qin Wentian’s hypnotic voice whispered to her, providing a step-by-step guide on how to absorb and circulate the stellar energy.

“Return to the Nine Layers of Heaven—you are merely an astral projection. Now, locate the constellation that calls to you and strive to form an innate link.”

Qin Wentian’s words seemed to carry a rhythmic power. After a short time, a faint, shimmering shadow began to take shape on Autumn Snow’s forehead. It looked like a golden peng spreading its wings, a sight of magnificent beauty.

Bai Qing’s eyes went wide. This was... Astral Soul Condensation! Her sister was actually forming an Astral Soul!

‘I’ve done everything possible; the rest is up to you.’ Qin Wentian thought silently. His youthful face was etched with a look of extreme gravity and focus.

Autumn Snow’s body erupted in brilliance, accompanied by the cry of a bird. The faint shadow spun with increasing speed until it solidified into a golden peng. A surge of powerful astral energy exploded outward as Autumn Snow opened her eyes, which now sparkled with the light of the stars.

“It’s a success!” Bai Qing leaped for joy, rushing forward to grab Qin Wentian in a tight embrace. “Wentian gege, it actually worked!” she stammered excitedly.

Caught up in the moment, Bai Qing leaned in and gave Qin Wentian a sudden kiss on the cheek.

It was a pure, innocent gesture. Qin Wentian’s eyes twinkled with amusement and he laughed, the tension finally leaving his face.

“Which Heavenly Layer?” Qin Wentian asked his fiancée with a smile.

“The 3rd Heavenly Layer,” Autumn Snow replied, beaming. Her radiant smile enhanced her natural beauty. At sixteen, she was known as one of the four great beauties of Sky Harmony City and was the eldest daughter of the Bai Clan.

“The 3rd Heavenly Layer! My sister connected with a constellation from the 3rd layer on her very first attempt! Doesn’t that mean she can easily condense a second or third Astral Soul later? This is wonderful, I have to tell father!” Bai Qing was even more thrilled than her sister.

“There is no need,” a middle-aged man said as he approached. This was Bai Qingsong, the father of the two girls. He looked at Autumn Snow, his hands shaking with pride. “Autumn Snow, you’ve worked hard.”

“Father, if not for Wentian gege, sister might not have succeeded in condensing her Astral Soul so perfectly,” Bai Qing added. Bai Qingsong then looked at Wentian and said with a laugh, “Wentian, I am grateful for your help today. You should get some sleep; Autumn Snow and I will be heading out now.”

“Understood, Uncle Bai,” Qin Wentian answered politely. Since the two families had arranged the marriage three years ago, Bai Qingsong had often invited him to stay and had always shown him great kindness.

“Bai Qing, you little troublemaker, come with us. Stop bothering your Wentian gege,” Bai Qingsong commanded. Bai Qing stuck out her tongue playfully and said, “But I still want to talk to him!”

Shaking his head, Bai Qingsong gave a grunt of approval and left with Autumn Snow.

“Sister actually linked with a constellation from the 3rd Heavenly Layer... knowing Father, he’s probably off to brag to all the clan elders. I have no interest in such boring meetings,” Bai Qing whispered to Qin Wentian with a giggle. “Wentian gege, I used to doubt your methods, but you really did it! You wouldn't let her absorb Yuan Qi before, and you told her not to try condensing an Astral Soul until now. Were you waiting for this specific day?”

“If you absorb the Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth first, your meridians and channels become saturated with it. This dulls your senses significantly, which can ultimately ruin your chances of condensing a high-level Astral Soul,” Qin Wentian explained, lying back to look at the star-filled sky.

“Most people try to absorb Yuan Qi while sensing the astral rivers. That way, even if they fail to become a Stellar Martial Cultivator, their path as a regular Martial Cultivator isn't delayed. But your way completely ignores Yuan Qi just to increase the odds of sensing an Astral Soul. Isn't that dangerous? If someone fails to sense the Nine Layers of Heaven, their cultivation path would be crippled because their meridians are empty,” Bai Qing asked curiously.

“Qing’er, how many types of Astral Souls do you know of?” Qin Wentian asked instead.

“Only a few. Not many people in Sky Harmony City have successfully condensed one, so I’m not very knowledgeable... what about you, Wentian gege?”

“Within the Nine Astral Rivers, there are infinite constellations for Stellar Martial Cultivators to link with. Among those stars, the types of Astral Souls are endless.

“One who condenses an Astral Soul from the Leo Constellation will possess the savage strength of a beast, capable of rending tigers apart. One from the Heavenly Vision Constellation will have vastly improved sight and perception, allowing them to see further and predict an enemy's strikes. A Forger Constellation soul makes one a master blacksmith, while the Great Dream Constellation allows you to cultivate while sleeping and even trap enemies in hallucinations!”

“Wow, dreaming while cultivating and making illusions... that sounds like magic,” Bai Qing whispered.

“This province is massive. I’ve heard that cultivators in the outside world have condensed incredible and strange Astral Souls; they can fly through the clouds or dive through the earth. In this world, Stellar Martial Cultivators are the true masters, while ordinary Martial Cultivators are like ants. If you can't be a ruler, you might as well not cultivate at all.” Qin Wentian’s eyes burned with resolve. He was set on becoming a legendary Stellar Martial Cultivator, traveling the world with the power of his Astral Souls.

Uncle Black had told him that Sky Harmony City was tiny—compared to the rest of the world, it was just a speck.

“But, I heard that...” Bai Qing started hesitantly.

“You heard that I was born with broken meridians and can never cultivate, right?” Qin Wentian smiled and stood up. “Who says a person with broken meridians can't cultivate? I will defy that logic and become a peerless Stellar Martial Cultivator.”

Seeing his confidence, Bai Qing laughed happily. “I believe in you, Wentian gege! I’ll head out now so I don’t get in the way of your training.”

“Go on. Remember to sleep early, and... do not absorb any Yuan Qi!” Qin Wentian warned her again.

“I know, I know!” Bai Qing teased, sticking her tongue out before running off. Watching her graceful figure leave, Qin Wentian suddenly realized how much she had grown. The fifteen-year-old girl was no longer the child he met three years ago. He smiled at the memory.

Once she was gone, Qin Wentian began his own practice. Despite his crippled meridians, he closed his eyes and entered meditation. He began to pull in the energy of the constellations, forcing it through his shattered meridian pathways. The violent stellar energy crashed against the broken walls of his channels, threatening to tear them apart.

Qin Wentian’s face twisted in agony. This pain was ten times worse than what Autumn Snow had endured—it was like comparing a light drizzle to a raging storm. He clenched his teeth and pushed through.

Meridians are the highways for energy in the body. If they are broken, a person is usually considered a cripple. Cultivators must expand these paths and, after the Body Refinement Realm, reconstruct them to connect the seven orifices and refine the organs, limbs, and bones. Only then can they reach their full potential.

When Qin Wentian had originally broken his own meridians, he would have remained a permanent invalid if not for Uncle Black’s medicinal baths. Those treatments were so powerful that they allowed him to maintain a normal physique despite his condition.

However, he had a plan. He wasn't aiming to be a cripple. According to the Stellar Meridians Transformation, one must have broken meridians to reconstruct them into the perfect set of Stellar Meridians. The core concept was to destroy the flawed foundation first in order to build a perfect one in its place.