Time Travel: Ancient Martial Arts Chronicles

Lin Xiaoxiao, Ye Wuhen, and Bai Zhi temporarily reside in the temple, where life is like a calm lake with a turbulent undercurrent beneath its surface. Lin Xiaoxiao knows for sure that mastering the power of ancient martial arts is the only way to survive in this ancient martial arts continent.

That day, sunlight filtered through the cracks in the temple, casting dappled shadows across the ground. Ye Wuhen led Lin Xiaoxiao to the open space behind the temple. The surroundings were so quiet that only the rustling of leaves in the breeze could be heard. Ye Wuhen said solemnly, "Lin Xiaoxiao, since you've decided to survive on this continent, you must understand ancient martial arts. Ancient martial arts have distinct levels, from low to high: Warrior, Martial Master, Martial Patriarch, Martial King, Martial Emperor, Martial Saint, and Martial God. Each level is further divided into early, middle, and late stages."

Lin Xiaoxiao's eyes widened in surprise. "So complicated? Then how can one become a warrior?"

Ye Wuhen drew his sword, a flash of cold light, and swung out a stream of sword energy. Like silver lightning, it severed the leaves on the nearby branches, sending them fluttering down. He spoke calmly, "First, you need a technique. Techniques are the foundation of ancient martial arts practice. They are divided into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow. Each level is further divided into upper, middle, and lower grades. Yellow-grade techniques are the most common, while Heaven-grade techniques are rare. The speed of practice and the level of achievement vary greatly between different techniques."

Lin Xiaoxiao nodded, not quite understanding: "Do we have any skills now?"

Ye Wuhen took out an old book from his arms, on which was written "Stone Breaking Strength": "This is a yellow-level intermediate skill that can help you get started."

Lin Xiaoxiao excitedly took it, but when she opened it, she found it was filled with incomprehensible text and strange patterns. Ye Wuhen explained, "To cultivate, one must first draw Qi into the body, feeling the vital energy of heaven and earth, then guide it through the meridians according to the technique, and finally converge at the Dantian. You must concentrate during the process, otherwise you will damage your meridians."

Lin Xiaoxiao followed her instructions and sat cross-legged in the middle of the clearing. She took a deep breath, straightened her back, and rested her hands naturally on her knees, palms facing upward, like a blooming lotus. She slowly closed her eyes, trying to calm her mind, as if trying to capture the little rabbits running around in her heart. She cleared her mind of distractions and took in the world around her. A gentle breeze caressed her cheek, like a mother's hand caressing her. The fragrance of flowers and plants was rich and fresh, and the sun was warm and cozy.

She searched for vital energy according to the instructions in "Stone-Breaking Power," but at first she had no clue, like groping in the dark, finding nothing. "Don't panic, you'll be able to do it. This is the key to survival in the Ancient Martial Continent," Lin Xiaoxiao encouraged herself, replaying the techniques in her mind and regulating her breathing. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically, and with each inhale, she felt like she was absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Her abdomen bulged slightly, and with each exhale, she felt like she was expelling foul air from her body, as if establishing a mysterious connection with the world.

After an unknown amount of time, a cool feeling came from her fingertips, like touching ice in the desert. Lin Xiaoxiao was ecstatic and nervous, thinking: "Is this vitality? I must seize this opportunity." She frowned slightly, concentrated her mind, and her fingers trembled slightly, as if she was carefully touching the vitality, trying to establish a closer connection with it, and then slowly guided the vitality to move towards the palm of her hand. The movement was gentle and cautious, as if she was caring for a newly hatched chick.

The vital energy spread upward along her fingers, flowing like a thin stream in a dry riverbed. Her meridians felt slightly numbing, like tiny ants crawling—a novel and intriguing experience. Lin Xiaoxiao was filled with joy: "So this is what cultivation feels like! Amazing!" She twisted her wrist slightly, causing the muscles in her arm to gently contract, as if clearing a smooth path for the vital energy to flow, guiding it toward her elbow.

When the energy reached her elbows, resistance increased, like a stream encountering a boulder. Lin Xiaoxiao's brow furrowed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She bent and straightened her elbows slightly, as if trying to push aside an invisible barrier. She intensified her focus, pursing her lips slightly, the tip of her tongue lightly touching the roof of her mouth, concentrating on pushing the energy past her elbows and toward her shoulders.

The meridians in her shoulders resembled a complex maze, her vital energy beginning to stagnate. Lin Xiaoxiao, like someone steering the ship amidst a raging storm, felt tense yet resolute. "Come on, I can do this. I can't let this vital energy get out of control." Her shoulders shrugged slightly, her neck muscles tensed, and her head swayed unconsciously as if trying to adjust her balance. She recalled the techniques for breathing and regulating the flow of vital energy. Her body trembled slightly, sweat dripped, her breathing heavy, her heart pounding, but her eyes remained firm. She clenched and unclenched her fists, as if gathering strength from within to help her vital energy overcome the difficulty in her shoulders.

Finally, the vital energy reached her shoulders and headed towards her chest. Lin Xiaoxiao had experience, and the flow of vital energy accelerated. She became more confident: "It seems that I am still quite talented. This ancient martial art is not that difficult." Her chest rose and fell more violently with her breathing, as if providing power for the forward movement of the vital energy. Her hands unconsciously clenched on her knees, and her knuckles turned white.

But before she could be happy for long, a new problem arose. When the vital energy reached her chest, she suddenly felt the air around her become heavy, as if an invisible pair of hands were squeezing her, making it difficult for her to breathe. This pressure not only came from the outside world, but also seemed to emanate from within her body. Every breath seemed to be pulling at her heart and lungs. "What's going on? Why am I suddenly so uncomfortable?" A wave of panic surged in Lin Xiaoxiao's heart. The veins on her forehead bulged, and sweat rolled down like beans. She suddenly covered her chest with both hands and leaned forward slightly, as if to squeeze the oppressive feeling out of her body.

She tried to calm her mind and continue channeling her vital energy. However, as the energy flowed forward, the oppressive feeling grew stronger. She felt as if her meridians were being pierced simultaneously by countless fine needles, every inch of her skin aching, every bone ache. Her body began to tremble violently, the muscles in her back tensed like a fully drawn bow. "Am I going to fail? No, I can't give up!" Lin Xiaoxiao screamed in her heart, her teeth chattering and her lips bleeding. She crossed her hands in front of her and slowly pressed them down, trying to ease the pain in her body while focusing on channeling her vital energy to break through this difficult situation.

After finally surviving this obstacle, Yuan Qi continued on her way, but not long after, she encountered a new challenge. This time, she felt a chill rising from the soles of her feet, quickly spreading throughout her body. The chill was like the air in an ice cellar on a winter's day, making her shiver. Her legs began to shake uncontrollably, and she rubbed her feet against the ground, trying to get some warmth. She hugged herself tightly with her arms, curling up into a ball, but the cold persisted. "It's so cold... It's colder than falling into an ice hole in a modern winter." Lin Xiaoxiao's thoughts were slowing, her body almost out of control. Only with her tenacious will could she maintain control of her Yuan Qi. Her fingers trembled as she made laborious gestures, trying to guide her Yuan Qi against the chill.

Under the torture of the cold and stinging pain, Lin Xiaoxiao felt her consciousness was a little blurred. But she had a firm belief in her heart: she must succeed and must master the power of ancient martial arts.

Finally, when the vital energy reached a meridian, it suddenly felt like it had hit an incredibly solid wall. A surge of pain washed over her like a surging tide, and Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't help but groan. The pain felt like countless steel needles piercing her meridians simultaneously, or like a raging fire burning through them. Her body shook violently. She leaned back, waving her hands in the air, trying to grasp at something to ease the pain. She kicked the ground a few times, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Ye Wuhen said solemnly: "The meridians here are blocked because you have never practiced cultivation and there are impurities in your body. Use the air flow to slowly impact it, don't be impatient."

Lin Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth, enduring the pain, thinking to herself, "I can't give up. If I give up, it's all over, and all my previous efforts will be in vain." She once again focused her energy on the blockage. She slammed her hands on the ground, using the reaction force of the ground to sit up straight. She contracted her abdomen vigorously, as if gathering strength from her dantian, and then pushed this force along the meridians to the blockage. Every impact was as painful as hitting a wall. Her lips were bitten and bleeding, and she almost fainted: "It hurts so much, can I really do it? No, I can't let this little difficulty defeat me."

Just as she felt the pain consume her, her vital energy finally broke free, surging forward like a flood. Lin Xiaoxiao exclaimed in excitement, "Great! It's made it!" The vital energy flowed smoothly toward her dantian, leaving a warm sensation along her meridians. A gratified smile crossed her face, and her body gradually relaxed. She rested her hands on her knees again, savoring the wondrous sensation of the vital energy coursing through her meridians. Finally, the vital energy converged at her dantian, forming a slowly swirling stream of warm air, resembling a mysterious nebula.

"Success!" Lin Xiaoxiao's face was covered in sweat and pale, but the light in his eyes was brighter than the sun.

Ye Wuhen said with relief: "You have already drawn Qi into your body and stepped into the threshold of a warrior. To consolidate your realm, you still need to practice diligently. The road of ancient martial arts is long and difficult."

Lin Xiaoxiao is full of anticipation for the future. She knows she's taken this important step, like lighting a lamp in the darkness. More adventures and challenges await her. Bai Zhi watches from the side, her eyes filled with satisfaction as this group grows stronger in this cruel world.

(End of this chapter)

[Note: This story is purely fictional. Any similarity is purely coincidental.]