The first day of the meridian-opening month began with screaming.
Specifically—
Li Yanxu's screaming.
"WHY IS THE SUN NOT EVEN UP YET?!"
It was barely dawn. The rooster had crowed once and immediately regretted it. Mist still clung to the village paths like it hadn't woken up either.
Li Yanxu was being dragged across the courtyard by his elder sister.
"One more step and I'll die," he croaked, feet skidding uselessly across the ground.
Li Yanya didn't even look back. "Good. Less resistance."
Li Yanli followed behind them, carrying a large wooden bucket filled with ominously steaming medicinal water. His expression was calm. Peaceful. The expression of a man who had accepted suffering and decided to embrace it politely.
"Elder sister," he said mildly, "don't pull too hard. You'll tear his sleeve."
Li Yanxu weakly raised a thumb. "Second brother… at least you care…"
Li Yanli smiled. "I care that you soak for the full two hours today."
Li Yanxu blacked out for a second.
Thus began hell.
Li Yanya and Li Yanli were, in a word, terrifying.
From the first day, they treated meridian opening as if it were a holy ritual passed down by ancestors who would personally crawl out of their graves to scold them if they slacked off.
They woke before dawn.
They soaked precisely on time.
They endured pain without a sound.
Li Yanya sat in the medicinal bath with her back straight, eyes closed, steam rising around her like a war goddess tempering herself in fire. The medicinal liquid bubbled violently as impurities were forced out of her body, her skin glowing faintly bronze beneath the surface.
Li Yanli sat opposite her, hands resting on his knees, breath steady, face pale but composed. Black impurities seeped out of his pores, but he never once grimaced.
They looked like protagonists.
Li Yanxu, meanwhile—
"GET BACK HERE—!"
Li Yanxu sprinted across the village with the desperation of a man fleeing execution, hair loose, robe half-tied, sandals flying off one by one.
"I'LL SOAK TOMORROW—!"
Li Yanya leapt over a fence.
Li Yanli calmly cut him off from the front.
Li Yanxu screamed.
The villagers watched in silence.
"…Are they… training?" one asked hesitantly.
"No," another replied. "That's a family matter."
By the fifth day, Li Yanxu had developed advanced evasion techniques.
By the tenth day, he had hideouts.
Behind Old Wang's grain shed.
Inside the well cover (don't ask).
Under the village ancestral altar (very disrespectful).
Unfortunately—
"Mother," Song Zhi's clear voice would ring out, "Third Uncle is hiding behind the pig pen."
Li Yanxu would slowly turn his head.
Song Zhi would smile innocently.
"I get an extra bun if I tell," the five-year-old explained cheerfully.
Traitor.
Li Yanya would appear seconds later.
Li Yanxu learned despair.
Song An, however, was different.
Song An was three years old.
Song An was a ger.
Song An had priorities.
On the twelfth night, Li Yanxu successfully escaped and crawled into the village chief's house, curled up beside Song An on a thick quilt.
Song An patted his chest seriously. "Uncle sleep."
Li Yanxu wept quietly.
The village chief woke up to find two gers sleeping in his guest room and decided that ignorance was bliss.
They slept there for three nights.
Li Yanya eventually found them.
The village chief still shuddered when he remembered that day.
Despite Li Yanxu's valiant resistance, the month progressed.
The medicinal baths did their work.
Li Yanya's aura sharpened. Her presence alone made villagers unconsciously straighten their backs. Her skin grew clear, her eyes bright, her movements precise. She looked less like a village woman and more like a commander returning from battle.
Li Yanli changed too.
His posture straightened. His complexion turned jade-smooth. When he smiled, there was a quiet, scholarly dignity to him that made people pause.
Together, they no longer looked like villagers.
They looked… out of place.
As if the village had accidentally trapped two high-ranking cultivators.
And then—
There was Li Yanxu.
Against his will.
Against fate.
Against every excuse he had ever made.
His impurities were cleared.
His meridians opened.
And the result was catastrophic.
On the final day, Li Yanxu emerged from the medicinal bath wrapped in a towel, steam clinging to him like mist to moonlight.
Silence fell.
Li Yanya stared.
Li Yanli froze.
Li Yanxu blinked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
His skin was luminous, pale yet warm, as if carved from soft jade. His features—always pleasant—had refined into something breathtakingly delicate. His eyes were clear and deep, lashes dark, lips naturally tinted.
He looked—
Dangerous.
Song Zhi dropped his bun.
Song An clapped.
The village aunties gasped.
Li Yanya's first reaction was rage.
"…Put clothes on."
Li Yanxu looked down. "I am?"
"That towel does not count!"
Li Yanxu fled.
By the end of the month, the three siblings stood together in the courtyard.
They did not look related.
One was sharp and powerful.
One was calm and refined.
One was ethereal and lazy.
No one would believe they came from the same poor village.
Li Yanxu squinted at the sky. "Can I sleep now?"
Li Yanya cracked her knuckles.
Li Yanli smiled gently.
Li Yanxu screamed and ran.
Song Zhi pointed. "Mother! He's going toward the river!"
Song An yawned.
--
-
Li Yanxu yawned so hard his soul nearly left his body again.
The courtyard was quiet, bathed in late-morning sunlight. Birds chirped. Somewhere, a dog barked. Peaceful. Gentle. Perfect weather for not cultivating.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
Li Yanxu lazily waved his hand.
Three scrolls appeared in midair.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
They landed neatly on the stone table between the siblings.
Li Yanya's eyes sharpened instantly.
Li Yanli straightened unconsciously.
Li Yanxu, meanwhile, sat down and poured himself tea.
"This world," he said, yawning again, "has nine cultivation realms."
He spoke as if reciting a shopping list.
"Body Refinement—one hundred and twenty years."
"Qi Gathering—one hundred and sixty."
"Foundation Establishment—two hundred."
"Golden Core—three hundred."
"Nascent Soul—five hundred."
"Soul Formation—eight hundred."
"Body Integration—one thousand two hundred."
"Tribulation Transcendence—two thousand."
"And Enlightenment—three thousand."
Li Yanya hissed softly.
Li Yanli inhaled.
Li Yanxu sipped his tea. "Each realm has four sub-levels. Initial. Mid. Late. Peak. Simple enough."
"Yanxu," Li Yanli said slowly, "how do you know this so clearly?"
Li Yanxu waved dismissively. "Heard it in a dream."
Li Yanya stared at the scrolls. "…These manuals."
"Divine rank," Li Yanxu said lightly. "Chosen by Heavenly Dao itself."
Li Yanya reached out.
The moment her fingers brushed the scroll, a faint glow flickered. The air vibrated. The scroll recognized her.
She sucked in a sharp breath.
Li Yanli placed his hand on another scroll.
It hummed softly, like a greeting.
The third scroll—
Before anyone could say anything—
Li Yanxu casually pulled it toward himself.
"I'll take this one," he said.
Both siblings turned to him.
"You?" Li Yanya said suspiciously. "Without discussion?"
"I'm very decisive," Li Yanxu replied.
Li Yanli narrowed his eyes. "You were trying to avoid cultivation yesterday."
"That was yesterday," Li Yanxu said calmly. "Today, I feel… mildly cooperative."
Li Yanya snorted. "Suspicious."
Li Yanxu unrolled the scrolls one by one.
Li Yanya's Manual
Heaven-Quelling Crimson Lash Scripture
The moment the name appeared, Li Yanya felt heat surge through her meridians.
"This technique," Li Yanxu explained, "is suited for overwhelming strength, battlefield control, and suppression."
The scroll projected images.
At Body Refinement, it tempered muscles and bones to withstand recoil from heavy weapons.
At Qi Gathering, spiritual energy condensed into whip-like currents, allowing strikes without physical contact.
At Foundation Establishment, every lash carried burning qi, capable of shattering shields.
At Golden Core, the whip and darts became extensions of her will—multiple trajectories, impossible angles.
At Nascent Soul, phantom lashes formed, striking enemies' souls directly.
At Soul Formation, each strike carried law-infused authority—one lash could suppress dozens.
At Body Integration, her body itself became the whip—speed, flexibility, devastation.
At Tribulation Transcendence, lightning tribulations merged with her strikes.
At Enlightenment, the scripture whispered a single truth:
One lash to command heaven and earth.
Li Yanya's breathing quickened.
"…This is terrifying," she murmured.
Li Yanxu nodded. "Yes. Please don't test it on me."
She smiled.
That did not reassure him.
Li Yanli's Manual
Twin Radiance Harmonized Sword Canon
The scroll shimmered with calm light.
"This one emphasizes balance," Li Yanxu said. "Dual swords. Yin and Yang."
At Body Refinement, it strengthened joints and tendons for synchronized movement.
At Qi Gathering, qi split evenly between blades, preventing imbalance.
At Foundation Establishment, sword intent awakened—clean, precise.
At Golden Core, twin cores mirrored each other, stabilizing breakthroughs.
At Nascent Soul, dual sword spirits formed—one calm, one fierce.
At Soul Formation, sword domains overlapped, trapping enemies.
At Body Integration, body and blades merged seamlessly.
At Tribulation Transcendence, tribulations were divided and softened.
At Enlightenment, the canon promised:
One sword guards the world. One sword guards the heart.
Li Yanli closed his eyes.
"…This suits me," he said quietly.
Li Yanxu smiled. "Heavenly Dao agrees."
Li Yanxu's Manual
Li Yanya leaned forward. "What nonsense did it give you?"
Li Yanxu unrolled his scroll.
The title appeared slowly, as if embarrassed.
Leisurely Immortal's Boundless Thread Manual
Li Yanya: "…"
Li Yanli: "…"
Li Yanxu: "I didn't name it."
The scroll projected images anyway.
"This technique," Li Yanxu said carefully, "is… flexible."
It emphasized efficiency.
At Body Refinement, it minimized pain and maximized rest recovery.
Li Yanya frowned. "That's cheating."
At Qi Gathering, qi circulated automatically during sleep.
Li Yanli blinked. "…During sleep?"
"At Foundation Establishment," Li Yanxu continued, "the body adapts cultivation to daily habits."
Li Yanya stared. "You're telling me it cultivates while you're lazy?"
"Yes."
At Golden Core, threads of qi formed—one sword thread, one whip thread.
"Dual weapons?" Li Yanli asked.
Li Yanxu nodded. "Sword for offense. Whip for control."
At Nascent Soul, the soul split threads of consciousness—multi-tasking.
At Soul Formation, invisible threads connected battlefield zones.
At Body Integration, the body moved with minimal effort.
At Tribulation Transcendence, threads redirected lightning.
At Enlightenment, the final line appeared:
The laziest path is the most direct.
Li Yanxu beamed.
Li Yanya looked horrified.
"Heavenly Dao spoiled you," she accused.
Li Yanli rubbed his face. "Of course it did."
Li Yanxu shrugged. "I didn't ask."
They sat in silence.
Finally, Li Yanya stood.
"Fine," she said. "We cultivate."
Li Yanxu nodded. "Yes."
"But," she added sharply, "if you slack—"
"I'll run," Li Yanxu said instantly.
Li Yanli sighed. "Family tradition."
Somewhere above, the Heavenly Dao smiled.
The road of ascension had begun.
Reluctantly.
Very, very reluctantly.
But at the very least it has started.