OFTLHFRO C182
by berryChapter 182: They Had Been Walking the Wrong Path
To be honest, Lan Yiheng had long since come to terms with his own fate.
Yet every time he looked at his still-young son, his heart tightened with anguish.
If the curse could be broken in his generation…
Then Lan Fei would live.
For the sake of his son alone, Lan Yiheng was willing to try.
Even if the chances were slim…
It was still better than doing nothing at all.
The moment Luo Mingchen received Lan Yiheng’s permission, his eyes lit up.
Originally, Lan Yiheng had intended to move to a quieter room.
Instead, Luo Mingchen simply asked him to extend his wrist.
The instant his fingers rested upon it, he sensed a faint thread of warm energy flowing into Lan Yiheng’s body.
Lan Yiheng did his utmost to suppress the instinctive urge to reject Luo Mingchen’s power.
Everyone watched with solemn attention.
Even when Da Bai wanted to yawn, Huo Yuhui quickly covered the cat’s mouth, terrified that something might happen to his Little Daddy.
Da Bai: “……”
Just as everyone held their breath, waiting for the result—
Luo Mingchen suddenly blurted,
“Holy shit!”
Only after Luo Mingchen withdrew his power did Lan Yiheng ask in confusion,
“What happened?”
“You…”
Luo Mingchen looked so shocked that words nearly failed him.
“The fact that your family has managed to live to forty is already a miracle.”
Hearing that, Lan Yiheng realized Luo Mingchen had discovered something.
His voice grew slightly urgent.
“Lord Luo… why do you say that?”
“Let me explain it this way.”
Pointing toward Huo Yan, Luo Mingchen said,
“When ordinary people cultivate, they have one place where their power is stored.”
“Like him—”
“It gathers in the Lower Dantian.”
“Or like me—”
“It gathers in the Upper Dantian.”
“But your body has two completely separate energy circulations.”
“I mean… two internal energy circulation systems.”
“Both your Upper and Lower Dantians are active.”
“They’re tangled together.”
“It’s a complete mess.”
“Do you understand?”
Everyone: “……”
It sounded as though they understood…
Yet somehow…
They understood absolutely nothing.
After thinking for a while, Lan Yiheng asked,
“Not entirely.”
“Isn’t internal energy always cultivated within the Lower Dantian?”
“How could it possibly be stored in the Upper Dantian?”
“Brother!”
Luo Mingchen became visibly excited.
“You should have been storing your power in the Upper Dantian!”
“If you keep forcing it into the Lower Dantian, your body will eventually explode!”
“Your body’s structure is completely different from everyone else’s!”
“The fact your clan can survive until forty already proves your physiques are extraordinarily resilient!”
He spoke so passionately that he nearly lost control of himself.
It wasn’t really his fault.
Finding someone in this world whose abilities resembled his own…
Anyone in his position would have struggled to remain calm.
Although the thing inside Lan Yiheng was tiny—
Merely a small cloud-like cluster—
Luo Mingchen knew with absolute certainty…
If cultivated properly…
It would eventually become something exactly like his own crystal core.
Huo Yan quietly reached over and took hold of Luo Mingchen’s hand.
Only then did Luo Mingchen gradually calm down.
Frowning slightly, Lan Yiheng asked,
“How… does one move it?”
“Internal energy isn’t a physical object.”
“You can’t simply pick it up and move it elsewhere.”
Luo Mingchen blinked.
“Just change the route your energy has always circulated through.”
To Luo Mingchen, that was astonishingly simple.
After all…
He was already a high-level Esper.
He understood perfectly what changing an energy circulation route entailed.
Upon hearing that, even Li Yunde couldn’t help complaining.
“Lord Luo… that explanation is practically the same as saying nothing.”
Luo Mingchen turned toward Huo Yan with a puzzled expression.
Was it really that difficult to understand?
Huo Yan answered with a look alone.
Yes.
It was Lan Yiheng who finally asked,
“Which acupoints and meridians should the energy pass through?”
Luo Mingchen, who knew absolutely nothing about traditional meridian theory, fell silent.
“…I don’t know.”
Well…
That was awkward.
The great hall descended into complete silence.
After a moment, Luo Mingchen finally said,
“I can correct it for you.”
“But… you’ll need to trust me completely.”
Lan Yiheng pressed his lips together.
Whether Luo Mingchen’s words were true or false…
For the sake of his son—
And for future generations—
He had to try.
After all…
He was already twenty-seven years old.
“Then I’ll trouble Lord Luo.”
“It won’t be any trouble.”
Lan Yiheng asked,
“May I first speak with my wife and son?”
“Of course.”
“Come find me whenever you’re ready.”
“I’ll be staying here for a while.”
As long as Lan Yiheng cooperated…
The process truly wasn’t difficult.
It would simply take a bit more time.
What Luo Mingchen didn’t know…
Was that Lan Yiheng believed the attempt carried almost certain death.
He had gone to make arrangements for his final affairs.
On the way back to their room, Huo Yan carried the copied merchant price records in one hand.
“Mingchen.”
“How confident are you?”
Luo Mingchen immediately understood what he meant.
“Ninety-nine percent.”
One of Huo Yan’s brows lifted slightly.
“So high?”
“I’ve already considered it.”
“If he doesn’t cooperate very well, I can simply suppress him directly.”
“At worst it’ll cost me a little more time.”
“He can’t beat me anyway.”
“His strength is roughly equivalent to a Level Two Esper.”
“I only left myself that remaining one percent so I won’t embarrass myself if something unexpected happens.”
“So… ninety-nine percent.”
After saying that, he smiled brilliantly at Huo Yan.
Huo Yan nodded.
“Mhm.”
As long as Luo Mingchen wouldn’t be harmed…
That was enough.
That afternoon, Lan Yiheng sent someone to invite them into a secret chamber.
Luo Mingchen assumed the City Lord merely didn’t want others watching, so he asked no questions.
Upon entering, however, he discovered that both Lan Fei and Zhu Ruo were already present.
For Luo Mingchen…
That was actually good news.
It meant he wouldn’t have to seek Lan Fei out separately later.
Once he corrected Lan Yiheng’s cultivation…
He could immediately help Lan Fei as well.
Zhu Ruo was an exceptionally strong woman.
She had come only because she feared missing her husband’s final moments should something go wrong.
Once the heavy stone door sealed shut…
Lan Yiheng spoke solemnly.
“I’m ready.”
Luo Mingchen had just been about to reach out.
Looking at Lan Yiheng’s impressive height…
He sighed inwardly.
“Sit cross-legged on the meditation cushion.”
“Alright.”
Taking a deep breath, Lan Yiheng folded his legs beneath him.
Satisfied, Luo Mingchen placed a hand upon the top of his head.
“Focus.”
“Follow the path my energy takes.”
“I won’t hurt you.”
“So don’t be afraid.”
“Understand?”
Just as Lan Yiheng intended to answer…
He felt Luo Mingchen’s internal energy entering his body.
Immediately, he concentrated with all his might.
Truthfully…
Luo Mingchen never expected to teach him everything in one attempt.
The most important thing was allowing him to memorize the sensation.
After repeating it several times…
He would certainly learn.
After all…
Luo Mingchen himself had comprehended it entirely on his own.
The only problem was…
People in this world had no concept of inner vision.
That made everything considerably more troublesome.
Zhu Ruo watched anxiously, her lips tightly pressed together.
Lan Fei observed every movement with unwavering attention.
Luo Mingchen had already anticipated that Lan Yiheng would instinctively resist.
After all…
The two of them weren’t companions who entrusted each other with life and death.
Remaining completely passive while fully conscious was nearly impossible.
Thus…
Whenever Lan Yiheng resisted…
Luo Mingchen calmly instructed,
“Slow your breathing.”
“Focus.”
“We’re already more than halfway there.”
Lan Yiheng kept his eyes tightly shut.
Sweat drenched his forehead.
Some came from pain.
The rest came from the immense effort of suppressing his own instinctive resistance.
When Lan Yiheng finally reached the point where he could no longer restrain himself—
Luo Mingchen decisively unleashed his Esper ability and suppressed him completely.
The overwhelming force startled both mother and son.
Huo Yan, however…
Had long grown accustomed to Luo Mingchen’s power.
To him…
It barely registered.
With Lan Yiheng completely restrained, Luo Mingchen smoothly guided every strand of his energy into the Upper Dantian.
The unbearable pain instantly disappeared.
His entire body suddenly felt astonishingly light.
Once a complete circulation had been finished and Lan Yiheng’s energy had been successfully redirected into the Upper Dantian, Luo Mingchen finally exhaled in relief.
“Alright.”
“Now try following the route yourself.”
Without the constant pain, Lan Yiheng found it much easier to focus.
Again and again…
The energy circulated.
His entire body became incomparably smooth and harmonious.
He had never experienced anything like it before.
Even his perception of everything around him seemed sharper.
It was an indescribably mysterious sensation.
Seeing that Lan Yiheng had already mastered the circulation, Luo Mingchen quietly withdrew his hand.
Then, together with Huo Yan and the other two…
He simply stood back and watched.