"The human body's acupoints are scattered like stars, spanning across the entire form. Vigor flows through each aperture, coursing freely within, illuminating these points like lamps lighting up in the night sky."
"This is how internal energy operates, cycling through the body to awaken latent potential, gathering power to ignite the acupoint lamps from within."
"These acupoint lamps are the wellsprings of the body's true strength."
As Rojen delved deeper into the essence of these Wuxia techniques, his thoughts grew more focused. The framework for a unique internal training method was gradually taking shape in his mind.
Aboard the Logan, the voyage continued smoothly. According to Jason's estimate, they would reach the Windless Belt in about seven days.
Over those seven days, Rojen followed a strict routine. Each morning, he practiced the Dragon-Elephant Prajña Merit, a method designed to temper the body, cultivating a physique as powerful as a dragon-elephant. After lunch, he would sit cross-legged on the sun-warmed deck, immersing himself in silent meditation.
The sea remained relatively calm during this period. No formidable enemies appeared; only merchant ships passed by occasionally. Thanks to the tranquility, Rojen's training progressed rapidly.
"Almost there!"
On the morning of the seventh day, after a night of deep rest, Rojen felt refreshed, his entire body brimming with energy. His eyes sparkled with a newfound clarity.
Seated cross-legged at the ship's bow, he slipped into meditation once more.
In his mind's eye, faint patterns emerged, like luminous constellations drawn in the air. These star-like networks symbolized his internal acupoints. Three hundred sixty-five of them in total, each accounted for, connected in a precise route he had personally mapped out.
"Start from the Conception and Governing Meridians," He murmured inwardly, "Pass through the central channel, then traverse the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot Meridian, continue along the Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian, descend to the Surging Spring point beneath the feet, then flow upward through the spine to the Human Sun point, the Shen Ting of the Du Meridian… and finally converge at the dantian."
This was a fully realized star map of the human body, linking all three hundred sixty-five star holes. By circulating vigor along this route, and combining it with the effects of the Northern Nether Divine Merit, one could even draw vitality from the void itself.
And it didn't end there.
He had also incorporated the Innate Merit, Primordial Chaos Merit, and the Qi of Chaos trained from Self-Breathing and Natural-Breathing techniques. Layered on top were elements from the Nine Yin, Nine Yang, and Purple Dawn methods, each one refined and integrated.
A quiet smile touched Rojen's lips.
"This is a grand, all-embracing training method, capable of containing countless tributaries, yet explosive when fully unleashed."
"It suits my current state perfectly."
"The ideal method for this transition phase."
As he opened his eyes, the vast ocean stretched before him, yet his gaze seemed to pierce beyond the horizon. His expression turned sharper, his aura steadier.
From the crown of his head, down his spine, through the tanzhong, dantian, thighs, calves, and to the soles of his feet, glimmering lines began to activate, like glowing threads awakening in sequence.
Each acupoint opened like a switch, drawing forth streams of vigor from deep within. His body resonated in harmony with the internal method he had cultivated.
Within three steady breaths, a dense purple mist began to form at his dantian, like a portal to the primordial chaos. His core pulsed rhythmically, expanding and contracting with thunderous force: "hōng lóng lóng..."
As the mist pooled into his dantian, it spun rapidly, transforming into a small vortex, a purple whirlpool that hungrily absorbed the refined energy from every corner of his body.
"This feeling..."
Rojen's eyes glinted with intensity. He could clearly sense the change, his entire being transformed by the baptism of internal power.
He thrust his palm forward, and in an instant, an invisible palm print blasted out, shooting across the air and slamming into the ocean's surface with a "Thump!"
A splash echoed across the deck, followed by a satisfied smile on Rojen's lips.
The palm strike had traveled ten meters and still retained tremendous force. This was Dark Vigor, an energy forged from internal training. It bypassed physical resistance entirely, capable of penetrating the human body and disrupting its internal systems with lethal precision.
"Connecting the Conception and Governing Meridians, and combining that with my martial instincts... My training speed is ten times faster than with the Dragon-Elephant Prajña Merit!"
Taking a step forward, Rojen's body surged ahead, crossing three meters in a single stride.
That speed alone made his heart pound.
This was the effect of internal power, as if a secondary attribute had been awakened within his body. It magnified every natural function: speed, reflexes, strength, all dramatically elevated under its influence.
"So this is the Innate Realm…"
Standing at the ship's bow, Rojen closed his eyes, yet every detail around him became vividly clear. His perception extended in all directions, an instinctual, spherical awareness that gave him something akin to 360° vision.
By channeling internal energy through the Conception and Governing Meridians and circulating his true qi, he returned instantly to a state of perfect equilibrium, a realm martial artists once called Oneness with the Heavens.
As he walked across the deck, Rojen felt the pores of his skin contracting, forcing out impurities he had once consumed, absorbed, or buried deep within his system. A sharp, foul odor rose from his body, but instead of being startled, Rojen felt a surge of satisfaction.
It was proof that the internal merit was working.
Moments later, he pushed open his cabin door, stepped inside, and turned on the water to cleanse himself.
As his inner energy continued circulating, blackish-purple toxins and grime oozed from every pore. The water grew darker, thick with filth and the scent of purged impurities.
Yet Rojen's body grew visibly clearer, his skin seemingly luminous, his entire form feeling lighter and freer. As the purification progressed, the stench slowly gave way to a faint, refreshing fragrance.
"Marrow cleansing… muscle refinement... I didn't expect to break through at this moment as well," Rojen murmured to himself.
He understood perfectly, this was the natural result of the internal training's continuous refinement.
The Dragon-Elephant Prajña had already fortified his blood and qi to an extreme degree. Now, with the internal energy exploding forth, a fusion was triggered, a subtle mutation between two powerful merit methods.
Like a volcano simmering for days, the accumulated energy had finally erupted.
As he continued bathing, the purple whirlpool at his dantian expanded steadily. The sense of fullness within him became more pronounced, pushing his vitality, spirit, and awareness to a whole new level.
His temples pulsed faintly. Even his eyes now carried a quiet, overwhelming pressure, like swords unsheathed.
The internal energy surged endlessly, growing stronger with each breath.
"The vitality in the One Piece world is far more potent than in the Wuxia realms," Rojen realized. "Training internal merit here unleashes even greater results."
Drawing in a slow breath, he could feel the natural energy in the air resonating with the power within him, matching it, enhancing it. The synergy was unmistakable.
That explained why, after spending over a decade in this world, his physical abilities had already far surpassed anything he had achieved in his previous life. The foundational laws of this world were simply different, stronger, more refined, more chaotic.
"With this boost in power, my martial techniques and swordsmanship will evolve even further under the amplification of internal energy."
A surge of confidence welled up inside him.
He dried off, changed into a clean set of clothes, and stepped out of the cabin with quiet determination etched into his features.
Just then, Jason's voice rang out from the deck, carrying a faint tension beneath the surface.
"Captain! We're about to reach the Windless Belt!"
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 15 chapters on my Patreon, and I've also activated a (date-to-date) subscription model on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395