Chapter 113: The Dantian Space

The radiance of the dharma characters grew increasingly faint, as their profound inner essence was steadily being absorbed and integrated by Zhou Yi.

"The Technique of the Heavy Mountain focuses on condensing the mountain’s veins with dharma power, shaping them into a heavy mountain, and finally utilizing this heavy mountain as a manifestation of dharma to protect one’s body, allowing the dharma to shift in harmony with one's movements!"

As the light of the characters faded, Zhou Yi slowly closed his eyes. The profound mysteries of the Heavy Mountain surfaced in his mind, with arcane principles weaving together like tangled threads. Observing these dense, web-like strands, flashes of enlightenment continuously bloomed within him.

"Dharma power!" After carefully reviewing the cultivation method for the Technique of the Heavy Mountain in his heart, Zhou Yi whispered to himself and opened his eyes, casting his gaze into the infinite darkness below.

"The Dantian space!"

Staring into the boundless, pitch-black void where nothing could be seen, a brilliant gleam ignited in Zhou Yi’s eyes. The corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile.

In the False Core realm, one cultivates three hundred and sixty-five acupoints. None of the dharma power within them can be utilized unless one chooses the Path of Acupoint Infusion; otherwise, dharma power must never enter the acupoints.

Once even a trace of dharma power enters an acupoint, it triggers a chain reaction, causing all acupoints to seal shut simultaneously. At that point, only one choice remains: the Path of Acupoint Infusion. While this grants a massive surge in strength over a very short time, it also seals one's future destiny.

Unless there is absolutely no other way, almost no one would choose the Path of Acupoint Infusion before reaching their limit. Most practitioners labor for a long time, only turning to this method once they have exhausted all room for progress and reached their absolute ceiling.

Therefore, at the beginning of the False Core realm, almost everyone chooses the Path of Acupoint Growth, which strictly forbids the infusion of dharma power into the acupoints.

Yet, before stepping into the False Core realm, everyone ascends through the three major stages of Post-Natal, Pre-Natal, and Heaven-Man, possessing internal energy within their bodies. Anyone capable of entering the False Core realm possesses a significant amount of internal energy—certainly not a negligible amount. Even if the conversion ratio to dharma power upon entering the False Core realm is low, some amount will inevitably remain.

If this dharma power cannot be placed into the acupoints, where does it go?

The Dantian space.

Within the human body, beyond the three hundred and sixty-five acupoints, there exists another vital region: the Dantian space.

The Dantian is located three inches below the navel. Before the False Core stage, during the Post-Natal to Heaven-Man phases, internal energy resides there. After reaching the False Core stage, and before infusing dharma power into the acupoints, the dharma power also resides within this Dantian space.

Of course, the Dantian space is different from the acupoints. Aside from storing dharma power, it serves no other function, and it cannot be improved by any means other than expanding in tandem with the growth of the acupoints. Its size is entirely dependent on the capacity of the acupoints; it is roughly equivalent to a single acupoint. In other words, if one's acupoints are at the first stage of the False Core realm, the Dantian space can only hold a century’s worth of dharma power.

If the acupoints are at the second stage of the False Core realm, the Dantian space becomes equivalent to a second-stage acupoint, capable of holding a millennium’s worth of dharma power.

And so on.

Simply put, the Dantian space acts as an extra acupoint, though it cannot connect with the others to produce various secondary effects.

*Whoosh!*

A divine light suddenly shot from Zhou Yi’s eyes, piercing the infinite darkness and instantly landing upon a space deep below.

"Since there is now so much energy that even my acupoints cannot bear it, why not take this opportunity to fill the Dantian space?" Zhou Yi thought, staring at the empty void below.

*Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!*

Within the space, the waves of the energy river grew increasingly violent, the sound like thunder. High within the acupoints, the Light of Enlightenment hung suspended, raining down ripples of light that caused the space to groan and expand rapidly.

Zhou Yi reviewed the cultivation method of the Heavy Mountain once more. He took a deep breath, his eyes flickering with resolve. Gazing downward, he split a portion of his intent, which moved rapidly, generating rhythms that swept through the energy river like a gale.

*Boom!*

*Whoosh!*

As his intent passed, a tributary of the raging energy river instantly broke away, following his will and surging toward Zhou Yi!

*Boom!*

Zhou Yi remained unmoved. He spread his arms, a weight as heavy as a mountain swirling between them. With palms open, he pushed against the incoming tributary.

*Hummmm...*

A sudden resonance filled the surroundings. The moment the energy tributary touched his palms, an invisible light flashed, and arcane principles manifested out of thin air, falling into his hands.

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, Zhou Yi’s hands transformed into bottomless black holes, absorbing all the incoming energy.

*Hummmm...*

As the energy from the tributary was continuously absorbed by his hands, another hum resonated through the void. A massive, profound aura erupted from Zhou Yi, growing in intensity at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Zhou Yi’s expression was solemn. His body rotated slowly, holding his breath in his chest. As the energy continued to pour in, a sensation of fullness began to bloom within him. As this feeling intensified, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes—the time had come!

*Whoosh!*

At that moment, Zhou Yi pushed his hands forward violently, shoving the energy tributary away. His hands danced like butterflies, weaving illusions and creating endless arcane patterns. These patterns, carrying the energy he had refined, surged downward toward the Dantian space.

*Whoosh!*

Like a waterfall cascading three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way were falling from the heavens!

The energy river, having been absorbed for so long and now refined, was cast into the Dantian space in an instant. The influx was like a river flowing backward into the sky—magnificent, vast, and boundless!

*Boom!*

Just as Zhou Yi finished pouring the refined energy into the Dantian space, the energy tributary he had pushed aside surged forward again. With a stern expression, Zhou Yi moved his hands instantly, intercepting the river just before it reached him!

*Whoosh!*

Having blocked the tributary, Zhou Yi narrowed his eyes slightly. A sliver of intent separated from him, rushing directly into the energy that had already settled into the Dantian space.

*Whoosh!*

*Swish!*

The intent dove into the Dantian space, moving without pause. Like a needle, it rapidly stitched the energy—now imbued with arcane principles—together.

*Hummmm...*

The intent moved with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, it had connected all the energy together. Then, settling into the center of the Dantian space, it suddenly gave a slight tremor, carrying the weight of all that energy with it.