William knew this was the day the meridians barriers fell to him. He felt it, or rather he thought he felt it. He hadn't really felt anything since begining cultivating even tough all the books he had read said that progressing in your cultivation would feel great. But it didn't matter, his mother and grandpa had assured him that he was making progress and that in all likelihood during today's training he would crack the barriers enough to open a hole in them, his brother had also told him that it would happen today, but he wasn't that reliable in Williams eyes. But entering the mid stage of the "meridians opening realm" would allow Qi to properly flow into his meridians, something he would be able to sense with his own physical senses. No longer would he have to rely on others to tell him if he was progressing or not. Well he still wouldn't have a spiritual sense meaning he wouldn't be able to tell exactly how much of the barriers he still had to break down. But according to his second brother he would still be able to make and educated guess of his realm by comparing how much Qi flowed into his meridians compared to the mid stage of the realm, if the amount was roughly four times the beginning amount then he would have entered the late stage and when the amount was ten times the original amount then he would be on the verge of entering the peak stage.

His third brother Adalgar was still here training with him, but this time Adalgar was also training instead of standing around and correcting Williams movments, Adalgar had even brought his own technique. When William read the title he saw that the technique was called [Untethered Wind]. Before this he only knew that Adalgar cultivated with a wind and air aligned technique, any more information had been hidden from him so that it couldn't affect his own judgment when deciding what technique to cultivate with, not that it had ultimately mattered as he had been forced to pick the [heart of the forest].

William felt it as the fourth hour started to approach and their training pass was soon going to end. It began with a feeling like someone had thrown him into a lake in the middle of winter. His hair stood at end while his body started to shake. He tried to grit his teeth and continue training, but his attempts to resist proved fruitless as the cold didn't stay outside his body for long. The cold started to creep inwards, it was as if it followed roads inside his own body. But the cold wasn't satisfied with being restricted with these paths. From these main pathways there was as if glass had cracked and made an ungodly amount of other pathways. These smaller pathways didn't allow as much of the cold to flow through them but as if to make up for this the pathways were instead everywhere, no single body part was devoid of the smaller roads, even his pinky finger had several of these smaller paths. But not even these smaller roads could satiate the colds thirst for expansion, from the smaller roads the cold started to bleed out to fill every single miniscule part of his body.

But just like how someone became accustomed to constant things this cold didn't stay a problem for William. William soon realized that the cold was starting to disperse and instead of being exhausted he had the feeling as if something had awakened inside of himself, and this gave him enough energy to start the training all over. William thought that he would even be able to train for another eight hours before he would even begin to feel tired. So he jumped up and started doing training with a new found energy. Now whenever he did the movements like his technique instructed him to he felt something cover his body, it wasn't anything tangible it felt more like a constant wind pushed on his body from everywhere. The "wind" he soon figured out should be Qi as it wasn't content with simply buffer his body, no the Qi tried to invade his body through many newly opened parts of his body, these should be his meridian openings.

William could feel the Qi flow into his body as he did the movements. But now instead of filling his body with coldness the Qi instead brought a kind of pressure while flowing throughout his body, something he could physically sense. William almost cried out of joy as he felt the Qi flow in his body, the days blindly training hadn't been in vain.

The voice of his third brother brought William out from his own thoughts.

"Congratulations on entering the middle stage. That should be enough for today, let's go get washed up before going to eat."

"No I'm fine training longer. My body is filled with enough energy to train for a double training pass right now, I might even be able to enter the late stage of I continue training now."

How could William stop training now when he was so filled with energy, he felt the Qi move in his body and he was pretty sure his training was actually even more efficient now. He could also rely on his senses to tell how good his movements was if he compared the amount of Qi that flowed into his body. The more perfect his movements the more Qi would flow into his body, maybe he could even perfect his movements to allow the maximum amount of Qi he could handle to flow into his body. As all these thoughts came to him he started to believe that he could even directly enter the late stage of the "meridian cleansing realm" today. As he internalized the idea of jumping directly to the late stage he started to train with even more vigor, he even ignored his annoying brother who tried to dissuade him with lies.

"You're exhausted and will barely be able to train for another ten minutes if even that. The reason your currently feeling so energized is because the Qi is filling your meridians but your meridians and dantian hasn't been cleansed yet so your body won't be able to use the Qi as energy. Your body is just being fooled by the Qi. So stop training and let's go."

William didn't stop training. He knew that he could continue training, after all, this was his body and he knew it better than his brother did.

"I know my own body. I will even enter the late stage today."

"No you won't. Do you really think every stage is equal? The higher stages are much more complex compared to the lower ones. You will be lucky if you are able to enter the late stage with the next two weeks. You being able to enter that stage today would make you a monster with a talent level that's equal too our grandfather."

William had never heard of their grandfathers cultivation experience since Victor only talked about it when giving someone advice on their own cultivation. But upon hearing Adalgars words Instead of being dissapointed from the words William found new motivation in them. In Williams head he believed that if their grandfather had managed directly jump from the mid stage too the late stage within a single day than that meant that there was a precedent of it happening which meant that he could also do it.

Adalgar threw up his hands in defeat when he saw that William started to train with even more vigor.

"Fine be that way. I'm sure when you can't even lift your the silverware that mother would be overjoyed over the opportunity to feed you like the old days."

Adalgar was currently was currently walking down the corridors while carrying his younger brother. The little brat had become Qi drunk when he entered the mid stage and started feeling Qi rush into his body. William had been especially Qi drunk, to the point of continuing training until he was so exhausted that he couldn't even walk. Even if he had too carry him right now Adalgar still enjoyed the situation immensely. Adalgar had warned William yet he had ignored him and now William was paying the price.

"Are you happy now? Training until you can't even stand up properly. Poor dad, meeting you for the first time in over a week only to find you in this state."

William was simply confused beyond words. He had so much energy, how could his body suddenly start to refuse to move? Even now he felt the Qi gently trickle into his body, it wasn't nearly the amount he got from his training movements but it was still something he noticed. Unfortunately the pleasant feeling of Qi entering his body was overshadowed by his body screaming in a mix of exhaustion and pain. He was currently on the verge of crying, the Qi was simply to mean, tricking him into believing he had unlimited energy, this was definitely not his fault.

"Not going to answer? Are you simply refusing to because you think this wasn't your fault or are you that exhausted that you can't answer. Well whatever. When we see Gramps, he will make sure that you didn't push your body too far and broke something."

The bathroom was made of a polished stone rather than the wood that most of the rest of the building was made of. Rather than a room it could be better described as a hall as the size of it was made to accommodate a dozen people at the same time while also letting the people inside have enough room for themselves. There where spots where one could have water pour over them immediately to the left when one entered. And in the middle laid the main character of the room. A big bath that constantly had water move throughout it while also having a heating function, all of which was either powered by formations or enhanced by formation. This bathroom was completely out of character for something built in the clan premises, not only was it almost exclusively made out of stone materials like marble compared to the wooden materials the clan liked to use, most of the clans buildings was also built with the idea of efficiency in mind, they could be described as simple and modest. This bathroom was anything but simple. The only reason for the bath being so different was because Victor had decided that they would be built in such a way when it had been decided that Amelia would move and live with the clan. This had ended with there being two similar bathrooms, one for females and one for males. It didn't go unnoticed by people who had been in both bathrooms that the bathroom for females was even more intricate compared to the male bathroom.

As Adalgar and William entered the changing room he soon realized a problem. With William almost being paralyzed from exhaustion he wouldn't be able to properly clean himself. Now Adalgar could just let him be and not bother cleaning him properly but with their father eating with them for the first time in over a week that seemed quite mean. On other hand, William had been warned yet he continued training so that was clearly his own fault. But Adalgar was ultimately suppose to oversee and help William so he wasn't without fault either.

"Shit. Why do I have to help you get washed up too."

Adalgars previously happy mood immediately dispersed after deciding to help William. He first undressed them both before halfway dragging William towards the water fountains that would pour hot water over them. Adalgar still couldn't fully use many of the functions in the bathroom as they were designed with someone at a higher realm in mind, but because his special technique he wouldn't have to use external tools. But he was still limited to the formations which only needed to be activated to be used. Adalgar placed a shower chair under one of the fountains before placing William on it. Adalgar pressed his hand on a formation next to the fountain he was going to use. The formation was hidden under an engraved stone plate, the engraving depicted a person standing in the rain. As Adalgar concentrated as he forcefully pushed his Qi from his palm into the plate, the formation behind it activated and after a few seconds warm water started pouring from the fountain.

Adalgar went and brought the shower scrubs and soap that they were going to use. He opened the wooden container that held the liquid soap before pouring some on Williams head and starting to wash his head. After that he moved towards washing Williams body, if William had recovered enough to speak they would have been fighting right now over how harsh Adalgar washed his body. When Adalgar was done with William he started to wash himself. Before drying themselves and going out from the bathroom Adalgar gave a longing look to the enticing figure of the bathtub, but he knew that he didn't have enough time to enjoy soaking in the warm water so he could only move onwards.

As Adalgar lifted William he realized with some horror that he could have just gotten an servant to wash William, but because of the clan culture of not being over reliant on servants this hasn't occurred to him. Well since he had gotten this far then he might as well carry William to the dinner room, who knows maybe he would get praised for being so dutiful. He was just happy that he hadn't trained very hard today which resulted in him still having enough energy to do all of this.

William was pissed. First he had gotten tricked by the Qi to continue training, then he had to be carried by his brother, if that wasn't enough he had to endure Adalgars harsh washing before being carried again.

As William was carried into the dinner room he saw his grandpa talking to a youthful man sitting next to Amelia. The young looking man had short black hair and green eyes. His ears was slightly pointed and he had a cold but delicate looking face almost making one able to mistake him for a lady. This was Victors son and Amelia's husband, Sigmund.

They were the last to arrive as Aaric and Harlin was already there and currently listening to their father and grandfather discuss something.

As they entered the room they caught the attention of everyone there. Victor was the first one too realize why William was currently being carrier as he started to laugh before congratulating William.

"Congratulations on reaching the middle stage of the "meridian opening realm", William. How does it feel being able to sense Qi enter your body?"

With that being the cataclysm everyone also gave their congratulations. His two brothers Aaric and Harlin also gave sympathetic looks. Somewhere between the congratulations and the food being served he had been moved into the lap of his mother.

While William was being fed he felt his father hand pat him on his head before he heard the melodious voice of Sigmund praising him.

"Look at you William. I haven't seen you for a week and you have already gone from not even begining to cultivate to picking your cultivation technique and proceeding to enter the mid stage of your realm. You are growing up so fast, I'm worried that by the next time I see you that you will have entered the "meridian cleansing realm"."

William would have greatly enjoyed the praise from his father if he wasn't currently sitting in his mother's lap while being fed by her. Those two factors made the praise sound sarcastic even though Sigmund truly did mean what he was saying. After all, it had only been two too three years since William was always sitting and eating in Amelia's lap and for cultivators who lived for a long time that time was incredibly short. In Sigmunds mind seeing his youngest son sit in his wife's lap while being fed was nothing out of the ordinary, but his youngest son entering the middle stage of the "meridian opening realm" and allowing Qi to properly enter his body was immensely significant.

Victor handed William, or rather Amelia a medical root when dinner was done. The herb looked like a brown stubby carrot. It was for William to eat as it would sooth the pain from his muscles and also help him recover over the night so that he could train again tomorrow. William wasn't sure where Victor had gotten the herb from as no one had brought him anything and it clearly hadn't been present a few seconds ago. What William did know on the other hand was that the herb was very bitter and clearly not suitable for humans as he soon felt his tongue go numb, but he kept eating it. Whenever he stopped the feeling of Qi flowing into his body pushed him to continue eating so that he could continue training tomorrow.

As no one had anything to do immediately after dinner the grownups drank some tea while chatting whilst the children drank a mixture of different boiled down herbs. It didn't have any special effect as one would expect from a cultivator clan no this mixture was made purely out of mundane herbs and it was only meant to keep them from becoming sick.

As the time was getting late Sigmund was fidgeting as he was clearly nervous about something, he soon started to speak to everyone in the room, having made an decision that he couldn't postpone it anymore.

"Sorry everyone. I recently achieved some enlightenment and will be trying to break into the "celestial realm", so I will be entering secluded meditation tomorrow, I think it will take around a month."

His tone of voice made it clear that he was reluctant to leave but he still had to. Unnoticed by everyone Victor sent a quick glance towards Amelia. Amelia had a complicate look on her face right now. Part of her was very happy whilst another was sad and third part was seemingly in anguish. But she soon composed herself and her expression turned into happiness and so she spoke while wearing a bright smile. It was unnoticed by everyone but Victor and William that Amelia's embrace tighten up slightly around William.

"Congratulations darling, that's wonderful news. I can't wait to see you be reborn, I'm sure you will turn into a divine celestial. You shouldn't worry about anything while cultivating. The clan will be fine. I will contact dad and inform him so that he can come and we can have a great feast when you have been reborn."

Victor seeing Amelia being done congratulating started his congratulations next.

"Congratulations Sig. So it's finally time for you to be reborn, to think it wasn't that long since you were just a baby in my arms, how time flies. It's as Amelia said, don't worry about outside matter me and the other elders will take care of everything so you make make sure the conditions of your rebirth are ideal. If you need any last minute instructions I and the other elders will also help with that."

After Victor gave his congratulations it became a free for all for the brothers to congratulate their father. Aaric being the first and most composed, it also helped that since he was the eldest brother and was also training to become the leader of the clan that he knew most of what this signified.

Harlin came after Aaric and his congratulations was more a simply congratulations and ensuring he would take care of Adalgar and William while Sigmund was in secluded cultivation.

Adalgar came third and was more a congratulation with an declaration that he would train William perfectly.

Williams congratulations was less structured with him constantly slurring the words since he couldn't speak properly because of his exhaustion and numbed tongue.

"co-cong-cons... Go-good j-job dad."