During the time when the second test is undergoing, Princess Luftie continues visiting Jim at the Snowdrifts’ camp to learn the Acupoints Technique. When she found out that Alan was the one that invented the moves, she was not dismayed, but instead became curious if Jim had any invention of his own.

The boy, most unwilling to lose face before a pretty girl, hurriedly nodded his head.

He first showed her what Rielon taught him, impressing the girl with his swift and nearly soundless movements, along with the ability to deftly lift things from unsuspecting victims.

The princess who had never seen all these strange techniques were quickly enticed, but this none of these are created by Jim.

When he heard her say that he went into contemplative thought before softly admitting, “My brothers, Edward, Kairos, and Alan had made up their own combat styles. Even Tommy is in the middle of making his own striking arts. He calls it Shatter Strikes, but I already guessed that he stole the idea from Astral Cataclysm… Ops, I detoured. Only I…”

The princess of Logres was about to console him when Jim whispered mysteriously, “Well… I have an idea too.”

He flashed her a grin saying, “It’s just a budding thought, and I’ve never told anyone yet.”

“Well, tell me!”

“Heh, since you asked! Okay, get ready to hear this. I think I might have a way to phase through barriers.”

Luftie who honestly was not expecting much widened her eyes with tremendous surprise and loudly cried out, “WHAAAT?”

“My third brother discovered runes connected with the Time and Space elements, and upon studying it, created two arts. One will reverse the sequence of cause and effect, while the second can compound or expand time and space. So, I had been deliberating if this can be used along with my teacher, Rielon’s techniques. If we apply the cause-and-effect reversal, can we make a barrier that protects a treasury behave like it was never there? And if time and space can be changed, can we perhaps slip into areas barred from us?”

“How close are you to succeeding?”

“Hmm, here, I’ll show you.”

Jim grabbed at Luftie’s hand and lead her back to his room. All the while ignoring how the girl’s face is getting redder by the moment.

He sat her down on his bed and started taking out apparatuses. First, a piece of paper, then a glass cover, and lastly, a stratagem plate to activate a defensive barrier.

Luftie was looking around the room when she heard he was ready. The boy asked her to pay attention when he suddenly stuck a finger through the paper. There were no rips or punctures, his finger went right through as though the paper was made of air.

Luftie snatched the piece of paper over and stared at the unbroken piece in alarm.

“And so, I have created my own party tricks!” Jim declares while laughing.

Jim took the glass cover next. The object was shaped like an upturned bowl for the purpose of keeping flies away from fruits. When he put his finger close to the cover, it shifted away like he was pushing it, except that the object moved before being touched.

“Somehow the same technique does not work on this item. But, look at what happens when I use it on a barrier.”

He activated the stratagem plate creating a shimmering forcefield much like a wall high enough to hide a person. Repeating what he did before, Jim stuck at finger at it. The barrier shimmered and flashed then with a loud snap, Jim was thrown all the way back across his room.

The forcefield violently trembled before slowly restabilising. Princess Luftie sat there thunderstruck. She jumped right out of her chair and pulled Jim up, almost screaming in his ears, “You know what you did?”

The question soared past Jim’s head. Granted, his ears are still ringing so he could hardly hear her.

“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?”

“You’re a genius!”

“WHAT?”

After Jim’s hearing returned, Luftie asked him again, and found him to be completely clueless.

“I tuned the Time-Space runes a little to bypass objects. Only, it seems it was not really successful.”

“No, it’s amazing!”

“It is?”

“Of course, you’re a genius!”

“Wow, that’s the first time I ever heard that.”

“Umm, I think that would be the second time.”

“When’s the first?”

“T-that’s not important,” she said blushing, “Let’s figure out how to complete this technique!”

“You know what’s wrong with it?”

“Of course not. But… we can get help!”

Pulling Jim’s arm, the princess brought them both to the busiest place in the Snowdrifts’ encampment.

“I was going around the other day and stumbled upon this place. You know, with the whole place being constructed and this is the only building that is done, I had to be curious.”

Jim looked around at the familiar site. This is the place where all the leaders of the guild elected to be raised before the others. The library of thought and facility of development they called it.

In this building, ideas are celebrated, books can be freely accessed, and improvements and discoveries are made every day. They research in cultivation and non-cultivation subjects and study the sciences of metaphysics.

When Luftie stepped into this place, she was utterly flabbergasted; First by the number of books and people, then by the fact that she was allowed in.

The building is separated into three sections.

The entrance consists of a forum where people could speak freely on any subjects and discussions recorded for future references. In this place, many of the greatest reformations are made, including the legislative system that Tommy had adopted for the Serf Quarters.

The middle area housed books. Cultivation manuals, medical manuscripts, architecture books, philosophy scrolls, stories, novels, and anything with value that are inscribed, inked, engraved, or otherwise.

The inner area, known as the Inner Library Sanctum, is the only place in this building that is restricted to the most trusted members of the guild. This place holds the most valuable data, keeps the most sensitive information, and partakes in researching the most advanced techniques.

Although the guild tends to share many of her inventions, they also keep a close eye on some things. The secrets this place holds would work against the guild if leaked. Some are serious enough to cripple the use of certain important techniques. Fortunately, the most crucial of their arts, the Origin Cultivation Method, does not seem to have any real weakness unlike other cultivation methods that can be broken if you know its specific Ki rotation or combat arts that becomes invalidated if one learns its moveset beforehand. The use of activated life force as energy means that your weakness is no different from what would normally kill you.

Yet, this facility does not hold all of the guild’s vital documents. It’s not safe to keep all the eggs in one basket, isn’t it?

The other facility is, of course, the Dark Hall, which now gathers intelligence for the guild. And the last one being the central records department which purposes – unknown to most – are to keep an eye on everyone and everything.

The members of the three different information facilities are kept secret, but no matter the ILS, DH, or the CRD, they function in absolute secrecy with tremendous support from the guild.

Jim knew about the Inner Library Sanctum. In fact, he is part of all three information facilities, though with different roles for each.

Unfortunately, he did not want to come here before covering more grounds over his technique. Jim did not feel ready to open up this topic for discussion, but seeing how excited Luftie is, he steeled himself and went inside.

They did not stay at the entrance where discussions are usually made, nor the middle area where the books are stored, but headed straight inside. When they arrived at an inconspicuous reading area Jim asked Luftie to wait for him as he stepped away. When he returns, the Kitty twins, Small and Smaller are with him.

Luftie animatedly explained what she saw in Jim’s room to the twins, having her arms excitedly at times.

“And then it goes… KABOOM! And I saw Jim flying allll the way across the room. My heart was also KABOOM! I totally thought that he was a goner, but like… nah-uh he survived like a weed enduring winter.”

“That’s an unexpected way to describe things,” Jim noted.

“I’m a northerner!” Luftie pouted.

“You’re a princess and princesses don’t talk like that.”

“Why can’t a princess talk like me?”

“They are all so serious and flawless and pretty and…”

“And…?”

“Wait… You’re enjoying being praised, aren’t you?”

“Hehehe!”

The two continued chattering, until the twins interrupted.

“Whoa what did you say Jim did?”

“Whoa what did she say Jim did?”

“Oh, right… We were talking about the phasing arts Jim is making.”

Just like that everyone who was interested gathered at… Alan’s room.

They couldn’t go to any of the three secret facilities, then the best place to commune is here. Since Alan wouldn’t mind either way.

“Jim, can you demonstrate to us what you shown the princess?”

“Well, sure.”

“And why are you only telling us about this now?”

“I- I didn’t think it is ready yet.”

Jim did the same things he shown Luftie, and everything started studying the reason it failed.

“Isn’t this Spatial Displacement?”

“No, I think this is Time-Space Displacement.”

After studying the technique that Jim created, the group finally come to conclusion that it is meant to do only one thing: To temporarily displace an obstacle.

The displacement works by returning to a time where the barrier was not in this space. Technically it can bypass any kind of fortifications was set as obstacle, making even the strongest walls in the world become as air.

But the Phase Art – as Jim calls it – has its own limitations. It uses energy according to the surface area and the length of time the target had been in place. This means that it works well against a smaller object that had not been there for long. The idea to use it and break into vaults or attack castle walls are throw out the window immediately.

Still, its potential is immense, and the group grew excited over its prospects. They quickly found that the previous failures could be remedied if the affected Space-Time displacement surface becomes three-dimensional. Because of Jim’s lack of understanding, it is currently covering only a thin two-dimensional surface with his technique. This made the glass cover shift backwards because it was too thick, and the forcefield that had too large of a surface and cannot be moved zapped Jim flying.

Although the problem is identified, there are quite a way to go before it can become usable. The obstacles did not hinder anyone’s excitement with its potential and many offered to aid Jim in the development. He instantly picked Small and Smaller to help him head this research. For the twins to become Luciette’s tactician team members, there is no question on how excellent their brains are. When they joined the guild and had more interactions with Kairos, they discovered the joy of creating or modifying techniques. In fact, they developed keen interest in both cultivation and non-cultivation topics.

Like this, the twins became the first researchers in the Snowdrifts. From then on, they had been recruiting likeminded people from all walks. Some participated only on certain subjects or when they are free, others became full-timed members, and these people formed the first ILS. Of course, at that time they were not yet called the Inner Library Sanctum.

With the twin founders of the research team interested in his Phase Arts, Jim would be a fool not to select them.

Besides the twins, they also had a few ILS members that participated. Whereas the other founders of the guild, like Alan, Edward, Luciette, and George, had their own research and duties and could not be involved all the time.

Meanwhile, no one mentioned a thing about Princess Luftie joining in the research of the Phase Art, because they had left it to Jim who is the creator of the skill. The Phase Art is an incredible technique, but it is far from vital for the Snowdrifts.

The group reckons that if the Phase Arts was leaked to the Kingdom of Logres, it will serve as a timely reminder.

If that happens, Logres that stole this information will be deemed an untrustworthy partner, and the Snowdrifts can extract hefty repayments from them in exchange for a technique that has unlimited upper limit.

The thing about a research topic that has high potential is that there is no need to fear others learning about it when you have the best team out there. With a trump card like Kairos, even if Logres steals the completed Phase Art, the Snowdrifts can make a better version that turn the original obsolete.

Not only so, but Jim will also learn not to mistrust pretty girls.

On the other hand, if Luftie proves to have integrity over what is not hers, she could be welcomed to join the guild. It seemed a simple test of character, but the value of the Phase Art is hefty enough to make it more accurate.

And the reason that the Snowdrifts is willing to give Luftie a chance is because it is obvious that Jim is fond of her, only everyone kept their mouths closed about it.

While their little team is immersed in research about the Phase Arts, once a while, Alan will drop by with new pressure points that he discovered. They are like puzzle pieces that map out new uses, enabling more than just immobilising the movements of the target.

Some spots will cause immense pain or uncontrollable laughter. Some can severely damage the opponent when struck, or even cause death. Moreover, these spots are not mutually exclusive. This means that it is possible to do everything at the same time to a single enemy.

Just imagining being struck with immobilisation, pain, laughter, and then slowly dying…

The research team headed by Jim shuddered, but they quickly erupted with interest and took a look at the incomplete set of pressure points discovered so far.

Thanks to the introspective ability of the Origin energy, Alan had already done an impressive amount of work. By injecting a pin-sized energy at each newly discovered point, he determined its effect and recorded it down.

The information reached a ridiculous volume, but in the middle of all these there seem to be a pattern.

At this time, having another person’s perspective could work wonders.

The research team that were stressing over the Phase Arts, welcomed the distraction. They had known about Alan’s study on the acupoints beforehand, but never expected it to be this comprehensive. As they were all immersed by the different pressure points discovered and their uses, Small and Smaller suddenly turned animated.

The twins looked at each other, then requested to excuse themselves as they chased after Alan who had left after dropping off his notes.

They caught up with him halfway across the camp and immediately whispered at his ears.

“These acupoints are connected to the meridian channels!”

“These acupoints are connected to the meridian channels!”

Already used to them speaking in synchronisation, Alan paid no attention and instead pictured the meridian pathways in the body. As cultivators, they are all familiar with the circuits and connectors that bring energy around.

There are many kinds of energies, Ki, Soul Power, Mind Power, Origin Energy, Mana, Aura Force, Bloodline, Stamina, and Bioelectricity. There might be more, but these are the current ones found in living things.

All of these energy signatures can be found in either the cells, the blood, the mind, the soul, or the meridian channels.

If you categorise them, the cells relate to stamina and bioelectricity, which is the body’s energy. Blood conveys life energies which is the root for all other energy types, like bloodline and the Origin Energy. The mind deals with the concentrated power of will like mind power, mana, and aura force. The soul is uniquely linked to soul power. And lastly, the meridians are solely used to move around Ki – the body’s internal energy.

While there are five categories, they are not independent of each other, which is why when a cultivator breaks through to a higher rank, they will not only possess more Ki but receives all-rounded improvement to his mind, body, vitality, and soul as well although to a much lesser degree compared to Ki.

Compared to the other four categories, Ki is the easiest to train the body and it makes for a very attractive option to most cultivators. With the vast majority of the members specialising in Ki cultivation, if they found anything regarding meridians, it could turn into a great increase in power for the guild. Because of this reason alone, the twins dared not speak lightly about it in front of Luftie.

When Alan overlapped the images of the meridian channels with the acupoints he discovered, he found a pattern in them. The acupoints are on the meridian pathways. More specifically, they exist on the narrow parts or the crossways of the channels. This is the same as Meridian Points!

Although there are acupoints not found on any meridian channel, Alan quickly deduced that the reason is because there must be a hidden meridian pathway there.

No…! This means that he had been wrong all along. The acupoints or the pressure points which he calls them must be the same as the meridian points used in Ki cultivation.

Everyone had thought that the Meridian Points are only used to help move Ki around the Meridian Channels. They cycle Heavenly Energies around in a certain pattern within the body until it becomes refined as Ki, and deposits it in the Ki Centre – the Dantian. As the Dantian strengthens and enlarges, one will breakthrough to a higher rank.

But no one knew that the Meridian Points could affect the body in strange ways like immobilisation or causing pain and laughter when struck with Ki. Perhaps it is because no one had been too concerned with Meridian Points that their uses had left been undiscovered? Well, it is largely thanks to people hiding their cultivation methods away for fear of enemies finding out their weaknesses that all the different meridian points and the pathways used for refining Ki are kept as secrets as well.

They think that knowing more meridian points will not aid in improving cultivation. But is that really true?

What if the purpose of the Meridian Points is not just to move Heavenly Energies and Ki around? What if the Meridian Points is not just Acupoints that causes strange effects when struck with Ki?

What if they open up more meridian channels in the body?

Could one refine purer Ki, and increase the quantity of it in the body?

Could Meridian Points store Ki like the Dantian? No, perhaps, the Dantian is the central Meridian Point. It certainly acts like one when it can move Ki around, connect with meridian channels, and if struck, it will disperse all the Ki in the body.

Alan, Small, and Smaller brought up all their thoughts on this matter and they come to one conclusion. They have to test out their theory.

If one could use meridian points to open up the hidden meridian pathways, there will be more channels that can be used. This makes the Ki transference within the body cover a greater area, increasing both speed and quantity. Of course, if meridian points could be used to store Ki like a subset of the Dantian, the total amount of Ki a cultivator could have will more than double – even if each point can only store a small amount.

Traditionally, cultivation methods affect the Ki refinement speed and its purity as one cycles Heavenly Energies throughout the body. With more meridian channels, the Ki refinement process will be quickly and the cultivator can become stronger with less time, and the Ki purity will be much higher as well.

The weakest mortal realm Ki cultivation methods – Huang Man tier, also has the least amount of meridian channels in each cycle, whereas the strongest – Heaven Titan tier – will have the most amount of pathways opened to refine Ki.

Of course, Cultivation Methods provides other benefits according to how the energy is cycled and what elements are used, but just having more meridian channels opened will grant a boost for the cultivators of Ki.

But could the meridian points become stronger and enlarges like the Dantian? Will this mean that it will become harder to break through the ranks?

This thought halted the boys from experimenting it immediately.

As it is, it is already very difficult to increase their ranks. If they scatter their efforts in too many areas, their cultivation rate might stall.

“No, I think that it might work if we are careful when trying it.”

“I’m sure there will be someone who could cultivate multiple meridian points.”

Alan looked at the twins, more surprised that they did not repeat the same words than the things they said, and simply shrugged, “Eh, things will turn out fine somehow.”

He may be a tad overly laidback, but the benefits are worth the risk. If they can cultivate Ki within the meridian points, it will truly become a secret weapon.

Not only that, opening new meridian channels is a cultivation method for External Cultivators. Additional meridian channels opened means that Ki could nurture a new section of the body. Theoretically an Internal Cultivator who have a greater network where Ki could cycle through will also have a higher physical rank. While this is true, and it makes Heaven Titan tier Cultivation Methods even more attractive, External Cultivators do not open specific meridian channels to cycle their Ki but aim to have as many as possible to become physically stronger.

However, it is not easy to open new Ki channels. The traditional method is to breakthrough the circuits connected to the Dantian, and search for adjacent networks from there. Hidden channels are usually overlooked, and if there were any discovered, those will be recorded into external cultivation manuals and kept as secrets.

The Origin Energy’s introspective nature allows Alan to search for hidden Meridian Points. With the twins’ timely inference, he found out that the Acupoints he had tiredlessly mapped out could also be used to expand the meridian channel network.

The Ex-Frosthral units that had sworn loyalty to Tommy are all External Cultivators. If there is any way to improve their power, the whole guild’s combat force will reach a new level.

Alan’s efforts had unexpectedly resulted in an improvement for both internal and external cultivations for the guild. Furthermore, the combat technique itself is highly effective and fits a unique spectrum that not many techniques provide. Most styles are directed either towards destructive or defensive purposes, but the Acupoint technique truly shines in its utility.

It makes people without much Ki or physical strength to be able to fight off a stronger opponent.

For the weak to defeat the strong, isn’t that what Martial Arts are useful for?

“What about destroying a person’s meridian points? If attacking the Dantian can crippled a person, wouldn’t we also deal a lot of damage to the enemy if we overload an enemy’s meridian points?”

Just thinking about it caused the boys to shudder. This technique that has low requirements actually has high destructive power?!

Considering all of its benefits, the twins sternly told Alan not to deliver anymore mapped out Acupoints and their effects to Jim and Luftie. At this level, it is no longer a matter a test of trustworthiness for Logres’ princess. This technique is quickly becoming a core combat technique for the guild. In fact, Alan believes it is a good idea to make every member train in it.

As expected, when the trio brought up this discovery to Luciette and George, the two strategists immediately made the necessary arrangements. The information that Acupoints is equal to Meridian Points and works similarly like the Dantian became confidential at once.

While the Acupoint technique successfully became a core martial art within the guild, it has been divided into several pieces.

The first scroll teaches basic acupoint techniques which includes general immobilisation, temporal voice muting and forced laughter points, and this is open to members of the Virtue Hall and everybody else.

The second scroll records deadlier moves, including the pain point as well as several newly discovered acupoints like Ki and mana sealing points. This item is available for members who are in the Inner Hall or ranked higher.

The third scroll is for the Guardian Hall, the Heroes Hall and the members of hidden Dusk Hall, and it keeps the strongest acupoints found thus far. Seven Death points, each can slowly kill an enemy who was struck with Ki, found on the top of the skull, on the temples, middle of the brows, in the middle of the neck, at the curve between the shoulder blades, and just below the rib cage.

Three permanent crippling points at the small of the neck, at the small of the back, and at a spot on the tailbone.

Seven by seven acupoints for a total of forty-nine spots that unleashes the body’s energies causing the warrior to enter a temporary state of heightened power.

The fourth and final scroll is reserved for the leaders of the guild. This group of people are absolutely loyal to the Snowdrifts and have access to many of the secrets that others will not be privy to.

Their numbers are few and are the closest to Kairos. To be fair, there lies a chance of betrayal from them, either voluntarily or forced. For the prior, Kairos reckons that if even those closest to him would betray him, then he probably deserved it. For the latter, there are a number of contingencies set in place but if those turned out unhelpful, the peril is probably inevitable.

In this scroll, all the acupoints mapped out are listed, and any new ones discovered will be added. The concepts of using all the acupoints as subset of the Dantian – secondary Ki centres – as well as to open up hidden meridian channels will be written in.

Likewise, the research of using Ki to overload the enemy’s meridian points to deal excessive damage will be recorded in the scroll, together with any other new discoveries.