"Whispers of Yuanqi":

"Whispers of Yuanqi" tells the journey of Heng Zhen, a man who survived the destruction of his tribe by rampaging Chaosqi. After realizing that chaos cannot be stopped by force, Heng Zhen decides to stop resisting and simply remain in a secluded valley. Through this silence and total acceptance, he eventually discovers Yuanqi, a calming and non-destructive form of Qi born not of desire, but of acceptance.

The presence of Yuanqi transforms the valley; the surrounding nature and living creatures become tranquil, even attracting lost people seeking peace. Heng Zhen himself undergoes a physical transformation, his face becoming younger and his age seemingly losing meaning.

However, the emergence of Yuanqi creates an imbalance in a world long dominated by Chaosqi. The world begins to reject Yuanqi, viewing it as foreign or even dangerous. Attempts by some, such as San Lie, to enforce Yuanqi actually attract Chaosqi and cause momentary destruction, demonstrating that Yuanqi is only born from total submission and the relinquishing of desire.

Heng Zhen continued to cultivate Yuanqi, entering the Realm of Clearness to purify illusions, and then into the Realm of Ganjing, where Yuanqi began to flow as a direction, forming within him the Foundation of the Body. However, the world's rejection of Yuanqi forced him to retreat to a barren plain, even being chased by lightning. In this tribulation, his Yuanqi reformed, born from a deeper understanding, transcending Chaosqi, toward "something that has no name" before Qi itself. The creator figure, Li Yuan, observing Heng Zhen's journey, emphasized that Yuanqi cannot be dominated but must be born without coercion.

Ultimately, the story emphasizes that Yuanqi is not a single path and cannot be imitated or forced; it is a discovered space, which only emerges when the heart calls for nothing. Those who walk with honest intentions will be transformed and, ultimately, will recognize their true selves by shedding their masks.

This novel is my third. I wrote about the beginnings of breaking qi. This reflects the world created by Li Yuan. In my first novel, it was about the beginnings after the universe was formed. The title is: Understanding Cultivation

The valley air remained damp after a night of upheaval.No one spoke that morning.No fires were lit.Even the birds were silent as if listeningto something still unspoken.


San Lie opened his eyes with effort.His body was weak.His veins still felt scorched.


But the deepest woundwas not in his flesh it was in the silence of the world around him.


He had not been rejected.But neither had he been welcomed.


Lu Wen sat not far from where he lay,his gaze fixed on the ground.He said nothing.Only waited.


His voice was hoarse,like stone dragged across metal.


Lu Wen slowly turned his head.There was no anger in his eyes.Only fatigue.


"Because I wanted to be like him.But I couldn't sit the way he does.Stillness… it hurt.Silence… it scared me.And I wanted to know, right away,what it felt like to be strong."


"But now you understand…Yuanqi is not a path to power."


San Lie nodded.Tears fell.Not out of regret but because, for the first time,he understood:


There is a strengththat only appearswhen we stop chasing it.


Heng Zhen sat as he always did.Not far behind him,a few villagers sat in stillness.


Not because they wanted to imitate him.Not because they were told to.But because they had begun to feelthe world became quieterwhen they stopped pursuing it.


San Lie approached.His legs were still wounded,but he forced each step forward.


Heng Zhen opened his eyes,glancing slightly at him.


"I'm not here to redeem myself, Master,"San Lie said softly."I just want… to sit."


Heng Zhen said nothing.He simply nodded.


San Lie sat.Not with perfect posture.His back was uneven.His breath heavy.


But within his chest,for the first time,there was a small spaceno longer filled with longing.


And in that spacein the softest corner of his awarenessYuanqi… knocked.


The sky did not change.But if one listened closely,the wind carried a scentthat had never been there before


the scent of earthwelcoming a new step.


And from afar,beyond the valley,someone else… heard.


Chapter 10 - Chapter 10 first step