Two years flowed by like a torrential river. Li Xiuwen, now ten years old, had not changed dramatically in appearance, but the eyes that once held a profound fear of death now gleamed with an unyielding determination and a maturity far beyond his age.
After discovering his own path, he spent every moment in secret study and cultivation, focusing on his persistent attempts to forge a "Chain of Qi." He failed time and again to manifest it in a solid form, but with each setback, he returned to ancient scrolls to find answers and apply new knowledge.
Until today…
In a remote corner of the sect's forest—a place rich with spiritual energy yet shunned by all due to rumors of high-level spirit beasts—Li Xiuwen sat in a meditative cross-legged position on a dry riverbed rock. He drew a deep breath, and the Qi in his body, now at the "Qi Condensation" stage, circulated with serene tranquility through his meridians.
He closed his eyes and slowly gathered all his Qi into his right hand. The image of the iron chains he had once seen at a blacksmith's forge appeared vividly in his mind. He knew that not everyone could create a "Qi weapon" at such a low level, but he paid no heed. His past failures had taught him that the conventional rules laid out in the scrolls did not apply to him.
"If the techniques of others are useless, then I will simply forge my own." he thought with firm resolve.
Suddenly, a wisp of Qi flowed slowly from his right palm. It began to form a pale, swirling line, twisting and intertwining before starting to resemble the chain in his mind. However, it was still a distorted, fragile string, no longer than a hand's length.
Poof!
The moment he felt his control waver, the embryonic Qi chain dissipated like smoke. He opened his eyes with a weary sigh, but a slight smile touched the corner of his lips. "A little better than yesterday... at least it held its shape for a bit longer."
His two years of isolated training had taught him the limitations of his own Qi. It was not potent enough for brute force attacks, but it possessed a unique flexibility suitable for control and manipulation. He chose to focus on creating a technique that could restrain an opponent from a distance, a strategy far more fitting for his ordinary talent.
Deciding to rest, he walked to the stream's edge to wash his face. It was then that his gaze fell upon a massive vine climbing a cliffside tree. The vines were so tightly interwoven that they looked like an impenetrable wall.
"That's it…" he mused. "My Qi chains must be as strong and as flexible as these vines."
As he was lost in thought, the sound of footsteps echoed from the path behind him. It was not one person, but several, moving closer in this supposedly tranquil forest. He immediately calmed his mind and suppressed all traces of his Qi, concealing himself behind a tall bush to observe the situation.