Chapter 2: The First Spark
For weeks, Li Wei hid in the cave, studying the Nine Worlds Ascension Art by the light of glowing moss. The manual taught him to sense the qi in the air—faint threads of energy that flowed through the earth and sky. Sitting cross-legged, he followed its instructions, breathing in rhythm with the world's pulse. His dantian, once dormant, began to warm, absorbing wisps of qi that strengthened his frail body.
By the third week, he reached the first stage of Qi Condensation. His muscles tightened, his senses sharpened. He could hear the rustle of leaves a mile away and crush stones with a grip. But power came with a price. Rumors spread in Hidden Mist Valley of a boy "touched by demons," his sudden vitality unnatural in a land of scarcity.
One evening, as Li Wei returned to the village for supplies, a dozen armored guards surrounded him. Their leader, Captain Teng, sneered. "Lord Huo demands your presence, freak. Surrender, or we'll drag you."
Li Wei's heart raced, but the manual's words echoed: Fear is the chain that binds the weak. He stood tall, qi surging through his veins. "I kneel to no one."
Teng laughed, drawing a broadsword that gleamed with firelight. The guards charged, their blades slashing. Li Wei moved instinctively, his body lighter than ever. He dodged a strike, then unleashed a palm strike infused with qi. The air crackled as a guard flew back, crashing into a cart. The others hesitated, fear in their eyes.
Teng roared, his own qi flaring—a peak Qi Condensation cultivator. Flames erupted from his sword, slashing toward Li Wei. Drawing on the manual's Wind Step Technique, Li Wei darted aside, leaving afterimages. He countered with a Qi Burst Fist, a technique that condensed qi into a explosive strike. The blow struck Teng's chest, sending him sprawling.
The guards fled, but Li Wei knew this was only the beginning. Lord Huo would come himself, and the village was no longer safe. As he vanished into the night, the scroll in his pack seemed to hum, urging him toward the World Gate—the portal to the Spirit Realm, hidden deep in the valley.