Chapter 6 – Secrets and Suspicions
The moonlight spilled through the fractured windows of the old inn, painting silver streaks across the wooden floorboards. Chen Yue sat cross-legged on the bed, bare-chested, his breathing steady but controlled. Streams of faint golden Qi spiraled around his body like strands of molten light, converging into his dantian. The energy pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat—slow, powerful, and alive.
He opened his eyes, and a glint of otherworldly brilliance flashed in them before dimming.
Qi Refining – Stage Two. Progress: 68%.
Authority Fragment Bonus Active.
The system notification faded in his vision, leaving behind a lingering sense of pride. Each breakthrough brought him closer to the truth: this world, obsessed with mana, had long forgotten the primordial force of Qi. And that ignorance was his greatest advantage.
But his peace didn't last.
Knock. Knock.
"Chen Yue," a familiar voice called from outside the door—Velira. Her tone carried an edge, one that hinted at sharp questions behind her usual calm. "We need to talk."
Chen Yue sighed. He had been expecting this. Ever since that fight in the forest, when he had unleashed his Astral Fang Slash and cleaved through the Frostfang Wolf like it was paper, Velira's eyes had held suspicion. The kind that could topple everything if left unchecked.
He rose, pulling on a dark tunic. "Come in," he said, his voice composed.
The door creaked open. Velira stepped in, her long silver hair cascading like moonlight down her back, her frost-blue eyes locking onto him with piercing intensity. Behind her, Ayara slipped in silently, her hand resting on the curve of her bow. The tension in the room doubled.
"You've been hiding something," Velira began, crossing her arms. Her voice was cool, but the frost in it could chill steel. "That thing you did in the forest—no spell, no chant, no mana signature. Yet you split a wolf king in half with a single strike. What was that?"
Ayara's sharp gaze joined Velira's, her voice quieter but no less probing. "You don't fight like any mage or swordsman I've seen. Even the elite hunters can't do that. So… who exactly are you, Chen Yue?"
The Confrontation
For a brief moment, Chen Yue considered lying. It would be easy to weave some tale about ancient techniques from a forgotten tribe. But then, the System's warning echoed in his mind:
Fragment Authority Notice: Current Bond Levels—Velira (32%), Ayara (26%). Concealing core truth beyond threshold risks Bond Reduction.
A reduction would cripple his progress—not an option.
He met their eyes calmly. "What you saw… wasn't magic. It wasn't mana either." He let the words hang, watching the confusion bloom. "It's something older. Something this world has forgotten."
Velira frowned. "Older than mana? That's impossible. The Arcane Chronicles record mana as the origin of all power."
"Those chronicles are wrong," Chen Yue said, stepping closer. His voice dropped, becoming something darker, magnetic. "Before mana, before your kingdoms and academies, there was Qi—the essence of life and the heavens themselves."
Ayara's brows knitted. "Qi? Never heard of it."
"Of course you haven't," Chen Yue replied smoothly. "Because someone erased it. Entire civilizations vanished because of this energy, and the world chose to forget rather than remember."
Velira's eyes glimmered with curiosity—and a hint of fear. "And you… you control this Qi?"
Chen Yue smiled faintly. "I don't just control it. I'm reviving it."
Suspicion and Temptation
Ayara took a step forward, her grip tightening on her bow. "That kind of power… people would kill for it. Whole kingdoms might hunt you down."
"They might," Chen Yue admitted, his tone almost amused. "Which is why you both need to decide something—are you with me, or do you want to walk away?"
Velira stared at him for a long, tense moment. Then she said, "If what you claim is true… then prove it."
Chen Yue arched a brow. "Prove it?"
"Yes," Velira said, drawing closer. "Show me this Qi. Show me what it can do—not on beasts, not on enemies. Show me… now."
Demonstration of Power
Chen Yue smirked. She's testing me… good.
He extended his right hand, and golden threads of Qi uncoiled from his palm, weaving into intricate spirals of energy. The air hummed with power, vibrating like a plucked string. Velira and Ayara gasped as the temperature shifted—the warmth of life essence flooding the room, contrasting the chill of Velira's mana.
"This," Chen Yue said, "is the first step. Qi Refining. With it, I can strengthen my body, shatter steel, heal wounds… even defy magic itself."
He snapped his fingers. The Qi spiral condensed into a blade of pure light and sliced through the iron bedframe like butter. The metal halves clanged onto the floor.
Velira's lips parted in shock. Ayara's bow lowered, her eyes wide.
"And that," Chen Yue added with a lazy smile, "was without even using ten percent."
The Choice
Velira's breath came out in a frosty sigh. "If this is real… if this power truly exists, then I want it."
Ayara blinked. "Velira—"
"I want it," Velira repeated, her voice sharp with determination. "If this Qi can make me stronger—strong enough to protect what matters, strong enough to crush those who would chain me—then teach me. Whatever it takes."
Ayara hesitated, torn between fear and curiosity. Finally, she spoke softly: "If Velira's in… then so am I."
Chen Yue smiled inwardly. The System chimed:
Bond Update: Velira (38%) → (46%). Ayara (26%) → (34%). Dual Cultivation Path Unlocked.
Perfect.
"Then listen closely," Chen Yue said, his tone shifting into that of a master. "Qi is not like mana. It doesn't answer to chants or spells. It answers to your body, soul, and will. I can teach you—but it won't be easy."
Velira smirked. "I've never liked easy."
The Warning
Just as tension melted into resolve, a loud crash shattered the moment. The inn door downstairs exploded inward, followed by heavy boots stomping on wood. Voices barked orders:
"Search every room! The Guild wants them alive!"
Chen Yue's eyes narrowed. Through the cracked window, torchlight flickered against steel armor—Kingdom soldiers, bearing the crest of Ardyn's Royal Guard.
Velira's face paled. "They… they found us?!"
Ayara cursed under her breath, gripping her bow. "No time to run—they've surrounded the place."
The system pulsed another alert:
Emergency Quest: Survive the Royal Raid.
Optional: Eliminate the Commander for extra rewards.
Chen Yue's smirk returned, cold and deadly. "Good. I was hoping for a warm-up."
He turned to Velira and Ayara, golden Qi igniting around him like a storm. "Stay close. You wanted to see Qi? Tonight, you'll see it bathe the earth in blood."
To Be Continued…