The abandoned concert hall smelled of dust and old wood. Sunlight filtered through cracked windows, painting golden streaks across the broken piano and shattered music stands. It was the perfect place for a lesson—quiet, empty, and free from the mundane world.
Hirun leaned casually against the wall, his arms crossed, eyes scanning Kael. The boy was nervous, fidgeting with his hands, but there was a spark there—a potential Hirun had already recognized.
"Time to awaken your first Dao," he thought.
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Step One: Understanding Qi
Hirun clapped his hands once. Instantly, the concert hall trembled slightly—not from power, but from his presence. Dust floated lazily in the air, swirling into small golden spirals.
"Kael," Hirun said, voice calm but commanding. "Do you feel that?"
Kael nodded hesitantly. "Yes… it's… warm? Like a buzzing in my chest."
"Good," Hirun said, a grin spreading across his face. "That's Qi. Your life energy. Every step of cultivation depends on it. You don't fight with your hands, you fight with your Qi. You don't win with strength, you win with your presence."
Hirun waved his hand, and a faint golden aura appeared around him. It pulsed, rhythmic and soft, yet undeniably powerful. Kael instinctively took a step back, awed by the sensation.
"This is too easy," Hirun thought. "Even a mortal can feel the Dao if you show it properly."
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Step Two: The First Technique
Hirun flicked his fingers again, and a single note rang out from a nearby piano—a pure, resonant tone that vibrated in the chest and mind simultaneously. The system pinged in Hirun's awareness:
Technique alignment: Dao of Sound, Dao of Energy Manipulation. Probability of awakening: 98%.
"Focus," Hirun said. "Feel the note. Let it flow through you. Your body, your mind, your spirit—it all listens. Do not control it. Let it guide you."
Kael frowned. "Guide me? How do I… I don't even feel anything yet."
Hirun chuckled. "Exactly. That's why you need attention and perception. Your mind is clouded by doubt. Clear it."
Kael closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let the sound wash over him. Slowly, he began to feel something—a subtle vibration in his chest, a rhythm that matched the note. His Qi, dormant until now, trembled and stirred, stretching like sunlight through morning mist.
Hirun's smile widened. "Finally… the spark."
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Step Three: Awakening Potential
"Now," Hirun said, stepping closer. "Move your Qi into your hands. Imagine the note in the air. Transform it. Bend it."
Kael hesitated, but obeyed. Golden light flowed from his chest into his hands, faint but steady. Hirun watched carefully. Every movement, every heartbeat, every intention mattered.
And then…
The note itself seemed to lift into the air, forming a tiny golden sphere. It hovered, spinning slowly, resonating with Kael's energy.
"Not bad," Hirun said casually. "You just performed your first cultivation technique. Congratulations. Most mortals never even feel the Dao, and you're bending it already."
Kael's eyes were wide. "I… I did it? Just like that?"
"Just like that," Hirun replied, yawning slightly. "But remember—power without control is dangerous. Master this, or it'll master you."
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Step Four: The System's Role
The system pinged softly in Hirun's mind:
Kael Arvan: Awakening successful. Dao path: Strategy + Sound. Suggested cultivation sequence: Qi Gathering → Core Condensation → Domain Sovereign. Potential fated: High. Compatibility with master: Perfect.
Hirun nodded to himself. "Everything's going exactly as planned. And the best part? He'll grow without realizing he's being guided."
Kael, still trembling with excitement, looked at Hirun and asked, "Are… all your disciples like this?"
Hirun grinned, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Nope. You're special. But don't get cocky. There's a whole world waiting to test you… and I promise, it's more fun than school ever was."
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Closing the Lesson
As the sun set behind the broken windows, golden light spilling across the floor, Hirun leaned back and stretched. Kael sat on the ground, hands glowing faintly with Qi, a mixture of awe and exhaustion on his face.
Hirun smiled to himself. "One disciple down, two more to go. And then… the Dao of Ten Thousand Masters begins."
Outside, the world remained unaware. But within the quiet city, a single seed had been planted—a spark that would grow into a storm capable of shaking the heavens.
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💥 End of Chapter 4