Lin Yun's room was small and plain, but it felt safe. A single lamp gave off warm yellow light, making shadows move across the walls. He picked up the stone his father had given him and ran his fingers over it. It was heavy—not just in weight, but in a way that made him feel grounded, as if holding it connected him to something bigger than himself.
Beside the stone was a small pill. He stared at it for a long moment. What if it's poison? What if it changes me too much? He shook his head. He had already changed. He needed this. He swallowed it.
A wave of warmth spread through his chest and into his arms and legs. His heart slowed and became steady, deep and strong. I can handle this.
He sat cross-legged on the floor and closed his eyes. Meditation. Back on Earth, he would have laughed at the idea. But here, it was necessary. Every breath, every beat of energy under his skin, felt important. He could feel the flow of energy moving inside him, threading through his bones. The gold mark on his forehead pulsed softly, almost alive.
Time disappeared. Days could have passed, or maybe just hours. Hunger, tiredness, even sleep—they didn't matter. All that mattered was the energy flowing inside him. It felt natural, like it had always been part of him.
I have to control this, or it will control me.
Then something shifted in the room. He sensed someone there. Faint, quiet, real. He forced himself to focus. Stay calm. Stay steady.
Then she appeared.
She didn't walk in. She floated a few inches above the floor. Her hair shone like silver light, falling around her shoulders. Her eyes sparkled like stars. Calm, strong, gentle, impossible to ignore.
Before Lin Yun could react, the stone trembled and lifted from the floor, moving toward her as if drawn by an invisible force. She absorbed it effortlessly, the energy flowing into her being, leaving the stone empty and lifeless.
"So… you took my power," she said. Her voice was soft, but heavy, pressing against his chest. Then, with a faint smile, she added, "thanks to the plant I consumed ."
lin Yun thinking about the glowing plant."Is she talking about the glowing plant in my dreams"
And the Girl answer"yes and no!"
Lin Yun's eyes snapped open. "Who… who are you?"
She looked at him, her expression unreadable. "You don't need to know yet. But you owe me."
He felt a sudden heat in the forehead, and he touch it "Its you!"
She smiled faintly. "It's good to waken up again." Wake up again? The words made him uneasy.
The room felt both small and huge at the same time. Her presence filled every corner. Something inside him shifted.
A glowing cube appeared in her hand. It looked like it was made of clear light, and inside, energy swirled like a tiny galaxy. Lin Yun's eyes widened. He had never seen anything like it.
"Look closely. Pay attention. Learn this first," she said. Her voice was calm but firm. The cube glowed brighter, twisting into shapes he couldn't fully understand. The energy felt alive, rolling over him, teaching without words.
She reached out and touched his forehead, right next to the gold mark. Suddenly, a flood of knowledge poured into his mind.
How to gather energy from the air, the earth, and himself. How to clean it, shape it, and make it strong. It was too much to understand all at once. His head spun.
"Respect this power," she whispered inside his thoughts. "If you use it wrong, it will destroy you."
The gold mark on his forehead glowed steadily. Something inside him watched and learned. Was that her?
Then, without warning, her spirit dove inside him. He felt her deep in his mind. Warmth spread through his chest, calming him.
Lin Yun swallowed hard. His body felt heavy, but his mind buzzed with new knowledge. Shapes, patterns, movements of energy—all of it flowed into him llike a bullet all at once and he collapsed.
After a moment he opened his eyes, but the room looked the same. Sunlight streamed through the window, warm and soft. Lin Yun stirred, his body stiff and heavy. He reached out for the stone, no energ its like Empty.
A soft vibration ran across his skin. The gold mark on his forehead pulsed gently, like a quiet heartbeat.
He know himself that it wasn't a Dream
A soft voice echoed in his mind. "Yes, I'm here. Don't worry. I'm not leaving."
Lin Yun froze. A girl… inside his head?
The one from last night?
He was scared but tried to pay attention. The test was coming soon. He had to learn to use his power and control it. He could ask questions later.
He breathed in and closed his eyes. He tried to feel the power inside him, like he did yesterday. The pill made him feel warm, like a small fire under his skin.
Now it felt different. The power wasn't just crazy and strong. It had a beat, like a heart. Something inside him was now awake, listening, and learning.
I have to control this. I have to be ready.
---------
Lin Yun left the Clan. He needed to be alone, away from everyone watching him. He walked past green fields. A small river made quiet sounds. Far away, he saw mountains. He needed quiet to think.
He walked through some bushes with thorns. The thorns scratched him. The air smelled like dirt and flowers. The sun shone through the leaves, making light spots on the ground.
He stopped under a big tree with tall branches. He sat down and closed his eyes. He tried to imagine the cube, the energy shapes, and how it all worked. He thought about squeezing it, shaping it, and keeping it steady.
But he couldn't get it right. The picture kept changing, like smoke. The girl in his mind whispered and laughed a little. He could almost hear her laughing.
He tried harder. His mind hurt. For a second, the picture looked right, but then it disappeared again. It was like trying to hold water.
Then he heard music - a flute made of bamboo. It was simple and clear. The music went through the forest, and he stopped. He felt calm and sad at the same time.
Lin Yun heard the music and walked toward it. He went through the trees and saw a small, old house in a clear area. A girl, about ten years old, was playing the flute. She wore simple clothes.
She looked calm and focused on the music. The music made Lin Yun feel a little sad. He wondered how someone so young could play so well. An old man with white hair stood next to her, watching Lin Yun closely.
Lin Yun walked closer, but suddenly they disappeared. The music stopped. He was surprised. Did he imagine it?
Lin Yun sat back under the tree and tried to focus again. He tried to forget about the girl and the old man. He needed to think about the cube. He closed his eyes. Cube. Shapes. Energy.
He had to do it right.
He could make a strong ball of energy. But the cube, with its perfect corners, was too hard. Not yet. The wind blew, and the sun moved across the ground. Hours passed. He didn't move or talk.
He was completely focused. His body hurt, but his mind was working hard. The calm voice inside his head helped him.
As the sun went down, Lin Yun leaned against the tree. He felt frustrated but also determined. He couldn't make the cube yet, but he wouldn't stop trying.
He made fists. He might fail now, but one day he would succeed. One day, he would control the power, no matter what. The girl's voice whispered, "Keep trying. You have a long road ahead." He made a fist. He might lose now, but he would learn to control the power.
After a moment Lin Yun ask the girl inside him"why are you in inside my body", and she whispered with hesitation "i dont remember.. all i know when i wake up.. i see you and there is a glowing plant.. " Lin Yun remembered his dreams. He dreamed about a plant that glowed and a very bright light. and she whispered: "so i consume it...but it wasn't enough. So, I went back to sleep to get... a little more power."
Lin yun try to talk to her but it seems she's not answering , hes thinking maybe she still recovering.. He sat back under the oak tree and wiping sweat from his face. His arms ached, his legs were stiff, but he couldn't stop now. he wants to master the cube.
He closed his eyes and reached into himself, feeling the flow of energy like water running through pipes. He tried to shape it, compress it, form the cube in his mind first, then in his body.
The energy stiffened, refusing to follow. It was heavy, wild, and unpredictable. No matter how hard he focused, the shape wavered, collapsed, or twisted.
Come on… I can do this… He gritted his teeth, forcing his mind to calm, to control the wild energy.
He could form a dense ball easily. Solid. Heavy. Strong. But a cube? Every edge, every corner had to be exact. The angles had to be perfect. And he couldn't get it.
The girl inside him whispered, soft but teasing. "Don't rush it".
Lin Yun clenched his fists. He could feel the energy pulsing, pushing back, testing him. Every time he forced it, it splintered. Every time he slowed, it drifted away.
Minutes passed. Hours passed. The forest around him stayed quiet, only the wind and birds moving through the branches. Lin Yun didn't notice. He didn't move. He didn't speak.
Lin Yun let out a deep breath. He could feel the frustration, the fatigue, but also something new: determination. He wasn't ready yet—but he would be and fainted.
When he opened his eyes, looking at the fading sunlight through the leaves.
...
Lin Yun walked back toward the Grass Valley Clan with steady but distracted steps. His thoughts were still in Thornbloom—the quiet girl, the strange old man who vanished, and the uneasy feeling lingering in his chest.
He had already reached the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering. His body was strong, tempered, nearly unbreakable. But strength alone could not awaken qi. Without qi, he remained outside the true path of cultivation.
"Big brother Yun...!"
Xiao's cheerful voice pulled him from his thoughts. She ran toward him with a little light on her feet, and her expression bright.
"Big brother... What are you doing out here alone?" she asked.
"Trying to practice," he replied.
"Practice what? Looking serious?... or are you lost" she teased.
He hesitated, then admitted quietly, "I still can't sense qi."
The teasing in her expression faded.
"You're already at the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering," she said. "Your foundation is solid. Maybe you're just thinking too much."
He gave a small smile. Probably true.
"Then teach me," he said.
She studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Follow me."
They walked to the smaller training ground used by younger disciples. The sun was low, stretching long shadows across the stone floor. The air smelled faintly of dust and grass.
Xiao placed her hand on her lower abdomen.
"Relax," she said. "Qi isn't something you create. It's already inside you so all you need it to relax..."
Lin Yun closed his eyes and fucosing. At first, he felt nothing but his own breathing and the tension in his shoulders.
"I don't feel anything," he admitted.
"You're forcing it," Xiao said softly. "Stop chasing it. Just listen."
He adjusted his posture. Slowed his breathing in and out. Focusing on his dantian, the spot under his navel described in countless manuals.
Minutes passed.
Then.. a faint warmth appeared.
Small and Fragile. Almost easy to ignore.
His mind flickered to something Xiao had once told him months ago.
"Body Tempering strengthens the container," she had explained one evening while they sat outside. "Qi Gathering is about filling it. If your body is the cup, qi is the water. When the cup is strong enough, the water will stay."
Back then, he understood the words.. but not their meaning.
Now, as the warmth gathered, he finally understood. His body had been the container all along. All this time, he had tried to force qi, when it only needed acceptance.
And then he noticed her.. a faint presence within him.
The girl from Thornbloom.
She was there, inside his consciousness, smiling softly, listening silently to every instruction Xiao gave. She said nothing, only watched. Her eyes glimmered with curiosity and amusement.
Lin Yun exhaled slowly.
The warmth condensed. A thin thread of energy formed. It moved through his meridians, awkward but real.
Inside him, something cracked. The invisible barrier of the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering shattered silently.
True qi was born.
He had stepped into the Qi Gathering Realm.
Xiao's eyes widened slightly. She felt the subtle shift in his aura.
"Big brother… you did it."
Lin Yun did not answer. He guided the thread carefully, afraid it would dissipate.
One rotation. Two. The thread thickened slightly.
Qi Gathering... First Layer.
"Guide it to your arms," Xiao instructed.
He obeyed. The qi flowed more smoothly, reaching his palm.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then... a faint shimmer appeared in front of his hand. Unstable. Flickering. But visible.
External manifestation.
Qi Gathering.... Third Layer.
Xiao let out a slow breath. "You advanced three layers in one session…"
Inside his consciousness, the girl's smile widened slightly. She remained silent, observing. Her presence made him feel calm, almost protected, as if someone else understood his struggle.
Lin Yun lowered his hand. His heart raced. Not genius. Not perfect. But a door had opened that had always been there.
That night, after dinner, Lin Yun returned alone. The moon painted the training ground in silver, its ethereal glow transforming the familiar stones into a landscape of shadows.
A cool breeze whispered through the bamboo grove, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and distant wildflowers.
He closed his eyes, centering himself. Circulating his qi, he felt the familiar warmth spreading through his meridians. Smooth. Controlled.
The Third Layer was stabilized, a solid foundation beneath his feet. A faint smile touched his lips. Now came the cube method.
He raise his hand condensed his qi into a dense sphere. Stable. Rotating slowly.
But not a cube. Not yet! and He remembered Xiao's words: "Qi flows like water. If you fight it, it becomes unstable."
He realized control wasn't about force, and He focused harder, trying to impose structure: flat sides, sharp edges, angles.
For a brief moment one side flattened. Then it snapped back into a round sphere.
A chill ran through his consciousness.
Inside, he felt her again.. the girl inside him. She was there, quiet and smiling, watching him. But now… it felt different.
A small pulse, almost imperceptible, radiated from her presence. When he tried to force the cube, the pulse seemed to… resist him. Not hostile. Just… observing, testing, guiding subtly.
He blinked inside his mind. Was she affecting the qi?, He tried again. Focused. Adjusted. Compressed.
The sphere grew denser. Still round. Still refusing edges.
He noticed a faint flicker in his dantian. Not from himself. Not entirely. Something else… echoing his qi flow. Her presence was patient, silent, and somehow… knowing.
By dawn, sweat drenched his back. His mind burned with concentration, He dismissed the sphere, opening his eyes to the soft light.
"This isn't about strength," he thought. "It's about understanding. Precision. Balance. Timing."
Qi prefers harmony. The cube demands structure and Perhaps one day… he would figure it out.
He turned slowly toward the mansion.
Qi Gathering — Third Layer.
It is Still early and still so weak.
But no longer powerless.
Inside him, the girl remained, smiling quietly, almost approvingly. He couldn't see her face clearly. Couldn't hear her voice. But somehow, he felt her watching, learning along with him, waiting for the moment he would truly understand.
And for now—that was enough.
Lin Yun sat alone at his desk, dipping his brush in ink. He wrote the same word over and over: "Liang Tian." His hand was stiff and tired, but he didn't stop. Each stroke felt heavy—not just on the paper, but in his heart.
A small drop of rain tapped against the window. He paused and looked outside. More drops fell, sparkling in the moonlight. His eyes drifted to the sky.
He thought of Earth, of his family, of Wu Lan. He missed them—their smiles, their voices, the streets they had walked together. A soft ache settled in his chest. It was sad, yes, but it made him feel alive.
He dipped his brush again. This time, each stroke carried his memory, his longing. The rain, the moonlight, the quiet night—they felt like they were with him, holding him, reminding him he was still here.
"I miss them…" he whispered softly.
Opening his eyes, he felt a new determination. He would grow stronger. He would protect the memories he carried. He would not forget.
He wrote again. "Liang Tian." The strokes were steadier now. Outside, the rain continued, gentle and steady, a quiet companion to his night.