The courtyard shimmered in the golden glow of dawn, dew drops clinging to the cobblestones like scattered jewels. A light breeze rustled the leaves of the old willow tree, casting shifting shadows across the ground. Alex stood at the center, exhaling slowly, his breath visible in the crisp morning air. His loose training robes fluttered slightly as he adjusted his stance.
Today wasn’t just about cultivating—it was an experiment.
In his hands, two scrolls felt weightier than their physical mass would suggest. One, Ironclad Qi, was a technique passed down from his father. Rugged and direct, it emphasized rigidity, making qi dense and unyielding to amplify combat strength by a notable 10%. The other, Gentle Bloom Qi, was a middle yellow-rank technique his mother practiced, known for its healing properties and its ability to soothe fatigue while enhancing recovery.
Both techniques couldn’t be more different, like fire and water. And Alex intended to merge them.
He unfurled the first scroll, Ironclad Qi. Its inked characters were bold, almost aggressive in their presence, reflecting the technique’s nature. As Alex read, Quantum Insight activated instinctively. His inner vision bloomed into life, revealing the intricate map of his meridians, glowing faintly with traces of dormant qi.
“This is about compression,” Alex muttered, studying the scroll’s instructions. The method demanded sharp, forceful breaths to draw in qi, visualizing it condensing into an impenetrable core. “If qi is energy, then this is like pressurizing gas. Let’s see how far I can push it.”
He assumed the stance described—a grounded position with knees slightly bent and fists loosely clenched. Closing his eyes, Alex began the prescribed breathing technique, each inhale pulling qi into his dantian. He didn’t stop there. With Quantum Insight guiding him, he envisioned compressing the gathered energy further, forcing it into a denser state.
The change was immediate. His qi, previously smooth and fluid like butter, hardened under the mental pressure, becoming dense and unyielding. It coiled within him like a compressed spring, radiating a newfound solidity.
Alex opened his eyes, feeling the raw power coursing through him. Testing it, he drew back his fist and drove it into the ground.
Crack!
A jagged fissure split the cobblestone beneath his knuckles. He flexed his hand, marveling at the strength behind the strike. “This is like stone,” he murmured. But the strain was evident, a faint burning sensation in his meridians warning him of the toll. “Increased combat power, but it’s not without cost. Efficiency needs work.”
He straightened, rolling his shoulders to release the tension. Setting the Ironclad Qi scroll aside, he reached for the second, Gentle Bloom Qi.
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This scroll exuded a completely different aura. Its characters were elegant, almost flowing, reflecting the technique’s gentler nature. Unlike Ironclad Qi, this method prioritized fluid breathing and visualization of qi as a gentle, flowing stream.
“This should feel smoother,” Alex said, settling into a cross-legged position. Activating Quantum Insight again, he focused on the scroll’s instructions. With soft, controlled breaths, he began drawing qi into his body, but instead of condensing it, he let it flow freely.
The difference was stark. The rigid, dense qi from earlier softened, flowing smoothly through his meridians like water down a clear stream. The strain he’d felt earlier faded, replaced by a soothing sensation that left him energized.
“It’s like a recovery system,” Alex muttered, feeling his fatigue wash away. Even his breathing felt lighter, as though the very act of cultivating was revitalizing his body. He stood and began moving through slow, fluid motions, inspired by biomechanical principles. Each stretch seemed to optimize the qi’s circulation, enhancing its restorative effects.
“If Ironclad Qi is like a pressurized system, then Gentle Bloom Qi is about reducing resistance—like improving laminar flow in a pipe,” Alex thought. His eyes brightened. “What happens if I combine them?”
The idea was thrilling, but the execution would be far from simple. The two techniques were fundamentally opposed. Their energies, one hard and one soft, wouldn’t naturally harmonize.
Alex stood again, determination burning in his gaze. His heart raced as he activated Quantum Insight at full strength, visualizing his qi flows. “Start with hardness, then transition to softness,” he murmured, guiding his qi to shift between the two states.
The result was… chaotic. His qi resisted, clashing violently within his meridians. A sharp pain shot through him, forcing him to stop and recalibrate.
“This isn’t going to be easy,” Alex admitted, wiping sweat from his brow.
Time slipped away as he continued his attempts. Each failure brought a deeper understanding of the principles at play. The golden cube in his mind pulsed faintly, offering subtle guidance. Quantum Insight illuminated nuances Alex hadn’t noticed before—the way his qi resisted sudden transitions, the points of tension in his meridians, the minute adjustments needed to bridge the gap between the two states.
By the time the sun climbed higher into the sky, Alex had failed over five hundred times. Yet he stood unwavering, his robes damp with sweat, his breathing steady.
Finally, something clicked.
In his mind’s eye, he visualized his qi not as two opposing forces, but as complementary states. Hardness and softness weren’t enemies; they were partners in a cycle. With this realization, the transition between Ironclad Qi and Gentle Bloom Qibegan to smooth out.
His qi adapted, flowing seamlessly between dense, unyielding energy and gentle, restorative currents. The shift no longer caused strain but instead created a harmonious balance.
A new sensation bloomed in his dantian—a resonance unlike anything he’d felt before. It was as if the two techniques had merged into something entirely new.
Words formed in his mind, delivered with startling clarity by the cube: Flowing Steel Qi.
Alex’s breath hitched as the technique unfolded within him. It felt innate, like it had always been a part of him, waiting to be discovered. Its principles were more profound than either of its predecessors, combining power and adaptability in perfect harmony.
“This… this is something else,” Alex whispered.
He tested the new technique immediately, shifting into a stable stance. Drawing his qi into the hardened state of Ironclad Qi, he punched the ground again. This time, the impact was precise, clean, and without the jarring feedback from earlier. Shifting seamlessly into Gentle Bloom Qi, he felt the strain dissolve, his body recovering almost instantly.
“It’s a cycle—tension and relaxation,” Alex said, a grin spreading across his face. “Power when I need it, recovery when I don’t. Efficiency at its finest.”
The sun was setting by the time Alex finished practicing. His body thrummed with a newfound vitality, his qi circulating with unparalleled smoothness. As he returned to the willow tree to rest, his thoughts raced with possibilities.
“Flowing Steel Qi… it’s a top-tier yellow-rank technique, maybe even better,” Alex mused. “And it feels like it can grow with me. If I refine this further, it could surpass anything in the Lidra Sect trials.”
The golden cube pulsed faintly again, as though approving of his progress.
With a deep breath, Alex closed his eyes, the corner of his lips twitching into a satisfied smile. Tradition and science had found a new path, one uniquely his own.