Elixirs were stupid.

"Rooted Banyan Stance!"

I unleashed my technique once more, clenching all the muscles in my body and shielding myself with qi as Feng Wu struck.

The kick to the stomach pushed me back a couple feet, but I held my stance without flinching. I grinned at the second-class disciple.

"This changes everything!"

It had been an hour since we began my training to integrate the qi of the elixir into my dantian.

I couldn’t help but marvel at the difference. The Rooted Banyan Stance, a technique that used to drain me completely after just two uses, was now something I could perform seven times with ease. The increase in my qi reserves was astounding, but what struck me even more was how quickly they replenished. During our hour of sparring, I’d regained enough qi to perform another Rooted Banyan Stance, which I didn't notice with my paltry reserves back then.

As I stood, breathing heavily but still full of energy, I glanced to the side. There, Tianyi and Windy were engaged in their own little sparring session.

Windy’s serpentine body whipped around with surprising speed, his tail striking out like a coiled spring. But Tianyi, with her delicate butterfly wings, parried each strike with graceful ease. Her wings shimmered with a soft blue glow, deflecting his attacks as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The contrast between the two was almost ridiculous—a powerful, aggressive snake against a fluttering butterfly—but Tianyi held her own, her movements fluid and precise.

Feng Wu’s voice broke through my thoughts. “You good to keep going, Kai?”

I shook my head, wiping sweat from my brow. “I’m out of qi to use any more of my moves. Rooted Banyan Stance drains a lot, even with my increased reserves.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “That’s normal, but you’re not done yet. Here’s what I want you to do—infuse your body with qi, all of it, until you bottom out. You need to push yourself to the very limit, just like muscles. They have to be worked until they’re torn down to grow back stronger. Your qi works similarly.”

I took a deep breath and nodded. “Alright.”

Focusing inward, I began to infuse my body with the remaining qi, letting it flow into my muscles, bones, and skin. With an unspoken signal, I launched forward to continue the spar.

“Qi infusion is about enhancing your physical abilities,” Feng Wu explained between punches. “It makes you stronger, faster, and more resilient. But it’s also inefficient compared to techniques like your Rooted Banyan Stance.”

I ducked under one of his punches, trying to process his words. “I can feel that… The amount of 'defense' I get from just infusing my body with qi versus using the stance is like night and day. But why is that?”

The man stepped back, lowering his fists. “Let me show you.” He adopted a relaxed stance and threw a simple punch toward me, without using any qi. “This is just a normal punch. No qi, no technique. Basic.”

He then infused his fist with qi, throwing another punch. This one was faster, stronger, and I could feel the difference in the air as it rushed past my face. “This is a punch infused with qi. Notice the increase in speed and power.”

Finally, Feng Wu assumed a proper stance. His feet slid into position, his fist drew back in a precise movement, and his entire body seemed to coil with potential energy. When he released the punch, it drew up a small gust of wind, blowing my hair out of place as it landed right in front of me.

“That,” He said, straightening up, “is the difference. The Rooted Banyan Stance is like that last punch. It’s not just qi infusion—it’s a mix of technique and qi that makes it much more effective. The proper form, the right movements, they all work together to amplify the effect. It’s the difference between just throwing energy at something and using it with purpose.”

“So, it’s about refining the use of qi, not just relying on raw power?”

“Exactly,” Feng Wu said with a grin. “Raw power is good, but refined power? That’s where you start to see real results. And now that your qi reserves are larger, you can start focusing on honing that refinement.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the possibilities. This was the next step in my cultivation journey, and I was eager to see where it would take me.

The sparring continued, but it didn’t take long before I truly reached the bottom of my qi reserves. Each punch, each kick became heavier, more sluggish, until I was barely able to lift my arms. My vision blurred, and I could feel myself teetering on the edge of exhaustion.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“I suppose you’re done,” Feng Wu said firmly, catching me as I stumbled.

I nodded weakly, too drained to respond. My legs wobbled, threatening to give out entirely, but Feng Wu supported me, guiding me back toward my quarters. The world seemed to spin around me, and it took everything I had just to stay conscious.

In the comfortable silence that settled between us, I mustered enough strength to speak. “Thank you, Feng Wu. For everything. I know I wouldn’t have gotten this far without your help.”

Feng Wu chuckled, his tone light. “My contribution was minimal. You’re the one who put in the effort, Kai. You’re the one who’s growing, who’s pushing past your limits.”

I managed a tired smile. A taoist to the core. “Maybe, but I still owe you.”

He waved it off with a grin as we reached my room. “Get some rest. We’ll pick this up later.”

“Yeah... see you,” I mumbled as I sank into my bed, the fatigue pulling me into a deep sleep almost immediately. I didn't even get to register whether Tianyi or Windy followed me back.

As I drifted off, thoughts of how I could repay Feng Wu swirled in my mind. He had given me so much, and I wanted to find a way to show my gratitude, even if it was just a small gesture.

The darkness of sleep enveloped me, offering a reprieve from the exhaustion that had seeped into my bones. But it wasn’t long before a soft, almost musical voice cut through the haze of my dreams.

'Kai… wake up.'

The voice was gentle but insistent, pulling me from the depths of my slumber. I woke up feeling more refreshed than I had in a long time. My qi reserves were brimming with energy, and as I checked my dantian, I noticed that the cloud of qi surrounding it had lessened slightly. Feng Wu’s guidance had been right—it was working. The integration of the elixir’s qi was accelerating, and I could feel the benefits already taking root.

Something fluttered in front of my face, breaking me out of my thoughts. Tianyi, her wings shimmering with a soft blue light, hovered above me.

'Morning,' she chirped, her tone light and cheerful.

I blinked, trying to reconcile the image in front of me. She was perched delicately on my nose, her tiny form seemingly more vibrant than ever. But it wasn’t just her appearance that caught me off guard—it was her voice. The fact that she could speak, that we could communicate like this now, made her feel... more human.

“Uh... morning,” I replied, my voice thick with sleep. I couldn’t shake the strange feeling that had settled over me. It wasn’t unpleasant, just… different. “You can talk now, huh?”

Tianyi fluttered off my nose and hovered just above my chest. 'Yes. Does it bother you?'

“No, it’s just...” I admitted, rubbing my eyes. “I’m still getting used to it.”

A tinge of relief sparked between us. It seemed that the emotional link didn't dissipate, even with this.

As I thought about her newfound ability to speak, the word “human” flitted through me. The memory of an old notification from when the Heavenly Interface first appeared resurfaced. I had almost forgotten about it.

Your companion, Tianyi, cannot transform until she reaches Essence Awakening Stage - Rank 1.

I stared at Tianyi, realization dawning on me. “Wait a minute... does this mean...?”

She tilted her head, her wings fluttering slightly. 'Does it mean what?'

I sat up, suddenly wide awake. “You can transform, can’t you? Into a human form.”

There was a pause, and she stood still for a brief moment, as though searching for something.

'I... don't know how. Maybe someday?'

I couldn’t help but wonder what she would look like in human form. Would she retain some of her butterfly traits, like her wings? The thought was both intriguing and a little unsettling. She had always been a small, delicate creature, and imagining her as a human was... strange.

“Don’t worry about it, Tianyi,” I said quickly, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable. “You don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for. But if you ever do figure it out, I’d be curious to see it.”

Her wings picked up speed again as if the brief moment of pensiveness had passed. 'I’ll think about it.'

I smiled at her, trying to put her at ease. “Take your time. There’s no rush.”

Feeling the need to change the subject, I glanced over to where Windy was coiled up, still sleeping soundly after the intense sparring session from the previous day. His breathing was slow and steady, and I could tell he was exhausted.

“I’m going to be gone for most of the day,” I told Tianyi. “Can you keep an eye on Windy? Make sure he’s okay.”

She fluttered over to Windy, landing gently on his tail. 'I’ll make sure he’s safe.'

With that settled, I got dressed and made my way out of the room, leaving Tianyi to watch over Windy. As I walked through the quiet halls of the sect, my mind turned to the task I had set for myself today—creating a batch of the healing hydrosol I had developed before the Gauntlet. It was a simple but effective remedy, and I wanted to give something back to the sect that had given me so much.

As I carefully plucked the moss, I made sure to leave some behind, ensuring the patch would continue to thrive.

Before leaving, I took a moment to infuse the remaining moss with a gentle pulse of qi. The energy seeped into the plants, encouraging their growth and vitality. The moss glowed faintly in response, the qi working to replenish what I had taken. Satisfied that I had done my part to sustain the environment, I stored the harvested moss in my storage ring and made my way back to the sect.

I made my way to the Alchemy Pavilion, where I set to work extracting the essences from the moss in a private room. The process was familiar and soothing.

With the essences extracted, I wrote down the recipe, detailing each step with precision. I intended to give the recipe to Elder Zhu, so that the sect could produce the hydrosol on a larger scale and make it available to the disciples, sell it—whatever they wished to do.

I glanced upward, checking the position of the sun in the sky.

"They should be done their classes by now." I muttered to myself.

Waiting outside, I waited patiently as throngs of disciples poured out to attend different classes. Many of them tilted their heads to acknowledge me, and I responded in kind. Two familiar figures came out, shouting in jubilance.

"You're back?!"

Han Wei and Li Na threw themselves at me, and I caught them with ease.

"I arrived yesterday, had some loose ends to tie up. But now, this young master has returned! Stronger than ever!" I posed, flexing my biceps to show my physique. It wasn't anything like Ping Hai's but I could still feel the difference. The strength in my limbs, the way my qi pulsed with energy just beneath the surface—it was all there, even if it wasn’t visible to the naked eye.

Han Wei raised an eyebrow, a skeptical grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You’re looking pretty much the same to me. You sure you’ve grown, Kai?"

Li Na playfully jabbed me in the ribs. "Yeah, don’t tell me you’ve been slacking off while we’ve been training our butts off!"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "I promise, I’ve grown—maybe not in a way that’s easy to see. But trust me, I’ve come a long way."

Her teasing smile softened into genuine curiosity. "How did you do in the Gauntlet, anyway? We haven't heard anything; it's hard to get information from outside the sect."

I hesitated for a moment, the memory of the Gauntlet finals still fresh in my mind. But I didn’t want to dwell on it too much. "I came in second place," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Lost to Jingyu Lian in the finals."

Their eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, there was silence as they processed what I’d just said.

"You’re kidding, right?" Han Wei finally blurted out, his voice a mix of disbelief and admiration. "Second place?! You went up against someone from the Lian family and made it that far?"

I shrugged, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Yeah, it was close, but she got the better of me. But that’s not the only thing I brought back from the Gauntlet."

Li Na leaned in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Oh? What else did you get?"

I reached into my storage ring, feeling a surge of excitement as I prepared to show them what I had gained. "Let me show you."