In the following days, Jin's life assumed a routine that was simultaneously arduous and rewarding. Each morning, under the watchful gaze of Master Liu, he and Ying were subjected to a series of trials designed to evaluate their strength, agility, and, most importantly, their control over Qi.
One such trial had them balancing on a single foot atop bamboo poles, while attempting to keep a leaf aloft with a constant stream of Qi. Another involved a task resembling an obstacle course, their bodies straining to scale walls, dodge swinging logs, and leap over pits, all the while maintaining their Qi circulation. They had to continuously debug their internal processes, searching for any anomalies or inefficiencies within their Qi flow, much like running a diagnostic test on a complex piece of software.
Hunting in the afternoons became a practical application of their morning lessons. Each mission, regardless of whether it involved gathering herbs or driving off beasts, demanded the fine-tuning of their abilities, forcing them to adapt and grow.
As the days blurred into one another, Jin found his progress comparable to an algorithm optimizing itself. Every trial, every failure, every minor tweak in his Qi flow served as a data point, a piece of code that was continuously being refined and upgraded. He could feel himself becoming stronger, faster, and more attuned to his Qi, the hardware of his body integrating seamlessly with the software of his cultivation technique.
As the sun began its descent one afternoon, painting the sky in hues of crimson and gold, the trio convened around the wooden table for their nightly meal. A sense of comfortable familiarity marked their conversation, interspersed with chuckles and playful banter. However, the air around Master Liu felt different tonight; there was a spark of anticipation in his gaze as he regarded Jin.
"Jin, you've made admirable progress over the past months," he began, his eyes twinkling in the dim light. "Your control over Qi has significantly improved, your body has grown stronger, and you're on the brink of advancing to the Mid Qi Gathering stage."
Jin felt a surge of excitement. He was indeed close to a breakthrough, but hearing Master Liu affirm it filled him with a renewed sense of purpose. "What's our plan for tomorrow, master?" he asked, trying to keep the eagerness out of his voice.
Master Liu replied with a knowing smile, "Tomorrow will be different. We will dedicate the day to a special training session to guide you through the next stage. It won't be easy, but I believe you're ready for it."
The remainder of the meal was spent in a blur of anticipation. As soon as he was done, Jin bid Master Liu and Ying goodnight and retired to his room.
Lying in bed, his thoughts were consumed by the upcoming day. He couldn't help but marvel at his own progress. He had been thrust into an entirely new world just a few months ago, but he had adapted and grown at a pace that would have seemed impossible before.
Morning light spilled through the cracks of Jin's door as he rose from his bed, donned his training robes, and stepped out into the buzzing life of the village. The scent of fresh morning bread wafted from Granny Mei's open kitchen window, a basket of warm loaves precariously balanced in her arthritic hands. Jin greeted her with a cheeky grin and an offer to help deliver the bread.
"Off with you, young whippersnapper!" Granny Mei swatted him away with her wooden ladle, a fond twinkle in her eyes belying her stern words. But the ladle slipped from her grip, sending a hail of loaves into the air. Jin's training kicked in. He danced around, juggling the hot bread in a chaotic flurry, much to the amusement of the onlooking villagers. His fumbling performance concluded with a spectacular roll and a catch, a bread loaf triumphantly held aloft. His 'heroics' were met with laughter and applause as he handed back Granny Mei's goods, her scolding drowned out by the village merriment.
The sun climbed higher into the sky as Jin's training session began. From an outsider's perspective, his movements resembled mystical exercises. However, in Jin's mind, it was more akin to programming, his body and spirit functioning as a complex system.
Jin's Qi gathering method was a symphony of interconnected processes. Master Liu's teachings likened "Qi energy storage" to setting up variables, "Qi energy draw" as writing functions, and "Qi resonance debugging" as meticulous troubleshooting. Each component was equally vital and each had to be scrupulously managed and fine-tuned for the system to run smoothly.
Jin's understanding of programming principles helped him, but the journey was not without hurdles. Trying to establish his energy storage would sometimes result in overdrawn or underutilized Qi. Attaining the perfect resonance was another challenge, and any oversight in debugging could cause his Qi to fluctuate unpredictably. It was like debugging a complex code, each element influencing another in ways that required constant adaptation and correction.
Nevertheless, Jin persevered. Each failure was a lesson learned, each mistake a stepping stone towards mastery. His focus never wavered, his spirit remained indomitable. The road to becoming a Qi gathering expert was fraught with challenges, but Jin was learning to embrace them, one step at a time.
Master Liu, watching Jin's struggle, decided to offer some guidance. "Jin," he began, a calming lilt to his words, "envision your Qi as a river. It is persistent, always flowing. Yet it's adaptable, moving around obstacles. You should guide it, not attempt to conquer it. Qi is your ally, not a foe that needs taming."
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Something about Master Liu's words stirred a profound understanding within Jin. The advice, though simple, was like the missing piece of a puzzle. He realized he'd been trying to control the Qi too rigidly, treating it like a piece of code to be debugged and disciplined. But Qi wasn't a rigid algorithm; it was a natural energy that required finesse, not force.
With renewed focus, Jin closed his eyes and tried once more. This time, he didn't demand control over the Qi, he guided it, listened to it. Suddenly, he felt a dam within him burst, unleashing a flood of power. A previously hidden door seemed to swing wide open, flooding him with an incredible energy.
As this revelation ignited within him, Jin felt one of his meridians clearing out, a surge of potent energy thundering through it. His body reacted sharply to this new power coursing within him, muscles tensing and releasing in rapid succession as he endured the sudden influx of energy. He was alive, every cell vibrating with a heightened vitality. It was a process of destruction and reformation, excruciating yet elating.
When the powerful wave eventually rolled back, Jin found himself huffing for air, his body slicked in a grime that was a mixture of sweat and impurities ejected in the process of the breakthrough. The filth was a stark contrast to the newfound purity he felt coursing through his veins, and it gave him a look that might be more at home in a pigsty than a training field.
His master, eyes sparkling with amusement, gave him a sideways glance. "A well-earned victory, Jin," he said, chuckling. "Now go, you're stinking up my training field. Celebrate by taking a bath in the river."
Ying, who'd been observing from the sidelines, slapped Jin's back as he lurched to his feet, a wide grin splitting his face. "I knew you could do it, Jin!" he called out as Jin began a slightly unsteady jog towards the river, his laughter echoing behind him. "Just remember, even a newly advanced Qi Gatherer is not excused from smelling like a rotting beast core!"
With an exasperated but gleeful huff, Jin sped up, the sound of their laughter trailing him as he headed for his celebratory, and much-needed, dip in the river.
As Jin returned from his cleansing dive in the river, his path back was intercepted by Ying and another youth, a broad-shouldered lad whose muscles hinted at the kind of strength and finesse born of countless hours in the training field. Ying waved him over, a grin playing on his lips. "Jin, come meet Bao," he introduced. "He's a Late Qi Gathering expert."
Bao's eyes twinkled with a combination of curiosity and friendliness as he nodded towards Jin. "I've heard you've made quite the leap today," Bao said, a note of respect in his tone.
After Jin's modest acknowledgement, Bao launched into a discussion of the upcoming challenge he was preparing for. It seemed the village was organizing a big hunt, a test of sorts where a group of Qi gatherers would venture further into the wilderness than usual.
"The hunt's a rite of passage," Bao explained, his voice charged with a mixture of anticipation and nerves. "Survive and return, and you've proven yourself as more than just another cultivator. It's a big deal."
Jin, though still fresh from his own advancement, listened to the older boy's words with a new understanding. The idea of the hunt sparked a flare of excitement in his chest. In this world, strength wasn't just a personal achievement - it was a vital tool for survival.
Under the warm afternoon sun, Jin, Ying, Bao, and two other villagers—one a lean youth named Lei, and the other a sturdy lad called Han—gathered in the center of the village. Each of them were of different stages within the Qi Gathering realm, each unique in their approach to cultivation, and the square quickly became a whirl of activity.
Bao, the most advanced amongst them, moved with a grace that belied his muscular form. His cultivation technique, the "Tiger's Roar," was evident in the power and fluidity of his strikes, each one resonating with a tiger's feral majesty. Jin watched as Bao's fists cut through the air, leaving a trail of Qi that flickered like an ethereal tiger in his wake.
Lei, on the other hand, cultivated a technique known as "Whispering Wind." His movements were light and swift, mirroring the ephemeral nature of a breeze. The Qi surrounding him looked like a gentle gust of wind, making his slender figure seem to dance in the sunlight.
Han, the most robust of the lot, trained with the "Mountain's Stance." His body moved slowly but with an unwavering stability. Each of his movements were akin to tectonic shifts, the surrounding Qi pulsating with a weighty, unyielding energy.
As for Ying, his "Flowing River" technique manifested in fluid, rippling movements that mimicked the ceaseless flow of a river, his Qi resonating with the rhythm of ever-moving water.
As the training session wound down, Bao sidled over to Jin, an inquisitive look on his face. "Jin," he began, his tone even, "your cultivation doesn't seem to fit any of the common methods we know. Perhaps you should consult the master for guidance."
Bao's suggestion prompted a nod from Jin, and after a short rest, he sought out Master Liu in his usual spot overlooking the training grounds. The elder's eyes held a spark of interest as Jin approached.
"You've been making excellent progress, Jin," Master Liu said, gesturing for Jin to sit. "But it's time for you to discover your own method."
In the following minutes, Master Liu observed Jin's cultivation closely. The soft hum of Qi surrounding Jin was different, intricate. It seemed to pulse with the rhythm of a complex and deeply structured system. Master Liu's brow furrowed, realization dawning in his eyes. "Incredible," he murmured under his breath, then looked up at Jin with a rare, bright smile. "Jin, it appears you have a very unique affinity. It's called Scriptweaving."
At Jin's look of confusion, the master continued, "Scriptweaving is a rare and valuable method of cultivation. Traditionally, it involves writing characters in the air with your Qi, where each stroke weaves into a magnificent tapestry brimming with boundless might. These scripts can be used to attack enemies or support allies, depending on the intention of the script."
For a moment, Jin simply sat there, absorbing the master's words. Scriptweaving. It sounded... fitting. Like writing lines of code, but with Qi instead of a computer. Jin's lips curled into a smile, a fresh wave of excitement washing over him. It felt like the final piece of the puzzle falling into place.
With newfound determination burning in his eyes, he rose, bowing deeply to Master Liu. "Thank you, master," he said earnestly. "I'll do my best to master this Scriptweaving method."
His path was clearer now, and Jin couldn't wait to take his first steps.