Tianmo stood at the edge of Blackstone, he adjusted the frayed edges of his damp cloak, his eyes lingering on the village. A faint ache twisted in his chest, a pull of something he couldn’t quite name. But the fire burning within him was stronger, drowning out hesitation.
“I’ll come back stronger,” he muttered, his voice low but resolute.
Turning away, Tianmo stepped onto the narrow, muddy path leading into the forest. The remnants of the storm clung to the air—earthy, wet, and cold. Branches sagged under the weight of rain, and the towering trees marked the boundary between familiarity and the unknown.
As he crossed beneath their shadows, a strange flutter stirred in his chest. The faint hum he had felt the previous day, accompanied by a tingling warmth that spread to his hands.
The sensation was brief, vanishing as quickly as it had come. Tianmo shook it off with a shallow breath, his jaw tightening as he pressed onward.
The forest loomed ahead, its dense canopy stretching like a shroud over the muddy path. Shadows danced between the trees, their twisted trunks curling unnaturally, as if shaped by some unseen force. The air here was different—heavier, thicker, carrying a faint tang of iron.
Tianmo took his first step off the path and into the wild, the soft crunch of leaves underfoot swallowed by the forest's silence. The deeper he ventured, the more alive the forest felt, not in the way of a thriving ecosystem, but something more... aware.
Glowing moss clung to the roots and bark, its faint green light casting eerie patterns on the forest floor. Thick vines dangled like rope, swaying despite the stillness of the air. The occasional rustle of leaves or snap of a twig made Tianmo’s ears perk, his observant eyes scanning for the source.
Small animals darted away as he passed—rabbits, squirrels, and birds with feathers that shimmered faintly in the dim light. Their movements were jerky and erratic, as if they sensed something far more dangerous than a boy wandering into their territory.
The silence deepened.
Tianmo slowed his steps, his heart pounding against his ribs. His gaze caught on a set of deep gouges raked across the trunk of a massive tree. The marks were jagged and precise, too large for any ordinary predator. A little farther on, a patch of charred ground spread out beneath his feet, its edges blackened as though struck by fire.
What kind of beast leaves this behind?
The air grew colder, biting through his damp cloak. His unease crawled up his spine, but he pressed forward, his hands balling into fists as the faint hum in his chest stirred once more. This time, the sensation was stronger—a spark of warmth spreading outward, tingling at his fingertips like static. The faintest hint of electric sensation lingered in his palms, like the aftermath of a lightning strike.
“Not now,” he muttered, shaking his hands as if that were to make it cease.
As he continued the forest opened into a small clearing, its ground uneven and slick with mud from the storm. The air felt lighter here, though the shadows of the trees still loomed at the edges. Tianmo stopped, his eyes scanning the clearing. A faint breeze stirred, carrying the earthy scent of wet leaves and moss.
“This’ll do,” he said with a wide grin, dropping his damp cloak onto a nearby rock.
Rolling his shoulders, Tianmo planted his feet and began imitating the stances he’d seen the Hei Clan disciples practice during their training sessions. His bare toes dug into the mud as he shifted his weight, his hands clumsily mimicking their strikes.
A forward punch. A sweeping kick. A pivot into an elbow strike.
His movements were far from graceful—his punches lacked precision, and his kicks often threw him off balance. Yet he persisted, keeping the same intensity.
“Keep moving. Don’t stop,” he said to himself, his breath fogging in the cool air.
As he struck again, his foot slid on the slick mud, sending him sprawling to the ground. The cold, wet earth clung to his skin, but he growled and pushed himself back up, his fists clenching.
“You’re better than this,” he snapped, glaring at the tree in front of him as though it were mocking his efforts.
He adjusted his stance, bending lower to keep his balance on the slick mud. He struck again, his movements clumsy but improving. His eyes darted to the uneven ground, imagining how an opponent might strike: quick, low, and relentless.
Minutes passed, or maybe hours—he couldn’t tell. His body ached, his knuckles stung, and his breath came in ragged gasps. Yet, the pulse in his chest stirred again, this time stronger, more insistent.
The sensation built with each strike. His hands tingled, a warmth spreading through his arms as though igniting from within.
But the tree remained unmoved.
With a growl of frustration, Tianmo drew his fist back and slammed it into the bark with all his strength.
The impact sent a sharp jolt up his arm, but something else happened. The bark shuddered beneath his knuckles, a faint vibration rippling outward. Tianmo froze, staring as the tree.
“Eh?!” he said which a shocked tone.
The warmth in his chest surged, spreading like liquid fire through his veins. His vision blurred for a brief moment, and the world seemed to shift. The shadows of the forest brightened, and faint, glowing tendrils appeared—threads of light weaving through the air, pulsing like veins beneath the bark of the trees.
Tianmo staggered back, blinking rapidly. The threads of light vanished as suddenly as they’d appeared, leaving the clearing quiet once more.
He looked down at his hand, now faintly tingling as if charged with static. Turning it over, he flexed his fingers, his pulse racing.
“Did the storm… do this?” he muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of his ragged breathing.
Tianmo clenched his fists and turned back to the tree, determination rekindled in his eyes.
“Whatever this is… I’ll figure it out.”
And with that, he began again.
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The forest seemed to hold its breath as Tianmo continued to train. The air grew colder, dense with an unnatural weight that pressed against his chest. Even the faint rustling of leaves had vanished, replaced by an eerie silence that swallowed every sound.
Tianmo slowed his steps, his sharp eyes darting between the towering trees. His instincts screamed that something was wrong.
A twig snapped behind him.
Tianmo whirled around, his heart pounding. Nothing. Just the shifting shadows of the forest, moving with a life of their own. He exhaled slowly, trying to shake the unease curling in his stomach.
Then, the shadows moved.
A massive figure stepped into the clearing, its black fur shimmering as if woven from starlight. Its glowing silver eyes locked onto Tianmo, unblinking and cold. Rune-like patterns etched into its body pulsed faintly, their light casting ghostly shapes onto the ground.
The yaoguai—a wolf unlike any creature Tianmo had ever seen growled low, its voice resonating like a distant thunderclap. Its muscles coiled with fluid precision, and the air around it shimmered with an aura of energy so dense it felt suffocating.
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Tianmo’s breath hitched. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs refused to move.
The yaoguai lunged.
Its claws ripping through the mud. Tianmo remembered the low, crouched stance he’d practiced and pivoted just in time, the beast’s swipe missing by a hair. ” Mud splattered as Tianmo stabilized his feet, his heart hammering. The wolf turned, its silver eyes narrowing, and bared its teeth in a snarl that shook the air.
Tianmo’s gaze darted around the clearing, his mind racing. The ground was uneven, tangled with roots and slick with mud. He clenched his fists, the hum in his chest intensifying as adrenaline coursed through him.
Think, Tianmo. Think!
The yaoguai charged again, its claws tearing into the earth as it closed the distance in an instant. Tianmo jumped back, narrowly avoiding the swipe, and stumbled over a root. He fell, his back hitting the ground hard, but his eyes caught something—a slight limp in the yaoguai’s hind leg.
His mind sharpened.
Using the moment’s reprieve, he scrambled to his feet and grabbed a sharp rock from the ground. The yaoguai lunged once more, its silver eyes gleaming, but Tianmo sidestepped at the last second, plunging the rock into its injured leg.
The beast roared, its energy flaring as it stumbled, the shockwave from its cry rippling through the ground and knocking Tianmo off balance. He landed hard, his weapon flying from his hand.
The wolf turned, its silver eyes burning with fury. Tianmo struggled to stand, but the yaoguai was faster. It loomed over him, its jaws opening wide, a visible surge of red energy charging in its throat.
Then the hum in Tianmo’s chest exploded.
Heat rushed through his body, spreading from his core to his fingertips like molten fire. The world around him seemed to slow, the yaoguai’s movements dragging through syrup. His vision blurred, then sharpened into something surreal—glowing lines of energy pulsed through the wolf’s body, radiating out into the forest like veins of light.
Tianmo’s breathing steadied, his fear replaced by an instinctive understanding. He rolled to the side just as the yaoguai’s claws came down, the strike missing him by inches.
As he rose, the warmth in his chest surged into his arm. He grabbed a broken branch, and when he swung it, a faint ripple of energy followed the motion. The makeshift weapon struck the yaoguai’s side with a force that belied its flimsy appearance, sending the beast staggering back.
The yaoguai growled, its energy flaring brighter, and Tianmo’s newfound power dimmed as quickly as it had come. His body felt heavier, his limbs trembling with exhaustion.
The wolf shook itself, its glowing eyes locking onto Tianmo once more. It crouched low, its energy condensing into a visible aura as it prepared to strike.
Tianmo stood his ground, his fists clenched and his breath ragged. The energy in his chest had faded, leaving only a faint echo. His eyes darted around the clearing, but there was no escape, no advantage to exploit.
The yaoguai lunged, its jaws open wide.
A streak of scarlet light tore through the clearing, slicing the air with a searing crack. The yaoguai yelped, its body twisting mid-air before crashing to the ground in a heap.
Tianmo froze, his eyes wide as a figure stepped into the clearing.
The scarlet light swirled around her like living flame, illuminating the forest with an ethereal glow. Her sharp gaze locked onto the yaoguai as she moved with precise, lethal grace, her hand cutting through the air in a motion too fast to follow.
The yaoguai let out a final whimper before collapsing, its aura dispersing into the night like a snuffed flame.
Tianmo’s legs gave out, and he fell to his knees, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He stared at the figure, awe and confusion warring in his mind.
Who was this woman, and how had she dispatched the beast with such ease?
The clearing was silent, save for the faint crackle of dissipating energy. The yaoguai lay still, its massive body crumpled and lifeless, its glowing silver eyes now dim and glassy. Tianmo knelt on the muddy ground, his breath ragged as he stared at the figure before him.
She stood tall, her dark robes swaying faintly in the cool breeze. The embroidery on the fabric shimmered like living fire, shifting with an almost hypnotic grace. Her face was beautiful and elegant, her scarlet eyes scanning the scene with a calm intensity that made Tianmo shiver.
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze locking onto Tianmo. “You’re lucky to be alive,” she said, her voice low and steady, carrying an edge of disapproval.
Tianmo opened his mouth to protest, but her sharp eyes narrowed, silencing him before he could speak.
“That creature,” she continued, gesturing toward the yaoguai with a flick of her wrist, “would have torn you apart in another breath if I hadn’t intervened. You think bravery and desperation are enough to face a beast like that?”
Tianmo swallowed hard, his fists clenching at her words. His pride burned, but he couldn’t deny the truth in her tone.
“I didn’t have a choice,” he muttered, his voice barely audible. “I couldn’t just run.”
The woman’s lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. “Couldn’t run? Or wouldn’t?” She stepped closer, the light of her energy casting faint shadows across his face. “You let your pride and anger lead you into a fight you couldn’t win. That’s how people die.”
Her words struck him like a blow, but she continued before he could respond.
“Still,” she said, her gaze softening slightly as she studied him, “you survived longer than most would. There’s some potential in you, kid.”
Tianmo’s chest tightened at her words. “Teach me! Teach me how you did that!” he blurted, the desperation in his voice cutting through the air.
The woman raised an eyebrow, folding her arms as she regarded him. She glanced down at his mud-streaked clothes and bloodied knuckles. “You don’t even know what you’re holding. Do you?"
She gestured toward his chest, and Tianmo blinked in confusion.
“The spark in you,” she said, her tone growing serious. “Power like that burns those who don’t respect it. Do you even understand what’s stirring inside you?”
Tianmo shook his head cluelessly, “Nope! Well I feel this strange hum in my chest—but how would you be able to tell that?"
The woman’s lips curving into a faint smile as if amused by his ignorance. “How could I tell?” she repeated, her voice laced with equal parts mockery and curiosity. “It’s as loud as thunder in a silent valley. Even a half-trained fool could sense the Qi surging within you, raw and unrefined.”
Tianmo blinked, his mouth opening to protest, but she raised a hand, silencing him with a flick of her fingers. “The way you moved just now,” she continued, her tone growing colder, “the flutter in your chest that you don’t yet understand, the ripple of energy that lashed out when you struck. All of it screams of someone barely clinging to the reins of power they don’t yet know how to wield.”
Tianmo’s heart nearly burst from his chest, his eyes lighten with stars as her words struck him. “Qi?!” he gasped, his voice rising with a mix of awe and wild disbelief. “You mean I have Qi?! Me?! Are you serious?!” His hands shot to his chest as if expecting to feel it thrumming beneath his skin.
“Then teach me,” he said, his voice firm despite the tremble in his hands. “If I actually have Qi then i'll be able to make a change!”
The woman straightened, her expression unreadable as she studied him. For a moment, the clearing was silent, the weight of her scrutiny pressing down on him like the forest itself was watching. “Meet me at dawn,” she said finally, her tone laced with challenge.
Tianmo blinked, his heart pounding. “Really?!”
She turned and began to walk away. “Only one way to find out.” she called over her shoulder, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.
And with that, she disappeared into the shadows of the forest, leaving Tianmo alone with the faint glow of the fading Qi and the echo of her words seared into his mind.
He stood slowly, his battered body aching, but his resolve burning brighter than ever.
The path back to Blackstone was a blur of pain and exhilaration. Mud clung to Tianmo’s battered frame, and every step sent jolts through his bruised legs and raw knuckles. Yet, the ache was drowned by the fire in his chest.
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As the village came into view, the sight of familiar rooftops and smoke curling lazily from chimneys steadied his uneven breaths. The storm’s aftermath lingered in the muddy streets, but life had resumed. Lanterns flickered faintly in the windows, their warm glow beckoning him home.
When he stepped inside, the sound of Meili’s gasp froze him in place.
“Tianmo!” she exclaimed, rushing toward him. Her sharp eyes scanned his torn clothes and bloodied knuckles, her face tight with worry.
“I’m fine,” Tianmo said quickly, forcing a grin. “You should see the other guy.”
Meili’s hands tightened on his shoulders. “Don’t joke about this! What were you thinking?”
Tianmo winced as she guided him to a chair and began tending to his injuries. Her scolding continued, but her touch was gentle, her concern unshakable.
“You’ll get yourself killed one day!” she yelled, her voice trembling.
Tianmo hesitated, her earlier warnings about strength lingering in his mind. “I won’t, Ma,” he said quietly, his voice steady. “I’ll come back stronger every time!”
Later that night, as the village slept under the faint light of a waning moon, Tianmo stood at the edge of Blackstone. The forest loomed ahead, its shadows deep and endless, but this time, it didn’t feel like an enemy.
He clenched his bruised fists, his eyes narrowing with determination.
“I’ll be there,” he muttered, his voice firm. “No matter what.”
And with that, he stepped forward, disappearing into the misty path as the first hints of dawn crept over the horizon.