The morning sun rose over the small village, casting warm light on the aftermath of the goblin attack. The air was alive with the sound of villagers working—hauling debris, patching homes, and clearing the destruction with grim determination.

Yun Jin and Merlin strolled into the village square, drawing immediate attention. Elder Harun hurried over, his face lighting up with gratitude as he bowed deeply. “Hero! And young mage! Thank you for saving us.”

Yun Jin raised a hand to stop him. “I’ve said this before—I’m no hero. Just Yun Jin.” His sharp gaze softened as he noticed Harun holding out a massive backpack, almost comical in size compared to Merlin’s small frame.

“This belongs to the boy,” Harun said, nodding toward Merlin.

Merlin fidgeted as he took the backpack with a sheepish smile. “Thank you,” he said softly. The weight made him wobble slightly as he slung it over his shoulder.

“What’s all this for?” Yun Jin asked, raising an eyebrow.

Merlin adjusted the strap with a huff. “I was on my way to the magic academy in the imperial city. I stopped here for refuge, but... well, bad luck happened, and the goblins attacked.”

Yun Jin folded his arms, considering this. “The imperial city, huh? Then I’ll go with you. We’ve got a promise to keep—teaching each other, remember?”

Merlin hesitated, glancing at the villagers still working tirelessly. “But... what about the village?” he asked softly, looking to Harun.

Harun sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. “We’ve already faced two dungeon breaks this month,” he admitted. “I think it’s about time we move elsewhere and start fresh.”

Yun Jin tilted his head. “Dungeon breaks?”

Merlin explained, “Dungeons are anomaly rifts that open. To close them, you have to destroy the dungeon core. If you don’t, the monsters inside spill out, and that’s what we call a dungeon break.”

What exactly is a dungeon? Yun Jin wondered. But he pushed the thought aside—he’d recognize one if he saw it. For now, there was something more pressing.

Yun Jin frowned thoughtfully. “Ah, I see. But what about the levels above their heads? You don’t have one. Do I have one?”

“No, I don’t see a level above your head." Merlin shook his head.

“The levels are how you differentiate invaders from natives. My grandfather told me that if you see their level, they’re enemies.”

Yun Jin smirked. “If monsters are the problem... I’ve got an idea.”

He glanced at Merlin and the nearby villagers. “Since I’m planning to teach you breathing techniques, why not teach everyone here too?”

The nearby villagers exchanged puzzled glances. “Breathing techniques? What’s that?” one asked hesitantly.

Yun Jin’s smile widened. “Elder, gather everyone. I’ll explain.”

By midday, nearly thirty villagers had gathered in a cleared space. They whispered among themselves, uncertain why Yun Jin had called them together.

Yun Jin stepped forward, his hands behind his back. Taking a deep breath, he infused qi into his lungs and vocal cords. When he spoke, his voice boomed across the clearing with clarity and power.

“You must be wondering why I’ve called you here.”

The villagers froze, awestruck. “Is that magic?” someone whispered.

“No,” Yun Jin replied, shaking his head. “What I just did wasn’t magic. It was qi. By enhancing my lungs and vocal cords with qi, I amplified my voice.”

“Qi?” another asked hesitantly. “What’s that?”

Yun Jin blinked, briefly taken aback. “You don’t know qi?” He scratched the back of his head. “It’s the energy of life. It flows through everything—your body, the air, the earth. While mana relies on circuits to channel it, qi flows naturally through your body. If you breathe, you have qi.”

“So... it’s like mana?” someone ventured.

“Not quite. Mana uses circuits to shape and direct it. Qi, on the other hand, strengthens and heals naturally. It doesn’t rely on circuits the same way. Let me show you.” Yun Jin focused briefly, generating a small gust of wind that swept past the crowd.

The villagers gasped, their murmurs growing louder. “We can... learn this?” one asked.

Yun Jin nodded. “If you’re willing to try. Breathing is something everyone does naturally. Qi cultivation is the art of refining it.”

He scanned the hesitant faces, then approached Elder Harun. “Elder, breathe in and out.”

Harun hesitated, but he complied. His breaths were shallow and uneven.

“Again,” Yun Jin said, this time infusing a thread of qi into Harun’s body. The qi synchronized with the elder’s breathing, gently guiding his energy flow.

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Harun’s eyes widened as his posture straightened, and his breathing grew strong and steady. Suddenly, he inhaled deeply and exhaled with such force that a gust of wind-swept past. He staggered, his voice trembling.

“The system! I’ve awakened a system!”

The crowd erupted in astonished whispers. “The elder awakened a system!? At his age?”

Villagers rushed forward, bombarding Yun Jin with requests. “Please, hero, help us awaken too!”

--

By evening, every villager present had awakened their system. Though most circuits were weak due to their lineage, their natural physical strength as farmers allowed them to adapt quickly to qi cultivation.

Elder Harun, now brimming with energy, was performing one-handed push-ups with ease. Nearby, an elderly woman carried a massive chunk of wreckage, her strength drawing cheers from the others. The once-devastated village buzzed with renewed vigor as villagers cleared rubble at an astonishing pace.

Yun Jin approached Merlin, who was scribbling furiously into his notebook, muttering about qi flow and energy synchronization.

With a smirk, Yun Jin plucked the notebook from his hands. “Still at it?” he teased.

Merlin jumped up, reaching for it. “Hey! Give it back!”

Yun Jin flipped through the pages, chuckling at the diagrams and notes. “You’ve been trying to figure out my methods this whole time?”

Merlin flushed red, looking away. “It’s fascinating... I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Handing back the notebook, Yun Jin grinned. “It’s your turn now.”

Merlin froze, his heart pounding. “M-my turn?”

“Yep,” Yun Jin said casually. “But your case is tricky. Your body’s fragile from your circuit pulling in more mana than it can handle. We’ll need to take it slow.”

Merlin nodded, determination overcoming his nerves. “What do we do first?”

Yun Jin gestured for him to follow. “First, we find a quiet spot.”

--

Yun Jin gestured for Merlin to follow him out of the village. They soon found a quiet clearing, the faint rustle of leaves and distant chirping of birds providing a calm backdrop. Yun Jin sat cross-legged and motioned for Merlin to do the same.

“Sit here,” Yun Jin instructed. “Close your eyes and focus on your energy. Don’t try to control it—just observe it.”

Merlin hesitated, gripping his staff tightly. “Are you sure this will work?”

Yun Jin smirked. “I wasn’t sure with the villagers either, but everything turned out fine, didn’t it?”

“What?!” Merlin exclaimed, his eyes snapping open.

Yun Jin chuckled, raising a hand to calm him. “Relax. I’ve refined the process now. Trust me.”

Merlin sighed, reluctantly closing his eyes. “Fine...”

Yun Jin positioned himself behind Merlin, sitting close enough to place a steady hand on the boy’s back. Merlin tensed briefly at the contact, shivering slightly, but Yun Jin’s touch was gentle.

Merlin’s skin felt soft and smooth under Yun Jin’s palm, like silk, a sign of good aura circulation.

Then he extended his qi sense, carefully probing Merlin’s body.

His brow furrowed as he encountered something unusual. His yin and yang energies... they’re in perfect balance? That’s... rare. Normally, one side would naturally dominate depending on gender, but Merlin’s equilibrium was unnaturally precise.

Maybe this world works differently, Yun Jin mused, setting the thought aside to focus deeper.

He delved deeper, and what he found shocked him further. Merlin’s internal energy was pristine, clear, and aligned. It resembled the state of a high-level cultivator who had spent decades refining their qi.

This kid’s body is like a natural-born cultivator, Yun Jin thought, astonished. Too natural—it’s almost unnatural.

“Alright,” Yun Jin said aloud, breaking his focus. “Brace yourself. This might feel strange.”

Merlin nodded, his body tense. Yun Jin began channeling his qi, carefully syncing it with Merlin’s fragile circuits. The process started slowly, his qi threading through the boy’s body like a gentle stream.

Then, suddenly, a spark ignited within Merlin’s core. Yun Jin’s eyes widened.

One cycle... and his qi has already awakened? Yun Jin's lips curled into a faint smile.

Let’s see how far we can go!

He guided Merlin through more cycles. Ten became a hundred, then five hundred. Each one refined and strengthened Merlin’s energy flow.

As the cycles continued, the air around them began to change. Leaves rustled, and a faint wind swirled around the clearing. The ground cracked under the growing pressure, and Merlin’s breathing deepened as his reserves expanded rapidly.

Yun Jin didn’t stop. He pushed Merlin further, guiding him through a thousand cycles. The clearing trembled under the sheer energy, as if a storm had descended.

Merlin’s body trembled, his face pale and glistening with sweat. Finally, he coughed violently, his breathing breaking the flow.

“That’s enough,” Yun Jin said firmly, withdrawing his qi. “You’ve reached your limit.”

Merlin gasped for air, his chest heaving. He looked around, his eyes widening in disbelief. The clearing was in disarray—grass uprooted, leaves scattered, and the earth cracked and scorched from the energy storm.

“I... I did all this?” Merlin whispered, his voice trembling.

“You did,” Yun Jin said, his tone even.

Merlin closed his eyes, focusing inward. A newfound sensation coursed through him—his veins and reserve felt larger, and stronger.

“I got a D-rank skill!” Merlin exclaimed, his voice breaking with excitement. “The effect... is this what qi is? It’s incredible!” He clenched his fists, his expression glowing with awe. “I really wish I could tell Grandpa about this. He’d be thrilled!”

Yun Jin smirked. “Well, you’ll have plenty of time to practice. Let’s see what you can do once you’re fully recovered.”

--

Merlin nodded eagerly, but before he could respond, a murmur of voices interrupted them. Both turned to see a crowd of villagers gathering at the edge of the clearing.

The elder stepped forward, his expression a mix of awe and embarrassment. “We saw the whirlwind forming and rushed here,” he explained. “When we saw your training, we... copied the technique.”

He bowed deeply. “I hope you’re not angry, Mister Yun Jin."

For a moment, Yun Jin stared at them, his expression unreadable. Then he threw his head back and laughed, startling everyone.

“Angry? Why would I be angry?” Yun Jin said, his voice warm. “If you’re willing to learn, I’ll teach you properly. What you’ve seen so far is just the basics.”

The villagers exchanged surprised glances, then broke into relieved smiles.

Yun Jin stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the eager faces. A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he drew his sword.

“Now... have any of you ever heard of the Wudang Sword Technique?”