Qi.

What was Qi?

Energy?

A form of it, yes, but not entirely.

Life force?

Yes, but more.

Elements?

Yes, but more.

Laws?

Yes—and more.

What the hell is it?

All of the above—and more.

Huh?

Indeed, Qi in this world is Reality.

What the hell does that even mean?

Yeah, Qi is everything. We just perceive it as energy because that’s merely a fraction of its true nature. When someone ‘refines’ their body with Qi, they are refining themselves with the very essence of the world itself.

That sounds... powerful.

It is. Now, imagine—how powerful do you think someone who can manipulate and embody Qi entirely within their being would be?

Wouldn’t that make them a... God?

Exactly. A God.

- The Predecessor to his student

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Xia Longwei stood silently, listening to Ling Xuan's declaration, his expression shifting from a clear frown to a smile.

Without hesitation, Ling Xuan charged at him.

BANG!

The sound of Ling Xuan's fist connecting with Xia Longwei reverberated through the soundless void, pushing Xia Longwei back. He staggered momentarily before regaining his stance.

"Good," Xia Longwei remarked, gripping Ling Xuan's hand tightly and yanking him forward into a counterattack. His fist collided with Ling Xuan’s torso, the impact like a crashing truck—though the actual force behind it was far beyond comprehension. Ling Xuan briefly flinched, the sheer power causing a momentary lapse.

Wasting no time, Xia Longwei pressed the advantage. His right hand began to shimmer, transforming into a radiant star. In a swift motion, he slammed it into Ling Xuan's chest.

"Explode!" Xia Longwei commanded.

Ling Xuan's body erupted in a violent detonation, the force hurling him downward. His form spiralled uncontrollably as he plummeted into the Endless Sea below.

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Xia Longwei pursued Ling Xuan as his left hand morphed into a crimson whirlpool, stretching out into the form of a beast’s gaping maw, hurtling toward his foe. Both fighters were submerged into the depths of the Endless Sea, where a sudden blast erupted as Ling Xuan struck back out of nowhere, his fists crackling with crimson light. His blow shattered the beast’s maw, causing it to dissipate into nothingness.

In that instant, Ling Xuan felt a surge within—two more meridians had formed inside him.

Xia Longwei frowned, clearly displeased. Opening his mouth, he unleashed a black swarm of insects that poured forth, swarming toward Ling Xuan.

“What the hell are you doing, Xia Longwei?” Ling Xuan shouted, his fist obliterating the insects in a single sweep. “Come on! Fight me yourself!” His voice dripped with provocation.

Xia Longwei’s lips curled into a cold smile. Without hesitation, he appeared before Ling Xuan in a flash and threw a punch.

“Very well!” Xia Longwei muttered, his fist connecting with Ling Xuan, causing him to cough up Qi. Yet this time, Ling Xuan remained firm, his body withstanding the blow. Without missing a beat, he counterattacked with a punch of his own.

BANG!

The force of Ling Xuan’s strike sent Xia Longwei soaring upward into the Transcendent Sky. Ling Xuan, not letting up, teleported instantly to follow and delivered a powerful kick, aiming to continue the relentless assault.

Xia Longwei reacted swiftly, grabbing Ling Xuan's leg mid-kick and hurling him away with immense force. Before Ling Xuan could regain his footing, Xia Longwei teleported in front of him and delivered a brutal fist to his chest, sending him flying once more. Each time Ling Xuan was knocked back, Xia Longwei appeared instantly, continuing his relentless barrage of attacks.

The speed of Xia Longwei’s onslaught left Ling Xuan unable to mount a proper defense, let alone counterattack. To any onlooker, it appeared as though Xia Longwei had the upper hand, but inside, Xia Longwei felt a growing unease.

Each punch he landed felt... different. What once felt like striking soft flesh now felt increasingly rigid, like hitting wood instead of something weaker. His blows, once devastating, were losing their effectiveness. Each strike seemed to do less damage, and Xia Longwei knew what that meant.

Ling Xuan was growing stronger.

Indeed, with every passing second, Ling Xuan’s body forged more meridians, the total now reaching 290 and rising.

"I have to end this, fast!" Xia Longwei thought urgently. He understood that soon, Ling Xuan would be able to not just resist his attacks but counter them. Eventually, if this continued, Ling Xuan would surpass him. Dominate him.

And Xia Longwei couldn't allow that to happen.

"Tell me, Xia Longwei," Ling Xuan asked, even as he endured the relentless barrage of attacks. "Why do you still fight? Your goal is complete. You've forged the perfect bloodline and surpassed even the Dragons, becoming the greatest Mythical Beast. So, why continue?"

Xia Longwei's eyes burned with fury as he lashed out again. "How can I be the greatest when you still exist?" he snarled, his arms tearing Ling Xuan's head apart as his body erupted into flames.

Yet, the severed head of Ling Xuan merely chuckled. Even as his burning body sprouted a new head, the original exploded. "You'll have to try harder than tha—"

Before Ling Xuan could finish, Xia Longwei obliterated him with a single punch, turning his entire body to dust.

"What were you saying!?" Xia Longwei demanded.

As expected, Ling Xuan's form reformed once more, his voice calm and almost amused. "My meridians have been engraved into Existence itself," he explained, offering a grim smile. "If you want to kill me, Xia Longwei, you'll have to erase those first."

Xia Longwei grinned at Ling Xuan's words, gripping the area beside him. The world began to tremble as he tore apart the Void, flinging pieces of it towards Ling Xuan. "Let’s see if you can withstand inexistence!"

Just as the fragments of Void hurtled towards him, Ling Xuan heard Urizen's voice echo in his mind. “Inexistence? This?”

Everything seemed to freeze, and Ling Xuan felt an immense presence watching him.

The faint sound of jingling bells filled the air as a figure stepped forward, positioning themselves between Ling Xuan and the oncoming Void. They raised their hand and, with a commanding voice, roared.

"Begone!"

Instantly the fragments of Void disintegrated into nothingness.

“You!?” Xia Longwei and Ling Xuan exclaimed in unison.

The figure before them was draped in intricate jewellery, their appearance a blend of masculine and feminine. Their right eye shimmered with the metallic gleam of silver, while their left dazzled with the crimson glow of blood. It was The Maitreya.