Jon panted heavily. Bodies littered the muddy ground, their blood mixing with the rain-soaked earth. Limbs twisted at unnatural angles. Weapons lay scattered, useless now to their fallen owners.
"Fuck," he spat, wiping blood from his face.
Thunder boomed overhead. The sky erupted in a dazzling, terrifying display. Thousands of lightning bolts split the darkness, illuminating the carnage below in stark, electric-blue flashes.
A silver-haired man materialized from the shadows, his long black robes untouched by the grime of battle. "Your spirit beast is quite fierce," he intoned. "But he won't save you this time." He produced an ornate pipe, lighting it with with a snap of his fingers.
Jon, battered and bruised, managed a cocky grin. "Nice patch. Fashion statement or battle souvenir?"
The man's visible eye narrowed dangerously. Smoke curled from his nostrils as he slowly drew his sword.
"Oh, did I touch a nerve?" Jon taunted. "What are you gonna do, poke me with that toothpick?"
"Any last words, whelp?"
Jon spat blood. "Yeah. Go fuck yourself."
The man's blade flashed, cutting through the rain-
Okay, okay. I know what you're thinking. Very dramatic, right? Sorry for breaking the immersion. You're also probably wondering what in the nine hells is going on here. Maybe we should pump the brakes and explain how we got to this decidedly sticky situation in the first place. Because, let's face it, some of you are probably more lost than a cultivator in a tech store. Jon sure is.
This whole mess started three days ago...
The morning arrived fast enough in the mountain. As the first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, Jon found himself reflecting on the wealth of information his visitors had shared with him through the night.
Firstly, Wei Long was a disciple of Huo Zheng. This revelation brought a sense of relief to Jon, as Huo Zheng had instructed him to seek out Wei Long if he ever reached Hainan. It was a connection, a lifeline in this unfamiliar world.
Secondly, and perhaps most alarmingly, Hainan was not safe. Not by a long shot.
Recent months had seen an uptick in mysterious activities, leading to increased patrols by the empire's army. Jon couldn't help but feel a twinge of gratitude for his initial caution. Had he rushed headlong into Hainan, he might have found himself in chains - or worse.
The third revelation hit Jon like a ton of bricks. According to Master Tianshi, Jon, the otherwordler, had become the most sought-after individual on the entire continent. The empire, the orthodox faction, the unorthodox faction - they were all looking for him.
The saving grace, if you could call it that, was their lack of concrete information. They didn't know what he looked like, what he sounded like, or even if he was still alive. Still, the knowledge that countless cultivators were hunting for him - and not necessarily with good intentions - felt quite alarming.
As the weight of these revelations settled on his shoulders, Jon found himself doing what most people going through the hardest times of their lives did. He pulled out his phone, put on his headphone, and simply listened to music. The familiar melodies washed over him, a small comfort in a world that seemed to grow more dangerous and complex by the minute.
And then, you know that moment when a song is about to reach its best part and your emotions are at their peak? Well, just as the chorus was about to hit, right when Jon's feels were at maximum capacity...
The music cut out. Screen went black. Phone dead.
"Ah, for God's sake."
This was the best part of the song, and he made it his purpose to hear it to the end, and so, Jon decided he would make a phone charger today.
*****
The monk Tianshi and Wei Long had left early in the morning, heading to a place called the Whispering Jade Valley. Han, for reasons known only to himself, had given Jon a day off. The old man's eyes seemed distant, his usual gruff demeanor tinged with an unfamiliar melancholy.
With unexpected free time on his hands, Jon decided to split his day between training and a bit of problem-solving. As he went through his forms, a nagging thought kept creeping back: how the hell do you charge a phone in a xianxia world?
He sat down, thinking about the components he'd need. Copper wire, for starters. Some kind of dynamo or generator. Maybe he could rig up something with cultivator energy? He'd need a voltage regulator too, unless he wanted to fry his only link to home.
Jon decided to head to the marketplace. He knew he'd have to be careful, though. Liang Zhi frequented these parts, and the last thing Jon needed was another run-in with the young man.
The marketplace was full of with activity and Jon walked through the crowd, eyes darting around for any sign of Liang Zhi.
"Excuse me," he asked a wrinkled old woman selling trinkets, "where might I find metal sellers?"
She pointed towards a row of grimy stalls near the edge of the market. Jon nodded his thanks and made his way there, still on high alert for any familiar faces.
Lost in thought, he didn't notice the tall figure until it was too late. Jon collided with a solid chest, stumbling back a step.
"Sorry, I wasn't-" he began, looking up.
The man before him was striking - tall, well-built, with stark white hair and an eyepatch over his left eye. Despite Jon's clumsiness, the stranger's expression remained calm, almost serene.
"No harm done," the man said, his voice deep and surprisingly gentle. "Please, carry on."
They parted ways, the white-haired stranger melting into the crowd. Jon couldn't help but glance back, a nagging feeling in his gut.
He'd never seen that guy around before.
Jon hoped he wasn't a cultivator, though he hadn't detected any telltale signs of qi or spiritual energy. Then again, that was the most cliché thing in xianxia stories, wasn't it? Mysterious strangers with no detectable power.
The man's appearance was suspicious as hell. He could be a protagonist or an antagonist straight out of a cultivation novel. Jon shook his head. He didn't want to find out which.
He finally spotted the blacksmith's shop, a sturdy structure with smoke billowing from its chimney. The rhythmic clanging of metal on metal guided him to the entrance.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Inside, the air was thick with heat and the scent of hot metal. A burly man hammered away at an anvil while a younger apprentice stoked the forge.
"Excuse me," Jon called out, raising his voice over the din. "I'm looking to buy some metal, specifically copper if you have it."
The apprentice wiped his brow and nodded. "We've got some copper scraps from recent work. How much do you need?"
Luck was on Jon's side. He purchased a decent amount, already planning how he'd fashion it into wire.
As he stepped out of the shop, a familiar face caught his eye. Bao stood nearby, lips pursed in an exaggerated pout.
Jon couldn't help but smile. "What's wrong, little man?"
Bao's frown deepened. "Uncle Jon didn't give me the money he promised."
The memory hit Jon like a ton of bricks. He had indeed promised the boy something for his silence. "Ah, right. How much was it again?"
Bao's eyes lit up. He hesitated, then said, "Forty... no, fifty copper coins!"
Jon laughed, seeing right through the obvious lie. Still, he decided to play along. Reaching into his pouch, he pulled out seventy copper coins.
"Here you go," he said, dropping them into Bao's eager hands. "Buy something for your friends too."
Bao's eyes went wide as saucers. He let out a whoop of joy, bouncing on his toes. "Thank you, Uncle Jon! You're the best!"
Jon ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. "Just remember our deal, okay?"
Bao nodded vigorously, already eyeing a nearby candy stall.
With a final pat on Bao's head, Jon turned and began the trek back to the mountain.
*****
Jon sat cross-legged on the mountain, the copper he'd turned into thick wire coiled beside him as well as a few potatoes he bought earlier.
He was trying to connect the dots between the modern technology he knew and the mystical energy that permeated this world. How could he create a generator using only what was available to him here?
He closed his eyes, recalling the lessons Han had taught him about qi manipulation. The old master had demonstrated how to transform qi into elemental energies - fire, water, earth, and air. But electricity? That was uncharted territory.
Still, the principle had to be similar. Jon took a deep breath, focusing on the energy flowing through his body.
He remembered Han's words: "Qi is the foundation of all things. It can become anything, if you understand its nature and your own."
Jon concentrated, trying to visualize electricity. Crackling bolts of lightning, the hum of power lines, the static shock of a doorknob on a dry day. He attempted to shape his qi into these forms, but it slipped away like water through his fingers.
Hours passed. Sweat beaded on Jon's forehead as he struggled to manipulate his energy. Frustration mounted, but he pushed it aside. Patience was key in cultivation, Han always said.
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks, Jon had a realization. He'd been thinking about electricity all wrong. In this world, energy wasn't just about electrons and protons. It was about intention, about the fundamental forces that governed the universe.
He shifted his focus, no longer trying to recreate electricity as he knew it. Instead, he imagined the essence of what electricity did. The flow of energy, the transfer of power from one point to another. He visualized his qi as a stream of pure potential, ready to be shaped into whatever form was needed.
Slowly, painstakingly, Jon felt something change within him. His qi began to move differently, no longer just circulating through his body but extending outward. He opened his eyes, gasping as he saw faint blue sparks dancing around his fingertips.
Excitement surged through him, but he forced himself to remain calm. Losing focus now could undo all his progress. With trembling hands, he reached for the copper wire.
The moment his fingers touched the metal, he felt a connection form. It was as if the wire had become an extension of himself, a conduit for this new, transformed qi. Jon concentrated, pushing the energy down the length of the wire.
To his amazement, the far end of the wire began to glow faintly. It wasn't much, but it was undeniably there - a tiny spark of cultivator-generated electricity.
Jon laughed out loud, the sound echoing across the mountain. He'd done it! Well, sort of. It was a far cry from a proper generator, but it was a start.
As his excitement faded, Jon realized how drained he felt. This small feat had taken an enormous amount of energy. He'd need to practice, to refine his technique until he could produce a steady, usable current.
Invigorated by his initial success, he decided to refine his technique immediately.
He realized that flooding the wire with qi was inefficient and potentially dangerous. Instead, he focused on molding tiny particles of qi, manipulating them one by one with precise control.
This new approach proved to be far more energy-efficient. Jon could maintain the flow for much longer without feeling drained. However, the electrical output was notably weaker. He needed to find the right balance between power and sustainability.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Jon decided to test the output directly. He gingerly touched the end of the wire with his fingertip. A sharp zing jolted through his hand, making him yelp and drop the wire. "Okay, definitely producing something," he muttered, shaking out his tingling fingers.
He grabbed one of the potatoes and set up a simple circuit, inserting two copper wires into it. This would serve as a crude conductivity test and help him visualize the electrical flow.
Jon connected his qi-infused wire to the potato setup and began channeling energy. At first, nothing happened. Gradually, he increased the flow of qi. Suddenly, there was a sizzling sound, and the potato began to smoke. The copper wire glowed red-hot, and the acrid smell of burnt starch filled the air.
"Too much power," Jon muttered, quickly cutting off the flow. He examined the charred potato, his mind racing. He knew his phone required a 5V, 1A input for optimal charging – information he'd noted when purchasing it. But how could he possibly measure or control his output to match those specifications?
Jon realized he was working blind. Without modern measuring tools, he had no way to accurately gauge the voltage he was producing. He'd have to rely on observation and deduction to estimate his output.
Setting up another potato, Jon began again, this time with a more cautious approach. He started with a very low qi output, gradually increasing it while closely observing the potato and wire. He noted the point at which tiny bubbles began forming around the wire insertions – a sign of electrolysis beginning to occur. This gave him a rough lower bound for his voltage.
As he increased the power, he watched for signs of the wire heating up, indicating too much current. He also paid close attention to the potato itself, noting how quickly it began to break down under different levels of electrical stress.
Hours passed as Jon experimented, adjusting his qi output and observing the results. He went through several potatoes, each attempt getting him closer to understanding the relationship between his qi manipulation and the resulting electrical output.
Eventually, Jon felt confident enough to test on his actual target – his phone. With trepidation, he connected his qi-infused wire to the charging port. Starting with what he believed to be a low output, he gradually increased the power until the charging symbol appeared on the screen.
This gave Jon a crucial reference point. He knew he was producing at least enough voltage to activate the phone's charging circuit, but was it too much? He carefully increased the power, watching for any signs of the phone overheating or the battery swelling.
Through this process of cautious experimentation and keen observation, Jon began to develop a sense of what "felt" like the right amount of power. He couldn't be certain it was exactly 5V, but he could estimate when he was in the right range based on the phone's response and the lack of any alarming symptoms.
As the night wore on, Jon's control grew more precise. He found he could maintain a steady output that kept his phone charging without any signs of distress. It was far from a perfect solution – he still had no way to measure the actual voltage or current – but it was a significant step forward.
He kept at it, pushing himself to understand qi in a way he never had before. As he worked with the wire and his phone, something clicked. Jon's eyes went wide. Qi wasn't just energy - it was everything
Sure, Han had made sure to tell him that a hundred times over, but knowing something and really getting it are two different things.
The wire, the air, his own body - all of it was qi, just in different shapes.
Suddenly, Jon felt a rush. His whole body tingled, like he was touching a live wire, but way more intense. The world around him seemed to light up, showing him things he'd never seen before.
In his mind, Jon saw qi flowing everywhere. It wasn't just some mystical force - it was tied to the laws of physics he knew so well. Electricity, magnetism, even gravity - they were all part of qi.
His heart raced as he realized he could control it all. With a thought, he could change qi from energy to matter and back again. It was like he'd found the code to the universe, and now he could rewrite it.
The rush got stronger. Jon felt like he was about to burst. Then, with a boom that shook his bones, something inside him changed. It was like breaking through a wall he didn't know was there.
Jon opened his eyes. Sunlight streamed through the window, and he could hear birds singing outside. Big Dawg's bark echoed in the distance. How long had he been out?
His eyes darted to his phone. The screen glowed back at him: 100% charged.
"Hell yeah," Jon said, grinning from ear to ear.