Xu Wang woke to the faint glow of dawn filtering through his window. Every muscle in his body ached from the brutal training, but as he flexed his fingers, he felt something different—a solidity in his stance, a quiet power humming beneath his skin.

  He opened his system window.

  [Mudhara Qi: 25% Proficiency]

  Not enough.

  The mission demanded he reach the advanced level, and he was barely scratching the surface.

  With a deep breath, he sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, shutting his eyes. He could still feel the raw energy of Mudhara Qi—deep, grounded, and primal. It was the foundation of his strength, the root of all cultivation.

  But he needed more.

  ---

  Mei Ling’s Recovery

  Across the Sun Cn compound, Mei Ling sat in quiet meditation within a chamber bathed in golden light. Her injuries from the st battle had healed, but her Anahata Core remained fragile.

  She pced a hand over her chest, feeling the faint pulse of her Qi.

  "It’s still weak…" she murmured.

  Zhu Sun’s teachings had instilled in her the necessity of bance—heart and will, compassion and power—but right now, she was unstable.

  She inhaled, drawing in the energy around her, letting it flow through her heart chakra. Green light shimmered faintly around her, but it was thin and flickering, like a candle in the wind.

  Her mind drifted back to Xu Wang.

  She remembered the intensity in his eyes during their fight. The way he protected those he cared for, the way he refused to back down.

  A small smile touched her lips.

  "I need to be stronger too," she whispered.

  ---

  The Road to Mastery

  Xu Wang stood at the edge of the training ground, facing Yang Shen once again. The sun had risen fully, casting long shadows over the stone courtyard.

  “You’re back,” Yang Shen said, arms crossed. “Good. I was worried you’d be too sore to move.”

  Xu Wang rolled his shoulders, shaking off the stiffness. “I don’t have time to rest.”

  Yang Shen smirked. “That’s the spirit. Let’s see how much you’ve improved.”

  He took his stance, and Xu Wang followed.

  The moment the fight began, Xu felt the difference.

  Yang Shen struck first—his movements were fluid, precise, each attack aimed to exploit a weakness. But this time, Xu Wang didn’t just react—he anticipated.

  He braced his stance, grounding himself deep into the earth, and when Yang Shen’s fist came flying toward him, he didn’t dodge.

  He met it head-on.

  A shockwave burst between them as their fists collided.

  Xu Wang felt a rush of energy surge through his legs, up his spine, and into his arms. His entire body acted as a conduit, channeling Mudhara Qi into his strike.

  Yang Shen was pushed back.

  For the first time, he staggered.

  Xu Wang exhaled slowly, his eyes gleaming. “I see now. Mudhara Qi isn’t just about strength. It’s about foundation. Stability.”

  Yang Shen grinned. “Now you’re getting it.”

  But he wasn’t done yet.

  In a blink, Yang Shen unched forward with blistering speed. Xu Wang barely had time to register the movement before a crushing blow nded on his ribs.

  CRACK.

  Xu gasped, pain exploding through his torso. He staggered back, nearly dropping to one knee.

  Yang Shen didn’t relent.

  “Your foundation is solid,” he said, “but you still rely on brute force. If you can’t flow, you’ll always be predictable.”

  Xu Wang wiped the blood from his lip. Flow?

  He forced himself to focus. To listen.

  Yang Shen attacked again, his movements sharper, faster. Xu Wang’s body moved instinctively, but this time, instead of blocking head-on, he let himself bend with the force.

  Instead of resisting the impact, he absorbed it. Redirected it.

  Yang Shen’s fist missed by a fraction, and in that moment, Xu Wang twisted his body, pnting his foot firmly into the ground—

  And countered with an upward strike.

  His fist crashed into Yang Shen’s ribs.

  For the first time, Yang Shen let out a grunt of pain.

  Xu Wang grinned. “I’m learning.”

  [Mudhara Qi: 40% Proficiency]

  ---

  Message from the System

  As the fight ended, Xu Wang colpsed onto the ground, panting heavily.

  Yang Shen chuckled, wiping sweat from his brow. “Not bad. You’re adapting quickly.”

  Xu Wang pulled up his system window.

  [Mission Progress: Mudhara Qi – 40%]

  Still not enough.

  As he watched the interface, another notification appeared.

  [New Mission Unlocked: Overcome the Trial of Earth]

  Xu Wang’s heartbeat quickened.

  “Trial of Earth?” he murmured.

  Before he could dwell on it, a familiar voice called out.

  “Xu Wang.”

  He turned to see Zhu sun standing at the courtyard entrance.

  The Sun Cn leader gazed at him with a knowing expression. “Come with me. It’s time you learned the true nature of your Qi.”

  Xu Wang exchanged a gnce with Yang Shen before nodding.

  The path ahead was only getting more dangerous.

  ---

  A Night of Unrest

  Elsewhere, Yang Rui y on her bed, the events of the day still burning in her mind.

  Or rather, one specific moment.

  She pulled the bnket over her head, her face heating up as she recalled the scene from the street.

  Xu Wang and Wang Li…

  Her heart pounded.

  “What am I even thinking?” she muttered, rolling onto her side.

  But no matter how hard she tried, the image wouldn’t leave her mind.

  And deep down, she knew—

  Something inside her was changing.

  ---

  To be continued........