The morning sun rose over the small village, its warm light revealing the aftermath of the goblin attack. Everywhere, villagers worked with grim determination, hauling debris, patching homes, and clearing what remained of their lives.

  Yun Jin and Merlin walked into the village square, quickly drawing a crowd. Elder Harun hurried over, gratitude shining on his face as he bowed. “Hero! And young mage! Thank you for saving us.”

  Yun Jin raised a hand. “I’ve said before—I’m no hero. Just Yun Jin.” His gaze shifted to the large backpack Harun held out, nearly dwarfing Merlin’s slight frame.

  “This belongs to the boy,” Harun said, offering it to Merlin.

  Merlin accepted it with a sheepish smile. “Thank you,” he murmured. The weight made him wobble as he slung it over his shoulder.

  “What’s all that for?” Yun Jin asked, raising a brow.

  Merlin adjusted the strap. “I was on my way to the magic academy in the Imperial City. I stopped here for refuge, but... bad luck happened, and the goblins attacked.”

  Yun Jin considered him. “The Imperial City, huh? Then I’ll go with you. We made a promise—to teach each other.”

  Merlin hesitated, glancing at the villagers still laboring. “But… what about the village?”

  Harun sighed, shoulders sagging. “We’ve already had two dungeon breaks this month,” he admitted. “It may be time for us to move on and start over.”

  Yun Jin tilted his head. “Dungeon breaks?”

  Merlin explained, “Dungeons are anomalous rifts. You have to destroy the dungeon core to close them—otherwise, the monsters inside spill out.”

  A question tugged at Yun Jin’s mind, but he set it aside. More pressing matters required his attention.

  “Right,” Yun Jin said, frowning thoughtfully. “But what about those levels above their heads? You don’t have one. Do I?”

  Merlin shook his head. “No, you don’t. My grandfather said if you see a level, they’re invaders or enemies.”

  Yun Jin smirked. “If monsters are the problem, I’ve got an idea.” He glanced at Merlin and the villagers. “Since I’m teaching you breathing techniques, let’s show everyone.”

  Nearby villagers exchanged confused looks. “Breathing techniques?” one asked.

  “Elder, gather everyone,” Yun Jin said, smiling. “I’ll explain.”

  By midday, almost thirty villagers had gathered in a cleared space, whispering nervously. Yun Jin stepped forward, hands clasped behind him. Taking a deep breath, he channeled qi into his lungs and vocal cords. His voice resonated across the clearing:

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

  Startled gasps rose. “Is that magic?” someone whispered.

  “No,” Yun Jin said. “It’s qi. By enhancing my lungs and vocal cords, I amplified my voice.”

  “Qi?” another asked. “What’s that?”

  Yun Jin paused. “It’s the energy of life, flowing through your body, the air, and the earth. Mana relies on circuits to channel it, but qi is natural. If you breathe, you have qi.”

  A few villagers exchanged puzzled glances. “So… it’s like mana?” someone ventured.

  “Not exactly. Mana’s shaped by circuits; qi strengthens and heals on its own. Let me show you.” Yun Jin focused, generating a small gust of wind that swept past them.

  They gasped, excitement sparking in their eyes. “We can learn this, too?”

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  Yun Jin nodded. “If you’re willing. Breathing is natural; qi cultivation is about refining it.”

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

  Harun tried, his breaths shallow. “Again,” Yun Jin said, this time sending a thread of qi into Harun’s body. Harun straightened, his breathing growing powerful. Suddenly, he inhaled deeply and exhaled with such force that a gust of wind rippled through the clearing. He staggered, trembling.

  “The system! I’ve awakened a system!” he cried.

  A flurry of excited whispers rippled through the crowd. “The elder awakened a system at his age?”

  Villagers rushed forward. “Please, hero, help us awaken too!”

  By evening, everyone present had awakened some aspect of a system.

  Though most had modest circuits, their farmer-honed strength let them adapt quickly to qi cultivation. Elder Harun, now full of energy, did one-handed push-ups while an elderly woman effortlessly hefted a chunk of wreckage.

  Yun Jin approached Merlin, who scribbled furiously in a notebook. “Still at it?” Yun Jin teased, snatching the pages.

  Merlin jumped. “Hey! Give it back!”

  Yun Jin flipped through the diagrams. “You’ve been trying to figure out my methods?”

  Merlin’s cheeks reddened. “It’s fascinating… I’ve never seen anything like this.”

  Handing the notebook back, Yun Jin grinned. “Your turn, now.”

  Merlin froze. “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 you can handle. We’ll take it slow.”

  Merlin nodded, taking a calming breath. “What do we do first?”

  Yun Jin gestured for him to follow. “We find a quiet spot.”

  They left the village, settling in a peaceful clearing where leaves rustled and birds chirped. Yun Jin sat cross-legged and motioned for Merlin to do the same.

  “Sit here,” he instructed. “Close your eyes and sense your energy. Don’t force it—just observe.”

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

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

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

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

  Merlin exhaled shakily, closing his eyes. Yun Jin moved behind him, placing a steady hand on the boy’s back. Merlin tensed briefly, then relaxed under Yun Jin’s gentle touch.

  Yun Jin extended his qi sense, scanning Merlin’s inner energies. He was surprised to find Merlin’s yin and yang remarkably balanced, his internal flow almost unnaturally pristine—like a cultivator who had spent decades refining himself.

  “Incredible,” Yun Jin muttered. Aloud, he said, “Brace yourself. This might feel strange.”

  Merlin nodded, muscles taut. Yun Jin began channeling qi, synchronizing it with Merlin’s fragile circuits. At first, it was a gentle trickle. Then a spark flared within Merlin’s core.

  Yun Jin’s eyes widened. One cycle… and his qi has awakened? A faint smile tugged at his lips. Let’s push further.

  He guided Merlin through more cycles—ten, fifty, a hundred. The air around them stirred, leaves rustling, ground cracking beneath their feet. Merlin’s breathing grew deeper, his reserves expanding.

  Yun Jin pressed on, aiming for a thousand cycles. A faint tremor rattled the clearing, as though a storm brewed in miniature. At last, Merlin coughed violently, sweat pouring down his face. “Enough,” Yun Jin said, easing back. “You’ve hit your limit.”

  Merlin gasped, eyes wide as he surveyed the upheaval in the clearing—uprooted grass, scattered leaves, and scorched earth. “I… I did all this?”

  “You did,” Yun Jin affirmed.

  Merlin closed his eyes, feeling the raw strength coursing through him. “I got a D-rank skill,” he said breathlessly, excitement in his voice. “Is this qi’s effect? It’s amazing! I wish Grandpa could see this.”

  Yun Jin smirked. “You’ll have time to practice once you’re fully recovered.”

  Before Merlin could respond, a murmur of voices made them look up. A crowd of villagers stood at the clearing’s edge, eyes wide.

  Elder Harun stepped forward, half awed, half embarrassed. “We saw the whirlwind and rushed over. We tried copying your technique—apologies if we intruded.”

  He bowed deeply. “We hope you’re not angry, Mister Yun Jin.”

  For a moment, Yun Jin merely studied them, expression unreadable. Then he burst into laughter, startling everyone. “Angry? Why would I be? If you’re eager to learn, I’ll teach you properly. What you’ve seen is just the basics.”

  Relieved smiles broke out among the villagers.

  Yun Jin swept his gaze across their faces, a faint smirk forming as he drew his sword.

  “Now… has anyone here ever heard of the Wudang Sword Technique?”