The forest clearing was quiet, lit only by shafts of golden sunlight piercing the leaves above. In its center stood a young boy, muscles trembling, sweat rolling down his brow. His name was Yuan Fei.
Li Xuan watched from the side, arms crossed, gaze stern but proud. The boy had come far—scrappy, malnourished, and wild when they'd first met—but now his qi pulsed steadily. Not fierce or refined, but present. Alive.
With a final grunt, Yuan Fei completed the final motion of the Moonlight Forging Body Technique. A soft ripple surged through his limbs, and for a breathless moment, the clearing stilled. Then—
Boom.
The sound was internal—a small explosion of qi and marrow. Li Xuan nodded.
"Congratulations. You've stepped into the Ninth Level of Body Refinement."
Yuan Fei collapsed, grinning. "Does… this mean I'm ready for Qi Refinement?"
Li Xuan knelt beside him, placing two fingers on the boy's wrist. "Not yet. But you're close. Your foundation is firm. We'll begin refining your qi channels tomorrow. If you rush it, you'll regret it for life."
Yuan Fei sobered immediately. "Yes, Master."
Li Xuan stood, turning his gaze toward the forest canopy. "Before that… you must learn to breathe with the forest. Qi is not something you control—it is something you harmonize with."
And so their training continued. Between beast hunts, herb gathering, and meditation under moonlight, Li Xuan slowly guided Yuan Fei forward. The bond between them deepened—more than teacher and student, it was almost familial. Yuan Fei had never known his parents. Li Xuan, cast aside by his own family, now found purpose in lifting another.
Unseen by either of them, the Starling Phoenix circled above, its gaze protective.
Beneath the full moon, the secluded training glade buzzed with anticipation. Li Xuan sat cross-legged, forming hand seals with serene precision. Around him, an intricate formation pulsed with silvery light—eight spirit stones positioned along a carved circle, with Yuan Fei resting at its center.
The boy's breath was steady, but excitement trembled in his fingers. He had trained relentlessly—enduring cold river meditations, beast hunts, and endless drills under moonlight. Now, the time had come to cross the threshold into Qi Refinement.
Li Xuan's voice was calm, but firm. "This is not like the Body stages. You're no longer tempering flesh—you're kindling the spirit. Let your breath slow. Feel the natural qi around you… Draw it in gently."
Yuan Fei obeyed, closing his eyes. He felt the night's cool qi brushing against his skin, guided by the formation's gentle pull. Then, like a river trickling into a basin, it began to seep inward.
Li Xuan placed a refined Moon Marrow Pill beside Yuan Fei. "Swallow this once your dantian begins to stir. It will fortify the newly-formed pathways. If you feel pain, let it pass—do not resist."
The process began slowly. Yuan Fei's dantian, dormant until now, quivered as the first strands of spiritual qi spiraled into it. A faint glow rose from his abdomen. He grit his teeth, sweat beading along his brow.
Li Xuan's gaze sharpened. He extended a stream of stabilized qi into the formation, helping Yuan Fei regulate the surging flow. "Steady your heart. Shape the qi, do not chase it. Visualize the moon reflecting on a still pond."
Minutes stretched into hours.
Then, a shift.
With a low rumble, Yuan Fei's body lit from within, threads of silver-blue light racing across his meridians. The glade seemed to hush, the trees bowing in recognition of his passage.
He's done it, Li Xuan thought, lips curving slightly. The first step is taken.
Yuan Fei opened his eyes, wide with wonder. "I feel… light. Alive in every breath."
Li Xuan nodded. "Welcome to the first level of Qi Refinement. But remember, this is only the beginning. True cultivation starts now."
Just then, the Starling Phoenix let out a sharp cry from the treetops—a warning.
Li Xuan stood slowly. "We'll speak more in the morning. For now… stay alert. Something stirs beyond the glade."
–‐–‐