She could sense the fine threads of light above her head resonating faintly with the Spiritual Power in the surrounding air. She could perceive the positions of the trees around her and the directions their leaves faced.
The state within her body was completely different from before. It was as though the True Qi within her no longer needed to rely entirely on the reserves in her Dantian to circulate, but could draw replenishment directly from the outside world.
Over the next few breaths, the air around her formed a small patch of continuously flowing faint light.
She slowly opened her eyes, lowered her head to look at her hands, then raised it again. Her gaze fell on the roots of an old banyan tree several steps away, and for the first time, she sensed the path of its roots spreading underground without needing to touch it.
She lowered her head slightly, as if confirming the change in her condition. Her fingertips tightened faintly, and she found the sensation in her palms somewhat clearer than usual.
The wind swept through the forest, stirring the leaves overhead into broad waves. She neither avoided the wind nor deliberately faced it, merely remaining seated where she was and holding that posture, as though she were still waiting for her body to adapt to the newly opened passage.
The wind soon left the clearing, and the canopy quieted. Her eyelashes trembled lightly, but she did not open her eyes.
After a while longer, she finally exhaled a second breath. It was longer than the first, making no distinct sound as it slowly dissipated through her parted lips.
She rose from the ground and glanced down at the faint green threads of light in her palm. Slowly closing her hand, she watched the light threads