It was late at night, and all was quiet in the back hills of Ernst Institute.
Moonlight filtered through the sparse branches, scattering dappled spots of light across the clearing. Lin Qin had just finished a round of intensive sword practice. His greatsword was planted in the ground beside him, and he braced both hands on his knees, panting heavily.
Sweat streamed down his forehead, cheeks, and neck, dripping into the dirt beneath him and leaving dark marks. Every muscle in his body trembled faintly, aching with exhaustion. The Battle Qi within him had grown thin and restless after being drained so severely for so long.
But instead of sitting down at once to meditate and recover, he stayed in that position, carefully feeling out the state of his body.
His muscle fibers were crying out, yet deep within him, a new strength was taking shape. His depleted Battle Qi circulated slowly through his meridians on its own. With every circuit, it seemed to draw fresh energy from the depths of his body, becoming just a little more concentrated.
He had been feeling this for several days. He knew he had touched the threshold.
The step from Level 3 Warrior to Level 4 Warrior marked the boundary between beginner and intermediate warriors—a significant leap. It meant not only an increase in the total amount of Battle Qi, but also a marked improvement in its quality and in the body's strength.
He straightened and drew a deep breath. The cool night air filled his lungs, bringing a moment of clarity. He pulled the greatsword from the ground, but did not immediately begin another round of practice. Instead, he slowly assumed the most basic starting stance.
He did not pursue speed or strength. He simply sank his entire focus into his body, guiding the restless, depleted Battle Qi along the route laid out in the Basic Battle Qi Manual, slowly and steadily.
One circuit, then two...
The greatsword moved slowly with his intent, seeming at once as heavy as a mountain and as light as a feather. His breathing grew long and rhythmic, subtly falling into sync with the flow of his Battle Qi and the Pulsation of the earth beneath his feet.
He forgot the passage of time and his exhaustion, immersing himself completely in this inner cycle. The outside world seemed to recede until there was nothing but him, his sword, the Battle Qi flowing through his body, and the heavy earth beneath his feet.
Who knew how long had passed? When his Battle Qi reached a certain tipping point—
Bzzzt!
It was as if a dam had burst, or a seed had broken through the soil. The Battle Qi within him, once thin and sluggish, suddenly surged! A far stronger, more concentrated stream of earthy yellow energy welled up from deep within him, instantly filling every meridian. His exhaustion and soreness were replaced by a new, surging sense of strength.
The greatsword in his hand seemed to feel that power too, giving a low, soft hum.
Lin Qin's eyes snapped open, a flash of brilliance flickering through them. He instinctively took a step forward and brought the greatsword down in a smooth slash!
Whoosh!
There was no earth-shaking display, only a concentrated streak of earthy yellow sword light that flashed past and struck a waist-high boulder in front of him.
The boulder shuddered faintly. A smooth cut several inches deep appeared across its surface, its face as polished as a mirror.
Lin Qin lowered his sword and stood still, feeling the inexhaustible stream of Battle Qi within him, as substantial as a flowing brook, and the powerful strength filling his body.
Level 4 Warrior!
There was no wild joy, no excitement. His mind was perfectly calm, as though this had always been inevitable.
He raised his hand and looked at his calloused, powerful palm. He had earned all of this through countless mornings spent practicing his sword, countless nights spent meditating, and countless drops of sweat. A breakthrough was simply the inevitable qualitative change after enough quantitative accumulation.
It had come naturally.
He walked over to the split boulder and ran his fingers along its smooth cut. The effect had been caused by concentrated Battle Qi released from his body. It was still weak, nowhere near a true sword-energy strike, but it was unquestionably a milestone—a sign that he had officially entered the ranks of intermediate warriors.
The night wind swept through the trees, stirring a soft rustle. Lin Qin stood where he was, adjusting to the changes in his body after the breakthrough. He was stronger, faster, and more perceptive. He could even feel the heavy, welcoming Pulsation of the earth beneath his feet more clearly.
He clenched his fist.
Level 4 was only a new starting point. He knew that with Heaven Rewards Diligence, as long as he kept putting in the time and pouring out his sweat, Level 5, Level 6, and even higher realms would all be stepped beneath his feet, one by one.
He did not linger. He sat down cross-legged again and began to meditate, consolidating his newly reached realm while recovering the mental energy he had expended.
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