Movement and Strikes

Once again young Atom was immobilized for days, but upon awakening his spirit was reborn.

"Qi condensing... it appears this masters apprentice has finally become a cultivator!" Old man Lee said smiling wildly. "That feeling righty here" he said poking his apprentice.

"It feels like butterflies" Atom responded.

"That is the Qi, like moisture on a cool glass your body will condensate Qi droplets..." holding out his hand a torrent of wind began to circle a bright orb "once enough has accumulated we refine it until it's so dense it can be used as a physical attack."

As the orb faded the wind settled. All the while Atom could feel the Qi in his body raging in response. "I didn't know earthly cultivators could use such strong powers!" He claimed trembling uncontrollably in anticipation.

"No, no child this is of a higher realm, but first stop thinking about roots. It's foolish to limit yourself in such a way." The old man spoke slowly as he pulled out two manuals. "The Qi condescension stage is the weakest. They can rarely manipulate it outside the body. This manuals will teach you how to channel the Qi through your legs and feet to move." He said handing him the first book.

Still holding the second he continued "this one will show you how to move the Qi through your arms and fist to strike" after handing it off he paused "everyone will claim their skills are the strongest, I will claim these skills are the most basic. All attacks and movements involve the movement of Qi, this is the foundation of all martial arts - as such it's strength is immeasurable."

With the two manuals in hand Atom ran off to learn. In the back of his dorm he trained endlessly, first meditation, then practicing the movement, finally shifting his Qi. Sadly it was twenty days before his first success.

All the while Andi would come by to taunt and torment the young boy. While she didn't particularly dislike him she was quick to flaunt her abilities over him. "Twenty days, it took me five to learn the spirit step and five more to master strike." She was quite proud of this. "Twenty more days to learn how to punch, if you lucky..." she chuckled.

"No way!" Atom cried in fear, "I already learned how to move Qi this should be quick?"

"Silly boy, every Qi movement is unique - learning one has nothing to do with the other..." Andi laughed as she disappeared.

Atom was in a daze as he mumbled to himself to confused; "but the old man said it's all connected, wouldn't it be the same..."

Flipping through the manual Atom felt waves of discouragement wash over-him. Reading the books, he thought, was the toughest part.

"Forget this old book, I get it; just move the Qi!" Closing his eyes he began to locate his Qi center. Slowly turning it he felt out the connecting channels and began to let the Qi seep through them all.

One by one he could feel the Qi passages within his body light up with power. With each deep breath pumping more and more Qi, widening the channels along the way.

Finally he felt it condense within his hands and feet. Using it to strengthen his muscles and skin - lunging forward at full power he struck out at a tree.

As if the forces of nature had unfolded, the trees trunk became shredded as Atoms strike knocked bits of it everywhere.

"Twenty and one days..." Atom laughed out "shabby or not I'm happy with it."