Instinct

Inside Liu Feiyang's Mind Space

"Today," White announced, "We're going to improve your understanding of the flow of battle and get you familiar with your instinct."

Liu Feiyang raised an eyebrow. "Flow of battle and instinct? I can understand the flow but how can we learn about instinct in the Mindspace without our bodies?"

White's expression darkened, and his tone turned cutting. "It's because you're too weak to even manifest me properly yet that we have to start here. Were you stronger, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Liu Feiyang flinched but said nothing, recognizing the truth in White's words. His silence prompted White to continue.

"Also, why are you limiting instinct to your body? What do you even know about instinct?"

Liu Feiyang hesitated, then answered, "It's like a desire to survive or a response to survive against certain stimuli."

White's gaze softened slightly. "That's a good answer, but not the right one. You're pointing in the right direction, but you're restricting your understanding too much. Instinct is far more free and open to nature. Like you said, it's a desire or reaction to a stimulus. So, let me ask you: do you need a brain or a nervous system to have instinct? If not, how would you react to stimulus?"

Liu Feiyang frowned, deep in thought. "I guess… no?" he replied, uncertainty clear in his tone.

White nodded. "Exactly. You don't. Even the simplest single-celled organisms know how to find food and avoid danger. The smallest of them even know how to differentiate between a male and a female for reproduction. No brain, no nerves, yet instinct drives them."

The realization dawned on Liu Feiyang. "I get it now. Every organism, no matter how small or big, simple or complex, smart or dumb, has instinct. It's present in everyone." Then he paused, his brow furrowing. "But they all have one thing in common. Don't they need a body?"

White's smirk deepened. "Liu Yan?".

Liu Feiyang's shoulders slumped. "You win." He nodded in understanding.

White's eyes glimmered with approval. "Good. And don't you worry. Even without your body here, I'm going to engrave my teachings into your mind so deeply that you'll never forget them."

Before Liu Feiyang could react, White vanished, reappearing an instant later directly in front of him. With a swift, fluid motion, White's palm struck Liu Feiyang's chest, sending him flying backward. He tumbled through the air before crashing onto the shimmering ground.

"Heyyy!" Liu Feiyang shouted, scrambling to his feet. "You didn't even give me a warning!"

White with an amused smirk playing on his lips. "Use your instinct to dodge," he said simply.

Gritting his teeth, Liu Feiyang charged forward, channeling his Yang Qi to enhance his speed. He aimed a punch at White's midsection, but White sidestepped effortlessly, the attack missing by the width of a hair. 

Liu Feiyang spun and launched a flurry of strikes, each one enhanced with Yang Qi. Yet, White dodged them all with uncanny precision, his movements almost lazy.

"You're toying with me," Liu Feiyang growled, frustration evident in his voice.

White's smirk faded, replaced by a stern frown. "And you're not taking this seriously."

White's strikes became relentless, landing with punishing accuracy. Liu Feiyang found himself on the defensive, each block and parry draining more and more of his stamina. Every time he tried to counterattack, White was already gone, his control over the battle was absolute.

As Liu Feiyang desperately evaded another strike, White suddenly stopped, his piercing gaze locking onto him. "You're overthinking. Feel the flow of the battle. You're a Hollow. Your instinct will kick in when needed."

Before Liu Feiyang could respond, White launched another assault, this time he was even more brutal. Each strike was aimed at a vital point, forcing Liu Feiyang to react purely on instinct, not because he wanted to but because that was his last choice to survive the the battle. The relentless pressure left him no time to think, only move. His mind began to blur, his body reacting to the rhythm of the battle.

White's voice cut through the chaos. "Take this even more seriously. If the injury is serious, you could die—or worse, turn into an idiot."

Liu Feiyang's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"

"I can heal minor injuries for you, but serious injuries to the soul are lethal," White explained, his tone showing it was the truth. "Now stop hesitating."

He didn't give Liu Feiyang time to process the warning. The intensity of the fight escalated, White's attacks growing faster and more precise. Liu Feiyang struggled, his movements clumsy at first, but as the minutes passed, something began to shift. He started to rely less on his conscious thought and started feeling the flow of the battle. His dodges became tighter, his counters sharper, and his efficiency improved.

During one desperate moment, Liu Feiyang channeled Yang Qi into his legs and torso, enhancing his agility and resilience. He narrowly avoided a strike aimed at his neck, his body moving in perfect harmony with the flow of the fight. For the first time, he felt like he was keeping up, if only barely.

White noticed the change and pressed harder, his strikes aiming for even smaller openings. Liu Feiyang adapted, his movements growing smoother, his instincts slowly sharpening with every exchange. Sweat poured down his face, but he didn't stop, his determination burning brighter than ever.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Liu Feiyang saw an opening. With a burst of speed, he launched a palm strike aimed directly at White's chest. White's eyes flickered with approval as he raised his arm to block. The impact sent White skidding backward, the first time he had been forced to defend properly.

Liu Feiyang stood there, panting heavily but triumphant. White's smile widened, a rare expression of pride instead of his usual smugness.

"Not bad," White said, his tone carrying a mix of praise and challenge. "You've started to grasp it. But," he added, his expression turning serious, "don't let this go to your head. I've been limiting my strength to your level, and even then, I wasn't going at you with the proper intent to kill—not even ten percent. You have a long way to go."

Liu Feiyang's eyes widened in realization. Despite everything, White had been holding back significantly. He clenched his fists, "I'll get there," he vowed.

White's usual smug face returned, "Don't let it get to you head and we'll continue tomorrow."

"Wait, I thought we still had more to do." 

"Let us heal your soul while you sleep, Liu Feiyang. You wouldn't want to accumulate any kind of damage before awakening your knowledge sea and divine sense, will you?" Old man explained.

"Of course not, then see you guys tomorrow." he waved them goodbye like usual before leaving.

"So, what do ya think?" White asked.

"Aetheryns are known for their intellect and hollows for their instinct and battle sense. Unknowingly, he showed a glimpse of both at such an early stage." Old man responded.

"And what are Quincies known for then?"

"Destruction."