The Path of Power

Far from the shadows of Xiao Ren's schemes, Li Wei sat cross-legged atop a rocky plateau, his eyes shut in deep concentration. The crisp mountain air swirled around him, carrying the whispers of untamed energy.

He could feel it—his power shifting, evolving.

His Teacher, Jinhai, stood a few feet away, watching with a knowing smile. "You're starting to sense it, aren't you?"

Li Wei nodded slowly. "It's like… something inside me is breaking free."

Jinhai walked forward and placed a hand on Li Wei's shoulder. "It's time you understand the foundation of all strength—cultivation."

Li Wei opened his eyes, curiosity shining in them.

Jinhai took a deep breath and began. "The path of a cultivator is the path of ascension. It is divided into four fundamental realms, each further broken into smaller stages."

He raised one finger.

"The first is the Body Refining Realm—where warriors temper their flesh, bones, and blood. Strength, speed, endurance—all begin here."

Li Wei clenched his fist. "So this is where I am now?"

Jinhai nodded. "Yes, but you are advancing quickly."

He raised a second finger.

"The second is the Qi Awakening Realm—where a cultivator first learns to harness spiritual energy, drawing power from nature itself. This is where true martial techniques are born."

Li Wei's mind raced. So this is where I need to be next…

Jinhai continued. "The third is the Spirit Core Realm—where a cultivator condenses their energy into a core, a limitless source of power. This is where the strongest warriors and sect leaders reside."

Li Wei's heart pounded. He could only imagine the strength of those at this level.

Jinhai then raised his fourth and final finger.

"And beyond all, the Celestial Ascendant Realm—a state of being where a cultivator transcends the limits of mortality, becoming one with the heavens."

Li Wei felt a shiver down his spine. "And… the Celestial Seal?"

Jinhai's expression turned serious. "The Celestial Seal is not bound by these stages. It is beyond them. A force that no cultivator has ever fully controlled."

Li Wei swallowed hard. The power inside him… was it truly something beyond comprehension?

Jinhai smiled. "You're lucky, kid. You get to carve your own path."

Li Wei exhaled. He understood now.

To survive in this world, to stand against enemies like Xiao Ren, he had to advance.

And he had to do it fast.

Li Wei steadied his breathing. The knowledge Jinhai had given him burned in his mind, but now, it was time to act.

I need to reach the Qi Awakening Realm…

Closing his eyes, he focused inward. He could feel the raw energy in his body, untamed and scattered. It surged through his blood, his bones, his very soul—wild, unstable, but powerful.

Jinhai watched in silence. "The first step to breaking through is control," he said. "You've tempered your body. Now, you must awaken your Qi."

Li Wei nodded. "How do I do that?"

Jinhai tapped his chest. "Focus on your Dantian, the center of all energy. Feel the Qi within you, gather it, and guide it like a flowing river."

Li Wei inhaled deeply. He searched for that spark inside him, the source of his strength. And then… he found it.

A golden light pulsed deep within his core, faint but alive. It wasn't ordinary Qi—it was the Celestial Seal's power.

The moment he touched it, a surge of energy exploded inside him.

His eyes snapped open. A gust of wind blasted outward, shaking the ground. Rocks cracked beneath him as golden threads of energy swirled around his body, forming an ethereal aura.

Jinhai's expression shifted to shock. "This… this isn't normal Qi. It's—"

A sharp pain shot through Li Wei's body. The energy was too wild, too immense. His veins burned as if molten fire was coursing through them.

He gritted his teeth. No. I won't fail here.

He forced the energy back, guiding it with his will. The golden light twisted, resisted—then finally, it obeyed.

His body trembled, but the pain lessened. The energy settled within his Dantian, no longer chaotic but controlled.

Then—BOOM!

A shockwave rippled from his body, sending dust and debris flying. When it cleared, Li Wei opened his eyes.

They glowed with golden radiance.

Jinhai took a step back, his breath unsteady. "You… you just broke into the Qi Awakening Realm in a single step."

Li Wei clenched his fist, feeling the overwhelming power rushing through him. His strength had doubled, his senses sharper, his speed faster.

But more than that… he could feel it now. The Celestial Seal's true potential was beginning to awaken.

And this was only the first step.

Li Wei's body felt weightless, his every breath filled with newfound energy. The world around him appeared clearer—every leaf's movement, every distant echo of the wind, every shift in Jinhai's stance—he could sense it all.

His Qi had awakened.

Jinhai studied him with an unreadable expression before finally speaking. "You've broken through, but don't get too excited. Power without control is a double-edged sword."

Li Wei smiled. "Then let's see if I can wield it."

Jinhai's eyes narrowed. "Very well."

Before Li Wei could react, Jinhai vanished.

A gust of wind roared behind him—then a crushing force slammed toward his back. Instinct took over. Li Wei spun, raising his arm just in time to block Jinhai's palm strike.

Boom!

The impact sent a shockwave through the plateau, kicking up dust and loose stones. Li Wei skidded back several feet, but his feet remained firm on the ground.

Jinhai chuckled. "Not bad."

Li Wei grinned. His arm stung from the clash, but the difference was clear—before his breakthrough, a single strike from Jinhai would have sent him flying.

This time, he held his ground.

Jinhai didn't slow down. He flickered forward, unleashing a flurry of strikes. His movements were lightning-fast, his attacks relentless.

But Li Wei saw them.

He dodged left, parried right, his body moving twice as fast as before. His Qi surged, enhancing his reflexes. His strikes became sharper, his speed greater.

Then—he attacked.

Boom!

A single palm strike from Li Wei sent a ripple of force through the air, slamming into Jinhai's arm.

Jinhai skidded back, his eyebrows raising. "Oh?"

Li Wei clenched his fist, feeling the power coursing through him. He was strong. Stronger than he had ever been.

Jinhai chuckled. "You're a monster, kid. But—"

Suddenly, his expression hardened. His gaze flickered toward the trees beyond the plateau.

Li Wei noticed it too—a presence.

A cold, dark energy slithered through the air.

Jinhai's voice was low. "We're not alone."

From the shadows of the forest, footsteps echoed. Three figures emerged, their robes black as the void.

Their leader, a man with crimson eyes, smirked. "So this is the boy with the Celestial Seal?"

Li Wei's heart pounded. His first real test had arrived.