Yin Hu took a deep breath. He could feel the touch of something otherworldly. It could only have been the Weapon Spirit herself. An open book, attempting to guide him to move and channel Qi in ways he had not even thought possible.

Through his nose and then down his arm? Wasn't the core around the sternum? Why would he flood any extra Qi down to his big toe to channel it in certain directions and through certain nodes? None of it made sense to him. Then again, he had never truly cultivated or used Qi before in any meaningful way.

He also had the issue of probably not having enough Qi to start with.

The spirit would have noticed right?

Maybe he had just the bare minimum? Yin Hu wasn't sure. His core and meridians seemed pretty dry and Qi deprived. He just hoped it wouldn't affect him now. Otherwise he would need to bullshit his way through another difficult situation. Both girls were now wide awake. Staring. Watching and waiting for something incredible. He had to impress.

He took another deep breath. Closed his eyes.

Yin Hu felt the spirit reel back in shock. He followed its guide, memorizing the path as though he had done it a thousand times. He could feel it struggle and fight to keep hold of him. Something he couldn't quite understand, was there something supernatural affecting it? Or was it something afflicting him and his usage of Qi?

Did the broken system intervene?

Yet, the process could not be stopped. He had started. An itch affected his meridians enough that he almost lost concentration. But it was something. More than he expected to feel other than abject failure. It gave him hope.

He exhaled. The sword dropped. The spirit's presence disappeared to his senses.

Jun started to speak, but her voice was distant. Muffled shouting. Shui joined in a moment later. Yin Hu could not make out anything they were saying. Solely focused on making sure he followed the guide and accomplished his goal.

There was nothing demonic about it yet.

Movements came to him naturally. Ideas of why they were important and what their purposes were. How he was supposed to gather Qi from the world at large to fuel this powerful technique.

He did as he was told.

The trees stopped moving. The world slowed around him visibly. Yin Hu noticed it all. He felt the doom that was promised the danger in every movement. The hopelessness any foe would feel before this strike if it was fully powered.

Balls of Qi gathered around the sliced air. Small and like little soap bubbles. They floated lethargically back and forth, but never straying too far before returning back to their original spots in unison. Nothing else happened. No super powerful attack. Not even a normal tree tumbling, sliced into pieces.

Yin Hu stared at the bubbles. Confused. Unable to figure out what the hell was going on or whether this was supposed to happen.

The Qi bubbles began to audibly pop. No other effect. Just disappearing back to wherever they originated from. Yin Hu felt the itch in his meridians disappear. The Weapon Spirit's presence returned a moment later, but it did not approach.

He could feel it a distance away.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"W-What happened?" Jun asked, but she was not speaking to him.

Yin Hu assumed she was communicating with the Weapon Spirit. Asking for an explanation for something that he had no clue about. He decided to stay silent. The technique had clearly failed. Right? Were the bubbles supposed to appear? Or was he just doomed to never be capable of using Qi like everyone else around him.

There had to be a good reason why that wasn't just the system's fault. Though much of his issues were.

Shui stood up from her bed roll. "What do you mean it worked to perfection? That's not possible. Right, Jun! There wasn't a Qi blade. Or… or an attack. Only the scary weather and everything freezing for a second. Nothing else! Just bubbles that popped. It didn't do anything."

"What?"

Yin Hu turned around to see the girls. Both of them were staring at him with eyes as wide as saucers. Incredulous looks. Mouths agape. They couldn't seem to wrap their heads around whatever the spirit had said. Of which he couldn't exactly tell. But based on their reaction it was definitely to his favor. He would take advantage of it.

Good Spirit! Way to be the perfect wingman!

"Pathetic," Yin Hu said with a haughty tone. Leaning into his persona again. "Is this all for Qi?"

He hadn't felt anything demonic while using the skill. Yin Hu assumed he would have felt something or the other if there had been anything evil. Quite quickly too. But he got nothing but the general feel of superiority and haughtiness that was the Weapon Spirit's touch.

Allowing him to see deeper into who she was without seeing or discussing anything with her. A connection he had not expected to have.

Would the spear have a similar connection? Would he be able to feel all six of them or was it only one dragon with six heads? Six bodies? There was much he did not understand about his weapons. Only that they were overpowered and gave him a supreme advantage against anyone he would face.

Except the elite. The likes of Cai Xuefang had to be too far for weapons and physical abilities to overcome the difference.

"I don't know what to say." Jun said. Her legs shook. It took her a moment to sit down. "That can't even be possible? What? Is this plane so pitifully weak compared to where you ascended to Ancestor? Are we so pathetic?"

"Heaven and earth seem close, Jun. But those that know can only marvel at the void above."

Shui's and Jun's eyes glimmered at his words. There was likely no going to sleep for either on this night. There simply was too much for them to discuss and go over after his failed attempt. His persona covering for him.

Nothing had happened.

Yin Hu couldn't help but feel disappointed. He had been excited to find a supposed loophole around the system to use techniques and skills. He could still feel and recall every minute detail of what the lady spirit had taught him. Even after its presence faded away.

But it still felt so distant and impossible for him to accomplish. Why, he wasn't sure. It was a topic he had no experience and knowledge in. The intricacies of how Qi gathers, activates, and fires off were beyond his scope.

And that was being kind to himself about the subject matter.

"Jun." Yin Hu handed her the blade. Holding it carefully so she doesn't accidentally cut herself.

She took it with shaking hands. Staring at the blade as though it had grown a second head from the void. It took her a moment of sparkling eyes to finally sheathe it. With that the Weapon Spirit's presence disappeared entirely. Leaving the three of them alone in the clearing without another person or thing.

Yin Hu returned to his seat. Closing his eyes and sinking into the cushion of his lunging chair as he tried to figure out anything at all from what he experienced. Only to fail miserably.

There wasn't much for him to recall or think on. He felt the spirit guide him and then an itch in his meridians. Nothing else. Bubbles appeared a few moments later. Floating back and forth in patterns he couldn't apply any meaning to. Then they finally popped leading to the end of the entire showing in one go. Only silence remained behind the whole debacle.

A system ding prompted him to open his eyes.

System…Recali…

Error…

Er…rR.Orrr….

System limitations activated

Universe Alterations Prevented

May all who exist be filled with mercy…

The fuck is that supposed to mean? Why would it send these cryptic words now? Universe alterations prevented?

Said system kept going haywire. Yin Hu's estimation of what the system did and how well it worked fell precipitously. He could only guess that the attempted loophole he discovered had made it go haywire in response. He would need to be careful the next time he tried it out. Be more purposeful with what he wanted to learn if he could access its spirit to teach him without anything else required.

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