I was walking towards the Meditation Hall at a brisk pace, but with every step, I could feel it — the adrenaline was still surging through me.

Even with Pure Thoughts, even with reason intact — the fight had left its mark. My shoulders were too tight, my heart was beating louder than it should, and I could feel my blood pulsing in my ears.

There were about twenty minutes left until cultivation started, and it was a good thing I'd headed out early — I wanted to support Nur. Still, I was becoming more and more certain that I wouldn't fully calm down in time, and going into cultivation like this was a bad idea.

I needed an expert opinion — not later, not eventually — now!

Outgoing call: R. P. Robinson

"Sullivan, you never change. Checked the time lately?" Doc's voice wasn't angry, though — more focused than anything.

"Doc, this is serious. There was an incident. Four bullies. I handled it. No injuries. No direct violations. But the adrenaline's still running." I kept it brief and clear. "Twenty minutes till Flow Chamber."

Doc exhaled into the mic. "A sedative? I can be at the Meditation Hall in fifteen."

"I've already had Pure Thoughts. Red grade," I said. I almost added that it came from the same supplier as his Yellow Pine Blossom, then remembered I'd already shown him the tea. Though had I mentioned where I got it from?

There was a brief pause. Then Doc said:

"Then I wouldn't take anything else. Pure Thoughts probably offer the best combination of effects for this situation. And the duration should line up nicely. Start as usual. I'll send Diego to monitor. He'll cut the flow before anything goes wrong." There wasn't a hint of doubt in Robinson's voice. That alone was calming.

"Understood. I'll start as planned," I confirmed.

"Good luck, Sullivan."

I made it just in time. Nur was already standing in front of the chamber under Bulsara's supervision. Looked like that Doc was taking her progress seriously — giving her a lecture, gesturing firmly in rhythm with his words.

I walked straight over and stood beside them, waiting for Bulsara to finish his instructions. Both of them noticed me, but didn't stop the conversation. Bulsara didn't, because he was the only one talking, and Nur — all she did was nod.

As soon as Farukh finished speaking, I greeted them politely.

"Good evening, Doctor. Nur!" I offered her my fist. No speeches. No extra words. "Kick arse, girl."

Nur smiled slightly and bumped my fist.

"Oh! I will!" she said. And the very next moment, the chamber accepted her — heavy doors slammed shut with a loud clack, sealing her off from the world.

I turned my eyes to Bulsara.

He stood upright, arms by his sides, tablet in his left hand, face stone cold. Not a hint of emotion, not a word of encouragement. Just a stern, frozen presence. It seemed like he couldn't care less who stepped into the chamber, or whether they ever came back out.

I doubted he was truly as indifferent as he wanted to appear. But I had other things to focus on right now. I gave a respectful nod.

"Doc..."

Then turned and headed at a brisk pace towards another chamber farther off — mine, which was already waiting.

I was due to start in five minutes.

Five minutes to calm myself — and then my battle would begin.

The chamber was still occupied, so I sat down on the floor right in front of it. Lying down would've been better, but lying down in a cultivation chamber and lying down in the hallway were very different things. People might think I'd passed out or something. I even closed my eyes, trying to keep my breathing slow and steady. Who knows — maybe I'd become a proper cultivator yet.

When the doors gave a heavy metallic clunk, I opened my eyes just in time to meet the gaze of a second-year cadet leaving the chamber. Then closed them again. I still had a bit of time left, and Diego was nowhere to be seen.

In the end, I had to begin without him — he never showed up. I stepped inside, closed the heavy door behind me with a dull thud, and settled in — lying down.

The blue light behind the ceiling grate flared brighter. I took a deep breath, trying to squeeze out the last of the adrenaline. My body obeyed. My thoughts were clear — at least for now. I relaxed as much as I could and closed my eyes.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The flow of qi fell over me like a warm rain. The sensation was slightly different than usual, but I forced myself not to focus on the difference. The fact I had to force myself at all — not a good sign.

I let the flow surround me, let it in, into every cell. I didn't resist. At least, that much was familiar.

The first recognisable "wave" came soon after the "rain", and a metaphorical sun broke through my internal sky. Warmth seeped into my bones, my muscles trembled gently, my skin began to draw in the unseen energy. Another wave caught me and I swayed with it.

Everything was going well.

But fairly quickly, the waves became thicker. The flow no longer just wrapped around me — it began to push. Gently, but insistently. The qi was demanding more openness, more willingness to receive. And from deep within my chest, fire stirred — the urge to act.

I took another deep breath, holding against the pressure. A thought flashed through my mind: "It was always like this... right before the real storm began."

This time, it hit fast.

The qi grew heavier. The gentle swaying turned into rocking, then into full-blown shaking. My body began to resist on instinct. Every muscle screamed: Stop! Push back! Take control!

I forced the impulse away. Resistance would only bring pain.

But within a few minutes, things got worse. The waves began hammering from the outside, while fire surged to meet them from within. My body trembled, my breathing faltered, and the burning energy searched for any vulnerable point to force its way through. And of course, the mucous membranes were the first to suffer.

Every inhale was pain, every exhale — a step closer to the edge. For a moment, I thought of Diego — and hoped he was already here.

What if he wasn't?

Would the flow flood me, tear me apart, burn me from the inside? Would I end up crippled? Or would I just lose my cultivation, like Bao? Could I really drop all the way back before the first bottleneck?

Panic crept closer.

"Don't think! Ride it!" I shouted inwardly, forcing myself to focus on the waves.

One... another one... and another...

The pain was deep and searing, like my whole body had been pushed through a burning meat grinder. I no longer felt my limbs — only a hot, buzzing pressure from within.

I was at the limit.

And just when I felt like the next surge would snap me in half — the waves lightened.

Lighter. Lighter still. Almost weightless. The flow stopped.

I opened my eyes and saw the light behind the grate dimming.

Did I make it?

The chamber door opened. Diego 015 looked in, wearing his standard black jumpsuit with a white coat over it.

No. I'd failed this time.

I raised a trembling hand and he caught it, helping me sit up.

I could barely stay on my feet. My clothes were soaked with sweat. My muscles were trembling in tiny spasms, like it was my very first cultivation session.

After clearing my throat, I asked,

"How long?"

"Just shy of twenty-nine. The thirtieth minute wasn't worth the risk of injury."

"Thanks," I said.

It was much better than I'd feared — and at the same time, much worse. As soon as Diego pulled me out of the chamber, my interface lit up and a flood of notifications hit the chat. A pile of missed calls. And an email from Liang Shi.

Incoming message: S. Liang

Subject: Call me back!

Content:

What the hell did he want?

I thought the stairs were a blind spot — deliberately built by the school to let cadets bash each other and weed out both the weakest and the biggest arseholes.

"Excuse me," I said to Diego, leaning against the wall. "Seems like an emergency. I need to call someone back."

"Wait," Diego ordered.

He held up a scanner to my temple, to my eye, to my solar plexus — checking the results on his tablet immediately.

While he scanned me, I spotted Nur. Bulsara wasn't nearby, and Rahman was smiling. Not too broadly, so I suspected she'd reached the bottleneck… but hadn't broken through. Otherwise, she'd be grinning from ear to ear.

"All right," Diego said. "You're good. Call whoever you want. See ya."

"Thanks again," I said.

"Learn to say thank you like your mentor does," Diego hinted.

Oh? Has the Doc stopped sharing flowers with him? Or does he not know I was the one who hauled that crate over? Does he know about the crate?

"I'm still studying her wisdom," I joked.

I still couldn't figure out the horned ones. What was their social role? Servants? Slaves? Why was the café Marco's named after a horned barista? Was he the owner? And why hadn't I seen a single horned woman?

Then again — not now!

Diego waved a goodbye and walked off. A girl cadet nearby was clearly waiting for the chamber I'd just vacated, so I pushed myself off the wall and waved to Nur.

Rahman walked over, not bothering to hide her smile.

"You look like shit. Did you do a reassessment?" she guessed wrong. "Your time seems to be the same."

"No, got into a fight with some bullies on the stairs. Didn't manage to calm down before cultivation." I slung an arm over her shoulder and took the chance to rest a bit.

"Hey!" she protested.

"Shhh. Remember how your girls said it was so romantic when I carried you to your room?"

"So?" she asked suspiciously.

"Your turn."

"I haven't broken through yet, and you're just dead weight!"

"And you're no featherweight either."

"I'll drop you right here!" she huffed, offended.

"I meant your harmoniously developed muscle tone."

"Yeah, right. As if you could mean anything else," she muttered — but adjusted her grip on my arm and started leading me toward the exit.

I called the curator.

Outgoing call: S. Liang

"I do hope your cultivation went well!" Liang Shi barked. The words didn't match the aggression in his tone, so I hesitated before answering.

"Not quite as well as I'd have liked. Felt like going through a meat grinder."

"What the hell were you thinking starting cultivation after a fight?"

Was he… worried about me? Since when?

"I'd already taken Pure Thoughts. Red grade. That stuff doesn't just grow on trees."

"Where the hell did you— Never mind. Three points of you for failing to report the fight. Even if it didn't happen in the dorm block, it's still a violation."

"And what about the pricks who ambushed me? You going to dock them too?"

"They've had more than enough punishment already — thanks to you."

"Right... That all?" I asked, tired.

"Don't get cocky, lad! Want me to teach you some manners?"

"You've already penalised me. What else do you want — a thank you?"

"An apology, dumbass."

For not being told I had to report every damn fight?

I could've said that. But there were still traces of Pure Thoughts floating in my system, so I made life easier for myself and muttered,

"My apologies." I even tried to keep it from sounding like sod off.

Liang Shi grunted — somewhat mollified.

"Tomorrow at ten. You and Dubois. I'll see you at the Order Hall station. Clear your schedule if you had anything planned."

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