Kira rose to her feet and put on her cultivation robe—it still reeked of sweat and impurities, the unbearable stench of her previous breakthrough clinging to the fabric.
She took the small wooden box containing the pearl and opened it.
The same sharp Qi immediately emanated from within.
Sitting down in the lotus position, the wind ruffling through her hair, she held the pearl in her hand.
How should I use this?
I'll just hold it while cultivating… try to absorb its Qi along with Thunder and Wind. Even a small boost counts.
She took one of the nourishment pills and popped it into her mouth. As it reached her stomach, it burst with a rich surge of energy, instantly quelling her hunger.
Pearl in hand, she began her cultivation.
Instantly, she was overwhelmed.
Three different Qi sources battered her senses.
First, she drew in the surrounding ambient Qi as usual—but this time, Wind and Thunder wisps came together, slamming into her meridians. The pain was excruciating… but she endured.
Second, the Qi from the pill surged through her. It was denser, more potent than anything she had absorbed before.
She had never felt pain like this in her life. And she was sure she couldn't handle more.
But then, like always, the intoxicating trance of cultivation settled in, dulling the agony.
Her mind slipped into a tranquil state—
—until the pain returned.
Suddenly, it felt like her entire body was being stabbed, sliced, and diced—like she was a carrot on a chopping board.
Sword Qi, she realized.
Her jaw clenched. Her eyes watered. But she endured it.
Her body was tempered, washed, and carved by three sources of Qi.
Yet the speed at which she grew… was unlike anything she'd ever imagined.
After several hours, the pill's strength began to fade.
She slowly opened her eyes—
—and a sharp gleam shot from them, slicing a faint line into the stone in front of her.
Her whole body ached.
The stench of impurities stung her nose again.
"Fifth stage already," she murmured in awe. "And close to the sixth…"
Hope sparked in her chest.
She snatched a peach from her bag and jumped into the cold river to wash.
Her reflection stopped her.
She'd changed.
Faint traces of lean muscle now adorned her once malnourished frame. Her chest had grown slightly. Her skin looked healthier, more vibrant.
She stared at herself for a long moment.
Focus, Kira. I still have so much more to train. This is nothing.
After drying off, she put on a clean robe and began practicing her techniques—this time, infusing both Wind and Thunder Qi into every strike.
She soon stopped.
There was a third Qi.
She could feel it clearly now. Not much… but sharp. Precise. Unyielding.
Sword Qi? she wondered.
She focused and tried to blend it with Wind and Thunder, letting the three merge as she struck a nearby tree.
The air around her fist distorted. Her skin crackled with lightning. Her fist felt sharp—like the tip of a blade.
It drove into the trunk like an arrow piercing a boar.
Then—
BOOM.
An explosion echoed through the clearing. The tree shattered—burned splinters raining down like snow.
Yesss! she screamed inside. This sword Qi is terrifying. My fist can stab people!
Then it struck her—If it's this strong in a punch, what about in a sword?
She drew her blade and channeled her Qi into it.
The reaction was immediate.
The sword hummed—Wind swirling, Thunder crackling—but the true shift was the razor-sharp aura now emanating from the weapon.
She swung it once through the air.
A tree standing several steps away suddenly fell, cleanly cut, without warning.
Kira blinked, stunned. She ran over to the stump.
It was the cleanest cut she had ever seen.
Her mouth hung open.
How? What?
She couldn't wrap her head around it. But one thing was certain:
With this, I might stand a chance.
No—
I still need to refine it. Understand it. Two and a half months left. I have to master this.
With new resolve and a flicker of hope, she dove into a brutal training regimen. She didn't leave the river shore—only taking short naps between cultivation and technique practice.
After reaching the sixth stage, her progress slowed.
Organ Refining was far more difficult.
It took a week to reach the seventh layer.
Another three to push to the ninth.
By then, all the Elder's pills were gone. She was back to surviving on peaches alone.
After breaking through to the ninth stage, she took another bath. As usual. But this time, her reflection made her pause again.
She had grown—now standing easily at 182cm. Her body was lean, defined.
And her chest… it had grown. Still small, but definitely there.
She smiled in quiet celebration.
Her techniques had improved drastically. She could now execute them instinctively, her Qi control sharp and fluid. She no longer had to guide it with conscious effort.
She was proud.
But the high faded quickly.
She had trained the ninth stage to near perfection—but after this?
She didn't know what to do.
I'll have to ask an Elder… and I already know which one.
Determination burned in her chest as she turned and began walking toward the Peach Garden.