The Warrior Scholar Chronicles. Ink and Moon on Rice Paper.

Chapter 5 Changing one's future! The Cure?

With the shen's energy extending beyond the soul qi, a surge of satisfaction filled Tang Yun. His eyes gleamed with delight; it could create a harmonious equilibrium. The Soul Well remained the nexus, the anchor amidst the swirling energies of soul qi, while the shen embraced its outer boundaries.

With unwavering determination, Tang Yun continued to infuse more spiritual power into the mix, reinforcing the barrier and asserting his growing command over the different forces in play.

With determined focus, Tang Yun skilfully guided his spiritual power to flatten the swirling qi vortex into a widening ring. The fluid-like shen responded effortlessly to his mental commands, shaping the ring to be wide and thin, perfectly centred around his qi soul well. A playful grin graced his face as his spirit-covered hands and arms deftly manipulated the centre and edges of the flattened ring. The process felt simple as he moulded it into a V shape before folding it flat with precision.

Like a blacksmith, Tang Yun struck the flattened ring with shen-infused fists, using them as hammers to further compress and flatten it. As he repeated this process, a sense of calm washed over him, his eyes gleaming with determination. Time slipped away unnoticed as he tirelessly folded and compressed, witnessing the soul qi within the ring gradually transform from transparency to a whitish hue.

With the aid of his increased comprehension over spiritual energy manipulation. Tang Yun skilfully directed the ever-thickening qi ring towards the centre. His lips drawing inward in a subtle motion. Eyes narrowed in concentration while observing the interaction between the overflowing Soul Well and the flattened ring-shaped vortex.

A sense of unease washed over him. His intention was to remove the excess, but the forces at play proved to too aggressive. A cautious thought echoed in his mind, warning of the imminent danger of another calamity. This time, it was a consequence of his own actions, a self-inflicted loss not inherent from birth.

The relentless pull of the soul vortex yanked fragments of Tang Yun's ethereal qi from his soul well. Its force so intense that the well itself contorted and warped. The situation rapidly escalated, as the momentum grew, and the excess qi surged over the rim of the perpetual swirling vortex. It cascaded outward like an expanding gas cloud. Amidst the ethereal mist, a glimmering white ring encircled his Soul Well; its radiance obscured by the enshrouding cloud.

Tang Yun rubbed his astral forehead, then skilfully utilizing his shen-covered fists and hands to knead his ever-increasing soul qi mass. If he could perspire, beads of sweat would surely form as his brow furrowed with deep concern. The passing of midday and dusk marked the passage of time. Tang Yun's eyes widened in astonishment as he stepped back, startled by the sight before him. The whirling mass coalesced, accumulating vast quantities of qi, transforming into a radiant, white sphere.

His instincts urged him not to panic as he shook his head. Being acutely aware of the gravitational force emanating from the core of the swirling globe. It became apparent that the Soul Well within was attempting to draw out the excess soul qi. With his jaw dropped in amazement; he witnessed the release of the damaging energy from his meridian pathways and bloated body. A true blessing. The waves of his unruly soul qi gracefully drifted towards the swirling mass of the globe, seamlessly merging with its ever-moving essence.

The leaching effect was a stroke of great fortune. Tang Yun couldn't help but feel encouraged. His gaze scanned outward, observing his pathways and meridians eagerly gathering an endless stream of Qi from outside his body. However, a tinge of frustration crept in as he thought, "Damn it."

The exponential increase since the breakthrough to the twentieth rank was both astounding and frustrating. Tang Yun raised both eyebrows in disbelief. He couldn't catch a break; he was like a friggin' living battery, absorbing Qi without even trying. And he was efficient at it too. While most cultivators at his age struggled to retain even thirty percent of soul qi. Yet he effortlessly captured a pure hundred percent. Who needs to cultivate, he thought sarcastically, raising his astral hands in mock surprise. If any other cultivator heard him complaining about his endless, effortless Qi acquisition, they would probably vomit rivers of blood out of envy and frustration.