Elendar: The Struggle of Worlds

Chapter two: Controlling the Qi and the Great Challenge

Elandar carefully opened the scroll in front of Cailin, the symbols glowing with a faint light, as if mimicking the pulse of life itself.

Elandar: “Life Harmony is not just a breathing technique. It is the way your body interacts with the chi that surrounds it. It teaches you how to inhale the chi from nature and make it a part of you. This technique helps you achieve balance between inside and outside, between your body and nature.”

Pointing to some symbols on the scroll, he said, “When you start applying this technique, you will feel the qi flowing into your body. At first, the flow will be slow and irregular, but with practice you will be able to better control the flow of qi and increase its absorption.”

Kailin stared at the symbols with intense concentration, while thoughts jostled in his mind. “How can I control such an invisible force?” the question echoed in his mind with every glance at the symbols. He felt as if something was fidgeting inside him, as if the Qi itself was trying to reach him, but to no avail. His heart pounded, but he pretended to be calm in front of his father.

Elandar continued: “The technology will allow your body to absorb chi on a regular basis, which means you will feel a constant flow of energy in your body. It will increase your strength, speed, and flexibility. But you need to be careful. Using too much qi without balance can damage your body, which is why it's called 'harmony'. It's all about balance.”

Kailin felt the weight of the words. “Balance... But how can I achieve this?”

Elandar then made another point: “When you apply the technique correctly, you will feel the Qi flowing through your body like a stream of water running through the channels of a river. Your goal is to make these channels strong and wide enough to hold larger amounts of qi over time.”

Elandar took a deep breath and continued: “At the initial levels of this technique, you will only be able to absorb Qi from the nature around you such as trees, plants, and water. But as you progress and apply yourself, you will learn to draw chi from more complex and powerful sources, such as stars, wind, and even living beings.”

Kailin was feeling a mixture of fear and excitement. Could he do this? His heart was pounding, his mind was in turmoil. He looked at his father, who stood firm and confident, as if he had the whole world under his control. “How can I be like him?” Kaelin thought.

Elandar put his hand on Kailin's shoulder and said in a calm but serious tone: “Harmonizing with the Qi is what will give you the strength to survive in a world full of dangers. But remember, balance is key. Don't let greed for energy drive you to overuse it, or you'll find yourself surrounded by inner chaos.”

Kailin looked at his father with eyes full of enthusiasm and understanding, and now realized the reason behind his father's rigorous training. As Kailin began to execute the technique, tension was building up within him. He tried to sense the qi from the nature around him, but at first, he felt helpless. The flow of qi was weak and erratic, as if his body refused to accept it. His heart was pounding, and his mind was preoccupied with one thought: “What if I fail?”

On the first attempt, he didn't feel any noticeable change. His attempts lacked control, as if the qi was refusing to penetrate his body. He looked at his father, but Elandar's expression didn't change. With his silent encouragement, Kaelin tried again.

On the second try, slowly, as if the chi was responding to his direction more slowly but more steadily. The tension he had felt the first time around began to dissipate, enabling him to feel the internal flow of energy. An overwhelming joy swept over Kailin as he said: “I did it!”

Elandar also smiled proudly and said, “I did it easily because I opened your energy pathways and expelled the impurities from your body through your previous exercises.”

He continued thinking: 'If it weren't for your great talent, you wouldn't have been able to easily form the first strand of chi in your dantian. But, as you know, talent alone is not enough. If it weren't for the intensive training you underwent, you wouldn't have been able to harness that talent so quickly.

Kailin looked at his father in amazement, wondering how much of an impact those long trainings had had. He thought it was his own effort that got him to this point, but now he realized that his father had been guiding him all this time to achieve this goal.

Elandar: “Congratulations, Kaelin. You have officially entered the 'Unlocking the Ki' stage. This is the stage where you begin to actively cultivate qi. At this level, you will feel a noticeable increase in your physical strength and speed. You will also begin to develop your ability to control and absorb qi from various sources. As you progress through this stage, you become more connected to the world around you.”

Kaelin's emotions were mixed between joy and appreciation for his father. He realized that he had begun his true journey towards the Force, but he also felt the weight of responsibility that comes with this kind of knowledge.

Kaelin: “Thank you, Dad. I wouldn't have gotten here without your guidance.”

Elandar smiled and gently patted his son's shoulder: “This is just the beginning. Remember, the journey is long, and the learning never ends.”

Elandar then activated a protective formation around Kaelin, shielding him from all outside dangers, and said, “I'll leave you to train. I have some business in the village. Practice the same steps I told you.”

Kailin remained alone in the forest, leaning against a huge tree as he contemplated his future. “My journey really begins now... Will I become stronger than my father? Will I be able to protect the village?” He then cut those thoughts short and began to focus on training.

After hours of continuous training, Kailin began to feel drastic changes in his body. His five senses had developed significantly; he could now hear the sounds of leaves rustling in the slightest wind, and he could see every detail of the plants around him. Even his nose was picking up odors with new clarity, and he felt connected to all of nature around him.

As for Dantian, he was slowly being filled with pure Qi, and the Qi was flowing into his body more and more. He could feel the power gradually rising within him, like a flowing river that grew stronger with each passing second. With each breath he took, he was inhaled more Qi from the nature around him and felt it flowing int the pathways of his body.

Kailin tried to focus on controlling the aura that began to surround his body. The color of the aura was bluish-silver, shimmering like stars in a clear night sky. It was a pure and vibrant aura, reflecting his strong connection to the nature around him.

Kailin gradually began to try to wrap his hand in this aura, trying to control it precisely. The first few attempts were difficult, as the aura dispersed whenever he tried to direct it to his hand. But over time, after half an hour of continuous attempts, he was finally able to direct the aura and completely envelop his hand. He felt a tremendous power flowing through his aura-covered hand.

He stood in front of a nearby tree and tested his new power. He aimed an aura-covered punch at the tree's trunk, and in an instant, the tree exploded into dust where he had struck it. The trees behind it were also damaged, with some branches breaking off and scattering in the air, as if they had been blown away by a strong wind.

Kailin stood stunned by the destructive power he had witnessed. Before entering the Open Ki stage, he had been able to destroy trees, yes, but not with such destructive power. This new level of power was something he hadn't imagined.

As he was trying to digest what had just happened, he suddenly heard a strange sound coming from the trees. The sound of a monster rapidly approaching him, making a commotion in the forest.

When the beast reached Kailin's area, its footsteps caused slight vibrations in the ground, and its whispering voice gradually turned into a terrifying roar. It was wandering near the area, and when it heard Kailin's voice and the destruction of the tree, it rushed toward the source excitedly, but as it approached, it could not enter because of the protective formation that Elandar had set up. He remained outside the formation, growling angrily at it and spreading his menacing aura.

Kailin, when he saw the monster approaching, felt fear burning within him. That moment was filled with tension; a cold sweat ran down his forehead, and his heartbeat quickened. But slowly, as if the fear had been stripped of its power, that feeling was replaced by gratitude for his father who had put the formation in place to protect him. Kailin realized that this protection would give him some time to think and make a decision.

His gaze returned to the monster in front of him, and he realized it was a huge wolf of unnatural size. Its fur was dark red in color, shimmering faintly in the sunlight. It was about three meters long, and its large claws were sharp and shiny, like swords capable of tearing through anything they touched. His eyes were a glowing yellow color, reflecting malice and power. The wolf was a force to be reckoned with, and Kailin felt like he was on the same level as him (Ki Unlocking Level 1).

Instead of succumbing to fear, Kailin felt a wave of joy wash over him. He realized that this monster could be a golden opportunity for him to try out his new power. The thought of training against a monster of such size and power crossed his mind, and he realized that it would be the perfect opportunity to test his Qi control and his newly acquired abilities.

But along with this joy, a conflicting feeling began to overtake him. Could he really fight this monster? And if he failed to kill it, what would happen? He might end up dead or even captive to this fearsome creature. Thoughts raced through his mind, and he felt currents of anxiety and indecision coursing through his body.

After a few seconds of thinking, he came up with a solution. He had to step out of the formation and face the monster head on. He knew that this was the decisive moment, the moment that would determine his future in this world. He gathered his courage and resolved to face it.

When he decided to face the wolf, he felt a new feeling wash over him; a strong determination and unexpected courage. The fear that had gripped him a moment earlier was gone, replaced by a sense of excitement and defiance. His eyes shone with unwavering determination, and his heart pumped with excitement. He was ready for the fight, confident that this battle would be a turning point in his journey.

Kailin stepped out of the circle of protection, and slowly approached the red beast that was roaring in front of him