I Will Eventually Return to the Great Sect

The moon hung high in the night sky, its soft glow bathing the Jasmine Garden in silver light. Xuan sat cross-legged in the center of his room, his breathing steady as he held the Frostdew Flower in front of him. Its crystalline petals shimmered faintly, exuding a soothing coldness that seeped into the air.

Carefully, he crushed the Frostdew Flower in his palm, the cold essence spreading through his fingers and sinking into his body. He immediately felt a surge of freezing energy coursing through his veins, sending a chill down his spine. Gritting his teeth, Xuan focused on controlling the energy, directing it toward his pores.

The process was slow and excruciating. His body trembled as the frost-like energy pushed against the barriers of his pores, forcing them open bit by bit. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as he continued the arduous task, sweat forming on his brow despite the icy chill.

Finally, after what felt like hours, a faint hum resonated through his body. His qi pathways pulsed, and he felt a subtle shift—his pores were open.

Xuan exhaled sharply, a cloud of mist forming in the cold air. He flexed his fingers, sensing the change within him. For the first time, he could feel his qi flowing outward, ready to be molded and released at will.

"I did it," he whispered, a small smile tugging at his lips. He was officially in the Inner Essence Realm.

>>>

The next morning, Xuan made his way to the Resource Hall to return the old sect robe Big Sis Yue had told him to bring back. The morning air was crisp, and a faint mist clung to the ground as he walked through the familiar path.

Inside the hall, Lan Yue was at her usual post, flipping through a thick manual while occasionally glancing at passing disciples. She looked up as Xuan approached, a playful smile already forming on her lips.

"Back so soon? And here I thought you'd keep that torn-up robe as a trophy."

Xuan smiled awkwardly and handed over the folded robe. "I figured I should return it before it becomes completely useless."

Lan Yue took the robe, her eyes scanning him briefly before settling on his face. "Hmm… you look different. Did something happen?"

Xuan hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I advanced."

Her eyes widened slightly before her usual playful expression returned. "Well, well. Our little core disciple is growing up fast. Just don't get too full of yourself, alright? There's still a long way to go. I could beat you with my pinky." She asserted.

Xuan grinned. „Of course. Big Sis Yue is the strongest afterall!" He replied with a playful grin, his tone lighthearted.

Lan Yue blinked in surprise before laughing. "Well, at least you know your place! But flattery won't get you any extra merit points."

Xuan chuckled. "Was worth a try."

She smirked, placing the folded robe on the counter. "Alright. Off you go. I have other customers to deal with." She shooed him away.

Xuan chuckled, giving her a small nod before turning to leave, his energy recharged after the quick chat with the playful receptionist.

>>>

Back at the Jasmine Garden, Xuan stepped into the courtyard, scrolls in hand. Now that he had entered the Inner Essence Realm, he could finally put the skills he had chosen into practice.

He unrolled the first scroll: Frostbind Chains.

According to the initial instructions, this skill allowed the user to create frost-forged chains for binding enemies or even forming barriers. However, as he read further, he noticed something he hadn't paid much attention to earlier—at his current cultivation level, he couldn't simply conjure chains out of thin air. Instead, the technique required forming an ice diagram at the point of impact.

Xuan frowned, rereading that section. The method involved swiftly channeling qi to draw the diagram just before contact, creating the frost chain between the impact point and himself. For example, if he struck an opponent with his hand, he would have to form the diagram at the moment of impact, linking his hand to the enemy with a frost chain.

"Complicated," he muttered.

He tried channeling his qi to create a simple diagram on the palm of his hand, but maintaining it long enough for an actual strike proved difficult. After several frustrating attempts, he sighed and decided to put the Frostbind Chains aside for now.

His excitement a bit dimmed, he turned his attention to the second scroll: Falconburst Kick.

This technique was more straightforward in concept, but it required precise qi control. The method explained that by channeling wind-aligned qi to form spirals—referred to as burst spirals—behind the lower leg, he could generate explosive acceleration, increasing both the speed and power of his kicks.

Excitement flickered in Xuan's eyes. This was what he needed—something fast, direct, and simple.

He took a deep breath and began circulating his qi downward. Following the scroll's instructions, he focused on creating a single burst spiral behind his right foot. The air around his leg trembled slightly as the wind qi gathered and formed a faint, rotating spiral behind his heel.

"Here goes," Xuan whispered, stepping forward.

With a sudden burst of speed, his leg shot forward, faster than he had anticipated.

Thud!

His foot slammed into a nearby tree with a loud impact, sending faint tremors through the trunk.

"OUCH!" Xuan yelped, stumbling back as he clutched his throbbing foot. Hopping awkwardly on his other leg, he winced and muttered under his breath. After a few moments of awkward hopping, he finally steadied himself, exhaling slowly.

"That... might take some getting used to." His voice was half a groan, half a chuckle. Despite the rough start, a flicker of satisfaction crossed his face. The sheer speed and force behind the kick were undeniable. This had potential.

He glanced back at the Frostbind Chains scroll, still a bit disappointed with the other skill he chose. But then an idea formed in his mind. What if…?

Taking his thoughts into action, Xuan quickly guided wind-aligned qi toward his leg again, this time focusing on creating the burst spiral not behind but in front of his leg. His brows furrowed in concentration as he worked, and after a few moments, a faint swirl of energy formed just ahead of his foot.

It worked!

He quickly activated the spiral, eager to test his theory. But he still hadn't been prepared enough. The sudden propulsion yanked his leg backward with unexpected speed.

"Whoa—!"

Caught off guard, he lost his balance, one leg flying out from under him. He toppled forward, barely managing to catch himself with his hand before his face hit the ground. A mixture of surprise and exhilaration lit up his expression as he pulled himself back up.

"This… this could work!" he muttered, his eyes gleaming with excitement. If he could pull this off in a fight, and then combine it with the Frostbind Chains, he might be able to create something truly unique.

Quickly he turned towards the scroll for the Frostbind Chains again, seriously studying the diagram he would have to create.

Just then, the sound of light footsteps approached.

"Xuan? What happened? I heard you shout."

Xuan turned to see Lin Ran standing near the edge of the courtyard, looking at him with what could be mild concern.

A grin spread across his face. "Great timing! Come here—I need your help with something."

Lin Ran blinked, clearly taken aback by his unusual enthusiasm. But before she could protest, Xuan waved her over eagerly.

"Just stand there. I need to try something." He said as he got ready to kick.