He practiced wielding the destructive cold of yin with his left hand, unleashing blasts of dark energy that warped and consumed everything they touched. With his right hand, he called upon the warm, radiant light of yang, creating fields of healing energy that could restore anything to its natural state.
And yet, no matter how much progress he made with each individual energy, the real challenge still awaited him... bringing the two forces together.
"Now comes the true test," the yang qi said softly.
"You must harmonize us. Balance is the key... allow us to coexist within you."
The yin qi's voice was more serious than ever before.
"This is where many have failed, Feng Chen. The forces of yin and yang cannot be forced together. You must let them flow into balance naturally. If you try to control them, they will destroy you."
Feng Chen nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. He closed his eyes, focusing inward. Slowly, he allowed the energies of yin and yang to flow through him at the same time, letting them seep into his meridians, his muscles, his bones.
The sensation was strange... yin's cold, dark energy slithering through his left side, while yang's warm, radiant light flooded his right. The two forces circled each other, testing the limits of his control.
At first, it was chaos. The energies clashed, flaring wildly within him as they fought for dominance. His body shook violently, his qi vessels screaming in protest as they struggled to contain the opposing forces. Sweat poured down his face, and his breathing became ragged. It felt as though his body was being torn apart from the inside.
"Relax," the yang qi urged gently.
"Don't try to control us. Let the energies flow naturally. Yin and yang are two halves of the same whole. They seek balance."
Feng Chen took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. He stopped trying to force the energies into harmony and instead allowed them to find their own balance. Slowly, the chaos within him began to subside. The cold darkness of yin and the warm light of yang began to swirl around each other, their movements becoming more synchronized, more harmonious.
As he continued to breathe deeply, the two energies started to merge... not in conflict, but in perfect balance. His left side, infused with yin qi, began to feel more stable, more controlled. His right side, brimming with yang qi, softened, its fiery power becoming more focused.
Then, without warning, a sharp pain shot through his body. He gasped, but instead of breaking the balance, the pain seemed to be the final piece needed to seal the harmony between the two forces. The yin qi and yang qi began to weave together like threads in a tapestry, wrapping around his body, embedding themselves into his skin.
Golden light flared across his flesh, forming intricate, glowing patterns... ancient symbols and scriptures etched into his very being. The light spread through his qi vessels, his muscles, his tissues, even his bones, sealing the energies within him. The glow of the inscriptions seemed to pulse with life, syncing with the rhythm of his heartbeat.
The transformation was complete. Feng Chen opened his eyes, feeling the yin and yang qi flowing through him in perfect harmony. His body had changed... his left side was dark, almost shadow-like, while his right side glowed with a radiant, golden light. Yet, despite their differences, the two energies coexisted within him without conflict.
"It is done," the yin qi said, satisfaction evident in its voice.
"You have achieved balance, something few have ever managed."
"The golden inscriptions on your body are seals," the yang qi explained, its voice now carrying a soft reverence.
"As you grow stronger, those seals will weaken. The more power you attain, the more they will dissolve, allowing you to access the full potential of yin and yang within you."
Feng Chen glanced down at himself, eyes widening as he took in the intricate golden scriptures now etched into his skin. The light from the inscriptions pulsed softly, in sync with his heartbeat, glowing brighter with each breath.
The symbols covered every part of his body, from his chest to his arms, wrapping around his legs and even extending down to his fingertips. He could feel the energies embedded within him, lying dormant but present, like a sleeping dragon waiting to be awakened.
"What are these seals exactly?" Feng Chen asked, his voice full of curiosity, yet cautious of the sheer magnitude of power now resting within him.
The yin qi responded with a tone that seemed both proud and serious.
"These seals are not simply markings on your skin. They have woven themselves into every fiber of your being... into your bones, your flesh, your qi vessels, and even your very soul. They will strengthen your body, ensuring that it can handle the combined power of both yin and yang as it grows. Each time you ascend to a new level of cultivation, the seals will weaken, granting you more access to the true might of our energies."
Feng Chen couldn't help but marvel at the transformation he had undergone. His left side still hummed with the dark, cold power of yin, while his right side thrummed with the warmth and brightness of yang.
But there was no more dissonance between the two forces. They flowed through him in perfect unity, each one complementing the other, rather than clashing.
He raised his left hand, watching as a thin wisp of black energy danced around his fingertips. He could feel the destructive power within it... sharp, deadly, and cold as the void. With his right hand, he summoned a faint golden glow, a light so warm it felt like a gentle embrace. This was the power of creation, the force that could heal and restore, or bring life itself to anything it touched.
"So… when these seals weaken," Feng Chen mused,
"I'll be able to wield even more of this power?"
"Indeed," the yang qi said.
"But be warned... accessing that power too quickly without proper growth could tear your body apart. The seals are there to protect you from yourself. Let them weaken gradually, in line with your cultivation. You must grow stronger, piece by piece."
The yin qi chuckled darkly.
"But if you ever lose control… you'll wish the seals never existed."
Feng Chen nodded, understanding the gravity of what they were saying. His path to ascension was set, but it was a path fraught with dangers. He couldn't afford to be reckless.
But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of excitement. The potential to wield the raw, unbridled power of yin and yang was more than he could have ever imagined.
"So," Feng Chen said with a confident smirk,
"How long did that process take? It felt like an eternity."
The yang qi chuckled softly.
"Indeed, it may have felt like lifetimes to you. But in truth, only a brief moment of 15 years has passed in the world outside. Time flows differently here."
Feng Chen's jaw dropped.
"A BRIEF MOMENT!?" he repeated incredulously.