Emmett opened his eyes and blinked at the familiar sight of the old-style room around him. The dark wooden beams, the paper windows softly filtering the morning light, and the faint scent of incense burning in the corner welcomed him back to the world of Saga. He flexed his fingers, clenching his hands into fists and feeling the strength that his time in the Body Forging realm had granted him.
This is the life, he thought with a smirk. The power he felt here, even at his current stage, was intoxicating. Every movement, every breath felt sharper, more precise, as if the world itself responded to his will. It was a far cry from the real world, where even lifting a hospital tray made his muscles ache after the ordeal of the fire. Here, he was strong. Here, he could shape his own destiny.
He stood, stretching his body, feeling the familiar weight of his sword at his side. Saga was more than just a game. It was a world where you could be someone—someone with power, control, and a purpose. It was no wonder that millions of people across the globe were now hooked. It was so popular that other games had gone bankrupt trying to compete. And with Saga's unique restriction of ten hours of gameplay per day, most people logged in at night, letting their bodies sleep while their minds roamed free in the virtual world.
Emmett couldn't deny that it was genius. It kept people balanced—sort of. And, given how real it all felt, it was easy to see why people craved this world. It gave you a taste of being something more than you were in reality.
But today, Emmett had more serious matters to attend to. He was still stuck at the Body Forging stage, and though his strength had grown, he knew that to truly progress, to break through to the next realm—Qi Condensation—he needed to master the deeper nuances of his cultivation technique. Without it, he'd be stuck at the cap, unable to advance no matter how many monsters he fought or how much experience he gained.
With that thought in mind, he pulled out the Moon Scripture: Qi Condensation Level. The scroll was ancient in design, its parchment weathered and frayed, but the characters inscribed upon it gleamed with mystical energy. This was no ordinary cultivation manual. This scripture was the key to unlocking the next level of power, and though he couldn't yet break through, deepening his knowledge of the Qi Condensation stage would prepare him when the time came.
He spread the scroll out in front of him, studying the intricate diagrams of meridians and acupoints that covered its surface. The pathway of Qi through the body was complex, like a network of rivers flowing toward a vast ocean of energy. But these weren't just static pathways; they were dynamic, and each cultivator had to learn to flow their Qi through these channels in a way that suited their own body and spirit.
Emmett sat down on the mat in the middle of the room and crossed his legs, assuming the lotus position. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, drawing the energy of the world into himself. The first step in cultivating the Qi Condensation stage was to strengthen his meridians and internalize the knowledge of the Moon Scripture. This would allow him to better prepare his body for when the time came to break through.
The scroll spoke of many things—focusing on the dantian, which acted like a reservoir for energy, and how to properly guide the Qi along the twelve primary meridians. In the Body Forging realm, Qi was something external, something he used to reinforce his muscles and bones. But in Qi Condensation, it would become a part of him—circulating within, strengthening his organs and sharpening his mind.
He began to follow the technique's instructions, using his imagination to visualize the internal pathways, feeling for the faint threads of Qi already in his body. The dantian, located just below his navel, was where his Qi pooled. He pictured it as a small, swirling ball of light, bright but not fully formed.
The Moon Scripture guided him to begin circulating his Qi through the Ren meridian, which ran from his lower abdomen up to his chest. He imagined the energy moving like a gentle stream, trickling upward as he focused his will on directing it.
Okay, gentle trickle, he thought. We're going for a slow and steady stream, not a raging river.
Almost immediately, he felt resistance—a blockage of sorts. It was as if the energy didn't want to move beyond his chest, stubbornly sitting in place. Emmett grimaced, trying to push harder, but the Qi refused to obey him. It was like trying to squeeze toothpaste out of a nearly empty tube.
"Well, this is awkward," Emmett muttered under his breath, feeling the strain in his chest.
The scroll had warned him that without proper cultivation technique mastery, forcing Qi could lead to what was commonly referred to as Qi deviation. And no one wanted to be that guy. The one who ended up exploding their meridians because they got a little too enthusiastic.
"Note to self: don't explode," he joked to the empty room. "That'd be embarrassing."
He relaxed his mind, focusing instead on the feeling of the Qi itself. Instead of trying to force it, he began to gently coax it, much like he would if he were coaxing a cat out from under a couch. Come on, Qi, he thought. I've got snacks. Let's be friends.
The energy began to move again, albeit slowly. This time, however, he wasn't pushing it—it was more like he was guiding it along, letting it find its natural flow. As the Qi moved upward, he felt a warmth spreading through his chest, followed by a cool sensation that seemed to wash over his whole body.
Okay, that's better. Less 'shove' and more 'convince,' he mused, feeling a sense of accomplishment as the Qi completed a full cycle through his body and returned to his dantian.
He repeated the process, focusing on the Ren meridian, then moving onto the Du meridian, which ran from the base of his spine, up his back, and over the top of his head. This was where things got tricky, as the Du meridian was notoriously difficult to open, especially for someone still in Body Forging.
As Emmett circulated his Qi, he could feel the pressure building in his head, like he was trying to push a boulder uphill. He grimaced, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead as he struggled to keep the flow steady.
"Come on... come on..." he muttered through clenched teeth.
The scroll mentioned that pushing too hard could cause a rebound effect, where the Qi would scatter and leave you incapacitated for hours. But Emmett was never one to give up easily.
Slowly, agonizingly, the Qi began to move. It flowed up his spine, inch by inch, until it reached the top of his head. Emmett felt a brief moment of elation—he was doing it! He was really circulating his Qi properly!
And then, like a slap in the face, the Qi rebounded.
"Ow, ow, ow!" Emmett hissed, clutching his head as a sharp pain shot through his skull. The Qi had ricocheted back down his spine, sending shockwaves of discomfort through his body.
He slumped forward, groaning. "Okay, maybe I got a little too cocky there."
After taking a moment to collect himself, Emmett sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. The transition to Qi Condensation was a slow and meticulous process, one that required not only physical strength but mental focus and patience—two things he was working on improving.
He leaned back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling as he caught his breath. Despite the difficulty, he felt a surge of excitement. The more he practiced, the more he would learn to control the Qi in his body. He just had to be patient, and eventually, he would break through to the next realm.
Still, there was a lot of work ahead of him. The body forging level was all about building a foundation, but that foundation wasn't complete until he could fully understand and circulate his Qi without resistance.
"Baby steps, Emmett," he said to himself, chuckling softly. "Don't try to run before you can walk."
With that thought, Emmett closed his eyes again, returning to his meditation. There was much to learn, and though the path to Qi Condensation was long, he was ready to take it step by step. After all, what was a little pain in the face of ultimate power?