2. Testing the Limits
Standing on his hind legs, Ruan assumed the Iron Shell Form, a defensive stance meant to protect against crushing blows and energy strikes. He took a deep breath, feeling the Qi hum within him. But something felt different. The energy did not remain passive; it responded, waiting to be commanded.
Focusing inward, Ruan directed the Qi toward his exoskeleton. The change was immediate. His shell hardened, its surface gleaming in the faint light of the underground. The technique had always enhanced his natural durability, but now the Qi amplified it, making his body feel like tempered iron.
"Stronger… much stronger," he muttered, his antennae twitching with excitement.
He lifted a small stone from the ground and hurled it against his shell. It shattered upon impact, the fragments scattering across the cavern floor. Normally, such an attack would bruise or crack even the toughest cockroach shell, but Ruan remained unscathed. His Iron Shell Form, enhanced by human Qi, had transformed him into something else entirely.
Next, he tested his agility. Burrow Step, a movement technique that allowed the Zu Roach to dart through small spaces at blinding speeds, came naturally to him. But now, with Qi enhancing his legs, his speed was almost supernatural. Ruan moved so quickly that his form seemed to blur, zipping from one side of the cavern to the other in the blink of an eye.
"This… this is the strength of the humans," Ruan marveled. "I can use it."