A Struggle Against Limits
The wind whistled through the trees, carrying the crisp scent of damp earth. The secluded clearing, Lei Sheng's hidden sanctuary, was silent except for the rhythmic sound of his breathing.
He stood in the center of the clearing, his body tense, sweat trickling down his forehead. His training had become more intense over the past few weeks. He could feel it his Qi was stronger, denser. But something was missing. He had reached a bottleneck.
Each time he tried to break through, something held him back, as if his body wasn't ready to grasp the next level of cultivation.
Tonight would be different.
Tonight, he would push past his limits.
Lei Sheng closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. His Qi swirled within him, gathering in his dantian. He began to circulate it, directing the energy outward through his meridians.
The moment of breakthrough was close. He could feel it like a dam ready to burst.
He steadied himself, focusing.
Now!
With a deep exhale, he forced his Qi outward
Boom!
A powerful surge of energy erupted from him, sending a shockwave through the clearing. The force cracked the ground beneath his feet, sending leaves and dust swirling into the air.
Lei Sheng's eyes snapped open. His entire body felt like it was on fire. His veins pulsed with raw energy, his limbs trembling as an unfamiliar power surged through him.
Then came the pain.
A sharp, searing agony tore through his meridians. His vision blurred, and he stumbled backward, gasping.
Something was wrong.
The energy wasn't flowing as it should. It was wild, uncontrollable like a raging river breaking free from its banks.
No if I lose control now…
His body convulsed, and suddenly, a faint glow emanated from his chest.
A soft jade-colored aura flickered around him, swirling like mist. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before ancient, powerful… yet unstable.
Lei Sheng barely had time to process it before his knees buckled. His breath came in ragged gasps, his vision swimming.
The power was too much.
He was going to lose control.
A Friend's Intervention
Just as darkness threatened to consume him, a voice cut through the haze.
"Lei Sheng!"
A pair of hands grabbed his shoulders, steadying him.
He barely registered Jiao Lan's presence before his body tensed violently. A fresh wave of energy surged through him, and the jade aura around him pulsed brighter.
Jiao Lan's grip tightened. "Breathe! You're losing control!"
Lei Sheng gritted his teeth, his fingers digging into the earth. "I I can't."
"Yes, you can!" she snapped. "Focus! Control your breathing!"
Her words barely reached him, but something about her presence grounded him.
Lei Sheng forced himself to inhale deeply, then exhale slowly.
Again.
And again.
Gradually, the energy inside him began to stabilize. The raging current of Qi softened into something more controlled. The overwhelming force no longer threatened to consume him.
The jade aura flickered before finally settling into a faint glow.
Lei Sheng collapsed forward, his breathing heavy. Jiao Lan caught him before he hit the ground.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, Jiao Lan exhaled sharply. "What the hell was that?"
Lei Sheng swallowed, still trying to catch his breath. "I… I think I just broke through."
Jiao Lan frowned. "That wasn't just a breakthrough. That was something else entirely."
Lei Sheng looked down at his hands, which still pulsed faintly with energy.
She was right. This was different.
His Qi felt… transformed.
More refined. More powerful.
This wasn't just an advancement. This was the beginning of something much greater.
___
Understanding the Jade Soul Path
After a few minutes, Lei Sheng finally sat up, still feeling drained but more stable. Jiao Lan studied him, arms crossed.
"You scared me," she admitted.
Lei Sheng gave her a weak smile. "Didn't mean to."
She rolled her eyes. "So? Are you going to tell me what just happened?"
Lei Sheng hesitated. He had never seen anything like the jade aura that had surrounded him. He had read about different cultivation paths, but this… this was something new.
"I think it's connected to the scroll," he said finally. "The cultivation technique I've been using it's different from anything I've seen before."
Jiao Lan's expression darkened. "That scroll again… Lei Sheng, are you sure this is safe?"
Lei Sheng looked at his hands again. The power still lingered, even after the initial surge had passed.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But I have to keep going."
Jiao Lan sighed. "You're impossible, you know that?"
Lei Sheng chuckled. "I've been told."
She shook her head, then stood. "Come on. You need to rest before you push yourself too far."
Lei Sheng nodded, allowing her to help him up. His legs were still unsteady, but his mind was clear.
Tonight had changed everything.
The Jade Soul Path had awakened.
And with it, his journey had truly begun.
____
The Weight of Power
As Lei Sheng lay on the grass, staring up at the night sky, Jiao Lan sat beside him, arms resting on her knees.
"Do you feel different?" she asked.
Lei Sheng closed his eyes for a moment, focusing inward. His Qi had changed it was smoother, stronger, and somehow… deeper.
"Yes," he said. "It feels like… I've unlocked something ancient."
Jiao Lan hummed. "That sounds dangerous."
Lei Sheng smirked. "Only if I can't control it."
She shot him a glare. "That's exactly my point."
Silence stretched between them for a while before she spoke again.
"You know, the elders are already wary of you. If they find out about this…"
Lei Sheng's expression grew serious. "I know."
"Then what will you do?"
He exhaled slowly. "I'll keep training. I'll master this power. And one day, I'll prove to everyone that I can be trusted with it."
Jiao Lan studied him for a moment before sighing. "You're really stubborn, you know that?"
Lei Sheng grinned. "I've been told."
She shook her head but smiled faintly. "Just don't get yourself killed, alright?"
"I'll try my best," he said, closing his eyes.
As exhaustion finally took over, one thought remained clear in his mind.
The Jade Soul Path was his now.
And he would not waste the gift he had been given.