A few days passed, and I was still practicing my "Qi harmonization," which basically meant failing spectacularly every single time. My arms were sore, my brain was fried, and I was starting to wonder if maybe I was cursed.
But there was no time for doubts .I had bigger problems. Like impressing Li Mei, who had apparently become even more perfect in the last few days. Seriously, I couldn't even look at her without feeling like a failure.
So, I came up with a new idea: steal a win.
I snuck into the storage hall that night, hoping to find something that could help. And there it was: a shiny jade bead. It was glowing like it had been waiting for me to show up.
"Perfect," I whispered, snatching it up.
The next day in class, I casually slipped the bead into my pocket. Time to look like a genius.
Elder Kai called for another volunteer. This time, I stood up confidently no random hand gestures, no chaos. I just held up the bead and focused, praying for something to happen.
To my surprise, something actually did. A tiny spark of energy swirled around me, just for a second.
I grinned. I was a genius after all.