The Laws of Cultivation: Qi = MC^2

Book 2: Chapter 50: The Spirit Within

Lei had left for the sect the next morning, with my letter in hand. Cao Chen had taken a cart to leave him at the sect, leaving me with the rest of the day to worry over things. I had about a week or so prepare for the duel at best, and ensure things continued to run smoothly.

Qiao Ying stood next to me, holding a registry with all the details, as I grimaced watching over the village.

“How’s progress?” I asked.

“My lord—”

I gave him a look.

“Err… sir. We’ve successfully managed to create the first batch of Qi crystals. There were some issues with the workers being unused to the equipment, but after some guidance the batch was successful. Yield was… it was quite good, we had 77% of the herbs being converted successfully based on the mass conversion formula that you had taught me. We have successfully created a batch of roughly two hundred standard Qi crystals within one run,” Qiao Ying’s face flushed, a proud expression on his face.

I did not blame him, a first run with such a high yield was a lot better than I had expected. A smile hung on my lips, happy with the news, but I knew how fragile all of this was, and the fact that this was exactly what I was going to be fighting to protect.

“The wall?” I asked further.

“The cement’s component ratio seems mostly clear, but I’ve faced some trouble in acquiring the materials needed. That said, the cement itself has calcified just as you said you would. It is… fascinating. The villagers are calling it liquid-rock. We can begin construction within the week as soon as the components have all arrived,” Qiao Ying said.

“That leaves the last thing I’d mentioned,” I said, glancing at Qiao Ying.

The man nodded.

“I think… I think you should look at it yourself sir,” Qiao Ying said.

I followed behind him, walking up to behind my home where I saw a craftsman working on small metallic trinkets of all sorts, with a mix of alchemy, formation arts, and metal work. It was an entirely new field of work in this world combining multiple arts and finding people who could work through what I needed was quite difficult. But Qiao Ying had pulled through, and I’d been able to supply all the drugnades that were needed to fuel the development.

“These are a bit unstable, but they do the job,” the man said, a metal part in his mouth as he handed me the new drugnades I’d created. Or gu-nukes to be precise. The new ones combined both Gu and Qi pills, at a smaller degree to create a mini-nuke.

“Can they be used by anyone?” I asked.

“Yup. Just flick that trigger thing over there, and it’ll light up the formation rune and bam. Make sure to not keep it in your hands though, it’ll blow up to bits-“ the man said, before he stopped to look at me. “Well, maybe not with you.”

I chuckled, but did not activate the grenade. “How many can we make?”

“How many pills can you make?” the man asked.

I nodded, happy with the answer.

“Does the lord have anything to say?” I asked, turning towards Qiao Ying.

“He is… interested, but so far Lord Zhou has not commented on things. I intend to send him another report regarding production and the weapons.”

I nodded as I moved on, letting the craftsman work on the weapons. The village was still busy as usual, miners harvesting spirit crystals, workers picking spirit herbs, the new mortals slowly being awakened as they trained with Yan Yun before joining Zhang in the weapon and combat training. Yin and granny Lang were working hard with the Alchemy side of things, as more and more people began to learn how to use the tools to create alchemy pills.

Even Ash was helping out, keeping the area clear of any malicious spirit beasts alongside Sheldon. The two spirit beasts had teamed up almost like the older brothers of my little menagerie, making sure Labby, Twilight and Silverlight didn’t run around causing problems for everyone.

A strange feeling filled me as I watched the village changing so rapidly. Work was happening, things were changing, the town was developing more and more by the minute, and I knew I’d done almost all I could. My task with this side of things was done for now. Instead of working on every small thing, my role now was to make sure I could protect all of them from all the threats and people aiming to bring harm to them.

Leaving Qiao Ying with some orders and leaving him to his work, I walked up tp Zhang, finding him in the field. I raised my hand, catching the boy’s attention as he trained the newly initiated through the basic stances.

“What brings you here, brother Jie?” Zhang asked.

“You think you could spare some time for a spar?” I asked Zhang.

“With me?” Zhang asked, surprised.

I heard gasps and murmurs coming from the younger boys and some men as they looked at me in shock. My recent displays had gained me a reputation greater than I had cared for. The association with the Divine tree, and the knowledge I brought had made some of the villagers believe I was a Divine messenger of some sort, and my efforts to dissuade them had only deepened their own beliefs.

“Yup. Yan Yun’s still settling into her regained cultivation, and you’re the best fighter I know,” I said to Zhang, ignoring the whispers.

I saw Yin’s brother, Guo Ru, shout at them as they quieted down, before he gave me a nod. I returned the nod, smiling. The boy I’d saved, who had been so helpless in the mines, had now grown a fair bit more muscular and confident. The training with Zhang had clearly been showing results.

“Sure brother. Are there any rules?” Zhang asked.

“We’ll spar till one of us concedes. Sounds good?” I asked.

Zhang nodded, about to put his training spear away. “Keep it,” I told him. “Our enemies won’t be taking it easy. You shouldn’t either.”

I saw Zhang frown, but he did not refuse. He knew I was right, even if the chance of hurting me warred with that thought within him.

Stepping a bit further, I let Zhang take a stance. I did not take a stance, it felt awkward, even though I knew the arts the sect had taught me, it was not the style of fighting that suited me. Fighting as an act overall did not suit me. Even if I had been willing to engage in it a lot more willingly without my memories from earth, I had been awful at it.

“You go first,” I told Zhang.

Zhang nodded, raising his spear. To my pleased surprise, he was not holding back. Chi gathered around him, purple wisps rising as I felt gravity shifting all around where I was. I had to force my Chi to anchor me, as Zhang shot towards me like an arrow.

I stepped, dodging the attack, but there was another thrust, as he turned in a way that should not have been possible, his strike bending as it reached towards me. Calling on Chi, I deflected the blow, yet to my surprise, Zhang was faster than me, the second strike came instantly, and then the third, and within moments I had to retreat and create some distance or else I would already be on the ground.

Zhang had been expecting that though, as I felt a heavy weight descend on me. The world caved in and I realized that gravity had been increased around me, making each movement heavy.

Turns out I was the one who had not been giving it my all. Zhang moved swiftly, using his range to strike at me from a distance. Flooding my body with Chi, I moved in close, but the boy dashed back faster, using gravity’s assistance to dance away as he continued to thrust at me. I called upon my flames, letting them cover me before shooting them forward.

Ghastly white pillars of fire spread from my hand as Zhang jumped back, and I stepped to close the gap, covering my fist in Chi as I struck out towards Zhang. Of course that was not enough as Zhang stepped in the air, jumping above me and attacking me from behind.

I let fire erupt all around me in a burst to avoid the attack as I turned around, before shooting a literal fistful of fire towards Zhang, who cut through it with his spear with ease.

Man… I really should’ve been training as well.

Zhang danced out of range.

“Brother Jie. Why are you not using your full strength?” Zhang asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked, fire dancing on my hand.

“Your Chi has not been drained at all. It feels… to me, it feels like it’s endless. Yet you are merely using the surface of it.”

I frowned. Endless? My Chi wasn’t… I paused. What was my Chi now? I… didn’t have a core anymore, did I? Where was I drawing Chi from at all?

“Perhaps I am not posing enough of a challenge,” Zhang said, as he raised his spear and something changed. “Forgive me brother. I had not been following your instructions before. This time, I will give my all.”

Hair raised on my arms and legs, a shiver running down my spine as starry lights appeared around Zhang. With a burst of starry light, purple swirls of energy flowing all around. Slowly, the lights began to gather together and I cursed, gathering my Chi rapidly.

“Get back! All of you!” I shouted at the villagers watching, as I tried to gather enough Chi to hold off the attack, but even before it hit I knew it wasn’t enough.

Light began to gather, in such an intensity that I could no longer see in front of me. A burning heat set the ground ablaze and, for a moment, I was looking into the sun itself as it spoke to me.

“Gravity Arts: The Birth of a Star.”

Then the world turned to fire.

I felt Zhang’s full strength striking at me, as the heat overwhelmed me. I dove in drawing more and more and more on the Chi around me, but it wasn’t around, as the exploding star struck.

More, I needed more, so much more.

But I did have more, didn’t I? I had… so much.

I began to draw Chi, but not from myself. From the world itself. The land, the air, the tree in my spirit, every villager, every insect, every stalk of grass. It all connected to me, as I felt my spirit sinking into an unending ocean of power.

My form changed, my mind drifting outwards to be more than just me, more than just who I was, but a summation of everything I was tied to. Fire blazed around me, the exploding strength of a star tearing through my Chi.

I held out a hand, Chi flowing through it, the world itself powering my strength as I held back the star. A moment later, the flames and dust cleared as I stood, my arm was slightly singed, my clothes a little torn, with the ground around me charred to death, yet I was fine. I was more than fine.

I felt more alive than I had ever been.

Zhang looked at me, and then gave me an uncharacteristic smile unlike anything I had seen from him.

“Come Brother, let us fight!” Zhang said, as he stepped into the skies.

I watched him go, but did not move. I tried to move my body but a creeping sensation of horror began to dawn upon me as my body turned without my command. With a step I felt my body step into the skies, and I watched almost like a passenger in my own shell as I walked towards the skies.

Chi was flowing through me in an endless storm. So much power, so much strength, it was like an ocean that was drowning me. A hundred voices calling out to me all at once, tugging me in all directions.

Zhang remained in the air, clearly confused as he began to chase after me, but I was faster as I began to fly outside of the village.

There was a tingle as I felt my tie to the world cut off. The law of the world changed here and I realized I was under the rule of the Heavens again.

I tried to stop my body, realizing what it wanted to do, but it seemed to be moving with its own purpose. Burning energy coursed through my hands, as I raised an arm into the skies, ready to launch a devastating strike into the Heavens, to shatter them once and for all.

The world rumbled around me, sensing the threat I presented to it.

I screamed.

LISTEN TO ME. YOU ARE MY BODY.

My body twitched, and for a moment, I was back in control. I wrestled with the monster that ruled now, the collective spirits of the villagers, their hopes, their desires, but that was not all was it? No, no I had been ignoring the largest source of them all.

I closed my eyes to the world.

Two giant eyes looked back at me. The spirit of the Tree itself.

“The Cycle is broken. We must mend it. Break the shackles, and free this realm.”

I stared at the beast, looking at its giant form.

“You cannot just start raging uncontrollably! We need to do things step by step or there will be no point. If the heaven breaks with abandon, the demons will just take over,” I shouted, but the beast seemed to not listen.

Frustrated, I used every ounce of willpower I had to try to draw its attention, pulling at the tree of unity itself within my soul.

The beast paused then, finally noting my presence, as its weight descended upon me. I felt my body moving in my real world, once again outside my control.

“You are insufficient. Our strength is not something you can command. Cease control to us. We will mend what has been broken unjustly.”

I stared at the beast, and then finding myself pissed off, I gave it the flip off it deserved.

“Fuck you dude,” I said to the monster. “I am working as hard as I can to save the people I love, and to fix this world while I do it. But I’m not going to become a puppet in my own body. If you want to take me, you’ll have to destroy me completely.”

The beast looked at me, and for a moment I feared it would do just that. Crush me like I was a bug and move on without a thought.

“You are weak.”

“Maybe, but I do not bend down to tyrants. If you aren’t willing to cooperate, then I’ll do it my own damn self,” I spat.

But instead, it let out a low powerful rumble.

“We will wait. But not for long. The Death of Things stirs. If you cannot claim our power, then we will crush you and seize your body for ourselves.”

And then, almost as if all of that strength had been a lie, I felt it all vanish from my grasp. I flailed falling from the skies but this time, I had enough awareness to flood myself with Chi.

The air is firm. The air is firm. The air is firm.

I repeated to myself, almost in a desperate, and as if my voice had reached out and convinced the world, I felt my feet step on air itself with Chi. The sensation faded as soon as it had come but I tried again, and the second time was easier, before the third step succeeded.

Eventually, I had enough of a hang that I had managed to turn the fatal fall into a rough fall down some metaphysical stairs instead.

Zhang rushed to my side, quickly behind me.

“Brother Jie, are you alright?” he said, grasping my shoulders.

“I’m okay,” I said, as I sat on the ground, breathing hard. Zhang looked like he had a bunch of questions, but he held back, letting me have my space.

Slowly I laid on the grass beneath me, looking at the skies above as the tribulations that could’ve come dissipated. I felt frustration boiling inside me. Guess I knew now why I had felt the way I had back then.

“Fucking world spirit,” I spat in frustration, before rising up as I began to stomp back to the village.

I needed to train.