Chi and Yu had finally stepped into the First Stage of Foundation Establishment.
Their bodies felt… new — as if every cell had been reborn and awakened from a long slumber. The air around them shimmered faintly, rippling with traces of unseen energy.
"Chi… do you feel that?" Yu asked, his voice low with awe. A faint golden aura swirled gently around him, flickering like sunlight breaking through mist.
Chi opened and closed his fists, feeling raw strength pulse through his veins. "Yeah… it just feels unreal," he said, his eyes wide.
Loch crossed his arms, watching the faint glow that still lingered around Chi and Yu.
"You two have just stepped into Foundation Establishment," he said calmly, his voice echoing across the empty grounds. "It's only the first stage of the very first realm. Don't get too excited."
His gaze sharpened, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"In this vast world, there exist immortals who can destroy or create entire worlds with just a flick of their fingers. Compared to them, you're not even dust yet. So keep your heads low and your hearts steady."
Chi and Yu nodded silently, their excitement dimming into quiet determination.
Loch turned, his coat brushing lightly against the ground as he started walking away. "You have one hour," he said over his shoulder. "Use it however you wish. Destroy, test, or explore your strength—this ground will withstand it."
Then, without another word, he disappeared from sight, leaving the two standing in the vast training field, the air thrumming with untamed energy and possibility.
Without a word, both of them dashed forward, their bodies moving faster than they ever thought possible. The world around them blurred into streaks of color—every sound, every breath, every heartbeat felt alive. The air roared past their ears as their feet struck the ground, each step leaving a faint imprint burned into the soil from the sheer force of their movement.
They didn't know what had changed—only that everything seemed sharper, brighter, more. The wind carried a rhythm that pulsed with their hearts, and even the sky seemed closer than before. Both wore unbreakable smiles, laughter echoing through the empty grounds as they ran—not to test their power, but simply to feel alive.
Then, without thinking, they leapt—straight into the air.
The ground fell away beneath them faster than they expected, and for a split second, panic flickered in their eyes. They had jumped far higher than humanly possible—so high the school grounds looked small beneath them, the wind whistling past their ears.
But as they began to descend, the fear melted away. Instead of dread, a strange calm filled their hearts. The air itself felt like an extension of their bodies, as if the world no longer resisted them—it welcomed them. Their bodies moved instinctively, bending and twisting midair, landing softly as though gravity had simply chosen not to harm them.
Both boys blinked in disbelief, their hearts pounding not from fear, but exhilaration.
"Did we… just jump that high?" Yu said, voice trembling with awe.
Chi grinned wide, unable to hide the thrill in his eyes. "yeah"
"Hey Yu… do you feel this thing too?" Chi asked, his eyes wide with awe.
"You mean this invisible Qi surrounding my body?" Yu replied, flexing his fingers slightly. A faint golden aura shimmered around him, flickering like living fire. "It… it feels like a part of me. Like it's alive."
"Hold on I want to try something" said chi with determination
Chi took a deep breath and stepped a few meters away from a massive boulder resting at the edge of the training field. His stance shifted instinctively—feet firm, knees slightly bent, his right fist drawn back. The air around him grew still.
He closed his eyes, steadying his breath.
Focus… gather… flow.
A faint hum began to rise from within him as Qi stirred, swirling through his meridians like rivers awakening after a long drought. It gathered—dense, heavy, alive—around his fist. Tiny sparks of golden light flickered along his arm, his skin trembling from the sheer pressure.
The ground beneath his feet cracked.
Then—
Boom!
Chi's eyes snapped open. His fist shot forward like lightning.
The air shuddered. A wave of compressed Qi erupted outward, invisible yet devastating. It slammed into the boulder with a thunderous crack—sending dust and shards flying in every direction.
When the smoke cleared, a deep hole was carved straight through the rock's center, smooth as if cut by a blade.
Chi blinked, lowering his fist, a stunned smile creeping across his face.
"I… did that?"
"Woah! How did you do that?!" Yu exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with exhilaration. "Hurry up! That was amazing! I've never seen anything like it in my life!"
Chi took a moment to steady himself, his heart still pounding from the surge of Qi. "Hold on a sec… I thought something would happen, but I never expected this," he said hesitantly, glancing at the residual energy swirling faintly around his fist.
Yu bounded closer, practically vibrating with energy. "Come on, show me again! I need to feel it! I need to understand it!"
Chi exhaled slowly, trying to calm the thrill coursing through him. "Okay… but let's be careful.We've read this only in books never in real life"
Time passed in a blur, the hour Loch had granted them slipping away faster than either of them realized. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the cultivation grounds.
Yu crouched into a steady stance, his right hand drawn back and his feet planted firmly. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply as golden Qi began to swirl and coil around him like a living flame. Every breath he took seemed to pull the invisible energy tighter, weaving it through his body until it pulsed in perfect rhythm with his heartbeat.
Then, in a flash, Yu thrust his fist forward. The Qi surged out like a bolt of lightning, cutting through the air with an ear-piercing crack. The energy collided with a large rock ahead, and in an instant, a jagged hole exploded into its surface. Fragments of stone flew outward, dust and light dancing together in a small whirlwind.
Chi's eyes widened, the awe and thrill almost overwhelming. "Woah… Yu! That… that was insane!" he shouted, his own Qi flaring in response, invisible currents vibrating with excitement around him.
Yu's golden aura flickered and danced around him like flames caught in a storm. He turned, eyes blazing with triumph. "See, Chi? This is what it feels like when you truly step into the Foundation Establishment! Nothing's holding us back!"
Chi grinned, his heart racing as he felt his own Qi respond, humming along with Yu's. "Alright then… let's see what else we can do!"
The two of them stood there, the air around them trembling with raw potential, the ground beneath them bearing the first marks of their newfound power. Every heartbeat, every breath, now carried the promise of creation—and destruction.
Loch had already returned to Haoran, Lianhua, and Yuanhai, leaving the cultivation grounds empty.
Time slipped by unnoticed, and soon night had draped its dark velvet over the town. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of earth and evening dew. Chi and Yu, still buzzing with the exhilaration of their first Foundation Establishment breakthrough, hurried back home.
There was no cold, clunky carriage waiting for them—nor did they need one. Their bodies, now attuned to their Qi, moved with effortless grace and speed. They leapt over rooftops, landing silently on tiles, their feet barely making a sound. The houses around them blurred past as if the night itself had become a part of their playground.
Chi shot a glance at Yu, who grinned back, golden aura faintly shimmering under the moonlight. "Feels like flying," Chi said, breathless and thrilled.
Yu laughed softly, the sound carried by the wind. "Yeah… who needs a carriage when you can move like this?"
Their hearts raced, not from fear but from a pure, unrestrained joy. Everything felt sharper, more alive—the cool night air brushing against their skin, the distant glimmer of lanterns reflecting off tiled roofs, even the gentle sway of trees seemed amplified.
For the first time, the world didn't feel like it belonged around them—it felt like they belonged to it.
Both of them raced back to Chi's house, their steps light and swift, carrying the thrill of their first breakthrough. The moment they reached the door, Chi's hand shot out to ring the bell.
The door swung open—and it felt as if a whole crowd had been waiting for them.
"Surprise!" everyone shouted in unison.
Chi and Yu froze, dumbfounded, blinking at the cheering faces before them. "Huh… what?" Chi managed to stammer.
Chi still could not get used to liora and buddy talking
Loch stepped forward, his expression calm but authoritative. "Congratulations," he said, his voice cutting through the laughter and excitement. "You've broken into the First Stage of Foundation Establishment."
For a moment, neither boy could move. Their hearts pounded—not from fear, but from the sheer magnitude of what they had for a family
Both of them that day had already knew if what they had accomplished but sharing with family was something else entirely.
The next morning, Chi and Yu were still fast asleep, exhausted from the whirlwind of emotions and adrenaline from the previous day. The sun peeked through the windows, casting warm beams across the room.
Liora floated silently above them, her silvery glow flickering mischievously. Buddy hovered beside her, eyes glinting with playful intent.
"You know what? They ignored us all night," Liora whispered, her voice soft but teasing. "Time for payback."
Buddy let out a quiet, approving chirp. Together, the two primordial beasts began their work—tracing little patterns on Chi and Yu's faces with a faint shimmer of their energy. Smudges, tiny whiskers, funny little mustaches—every stroke radiated harmless, ethereal glow that left no mark on the skin but was perfectly visible to anyone looking.
By the time Chi stirred, blinking sleepily, he felt an odd tingling on his face. He touched his cheek and froze. "Wait… what the—?"
Yu, rubbing his eyes, gasped. "Chi! Look at my face!"
Both boys looked in the mirror—or rather, at each other—and burst out laughing. Their faces were covered in glowing, whimsical doodles: a pair of comically large eyebrows, little stars on their cheeks, and a tiny glowing mustache on Chi that wiggled faintly as Liora giggled nearby.
Liora hovered above them, tilting her head in mock seriousness. "Consider this… penance for ignoring us last night."
Buddy flitted around Yu, tracing a glowing outline of a silly crown above his head. "We demand attention!" it chirped.
Chi groaned, wiping a hand across his face, but couldn't suppress his laughter. "Alright, alright… you got us. Payback accepted."
Yu grinned sheepishly, touching his own glowing mustache. "I guess we underestimated you two…"
Next chapter:duel against other foundation establishment cultivators