Breakthrough and Heartbreak

Core Formation, first stage. Boom. Just like that. He'd fucking leapt over Qi Gathering fifth stage like it was a drunk uncle at a family reunion, breaking straight into the big leagues.

Artis grinned, flexing his fingers like he'd just pulled off the heist of the century.

"All thanks to my hard work."

He muttered with a smirk, sitting cross-legged on his bed, glowing with power and not a hint of shame.

"Draining both women dry... Yeah, that probably did it. Yin energy galore, baby!"

He chuckled. But then a thought hit him harder than a slap from an angry matriarch.

"Wait a second. Why the fuck does it feel like the juice is getting... weaker? Is it because I'm milking the same cows too often?"

He scratched his chin, staring out of the 'open' window where dawn's first light began creeping in.

"Huh. Maybe it's time to broaden the... uh, herd. For science, of course."