Ch 18: The Void of Qi

Not a single speck of qi.

The realization sent a cold, biting shiver down Ye Tian's spine.

The weight of it settled like an iron cage around his chest, pressing down with suffocating finality.

A world without qi was like a bird stripped of its wings, a place robbed of its lifeblood.

It was an impossibility that defied everything he knew, everything he had spent lifetimes mastering.

"No qi…" he whispered, the disbelief curling in his voice.

His dark eyes, once capable of seeing through worlds, now stared blankly at the sterile hospital walls.

The muted beeping of medical monitors and the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the window only seemed to mock him, accentuating the silence where qi should have pulsed and thrived.

He clenched his fists, feeling the weakness in them... a hollow echo of the strength he once commanded. How far he had fallen.

The Absolute Demon, who once shook the heavens and made entire realms bow, now stood powerless, reduced to a shadow of his former self.

His body trembled with frustration, each limb weighed down by a profound sense of betrayal.

But there was that moment... when he embraced Li Na.

He could still feel the warmth of her presence and the subtle thrum of energy within her, buried but real.

It was a flicker compared to the inferno he had once wielded, but it was there.

For an S-class, the power she held was considerable in this world, but in the grand scale of cultivation, it barely rivaled the Qi Condensation Realm.

Qi Condensation Realm.

The thought ignited old memories, a map of ascension that had been etched into his very being through centuries of blood and bone.

It was just one of countless realms, each a step that separated mortals from the divine.

Each one a testament to pain, sacrifice, and unyielding will.

-----

Ye Tian's eyes turned distant, clouded with the ghosts of his past as he retraced the long and arduous path he had once taken.

It was a path filled with triumphs and battles that defined the essence of who he was:

Bone Strengthening Realm (9 minor realms)

The first step on the journey where a cultivator infused their bones with qi, rebuilding them to withstand unimaginable power. Each minor breakthrough felt like being broken apart and forged anew. Few had the resolve to make it past the seventh minor realm, where the pain became unbearable and the line between life and death blurred.

"Most never dared to push beyond the limits," Ye Tian whispered, recalling the cries of those who faltered beside him.

Body Forging Realm (9 minor realms)

This realm went beyond bone, strengthening muscle, sinew, and blood to craft a vessel capable of withstanding the torrent of energy to come. It was where bodies were torn and rebuilt through countless trials, forged into something far beyond human.

Governing Vessel Blockage

The critical checkpoint where a cultivator's path was either solidified or shattered. The process of unblocking the lower, middle, and upper dantians was not just painful; it was a test of whether one's soul could handle the true burden of cultivation.

Qi Sensing Realm (9 minor realms)

The stage where a cultivator first reached out to the world and drew in the energy around them. The first real connection to the boundless flow of life. It was here that many tasted power for the first time and lost themselves in the intoxication of it.

"Now, not even a whisper of it remains," he muttered, the bitterness in his voice resonating in the silent room.

Qi Condensation Realm (9 minor realms)

The realm where qi was gathered, shaped, and condensed within the body. It was the first true test of control, of one's ability to bend energy to their will and harness it.

His expression darkened as his gaze wandered to the moonlit cityscape outside.

Neon lights flickered and pulsed in the distance, their glow dancing across his gaunt reflection.

The world beyond the window hummed with life, so ordinary and detached from the chaos brewing in his soul.

The memories continued to pour in, unstoppable...

Foundation Realm (9 minor realms)

A realm of crucial importance. It was here that the nine meridians were unlocked, establishing a circuit through which qi flowed freely. The lower dantian became the cultivator's personal reservoir, a pool of power that fueled every battle.

Core Formation Realm (9 minor realms)

The formation of the golden core, a symbol of a cultivator's commitment to ascend beyond the mortal shell. It was the embodiment of a cultivator's potential and determination.

Qi Consciousness Realm (9 minor realms)

The golden core opened, allowing the consciousness to roam its vast expanse, understanding the true nature of qi and learning to wield it with precision.

Soul Condensation Realm (9 minor realms)

The essence of the soul gathered and solidified in the upper dantian. This realm shaped the cultivator's true self, preparing them for the trials to come.

Nascent Soul Realm (9 minor realms)

A realm where the soul gained independence from the body. Even death could not claim a soul that had reached this level; as long as a fragment survived, rebirth was within reach.

Body-Soul Unity (9 minor realms)

The merging of body and soul, binding them into a unified entity. This realm awakened the ancient bloodlines hidden within, unlocking potential unknown even to the cultivator.

Body Tribulation Realm (9 minor realms)

Heaven's true test. Thunderous trials and elemental fury descended to judge the worthy. Those who survived proved their resolve and prepared for greater challenges.

Void Amalgamation Realm (9 minor realms) Strengthening body and soul to survive in the void's nothingness, an unforgiving realm of isolation and chaos.

Grand Tribulation Realm (9 minor realms)

The convergence of mind, body, and soul under immense pressure. Only those who conquered this realm earned the right to seek the path beyond mortal understanding.

Dao Establishment Realm (9 minor realms)

Aligning with the Dao, becoming one with the fundamental truths of the universe. Here, a cultivator prepared to step into the immortal path, becoming more than mortal.

Mahayana Realm (9 minor realms)

The pinnacle, where one stood at the threshold of the immortal realms, ready to transcend and challenge the seat of the supreme.

-----

Ye Tian's fists tightened, nails biting into his palms. The countless eons of trials, victories, and losses... all of it felt hollow now.

The air around him seemed colder, the silence mocking.

"All of that, every sacrifice, every battle..." he said through gritted teeth...

"useless now."

The reflection in the glass was a stranger... a man who had once defied gods, now staring at a world that had forgotten qi.

The weight of powerlessness was a suffocating cloak around his shoulders.

But beneath it, a fire kindled, slow but relentless.