Mastering the Unquantifiable: A Journey to Master Qi

Shaheer opened the door to find his mother standing there with a tray of food, the aroma wafting towards him and making his mouth water. He was a man with a discerning palate, always seeking out new and delicious delicacies. But not every dish earned his praise.

"Thank you," he said, taking the tray and carefully placing it on the table beside the door.

"Anytime," his mother said with a wink, before turning and leaving.

Shaheer closed the door and sat down, the mouth-watering aroma filling the room. He slowly lifted the lid on the tray and the true aroma burst out. Without hesitation, he dug in, relishing the flavors and wishing he could savor it more. But he had work to do, and so he ate quickly. He believed that one couldn't think, love, or sleep well if one hadn't dined well. He already knew how to cook, and with the added bonus of a monstrous talent, he had begun experimenting with new recipes. He often cooked for his family, and both women were satisfied, but he felt that something was still missing. Nevertheless, he never failed to praise a dish that truly satisfied his hunger.

Shaheer read the text again, which was still hovering on the side without disturbing him.

[You have increased your stats temporarily while channeling mana throughout your body. All physical stats have been increased by 20 for fifteen minutes, increasing all stats.]

He was convinced that the other energy he felt inside him was mana. His ability seemed to resemble a game, mostly a RPG. Most characters in RPGs have an energy bar known as mana or MP (Mana Points). MP has different versions, sometimes game characters have to deal a fixed amount of physical damage to charge their MP, once it's charged the character could use a special move but mostly in RPGs the MP would be a fixed amount that the player could increase when they increase their character's stat that is used for magic. MP is usually used for special skills or spells. It greatly leans towards the magic part of a game. From the looks of it, Shaheer got the latter version as this energy is trapped in a fixed amount inside his body.

He sat down in the lotus position again after satisfying his hunger. Now his goal was to capture and control the green energy inside him that was passively increasing his physical strength. Now that he knew how the temporary effects of increasing one's strength felt, he knew that this increased strength was not going to fly away like mana, instead this energy was stored and locked into his cells. He began to channel the energy inside his body again, but this time he focused his mind on actively searching for a green strand of energy that was increasing his strength permanently.

Shaheer concentrated for at least an hour but still could not seem to grab the green strand of energy that he was looking for. He tried a different approach, instead of just channeling the energy inside of his body and breathing it out, he began to emit out the energy he had gathered from his feet and hands as he felt at the time when he activated the green aura. He focused on emitting the energy from his hands, visualizing it as a green light flowing out of his palms. After a few minutes, he started feeling a similar sensation as before, and he directed it towards his body, trying to capture and control the energy.

But the green strand of energy was elusive, it seemed to slip through his fingers every time he tried to grab it. It was like trying to catch a fish with bare hands, the energy seemed to slip away as soon as he thought he had it. Frustrated, Shaheer tried to focus harder, he increased the intensity of the energy he was emitting and tried to direct it towards his body with more force. But still, the green strand of energy seemed to evade him.

He decided to take a break and clear his mind. After a few minutes of deep breathing and meditation, he tried again. This time he focused on the sensation of the energy, trying to feel it more than see it. He realized that the energy was not as elusive as he had thought, it was just that he was trying to grab it too aggressively. He relaxed his mind and let the energy flow naturally, not trying to force it. And that is when he finally captured the green strand of energy, and was able to control it.

The process was not easy and it took a lot of concentration and patience, but Shaheer felt a sense of accomplishment as he finally succeeded in capturing the green strand of energy. He knew that this was just the beginning and that there would be more challenges ahead, but he was determined to master this energy and unlock its full potential.

Ding!

[You have discovered a new energy.]

Ding!

[Due to special restrictions, the energy cannot be measured down, so the gamer has to rely on his own senses to inspect the purity and the amount.]

Ding!

[The discovered energy has been named 'Qi']

Shaheer had extensive experience with various games, but had never encountered such potent energy before. He had, however, read extensively on ancient Chinese literature and was familiar with the concept of Qi, often referred to as a life force. This energy is central to Chinese medicine and philosophy.

Unlike mana, which can be quantified and measured, the energy Shaheer had captured could not be quantified, requiring him to rely on his senses to gauge its purity and quantity. It would be a challenging task, but Shaheer was determined to master it.