3: Chapter 3 Qi Gathering Level 1

The door to the confinement room opened, and a blinding light poured in.

The cold, hard voice of a Law Enforcement Team member rang out: "Ye Tian, come out."

Ye Tian squinted his eyes as he stood up.

His entire body felt like it was falling apart; every movement brought pain.

He walked out in silence.

Standing outside was a sullen-faced Ye Hao, whose nose was bruised and swollen, staring at Ye Tian with a venomous gaze.

Beside him was his father, the manager, who also looked displeased.

The Law Enforcement Team Manager said coldly, "Fighting within the clan violates family rules. Ye Tian instigated the conflict and is sentenced to clean the Ancestral Hall for half a month, with three months of his stipend withheld. Ye Hao is also at fault and is sentenced to three days of reflection behind closed doors. Are there any objections?"

Ye Hao's father snorted but said nothing.

This punishment was clearly biased toward his son.

Ye Tian lowered his head. "None."

"Get to the Ancestral Hall and get to work!" the Law Enforcement Manager barked.

Ye Tian didn't look at Ye Hao or his father; he turned and limped toward the Ancestral Hall.

From behind him came Ye Hao's low, threatening words: "You piece of Trash, just you wait."

The person in charge of guarding the Ancestral Hall was a lame old servant with white hair and a beard named Ye Zhong.

He tossed a broom and a wooden bucket to Ye Tian, his voice raspy: "Sweep all the dust from the corners. Do not touch the spirit tablets. If you don't finish, you don't eat."

After saying that, he sat down by the threshold to soak up the sun, squinting as he dozed off.

Ye Tian picked up the broom and began to sweep.

The movements pulled at his wounds; he grit his teeth and didn't make a sound.

He swept from sunrise until noon.

In the massive Ancestral Hall, he had only finished cleaning less than half.

He was thirsty, hungry, and his whole body ached.

He stopped to catch his breath, his gaze sweeping over those cold spirit tablets.

The ancestors of the Ye family.

Their past glory had nothing to do with a Trash like him now.

He sat down against a pillar and habitually reached for the stone bead in his robe.

Just as his fingertips touched the rough surface,

The stone bead vibrated slightly.

At the same time, he felt a thin but pure and gentle aura slowly permeating the air of the Ancestral Hall.

It was completely different from the thin Spiritual Qi he usually felt on the back mountain.

Was it the scent of incense?

Or had the years of offerings accumulated Spiritual Qi?

Before he could figure it out, the stone bead in his palm actually generated a weak suction on its own.

That pure aura began to be slowly drawn into the stone bead!

It was no longer the tiny wisps from the back mountain, but a continuous flow!

Ye Tian suddenly sat up straight, all traces of sleepiness gone.

He gripped the stone bead, feeling that constant, weak absorption.

The dull, grey color of the stone bead's surface seemed to fade just a tiny bit, almost imperceptibly.

What made his heart race even more was that this time, after absorbing that aura, the stone bead actually fed back a faint but pure stream of Qi, slowly transferring it into his body!

The stream of Qi was as thin as a strand of silk, yet exceptionally warm and nourishing.

Wherever it passed, his aching muscles felt as if they were being soaked in warm water, and a slight itch came from his stinging wounds.

The effect was minuscule, but he could definitely feel it!

This bead could actually automatically absorb energy here in the Ancestral Hall and even feed it back to him!

Snap!

A small pebble hit the ground beside him.

Ye Zhong, the old servant at the threshold, had opened his eyes at some point and was looking at him with cloudy eyes: "Kid, slacking off?"

Ye Tian immediately composed himself, lowered his head, and grabbed the broom. "I'm sweeping now."

He continued working, but his mind was in a state of upheaval.

As he moved, he deliberately stayed close to the incense burners and spirit tablets.

The stone bead's absorption speed indeed increased slightly.

He suppressed his excitement and kept sweeping.

Until sunset.

The old servant Ye Zhong stood up with his cane and looked around. "Continue tomorrow."

Ye Tian put down his tools and walked out of the Ancestral Hall with his head down.

The setting sun shone on him.

He was still exhausted, and his wounds still hurt.

The half-month of confinement ended.

When Ye Tian walked out of the Ancestral Hall, his figure was still thin.

During these two weeks, as he swept every day, the stone bead silently gathered that special aura within the Ancestral Hall. Though the feedback was faint, it was constant.

The sensation of Qi in his body grew clearer by the day.

He returned to his small courtyard.

His mother breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him return. She didn't ask much, simply bringing out some warmed-up food.

That night.

Ye Tian sat cross-legged on his hard wooden bed, his mind sinking into his body.

That wisp of Qi, fed back by the stone bead and nourished for half a month, was now spontaneously and slowly moving through his withered Meridians.

Wherever it passed, it brought a faint warmth.

For the first time in five years, he could "see" the existence of Qi so clearly.

He cast aside distracting thoughts and followed the method of the Qi Induction Mantra, attempting to guide this wisp of Qi.

In the past, wherever his will went, there was nothing.

Now, although the stream of Qi was faint, it responded to his will!

It began to move slowly along a path according to Ye Tian's intention.

The speed was very slow and intermittent.

Controlling it was extremely taxing.

Ye Tian focused entirely, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

One cycle.

Two cycles.

The flow of Qi gradually became smoother and grew slightly stronger.

It came from the feedback of the stone bead and was also naturally absorbed from the surrounding world, though it remained thin.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but at the moment the Qi completed another cycle and merged into his Dantian,

It felt as if an invisible membrane inside his body had been pierced.

His whole body shook slightly, and his bones let out a popping sound.

His five senses became a bit clearer in that instant; he could even clearly hear the sound of night insects crawling outside the window.

In his Dantian, that wisp of Qi no longer dissipated but settled firmly, slowly rotating on its own.

Ye Tian suddenly opened his eyes.

In the darkness, a sharp glint flashed in the depths of his eyes.

He slowly raised his hand and clenched his fist.

A sense of power far exceeding anything before surged through his flesh and blood.

Though still weak, it was fundamentally different from the past sixteen years.

Qi Gathering Realm, First Layer!

"I... succeeded?" Ye Tian didn't feel wild joy, nor did he shout.

He just sat quietly in the darkness, feeling the real and tangible flow of Qi within him.

Five years of humiliation and five years of silence vanished into thin air at this moment.

He got out of bed, walked to the water vat, scooped up a ladle of cold water, and poured it over his head.

It was bone-chillingly cold, but it made him even more clear-headed.

He wiped his face, water droplets falling from his chin, his heart filled with uncontrollable excitement.

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

Ye Tian pushed open the courtyard door and took a deep breath of the cold air.

The wisp of Qi in his body circulated on its own, dispelling the cold.

He walked toward the Martial Arts Arena.

Most of the Ye family disciples were here for morning practice.

Shouts and the sound of fists and feet breaking the wind were constant.

The moment he appeared, the scene went quiet for a second.

All sorts of gazes were cast his way—surprise, disdain, and scrutiny.

Ye Hao was also there, sparring with someone.

Seeing Ye Tian, his movements stopped, and his face instantly turned ugly.

The swelling on his nose hadn't completely faded.

Ye Tian ignored everyone, walked to a corner of the open space, and assumed a stance.

It was the most basic Body Tempering Fist technique, which every Ye family disciple must learn upon entry.

He had practiced it for five years and knew the movements by heart, but it had never felt like this.

His punches carried wind, and his footwork was solid.

Every move guided that faint wisp of Qi in his body; although the circulation was rough, it was real.

"First Layer of the Qi Gathering Realm?" someone whispered in shock, unable to believe it.

"How is it possible for this Trash?"

Discussions broke out.

Ye Hao pushed aside his sparring partner, strode over to block Ye Tian, and said with a sinister look, "What wicked methods did you use?"

Ye Tian pulled back his fist and looked at him calmly. "Move."

"Tell me! How did you do it?" Ye Hao's voice rose, attracting even more attention.

He would never believe this Trash could gather Qi on his own.

"It has nothing to do with you." Ye Tian bypassed him to continue his practice.

"Stop right there!" Ye Hao suddenly reached out to grab his shoulder, Qi faintly surging between his fingers as he used considerable force.

Ye Tian dropped his shoulder and parried the hand away.

Their arms collided with a crisp sound.

Both retreated half a step.

Ye Hao's face became even more unsightly.

In that exchange just now, he actually hadn't gained the upper hand!

"You're looking for death!" Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he completely lost his temper and let out a low roar, throwing a full-strength punch straight at Ye Tian's face.

The wind from the punch was fierce, showing the strength of the Second Layer of the Qi Gathering Realm.

Ye Tian's gaze sharpened. Instead of retreating, he advanced, using a "Bridge Block" move from the basic fist technique while channeling all the Qi in his body into his right arm.

Bang!

With a muffled sound, Ye Tian stumbled back three steps, his entire right arm going numb.

The difference in Realm was obvious.

Ye Hao only swayed slightly. Refusing to let up, he lunged again with ruthless strikes: "Let's see how many hits you can block!"

Ye Tian grit his teeth and did his best to maneuver.

He was inferior in both strength and speed, relying entirely on that bit of Qi and his familiarity with the fist technique to hold on. In an instant, he fell into a disadvantage, taking several hits that left his body aching.

No one around stepped in to stop it; they all watched coldly from the sidelines.

Seeing that he was about to be driven into a corner again, a look of ruthlessness flashed in Ye Tian's eyes.

He braved a kick to the ribs and suddenly closed the distance. No longer defending or parrying, he recklessly threw a punch at Ye Hao's chest!

Trading injury for injury!

Ye Hao hadn't expected him to be so brave, and his attempt to defend was a moment too slow.

Ye Tian was kicked hard in the shoulder, feeling like his bone was about to crack.

But his punch also landed solidly on Ye Hao's chest.

Ye Hao grunted in pain, his blood churning as he retreated several steps, his face turning pale.

The two separated, breathing heavily and staring at each other.

Ye Hao's eyes were filled with a mix of shock and anger.

This Trash had not only gathered Qi but also dared to risk his life against him!

Ye Tian swallowed the metallic taste in his throat. His right arm hung limply, but he stood tall.

"Enough!" a cold shout came.

The Law Enforcement Manager had arrived at some point, looking displeased. "Is the Martial Arts Arena a place for you to settle private feuds?"

Ye Hao panted and pointed at Ye Tian. "This Trash..."

"Shut up!" the manager interrupted him. "Any more trouble and everyone will be severely punished!"

Ye Hao glared fiercely at Ye Tian but ultimately said nothing more.

The manager's gaze swept over Ye Tian, a flicker of imperceptible surprise flashing through before he said coldly, "Disperse, and Cultivate properly!"

The crowd gradually dispersed, though their gazes still occasionally drifted toward Ye Tian in the corner.

Ye Tian silently walked to the side, moving his painful shoulder and arm.

A slightly hunched figure slowly ambled over; it was the old servant from the Ancestral Hall, Ye Zhong.

He was carrying a broom, looking as if he were just passing by.

"Kid," the raspy voice sounded, "just taking a beating won't do."

Ye Tian looked up.

The old servant tossed him the broom: "The roof of the Ancestral Hall is leaking. Go sweep the fallen leaves and clear the gutters. Do a thorough job."

After saying that, he put his hands behind his back and limped away.

Ye Tian held the broom and looked toward the Ancestral Hall.

There, an aura existed that could allow him to absorb energy even faster.