The basement of the bar was not what Jin Xuanji had expected.
When the bamboo trapdoor creaked open and they descended the dim, winding staircase, he anticipated a small cellar filled with barrels of rice wine and dusty supplies. Instead, they stepped into a vast underground chamber—a colossal space that felt more like a forgotten temple than a simple storage area.
Tall, ancient pillars lined the sides of the room, their surfaces etched with faded runes and moss-kissed carvings. The ceiling, impossibly high, vanished into shadows. The floor was smooth stone, marked with old training circles and cracked tiles. The air was dense, thick with age and the scent of sweat, stone, and something faintly metallic.
Jin Xuanji stepped onto the cold stone, his boots echoing faintly. Beside him, Jin Wei remained quiet, eyes darting around nervously, clearly uncomfortable.
Leader Huang moved ahead, one of the masked guards following silently behind.
Then, Leader Huang turned, holding out a small, sealed jar. Inside it was a single, round pill—muddy brown in color and oddly smooth. Jin Xuanji took one look at it and recoiled slightly. The smell was horrid. Like rotten onions soaked in vinegar and left under the sun.
"This," Leader Huang said with a smirk, "is a Temporary Dantian Pill. Crude. Unrefined. But effective for ten minutes. It will not create inner energy from nothing, but it will forcibly open your dantian and give you the ability to guide Qi that I feed into your body."
Jin Xuanji stared at it. The smell alone made him want to throw up. Still, he took the pill and, without another word, tossed it into his mouth and swallowed.
Instantly, regret.
His entire face contorted as a wave of bitterness surged down his throat, like he had just eaten fermented dung. He nearly gagged, clutching his stomach. Jin Wei panicked a bit, stepping forward. "Brother—!"
But then—something changed.
Jin Xuanji froze. His heart began to pound, not out of panic, but strength. It was as if a dam inside him, long sealed, had cracked open just enough to let the river surge. Qi flowed through his body—chaotic, burning, untrained—but alive. His limbs vibrated with energy, his skin tingled, and his eyes burned with an intensity they had never held before.
He stood straighter. Taller. Stronger. The difference was visible.
The masked guard stepped into the center of the arena, his stance relaxed but undeniably dangerous. The tension was immediate. Jin Xuanji knew he was not about to fight some ordinary thug.
'Alright… I've got ten minutes. No pressure. Just beat a mysterious assassin guard who probably eats boulders for breakfast. That's doable, right?'
Jin Wei remained on the edge, nervous. He clenched his fists, muttering under his breath, "You better not die, brother…"
Then the masked man moved.
Fast. A blur of motion.
Jin Xuanji barely had time to dodge as a palm came flying toward his face, whistling through the air like a whip. He twisted to the side and struck back with his own palm, aiming for the chest. The masked man caught it effortlessly, spun, and kicked him square in the ribs.
Pain bloomed instantly.
Jin Xuanji flew back, skidding across the stone. He groaned, rolling over and coughing.
'Damn, I can feel again. Even the pain is stronger than usual. But I can fight. I can finally fight back.'
He pushed off the ground and leapt forward. With a sharp breath, he shifted into a familiar stance—a stance no one else in this world knew but him and Elder Han.
He whispered it under his breath, like a prayer.
[Blossom Cloud Palm]
The masked guard rushed again, this time going for a low sweep followed by a crushing elbow drop. Jin Xuanji jumped, flipped in midair, and his palms glowed faintly as he roared:
[Heavenly 20 Palm Strikes]
He struck in rapid succession—twenty precise, exaggerated, and oddly beautiful palm attacks that fluttered like flower petals in the wind. Each palm carried just a thread of Qi, not much, but enough to ripple the air. The masked guard blocked most but was clearly surprised by the rhythm.
'This isn't just martial arts. This is mine. Elder Han made this for m, It's not strong because of Qi. It's strong because it fits me. Every exaggerated move, every ridiculous name—it's all mine. Although Elder Han has betrayed me in my past life he was still the man who made the strongest mortal.'
The masked man threw a counterattack, a spinning heel kick aimed at Jin Xuanji's temple. Jin ducked, then thrust his fingers forward.
[Cloud Piercing Finger]
His fingers jabbed the masked man in the shoulder, causing him to stagger slightly. Jin Xuanji followed up immediately with a twisting mid-air spin, both palms crashing down.
[Petal Fall Slam]
The ground cracked beneath the masked man as he blocked the slam, but he was pushed back. Dust flew into the air.
Jin Wei was gripping the railing of the balcony above, eyes wide. "He's actually… fighting him! Brother!"
But the masked guard recovered fast. Too fast.
He roared, now taking the fight seriously. He vanished—and reappeared behind Jin Xuanji, elbow slamming into his back. Jin gasped, spit flying from his mouth as he crashed to the ground.
'Shit. He's faster now. Is he using more Qi too? Am I losing the momentum?'
He rolled away, narrowly dodging another kick. He forced himself to stand, his legs shaking slightly.
'No. Not yet. Not until I've given it everything.'
He closed his eyes for a moment. He remembered Elder Han's smile, the gentle way he had taught him each move, the confidence he had placed in a boy who was never supposed to cultivate.
Jin Xuanji's eyes opened, burning with light.
"Let me show you my final move…"
The masked man lunged.
Jin Xuanji stepped forward. Slow. Calm. Deliberate.
[Heaven Blooming Finale]
He moved with grace, his arms forming wide arcs, his body spinning like a flower blooming in slow motion. His palms collided with the masked guard's chest in a wave-like motion—one, two, three, four—
Each strike sent a visible shockwave rippling through the guard's body. The fifth palm lifted him off the ground. The final one sent him crashing into the stone wall with an echoing boom.
Silence.
Dust drifted slowly through the air like falling petals.
Jin Xuanji collapsed to one knee, breathing heavily. The Qi in his body was already beginning to fade, the pill's effect wearing off. Sweat dripped down his face. His ribs ached. His arms trembled.
But the masked man did not rise.
Jin Wei ran down, grabbing his brother's arm, helping him up. "You did it… you actually did it!"
Jin Xuanji grinned, despite the blood at the corner of his mouth. "Told you… ten minutes is all I need…"
Leader Huang, from above, clapped slowly.
"Well then," he said, eyes amused, "perhaps the Floweresa Pill is meant for you."