“You said it was called the Pale Azure Force Lightning Strike?”

  “Yes,” Akira confirmed. “It’s a technique specific to our bloodline, so it should be easier for you to master than another.”

  “Specific to our bloodline?” Ishin had learned generally how cultivator techniques worked back before he gave up hope of becoming one. Qi was cycled through one’s meridians in a specific pattern coupled with one’s will to create a desired effect. His bloodline had caused his first chakra to aspect lightning qi, but Ishin had thought that was the end of it. “How can that be?”

  “You wouldn’t know this, but in addition to determining the aspect of our first qi, our bloodline also impacts our meridians.” She pointed at the location of her first chakra. “Use your third eye to glance at my chakras and meridians. I’ll suppress them enough so that you aren’t blinded.”

  Ishin did so, and was relieved when he saw that the light blue, white, and silver colors were far dimmer than the last time he looked at his mother’s cultivation. As he expected, there were the same three spheres of color, along with meridians protruding from each of them. Unlike his own meridians, coming from only a single chakra, Akira had three times as many, with several intertwined amongst themselves. The only way he could distinguish them was that the meridians matched the color of the chakras they came from.

  “Okay, I’m looking.”

  “As you can see, each of my chakras has thirteen meridians, just like yours. What you wouldn’t know is that every other cultivator only has twelve meridians for each chakra.”

  Ishin stared at his mother. That was unexpected. “Wait, what’s the thirteenth one for?”

  Akira shrugged. “I’m not sure why we have an extra meridian. But it allows us to use a technique that others, even other lightning cultivators, can’t, so this time it’s to our benefit.” She traced the course of one of her meridians. “Our clan calls this the Storm Stroke Meridian. Each of your chakras will grow one as they form. My theory is that this is the main reason why our first chakra has such difficulty forming.”

  Ishin caught on to the grim reality his mother was alluding to. Does that mean every time I form a new chakra it will be abnormally difficult? It had taken him three extra years and being struck by lightning to form his first one. If he had to do that each time he wanted to reach a new realm… I don’t even want to think about it.

  “Not as hard,” Akira said. She wasn’t as convincing as Ishin would have liked. “Now that you can cultivate, you’ll mostly be able to follow the normal path of cultivation, but expect your tribulations to be more difficult when you try to reach future realms.” She waved a hand dismissively. “But you don’t need to worry about that now. Let’s just focus on the technique for now.”

  Akira lifted a hand in front of her. “Study my meridians as I use this technique. It’ll be the same pattern you’ll need to follow. As for the internal focus, imagine a living bolt of lightning descending from the heavens, engulfed by both the natural power of lightning, but also surrounded by your spirit.”

  “Understood.” Ishin focused on his mother’s meridians as lightning qi flowed through all of them, including the Storm Stroke Meridian, in an intricate pattern. Externally, lightning sparked to life within Akira’s palm. Observing the technique, Ishin understood how it earned its name. The spark of lightning had a streak of pure white in the center, surrounded by the same light blue of normal lightning. Akira directed her hand to the outside of the shelter before discharging it. The force of the technique nearly knocked Ishin to the floor. He looked out the entrance and saw the blast shatter a nearby pillar, decimating it.

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

  That was more than lightning. Aside from the unique color, part of Ishin could intrinsically tell that the technique had gone beyond what a natural storm could produce. It was as though the lightning had evolved. Been mutated. Our bloodline.

  “Lightning qi is one of the most powerful offensive types of qi there is,” Akira elaborated after withdrawing her hand. “Even fire qi cannot compare. Coupled with the unique influence of our bloodline, and you’ll have a technique that is more destructive than most of your peers are capable of.”

  After seeing the damage, Ishin believed it. He couldn’t imagine any of the senior disciples of the Martial Hall being capable of weathering such an attack without significant injury. It would probably kill them. A growl came from deep within Ishin’s soul. I want this.

  “So there is a benefit to our bloodline.” It only seems fair with how much it’s cost me. The Heavens demand balance, don’t they?

  “There is,” Akira replied with a grin. “Although I will warn you, using this technique will severely strain your meridians, while also rapidly draining your qi. Odds are, given your current stage, you’ll only be able to use it twice before your meridians need time to recover.”

  “It’s that taxing?” A technique that limiting had to be powerful!

  “At first, yes. The general rule is the more meridians required in a technique, the more qi it consumes, since they all pull from the same source. Using a destructive qi like lightning, and with all your meridians—including one extra—will be very taxing. But enough concerns. Try out the technique yourself!”

  Ishin leapt to the task with a fury. He focused on cycling his qi accordingly, and it was a strange sensation. The flow of lightning qi throughout his meridians was uncomfortable, but not painful. I’ll get used to it. No, the problem was trying to copy the cycling pattern Akira had used so effortlessly. The flow of qi was different for each meridian, but he had to time certain shifts simultaneously. It was like trying to write with thirteen hands at once to form a single correct sentence.

  Blood started to drip from Ishin’s nose as he tried and failed to execute the technique. He opened his eyes. His meridians throbbed from the strain. “Could I see that technique again?”

  Akira demonstrated it three more times, each slower than the last. She explained that as his qi control improved, he’d be able to influence the speed of his cycling too.

  The next two days were spent with Ishin alternating between cultivating and practicing the Pale Azure Force Lightning Strike. Akira had him sit near the shelter’s entrance in case he managed to activate the technique and needed a clear discharge direction. After so many days of cultivation, Ishin had remarkably increased his third eye’s stamina to over twenty minutes. The only breaks he took were for meals, sleep, and at his mother’s insistence, meditation. She explained that his mind needed rest—and that contemplation on his recent life changes would be good for him. Ishin mostly used the time to reflect on the lightning strike technique.

  It was a comfortable time. Ishin had always enjoyed training, but had never been able to train in cultivation. After years of envying the opportunities others had, it felt both exhilarating and fulfilling to finally do so. I’d be happy staying atop Tyrant’s Rest for months, just training—storm or not.

  Alas, once again, the Heavens turned their back on Ishin.