Me and Master Juechen reached the entrance gate of the academy where my friends were anxiously waiting for me.
"What happened? Did Headmaster let you go?" they asked eagerly, crowding around me.
Master Juechen then carefully explained to them what had happened with the punishment, and would you believe it, all three of them started crying! Actual tears streaming down their faces! By God, they loved me so much it was almost embarrassing.
It took Master Juechen around twenty long minutes to try and calm them all down, and he gently suggested that they wait right there at the entrance to encourage me and cheer me on after I finished each round.
Me and Master Juechen then got into our starting position and began the rounds. We started slowly, obviously. It was a marathon after all, not a sprint. Gotta reserve your energy carefully. Occasionally I would glance over at Master Juechen and he would smile reassuringly at me. It was kind of soothing and comforting to have him running beside me. I knew I wasn't alone in this.
Round one was finished with relative ease and even round two went smoothly enough. I'd joke with Master Juechen as I was panting, "Master Juechen, it looks like you're not even breathing!"
He'd reply calmly, "Years of practice, young Ziyang. You'll get there one day."
This little wholesome banter didn't last long though. By round three, the real fatigue began to kick in hard.
I don't even know how to properly explain excruciating physical pain to you. When you run excessively like this, gasping desperately for breath isn't the only thing you have to worry about. Your abdominal wall begins hurting intensely, your heart feels like it's about to literally explode out of your chest, your legs feel like heavy concrete blocks, your knees start screaming in agony, and every single step feels like it might be the last step of your entire life. You're sore in places you didn't even know existed before!
The only thing that kept me going was Master Juechen's encouraging smile and my friends enthusiastically clapping for me as I finished each exhausting round.
I kept running, and running, and running, and running, and running, and running, and running, and running.
I would occasionally stumble and fall down hard, and Master Juechen would immediately lend me a helping hand, but I would stubbornly refuse it. Maybe it was pure anger that kept me going at that point. Anger that everyone else got to have their own qi but I couldn't. Anger that people would treat me like worthless trash because of it. Anger and a desperate need to prove the Headmaster wrong.
I didn't want to stop running. Even if I died that day, I wanted to die letting everyone know that I tried my absolute best. I tried like hell. But at the same time, I desperately wanted to live. For my parents, for my friends, for Master Juechen, for all the people who love and care for me.
I was literally bathed in my own sweat but I didn't stop moving forward. To this day, the most proud day of my entire life would be that day. If I had given up, or perhaps even passed away, I wouldn't be where I am today. It's crazy how far sheer will and determination can take you.
My running slowly turned into a labored jog, then to a stumbling walk, and then something even slower than a walk.
My steps kept faltering and wobbling like a drunk guy and I was almost going to give up completely. My vision began to blur badly and I was almost sure I was actually dying.
That's when I could see a faint light in the distance. For a second I genuinely thought it was the light of the afterlife calling me. But as I started rubbing my eyes trying to see more clearly, I saw the light growing progressively brighter. It was sunlight!
Just a few more minutes and it'd be done! It didn't matter now if I had activated my qi or was going to be expelled, it just felt like this living hell would finally be over. Sure enough, I did try my best, didn't I?
My running picked up pace with renewed excitement. I was able to see my friends near the entrance cheering me on loudly. Each step as I got closer to them felt like I was ascending to heaven. Like I was about to be freed from years of torture as soon as I hit the finish mark.
Master Juechen kept cheering for me, my friends clapped for me real loud and enthusiastically. And after just a few more agonizing steps, I finally reached the entrance and collapsed completely.
That was the last thing I remember from that day. They say I even coughed up blood as I was fainting.
After what felt like an absolute eternity of deep sleep, I slowly opened my heavy eyes to the bright light streaming in from the open windows. I was inside the academy's healing chambers where Master Juechen and my friends were patiently waiting for me to wake up.
They waited silently for me to fully open my eyes and for me to speak first. "I'm awesome, aren't I?" I said with a weak smile.
Qinyue was the first to break into tears and said, "You are!" She started heavily sobbing and apologizing as I kept saying she didn't have to.
Liangyu cried too but Jian tried to hold back his tears as he patted me lightly on the shoulder.
I then looked at Master Juechen and asked the question I was dreading, "So... my qi?"
He just silently looked downwards and shook his head sideways.
Even after going through absolute hell, no response. Nothing at all. For a single moment, I hated my body more than anything else in the entire world. Billions of people on the planet and I just had to be the only one with a useless body. 'Why me?' I thought to myself for a good few moments before I looked at my friends again and felt grateful to at least have a life where I had people who genuinely cared for me.
I kind of felt bad for feeling bad for a moment, you get me? Haha, kind hearts, am I right?
Master Juechen then stood up, and said to all of us, "Take some rest, freshen up, have your breakfast and meet me at the Eastern training grounds. I have something important to show you all." With that he left the chamber and us wondering what surprise he had in store for us.