I tried various ways to use Qi and to make it more powerful by concentrating it into a single point.
The more I refined it, the heavier it became — my current limit was a mass of roughly two tons.
Since it was formed purely of Qi, weight didn't matter much, but the time it took did.
The denser the Qi, the longer it took to form, and that was a fatal weakness.
To clear my head, I shifted my focus to Gu Xue, who was training a short distance away.
The moment I saw her technique, I paused.
Her Qi flow wasn't simple.
It wasn't just a gathered mass like mine — it was complex, detailed, almost alive.
Hundreds of thin patterns moved across her body and weapon in a rhythm I couldn't immediately understand.
When I compared the two, it was laughable.
If my Qi sphere was like a single atom, then hers was a strand of DNA — detailed and precise.
I gave a small self-deprecating smile.
I continued to observe her silently for nearly an hour.
Little by little, I began to grasp what made her technique so powerful.
It wasn't the amount of Qi — it was its structure.
Each motion, each flow, acted like a sequence of commands.
Tasks were separated and connected — gathering, shaping, coating, releasing — all at once.
It's like a node system, I realized.
If I could form Qi into small nodes that each performed one task, and connect them, I could automate entire sequences — make Qi act without me constantly controlling every detail.
It was simple, elegant, and efficient.
As I was lost in thought, Gu Xue walked toward me.
"Were you watching me?" she asked.
I turned to her. "Yes. I was trying to gain some insight from your technique."
"Insight?"
"I noticed your Qi behaves differently. It's far more structured than mine," I said. "I think I figured out a method from observing it."
"A method?"
"Yes, I call it the node-based interface. Each node performs one task — gathering Qi, coating it around a weapon, dividing it, or releasing it. When connected together, the nodes can work simultaneously and repeatedly. It's like automating Qi flow."
She looked surprised for a moment. "That sounds similar to something we call Technique Creation."
"Technique Creation?" I repeated.
"It's an extremely rare skill," she said. "On my planet, only around a hundred people have ever awakened the talent for it — and only ten of them reached the Master Realm."
"I see," I said quietly, memorizing her words.
She noticed I didn't fully understand but didn't press further.
I returned my gaze to the distance. "I want to test something. Will you come?"
She nodded and followed me to a wide clearing where a large boulder rested about fifty meters away.
I closed my eyes and began activating my new nodes.
One to gather, four to condense, three to divide, and three to push.
Eleven in total.
Qi gathered rapidly at my hand, swirling around the sword.
Three distinct layers of dark aura formed — faint, dense, and core.
"The outer layer first," I whispered.
The third layer surged forward.
Boom!
A shallow crater appeared on the boulder.
The structure held, but cracks spread.
I triggered the second layer.
Booom!
The entire front of the boulder shattered, fragments scattering across the ground.
Finally, I released the first layer — the densest one.
Boooom!
The explosion sent dust and debris flying. The boulder and the trees behind it vanished into rubble.
I exhaled and lowered my sword. "Eleven nodes. Acceptable for a first attempt."
Gu Xue smiled slightly. "That was impressive. You really created a working technique."
"I'll refine it further," I said. "This is only the start."