Chapter 7: Four Days of Fire and Stone
The mountains were unforgiving.
The rocky paths, the sharp winds, the uneven terrain—it was a place meant to break weak spirits.
But they weren't weak.
In just four days, Gu Jin and Mel Long had carved out a rhythm, a wordless understanding built on effort, sweat, and unspoken trust.
The academy continued on below, but up here? It was just them.
Day One: The First Real Fight
A sharp inhale. A burst of movement.
The impact of a wooden staff clashing against another sent dust flying into the air.
Mel pivoted, dodging just in time as Gu Jin's strike swept low, aimed at his legs. Instead of blocking, he let the force pass, twisting his body before striking back with a sharp counter.
Gu Jin barely blocked in time.
They had fought before, but that had been a test. This was something else.
Neither of them held back. Every exchange was a challenge, every mistake punished instantly.
Mel was faster, more controlled, but Gu Jin hit like a boulder rolling downhill—full force, no hesitation.
By the time they stopped, both were breathing hard, drenched in sweat, bodies aching.
Gu Jin exhaled sharply, leaning on his staff. "You fight like someone who's been through a hundred battles."
Mel smirked, twirling his staff before tossing it to the side. "Maybe I have."
Gu Jin rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Instead, he just sat down beside him.
They didn't speak. They didn't need to.
Day Two: A Lesson in Refinement
The zither's notes flowed through the cool morning air.
Gu Jin sat cross-legged nearby, eyes closed, focusing on the steady rhythm of his breathing as Mel played.
It had started as something he was just tolerating—another one of Mel's strange new habits.
But now?
He felt the difference.
His Qi flow, usually rough and wild, was steadier. The energy in his meridians moved easier, smoother.
Mel plucked another note. "You're starting to feel it, aren't you?"
Gu Jin cracked one eye open. "Don't get cocky."
Mel chuckled but didn't push. He knew Gu Jin wasn't the type to admit things easily.
But the fact that he hadn't dismissed it outright?
That was enough.
Day Three: The Flood and the Fire
The rain came fast, drenching the mountains in an unrelenting downpour.
Mel and Gu Jin took shelter under a rock ledge, both soaked to the bone, steam rising from their bodies as their Qi automatically fought off the chill.
Mel sat against the rock wall, tossing a small flame between his fingertips—a technique to keep warm.
Gu Jin eyed the flickering ember. "I can do that too, you know."
Mel arched a brow. "Oh? Show me."
Gu Jin scoffed, lifting his palm and summoning his own flame. It was wilder, untamed, flickering with raw power but lacking control.
Mel watched for a moment before speaking. "You use too much force. You need to guide it, not overpower it."
Gu Jin frowned. "That's easy for you to say."
Mel smirked. "Then let me show you."
He reached over, nudging Gu Jin's wrist, guiding the energy flow. The flame flickered—not smaller, but steadier.
Gu Jin exhaled. For the first time, the fire in his palm didn't feel like something barely contained—it felt like something he controlled.
He glanced at Mel. "You're a pain in the ass."
Mel grinned. "You're welcome."
Day Four: The Silent Understanding
No words. No instructions.
Just movement.
They moved as one now, gathering herbs in sync, knowing where the other would step before they even did.
They sparred with faster reflexes, sharper precision, barely needing to think before countering.
They had built something here. Something solid. Something unspoken.
On the fourth night, they sat by the fire, staring at the stars.
Gu Jin finally broke the silence. "What happens after the month is up?"
Mel leaned back on his elbows, watching the sky. "I win."
Gu Jin didn't scoff or argue.
Instead, he smirked.
"Damn right you do."
And that was the moment it became clear—they weren't just training partners anymore.
They were brothers.
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The fifth night in the mountains was quiet. The wind had settled, leaving only the distant rustle of leaves and the soft crackle of the campfire between them.
Mel Long sat cross-legged, eyes closed, Qi flowing steadily through his meridians.
This was it.
He could feel the threshold looming before him—the invisible wall between where he stood now and the next step forward.
A normal breakthrough for someone at his level would take weeks, months even. But Mel had knowledge, experience, and now… the right foundation.
He exhaled slowly, adjusting his breathing. The zither had refined his control, the spars had honed his endurance, and the mountain's natural Qi had stabilized his core.
Now, he was ready.
Mel Long's Breakthrough – A Controlled Ascension
The moment he let his Qi expand, the air around him shifted.
A deep pulse rippled outward, stirring the loose dirt around him. His meridians widened, energy rushing in, filling every part of his body with scorching clarity.
He clenched his jaw, muscles tensing as the pressure increased.
The body must endure. The mind must guide. The will must push forward.
His Qi surged through his limbs, pressing against the limits of his Grade 7 realm—demanding more.
He grit his teeth, adjusting his breathing, his mind perfectly still even as his body burned.
Then, all at once—
The wall shattered.
The rush of power was immediate. His body felt lighter, faster, stronger. His Qi, once like a steady river, had become a surging current.
Mel opened his eyes. Grade 8.
The firelight flickered in his gaze. Steady. Controlled. Powerful.
His fingers flexed slightly, testing the new sensation.
This time, it had been easy.
Because this time, he was prepared.
Gu Jin's Breakthrough – Unshackled Power
A few feet away, Gu Jin had been watching.
He had felt the shift in energy the moment Mel broke through, the wave of power rolling over him like an unseen tide.
He exhaled sharply, gripping his knees.
He had been at Grade 7 for too long—longer than he should have.
He had never had access to stabilizing techniques, refinement methods, or someone guiding him through the process.
Until now.
Now, after five days of training, sparring, refining his Qi through the zither's resonance, and absorbing the natural mountain energy, he felt it.
The edge. The limit.
The wall holding him back.
His hands curled into fists.
No more.
Closing his eyes, he focused inward, feeling for the current of his Qi. Unlike Mel's steady flow, Gu Jin's energy was wild—like a storm barely contained.
He didn't need finesse.
He needed a breakthrough.
A low growl rumbled in his throat as he pushed, forcing his Qi to expand. It crashed against the limit of his meridians, demanding release.
The resistance burned. His body screamed.
But Gu Jin didn't stop.
He wouldn't stop.
He clenched his jaw, pushing harder, forcing his Qi to tear through the barrier.
A sudden surge of power exploded outward—small rocks lifted from the ground, the campfire's flames flickering wildly.
Then—
A final crack.
His eyes snapped open, burning with the rush of new power.
Grade 8.
His breath came out in slow, measured exhales, but there was something different in his expression now.
Not just strength.
Freedom.
For the first time, Gu Jin felt unshackled.
He looked over at Mel, who was watching him with an easy smirk.
Gu Jin scoffed, shaking his head. "Don't say it."
Mel chuckled. "I wasn't going to."
A pause.
Then, without thinking, they bumped fists.
No words were needed.
Because tonight, they had both broken through something far greater than just a realm.