The flow thickened, growing heavier. His breathing steadied as he carefully arranged the elemental strands, weaving them together while keeping their boundaries clear.
Third stage.
The four elements finally touched—just barely. A thin spark ran through his meridians as Lightning brushed against Fire… Fire brushed against Wind… Wind brushed against Life… and Life pressed back gently against all three.
Tian Lei opened one eye slightly.
"…So far so good."
He closed it again and pushed deeper into circulation.
He wasn't trying anything flashy.
He wasn't forcing the elements to merge.
He was simply checking the stability—making sure his new technique didn't fall apart the moment it met real resistance.
Fourth stage.
The energy loop in his body tightened.
Lightning jumped ahead, trying to lead the cycle.
Fire swelled, trying to burn through the others.
Wind surged with restless pressure, trying to scatter the flow.
Life-energy stretched out to soothe them all.
