Shen Guang awoke in the cool hush of the cave, the faint violet glow of bone runes shimmering beneath his skin. He stretched, feeling the subtle shift in his Dou Qi—a denser, more potent current flowing through his meridians. A satisfied grin tugged at his lips.
Eight stars, he thought, flexing his fingers. After months of Lady Yin's torture, I'm finally an 8-star Dou Zhe. Not bad for her favorite punching bag.
He glanced at his right hand, where the lightning rune pulsed gently. To break through to Dou Shi, I'll have to engrave another rune—this time on my left. That's going to hurt.
He sighed, then chuckled to himself. At least pain means progress.
A faint rustle echoed from the cave entrance. Lady Yin strode in, her arms full of Stormfang Wolf remains—meat, bones, and even a few glimmering fangs.
She dropped them with a thud. "You forgot to cook breakfast. Again."
Shen Guang rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, my majesty. How could I forget your royal feast?"
Lady Yin smirked, settling onto a flat stone. "Now you're finally addressing me properly. See? Torture breeds manners."
He snorted, setting to work with flint and knife. "If I'm your chef, I want hazard pay. Next time, you cook while I nap."
She raised an eyebrow. "Last time you cooked, you nearly poisoned us both. I'd rather face a beast tide than your 'experimental cuisine' again."
He grinned. "That was one time. Besides, you survived."
"Barely," she shot back. "And only because I have an iron stomach. Now hurry up, or I'll make you eat raw wolf liver."
They shared a brief, companionable silence broken only by the crackle of the fire and the aroma of roasting meat.
After lunch, Lady Yin leaned back, eyeing him with a rare seriousness. "You're close to the peak of Dou Zhe. Cultivate for a while. I want you to break through to 9-star before the next moon. No more excuses."
Shen Guang nodded, determination lighting his eyes. "Understood, Your Majesty."
She smirked. "Good. Maybe you'll finally be worth all the trouble."
For three weeks, Shen Guang secluded himself in the cave, cycling Dou Qi through his meridians from dawn until dusk. Each day, the energy within him grew heavier, more vibrant—like a storm building on the horizon.
On the twenty-first morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced the cave, Shen Guang sat cross-legged, his breath slow and steady. The world faded away, leaving only the thunderous pulse of Dou Qi and the faint sizzle of lightning in his bones.
He felt the familiar barrier—the invisible wall separating 8-star from 9-star Dou Zhe. His Dou Qi surged, swirling faster, denser, until it pressed against the barrier with relentless force.
Now, he thought, gritting his teeth.
He guided the Dou Qi into a single, focused torrent, channeling it toward the bottleneck. The pressure mounted, pain lancing through his limbs. His runes flared, the lightning within them crackling wildly.
With a final, explosive surge, the barrier shattered.
A wave of power flooded his body. His meridians widened, Dou Qi roaring through them like a river in flood. The lightning rune on his hand blazed, sending arcs of violet energy dancing across his skin. Every cell in his body hummed with new strength, his senses sharpening until he could hear the heartbeat of the earth itself.
He gasped, sweat streaming down his face, and opened his eyes. The cave seemed brighter, every detail sharper, as if he were seeing the world through new eyes.
9-star Dou Zhe… The words echoed in his mind, heavy with pride and relief.
Lady Yin appeared at the entrance, her gaze cool but approving. "Congratulations, Shen Guang. You're one step closer to Dou Shi. Don't get lazy now."
He grinned, feeling the storm within him—tamed, but eager for more.
"I wouldn't dream of it, Your Majesty."
After the breakfast shen Guang went to the training ground ( it was the home area of the stormfang wolves pack)
Shen Guang stood in the training ground clear, violet lightning crackling erratically around his fists. He attempted the Heaven-Sundering Gale Step – but instead of a thunderous burst, the energy sputtered like wet firecrackers, leaving shallow cracks in the earth. Frustration tightened his jaw as he turned to Lady Yin.
"Every time I break through," he growled, wiping sweat from his brow, "my control slips. It feels like trying to hold a thunderstorm in a teacup. What's wrong with me?"
Lady Yin observed him with an unnerving calm. "Nothing's wrong, little thunder pup. Everything is working exactly as it should – painfully, brilliantly, and inconveniently."
She gestured at the fading lightning around his hands. "Lightning Dou Qi is the most volatile, most alive energy in existence. It rebels against constraint. And your path..." Her lips curved into a knowing smirk. "...makes it exponentially worse."
Shen Guang crossed his arms. "Explain. Without the usual mockery."
"Fine," she sighed, though her eyes sparkled. "Your bone runes aren't just decorations. They're circuits – living batteries storing Heavenly Lightning. Each breakthrough destabilizes them."
She raised a finger. "Think of your runes as dams holding back a river of pure lightning. When you break through a star, a sluice gate opens. Stored energy floods your Dou Qi, amplifying its quality." She pointed at his trembling hands. "That's why control slips – you're suddenly channeling more potent energy than your meridians are accustomed to."
Shen Guang stared at his palms, understanding dawning. "So it's not weakness... it's overflow?"
"Precisely," Lady Yin nodded. "This will happen nine times in each major realm – once per star. Each time, your Dou Qi absorbs more Heavenly Lightning essence. It's excruciating, unpredictable, and..." Her grin turned fierce. "...the greatest advantage any lightning cultivator could dream of."
She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Imagine this: if you survive this path, your Dou Qi won't just resemble Heavenly Lightning... it will become it. Pure, primal, devastating. While flame cultivators spend lifetimes hunting Heavenly Flames, you are forging your Dou Qi into its lightning equivalent. Every loss of control now is an investment in god-like power later."
Shen Guang's eyes widened. The implications were staggering. "So... the pain, the instability... it's the price of transforming my energy?"
"The only price worth paying," Lady Yin stated, her tone uncharacteristically serious. "But control can be regained. Faster each time. Your body adapts. Your mind learns. This..." She gestured at his still-sparking fists. "...isn't a setback. It's a sign your foundation is evolving beyond mortal limits."
Shen Guang took a deep breath, the frustration replaced by grim determination. He focused, wrestling the unruly energy back into his core. The violet sparks dimmed, then stabilized.
"Alright," he said, meeting Lady Yin's gaze. "How do I accelerate the adaptation? More near-death experiences with wolf packs?"
Lady Yin's laugh was sharp as lightning. "Patience, little saint. First, we rebuild control. Then we engrave your next rune. Then..." Her smile turned predatory. "...we find you a real thunderstorm to play in. Now, show me the Gale Step again. And try not to tickle the ground this time."
As Shen Guang braced himself, lightning flickering more steadily around his feet, he felt not frustration, but anticipation. The path was brutal, but the destination... was the storm itself.
Days passed in a blur of sweat and thunder. Shen Guang trained relentlessly, repeating the Heaven-Sundering Gale Step and Shattering Mountain Shoulder until his bones ached and the ground was scarred with lightning-blasted craters. Each day, his control improved—slowly, stubbornly—until at last, the wild surges of Dou Qi began to obey his will.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the air shimmered with the promise of a coming storm, Lady Yin approached. In her hand was a slender scroll, sealed with a rune that crackled with faint violet sparks.
She tossed it to Shen Guang. "You've earned this. It's time you learned to command your power, not just unleash it."
He caught the scroll, curiosity burning in his eyes. "What is it?"
Lady Yin's expression was unusually serious. "This is the technique passed down from my master clan " . It's called the Thunder Vein Harmonization Sutra. Master it, and you'll not only control your lightning Dou Qi—you'll refine it, elevate it, and eventually wield it as an extension of your own will."
Shen Guang unrolled the scroll, his eyes widening as he read the intricate diagrams and flowing script.
"Thunder Vein Harmonization Sutra"
Description:
A rare Dou Qi control technique designed for lightning cultivators, the Thunder Vein Harmonization Sutra teaches the user to synchronize their meridians ("veins") with the rhythm of thunder and the flow of Dou Qi. Through precise breathing, visualization, and subtle muscle control, the practitioner tempers their wild energy, gradually turning chaos into harmony.
Levels of Mastery:
First Pulse – Resonant Breath:
The practitioner learns to attune their breathing to the natural pulse of their Dou Qi, calming surges and preventing accidental outbursts.
Effect: Reduces Dou Qi leakage and improves stamina during battle.
Second Pulse – Vein Alignment:
The user visualizes their meridians as channels of lightning, guiding Dou Qi smoothly through the body.
Effect: Allows for faster Dou Qi circulation and more precise skill execution.
Third Pulse – Thunder Thread Weaving:
The practitioner can split and weave their Dou Qi into multiple threads, controlling several techniques or effects at once.
Effect: Enables multi-directional attacks, defense, or healing.
Fourth Pulse – Storm Core Manifestation:
The user forms a stable "storm core" in their dantian, balancing power and control perfectly.
Effect: Lightning Dou Qi becomes as refined and potent as natural heavenly lightning, and the cultivator can suppress or amplify their aura at will.
Lady Yin watched as Shen Guang absorbed the technique's secrets. "Each level will test you in new ways. The first is about patience and discipline. The last… well, few have ever reached it."
Shen Guang grinned, determination shining in his eyes. "Then I'll be the first in centuries."
Lady Yin's lips twitched in a rare, approving smile. "That's the spirit. Now, sit. Breathe. Let the storm inside you find its rhythm."
As Shen Guang closed his eyes and began the first steps of the Thunder Vein Harmonization Sutra, he felt the wild lightning within him begin to soften—just a little—like a storm cloud learning to dance to its own thunder.