The ritual took place at midnight, away from prying eyes.
Raon had drawn a complex formation around the well using crushed blue pearl powder mixed with silver shavings. Candles marked the cardinal directions, and the air hummed with potential energy.
Jin stood guard, ensuring no one interrupted. Master Hwan had been informed, barely and had agreed to keep the elders occupied with an "emergency council meeting" about security protocols.
**You've got four hours before dawn. Better make this count.**
Raon knelt at the formation's center, hands pressed together in a meditation pose. He'd studied the purification techniques during his late night library sessions, and the System had helped him reconstruct the proper sequence.
But theory and practice were different beasts.
He began the circulation pattern, drawing Qi from his dantian and channeling it through the formation. The blue pearl powder began to glow faintly.
**That's it. Now extend your awareness into the water. You need to identify every trace of demonic Qi and neutralize it.**
"I'm basically peforming surgery with chopsticks," Raon muttered.
**Welcome to high level cultivation. Everything is stupid and makes no sense.**
Raon pushed his consciousness down into the well, and suddenly he could see it, threads of corrupted energy woven through the water like dark spider silk. They pulsed with malevolent intent, designed to remain undetected until it was too late.
Whoever did this was skilled. Terrifyingly skilled.
**Focus. You need to unweave each thread without triggering a corruption explosion.**
"What happens if I trigger one?"
**The well explodes, you die, and the entire eastern courtyard gets covered in demonic Qi. No pressure.**
"Great. Just great."
Raon began the delicate work of isolating each thread of corruption, carefully separating it from the clean water Qi, then neutralizing it with his own purified energy. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His dantian strained from the continuous output.
One thread. Two. Five. Ten.
The work was painstakingly slow.
Hours passed. The candles burned lower. Raon's hands trembled from exhaustion.
**Almost there. Just twelve more threads.**
His vision blurred. The Qi drain was immense. He'd never channeled this much energy continuously before.
**Warning: Dantian capacity at 12%. Suggest immediate rest.**
"Can't... stop... now..."
**If you collapse mid-ritual, the backlash will kill you.**
"Then... I won't... collapse..."
The final thread dissolved under his purification. The well's water suddenly glowed pure blue, then faded back to normal, but now it was clean. Completely clean.
**Purification complete. Demonic Qi eliminated. Mission success.**
Raon slumped forward, barely catching himself with his hands. His entire body felt like jelly.
Jin rushed over, steadying him. "Raon! Are you alright?"
"Peachy," Raon rasped. "Just... need a minute... or twelve..."
**Dantian capacity: 3%. You're basically running on empty. Congratulations on not dying.**
"Thanks... for the encouragement..."