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"That was solid and unyielding!"
Watching as Uncle Tian effortlessly shattered the target into dust, Harry was left in shock. Though he wasn't well-versed in martial arts, the sheer impact of the display left him awestruck. The targets appeared to be simple wooden dummies, yet they were far harder than steel and incredibly resilient. They were, in fact, a specialized wood-grain alloy designed for damage testing.
Harry was confident he could leave a dent or an imprint with his fists, but completely shattering one with a single strike? That was beyond him.
Yet Uncle Tian seemed to have done it without exerting much effort at all, leaving Harry clicking his tongue in amazement.
"Martial arts aren't just flashy movements or hollow postures. The true essence lies in channeling our power explosively through technique, with our internal energy working in perfect harmony. In that instant, the force we unleash is multiplied several times—sometimes even dozens of times—without putting an unbearable strain on our bodies. When trained correctly, the burden of that force doesn't fall on our bodies but is instead carried by the energy we release at the moment of impact."
"You can think of it as a physical form of spellcasting. Our techniques act as incantations, and while the energy we emit may not be as intricate or versatile as magic, different martial techniques allow us to infuse our strikes with distinct elemental properties."
"Didn't I just mention it? My attribute leans toward metal, which slightly enhances my destructive power. If someone with a different affinity used the same level of force, they wouldn't be able to destroy the wooden target as I did."
"Now, sit over here. Let's determine your magic affinity. I've already prepared everything—it won't take long."
Seated on the ground, Uncle Tian pulled out a handful of colorful stones from his robe. Among them, a large, translucent white gemstone stood out, its interior filled with countless delicate, thread-like filaments that occasionally flashed with a crystalline glow.
"This is a high-purity spiritual energy gem. It used to be outrageously expensive, but now it's much more affordable since we've figured out how to mass-produce them artificially. Back in the day, a set like this would have cost at least four or five thousand gold coins. Nowadays, you can get one for a tenth of that."
"Take this large one and channel your energy into it. Just fill the inner filaments, and once it reacts, we'll know your elemental affinity. However, this method only tests elemental alignment—it won't reveal any special abilities. If you want a deeper analysis, you'll need to earn battlefield merits in the Netherworld Warzone. With enough points—say, by taking down a few thousand-man commanders—you can exchange for a proper evaluation. It's not that expensive."
Following Uncle Tian's instructions, Harry channeled his iron-gray magic into the fist-sized transparent gemstone. As the filaments within the crystal filled with his energy, he curiously observed its reaction.
The response was swift. After about ten seconds, the iron-gray magic inside began to spread outward, diffusing through the gemstone in a mist-like manner. Inside the transparent crystal, it resembled swirling clouds within a fortune-teller's crystal ball, shifting unpredictably.
"Alright, it's ready now."
Uncle Tian arranged several other magical gemstones of different colors in a circular pattern and gestured for Harry to place his crystal at the center.
"Watch carefully. The colors that extend toward the center the most will indicate your dominant elemental affinity."
As soon as Uncle Tian pressed his hand down, the high-purity spiritual gems—worth hundreds of gold coins—suddenly shattered, releasing vibrant plumes of colored smoke that remained suspended in the air. Even the crystal in the center broke apart, its misty essence dispersing outward. The various hues didn't mix immediately, but as the iron-gray mist from the center made contact, the colored smoke finally began to shift.
The colors surged toward the deep gray mist at the center, nearly advancing in unison. However, as they progressed, some hues began to slow ever so slightly. Meanwhile, a streak of blue mist moved just a bit faster than the others.
"Whoa! You have an all-element affinity. That's pretty rare! And not only that—your affinity levels are quite high across the board. Every color reached the center, but blue was the fastest, followed by red and yellow."
"Blue? So… my primary element is water?" Harry scratched his head, feeling a bit puzzled. Does this mean I'm destined to be some kind of water mage? Or maybe even a sea king?
"Water is black—mystic water, not blue. Haven't you learned any basics? The five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—don't include blue. This here is electricity. The five-element system doesn't account for every single force—take ice, for example. Should it be categorized under water or something else? The lighter blue mist beside it represents ice. And wind? That's the pale green one."
"Your Strongest Elemental Affinity is Electricity, Followed by Fire and Earth"
"Your strongest elemental affinity is electricity, followed by fire and earth. But honestly, that doesn't matter much. Since you've maxed out every color, it means you can learn any magic without difficulty—there's no such thing as an element you can't master. So, for you, elemental affinity isn't all that significant. Still, since electricity stood out slightly, if you like it, you can focus on that. Or, if you'd rather learn my strongest technique—the Panda Iron Fist—that's fine too. Whatever you choose, I'll teach it, as long as you can keep up."
"But don't bite off more than you can chew. I suggest you pick carefully. My vacation is ending next month, and I have to return to work—hunting down monsters. By then, I won't be able to help you anymore."
"That said, if you still want to learn, I can find you a teacher. Someone on my squad wants to swap shifts with me, so I'll ask them to train you in their free time. No need to pay them—your potions are already being distributed among the team, so everyone's getting a good deal out of you. I know you're rich, but don't waste your money, or people will start calling you a gullible fool behind your back. Got it?"
Uncle Tian rambled on, but his words carried a warmth that made Harry feel fuzzy inside. He was the kind of person who had principles—never taking advantage of others without reason.
"I Kind of Want to Be Greedy"
"As long as you can handle the pain, there's no such thing as being greedy. Martial arts don't work like magic—you can't just nod your head and instantly master a skill. The more techniques you learn, the more suffering you'll endure. This stuff requires daily practice. If you slack off for even a few days, your progress will slip away."
Uncle Tian waved dismissively. The real world wasn't like a video game where you could just assign skill points to level up. Compared to spellcasting, martial arts were cooler and more practical for real combat, but they were also significantly harder to learn and maintain.
"But don't worry—you've already fully opened your meridians. In our terms, your Eight Extraordinary Meridians are completely unblocked. You're basically a martial arts prodigy now. Most people take at least ten years of slow, grinding practice to reach this point. Typically, they start training in kindergarten and only manage to unlock their full energy channels by the time they graduate college. If you're aiming for graduate-level combat studies, this kind of foundation is essential."
"Only by establishing your foundation can you step through the gateway to becoming an elite."
"Alright, now think about what you want to learn. I'll give you a list of techniques I can teach. Electricity isn't my specialty, but since it synergizes with my metal affinity, I do know a few electric-based techniques. For example, there's the Panda Clan's Qi Projection Style. You fought Hei Wa earlier, right? That energy ball technique he used was a textbook Qi Projection move. It's one of the few long-range martial techniques, though he hasn't fully mastered it since his strongest element is water. He's dabbled in electricity, but it's not his main strength."
"Wait, You Mean That Move Where He Creates a Giant Energy Ball With His Bare Hands?"
Harry's eyes immediately lit up. Now that's cool! Big, flashy, explosive—exactly his style. Raw power wasn't an issue for him. His Awakened Magic already amplified his strength significantly, and on top of that, he had his Elder Wand setup.
His plan was simple: modify the Elder Wand—turn the long segment into a sword hilt, use two shorter segments as black ebony and white ivory power boosters, and make the final piece into a ring. Even if the augmentation wasn't as strong as a full-length staff, it would be more than enough.
He didn't care about minor power losses. What mattered most was style. If it looks cool, I'm learning it. Period.
"Are You Sure? Qi Projection is Easy to Pick Up But Hard to Master"
"It's also easy to counter. Since it's a pure elemental attack with no special effects like penetration, armor-breaking, or vibration damage, it can be blocked by pretty much any defense."
"So Basically, It's The Ultimate 'Power Through Everything' Move?"
Harry's eyes sparkled with excitement. Sure, his attack bursts might seem short because of White Ivory's insane mana consumption, making it look like he burned out quickly. When he went all out, his magic could barely sustain a full minute of continuous output.
But that didn't mean his mana capacity was low.
Now that he had stopped draining his maximum mana reserve to strengthen his body, his mana growth rate was skyrocketing. After all, few people could afford to chug three bottles of Snape's refined mana potions daily.
These potions, crafted using Magical Beast Mana Cores, steadily increased a wizard's total magic pool. Strangely enough, though, European wizards never seemed worried about running out of mana, which was why these potions were still considered niche and unpopular.
The Power of Qi and the Path of Qi Projection
Harry's High-Speed Mana Burst
Harry's mana output was already terrifying. With a theoretical rate of up to 1,300 spells per minute, Harry could maintain a relentless barrage of nearly 1,000 spells within just 35 seconds. This was no small feat. With his passive Mana Lungs, which allowed him to regenerate magic mid-battle, Harry was capable of unleashing a staggering number of spells in a short period of time, each one striking with incredible speed and precision.
The most notable of these was his signature spell, "Invisible Cutting Edge", a fast, sharp spell that not only sliced through defenses with ease but also carried penetrative and crushing properties. Even against heavily armored foes, Invisible Cutting Edge wasn't just a light scrape—it was an agonizing, drawn-out death. To Harry, the spectacle of his Invisible Cutting Edge was far more satisfying than any other spell like the Killing Curse. After all, who wanted to rely on a slow, ugly, and easy-to-block spell when they could hit their target with such a fast, lethal burst?
The Legacy of Severus Snape and Harry's Future Plans
In that moment, Harry found himself appreciating his mentor Professor Snape more than ever. Snape's genius in crafting powerful spells had been undeniably impressive, despite his harsh and often unpleasant demeanor. 'Maybe when I get back, I should play matchmaker and help the Professor find a date,' Harry mused briefly, distracted by a sudden thought, but his daydreams were interrupted as he felt a handwritten note shoved into his arms.
A Brief Look at Qi Projection
Uncle Tian's voice broke through Harry's thoughts as he held up a Qi Projection manual, which wasn't fully comprehensive.
"Here's a list of techniques from the Qi Projection school, but it's only part of the whole picture. My second uncle is a master of this, but he's… strict. When I was younger, he nearly beat me into the ground for a whole week. If you're serious about learning this, you'd have to go through him. But be warned—he has no tolerance for failure. If you can't pass my training, don't even bother asking him. You'll be punished harshly."
Tian continued, grinning as he motioned with his thumb, "In terms of Qi Projection's current generation of experts, my second uncle reigns supreme."
Qi Projection Basics:
Uncle Tian explained the fundamentals of Qi and Qi Projection. Qi, which many humans have difficulty mastering, needed to be refined to become usable for their spells. Humans' Qi quality was inherently low, but the Panda Clan had naturally strong, pure Qi, making their techniques incredibly effective.
For Harry, his magic power was different—it wasn't a faint blue, and though Uncle Tian didn't know Harry's precise heritage, it was clear that Harry had the potential to take his Qi and turn it into Qi Projection.
"Here's a demonstration. This is the basic form of Qi, still raw but usable." Tian said as he held out his hand, gathering his energy.
The gathered energy in his palm glowed with a faint white halo, spinning into a swirling Qi Sphere.
"This is called a Qi Orb. Once you can create nine of these, you can begin compressing them and progress into the next stage—the Qi Cannon, which is exactly what Hei Wa used."
Without another word, Tian compressed the sphere, which began to swell up rapidly before contracting and swelling again. After a series of compressions, it shot off with a flash of light, hitting a distant wooden target. Though the target didn't explode into pieces, it left a large, crater-like dent.
"Don't let the lack of debris fool you," Tian added with a smile, "This was done with minimal Qi, so the power isn't that impressive. The more you compress, the more devastating the force becomes—each compression increases the direct damage by double. With nine compressions, the power is 512 times stronger than the original attack. The technique's raw destructive force is what makes it so frightening."
Tian went on to explain that Qi Projectiles also increased in speed as they were compressed, but there were limits. For some people, the maximum speed could only reach 600-700 meters per second, while others could surpass 1,000 meters per second. However, the further the distance, the less control one would have, and the less likely the target would be hit.
"Generally speaking, 2-5 kilometers is the optimal range for a Qi Cannon. It's perfect for long-distance combat—compared to spellcasting, which is slower and more vulnerable to being blocked, Qi Projection is like the perfect counter."
Elemental Infusion and Qi's Final Step
Uncle Tian finally added a finishing touch to the explanation. Elemental Infusion, or the ability to imbue Qi with an elemental attribute, was the next step for mastering the art. He demonstrated by showing a Qi Orb that now crackled with lightning.
"Elemental Infusion is the final stage for most martial techniques. Without it, we'd fall too far behind the spellcasting factions. With this, we can go toe-to-toe with even sword cultivators. Their flashy moves look great, but all their strength is stored in their swords. Us martial artists? We can throw that power into the air with our hands!"
Tian's eyes gleamed with pride as he held out the orb again.
"Now let's start with the basics—meditation. I'll teach you how to convert Qi into Qi Projection and then try to activate your electric affinity."
And with that, Harry's journey into the Qi Projection school began—an exciting new path filled with endless potential and power.
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(End of Chapter)