Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Restoring Power
Sun Long and Li Jun walked home in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Sun Long couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment in himself for losing the sparring match. He had thought that with the boost from the black ring, he would at least be able to put up a decent fight, but he had been completely outclassed by Li Jun, who was two stages ahead of him in cultivation.
As they approached the Li household, Li Jun turned to Sun Long and said, "I'm sorry if I came on too strong back there. I just couldn't believe that you could reach the first stage of Qi Condensation so quickly."
Sun Long shrugged and said, "It's okay. I know I have a lot to learn. I just wish I could have put up more of a fight."
Li Jun nodded and said, "Don't worry about it. We all have to start somewhere. And from what I've seen, you have a lot of potential. You just need to keep practicing and find a cultivation method that works for you."
Sun Long nodded and said, "I know. I just need to find a way to control this ring and use it to my advantage. I feel like it's holding me back more than helping me."
Li Jun raised an eyebrow and said, "Ring? What do you mean?"
Sun Long hesitated for a moment, then decided to show Li Jun the black ring on his finger. Li Jun's eyes widened as he saw the glowing symbols on the ring.
"Where did you get this?" he asked.
Sun Long hesitated again, then said, "It was a gift from a deity named Tian. I don't really know much about it, but it seems to be connected to my cultivation somehow."
Li Jun's eyes narrowed as he said, "Tian, you say? I've heard of him. He's a powerful deity who is said to grant great power to those he favors. But be careful, Sun Long. Deities like him are not to be trifled with. They can just as easily take away what they have given."
Sun Long nodded, understanding the warning. He knew that he needed to be careful with the power he had been given, and he resolved to use it wisely.
As they arrived at the Li household, Sun Long turned to Li Jun and said, "Thanks for the sparring match, Li Jun. It was a good experience, and I learned a lot from it."
Li Jun smiled and said, "Anytime, Sun Long. I'm always happy to help a fellow cultivator. And who knows, maybe we'll spar again someday when you're stronger."
Sun Long chuckled and said, "I'll hold you to that."
With that, the two parted ways, each one determined to improve their cultivation and become the strongest cultivators they could be.
As Sun Long sat in meditation, his eyes closed and his hands placed on his knees, he was focused on the steady flow of spiritual energy coursing through his body. It had been a week since he had reached the first stage of Qi Condensation, and he had been diligently cultivating every day since.
As he sat there, he couldn't help but notice that something was off. The flow of spiritual energy seemed to be slowing down, and he could feel a faint glow emanating from the ring on his finger.
Sun Long opened his eyes and looked down at the ring, which was now emanating a soft black and golden light. He had never seen the ring do this before, and it made him uneasy. He tried to take the ring off, but it wouldn't budge. It was as if it were a part of his body.
He closed his eyes and tried to focus on his cultivation again, but the glowing ring kept distracting him. Eventually, he gave up and decided to investigate.
Sun Long stood up and walked over to the small table where he kept a few candles and a mirror. He picked up the mirror and held it up to the ring, trying to get a better look at it.
As he looked closer, he noticed that the black and golden light seemed to be pulsing, as if it were alive. He couldn't explain it, but he had a feeling that this was significant.
He placed the mirror down and sat back down in meditation position, determined to figure out what was going on with the ring. As he focused on the flow of spiritual energy, he could feel the ring slowly growing warmer.
It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Sun Long finally understood what was happening. The ring was absorbing the excess spiritual energy that he was generating, and using it to slowly restore its own power.
He was shocked by this revelation, and couldn't believe that the ring had such a function. He had always assumed that it was just a gift from the deity, Wei Ying, but now he realized that it was so much more.
Sun Long sat there for a while, trying to wrap his head around this new information. He had so many questions, and he knew that the only person who could answer them was Wei Ying. He made a mental note to seek her out and ask her about the ring's true purpose.
As the dawn broke and the sun rose, Sun Long stood up and stretched. He had a lot to think about, and he knew that he needed to get some rest before he could continue on his cultivation journey. He blew out the candles and crawled into bed, a million thoughts racing through his mind as he drifted off to sleep.
Sun Long couldn't believe it when Li Jun suggested they train together. It wasn't that he didn't want to, of course. He was just surprised that the older boy would be willing to spar with him, especially after the drubbing he had given him in their last fight. But he couldn't pass up the opportunity to improve his skills, so he readily agreed.
The two of them spent the next few weeks training together every day, honing their sword skills and learning new techniques. At first, Sun Long struggled to keep up with Li Jun, who had a two-stage advantage in cultivation. But with each passing day, he found himself getting better and better.
It wasn't just the training that was making the difference, either. As they sparred and practiced together, Sun Long and Li Jun became friends. They laughed and joked with each other, and Sun Long found himself looking forward to their daily training sessions more and more.
As the weeks went by, Sun Long's sword skills improved dramatically. He was still no match for Li Jun, but he was no longer the complete novice he had been when they first started training together. And he had the satisfaction of knowing that he had earned his progress through hard work and determination.
But the best part of all was the fact that the radiance of the ring was gradually returning. Sun Long noticed it one night during cultivation, when the black and gold light seemed to shimmer just a bit brighter than it had before. He was thrilled by the discovery, and he redoubled his efforts to improve his cultivation.
As the days turned into weeks, Sun Long and Li Jun continued to train together, becoming closer friends with each passing day. They laughed and joked as they sparred, and Sun Long found himself looking forward to their daily training sessions more and more.
But even as he enjoyed his training and his friendship with Li Jun, Sun Long couldn't shake the feeling that something big was on the horizon. He just didn't know what it was.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone