The next day, the younger generation gathered in the training grounds.
Dozens of young men stood in scattered rows.
Some were excitedly discussing the results of the test, while others were trying to determine the strength of their competitors.
As for Dao Chi, he stood at the back.
He did not speak.
He simply observed.
The instructor entered the training grounds.
He was a middle-aged man with broad shoulders, and old scars covered one of his arms.
He looked at everyone before speaking.
"From today onward, you will no longer be ordinary youths."
Silence descended.
"The Haka within your bodies has awakened."
He raised his hand.
A layer of fiery energy appeared above his palm.
"But awakening is only the beginning."
The flames disappeared.
"Haka is like a weapon. If you do not know how to use it, your talent will be of no use to you."
His eyes stopped on one of the youths.
"You."
The young man stepped forward.
"Use Water Haka."
The young man held out his hand.
A small amount of water appeared.
But it quickly scattered and fell to the ground.
Several youths laughed.
The instructor frowned.
"Again."
The young man tried once more.
This time, the water lasted for three seconds.
Then it disappeared.
The instructor said:
"Weak."
He moved on to another person.
Then another.
One after another.
Dao Chi watched everything.
Breathing.
Shoulder movement.
Energy distribution.
The method of releasing Haka.
Everything.
After some time, the instructor said:
"Dao Chi."
Dao Chi raised his head.
"Come here."
He stepped forward.
"Show me your Earth Haka."
Dao Chi remained motionless for a moment.
Then he took a calm breath.
He concentrated the energy in his arm.
A faint golden aura began to appear around his hand.
It slowly spread until it covered his fist.
The energy hardened.
His fist became heavier.
And denser.
The instructor looked at it.
Then nodded.
"Good."
Dao Chi stepped back.
But the instructor did not take his eyes off him.
There was something strange.
This young man's Earth Haka was not particularly powerful.
But it was...
Unusually stable.
He did not know why.
Dao Chi did.
He was not using a great amount of power.
He was simply preventing the energy from leaking away.
And that alone was enough.
After the training ended, the resources were distributed.
One of the elders placed small boxes in front of the youths.
"These are your basic training resources."
One of the boxes was opened.
Inside were several small stones infused with energy.
The youths stepped forward according to their talent rankings.
The greater one's talent, the more resources they received.
Eventually, it was Dao Chi's turn.
The elder placed a small box in front of him.
Dao Chi looked at it.
Then opened it.
Three energy stones.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Only three?"
The elder replied indifferently:
"Your talent is good, but it is not among the highest grades."
Dao Chi did not argue.
He closed the box.
"Thank you."
Then he picked it up and left.
One of the youths had been watching him.
He approached with a mocking smile.
"Only three stones?"
Dao Chi stopped.
He turned around.
The young man came from a powerful family.
He possessed Water Haka.
And his talent was higher than Dao Chi's.
The young man said:
"I heard you obtained four lines."
"That's right."
"I thought you would become someone important."
Dao Chi did not respond.
The young man laughed.
"But it seems four lines aren't anything special."
Dao Chi remained calm.
Then he said:
"Are you finished?"
The young man's expression changed.
"What?"
"If you have nothing else to say, I'm busy."
Dao Chi turned around.
Anger flashed in the young man's eyes.
"Stop."
Dao Chi did not stop.
The young man quickly stepped forward and grabbed Dao Chi by the shoulder.
The moment his hand touched his shoulder...
Dao Chi stopped.
He looked at the hand.
Then at its owner.
He was not angry.
He was thinking.
A weakness in his balance.
His right foot was positioned too far forward.
His shoulder was exposed.
Three mistakes.
In a single moment.
Dao Chi grabbed his wrist.
He did not use Haka.
He simply twisted his body.
The young man lost his balance.
Then fell to the ground.
Silence descended.
Everyone stared at him in shock.
As for Dao Chi...
He picked up his box and continued on his way.
One of the youths whispered:
"He didn't use Haka..."
Another raised an eyebrow.
"How did he do that?"
No one answered.
But the instructor, who had been watching from a distance, narrowed his eyes.
He had seen everything.
And for the first time...
He had truly begun to take an interest in Dao Chi.
Dao Chi returned to his room.
He placed the box of stones in front of him.
Only three stones.
He looked at them.
Then smiled.
"Three."
He picked up one of them.
"They're enough."
He sat down.
And closed his eyes.
His training began.
He did not try to absorb the energy quickly.
Instead, he did it slowly.
Drop by drop.
His new body was weak.
Any excessive use of energy would result in injury.
Therefore, he had to build his foundation first.
Time passed.
One hour.
Two hours.
Then three.
When he finally opened his eyes...
The first stone had already lost a large portion of its energy.
He looked at it.
Then at his fist.
A faint golden aura appeared.
But this time...
It was denser.
"Better."
He smiled.
Then said calmly:
"Tomorrow... I'll begin experimenting with something new."
He did not know that news of a young man from a powerful family being defeated by Dao Chi had already begun spreading throughout the village.