to a natural extension of how she perceived the space around her. Her sword did not become effective because she shouted at it to travel farther. It became effective because her body, intention, and movement worked together. The same principle might apply to the aura. She did not need to push all her qi into the air. She needed to let her intent reach the space that her senses already understood.
Qiao Zhi opened her eyes. The faint pressure around her body had changed, so subtle that someone entering the room might not have noticed it. The light dust near her boots trembled once, then settled. She smiled to herself and rose. She would not attempt the breakthrough before the evaluation. She had learned enough to know that finding the door was not the same as being ready to walk through it.
