The morning sun struck the training grounds with unusual ferocity, as if it, too, wanted to witness Xu Ming's latest experiment.
Li Chen arrived, yawning slightly, only to find Xu Ming in the middle of a perfect disaster: several talismans were floating in the air, spinning unpredictably, some sparking blue and red qi arcs, others gently vibrating like tiny impatient spirits.
"Xu Ming," Li Chen began, his voice calm but edged with steel, "what in the Nine Heavens are you doing?"
Xu Ming's face lit up with pride. "I'm… testing the Chaos Qi! See, I figured out a way to stabilize multiple elemental flows simultaneously without—"
"—without burning down the courtyard?" Li Chen finished, raising an eyebrow.
"Exactly!" Xu Ming beamed. One talisman wobbled, sparking dangerously. "It's safe… mostly."
Li Chen pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Mostly safe is still catastrophic. Come on. Move it outside the courtyard before breakfast becomes a fire hazard."
Reluctantly, Xu Ming floated the talismans toward the edge of the grounds, mumbling about "control" and "efficiency." Li Chen followed, silently observing the progress in his pupil's Chaos Qi.
It was remarkable. The Chaos Physique that once caused Qi to scatter like untamed flames now moved like a flowing river under Xu Ming's control—slowly, deliberately, almost gracefully. Every element intertwined, every flow balanced. For the first time, Li Chen noticed the faint glimmer of potential not just to reach the next stage, but to bend it in ways that conventional disciples could not.
"You're improving faster than I anticipated," Li Chen said finally.
Xu Ming puffed up his chest. "Of course! It's all your fault, Senior Brother Li. You inspired me."
Li Chen arched a brow. "Inspiration or nagging?"
Xu Ming froze, then laughed. "Both, obviously!"
After breakfast—during which Xu Ming accidentally poured tea into the rice porridge while gesturing wildly—the two set off for a mini-mission exercise arranged by the elders.
The assignment: simulate border patrol in unpredictable terrain with rogue beast spirits.
Li Chen had been intentionally assigned as a "team leader," though the mission was a covert way for the elders to test Xu Ming's control and growth without alarming him.
"Remember," Li Chen instructed, walking beside Xu Ming as they approached the forested training ground, "stability first, reaction second. Don't try to annihilate everything at once."
"Yes, yes," Xu Ming said, bouncing on his feet, "I got it!"
Seconds later, the first illusionary beast appeared—a small, fox-like spirit with sparks flying off its fur. Xu Ming instinctively surged Chaos Qi, sending a multi-colored arc that unintentionally knocked over several logs, a training dummy, and nearly flattened Li Chen.
"Xu Ming!" Li Chen shouted, leaping aside, barely keeping his composure as the chaos dissipated.
"I was aiming at it!" Xu Ming protested, eyes wide. "It's just… too stubborn!"
Li Chen shook his head. "Focus. Your Chaos Qi is meant to control, not annihilate. Think like water flowing around obstacles, not fire consuming the world."
Over the next hour, they encountered increasingly difficult challenges—illusionary wolves, spirit hounds, and even a simulated tiger. Each time, Xu Ming grew calmer, integrating more of the Chaos Qi into fluid movements.
Li Chen allowed small mistakes—intentional distractions from talismans or overzealous qi bursts—to teach him control. At one point, Xu Ming stumbled into a shallow pond, sending ripples that drenched both of them. Xu Ming laughed hysterically, and Li Chen merely shook his head, secretly amused.
By the end of the exercise, Xu Ming had achieved complete control of multi-element Chaos Qi in practical combat—his first real step beyond the theoretical.
Li Chen, observing quietly, allowed himself a rare smile. "Well… not perfect. But better than I could have expected from someone who used to set fire to breakfast."
Xu Ming grinned, still dripping from the pond. "I did it, Senior Brother Li! I really did it!"
Li Chen sighed, patting him on the shoulder. "Yes, you did. And now, maybe… try not to drown yourself next time."
They walked back to the sect side by side, laughing as Xu Ming continued recounting exaggerated tales of every "near-death" encounter during the simulation. Li Chen found himself joining in—not mocking, not scolding, but laughing genuinely for the first time in months.
For the first time, their relationship felt balanced: mentor guiding pupil, yes, but pupil teaching mentor patience, joy, and the chaos that made even discipline a little less lonely.
By the time they returned to the main hall, the sun hung high overhead. Xu Ming was still dripping wet, still smiling, and still full of energy. Li Chen, for once, didn't even care that the courtyard was a mess.
Sometimes, growth came not only through breakthroughs of qi and cultivation, but also through laughter, shared mistakes, and messy, chaotic mornings.
Li Chen realized, quietly, that this was exactly the kind of foundation Xu Ming would need—not just for the Chaos Physique, or the divine breathing technique, but for surviving the lower realm… and thriving.
And for once, even Li Chen allowed himself to think: maybe chaos could be fun.