The wooden floor creaks softly beneath Kalia's shifting weight as she stands near the center of their small training room, her arms crossed, her expression caught somewhere between determination and uncertainty.
The night air filters in through the open window, carrying with it the distant sounds of the city beyond—Ironhold's restless heartbeat, pulsing with warriors preparing for what is to come.
But here, in this quiet space, there is only them.
Only what is about to happen.
Kalia exhales sharply, her fingers curling slightly against her arms.
"Are you absolutely sure this is going to work?"
De watches her calmly, his own stance steady, unreadable. "Yes."
She hesitates.
Not because she doubts him—if she did, she wouldn't be here.
But because this is something she has never done before.
And because, for the first time, she is relying on someone else for her own growth.
Her eyes flicker toward him. "And you have to... place your hand on my back for this?"
De inclines his head slightly. "Yes. The process requires direct contact with your meridians. Through clothing, I won't be able to activate the points properly."
A pause.
A long one.
Kalia shifts, then lets out a small, almost frustrated exhale.
"…Fine."
She turns away, rolling her shoulders, then pulls at the sash of her outer robe.
Her fingers hesitate at the edges, but then, with a sharp breath, she shrugs it off, letting it fall.
Her back is bare beneath the flickering light.
De does not turn.
Not yet.
He waits until she speaks.
"…You can look now."
De steps forward, his movements precise, careful.
Kalia's back is tense, her muscles tight—not from fear, but from the anticipation of what comes next.
He places his hand lightly against her spine.
Her breath **catches—**not because of his touch, but because of the sudden flow of qi that spreads outward like rippling water.
His qi meets hers, analyzing, mapping, finding the sealed points that have been locked away within her body since birth.
Even with only 20 Acupuncture Points opened before now, she has always been strong.
But that strength has been caged. Restrained.
Until now.
De's fingers press lightly, guiding qi into the first unopened point.
A pulse.
A shift.
A sharp intake of breath—and the point unlocks.
A ripple of energy surges outward from Kalia's core, a wave that she can feel even before she can control it.
She shudders, gripping her knees."…That was one?"
De's voice is steady. "Yes."
Kalia exhales slowly. "Then keep going."
One by one, the Acupuncture Points unlock.
The tenth point—her breathing deepens, the energy coursing through her now a tangible pulse beneath her skin.
The twentieth point—her fingers flex involuntarily, her body adjusting to the sudden rush of power.
By the thirtieth point, her entire form trembles, sweat beading at her temples. The room itself seems heavier, the air thick with her shifting qi.
Then—the final surge.
Her eyes snap open.
A shockwave pulses outward, rattling the wooden walls of their hidden home, shaking the lanterns from their stillness.
The transformation is complete.
She gasps, one hand gripping her chest as if trying to stabilize the unfamiliar surge of power coursing through her.
Her breathing is sharp, erratic.
But beneath it, there is something else.
Something stronger.
Something awakened.
The room is silent, save for Kalia's uneven breathing.
She leans forward, bracing herself on her palms, her muscles still trembling from the overwhelming flood of qi that now pulses within her like an untamed storm.
Her fingers dig slightly into the wooden floor, her breath ragged—not from exhaustion, but from the sheer unfamiliarity of the strength now coursing through her.
She stares at her hands, flexing them as if testing whether they still belong to her.
Everything feels different.
Her body, her meridians, her very core—as though something had been unlocked that had always been meant to be free.
De stands nearby, his expression unreadable, but his presence steady—a quiet force amidst the chaos of her transformation.
After a long moment, she exhales sharply and lets out a breathless laugh.
"Shit."
De watches her carefully. "Satisfied?"
Kalia tilts her head back, closing her eyes for a moment before letting out another laugh—this one filled with something different.
Something lighter.
Something almost exhilarated.
She grins.
Then, she turns her gaze to him, eyes sharp, filled with renewed determination.
"Hope you didn't think you were getting rid of me even after the selection."
De doesn't reply.
Because now, that isn't even a question.
The days after Kalia's transformation are filled with relentless training.
Strength alone is not enough.
Without control, power is a burden rather than a weapon.
Kalia knows this.
And De ensures she understands it with every sparring session, every test, every push beyond her previous limits.
The days after Kalia's transformation are filled with relentless training.
Strength alone is not enough.
Without control, power is a burden rather than a weapon.
Kalia knows this.
And De ensures she understands it with every sparring session, every test, every push beyond her previous limits.
The first time Kalia channels her qi into an attack after unlocking her Acupuncture Points, she nearly blows herself backward.
A simple movement—a palm strike toward a training dummy—
Becomes an uncontrolled burst of energy through her.
The dummy splinters apart—but so does her balance.
She stumbles, skidding back a few paces before regaining control.
She exhales sharply, gritting her teeth. "Damn it."
De, watching from the side, doesn't say anything.
He simply moves.
A flash of motion—a direct strike toward her core.
Kalia's instincts react—she raises her forearm to block.
Too slow.
De's strike stops just before impact, his fingers hovering inches from her ribs.
She stiffens, glaring. "That was cheap."
De doesn't react. "You can't afford to waste energy on attacks you can't control."
She grits her teeth but nods.
He's right.
The next phase of training focuses on qi flow—learning how to regulate the new surge of energy within her.
De guides her through it—not by explaining, but by forcing her to adapt.
Every sparring session, every drill—he keeps her on edge, attacking with unpredictable rhythms, pushing her into uncomfortable situations where she has no choice but to react properly or fail.
The first few days are frustrating.
She overshoots her energy usage.
She exhausts herself too quickly.
But gradually—she adjusts.
Her attacks become more precise.
Her defense no longer collapses under her own power.
And by the end of the fourth day—she moves with confidence.
Still rough. Still not fully refined.
But no longer unstable.
On the sixth day, Kalia squares off against De in a real spar.
Not practice drills.
Not controlled movements.
A full fight.
She moves first, and this time, her speed keeps up with his.
Her blade cuts the air—not wild, not reckless, but with direction.
De counters with Domineering Demon Fist, but instead of stumbling under the force, she absorbs it—redirects it.
Her sword pivots, sliding past his defenses—almost touching his shoulder before he shifts just enough to avoid the strike.
They break apart, eyes locked.
And for the first time—
De sees it.
She has adapted.
They stand at opposite ends of the courtyard, breath steady, bodies relaxed.
Kalia lowers her sword, rolling her shoulders.
She grins, exhilarated, sharper than before.
"That's better."
De doesn't reply.
Because he knows.
She's ready.
She sheaths her blade, stretching her arms over her head, then glances at him with a smirk.
"Thankyou I know it probally sounds cheap but you've given me more than I could ever hope."
De just shakes his head.
Because now—
They aren't just entering the Sect Selection.
They are ready to take it.