I took a moment to process his words, then nodded slowly.
I understood.
I couldn't rush this.
"…Then…"
I looked at him.
"…where should I start?"
A brief pause.
"Like you said… I lack control."
"…I was forced into the first stage."
Li Shen glanced at me.
"Then we'll start with that pendant of yours."
He waved his hand.
The writing on the panel vanished, replaced by a new set of explanations.
"Normally, someone in your situation—forcefully brought into the Awakening stage—would need time to stabilize themselves."
"They would meditate, learning to control their energy before attempting to use it."
He paused slightly.
"The fact that you can already question the nature of energy…"
"…means you are capable of using it."
His gaze sharpened.
"But that is not due to your control."
"It is because the pendant is stabilizing the chaotic flow within you."
Suddenly—
The pendant in my pocket appeared in his hand.
A faint fluctuation of light passed over it—
And something inside me… snapped.
The connection was gone.
"…Now," Li Shen said calmly,
"try to form a simple gathering array."
I nodded and followed his instructions.
Constructing the array in my mind, I began to channel my energy.
The moment I did—
Pain.
A sharp, tearing sensation spread throughout my body.
My energy moved wildly—
Unstable.
Violent.
Then—
A soft warmth spread through me.
Gentle.
Guiding.
Slowly, the chaotic flow began to settle.
Under that guidance, the energy started to move—
Into the array.
But it was far slower than before.
Much slower.
…So this is what it's really like.
Now I understood.
Why Caine said it was dangerous.
Why he said I was lucky.
After a while—
A small, unstable fireball formed.
It flickered weakly.
Barely larger than a seed.
"Enough."
Li Shen's voice cut in.
The flow of my energy stopped instantly.
"Now you see how much that artifact was helping you."
A brief pause.
"It is fine if you circulate energy within your body…"
His tone remained calm.
"But the moment you force it outside—"
"…your meridians will rupture."
He then stood and walked toward a cabinet near his desk, taking out a small marble.
"Use this," he said. "It's a tool for training control. Slowly channel your energy into it. If it detects that you're forcing your energy too violently through your meridians, it will immediately cut the flow and drop."
He paused briefly before adding,
"A tip—start normally. Then gradually increase the difficulty by introducing distractions while keeping the marble afloat."
"If you're capable enough… you can even do this."
He took out dozens of identical marbles.
In an instant, they floated.
They began circling around him—some drifting smoothly, others weaving through the air as if dancing.
Some formed patterns—circles, stars, squares.
Finally, he gathered them together, shaping them into a structure resembling a node.
Like a gathering array.
One by one, the marbles lit up—
Then merged into a blazing construct—
A towering, flaming titan.
The heat radiated outward—
Yet remained perfectly controlled.
"If your control is refined enough," he said calmly, "even simple tools can produce complex results."
With a wave of his hand, the construct dispersed.
The marbles returned to the cabinet.
"Now, try it yourself."
I nodded and carefully began to channel my energy into the marble.
This time, I moved cautiously.
The flow began as a thin, steady stream—testing, adjusting.
Slowly—
The marble lifted a few inches above my hand.
Just as a hint of excitement rose—
The connection was cut.
The marble dropped.
"…I see," I muttered.
"Besides using the marble," Li Shen added, "continue circulating your energy within your meridians. It will be easier to build control that way."
He then handed my pendant back to me.
"I've sealed it. For now, do not rely on it."
A brief pause.
"But when necessary, you may channel your energy into it to temporarily release its effect."
"Thank you, Teacher," I said.
"…Just call me Professor from now on," Li Shen replied.
"Alright, Professor."
I hesitated briefly.
"Then… Professor, I need to find a way to earn credits. Do you have any suggestions?"
"How many credits do you have?" he asked.
I accessed my device mentally.
"…Fifty-four CP remaining."
"For now, you likely won't be able to make use of higher-level knowledge."
"But there's a board in the dormitory area. Senior students and faculty often post simple tasks there."
I nodded.
"Is there anything else you wish to ask?" he continued.
I paused, recalling the pain from earlier.
"…The pain I felt when circulating my energy… is it because my meridians aren't accustomed to it?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Because your awakening was forced, your meridians are still fragile."
"If you strengthen them through proper circulation and meditation, you will be able to handle energy more easily."
"I see…"
"Thank you, Professor. That's all for now."
He nodded.
"Very well. You may leave."
As I turned to go, he added,
"Your class schedule will be sent to your device. Don't be late for your first class."
"I understand."
I nodded and closed the door behind me.
I returned to the dormitory and headed straight to my room.
There, I paused for a moment—
Then went to the bathroom for a long bath.
Warm water flowed over me, easing the tension in my body.
At the same time, I reviewed everything I had learned.
Caine's words surfaced in my mind.
'In his world… no one can extend plana outside their body…'
Then Li Shen's.
'Energy is inherently malleable.'
I frowned slightly.
…Should I tell Caine?
But something still didn't add up.
'Where exactly is the problem…?'
'Is it his understanding?'
'Or the way his world defines energy itself…?'
I leaned back, letting the water run.
'Maybe… it's both.'
After finishing my bath, I sat down and began circulating my energy again.
This time—
Slowly.
Carefully.
I let it move naturally through my meridians.
Following its flow.
After a while, I tried guiding it.
Just slightly faster.
Then—
Pain.
The same tearing sensation returned.
I immediately slowed it down.
Letting it return to its previous pace.
…So this is the limit for now.
I exhaled softly.
If that's the case…
Then I'll just have to raise that limit.
Slowly.