In the midst of the desolate mountain expanse, Mira sat, seemingly alone. The stillness was abruptly shattered as five powerful auras surged toward her. Familiar faces emerged from the energy waves: Nova, Everly, Seraphina, Rayna, and Eden.
"So, that's what all the fuss is about, huh? I figured you were doing something crazy since the higher-ups were more active than usual, but I didn't think it'd be something like this," Nova said, looking at the gigantic Qi ball with a mix of fear, awe, and anticipation.
"Who else would make the Elders run around the Sect like headless chickens other than Mira?" Seraphina chuckled, remembering back to when they first sensed the mass of energy. The Elders scrambled about, worrying that they were being attacked, only for it to turn out to be Mira's training.
On the other hand, Eden's mind was somewhere else, "Where's your child, Mira? I didn't see her when we went to your home. So, I thought she'd be with you, but she's not here either."
"She's training," Mira replied, not wanting to talk about Dominique with them any more than possible.
"I see," Eden muttered, a little disappointed that she didn't get to make sure Dominique was okay, but since Mira didn't want to talk about it, she didn't bring it up.
Suddenly, before Mira could ask anything, trailing not far behind them were Celaine and Asami, escorted by an Elder.
"The Sect Master has allowed these two to train with you," The Elder said before she nodded and left.
The area became quiet and a little awkward as Celaine and Asami stared at the Core/Direct disciples and vice versa. The two didn't expect to run into them here; they just wanted to meet up with Mira and, if possible, train alongside her.
It'd been a while since they last caught up, and Celaine wanted to use this opportunity of downtime to do so.
"Ahem!" Celaine stepped up with a light bow and introduced herself. "My name is Celaine, a newly promoted Inner Disciple, and this is my friend-"
"Asami. My name's Asami. Nice to meet you."
"So, even someone like Mira has friends, huh?" Nova commented before introducing herself, "You can call me Nova. It's good to meet you too." Then, she motioned for the others to do the same.
"I'm Seraphina!"
"The names' Eden."
"Everly."
"...Rayna."
After the introductions, the 7 of them joined in on a bit of small talk, but after a minute or so, Mira ended up a bit irritated.
"Alright. Enough." She said in a low voice, and they quickly shut their mouths. "What are you doing here? Can't you see I'm a bit busy?"
"We're here to train with you!" Seraphina answered cheerfully, and everyone nodded, including Celaine and Asami.
"Why?" Mira asked, her eyebrows twitching.
"Because it sounds interesting!" Seraphina replied, keeping her smile.
Although the others wouldn't have said it like that, they thought the same. Group training, especially amongst incredibly talented individuals, could bring enormous benefits in a short amount of time. And with how skilled, talented, and unique Mira was, why would they not want to train with her?
However, it wasn't like they came here wanting to leech off of her. They would do their best to help Mira in areas she was lacking and/or expand on what she already knew.
"Haaa…" Mira sighed and pointed at the mass of energy, "You do know that if I lose control of this thing, we could all die, right?"
"That's fine," This time, Nova spoke up, "Rather, that's why we came here. If this is how you train, then how can we, your seniors, do anything less?"
What else could Mira say? Since they wanted to die so badly, who was she to reject them?
"If that's how you all feel, then… Stop loitering like a bunch of bums and get over here!" Mira ordered, her eyes sharpening as she released hints of killing intent.
"Y-Yes, Ma'am!"
The seven women scurried over to where Mira was and gathered in a circle around her.
They immediately felt a pull on their bodies from the mass of energy weighing on them, but it didn't cause them any bodily harm; it was mostly just an annoyance.
"Help me make this thing bigger," Mira ordered, pointing at the mass of energy.
"...Huh?"
"Don't make me repeat myself."
Under Mira's harsh stare, they nodded, not daring to object.
"Okay, sure," Nova answered first, stepping forward. She spread out her palms towards the Qi ball and started to feed her energy into it.
The rest followed her lead, each choosing a spot around the Qi ball, putting their hands up, and letting their energy flow into it.
Now that they had all joined in, Mira explained to them the basis of the Gravity Technique. They didn't need to understand it completely, they only needed to know how to merge their Qi into the ball without blowing everything up.
Under her guidance, they started to add their own energy to the Qi ball.
The Qi ball, already an intimidating size, started to grow bigger, its pull stronger, but also more stable. They spread out further according to the weight they could bear without breaking.
They were silent, focused on their task. Mira watched them all, the corners of her mouth twitching upward in satisfaction.
'It's nice having talented people around.' She didn't have to sit there and walk them through everything.
Grunts resounded all around her as they withstood the ever-increasing pressure, but they used their Qi to soothe and heal their injuries.
The more energy they poured into the Qi ball, the more they realized its potential. The energy sphere seemed like it had a will of its own, pulsating and surging like a heartbeat.
Each pulse brought with it a new understanding, deepening their understanding of Qi and the cultivation methods they were familiar with.
As the Qi ball continued to grow, Mira's orders shifted from mere physical exertion to tactical manipulation of energy flows. She guided them to control the rate at which they infused their Qi, to harmonize their Qi with others, and to adapt to the fluctuating power within the Qi ball. This was not just physical training but mental conditioning as well.
However, soon, they began guiding each other, helping one another improve their control and Qi manipulation abilities.
As days passed by, their strengths and weaknesses became apparent. They adapted, they learned, and they grew together.
Over time, the Qi ball's size increased tremendously, and so did its power. It began to take on a life of its own, threatening to spiral out of control.
Mira, however, remained calm and directed the others, controlling the overwhelming power of the Qi ball with her increasing understanding of the Gravity Technique.
But this was just an appetizer. If Mira was satisfied with this level of training, she wouldn't have even bothered doing this!
"It's time to spar!"
Mira declared abruptly, her eyes sweeping over the group, her gaze falling on each disciple in turn. An anticipatory thrill ran through the group at her words.
"Wait, what?" Nova blurted out, staring at Mira in shock. "Are you serious?"
Ignoring her surprise, Mira gestured at the massive Qi ball hovering above them. "We need to test the limits of our control over our energy flow. I don't want any of you getting comfortable."
Murmurs of assent rippled through the group, their surprise slowly replaced by an intense resolve. They were martial artists, after all; sparring was in their blood.
"Good." Mira pointed to Nova and Seraphina. "You two, start us off."
Without missing a beat, Nova and Seraphina stepped forward, bowing to each other. They were both fiery and competitive, and it showed in their eyes as they prepared to engage in combat.
The surrounding women watched as the two launched into their fight, exchanging a series of blows that sent shockwaves rippling through the air. It was a fierce and intense battle, one that demonstrated the immense power and skill both possessed.
And, amidst the violent dance of their clash, the Qi ball continued to expand, absorbing the residual energy from their battle. The power within it continued to swell, but it didn't spiral out of control as one might expect. Instead, it remained stable, a testament to their improved control and understanding of the Gravity Technique.
The rest watched the sparring with wide eyes, their hands subconsciously clenched in anticipation. They could hardly wait to participate. As the fight ended and two others took their places, the cycle repeated. Again and again, they would fight, and the Qi ball would grow.
Despite their fatigue and the bruises accumulating on their bodies, no one backed out or complained. The intense yet friendly competition between them pushed each disciple to perform better than before.
Mira, standing in the center, watched them closely, not missing a single beat. There was a faint smile on her face. As each fight played out, she could see their growth - their movements became sharper, their attacks more powerful, and their control of their energy more refined.
She could also tell that she'd grown as well. Her cultivation was increasing rapidly, despite the need for a tremendous amount of Qi, and her control over her techniques had improved.
She also learned more about the various affinities thanks to their sessions.
'However, it seems like I'm quickly reaching my limit.' She thought. 'I'll have to pass this Hell soon.'
Fortunately, that didn't mean she had to stop training, but truthfully, she didn't enjoy having a mega nuke sitting right beside her face at all times.
Days continued to pass, and the group persisted in their rigorous training, their bodies bearing the evidence of their hard work. The Qi ball grew larger, its immense size dwarfing them all. But, despite its intimidating appearance, they were not scared.
Once Mira felt like she had just about reached her limit, she stood up and said, "Let's go hunting."
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