“I thought I was quite brave. If those guys hadn’t left before I got up, it would have been too late,” Taylor says with a shake of his head as if those thugs got off easy.

Sylvie covers her mouth with her hand but she couldn’t hide her laughter. “Indeed, you were very brave,” she says before stopping outside her house and turning to Taylor. She walks up to him and grabs his face to examine it. “Did it hurt?” She asks while caressing Taylor’s face.

A smirk escapes Taylor’s expression as he says, “I think it would hurt less if you kissed it better.”

A tinge of red shows on Sylvie’s face. “Fine. But don’t go around getting your butt kicked expecting kisses. If you get beat up one or two more times, I really might leave you out of shame,” she says before slowly leaning closer to Taylor.

Taylor closes his eyes and a series of images flashes across his mind; flowers blooming, morning dew and butterflies dancing.

Taylor immerses himself in the moment before opening his eyes. “That was hot,” he says.

Sylvie could only roll her eyes.

…

…

The first thing Taylor did when he got home was to continue to read the cultivation book. He was hoping it would show him some moves, in case he found himself in another fight. He brought a bowl of chips into his room before continuing to read the book.

This book isn’t about martial arts, it’s about cultivating the mind, body, and character.

“Fuck,” Taylor couldn’t help but exclaim, but he forced himself to continue reading while eating chips with his other hand.

As one gathers the Earth’s chi, one must refine it to match the refiner. If there are impurities, you will become a slave to the Earth’s chi, and continue life as a prisoner in your own body.

The Earth’s chi is all around us and all of it can be eaten; but why eat sand when you can eat fruit, and why drink from a puddle when you can drink from a spring?

There must be a direction in cultivation. If there is no goal, there would be no purpose.

Think hard on what you will cultivate. Only then will you have a reason to bend the world to your will.

“A reason to bend the world to my will?” Taylor repeats, trying to grasp the words. What am I cultivating? What’s my goal? Taylor thinks, considering the question.

“I just want to kick ass,” Taylor couldn’t help but say.

**SHATTER**

The bowl of chips Taylor brought into the room shatters, littering the floor with glass.

“Fuck,” Taylor exclaims. Suddenly Taylor senses something. The surrounding chi was gathering in Taylor’s room.

Taylor instinctively recognized the opportunity and began to cultivate.

As Taylor began to cultivate, bits of information and a series of images flashed across his mind. How to watch for the intent to strike, how to redirect your opponent’s attention, and the weaknesses of the human body.

After Taylor gathered the surrounding chi and processed the information that was given to him, he opens his eyes. “Damn; can I kick ass now?” Taylor asks himself, before recalling the words from the cultivation book.

But when you steal from the Earth’s chi, you make a contract with it and the more chi you take, the fewer choices you will have; continue at your own risk.

Sweat began to drip from Taylor’s forehead as he recalls the words.

“Fuck,” Taylor exclaims. “Am I walking a dangerous path?” He asks himself, before shaking his head.

No way, no way; what could happen? He thinks to himself.