Of course Silver Starlight knows that Winter Rose gave her some pills. Standard thing to support the newbies, right? Well, she'll have to try her hardest. After that she calls Kevin and tells him she's off for at least a couple months. He gripes, but she's unapolagetic. 'Something better came along'. She has enough in savings and thinks money is low-value enough to the group that she doesn't need to have a job, during this. Practicing the techniques, getting stronger- That's her job, now. 

She wants to go for a run. She wants to practice these right now. She wants to do a hundred sit-ups in a row because it feels like she could-

But what she does right at this moment is talk to the airline agent and change to a sooner flight for a slightly eye-watering fee. She goes to the airport at 11 PM that day, and is at the house in Cardiff at 6 AM, somewhat tired. Hopefully the magical security system is straightforward to figure out.

The large house - more of a mansion, really - is out at the edge of Cardiff by the sea, and surrounded by a tall wrought-iron fence. It seems normal, but something about it makes the hair on the back of Bys' neck stand up. There's a security keypad at the front gate; presumably this is where she enters the passcode.

Kind of imposing. And it rather screams 'money'. She feels out of place.

Beep beep beep beep.

A wave of static electricity washes over her, and the front gate pops open. 

The way up to the front door is lined with gravel and flanked with bushes. There's another keypad by the door. 

Beep beep again.

She explores the place briefly, picks a bedroom - smallest one, if there are multiple - puts her backpack away.

She's excited. She does stretches idly while she thinks. Her new body, taut with energy and vigor, feels ready to go - a bit more ready to go than she'd expect, since aside from a nap yesterday afternoon and on the plane, she hasn't gotten her full eight hours of sleep. Should she take another nap before actually trying out the exercises?

Maybe she should go get her stuff from her apartment, try to deal with the lease... But that sounds like a massive pain right now. She wants to do.

Alright. She reviews the Canadian Fist PowerPoint again just to make sure it's really nailed down in her memory. She changes into workout clothes. Then she finds a clear area or exercise room, or maybe the back garden if it seems secluded enough, and settles into the first stance for the fist technique, and- Starts the exercises, starts punching, flowing from one stance to another just so. Visualizing, trying to exactly mimic the flow as presented. Footwork and balance are just as important as the arms... Should she be trying to analyze her movements and the vague sense she's feeling that must be qi, or leaning into the instinct and feeling whether it's right? She's not sure. Hmm.

There's three bedrooms, one large and with an ensuite bathroom, two small and about the same size with a bathroom down the hall. The main floor has a large kitchen with a well-stocked pantry and a magic fridge and a living room with a large plasma TV and a couch and a small gymnasium with punching bags and a warm indoor pool. There is also a two-car garage, which is presently empty. 

When she finally gets the form right there's a sudden snap into focus and a burst of what-feels-like-adrenaline. Her jab whips forwards almost faster than the eye can see and then her footwork dances away like a butterfly. If she moves just so - 

She's suddenly halfway across the gym. 

"Oh my god!"

Is this the power of cultivation? She turns and does it again!

It takes a little practice to not overbalance during the sudden bursts of speed, but they're reliable and can be done once each breath for about a quarter-second. 

She could probably do some real damage to a punching bag, too. A sense of natural left-right-left right-right-left jab combinations is falling into place.

There's also a sense that she could follow up with a kick right there - 

She doesn't kick. The kicking technique is supposed to be really hard.

Instead, she surges forward and backward, jabbing at invisible foes, grinning, for a while- and then takes a break and a drink of water and falls into the form for the kicking technique.

Her first kick snaps out like a striking viper, with force that even Trys can tell is enough to kill. She keeps her balance, but when she puts her weight back on her leg a lance of pain goes through her. She's also breathing far harder than she should be from a single kick, and her adrenaline has dropped significantly.

Ow, fuck. Also, yikes.

Okay. One more try, with the other leg, and then presumably it's time for meditation?

The pain is slightly less, this time - but clearly her body isn't quite up to this yet. Her adrenaline drops out completely and leaves her feeling more wrung out than even the body tempering liquid left her. 

It's a good thing she's sitting down anyway. 

As she turns her focus inward, following the instructions Silver Starlight left, she becomes aware of a thrumming fizz in her blood, a kind of energy she's never had before. And then, all at once, an image of herself snaps into the center of her mind. It looks just like her, except that it has dark circles under her eyes.

Now... drag the blood out into a thread, and press it into her heart...

It's mentally exhausting to go with the physical punishment, but she finishes the strand and it fuses with her heart. 

That's one.

Woof. 

She lies on the floor for a bit, exhausted, before checking her phone. She won't be ready for more for a while without the pills, but how long did the actual exercises take?

It's been about two hours.

Okay.

She pops one of the blood and qi pills in her mouth, removes it as soon as she feels mostly recovered and carefully dries it off. Takes a quick dip in the pool (not bothering to change into her swimsuit, just removing the workout clothes), and then drying off, clothes back on, and...

Again.

The blood and qi pill recovers her stamina, but her legs still hurt and her mind is still fuzzy. That slows her down during the agility training, and when she goes to do the kicking portion again the pain only redoubles. She's able to drag out another strand through the pain and fatigue, but it's been another three hours.

It's just after noon, now. She feels... Kind of exhausted. The way you feel after a long workout when you've crossed into 'too far' and started actually hurting yourself. Two in one day? Black Cross managed five a day!

She decides to break for lunch and investigates fridge contents, though. Meanwhile she asks the cultivator chatroom,

How can I tell if I'm pushing myself in training or actually HURTING myself/doing damage? Also, is it normal to look really tired in the true self meditation?

The fridge has half a beef dip, luncheon meat and cheese slices, margarine, peanut butter, blackberry jelly (same taste as her qi pills), apricot jelly, a bunch of grapes, a bag of like 20 mandarin oranges, milk, cola, and a few other stables like green onion and eggs. There's a loaf of bread on the counter. 

Dull aching is normal and says the exercise is working. Sharp pain usually correlates with damage, either to the body or to your qi system. You couldn't resist trying the kicks, huh? Be careful with those, they're not usually introduced until at least day five. They'll accelerate your growth significantly, but it's dangerous. If you've made a strand today you are officially doing well enough. Speed comes with practice. 

It's common for the true self meditation to show up anything that could be considered a mark on your soul. Few people are reflected clearly by it. You'll see more changes as you learn more techniques. Hopefully that will include recovery for whatever source of chronic stress that tiredness reflects.

I made two strands. And did the kicks both times. Might even try for a third (without the kicks this time, because, ow). I thought I needed all three techniques to form a strand...

Cooking sounds really annoying right now. And she wants to sit down. Or lie down. Low effort food only. Meat and cheese on bread = sandwich. Mustard, if there is any. Milk and oranges and grapes.

There is mustard! There's also a table and chairs, with placemats. It's a bit dusty though.

All the food is quite fresh and delicious. It must be the formation in the fridge. And on the breadbag. 

You'll want that later but for now focus on the punching and agility techniques. Two strands is great!  ^_^

OK :thumbsup: Tired now tho.

Oh actually, are enchantments like I've seen around a True Master+ thing or what? What about talismans, what's needed to make those? I know I'm just barely starting out so I'm not asking how to do them, just like what power level are they?

Formations are a Spirit Sovereign thing, and talismans and artifacts are just formations bound to objects. Alchemy can be done at a lower rank but takes actually-expensive ingredients. There are different specializations - I make weapons, for instance.

Impressive!

Gonna go flop somewhere now~