Sleep fled from me like a startled bird. I opened my eyes, surprised by how alert I felt despite everything my body had endured. Something was different.
I closed my eyes and focused inward. There it was—a sensation unlike anything I'd experienced before.
A shimmering golden light pulsed inside my mind. It moved with my thoughts, responding to my will like a living thing.
I sat up straight, my heart racing. This wasn't supposed to happen yet. Mental energy typically developed much later in cultivation, after physical energy had been fully harnessed.
"A blessing in disguise," I whispered.
The torture I'd endured had pushed my body to its absolute limits. Instead of destroying me, it had somehow accelerated my development. My mind was awakening ahead of schedule.
I tested this new power, directing it through different parts of my mind. The control was rough, unpracticed, but the potential was enormous. With this, my capabilities would expand dramatically.
