Forged in Blood and Shadow

After a year of cultivation, John had finally broken through to the mid-stage of foundation Forging skipping a stage.

He leaped to his feet, slowly extending a punch towards the cave entrance. A shockwave erupted, shattering a tree outside and causing the cave to tremble slightly. I can do that with just my physical strength, he thought, impressed. Next time, maybe I should go outside. He released his Qi, manipulating it into Qi-woven threads.

They're much stronger and sharper than before, and far easier to control, he observed. He converted his Qi to shadow Qi and prepared to use his Shadow God technique, but he suddenly felt his Qi being observed. He quickly reached into his robes and retrieved his mask, the sensation of being watched intensifying.

This thing won't stop observing my Qi, he realized. He tried to withdraw his Qi, but the mask resisted. Since you want it that badly, he thought, a hint of annoyance in his voice, I'm going to give you as much as you want. He unleashed the Qi stored within his spiritual root, pouring it into the mask.

A while later, he sat on the floor, gasping for breath. "It almost sucked me dry," he said, panting.

"If not for the Qi in my spiritual root, I'd be a corpse by now." He put on the mask. Why was it observing my Qi anyway? he wondered. He tried channeling Qi into the mask again, and his appearance changed. He looked at his hands, then at his reflection in the smooth cave wall. Nothing happened… or so I thought, he realized.

He walked out of the cave. "It's been a year since I've had a bath," he muttered.

"I stink." He soon reached the nearby pond. As he was about to step into the water, he saw his reflection and spun around, checking to see if anyone was behind him. Finding no one, he looked back at his reflection, reaching out to touch his face. He realized the reflection was him, but… different. He smiled.

"I really hit the jackpot," he said. "This is a magical item. I've heard there are magical items that grow along with their user. I can't believe it's mine. With this, no one will recognize me." A while later, he had finished his bath and put on his clothes.