Chapter 7 - 6: Weight of Departure
The soft hum of ki pulsed faintly through the room, like distant echoes of a song no one could quite hear.
Jinmu stood in the center of the wooden floor, his eyes closed and breath steady. Across from him, seated in silence, were Haerin, Baekho, and Seryeon — their postures relaxed but upright, eyes filled with a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.
The energy in Jinmu’s core stirred.
Let it flow gently... not forcefully. Just like mist.
He extended his palm outward, facing each of them in turn.
The sensation of the Blossom Vein Arts coiled along his spine, rising through his shoulders and out into his arms. The ki didn’t burn — it whispered. Soft and patient. It moved through him like something alive, eager to share itself but unwilling to break what it touched.
It’s not just a technique anymore. It’s... part of me.
His palm hovered near his mother’s chest — not touching, but close enough that the warmth of his energy could be felt.
Haerin flinched slightly, then steadied herself.
Jinmu gave her a quiet smile.
"Relax," he said. "It won’t hurt."
She nodded and closed her eyes.