The first stage of Qi training, the highlight of this particular introduction, was the first stage, the body tempering stage. It was a stage that refined his body through the hardest possible physical activities that broke him down, and then he healed up again, continuously in repeat. The stage ensured the body was prepared for Qi.

It consisted of stages, the external and the internal. Ken had to forge all parts of his body through relentless, demanding activities that would shatter his body, and then in that state he would need to force himself to sense Qi and use it to heal himself.

"This sounds like some suicidal training regimen, but if the book was created, that means someone used it, and if there is anyone that can use it, then I can as well."

With his mindset locked, he turned his eyes back to the tree that he had been punching earlier, walked up to it, and without hesitation, he threw the first punch. The fist tore through the air with more force than he had used before.

BAM!

"This is going to be an exciting road," he said with a smile and then walked back to sit down. He still needed to handle the sticks that Mira had handed to him.

He stared at both of them, another thing to absorb now. He closed his eyes and let the system do its thing. Instantly, he felt a wave of heat rush through his body. It burned extremely hot, he gritted his teeth and pushed through it.

A few seconds went by and then the heat turned to a cool and calm flow inside his body. It felt like cool water was rushing through his veins.

[Your body has absorbed 99 percent of both branches]

[All stats increased by 20]

[Mana increased by 200]

[You have gained a small blessing]

[Lesser blessing of the world tree: ability to learn plant and earth based magic increased by 10 percent]

"Wait what?" For the first time in a very long time, Ken was stunned, his eyes shot open as he looked at the screen.

"All this from two sticks?" he asked in complete wonder. His mana had been shit low, the type of low where he gave up on it for a bit, assuming it would never work. He was already thinking about how he was going to find formation magic and draw all over his skin to use magic, but now the chance for something better had come. It was not supposed to be possible to increase mana, yet these branches somehow did it.

Not only that, he gained a blessing that increased the rate at which he could learn a particular spell, that alone was something that he could shout in happiness for.

"Haha, she really helped me get stronger," he said as he clutched his hands. Back on Earth, he sought out all forms of strength, but all ended up being physical, but now he could touch strength that was above that, magic and Qi.

"Alright, it’s not time to get carried away, progress is never enough."

He got back on his feet and walked to another tree. It was time for him to go at it and make sure that he ripped the tree down, push his body to the limit, and ensure that he gained access to this Qi, it was a need.

BAM

BAM

The sounds of punching erupted in the forest again, and even then no monster dared to come close, because even from a distance they could sense the aura and presence of the being that was punching the trees, and he was a real monster.

[....]

Morning came soon, the punching sounds had all died down, and that was because Ken was now seated on the ground with his legs crossed and eyes shut. His breathing was calm as the morning breeze.

A certain energy was floating around his body, entering through his pores, mouth, and nose. It rushed in from all directions so fast. The wounds on his fists healed in real time, flesh mending itself as he gave full concentration. His completely worn out body was filled with energy and now even further reinforced.

After sitting there for more than two hours, his eyes finally opened.

"So this is what Qi feels like," he muttered.

[Congratulations, you have unlocked Qi]

[Host growth is too fast, recalculating stats, 2$:$:$ error, system level too low, requesting upgrade]

"Upgrade? What the hell, is it gonna reach out to the gods to make it better or something?" Ken wondered.

[System upgrade allowed, time, 24 hours]

[System unusable for set time]

After that the system went off, leaving Ken there alone without a system.

[......] 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

At the same time, the three gods sat at the crossroads while waiting for the next human soul that would walk in for them, when suddenly a massive system screen appeared in the air for all of them to see.

[Host Ken, world Orion, requesting a system upgrade]

"Huh?" The old man was shocked by the sudden appearance, most systems were independent and could upgrade themselves when needed, but the fact that this one had to ask meant it was probably a low level system, and that meant some low reincarnation managed to get to the level that forced the system to request an upgrade.

"Wait, Orion, that’s where we sent that human soul a month ago," the lady said.

"Oh, the stubborn one, he was really something else. Wait, are you telling me all it took was one month and somehow his system needs an upgrade?" the old man asked.

When the male god heard all of this he frowned and spoke, "There is no way that’s possible, one month is infinitely too small to have that done, his growth must have overloaded the system for it to consider an upgrade," he spoke, his hate for Ken showing.

"Haha, I guess we’ll have to watch him a bit more after this, but as for his upgrade, we cannot deny it at all, he had met the requirements and he will be given what he deserves," the old god said.