The Immortal Commoner: Sowing Chaos

Chen Feng stared at the pond. It pulsed with a gentle, ethereal light.

He circled it slowly. It looked almost… alive. Was this really Qi? The stories of cultivators always mentioned Qi. Could this be the real deal?

"Well, Feng, you are in a pickle if this isn't it," he muttered to himself. What else could it possibly be? Magical, glowing water? In a cave? Highly unlikely. Though, admittedly, this whole cave was rather unlikely. Still, probability favored… Qi? Or maybe just weird pond water.

He knelt down, reaching a hand towards the shimmering surface. It rippled even though there was no wind. Mysterious and inviting, like some kind of liquid gemstone. He watched the ripples spread outwards, hypnotized for a moment. Each gentle undulation of light seemed to call to him, whispering promises of… something. He wasn't quite sure what. But it definitely piqued his curiosity.

"Let's not be hasty, old boy," he thought, pausing. "Cautious immortal herb gatherer Chen Feng. That has a ring to it, doesn't it?" Maybe a little *too* cautious? But still, caution was probably good. Especially when dealing with mysterious glowing ponds in random caves. His immortality was convenient, sure, but did he really want to test its limits against… whatever this was? Probably not.

He dipped a finger into the water. It was surprisingly warm, not cold as cave water usually was. A tingling sensation rushed up his arm. Interesting. Definitely not normal pond water temperature.

"Whoa," he exclaimed softly. That… felt interesting. It wasn't painful or shocking. More like… vibrant. Like energy flowing in. Like plugging a drained phone into a charger. Except, you know, biological and liquid and slightly mystical-feeling.

He withdrew his finger, staring at it as if expecting it to glow too. Nothing visually changed. But the tingling sensation was still there, spreading slightly. "Hmm," he mused, "Subtle but noticeable." Like a tiny energetic spider crawling up his arm, tickling him from the inside. A very pleasant spider.

"Okay, finger test passed. Now for the slightly less cautious test." He chuckled nervously. Maybe dipping a whole hand in wasn't such a crazy idea? Maybe? Probably? What was the harm, really? Another tingling sensation? Maybe a rash? He could handle a rash. Immortality was pretty good for rashes, he suspected.

He submerged his entire hand this time. The warmth intensified. The tingling turned into a gentle pulsing, as if the water was syncing with his heartbeat. It felt… good. Strangely, deeply good. Like sinking into a perfectly heated bath after a long day of… well, cave exploring. Which was admittedly not that strenuous, but still.

"Huh. Actually feels… really good," he admitted, surprised. He wriggled his fingers in the liquid, feeling a pleasant rush of energy spreading through his arm. It was strangely comforting. He flexed his hand in the water, marveling at the feeling. Each wiggle and wave sent little pulses of warmth and energy up his arm. He was starting to feel quite relaxed, actually. Dangerously relaxed, maybe? No, probably not dangerous. Just… relaxed.

Maybe he should just… get in? He was immortal anyway. What was the worst that could happen? Become even *more* immortal? Turn into a Qi-water immortal hybrid? Stranger things have probably happened. Especially to him, apparently. Cliff diving into magic caves? Check. Unexplained immortality? Check. Glowing Qi ponds? Seemed par for the course at this point.

"Right, in for a penny, in for a full body soak, as they say in… wherever it is they say that," Chen Feng declared to the silent cave. Might as well commit fully, if he was going to commit at all. Half measures were for… well, probably for less immortal people. For him, it was go big or go home. And home was… well, right here in this cave, apparently.

He started to peel off his roughspun tunic. Might as well be comfortable for this experiment, right? And soaked clothes were notoriously uncomfortable. Even immortal beings preferred comfort when possible. He carefully folded the tunic and laid it on a nearby crystal protrusion, figuring it was as good a place as any for a temporary clothes rack in a magic cave.

He stepped into the pond, his feet sinking into the surprisingly smooth bottom. The water level rose, enveloping his legs, then his waist, then his chest. Each inch submerged felt increasingly… invigorated. It wasn't just warm water anymore. It was like the water was reaching out, welcoming him, gently hugging every part of his body it touched. An aquatic embrace of pure energy.

The Qi-infused water now reached his neck. He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. The air here even smelled… cleaner. Sharper. Like a mountain breeze, but indoors. The faint floral scent of the garden cave, combined with this crisp, energetic air… it was almost intoxicating. He took another deep breath, savoring the unexpected freshness. Who knew caves could have good air quality? Apparently, this one was a luxury spa cave in disguise.

He took the final plunge, sinking completely beneath the surface. The world went momentarily blurry, then refocused underwater. He could actually see clearly under the liquid. Weird. Really weird. Like, defying-the-laws-of-physics weird. But then again, this was a Qi pond, not a normal pond. Maybe underwater clarity was a standard Qi pond feature. He'd have to check the Qi pond user manual later. If such a thing existed.

The Qi surrounded him completely, pressing against his skin, seeping into him, it felt like. Not intrusive or forceful. Just… embracing. Like a warm, energetic hug. It was like being cocooned in liquid sunshine. If sunshine was… well, liquid. And glowed softly. And tingled pleasantly. Okay, maybe not *exactly* sunshine, but you get the idea.

"Wow," he thought, his mental voice echoing slightly in his own head. "This is… intense." But in a very, very pleasant way. It felt like every cell in his body was waking up. Like being recharged. Not just recharged, but… amplified. Like turning up the volume on his entire existence. He wriggled his toes and fingers, feeling an almost giddy sensation of heightened awareness. His senses seemed sharper, his mind clearer, even his sense of touch was enhanced by the pulsing Qi.

He floated there, suspended in the Qi pond, eyes closed, just… feeling. This was… something else. He'd never experienced anything remotely like this. Not in his entire, albeit short so far, immortal life. It wasn't just a physical sensation, it was… something deeper. A sense of connection, maybe? A feeling of… rightness. Like he was finally in the place he was meant to be. Doing the thing he was meant to do. Soaking in a magical Qi pond. As one does.

"Maybe… maybe this is what they mean by cultivation?" he mused internally. Was this the secret? Just… soak in magical Qi water? It seemed almost too simple. Especially for someone who was supposed to be talentless. He remembered the old herb gatherers back in the village, muttering about complex breathing techniques and strenuous exercises, all to gain a sliver of Qi. And here he was, accidentally bathing in it like it was bathwater.

But then again, who was he to question magical glowing pond logic? In a world where caves had gardens and waterfalls had no apparent source, maybe simple was best. Maybe he'd accidentally stumbled upon a cheat code. The "Immortality Spa and Cultivation Center Cheat Code," perhaps. He chuckled internally. He could definitely see himself putting that on a travel brochure for the cave. "Visit Chen Feng's Immortal Spa & Cultivation Retreat – No Talent Required!"

He stayed submerged for a long while, losing track of time. The Qi flowed, his body tingled, and a strange sense of… potential… began to bloom within him. Something was definitely happening. But what exactly? He had absolutely no clue. And that, perhaps, was the most intriguing part of it all. He was adrift in a sea of pure magical energy, feeling *different*, feeling *changed*, and utterly clueless about what that change entailed. It was exciting. And a tiny bit nerve-wracking. But mostly exciting. He decided to lean into the excitement. After all, what else was there to do in a magical Qi pond in a secret cave? Worry? Nah. Soak it all in and see what happens. That seemed like the more sensible, and certainly more enjoyable, approach.