Dawn painted Master Chen''s courtyard in shades of gold as Liu Wei faced the wooden training dummy. His sleep had been restless, filled with dreams of pottery wheels and ancient songs, but the potter''s memories had finally settled into a quiet corner of his mind.


    "Remember," Master Chen said from his usual position on the stone bench, "wood essence is more complex than clay. Start slowly. Feel its nature before you attempt to absorb."


    Liu Wei nodded, placing his hands on the dummy''s worn surface. Immediately, his copper meridians responded, sensing decades of accumulated essence. Every strike, every technique practiced against it had left its mark. The knowledge contained within made the potter''s memories seem like a child''s nursery rhyme in comparison.


    "I can feel them," he whispered. "All the disciples who trained here... their techniques, their understanding..."


    "Good. Now take it gradually—"


    But the essence called too strongly. Liu Wei''s meridians flared with hunger, and before he could stop himself, he pulled.


    The training dummy exploded into splinters.


    Liu Wei stood frozen, copper meridians blazing through his skin like molten metal. Around him, fragments of ancient wood rained down on Master Chen''s courtyard. The essence he''d just absorbed roared through his system – decades of martial knowledge, countless impacts, the very memory of what it meant to be a warrior''s tool.


    "Too much," Master Chen''s voice cut through his haze. "You took too much, too quickly."


    Liu Wei tried to respond, but his body seized. Every muscle remembered phantom strikes, thousands of techniques performed against the dummy over generations. His arms moved of their own accord, blocking invisible attacks, countering with perfect form he''d never learned.


    "Breathe." Master Chen''s hands pressed against Liu Wei''s back, steadying qi flowing into his chaotic meridians. "Find yourself among the memories. Remember who you are."


    "I..." Liu Wei''s voice cracked. Images flashed through his mind: disciples from decades past, their faces blurred but their techniques crystal clear. So many styles, so many approaches to martial arts, all recorded in the dummy''s essence. "There''s too much, Master. I can''t..."


    "You can. You must." Master Chen''s voice hardened. "This is why we practice control. The essence of wood carries deeper memories than clay. More complex histories. If you cannot master this, you cannot progress."


    Gradually, under his master''s guidance, Liu Wei brought his meridians under control. The foreign memories settled, no longer threatening to overwhelm his sense of self. But the knowledge remained – hundreds of martial techniques now lived in his muscles, waiting to be called upon.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Better," Master Chen said, stepping back. "Now show me the Falling Leaf Strike."


    Liu Wei moved without hesitation, his body flowing through a technique he''d never seen before. The absorbed essence guided him, showing him not just the form but the philosophy behind it, the decades of refinement that had shaped it.


    "Good. Now the Breaking Wave Palm."


    Another technique, perfectly executed. Then another, and another. Each movement drew from the vast repository of martial knowledge he''d absorbed, but something felt wrong. With each technique, the copper light in his meridians pulsed more intensely.


    "Master," Liu Wei gasped between forms, "something''s happening. The essence – it''s not settling like the cup did."


    Master Chen''s eyes narrowed. "Because this essence is too rich, too complex for your current level. You should have absorbed it gradually, piece by piece." He sighed. "We must purge some of it before—"


    A shout from outside the courtyard cut him off. "Did you hear that explosion?"


    "It came from Master Chen''s courtyard!"


    Liu Wei''s heart froze as footsteps approached. His meridians still blazed visibly through his skin, and splinters of the destroyed training dummy littered the ground. There was nowhere to hide.


    The courtyard door burst open. Senior Ming stood there, along with two other senior disciples. Their eyes widened at the scene before them.


    "Junior Wei?" Ming''s voice mixed shock and betrayal. "What... what are you doing? What''s wrong with your meridians?"


    Before Liu Wei could respond, Ming''s expression hardened. "Those patterns – they''re like the forbidden diagrams in the ancient texts. You''re practicing devil cultivation!"


    "No!" Liu Wei stepped forward, but Ming and the others dropped into defensive stances. "You don''t understand—"


    "Step away from him." Master Zhou''s commanding voice filled the courtyard as the senior instructor strode in. His cold gaze took in the scene, lingering on Liu Wei''s glowing meridians. "Master Chen, explain yourself. Why are you teaching forbidden techniques to this disciple?"


    Master Chen moved to stand between Liu Wei and the others. "The boy is under my protection, Zhou. This doesn''t concern you."


    "Doesn''t concern me?" Master Zhou''s qi flared dangerously. "You bring devil cultivation into our sect, endanger our disciples, and claim it doesn''t concern me?" His eyes locked onto Liu Wei. "Seize him. The sect leader must be informed."


    The senior disciples moved forward, qi gathering around their hands. Liu Wei fell into a defensive stance – and then froze as his body began moving on its own. The essence he''d absorbed from the training dummy recognized a threat, and centuries of martial knowledge surged to respond.


    "No!" he tried to stop himself, but his copper meridians blazed with power. His body flowed through ancient combat forms, effortlessly deflecting the senior disciples'' attacks. Each movement was perfect, devastating – and completely beyond his control.


    "Stop this!" Master Chen''s voice thundered, but it was too late. The essence had taken over, determined to fulfill its purpose as a tool of combat.


    As Liu Wei''s possessed body drove his fellow disciples back with techniques lost to time, he caught his reflection in a window. His eyes blazed pure copper, and for a moment, he didn''t recognize himself at all.


    The Path of Essence Absorption had shown its true power – and its true price. As chaos erupted in the courtyard, Liu Wei wondered if he''d ever find his way back to himself again.