Natasha packed a small black bag, kissed Sam deeply, and left for the airport.
The mansion suddenly felt very quiet without her.
Sam walked out into the large, private garden. The sun was shining, and a cool breeze blew through the trees. He had a lot of free time now.
Tony was busy practicing Dual Cultivation with Pepper, and S.H.I.E.L.D. was focused on the desert.
It was the perfect time to train.
Sam sat cross-legged on the soft grass.
He unstrapped the ancient Chinese sword from his back and placed it on his lap.
When he was at the Qi Gathering Stage, the sword was just a sharp tool. He had to hold it with his hands to use it. But now, he was at the Foundation Establishment Stage. His energy was a deep, liquid pond. It was time to open the next chapter of the Blossom Sword Art.
Sam closed his eyes and looked into his memories. The new lesson was simple, but the meaning was deep.
'The sword is not in your hand. The sword is in your heart. Let your Qi be the invisible string that ties your soul to the steel.'
Sam took a deep breath. He let his warm, pink Qi flow out of his Dantian. The energy moved down his arms and wrapped around the sword.
Slowly, Sam opened his eyes and moved his hands away.
The sword didn't fall to the grass. It floated in the air, hanging right in front of him.
A big smile appeared on Sam's face. He pointed his finger at a tree on the other side of the garden.
Swish!
The sword shot forward like a pink laser beam. It flew across the yard and sliced smoothly through a falling leaf before stopping perfectly still in the air.
Sam moved his finger in a circle.
The sword danced. It flew up, down, and spun around the garden. It was incredibly fast and completely silent.
Sam could feel everything the sword touched. It was like he had grown a new arm that could reach anywhere.
He didn't need to hold the weapon anymore. His mind was the weapon.
But Sam wasn't finished. The Blossom Sword Art had one more secret at this stage.
He called the sword back to him. It floated just a few inches above the ground.
The blade was wide and sturdy, glowing with a soft pink light.
Sam stood up. He took a deep breath, letting his liquid Qi flow into his feet, and then he stepped onto the flat blade of the sword.
It didn't wobble. It felt as solid as a concrete floor.
"Up,"
Sam whispered.
He pushed his Qi downward. With a soft whoosh, the sword lifted off the ground. Sam felt his stomach drop as he rose into the air.
Ten feet. Twenty feet. Fifty feet.
He flew past the roof of the mansion. He felt the cold wind blow through his hair. He looked down and saw the trees looking like tiny green dots. He was flying.
There were no iron thrusters like Tony's suit. There were no loud jet engines. It was just pure, silent energy holding him in the sky.
Sam looked out at the ocean and the city in the distance.
He remembered his old life—sitting in a grey cubicle, staring at spreadsheets, worrying about his boss and his rent. That man felt like a stranger now.
He was Sam, a Cultivator. He was free.
He spent the rest of the afternoon flying through the clouds, doing flips and turns, laughing out loud. The world was full of aliens, gods, and monsters, but as Sam flew on his glowing pink sword, he knew he was ready for all of them.
Sam landed softly on the grass. He was breathing easily, and a huge smile was on his face.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, the sword slid smoothly into the scabbard on his back.
Just then, his phone rang. It was Tony.
"Sam. Tell me you're not busy meditating,"
Tony's voice came through the speaker. He sounded out of breath and completely panicked.
"I just finished. What's wrong, Tony? Did another robot attack?"
Sam asked.
"Worse. Much worse,"
Tony groaned.
"I think I went too far with the training. The dual cultivation... we practiced a lot. Maybe too much."
"Did you hurt her?"
Sam asked, his voice turning serious.
"No! I got Pepper pregnant!"
Tony blurted out.
Sam stopped. Then, a loud laugh escaped his lips.
"Tony! That is amazing news. Congratulations!"
"Congratulations? Sam, I can barely take care of myself! I build metal suits; I don't know how to raise a baby!"
Tony was talking very fast.
"I'm terrified, man. What if I mess this up? What if I'm a terrible dad?"
"You have a good heart, Tony. You'll be a great father,"
Sam said, trying to calm him down.
"Listen... I need a favor. A huge one,"
Tony said, his voice finally slowing down.
"If I screw this up, or if the world goes crazy and something happens to me... I need you to be the godfather. I need to know this kid has someone like you watching their back. Will you do it?"
Sam felt a deep warmth in his chest.
Tony Stark, a man who used to trust absolutely no one, was trusting him with his future child.
"I would be honored, Tony,"
Sam said softly.
"I'm coming over."
Sam didn't take a car. He found an empty spot in the sky and flew on his sword, arriving at Tony's Malibu mansion in minutes.
Inside, Pepper was sitting on the couch. She looked a little tired, but her skin was glowing.
Tony was hovering around her like a nervous bee, holding three different kinds of water bottles.
"Sam,"
Pepper smiled, looking relieved to see a calm face.
"Please tell Tony to stop treating me like I'm made of glass."
"He's just excited,"
Sam smiled. He walked over to the couch.
"May I?"
Pepper nodded. Sam gently placed two fingers on her wrist. He closed his eyes and let a tiny thread of his pink Qi enter her body to check her energy.
What he saw surprised him.
"How is she, Doc?"
Tony asked, biting his nail.
"She is more than fine,"
Sam said, opening his eyes. He looked at Pepper with a proud smile.
"Pepper, the dual cultivation worked better than we thought. But right now, the new life inside you is acting like a magnet. It is pulling in energy from everywhere. You are standing right at the door of the Qi Gathering Stage."
"I am?"
Pepper asked, touching her stomach.
"Yes. But your body doesn't know what to do with all this energy yet. Let me help you."
Sam sat on the table across from her.
"Close your eyes, Pepper. Focus on the warmth in your stomach. Don't force it to move. Just let it flow like a gentle, warm river around the baby."
Pepper closed her eyes. She took a slow, deep breath.
Within minutes, the air in the room changed. It felt incredibly fresh and clean.
A soft, pure white light wrapped around Pepper's body for a few seconds before sinking into her skin.
She opened her eyes. She didn't look tired anymore.
Her eyes were bright, and she looked incredibly strong.
She had successfully broken through to the Qi Gathering Stage.
"That felt... wonderful,"
Pepper whispered.
"The infant will grow inside that pure energy,"
Sam explained, looking at Tony.
"The baby will absorb your Qi as it grows. It will be born incredibly healthy, strong, and smart. Your energy will protect it from the inside."
Tony looked at Pepper with tears in his eyes. He sat next to her and kissed her hand.
Sam grabbed a pen and a piece of paper from the desk. He quickly wrote down a list of herbs and roots.
"This is a recipe for a medicinal concoction. It's an old herbal soup,"
Sam said, handing the paper to Tony.
"Have the kitchen make this for her every morning. It will feed her body, help the baby grow, and keep her new Qi perfectly stable."
Tony looked at the paper carefully, treating it like a top-secret blueprint. He looked up at Sam.
"You really are the best godfather,"
Tony smiled.
"Thank you, Sam."
Sam smiled back. His friends were safe, strong, and starting a family.
The world was looking a little brighter.