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“The chi pervades the universe and all living things.”

The morning after their conversation, Commander Tung called the conscripts out to the parade grounds. Arranging them in a circle around him, he moved in a series of slow, intricate motions. As he moved, he spoke. The conscripts watched, mesmerized by the way the commander’s body seemed to be one with his weapon. His sword became an extension of his arm; his legs, like roots of a tree, were firmly planted on the ground until they lifted and appeared to become light as feathers. He signaled to them, and Mulan and the others began to mirror his moves.

“We are all born with it,” Commander Tung continued. “But only the most dedicated will connect deeply to his chi and become a great warrior.”

Mulan focused, her body moving of its own accord. She heard the commander’s voice roll over her like the water of the lake, with the same soothing effect. “Tranquil as a forest,” he said. “But on fire within.”

Swinging her arm though the air, Mulan practiced the simple movements over and over again. She trained through the afternoon and then later, as she stood guard. When her shift was over, she made her way back to the lake, where she practiced under the light of the moon. With every swish of her sword, she felt her chi grow stronger. It blossomed, like the leaves on the magnolia tree by the lake’s shore. The sensation was empowering and strange, like something wholly new but also oddly familiar.

Over the days that followed, the conscripts’ training intensified. It was a subtle shift at first. A few more minutes tacked onto the end of each session. A bit more bark—and bite—from Sergeant Qiang as he shouted orders. Tensions rose as it became clear that they were no longer practicing for a possible battle but for an actual one.

“The Rouran enemy is vast,” Sergeant Qiang warned as Mulan and the others went through a series of martial arts movements. “They’re ruthless and unpredictable. Yet physical force need not be met with equal force. The warrior yields to force—and redirects it.” He stopped in front of Mulan. She kept her gaze ahead, not allowing him to intimidate her.

Ever since she and Commander Tung had spoken, Mulan had been able to think of nothing but her chi. It consumed her. Fueled her. Drove her. Every moment she could spare, she spent trying to focus it. The commander’s words had been like a spark. She’d realized, in the moments after they talked, that she owed it to her father to be the best warrior she could be. If she didn’t try for that, then everything she had done would be in vain. So, night after night, day after day, she practiced. And night after night, day after day, she grew stronger.

Under the moonlight, beside the lake, she moved her body through maneuvers that now felt natural. In her head, she heard Sergeant Qiang’s words. Disadvantage can be turned to advantage, he would tell the soldiers as they pressed their swords forward, swished their spears through the air, lifted their shields in defense.

Her constant practice and intense focus did not go unnoticed. She felt Commander Tung’s and Sergeant Qiang’s eyes on her more than on the others. But it no longer made her shrink inward. She felt fueled with courage and a strength she hadn’t known she had.

But there was still one challenge that stymied her.

“Four ounces can move a thousand pounds,” the sergeant said as Mulan and the others approached the steep steps that led to the shrine. They all paused, their eyes lifting in unison to the challenge in front of them. On either side of Mulan was a bucket filled to the brim with water. Above her, other soldiers grabbed their own buckets and struggled up the steps. Mulan waited. Sergeant Qiang’s words echoed in her head. “Four ounces can move a thousand pounds,” she whispered to herself. Closing her eyes, she focused. She felt the now familiar surge of energy wash through her as she connected to her chi. The grunts and groans from the other men vanished. She felt only the gentle breeze on her cheeks. Her eyes still closed, she envisioned the top of the shrine. She remembered the peace she’d felt beneath the magnolia tree. Channeling that, she opened her eyes.

Bending down, she grasped the handles of the buckets and lifted them. They felt lighter than they had the first few times she had faced this challenge, thanks to her strength training. But she knew that the challenge was not in the first steps, but in the endurance one must have to make it all the way to the top. Step by step, she climbed.

Ahead of her, the other conscripts’ steps slowed. One by one, they began to fall. First Cricket, his face wet with tears, sank to the steps. Then Po, who threw his buckets aside and simply lay down, defeated. Yao was the next to fail. Filled with rage, he threw his buckets, the wood shattering against the rocky cliffs.

Still, Mulan continued. Her steps were steady, her shoulders still. On either side of her the water in the buckets did not splash over the sides, but instead remained calm. She grew stronger with each step. The focus on her face never faltered, even as she moved past her fallen comrades.

Soon the only other conscript left was Honghui. A few steps ahead of her, his forehead was beaded with sweat and his buckets were sinking closer and closer to the ground. His steps were heavy and his breathing ragged. Like Mulan, his face was focused, but doubt was beginning to creep in.

Mulan didn’t notice any of that. She kept moving. Step by step, higher and higher, gathering strength until she caught up to Honghui—and then passed him. She felt his gaze on her back as she continued. She ignored it. She was somewhere else. Her body was on the stairs, her arms holding the buckets, but her mind was in a deeper place. She was fueled by thoughts of her father, her mother, her sister. Even thoughts of the Phoenix, who was inextricably connected to her and who had found a strength of her own.

Behind her, Honghui’s body gave out. He sank to the steps. Now, it was only Mulan left. As Honghui, Commander Tung, Sergeant Qiang, and all the others watched, Mulan kept climbing. Step by step, higher and higher, until�6�2.�6�2.�6�2.

She reached the top.