Wuchen met Yan at the training compound gate and showed him the practice hall. The room held complete manuals, clean mats, and a ring formation designed to measure qi output. Its stone markers were polished from use.
Yan wanted to step onto the mat. “Can I train here under supervision?”
“The visitor pass allows observation only,” Wuchen said. “I can authorize a single trial session without making you a research disciple. The reading would be stored for one month unless you withdraw it.”
“Can the trial be unrecorded?”
“No. The formation’s safety depends on measured output.”
Yan studied the ring. The request was narrow and the cost was clear. He wanted to see whether the hall’s equipment worked as well as the capital’s paperwork. “One session, then. Not an ongoing appointment.”
Wuchen agreed. Clerk Zhen showed him the stop switch and explained how to shut down the ring if its markers rose too quickly.
“Can I test it before the session?” Yan asked.
