Qi can be life force, breath, spiritual energy, or world energy depending on the setting.
Glossary term
Qi
What does Qi mean?
Vital or spiritual energy. In cultivation fantasy it fuels techniques, formations, pills, and realm breakthroughs.
In fiction it often powers movement arts, sword light, defensive barriers, alchemy, formations, and breakthroughs.
Writers should decide whether qi is abundant, scarce, polluted, elemental, or tied to geography.