Quantum Cultivation Jace Kang (cool books to read TXT) 📖

with Eight Brocades, specifically its Earth Path.”

Earth? “Is that how Cultivation works? Earth, Water, Wood, and Fire?”

“And Metal.” Master Ryu splayed his fingers out. “The Five Elements are just the basics, a means of understanding your body.”

Five. It was a lot, but Ken would do it. “So I have to learn five Paths to be like you.”

Master Ryu snorted. “Yes, but each Path has six levels, and you need to master the first two ranks of each Path before you have the basics for a sect to teach you how to go deeper into your main Path.”

“Is that hard?”

Master Ryu adjusted Ken’s arm position. “To give you context, I’m eight hundred years old, and I’ve only reached Greater Yang in the Water Path.”

Ken’s heart sank. “How high…or low is that?”

“It’s either Third or Fourth Rank, depending on if you start on a Yin Path or a Yang Path.”

It was too confusing. “What am I starting on?”

“A Yin Path.”

“And what does that mean, exactly?”

Master Ryu moved in a flurry of punches and kicks. “Yang is hot, intangible, and energetic. Yin is cool, fluid, and nourishing.” He slammed his fist downward into his palm as he sank into a deep stance.  The grassy area compressed in a perfect circle around him.

His heart, so demoralized a second before, now fluttered. “That’s Chen Family Taiji!”

“Yes.” Master Ryu grinned.  “Mastering it is the foundation of Lesser Yin Water Rank.”

This was exciting, but something didn’t make sense. “But you said I am Fire, so wouldn’t it make sense for me to fortify Yang?”

Putting his hands together, the master spread them vertically. “Yin and Yang are like a candle.”

“A what?”

“Fire, which uses wax as a fuel. You know, what you put on a birthday cake.”

Whatever that was. Ken shook his head.

The master sighed. With a finger, he drew a vertical rectangle, a straight line, and then an oval. “Fire on top of wax.  If the Fire is too strong, like yours, it will burn the wax down too quickly.  If someone has too much wax, like Bodhi—and me when I was younger—the Fire might not light. If the wax is too small, it won’t support even a weak flame for very long.”

Ken supposed it made sense. “How long will it take for me to reach… Wait, where am I starting?”

“Wood. You are starting with the Lesser Yin aspect of Wood.” Master Ryu’s brow scrunched up. “As for how long…without elixirs and pills, not to mention real food, it will take longer.”

Hope guttered in Ken’s chest, and his shoulders would’ve slumped if he hadn’t held them up to maintain the stance. “Are you able to promote me?”

The master shook his head. “It’s not so subjective as me judging your form and giving you a colored belt.”

“Belt?” Ken had seen them in movies from the Age of Greed, but nobody needed them anymore because of clothing technology and fashion. “Why would it have color?”

Master Ryu pantomimed wrapping an imaginary belt around his waist and tying a knot in front. “To denote rank? Maybe they don’t have such things anymore.”

“No.”

The master chuffed, then started brushing a hand down his opposite arm. “Well, the short explanation is: as you open your meridians and purge toxins, your body will rebuild your tendons, muscles, and connective tissue. Once this process is complete, you will feel the change. Any First Rank Cultivator will be able to sense it through their Path.”

Maybe this was all hopeless.  Sweat trickled down Ken’s head. He couldn’t hold his arms up any longer.

The master eyed him. “All right, deep breath.”

Ken’s inhalation filled his lungs with warm, humid air.

“Now, exhaling, lower your arms so your hands are above and below your Core. Imagine you are holding a ball, right hand cupping it from beneath, and left hand resting on top.” Master Ryu demonstrated, settling in what looked to be a position from an old movie, The Taiji Master.

Ken followed. Warmth sank down his arms into his hands.

“Do you feel the Qi Ball?” The master rolled his hands around and round.

That would explain the buzzing in Ken’s fingers. Either that, or just the sudden restoration of blood flow.  He followed Master Ryu’s lead.

There it was, a pulsating sphere in his hands. Though it wasn’t visible, it was unmistakable.

“Now, inhale and press it into your Core, left hand on top of right.”  He demonstrated the motion, the index fingers and thumbs of either hand forming an open circle at a point below his navel.

Warmth flooded through Ken’s belly.

“You’ve just added to your Core. It’s the energy you will need to start Cultivating.  Visualize it as water. Bend your knees more, and imagine some of that water draining through your muscles to your feet and into the ground.”

When he did as told, it felt as if he were sinking deeper into the soft ground.

“Now, follow my motions.” From an upright stance, Master Ken stepped and stomped, his hands thrusting into various positions each time. The ground shook. Even the air vibrated.

Ken imitated the motions, to much less effect. Five different patterns, ending in different stances.

“This is Xingyi Fist, also known as Form Intention Style,” Ryu said as he continued. “One pattern for each of the Elements, each with its own function, each teaching you how to visualize your Qi flow.”

“If it has all Five Elements, then how does this help me with the Yin aspect of Wood?”

“The Five Elements are in everything.  Xingyi is predominantly Wood. Flexible like a vine. Tenacious like a weed. Yin in nature.”

After an hour, Ken collapsed against a tree, sweating and panting.

Master Ryu tsked. “Without any elixirs or pills, we have a long road ahead of us. I’m not sure how much time I have…”

“Why not?” Ken straightened.

Master Ryu