Sunlight slowly rose over the valley's summit, and birds danced and sang among the trees below. As time passed, the sun gradually shifted upward toward the center of the valley and then inched its way toward the western peak. At dusk it sank slowly behind the mountains, leaving the earth cloaked in darkness apart from the intermittent chirps of autumn insects.
Day after day passed. It had already been eight or nine days since Li Yan began his cultivation practice. Except for brief moments when he opened his room door for meals and a bit of washing up, he kept it firmly closed.
Inside his chamber, Li Yan—dressed entirely in a black long robe—sat cross-legged on his wooden bed. With his eyes half-closed, he formed a specific mudra with his hands resting on his abdomen, breathing steadily. After some time, he slowly opened his eyes, frowning. Despite his relentless practice over these past days, he still had not awakened the qi in his dantian. When he had inquired with his teacher, Master Ji Jun had explained that the initial cultivation was different for everyone—some might kindle dantian qi in three to five days, while others might take as long as ten days or even half a month. The key was to maintain calm and avoid restlessness. Yet nearly ten days had passed and Li Yan had not experienced the expected sensations, leaving him somewhat dispirited.
Deciding to clear his mind, he got off the bed and opened his door to step outside. As the sky darkened, he wandered slowly through the valley, pondering the meaning of every word and phrase in the incantation. In mid-thought, he heard the gentle murmur of water. Unwittingly, he had reached a small pool fed by a mountain spring trickling down the cliff. Looking upward, he saw the pale, cool light of a half-hidden moon cast over the valley. The sound of the water swirled continuously in his mind. Suddenly, an inner stirring overtook him; he stood perfectly still, transfixed by the scene. After a while—time slipping by almost unnoticed—he began to feel a cool sensation within him that seemed to harmonize with the sound of the stream. Naturally, he sat cross-legged by the water's edge. The "qi guidance technique" he had been mulling over these few days began to unfold naturally within him. Soon, he noticed that a faint, almost imperceptible veil of black qi had surfaced on his face. Rather than appearing ominous, it gave the impression of a delicate shroud of deep, cool water—translucent and ethereal.
At that very moment, Li Yan did not fully register these changes. All he perceived was the continuous flow of the water's sound filling his mind and body with every breath. Suddenly, he sensed a cool current rising from his dantian that began to travel slowly along his meridians, following the path dictated by the qi guidance technique. Wherever it passed, a refreshing coolness awakened in the channels—not a harsh chill, but rather the gentle sensation of a fish gliding into the sea. With every complete circuit through his meridians, the cool feeling in his dantian deepened, gradually intensifying.
Elsewhere in the valley, within a stone house on the eastern side, Master Ji Jun sat cross-legged behind a desk in deep meditation. Abruptly, he opened his eyes, a slight smile touching his face. Muttering to himself, he said, "At last… has he sensed the qi of heaven and earth? It seems we can begin preparing the herbal medicine now. How exciting this will be!" With that, he closed his eyes once more.
After some time, Li Yan slowly opened his eyes again. The valley remained unchanged—the trickling of the water along the cliff was still there—but the moon had vanished from the sky. It was now well past midnight. An uncertain expression crept onto his face. Although autumn nights in the mountains are naturally cool, Li Yan felt no chill from the outside; indeed, the cool qi within him was so dominant that he felt neither discomfort nor cold. Instead, he experienced a clarity of hearing and a lightness throughout his body. Yet he couldn't help but recall that the "qi guidance technique" promised a flow of warm currents in the dantian. Why, then, was he feeling the opposite? Had he perhaps performed the cultivation incorrectly, as had his senior brother? The thought filled him with a measure of anxiety. Just as he rose from his seated position in hesitant confusion, he suddenly sensed that the cool qi in his dantian had halted—it wasn't circulating as expected. Startled, he froze as a voice rang out by his ear:
"Li Yan, you have finally completed the initial stage of your training. Not bad at all."
The voice startled him. He quickly turned around to see a figure in a black robe standing silently behind him. Instantly, his apprehension subsided—it was his teacher's familiar tone. Hastily, he bowed and said, "Master, you're still awake?" In that moment, he felt a mix of amazement and reassurance. Though his own internal changes had been slight, his master's profound internal strength allowed him to perceive it immediately. Truly impressive!
Even though the gentle glow of the moon had now disappeared from the valley, under a faint scattering of stars, Li Yan could still glimpse the blurry, smiling face of his master. He hesitated a moment longer and then continued, "Master, I'm not completely sure if I've succeeded."
"Ah, I can feel the qi you've activated in your dantian. It is as it should be," Master Ji Jun replied calmly.
"But Master, instead of feeling warm as the incantation described, I feel a gentle coolness," Li Yan admitted, a trace of worry in his voice.
Master Ji Jun paused, then with a light chuckle said, "I haven't yet explained this to you. The qi guidance technique is meant to awaken the dantian qi, and every person may experience a different range of sensations—soreness, numbness, itching, coolness, warmth, and even heat. Typically, the sensations of warmth and heat are most common, which is why the incantation mentions them. So there's no need to be concerned."
Relief washed over Li Yan as he exhaled deeply, thinking, "I guess from now on I should just ask the master instead of letting my mind run wild with doubts."
Master Ji Jun, as if seeing into Li Yan's very expression despite the darkness, laughed softly and said, "You've been working hard these past days. For now, you need not continue your cultivation tonight; go rest. Tomorrow, we will begin the formal practice of the 'Wood Yin Technique.'"
"Yes, Master. I take my leave," Li Yan replied respectfully. In his heart, he felt elation—he had clearly passed the initial stage and was now qualified to learn true martial techniques. A burning urge stirred in him to plunge straight into the practice of the main skill, yet he also knew that such matters must not be rushed. Although nearly ten days of training hadn't exhausted his physical strength, his spirit was undeniably weary. With that, he made his way back to his stone chamber. After a few steps, the sluggish feeling in his dantian suddenly eased considerably, and he couldn't help but secretly admire the profound mastery of his teacher. In the past, when he had no internal qi at all, he hadn't sensed any such pressure—but now, even with these faint currents, he could feel the weight of his master's influence.
Watching Li Yan's figure gradually vanish into the distance, Master Ji Jun turned away. Almost as if by magic, he disappeared from sight and then reappeared within his own room. With a swift flick of his broad sleeves, he closed the door soundlessly behind him. Once more, he sat cross-legged at his desk, his expression shifting subtly as he mused silently, "So, he first perceived the qi of water. That confirms that the intense black qi I observed during the needle test was indeed real. In that case, practicing the wood technique might not be the best option. Thankfully, his spiritual root is of a mixed nature; judging by his previous performance, he also has a trace of blue qi—second only to water—and he is capable of mastering it. However, his progress on that front will certainly take much longer. I wonder if I can keep this adverse effect suppressed until he reaches mastery?"
After a moment of reflection, Master Ji Jun shook his head with a wry smile. "Having this second disciple join us—this is truly a fortuitous stroke. Perhaps I have been overly optimistic; could there be any better outcome? Very well, let the training begin tomorrow. In any event, my own body can no longer wait." With that final thought, he closed his eyes and entered deep meditation.
At dawn the next day, Li Yan awoke feeling refreshed, his spirit as clear as the early autumn skies visible outside his window. After breakfast, he hurried to his master's residence—just as he had done before. As soon as he arrived at the stone house, he heard his master's voice call out, "Is that Li Yan? Come in."
Though Li Yan had rarely left his room over the past few days, he knew that his master only ventured out every few days; usually, he remained sequestered in his stone house deep in the mountains.
Shortly after Li Yan entered, Master Ji Jun calmly emerged and called upon two assistants, Chen An and Li Yin, giving them brief instructions. Then, he proceeded straight into a second stone house. Not long after, Chen An and Li Yin wheeled in an exquisitely crafted bronze stove to Li Yan's room. Following his master's orders, Li Yan waited inside. When the two assistants arrived, he greeted them and asked that they place the stove into his spacious chamber at a clear spot.
The bronze stove stood about half a person's height, finely cast with a glowing copper sheen, and rested on a sturdy jade pedestal. Carved around its body were three purple jiao dragons with raised heads arranged in a supportive stance. Several intricate openwork designs allowed one to catch glimpses of the inner structure, where, at that moment, the stove's interior was blazing red—though the fuel remained a mystery, and not a wisp of smoke could be seen; only waves of heat radiated outward.
After about a minute, Master Ji Jun reappeared from the second stone house, his greyish face showing signs of fatigue. Chen An and Li Yin then entered that chamber, and soon returned carrying a bronze basin. The basin—still emitting steaming heat—was carried to the back of Li Yan's stone room and set atop the three jiao dragon heads of the stove. After bowing respectfully to both Master Ji Jun and Li Yan, the two assistants closed the door and departed.
Master Ji Jun then approached the bronze stove, his tired face breaking into a smile as he asked Li Yan, "Have you memorized the incantations for the method I explained this morning?"
Standing straight before the stove, Li Yan replied reverently, "Yes, Master—I have committed them to memory."
"Although each level of the incantation contains only a few words, their underlying principles are profoundly intricate. I spent nearly half a day clarifying them for you so that you might fully understand how to apply this first layer. The remainder of your progress depends solely on your own diligent practice. As the saying goes, 'A master can lead you to the door, but you must enter by yourself.' This truth remains timeless."
"Master, I will practice diligently. Thank you for your guidance," Li Yan responded with sincere respect.
At that moment, the bronze basin atop the stove was billowing with heat. On closer inspection, swirling eddies of steam revealed that the herbs within were churning in their juices, with wisps of blue-black vapor rising and mingling in the air.
"Now, these herbal medicines are prepared according to our sect's secret method. This basin of herbal concoction can be used repeatedly for seven days. After seven days, its potency wanes and you must prepare a new batch—but the amount will be increased somewhat each time. By repeating this process for forty-nine days (seven cycles of seven days), your meridians will undergo a cleansing and remolding process, emerging as nearly indestructible. Only such fortified channels can bear the brunt of the formidable internal energy that will later circulate through your body. In this regard, the forty-nine-day regimen is comparable—even to what second- or third-tier martial artists achieve in over a decade. Our sect's secret method of meridian cleansing accomplishes this feat relatively quickly. However, the process is extremely painful, and only those with tremendous determination can endure it. All of this must be borne by you alone. Do you understand?"
"Master, I understand completely. I will not let you down," Li Yan said firmly, determination clear in his gaze. He had already been reminded of this challenge earlier that day, and as a person of resolute spirit, he knew full well that nothing comes without hard work. Given how unforgiving our martial art is, its cultivation must be rigorous—and he was mentally prepared for it.
"Very well, then let us begin. For the next few days, I will stand guard outside your room. Should you encounter any difficulties, I will come to your aid immediately." With these words, Master Ji Jun offered no further explanation. He opened the door and departed, and soon afterward, he closed it from the outside. Taking his place at a stone table, he sat cross-legged once again and closed his eyes in meditation.