"Come here, kid, closer. There's something I need to confirm before we begin," the Elder said, his voice more serious than usual. The sharp, scarred gaze in his eyes was now completely focused, with no trace of the haphazard drunkard he was before.
Zego approached, standing before the Elder. The Elder lifted his hand, then placed it on Zego's back. Instantly, Zego felt a wave of pure, cold, and powerful energy flow from the Elder's palm, flooding every corner of his body. The energy wasn't painful; it felt more like a stream of fresh water cleansing every cell, every muscle, every blood vessel. Zego could feel his Aura core trembling, as if welcoming the presence of this pure energy.
However, the Elder noticed something even stranger. He felt two distinct energy cores pulsing inside Zego's body. One was emitting Aura, as he had suspected, but the other was emitting Qi, an energy far more familiar to him. This phenomenon was utterly impossible, like a person having two hearts beating in perfect harmony. It made the Elder even more interested in Zego, his admiration mixed with an uncontainable curiosity.
"Kid, did you have a previous master?" the Elder asked, pulling his hand away.
"Yes, I had two previous masters," Zego replied, still feeling the remnants of the energy in his body.
"Tch, this makes me jealous. How is it that I'm not your first teacher," the Elder said, his tone a mix of jealousy and annoyance. He looked away, as if he didn't want Zego to see his childish expression.
"Elder, why do you want to train me, anyway?" Zego asked, curious.
"Kid, do you know anything about your eyes?" the Elder countered, ignoring Zego's question.
"Y-yeah, I just know they're strange eyes," Zego replied, hesitating.
"Those eyes are very special. The energy in them is incredibly pure, and that can attract wicked people who want to obtain your eyes," the Elder said, turning serious again. "They will see you as a treasure, and that could be a curse."
"Are you one of them?" Zego asked, instantly on guard.
The Elder turned, his eyes wide. "Insolent brat! I'm not that despicable and immoral just for those eyes, you know! You should be grateful that I'm the only person on this continent who can help you control that power!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Zego sighed, already used to the Elder's temperamental nature.
"What do you see with those eyes? There must be something you can see that others can't," the Elder asked.
"I can see a person's blood flow in great detail, their nerves, their breathing patterns, their energy flow, their core, their muscles, their bones, and there are points like stars," Zego explained everything he saw.
Hearing this, the Elder became even more excited. The old, scarred face now radiated pure joy. "HAHAHAHAHA! Kid, you are indeed very special! Our meeting was truly destined! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" the Elder shouted happily, his booming laughter echoing in the silent gorge. He felt like he had found a treasure more valuable than anything.
"Kid, I'm going to teach you everything I know. Because you have awakened your Qi core, and in your body, you also have an Aura core—this is an unusual phenomenon, but precisely because of that, you are extraordinary! HAHAHAHAHA," the Elder continued. "So, before that, I want you to develop your Qi core first. It's the basic stage as a foundation to learn the 'Yin-Yang' technique."
"Cultivate under this mountain's waterfall. The pressure of the waterfall here is capable of crushing a person's body, but the energy there is very suitable for cultivation. Hurry up, you insolent brat!" the Elder urged Zego.
"What an impatient old man," Zego muttered, shaking his head.
Zego took off his clothes and walked towards the waterfall. The strong current pushed Zego back, but thanks to his previous training, he could handle this current more easily. Soon, he took a cultivation stance, sitting cross-legged under the cascading water. The water pouring down from above hit his body, as if he was being continuously struck by heavy stones. It made his body hurt, but Zego had to endure. He focused himself on absorbing the surrounding energy into his Qi core.
From nearby, the Elder watched Zego with sharp eyes. He was amazed. "Hmm... there's no difficulty in his absorption. In fact, his energy absorption can be said to be perfect. Truly talented," the Elder muttered. "Tch, it's a shame a kid this talented has so many teachers. He's good at tempting people to become his master," the Elder said, a bit jealous, and rolled his eyes. He went back to his cave, leaving Zego to cultivate in peace.
Morning, noon, night. Time seemed to lose its meaning in the gorge. The Elder continued to watch Zego's cultivation from afar. Zego focused his concentration on cultivation while enduring the powerful waterfall that hammered his body. His body turned red, but Zego didn't stop or complain. He remained focused.
The Elder watched him with satisfaction. "Tch, terrifying talent and genius. In just one day, he has already perfected his Qi core," the Elder said, in awe. "How far will he go?"
Zego's entire body was filled with energy flowing like a swift river current. Zego could feel that energy very clearly. All that energy flowed from outside his body into his Qi core as if it were alive. After perfecting his Qi core, Zego felt all his senses become much sharper. He could hear the sound of the waterfall drops, the sound of insects hiding in the rocks, even his own heartbeat felt clearer.
"Hey, kid, that seems to be enough for today. Come here, let's eat," the Elder said, emerging from behind a tree.
"Alright, Elder. But, Elder, have I perfected my Qi?" Zego asked, surprised.
"Tch, what a talented genius. Yes, you have perfected your Qi core. But the foundation isn't strong enough yet. It's still too early to learn the 'Yin-Yang' technique. It requires tranquility, patience, and precision, so you must continue to cultivate," the Elder said.
"How long will that take, Elder?" Zego asked.
"How long it takes depends on you. I'm only giving you one year to learn everything I know. So if you can't do it within one year, that means it's your inability," the Elder said, with a grin on his face.
Zego sighed deeply, "What a truly wicked master."
The next day, Zego continued to cultivate continuously for one week. His senses became much more sensitive. In the second week, Zego felt enlightened. His body seemed to merge with the nature around him. Birds landed on his body, and many small animals saw Zego as their home. Zego felt a peaceful calmness within himself. He was patient and continued his cultivation.
In the third week, his Qi exploded. The Elder saw this and couldn't contain his joy. In his heart, he thought, (Argh, what a naughty kid. Your genius and talent really drive me crazy. What an insolent brat!).
"KID! Try to release your Qi gradually! You must be able to control it! And you must also be able to control the amount of your Qi output and input! If you succeed, you are worthy of learning that technique!" the Elder shouted.
Zego heard that and tried, but it was very difficult. His Qi was too vast and exploded uncontrollably. Zego had to try to control his Qi perfectly. If he could, that would be his initial stage.
"Ugh, I'm trying, old man, but this is so difficult!" Zego said.
"You insolent brat, try as hard as you can! You must be able to do it!" the Elder retorted.
Zego did not give up. He remained focused. In the fourth week, his Qi control far exceeded the Elder's expectations.
"You really know how to tempt me, you insolent brat!" the Elder said with a happy tone. "I did it, Elder," Zego said.
"Yes, you did it. Come on, replenish your energy, you haven't eaten in a month. After you eat, I will teach you the basics of the 'Yin-Yang' technique, so hurry up," the Elder said.