-
Nine Divine Lights blazed across the heavens, leaving trails like celestial rivers. A mother and child in Dragon Province watched in silent awe, sensing that a power beyond mortal comprehension had awakened.
-
A few days passed. The festivities of the merchants had left Xincheng Village, their caravans winding away through the misty valleys, leaving the village quiet once more.
Teacher Song Ming went through the village and gathered the children before walking to the Shadowjade Mountain. In the clearing he sat himself down. In front of him stood Hua Qingqing, Long Tianyu, Chen Jie, Zang Liu, Nong Xuanfeng, Song Xue, Lin Yue, Wang Mei and Xiao Chi. Their eyes shone with curiosity because Song Ming had been silent since they climbed the mountain.
Teacher Song Ming smiled, then reached into his bag and took out the small black book he had bought from Master Bai. He cleared his throat, his voice carrying a mixture of solemnity and hope. The children understood the importance of this small black book, and sat down to listen to Song Ming.
"This," he said, holding the book with both hands, "is a book from Daoist Zhen, it contains a simple breathing technique and information about cultivation.'' Teacher Song Ming looked at the children, and continued ''Cultivation is the practice of refining your body, your energy, and your spirit. It is the path to becoming stronger than ordinary men, to control qi—the life energy that flows through all things. Through cultivation, one may defend, endure, and achieve what others cannot."
The children leaned forward. They had heard of qi before obviously, though not really understanding it before.
Teacher Song Ming continued reading, his old hands trembling slightly. "I have learned from traveling sect disciples, and from my own years of observation," Song Ming continued. "This book contains the basics you need to start.'' Song Ming looked at Long Tianyu and Hua Qingqing. You two can already gather a small amount of qi into your body, though I don't fully understand how you skipped the early stage of body refinement. But we will start from the beginning. A strong body is the foundation for everything to come and your qi is essential to strengthen your body."
He opened the book and pointed to the first section: Body Refinement Stage. ''The first stage is SkinRefinement. It toughens the skin to resist minor injuries. Often described as the first step, like armor for the surface of the body.
Long Tianyu touched his arm instinctively. "Like a shield?"
"Exactly," Song Ming nodded. "Your skin will harden to resist cuts, bruises, and scratches. But this is only the first step."
''In the second stage, Flesh Refinement strengthens your muscles and internal tissues. It enhances strength, speed, and recovery.''
Chen Jie's and Nong Xuanfeng's eyes widened. "We'll be faster and stronger!"
Long Tianyu looked at them and said ''As if your muscles need to be bigger.. You two are like two Heavenly Spirit Gorillas''. The rest of the children laughed while Chen Jie and Nong Xuanfeng flexed their muscles.
Teacher Song Ming continued on ''In the third stage, called Bone Refinement, it makes your bones harder than steel. Praciting this is often extremely painful, but it increases durability and allows internal energy to flow without harming your body.
Hua Qingqing winced. "That sounds… painful."
Teacher Song Ming smiled faintly. "It is. Strength is born from discipline. Only those who endure will benefit. In the fourth stage, Marrow Cleansing, it purifies the bone marrow, enhancing blood quality, circulation, and vitality. In the fifth stage called Organ Refinement, the qi you gather enhances internal organs like the lungs, heart, and liver. It increases your stamina, energy control, and internal defense. The sixth stage Blood Refinement refines your blood to be more pure, to flow more freely. The last three are crucial. The seven stage, Spiritual Meridian Expansion, you must gather the qi and force it many times through your spiritual meridians to expand them. You will open up channels for qi to circulate better. In the eigth stage Spiritual Core Expansion, your core will expand, it strengthens the foundation that stores and amplifies your qi. In the final stage, the ninth stage, Body Unification you integrates all the previous stages, forming a body capable of fully utilizing qi and enduring profound strain. Connecting all the meridians with the spiritual core, heart and brain and muscles, bone marrow and so on.''
Teacher Song Ming realised he had gotten carried away and talked too fast, and too much. But the children absorbed every word, though some of them seemed dizzy. Long Tianyu lay down, like a star, muttering to himself. The names alone carried weight and mystery, but Daoist Zhen's explanations made them more tangible.
Teacher Song Ming closed the book briefly and met their eyes. "After the body is strong, you can begin the stages of qi cultivation itself. The book describes it more, but I think we will continue another time. When you are ready, though you can hear the names of the next stages, Elementary Qi Stage, Qi Infusion Stage, Qi Exertion Stage, Profound Qi Stage. Alright, we will take a small break. Long Tianyu went and talked with Hua Qingqing, while Xiao Chi, Wang Mei, Lin Yue stood together as per usual and Nong Xuanfeng, Chen Jie and Zang Liu discussed what Song Ming had told them. Song Xue stood next to Song Ming, looking closer at the book.
-
After a while Song Ming instructed the children to sit cross-legged, his voice steady but firm. "Do not listen to anything else but my words. Focus only on what I say."
He opened the book and began to explain the simple breathing technique. "Breathe in slowly. Imagine that everything around you holds energy—the world, the wind, the water, the Shadowjade Bamboo, the mountains. Picture the energy flowing like the river through everything, brushing against you like the wind. Now ignore everything, focus, and gather the energy of heaven and earth."
He gestured gently with his hands, guiding them in rhythm, as though coaxing invisible currents through the air. Each word seemed to carry weight, echoing softly across the valley, stirring leaves and rippling the grass beneath them.
As his words ended, a sudden radiance bloomed from within the children. Nine spiritual cores ignited almost simultaneously, shimmering like tiny suns in miniature, each pulse of light vibrant and alive.
Teacher Song Ming's hands trembled. The book slipped from his knees and fell softly onto the grass. His heart pounded. The mountain breeze stilled. The birds fell silent. Even the heavens themselves seemed to pause, holding their breath before the display of awakening power. The air felt charged, heavy yet electric, as if the valley itself had recognized the sudden surge of energy.
Teacher Song Ming's gaze was fixed on the glowing cores. His mind raced, a mixture of disbelief and awe. Years of study, years of worry, every coin spent from their parents, all of it had led to this instant. The grass beneath the fallen book swayed slightly in the stagnant air, as though even it acknowledged the gravity of what had just occurred.
The silence stretched, absolute and profound. Not a whisper, not a rustle, not even the faintest murmur of nature dared intrude. It was as if time itself had bowed to this quiet eruption of potential. Song Ming's breathing was uneven; his hands still shook slightly, not with fear, but with the weight of witnessing something beyond anything he had expected or imagined.
Finally, he exhaled slowly, the sound seeming louder than the valley would allow. The light from the spiritual cores flickered softly, settling into a steady glow, like stars finding their place in the night sky.
Song Ming remained there and then fell backwards laughing.
-
End of chapter 12 - Nine Divine Lights