Forge of Destiny Smelting 4

The descent down the path intensified the general bustle, and as the group reached the lower levels, they began to disperse, with various factions hurrying to stake their claims.

Ling Qi and Bai Meizhen, however, found their progress remarkably smooth. Despite the apparent animosity from the other girls towards Bai Meizhen, they seemed hesitant to directly challenge her, particularly concerning residences in the second tier. Consequently, the two of them were able to secure a rather comfortable dwelling with relative ease, or so Ling Qi perceived.

Even the second-worst accommodations within the Sect surpassed any living situation Ling Qi had previously experienced. The low, stone structure, though only one story, boasted a generously sized front room complete with a well-maintained hearth. Additionally, it featured two bedrooms, a compact kitchen, and a third vacant room furnished with thick floor mats. While not opulent, the furnishings were basic: simple pallet beds and crudely carved chests served as storage. A small backyard, adorned with freshly trimmed grass, completed the property.

Ling Qi parted ways with her new roommate, heading for her own bedroom to revel in the luxury of having a personal sleeping space. Though apprehension about the future lingered, she allowed herself a moment to savor the feeling of comfort and abundance.

Her possessions were put away in short order. The chest situated in a corner of the room was ample enough to house all her meager belongings. She took the time to meticulously arrange everything, allowing herself a period to process the day's extraordinary events.

As the sun began its descent, Ling Qi found herself in the front room. She had discovered a note on the kitchen counter, indicating that provisions were available from a central storehouse within the district. After preparing a simple meal, she sat by the fire, while Bai Meizhen quietly prepared tea, using a clay pot unearthed from a kitchen cubby.

With her empty bowl set aside, Ling Qi focused on the scroll for the Argent Soul technique resting on her lap. She attempted to unravel the peculiar diagrams and accompanying text, which seemed to consist primarily of breathing exercises interspersed with superfluous philosophical musings. Her reading skills, being somewhat neglected, did little to aid her comprehension. A sense of frustration began to build; she sensed she was overlooking a crucial element but couldn't pinpoint what it was.

The whistle of the kettle broke her concentration. As much as she desired to unravel the mystery independently, she recognized the need to seek assistance.

While Bai Meizhen had offered no explicit willingness to help, Ling Qi felt she had developed a nascent understanding of the reserved girl after spending the afternoon together gathering essential items for their new home. Asking for help might go against Bai Meizhen's reserved nature, just as offering assistance proactively would, but Ling Qi decided to proceed with the inquiry.

"Bai Meizhen, do you happen to know the meaning of this section?" Ling Qi inquired, gesturing towards a cluster of characters adjacent to a line that pointed towards the navel of a figure depicted in the diagram, surrounded by intricate lines and markings.

The other girl paused her tea preparation, casting a glance of mild surprise at Ling Qi's initiative to speak. Bai Meizhen typically only engaged verbally when directly addressed. She leaned forward, her striking golden eyes narrowing as she examined the scroll, which Ling Qi thoughtfully turned for her convenience.

"It details the mental state required to initiate the absorption of spiritual energy into one's dantian," Bai Meizhen replied, a hint of condescension in her tone. "This represents the initial phase of the foundational exercises for the technique's first stage, following the mastery of the primary breathing method."

Ling Qi exhaled softly, choosing to disregard the other girl's slightly patronizing demeanor. She recognized that Bai Meizhen meant no offense and was, in fact, being helpful.

"What precisely is a dantian?" Ling Qi asked, maintaining a level tone. She resented feeling that her current ignorance, however unintentional, invited such condescension.

Bai Meizhen's brow furrowed as she paused, pouring herself a cup of the freshly brewed tea. "It is the locus of a cultivator's power, the core from which you direct energies through the body's meridians. The process of filling the dantian is essential for awakening and initiating the generation of your own Qi." She paused, observing Ling Qi for a moment. "Qi is the vital energy that empowers us to perform actions beyond the capabilities of ordinary mortals."

"I am aware of that fundamental concept," Ling Qi responded defensively. "However, how am I meant to perceive an internal sensation as the text suggests? It's not as though I can consciously feel my other internal organs."

The pale girl pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Extend your hand," she instructed curtly, holding out her own left hand.

"For what purpose?" Ling Qi inquired suspiciously, her gaze shifting to the girl's outstretched hand. She had, on several occasions, noticed the subtle movement of the small serpent she had glimpsed earlier within the folds of the girl's sleeve.

“I will inject a spark of Qi into you,” Bai Meizhen responded impatiently. “It will hurt, but it will allow you to feel your dantian until it fades. You will need to practice in the future to avoid the need for such crutches though.”

“How much pain are we talking about?” Ling Qi asked warily, even as she raised her hand. She knew everything depended on her being able to gain enough strength to defend herself by the end of three months. She was still suspicious and some part of her railed against so easily trusting the girl in front of her not to hurt her... but could she afford that right now? Leaps of faith were all she had.

As her housemate took her hand, Bai Meizhen answered, “It is painful, but my Aunt did this for me when I was eight years old. It should be no trouble for you.”

Ling Qi was about to respond when she felt a sudden heat in her palm, followed by an explosion of pain in her gut. It felt as if a burning knife had stabbed into her and then violently twisted, and she couldn’t help but double over clutching her stomach. A slight whimper escaped her lips as she felt her eyes beginning to water. She didn’t know how long it was until the burning pain faded to a knot of heat behind her navel, throbbing like a second heartbeat. Was this the ‘dantian’ the other girl had mentioned?

Speaking of Bai Meizhen, she was observing Ling Qi quizzically over the lip of her teacup, and Ling Qi noted absently that a second cup had been placed before her. Letting out a shuddering breath, Ling Qi sat up, one hand still held over her stomach.

“That... that was more than painful,” she rasped, glaring at the other girl.

“Was it?” the pale girl asked, seeming genuinely surprised. Ling Qi didn’t know if she was misreading the other girl’s cues though.

“My apologies. You can feel the dantian now though, correct?”

“I can,” Ling Qi admitted grudgingly.

“You should drink your tea then meditate while it lasts,” Bai Meizhen said evenly. “Otherwise, it will have been for nothing.”

Ling Qi slugged back the tea in her cup, grimacing at the gross, bitter flavor of it then moved to stand, loosely clutching the scroll in her hand. She was still irritated and wary that she was being messed with. Sun Liling’s words echoed in her thoughts. For now, she was determined to at least try and reach this ‘awakening’.

It had been strange.

Ling Qi had never liked sitting still for too long before, but after she had shut the thick door to the meditation room and sat down to practice breathing as the scroll instructed, she found that her mind did not wander nearly as much as she expected it would. Rather, she seemed to fall into the pattern that the scroll described with ease as if she had been doing it for years.

When she felt she had it down, she removed one of the glimmering red stones from her pocket and held it in her hands clasped in front of her stomach. She focused on the warmth of the stone and the throbbing pain in her abdomen and cast away her thoughts.

The heat was all that mattered. Her body, the cold stone room – none of it mattered. Just the pulse of pain in her belly and the heat in her hands.

She was still empty.

Painfully so. The heat of the stone was her only hope for filling the void she could now feel.

She focused on her breathing and began to pull in time with her breath. The energy in the stone began to move, cresting and ebbing in time with her breath, until finally, it began to flow inwards. It trickled into the slowly fading knot of pain Bai Meizhen had given her.

Slowly, she replaced that unpleasant sensation with a comfortable warmth. It was frustrating; something was blocking the energy from entering her body and much of the energy dispersed into the air instead of being absorbed.

When she opened her eyes and found the room dark, she felt oddly refreshed. She didn’t think she had ‘awakened’ yet, but she could feel the warm steady pulse of the spiritual energy now. In contrast, the stone in her hand had turned gray and lifeless. Rubbing it between her fingers thoughtfully, she watched as it crumbled into dust.

She stood and stretched then quietly left the room. She felt better than she had in years, and despite some initial setbacks... she felt like she could do this.