Since Thach Anh was taken into the family, she began basic training to unlock her elemental powers. Thach Anh sat meditating on a lotus leaf floating on the river. The sound of the flowing water and the chirping birds were normal to others. However, for a child like her, the noise distracted her, causing her to lose her balance and sink into the river.
"Aah! Bluh! Bleh! Help me!" - Thach Anh screamed in fear.
A woman's figure landed on a branch, looking at the little girl struggling in the water.
"Don't be so scared, the water isn't that deep."
Thach Anh stopped struggling and looked down. Indeed, the water only reached her waist; she wasn't drowning. She stood up, embarrassed.
"Heh heh, I'm so sorry, Aunt Nguyet." - Thach Anh
Her aunt's name is Anh Nguyet*, and she has an Earth element, specifically Soil in the Sand. She's the same woman who wore that armor, and she has extensive experience in training people to use elemental powers. However, due to the nature of her work, her aunt isn't often home.
Therefore, her teachers are her parents and even her grandfather, Hoan. If no one else is available, she has to train herself.
To overcome trials and tribulations to level up.
Thach Anh walked through the cold stream to reach the bank, and Aunt Nguyet landed right in front of her to point out her mistake.
"If you're always distracted by such trivial things, what good is it to achieve inner peace?" - Aunt Nguyet
"But they're so noisy, I can't concentrate!" - Thach Anh
"You'll have to get used to it, because there are situations where, no matter how noisy it is, you still have to focus on the main task." - Aunt Nguyet
"Yes, ma'am." - Thach Anh
Her aunt then held out a small stone, placing it in the girl's palm. Its weight made her hands tremble.
"Earth gives rise to Metal, a principle of mutual generation in the Five Elements, implying that earth surrounds, nourishes, and forms metal. Therefore, this stone contains metal minerals. You must learn how to separate them from the stone without breaking it." - Aunt Nguyet
Thach Anh looked down at the stone in her hand. She could see the sparkling light on the stone. But separating the metal from the stone without breaking it was impossible.
"Wait! How do I do that?" - Thach Anh asked, looking confused.
"You'll have to figure that out yourself. Understanding and deciphering it is the most important aspect of unlocking your own spiritual potential." - Aunt Nguyet
Having said that, her aunt left, leaving her alone with the stone in her hand.
So Thach Anh toiled from morning till evening, until the sky turned orange, but she still couldn't find a way to separate the metal from the stone.
She kept thinking about smashing the stone, but her aunt's instructions forbade it.
"How exactly am I going to get the metal out of this stone?" - Thach Anh
Raising both hands towards the stone, she focused her attention on it. What she was thinking about wasn't the stone itself, but the metal inside.
The basic lesson about elements is that each person has a different element. To control an element, one needs to think about that element. Since she was of the Metal element, she needed to focus on the metal within the stone.
"Metal... metal... metal..." - Thach Anh muttered.
Taking a deep breath, she concentrated all five senses on the stone.
The stone on the ground began to move. Not only the stone, but thick, viscous liquid gradually emerged from beneath the ground. Unbeknownst to her, golden lines appeared on her body as she closed her eyes and concentrated.
She could feel the same burning sensation as before, the time she was attacked by demons and monsters. Her body ached as if it were being burned, a pain so intense she wanted to scream.
*Slash* *Slash*
Thach Anh startled, opening her eyes to find the surrounding trees had all been cut. The cuts were smooth, not jagged, as if something had cut them. Thach Anh was bewildered, not understanding what had just happened. Looking down at the stone, she saw that it was no longer sparkling as before, but had become an ordinary stone. Beside it lay a solidified silver liquid that had just been moving.
"Could this possibly be...?" - Thach Anh
It was metal! She had successfully separated the metal from the stone without the stone shattering.
She tried picking it up; it was quite heavy. Her eyes widened in astonishment. When she pressed her fingers lightly against the metal, it felt strangely soft and pliable. Could this be the elemental ability her aunt had mentioned?
"I succeeded! I succeeded! I succeeded!" - Thach Anh jumped up in joy.
Holding the metal in her hand, she swung it like a toy, slamming it hard against the ground, creating a dent. The force startled her slightly, but it was quickly replaced by the uncontrollable excitement of a child.
However, there was something she couldn't immediately boast about to her aunt. Although she had a spiritual root, it was still very weak; this wasn't something to celebrate yet.
To continue improving, she needs to practice. She'd seen many people meditate before, and it was effective for controlling energy through regulating breathing and focusing the mind, reducing stress, increasing concentration, and balancing emotions.
Place your right foot on your left thigh, your left foot on your right thigh, keeping your back straight, not hunched or crooked. Place your hands on your knees or your right hand on your left hand (palm-up), with your thumbs lightly touching. Breathe slowly and gently, closing your eyes.
Her aunt had already said that no matter how noisy the world around her was, the most important thing was to focus. This would allow her to enter her subconscious and perceive her "spiritual essence."
To open the path to the inner space, the most important thing is to complete the "Qi Cultivation Stage."
To cultivate Qi, one needs to absorb energy into the body. The initial stage of Qi cultivation consists of three levels, allowing one to use the most basic techniques, equivalent to a first-class martial artist.
However, Qi cultivation is not simple, as it is a process of purifying the energy within the body, retaining clean energy and expelling negative energy. While absorbing internal energy, she entered her subconscious space for the first time.
A vast, endless space with no end in sight. The most striking feature was a single, round gem emitting a dazzling golden light—this was her "spiritual root." The little girl immediately ran closer to examine it. Inside the smooth, round spiritual root was a gentle, tranquil stream of energy.
Her mother had once said that the spiritual root was the root of the soul, determined by innate talent. A person's ability to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for cultivation depends on their spiritual root. Without a spiritual root, a person can only remain a mortal. The purer the spiritual root, the faster the cultivation speed and the greater the chance of breaking through to higher realms.
However, not everyone possesses a spiritual root; sometimes, obtaining one requires seizing it from others.
Hearing this sent shivers down her spine. She was fortunate to have a spiritual root. Even without one, living as a mortal, she would accept it rather than commit such a cruel act.
As if in agreement with her thoughts, the spiritual root flickered with light, responding to her words.
Her eyes lit up as she stared intently at the spiritual core and asked.
"Do you understand what I mean? A single blink means no, a double blink means yes." - Thach Anh
The spiritual core blinked once, then twice.
She grabbed the spiritual core with both hands and jumped with joy, surprised that it understood her.
"You understand me! You really understand me!" - Thach Anh
While her mind was still preoccupied with the inner workings of the core, she was unaware that a dark shadow was watching her from the shadows, slowly approaching.
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*Aunt: Nguyệt Anh, It signifies bright, pure, noble, and refined moonlight.