The First Step

"Since I have to take your word for it, have you tried melding your elemental qi with your true Qi yet?"

"No." Hong Zhao's eyes narrowed. "I saw the spark of elemental qi, but figured I should wait for your guidance before going any further."

"Wise." Lang Xinyue nodded. "But also foolish to have used your qi as a battering ram without instruction. Hopefully you can still harness the fire today, or we've just been here sitting and talking for nothing."

Hong Zhao smiled inwardly. He knew he would have more than enough for whatever Lang Xinyue had in store for him.

"Okay, your first set of instructions is to repeat the process you did last night. If you are successful in harvesting some elemental qi, I will know."

Hong Zhao waited a moment longer to see if Lang Xinyue would say anymore. When all he did was stare at him, he shut his eyes and brought his consciousness to his dantian.

Different from what his mentor was expecting, Hong Zhao looked at the raging campfire within his new elemental gate and wondered if there was a way for him to take only the minimal amount of fire elemental qi. If he took too much, Lang Xinyue would know. The problem was, he had never tested taking a small portion of the qi before. He never experimented with it at all, so all he could do is hope.

Concentrating on the fire within him, he tried to will a spark from the fire to jump out and meld with his qi. When he did, a crackle hissed from the fire, and a small ember fell to the dantian floor. Before it hit, his qi spiral absorbed the energy. Hong Zhao watched as the normally pearlescent qi took an orange hue.

"Good." Lang Xinyue praised him. "Now come back out and extend your hand palm up."

Hong Zhao came back to his body and opened his palm. When he did, it glowed as if the fire that had melded with the qi made his body glow the same color, as if he had gone transparent, allowing the fire to show through.

"Very good. Now, I want you to let that feeling go. Let the elemental qi fall away for now. You've done well."

Letting the feeling fall away, Hong Zhao sighed out as a cold washed over him when the heat had diminished. When he looked back to Lang Xinyue, the old man seemed deep in thought as he looked at him. "Did I do everything you wanted, or is there something I need to work on?"

"No, you did everything perfectly. It couldn't be better if you had practiced it yourself." Lang Xinyue gave one last confused look at Hong Zhao before he turned to a bookshelf in the corner and took down an old book. The spine of the book seemed to be about to fall apart, possibly just a few threads still holding it together. He dusted the volume off tenderly, as if he were holding an old friend. When he looked back at Hong Zhao, his expression turned thoughtful once more. "I don't know if you are trying to deceive me, or if you just have heavens defying luck, but I think you should have this journal to go with the pendant." He gave one last polish of the book, then hesitantly handed it to the young boy.

"Thank you, senior." Hong Zhao bowed. At that moment, he wished he didn't have to deceive the old man. He genuinely believed the old man truly wanted to help him. He turned his eyes from Lang Xinyue to the book. When he flipped the cover open, he was confronted with the title of 'Lang Feng's blacksmithing journal'. His eyes widened as he looked at the old man, before he could say anything, he gave Hong Zhao a storage ring as well. "Here's what you need in order to get started on weapon smithing."

When he took out a pouch of gold from his pocket, Lang Xinyue waved it away. "Everything in that ring doesn't compare to the five gold you have already given me. No matter, you should be able to begin your journey into novice blacksmithing. When you gain understanding in the art, come back and show me."

Bowing to Lang Xinyue, he put the ring on his finger and looked at it. The storage ring was a plain silver band. It was a far cry from the other one he wore, but he gave it a thoughtful look for the old man's benefit. Though he had more than what he needed from Lan, he still appreciated help he could receive from anyone else. Then a thought occurred to him. "Senior, you giving me the journal and ring, does this mean you won't train me?"

"I don't think so." Lang Xinyue said thoughtfully. "I don't believe you are trying to deceive me. But for whatever reason, you can't be completely truthful with me. So long as this is the case, I can't train you safely."

At that moment, Hong Zhao opened his mouth to respond, but then he closed it. If he tried to explain his disciple rank, he would be giving out secrets that weren't his to give. Instead, he bowed to his new friend. "I thank you for your understanding. I promise, I am not being deceitful for anything you have done."

Lang Xinyue nodded in response to the bow. "Then I will see you when you finish the first set of instructions. I want you to bring back an item that you craft of your own ability. After that, we will work on your blacksmithing foundation." His brow furrowed for a moment before he smiled. "I think a dagger will do well enough."

Hong Zhao stuck around the house for a while longer and Lang Yi got them tea while they talked. He wanted to ask just why Lang Xinyue wished for him to stay a month at that time, but he thought better of it. Why should he ask the old man something when he couldn't be honest with him himself? He decided instead to just enjoy his morning with Lang Xinyue and broach the topic the after he finished his training into novice blacksmithing.