Chapter 35: A Primer Before The Tournament

Before they had even left the woods earlier that day, they had already decided that no one would be going back to their dorms tonight. Everyone wanted to learn about cultivation.

After reaching Eluril and Alex's home, Eluril went to snack on some ants. Everyone else waited for Alex to get a cook fire going.

The others couldn't possibly remain patient enough to wait.

"Okay, so you have told us about what this, qi, feels like. You have also told us that Eluril taught it to you, and how you created something called meridians. You also explained about how you pushed that qi around your body, circulating, I think you called it. But you have not told us how to practice it." Eveline remarked impatiently.

"Yeah, we don't even know where to start. We know it has to do with mana, but that is it." Red added.

Alex laughed while he stoked the flames of their small cooking fire. "Look, you guys misunderstand." He said looking at the over the fire. "I did tell you how to start. You even said so your self." His wide grin let them all know he was enjoying playing with them.

"What the hell man. We just told you. No you didn't!" Tom had had enough of the games. He felt pressure to get started. They only had a week after all.

"Okay. Okay. Calm down." Alex chuckled. "I get it alright. You don't understand." He said in an attempt to placate Tom and the others.

"Look, do you remember how I described the feeling of the energy in my body?"

"You said that at first it felt kind of prickly, like static electricity." Eveline said.

"You also said it reminded you of how a chill felt, as it ran up your spine." Red added.

"But then, later you said it was warm. So what gives." Tom was still not completely calm. He was honestly slightly offended that Alex had kept this secret for so long.

"That is all correct. At first, the feeling is just like that chill that runs up your spine when scared. Later, as you progress, it takes on a static electricity feel once you can produce your own qi internally. Then, before you form meridians, it may being to feel warm. Almost like a flush." Alex clarified.

"Yeah, but that still..." Tom began.

"Yes I know. You think that I still have not told you how to begin cultivating. But it is very easy. Just force that feeling of a chill to occur."

All three of his friends looked at him doubtfully.

At this point, Eluril came back and gathered up Penny, Sylph and Teresa. She took them to her pit for a meal.

After watching them leave Eveline spoke up.

"You mean, that to start cultivating we just need to make that feeling happen?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but it is true. That was how I started. Eluril scared the hell out of me so that I would feel it and know what she meant. Don't underestimate the difficulty though. It might take a while to be able to conjure the effect." Alex elaborated in a defeated tone.

"Okay, but what do we do after we conjure that feeling?" Red asked, the intrigue was evident in his voice.

"That is it."

"That's it?" Tom's brows were raised, and his tone made it clear that he was tired of this circular conversation. "How can that be it? How can that give you these special abilities?"

"Look, you have to do this. That feeling is your body taking in mana." As he said this, everyone else's eyes shot open. "Well, not exactly." He admitted. "It is actually the after effect of creating qi from external mana. Triggering that feeling is the consequence of forcing your body to process mana into qi."

"Okay. If I am understanding you. Then that would mean that if we can make that feeling appear then we will have created qi in our bodies." Eveline nodded as she spoke, staring at Alex. "But how do we make that feeling appear?"

"That is the hard part. I know how I do it.But Eluril said that this is called meditation, and that there are techniques for this that can determine success and speed of growth."

Before any of the others could ask, Alex continued. "Unfortunately, we do not know any. I suggest you all sit quietly with your eyes closed and simply try to focus on trying to create the feeling."

The others nodded to Alex and began to follow his direction.

"Oh yeah" Alex stopped them from attempting just yet. "The first few times you should be only able to make a little qi, and it will be very mentally tiring."

The others nodded again and began their practice.

Alex went back to preparing dinner for them.

Penny, Sylph, Teresa and Eluril came back before the dinner was done. Each went to lay beside their companion.

Eluril looked Red, Tom and Eveline. "Perfect time to start. We got lucky."

"What do you mean?" Alex was really confused by her comment. "It will take months, maybe years before they reach the self production stage. Wont it?"

Eluril shook her head slowly.

"You forget, they are already beyond rank 1. Their bodies are already full of mana. Not to mention, that their capabilities are greatly enhanced by the mana within them." She clarified.

"Does that mean they will progress much faster than me?" Alex said regretfully. He had never learned how to take in normal mana. Now he wondered if he had lost out, by not taking that path first.

"It is true that they will progress quickly now." Eluril agreed. "They may even surpass you in the near future."

"I knew I should have learned to use mana!" Alex sighed. Anger and regret mixed in his voice.

"Their speed will depend on their own talent. But there is a price to be paid for this speed. Don't forget." Eluril quickly moved to put a stop to his detrimental thoughts.

"Your body is filling with pure qi. Your qi is also highly condensed by the years you too building it up. This will allow you to progress without having to worry about the purity or quality of your qi." Her reassuring tone soothed Alex's hackles. "Your limit will only be as a result of your ability to find a path forward."

Eluril looked to the others as they tried to meditate. Her eyes held pity and sadness as she looked at them. "Their path will become hard. Very hard, in fact."

"Really?" Alex started to become concerned for his friends.

"Yes. Many of the paths that you will find available to you on your path of cultivation, will simply not be an option to them." Her voice dripped with sadness. "After a certain point, their progression will be in the hands of fate."

Eluril laid in Alex's lap and relaxed as he cooked.

Eveline was the first to create a wisp of qi.

Alex was stunned as he felt it come to life within her. It felt like a brand new sense had opened in him. He couldn't see it, at least not with his eyes, but he could clearly perceive it with his mind. He could instantly tell when she had succeeded.

Eluril had felt it too. Looking up at Alex, she smiled. Her bright blue eyes seemed to glow and sparkle in the night. "Let me guess.... You want to know why you had never felt that from me?"

Rubbing the back of his neck he said, "Well. Yeah. Am I that obvious?"

"Yes, but only to me." She said as she laughed. "To answer your question. That is for two reasons. The first is our contract. Our souls are linked. So my qi will feel like yours. The second is, I come from a species of natural cultivators. In my world, most animals cultivate. So, we need to be able to hide our cultivation from one another."

Alex nodded in thought. It seemed to make complete sense. After all, even in a world of cultivation being easily found by predators would be a bad thing.

Alex began to ask another question, but he was cut off immediately.

"No, I cannot teach you. It is like an instinct to me. Like breathing. I couldn't explain it." Alex began sulk a little. "You are not a child you know." Eluril said, while laughing.

"Besides, you don't need to know this skill. There are no other cultivators in this world."

"Yeah I suppose you are right."

Alex finished cooking and awoke the others.

After eating they shared their experiences and difficulties. They spent the rest of the night cultivating in silence.