Chapter Thirteen: Drawing Qi Into the Body

Yanxi Hall was nestled within a grove of peach and plum trees, and now, in the height of their blooming season, the sea of blossoms half-concealed a row of bamboo houses, lending the place a rustic charm all its own.

Neither Crescent nor Liuguang, who served Gu Qingyun, were permitted entry to Yanxi Hall, so Gu Weiyu took Gu Qingyun by the hand and followed the winding path through the orchard.

The moment one stepped inside, a large wooden screen stood upright before them, embroidered with the story of sleeping on ropes and pricking one’s thigh—a reminder to the clan to cultivate diligently.

Beyond the screen lay a small hall. A gentle breeze swept through, and Gu Weiyu found the air inside remarkably fresh, her whole body feeling lighter and more at ease.

An elderly man in a crimson robe was seated within. Seeing the two children, he beckoned them over. “You two must be Eleven and Twelve. I am your Second Granduncle.”

“Greetings, Second Granduncle!” the pair replied in unison.

“Good, at least you know your manners. Now, let me speak to you about cultivation.

“What you must do now is guide spiritual energy into your bodies, maintain your vital essence, still your minds, and let the energy flow naturally within. But drawing spiritual energy into oneself is not a task accomplished overnight—do not be impatient.

“From today on, you are to arrive at Yanxi Hall before the sixth quarter of the Mao hour each morning. You must cultivate for four full hours before you may leave. Lunch will be provided here as well.

“Once you turn sixteen, or reach the fifth level of Qi Refinement, you need not come anymore.

“When you succeed in guiding energy into your bodies, come to me for a storage pouch.

“That’s all. Go and find yourselves a place to cultivate,” the old man concluded, closing his eyes and saying no more.

“Thank you for your guidance, Second Granduncle,” Gu Weiyu replied, then pulled Gu Qingyun further into the hall.

Despite its grand name, Yanxi Hall was but a spacious chamber with a dozen or so meditation cushions arranged inside.

When Gu Weiyu and her brother arrived, several others were already seated, but most merely lifted their eyelids at the sound, their expressions cold and indifferent.

Not wishing to invite further awkwardness, Gu Weiyu led the uncertain Little Twelve to an empty corner.

She had barely settled onto a cushion when a sharp, girlish voice rang out, “You’re not allowed to sit there!”

Gu Weiyu frowned, recalling what Sixteenth Uncle had said the day before, and closed her eyes, ignoring the interruption.

Gu Qingyun chose the spot beside her, closed his eyes, and imitated her posture.

“Hey, I’m talking to you—didn’t you hear me?” A girl in pink, perhaps eight or nine years old, came striding over, pointing an accusing finger at Gu Weiyu and sneering, “Typical country bumpkin—no manners whatsoever!”

“First of all, my name is not ‘hey,’” Gu Weiyu replied calmly, still seated. “Second, I wasn’t aware that insulting others counted as good manners.”

“You—!” Gu Weifang’s chest heaved in anger; this new ‘Eleven’ was outrageously bold. “Don’t you know anything about first come, first served? That spot is already taken!”

Gu Weiyu closed her eyes again, scoffing inwardly. Such ‘rules’ were merely the strong bullying the weak.

Seeing her challenge ignored, Gu Weifang grew even more furious. “Do you even know who usually sits there?”

But her efforts were wasted; Gu Weiyu did not budge, sitting cross-legged and unmoved, just as the others did.

“Fifth Sister, Third Brother is always generous—he won’t mind,” a soft, timid voice interjected, attempting to mediate.

“Ninth Sister, you’re always so agreeable, but there must be rules. If we let others walk all over us, how can we endure it?” Gu Weifang retorted, cutting off any further persuasion.

Just then, a mellow male voice sounded, “Fifth Sister, what’s gotten into you? Did you eat firecrackers for breakfast?”

“Third Brother, thank goodness you’re here!” Gu Weifang’s demeanor shifted instantly from aggressive to aggrieved. “I told Eleven that this was your spot, but she just ignored me!”

“It’s a trivial matter,” the youth’s voice was as gentle as jade. “You must be Eleventh Sister, yes? This spot was mine, but since you like it, you may have it.”

At those words, Gu Weiyu opened her eyes and found a refined young man in moon-white robes standing before her, smiling warmly.

Since he was being so courteous, Gu Weiyu felt duty-bound to reciprocate. Rising gracefully, she bowed to him. “I didn’t know this was Third Brother’s spot. In that case, please, you should sit here.”

With that, she briskly turned and found another cushion for herself.

Gu Qingsong’s smile deepened as he took his seat. “Fifth Sister, you should get on with your cultivation as well.”

Gu Weifang’s face was a shifting palette of colors. How could Third Brother act this way? She’d done all this for his sake!

“Well, did I miss some fine entertainment?” a teasing boy’s voice drifted in from the doorway.

“If you’d keep quiet, no one would mistake you for a mute!” Gu Weifang snapped at the newcomer, sulking as she returned to her cushion.

Eighth Brother ran a hand over his nose; he knew better than to argue with Gu Weifang, who was always so unreasonable.

With everyone settled in their places, the hall returned to a state of calm as each child entered a meditative state.

Gu Weiyu focused her breath and mind, emptying herself and striving to enter the state of unity of essence and spirit.

But as she cultivated, she gradually drifted off to sleep!

“Ha! Look, everyone—Eleven’s fallen asleep!” The teasing voice echoed in her ears. Gu Weiyu snapped her eyes open, only to find several gazes fixed upon her.

“If you want to sleep, go home!” Gu Weifang snorted, her eyes full of disdain.

“Eleventh Sister, you just fell asleep…” Little Twelve whispered beside her, adding in a small voice, “Actually, I almost fell asleep too!”

Warmth bloomed in Gu Weiyu’s heart—her brother was clearly trying to comfort her, worried she might be embarrassed. But recalling her earlier blunder, her cheeks flushed. To make such a spectacle of herself on the very first day—how mortifying!

It took her a while to calm down and focus once more on her cultivation.

Perhaps because she had just napped, her concentration was unusually sharp. Gradually, she slipped into a profound and mysterious state:

All around her was silent darkness, with motes of light—red, green, and even purple—dancing playfully about her.

She gazed in wonder at the lights before her. The red and green ones must be fire and wood spiritual energy, but what was the purple?

A trace of confusion flickered through her mind, but she quickly pushed the thought aside. Almost by instinct, she began attempting to control the motes.

Yet they were slippery and mischievous, darting away whenever she drew near.

She had no idea how much time passed before she finally caught a tiny mote. With a soft plop, it leapt into her body of its own accord…