Chapter Fifteen: The Origin of the Five Elements

Demon Beast Mountain Range, deep within the ancient forest.

On the clearing outside a wooden cabin, Ye Zihan sat cross-legged, eyes closed, as serene as an old monk lost in meditation.

Nearby, Hong Yan and Lan Yu stood wordlessly, quietly keeping watch.

"The Qi of the Five Elements is the foundation of cultivation. To advance your abilities, you must first gather enough of the Five Elements Qi within your body." Hong Yan's words echoed in Ye Zihan's mind: "There are two kinds of Five Elements Qi. One is born within the human body, known as the Source Qi of the Five Elements. The other arises from heaven and earth, called the Form Qi of the Five Elements. Among them, Source Qi is fundamental, the wellspring of human strength. Strictly speaking, only when Source Qi forms within the body can one be said to have stepped onto the path of cultivation. So, Han, what you must do now is practice the Five Illusions Method and ensure you generate Source Qi within."

The three volumes of the Five Illusions Method had long been passed down to Ye Zihan by Hong Yan and Lan Yu. Every word and diagram was already deeply ingrained in his mind; only practice was lacking.

"When the heart is calm, heaven and earth align; the Qi of the Five Elements grows clear; the dantian turns, meridians stir, Qi transforms into breath, flows through the body..."

Ye Zihan recited the incantation in a low voice, setting the cultivation method into motion. As he practiced, after a short while, he felt his body gradually warming, a gentle, soothing heat spreading through him. After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the sensation intensified; wisps of Qi seemed to seep from his bones and muscles, coursing throughout his body.

"So this is the Source Qi of the Five Elements? Truly mysterious."

As the Source Qi formed and circulated through his body, Ye Zihan felt his body relax, his very cells seemed to dance with joy. The feeling was exhilarating.

Immersed in the pleasure brought by the generation of Source Qi, Ye Zihan inadvertently let his mind wander. With this shift in focus, the cultivation method paused, and the newly formed Source Qi immediately dissipated.

"Huh?" Noticing this oddity, Ye Zihan paused in surprise. After thinking it over, he understood.

Source Qi, though born within the body, cannot exist freely for long. If not promptly controlled, it will dissipate into the meridians after ten breaths. Thus, only by maintaining the cultivation method and gathering the Qi can it remain, ready for use when needed. As for how much Source Qi can be gathered at its inception, that depends on the level of the cultivation method.

Additionally, when Source Qi accumulates to a certain degree, combined with fortuitous circumstances, it leads to the breakthrough sought by all cultivators.

"To preserve Source Qi within the body, one must transform Qi into crystals!"

With this realization, Ye Zihan wasted no time, focusing his mind and resuming the cultivation method.

In less than the time it takes for a cup of tea, Source Qi formed again. It seemed the speed of Qi generation was closely tied to his proficiency in cultivation.

As Source Qi coursed through his meridians, this time Ye Zihan did not let it dissipate. He focused intently, clumsily using his will to control the nascent Source Qi.

After one cycle, most of the Source Qi had dissipated, but Ye Zihan managed to gather about one-tenth. The collected Qi, no larger than a pinky finger, rested in his dantian, glowing with a radiant, multicolored light, like a brilliant little flame.

To succeed in gathering Qi on his first attempt was unexpected. Transforming Qi into crystals is no easy feat for a beginner; achieving one in a hundred is considered excellent. Yet he succeeded in one go. Though still far from true crystallization, it was more than enough to be delighted.

Hong Yan and Lan Yu sensed the change within Ye Zihan, exchanged glances, and nodded quietly.

With the first gathering of Qi accomplished, the next step was repeated practice and reflection. Cultivation was dull, but Ye Zihan was tenacious, his young figure always seated straight on the clearing.

Day after day, sunrises and sunsets, the moon sinking and rising—a blink of an eye, two years had passed.

Through relentless cultivation over two years, Ye Zihan finally filled his body with Source Qi and succeeded in crystallizing it!

The formation of Qi crystals marked Ye Zihan's true entry into the path of cultivation. He had become a genuine cultivator, no longer the worthless failure he once was. Feeling the abundant Qi within, Ye Zihan was overwhelmed with the urge to shout to the heavens—he could finally shed the label of uselessness!

Moreover, Ye Zihan, possessing a chaotic constitution and the Qi of all five elements, had been taught everything Hong Yan and Lan Yu knew. In two years, Ye Zihan mastered the arts of sealing, summoning, shikigami, hunting, and shadow techniques, reaching the First Origin Realm in all five disciplines.

Such a cultivation speed was astonishingly terrifying!

At a certain moment in the ancient forest—

"Summon—Frost Fox!" Lan Yu called out sharply. A snow-white fox appeared out of thin air and immediately lunged at Ye Zihan!

"Hunt—Thousand Leaf Darts!" At the same time, Hong Yan flicked his arm, sending hundreds of darts flying toward Ye Zihan!

Faced with the two-pronged attack, Ye Zihan remained calm. After all, this was not their first sparring session. He raised his right hand, throwing out a white talisman while chanting, then called out, "Shikigami—Flame Wolf!"

The Flame Wolf appeared and instantly pounced on the Frost Fox, the two beasts locked in a fierce struggle.

Ye Zihan, without pause, shifted his hand seals and pressed his palms to the ground, shouting, "Seal—Earth Flow Wall!"

As his voice fell, the ground before him trembled and turned to mud! The mud surged up, forming a wall that blocked all the incoming darts.

"Seal—Storm Blade!" Seeing her fox blocked, Lan Yu launched another attack.

Air currents formed sharp blades that howled toward Ye Zihan.

Seeing the storm blades approach, Ye Zihan dared not be careless. His hands moved swiftly, completing the seals.

"Seal—Reverse Wind!"

Suddenly, a wild wind rose half a yard around Ye Zihan, swirling upward to form a towering column of wind that enveloped him.

The storm blades plunged into the wind column, and in no time, their power was exhausted, shredded by the swirling currents.

Seeing this, Lan Yu smiled slightly, evidently pleased. Ye Zihan had broken her Storm Blade with his Reverse Wind, earning her approval.

"Shadow Technique—Stone Fist!" Meanwhile, Hong Yan closed in, swinging his fist at Ye Zihan.

"Shadow Technique—Willow Palm!" Ye Zihan sidestepped Hong Yan's punch, his palm deftly pushing aside the powerful blow.

With both punches countered, Hong Yan pressed forward, his fists continuing to rain down with formidable force.

The two exchanged blows—palms and fists—a fierce and evenly matched battle.

"Bang!"

At last, their fists and palms collided with a resounding crash.

Ye Zihan stumbled back a dozen steps before regaining his balance, his breath ragged, clearly depleted of Source Qi.

In contrast, Hong Yan remained composed, unmoving as a stone.

"That's enough for this sparring session, Han. Go ahead and meditate," Lan Yu's melodious voice sounded from the side.

Meditation meant reflecting on the changes in body and surroundings during combat, seeking insight and opportunities for breakthrough.

Ye Zihan obeyed, sitting down, closing his eyes, recalling the battle, analyzing his strengths and weaknesses, and gaining combat experience.

"Han's strength is now solidly at the mid-stage of the First Origin Realm. It's time for him to draw in the Form Qi of the Five Elements," Hong Yan said, walking over to Lan Yu.

Lan Yu responded, "I never expected Han's talent to be so high. In just two years, he's mastered all five elements to the mid-stage of the First Origin Realm."

Hong Yan laughed, "It's more than talent. This boy is meticulous and quick-witted. Just now, he used Reverse Wind to counter your Storm Blade, Willow Palm to break my Stone Fist, wind against wind, softness against strength—even I was surprised. The Ye family has suffered a great loss this time."

Although Ye Zihan was still a youth, his mind had matured, the type to repay kindness and avenge grievances. The Ye family's treatment over the past twelve years had completely chilled his heart, severing all ties—even those of blood.

Recalling the matter of the Ye family, Lan Yu could only shake her head and sigh. Such family affairs were beyond outsiders' intervention.