Elder Han's jade platform hovered silently above the training field, the morning sun spreading a warm glow across the valley. The air was sharp with dew and the scent of bamboo, and the small crowd of villagers along the edges whispered nervously, clutching their children as they lined up in neat rows. From this vantage, Han could see everything: small limbs trembling with effort, faint flickers of spiritual roots, and the pulse of qi struggling to stabilize in young bodies. Gold, water, fire, wind, earth, and rare combinations glimmered faintly beneath their skin like miniature constellations, each child carrying potential—and peril.
Even without lowering himself, Han could detect faltering flows. A boy with a single gold root flickered weakly, tentative but persistent; a fire-rooted girl's energy burst in uneven waves, fists clenching as she tried to control the surges; a wind-and-earth girl's flow wavered, frustration written in her small features, while twin water-rooted sisters flowed like hesitant streams attempting to merge.
"Body Refining," Han murmured under his breath. Even mortals could reach it with the right guidance and technique. Lifespans could stretch from sixty to over one hundred twenty years. But Qi Condensation… that was the realm where life truly began. It reshaped the body, deepened meridians, and granted mastery over elemental forces and martial forms. A practitioner could live near two hundred years, and one misaligned strike could devastate a village. A mid-stage Body Refiner could collapse a barn, topple carts, or uproot trees—imagine the havoc if an inexperienced child reached that stage too quickly. And beyond, the whispered rumors of a Golden Core cultivator pressing closer to Heshan Province made every small spark of talent feel precarious.
Han's attention shifted from the children below to the Jin Clan's prominent disciples, mentally cataloging their talents, spiritual roots, and alignment with the clan's technique:
• Jin Rui: gold and water roots, high talent. His movements were swift, precise, naturally aligned with the Long-Armed Staff technique. Already approaching late Qi Condensation, he carried a quiet confidence and refined skill that marked him as the strongest among the young generation. His cleverness and adaptability made him a natural leader, though he rarely flaunted his power.
• Jin Sheng: fire root, high talent. Explosive strength and speed, unrelenting in sparring, aggressive yet tempered with fairness. Also near late Qi Condensation, his skill forced others to sharpen their techniques, but he was rarely reckless.
• Jin Wushuang: ordinary talent, earth root, age sixteen. Not as fast or forceful as Rui or Sheng, but meticulous, patient, and precise. His understanding of qi circulation and subtle control allowed him to guide the younger children without dominating them. Strength was not his gift, but strategy and awareness were. In a fight, he would never overpower Rui or Sheng, but he might outthink them in a careful sparring match.
• Jin Luo: wind root, ordinary talent, agile and precise. Slow to advance but clever in adapting to unpredictable situations.
• Jin Huan: earth root, high talent. Excelling in stability and defense, particularly in group formations and coordinated drills.
Han let his gaze sweep over the field again. Wushuang moved quietly among the children, adjusting postures, straightening backs, subtly guiding their hands and breathing. He didn't shout or display superiority; he simply helped the younger ones find their flow, his quiet patience a stark contrast to the fiery energy of some of the higher-talent children. Even though he has ordinary talent, he had learned the value of careful observation, a skill that could shape him far more than raw strength alone.
Below, the children scrambled, stumbled, and occasionally succeeded. A small gold-root boy finally stabilized his circulation, blinking at the glow that now flowed steadily along his meridians. His mother gasped, tears in her eyes. Nearby, a wind-and-earth girl tumbled, sobbing, her small hands clutching the grass, while her father gently nudged her upright. Excitement and fear wove together through the crowd: a moment of achievement could bring pride, while a mistake could bring despair.
Han cataloged quietly:
• Gold-root boy, Jin Luoxian, 7, ordinary – steady growth possible, late Body Refining before 16 is likely.
• Water-root girl, Jin Shitao, 6, weak – faltering, progress uncertain, limited to the late body refining unless supplied with plenty of resources.
• Fire-root boy, 8, Jin Huansheng, high – naturally aligned with the Jin Clan technique, rapid advancement, should match Rui and Sheng by late 20's.
• Wind/Earth girl, Jin Yuelin, 9, ordinary – versatile, requires careful guidance.
• Other children, 5–10, mostly weak spiritual roots – small sparks of potential visible to trained eyes but will take them more a long time to reach qi condensation.
The Jin Clan technique favored precision, patience, and harmony with elemental alignment. Gold-rooted children excelled in structured forms and strategy; fire-rooted in rapid, aggressive attacks; water-rooted in fluid movements; wind-rooted in adaptive technique; earth-rooted in stability and defense. Mixed roots required patience and guidance but offered versatility. Han thought of how Rui and Sheng had progressed: Rui's adaptability and Rui's explosive strength were clear outcomes of high and superior talent combined with perfect alignment to the clan's methods. Wushuang, ordinary but methodical, would require more time to reach similar levels, yet he possessed a quiet, enduring potential.
Elder Han allowed his thoughts to drift further. Even in early Body Refining, the destructive potential of a child was real. A single misstep could shatter bamboo groves or collapse a cart; an accidental burst of qi could harm a fellow student. And yet, these children would grow. The Jin Clan relied on patience, careful guidance, and the natural ceiling of provincial qi. Here, late Foundation Establishment was the pinnacle for most; neighboring clans had patriarchs who had reached mid-Foundation or even Golden Core. The Jin Clan's patriarch, Zhenyuan, had only early Foundation Establishment, a calm presence guiding the clan, emphasizing subtlety and restraint over flashy displays of power.
Rumors of the approaching cultivator lingered like a shadow. No one knew the true realm, but even the possibility of a Golden Core cultivator pressing near made every spark of talent, every tremor of qi, seem heavier. A mid-stage Body Refiner alone could devastate the village if uncontrolled; what might a master with greater power bring? Even the calm valley below seemed charged with tension.
Han's jade platform drifted slightly with the wind. He cataloged not only the children but the young disciples of note: Rui, Sheng, Wushuang, Luo, and Huan. Each aligned differently with the clan technique, each showing subtle differences in growth and personality. Rui's confidence, Sheng's explosive strength, Wushuang's patience and quiet insight—these were the seeds of future pillars of the clan, if nurtured carefully.
Below, the children stumbled, succeeded, and glowed faintly with flowing qi. Parents gasped or laughed, gripping each other's hands as moments of success brought hope, and failures whispered caution. Han allowed himself a brief smile. Life, like qi, moved unpredictably, yet it could be guided. The province imposed limits; the Jin Clan's teachings channeled potential. And within those boundaries, even ordinary talent could flourish.
Foundation Establishment… Han thought, eyes tracing the valley below. A mountain to climb. These children are at the foothills, the disciples near their peaks, and yet the world beyond presses closer every day. Talent, patience, alignment—all necessary. And there is always the shadow of those stronger than any provincial ceiling.
Above, the wind stirred the jade platform. Han remained steady, eyes sweeping across the children, parents, and young disciples. Wushuang moved with quiet care among the smaller children and the bright sunlight danced on the soft glow of spiritual roots. The valley was alive with hope, potential, and a silent tension that whispered of the approaching future—a shadow whose power might dwarf all careful cultivation.