It was daytime — a holiday — and the bell rang sharply. Lianhua hurried to open the door.
"Oh! Yuanhai and Loch… just give us a moment to get ready first!" she called out, flustered.
Chi furrowed his brows. When did they go from formal introductions to first-name basis? And get ready for what exactly?
Yu sidled up to him, grinning. "Yo!"
"Yo… what's going on over there?" Chi whispered, suspicious.
Yu leaned in, lowering his voice. "Hmm… you don't know? You're always training… They've become close friends. Hang out whenever they have free time."
Chi blinked. "Huh… when did that happen?"
Unable to resist, he ran over to his father. "When did this happen?"
"You brat," his father said, a teasing grin stretching across his face. "We've been telling you all along, but you were too busy flexing your muscles — or meditating — or whatever it is you do."
Chi groaned, memories of ignored advice flashing in his mind. "Ahh…" he muttered.
Yu tugged at his sleeve. "Come on, let's go."
"Ok, we're going. Take care, kids!" Lianhua called as she closed the door behind them.
Suddenly, a glowing window popped up in front of Chi — hovering in midair like it owned the place.
Main Mission: Help Yu awaken his spiritual roots
Rewards: 3× Profound-tier Spiritual Roots Refining Elixirs, Dragon Vein Elixir
Chi squinted at it. "Huh… I was going to do that myself… but what are elixir tiers anyway?"
A small, cheerful voice echoed from the system. "Oh, you mean the hierarchy of elixirs? Mortal (common), Spirit (low grade), Profound (mid grade), Earth (high grade), Heaven (legendary), Divine (?), and maybe a secret one if you're lucky."
Chi's jaw dropped. "Divine? Maybe a secret one?! Are you joking?!"
The system hummed, almost teasingly. "No joke. But don't get too excited — you start with the low-grade stuff first. Can't drink Heaven-tier elixirs like juice, kid."
Yu leaned over, trying not to laugh at Chi's panicked face. "Relax, Chi. It's a free day! No studying today!"
Chi blinked. "Wait… what? We're not going to study? This is… amazing! A whole day of missions and elixers and… and… adventure!"
The system added, a bit more warmly this time: "Treat your missions like playtime. And yes, I'll guide you. Don't worry, you're not alone in this world… even if I am a little sarcastic sometimes."
Chi threw his hands in the air, grinning like a kid who just found a hidden treasure. "Yes! Finally, a break from drills! Let's do this, Yu!"
Yu chuckled, shaking his head. "You're way too excited for this…"
Chi waved him off. "Nonsense! Training is fun, but missions with elixers? This is living the dream!"
And with that, the two boys ran off, ready to turn a "free holiday" into the start of an unforgettable adventure.
Chi carefully guided Yu to sit in the middle of the backyard, mirroring the lotus position he had practiced earlier.
"Alright, just like I showed you," Chi said, his tone calm but encouraging. "Relax, breathe, and focus on spreading your Qi through your body and around you. Don't rush it."
Yu nodded, his small brows furrowed as he tried to follow Chi's instructions. Slowly, his mind began to drift inward, eyes half-closed, body still. Chi watched closely, adjusting Yu's posture and quietly guiding him through each motion.
Time seemed to blur. The sky deepened into night, the first stars twinkling faintly above. Parents were still away, leaving the two boys to their own devices.
Suddenly—a sharp, resonating boom echoed in the backyard. Both of them jerked, and then Yu's body shimmered with light. Elemental energy swirled around him: fire and earth, spinning and floating in a dazzling display.while chi also had opened up his wind element spiritual roots
Chi's eyes went wide. "Yu… you did it!" he shouted. "You awakened your spiritual roots!"
A system window materialized in front of them:
System Notification:
Congratulations! Yu has awakened Fire & Earth type spiritual roots, both Extraordinary.
Rewards Updated:
3× Profound-Grade Spiritual Roots Refining Elixers
50× Mortal-Grade Spiritual Roots Refining Elixers
10× Qi Gathering Elixers
Chi blinked at the window, then turned to Yu with a proud smile. "You did amazing! I knew you could do it."
Yu, however, sagged forward and collapsed into Chi's arms. Chi's heart lurched. "Yu?! What happened? Are you okay?!"
Yu's face was ghostly pale, and he weakly whispered, "Food…"
Chi froze for a second, then broke into uncontrollable laughter. "Oh my… you scared me half to death for food?!"
Just then, a familiar chorus of voices called out from the yard:
"We got food!"
Haoran, Lianhua, Loch, and Yuanhai appeared, arms laden with dishes. The sight of them and the smell of the food instantly lifted the tension.
Chi set Yu gently down, still chuckling, while Yu blinked up at him, a small, sheepish smile forming.
In that moment, Chi realized: martial arts, cultivation, and elemental energy were important—but friendship, laughter, and moments like these were just as powerful.
Chi took a deep, steadying breath, feeling the water-and-wind Qi swirl through his body. His fingers tingled, the air around him vibrating faintly as if anticipating his next move.
"Alright… here goes," he muttered under his breath.
He began with a graceful step forward, the soles of his feet barely making a sound on the soft grass. With a fluid motion, he spun, letting his water Qi spiral around his arms like liquid ribbons, while wind Qi whipped around, bending the leaves in its invisible current. The two energies intertwined, creating a small vortex that hummed softly in the night air.
Yu's eyes widened. "Whoa… Chi, it's… beautiful!" he whispered, almost afraid to speak too loudly.
Chi focused, drawing the power inward, then suddenly thrust both palms forward. A stream of shimmering blue-and-white energy shot out, twisting and curling in midair like a living thing. The wind whistled sharply, the water essence sparkling like tiny diamonds caught in moonlight.
The technique struck a patch of empty ground a few meters ahead, sending a ripple through the grass and a spray of soft mist that hovered in the air. The sound was like a soft splash combined with the rush of wind — delicate, yet fierce.
Chi felt his heart race, a mixture of exhilaration and relief. He had executed it perfectly on his first try!
Yu's mouth fell open. "That… that's insane! I can actually see the wind swirling!"
Chi grinned, chest heaving. "Feels amazing, doesn't it?" He looked at Yu, pride and excitement shining in his eyes. "Your turn soon… I know you'll unleash something just as epic."
Just then, the adults peeked out from the house, holding trays of snacks. Lianhua chuckled, shaking her head. "We didn't want to interrupt… but we had to see that!"
Haoran stepped closer, smiling proudly. "Incredible, Chi. You've mastered the technique better than I expected for a first attempt."
Chi's cheeks flushed. "I couldn't have done it without… all the training, Dad… and Yu." He glanced at his friend, who was already rubbing his hands together, excitement written all over his face.
Yu laughed nervously. "Okay, okay… I'll try not to destroy the backyard!"
The two boys shared a grin, the kind that only comes from deep friendship and shared triumphs. Around them, the night seemed to hum with possibility — the beginning of countless adventures, battles, and discoveries yet to come.
The scene faded with the soft glow of Chi's water-and-wind Qi dissipating into the night, leaving a trail of sparkling energy as a promise of the power they would both grow to wield.
Yu's hands trembled slightly as he stared at the small patch of ground in front of him. Fire and earth Qi swirled around his body, crackling softly and making the air shimmer. His heart thumped loudly in his chest — excitement mixed with nerves.
"Okay… don't mess this up," he muttered, trying to mimic Chi's calm composure.
He bent his knees, planting his feet firmly. The earth beneath him responded almost instinctively, roots and small stones gently shifting as if acknowledging his presence. Above him, tiny flames flickered in the air, warm and vivid, spinning lazily like little lanterns caught in a breeze.
Chi whispered from the side, grinning: "Just flow with it, Yu. Let it become you."
Yu nodded, closing his eyes for a brief moment. He visualized the flames dancing atop the earth, not separate elements, but one entity — a fiery mountain rising from the soil itself.
With a deep inhale, he thrust his hands forward. Fire erupted, wrapping around the earthy core in a twisting, molten column. The ground shook slightly as pebbles leapt into the air, glowing where the flames kissed them. A heat wave rippled outward, warm but not burning, and the smell of fresh soil mixed with smoke filled the backyard.
Yu stumbled slightly as the energy surged, but he steadied himself, letting the Qi flow back into his body. His wide eyes sparkled with awe as he saw the fire-and-earth vortex hovering in midair, rotating like a miniature planet of molten rock and flame.
Chi clapped, laughing. "Dude… that's insane! Look at it spin!"
Yu's lips curled into a shy smile, half relief, half pride. "I… I did it… I think I actually did it."
At that moment, Haoran, Lianhua, Loch, and Yuanhai all peeked from the house, their faces lighting up. "Incredible! Yu, you've awakened a strong coordination between your elements. Fire and earth? That's rare for someone your age!"
Yu's cheeks flushed a deep red, and he looked down at his hands, feeling a little embarrassed but also incredibly proud. "Thanks… Chi really helped me stay calm," he admitted, glancing at his friend.
Chi nudged him playfully. "Hey, teamwork makes the dream work, bro. But seriously… that was epic."
The boys laughed, the night around them buzzing with the residue of their unleashed energies. The backyard glowed faintly from the dissipating Qi, mist curling where water, wind, fire, and earth had danced in harmony.
Yu sank to his knees, panting, but his grin never faded. "Okay… next time, I'm gonna make a technique way cooler than that," he promised, eyes alight with determination.
Chi laughed, tossing him a towel. "We'll see about that, partner. Let's just clean up first before we accidentally burn the backyard down!"
Even as they sat side by side, laughing and teasing each other, the adults behind them smiled knowingly. Two extraordinary young cultivators were just beginning to unlock the potential of their spiritual roots — and together, nothing in the world could stop them.
Jin Chi (Water + Wind)
Technique Name: Azure Gale Step
Description: Jin Chi channels the fluidity of water and the swiftness of wind, allowing him to strike with fast, flowing movements. His steps leave streaks of blue air and ripples of water, making him almost untouchable.
Shen Yu (Fire + Earth)
Technique Name: Molten Terra Burst
Description: Yu combines the stability of earth with the explosiveness of fire. His attacks create molten eruptions that burst from the ground, with flames dancing over rocky spikes. Perfect for both offense and controlling the battlefield.
Next chapter:NEW FAMILY MEMBER