"earth qi is everywhere, and martial masters refine and use earth qi, this is what separates martial masters from mortals"
"Except for living beings there's not a place on earth where earth qi doesn't dwell in, and in order for living beings to utilize earth Qi they would first have to go through the martial masters ritual."
Inside the martial hall all the youngsters sat cross-legged with their eyes closed, listening to elder feng ming.
"You have already gone through the first stage of the ritual which was the most important one, now all that's left is the last stages, and this is most crucial one, as your lives will be in danger, so don't lose focus"
"We already went through the first ritual? When?"
"Was climbing the mountain a ritual?" Some of the youngsters thought to themselves with confused expressions
"The martial path is fraught with danger and difficulties, unless mortals are taken into sects which has cultivation recourses and countless cultivation methods, there's no hope for them to walk the martial path, even if a mortal is born with an extraordinary talent what could they possibly achieve all by themselves?"
Elder feng ming was clear in his heart. cultivation isn't all about talent, talent is just one of the many things needed to walk the martial path if one was talented but lacked the guidance, recourses, not to mention the envy and resentment people would have towards their talent, wouldn't they simply turn to dust becoming history?
"The second stages is which you will absorb earth Qi and construct your shrine. I know some of you have already felt it during our short walk to this martial hall" elder feng ming looked at the youngsters with a smile on his face.
Some of the youngsters opened their eyes some had their eyes still closed, calm and composed. "Yes elder, I'm unsure if it's the earth Qi you talked about but I did feel or should I say sensed something once I exited the shrine" one of the youngsters cupped his fists toward elder feng ming as he spoke.
"Yes, elder I did too" the other youngsters followed suit.
"Perfect perfect," elder feng nodded as he stroked his long beard, "this martial hall will also assist you during the second stages, but make sure you don't lose focus."
"Since you've already sensed the earth qi now what you'll do is manipulate it, drawing it closer and closer to your abdomen, the abdomen is the place in a living beings body where the earth qi can quickly settle"
The youngsters had already started their second stages of the ritual, while sitting cross-legged.
"This thing i can sense, i feel, is it the earth qi?, it's as if the whole world is filled with breathable water"
"I wasn't able to comprehend this before coming here, is this the effect of climbing the mountain?"
"Now what I'll have to do is draw this qi towards my lower body"
"Huff huff"
"This is not easy, let's try again." some of the youngsters started sweating as they tried manipulating the earth qi."
After going through the first stage, martial masters can sense and manipulate the qi that is outside of their shrine, but once they absorb the qi into their shrine and cleansed it, it becomes theirs and can use it however they like, but manipulating the outside qi and absorbing it takes a lot of energy, some people spend days or nights drawing the qi into their body.
"Aah, this sure takes me back." After seeing the youngsters struggling Elder Feng Ming smiled and reminisced about his younger days.
"The earth qi is slippery and very hard to control, it might slip out of your control as you're so close to pouring it into your abdomen. so don't lose focus"
Even though elder feng ming was talking the whole time and the martial hall was filled with multiple people, but thanks to the martial hall's effect they weren't effected by their surroundings.
"Huff, let's try again" some of the youngsters had already failed to take in the earth qi and started the process all over again.
....
Outside the martial hall, the land was gently quiet and filled with silver light, the clouds would come and go blocking the moonlight. all living beings were resting looking forward to the next, when the next day arrives life would be alot different than compared to yesterday's.
Days passed.
But the gates to the martial hall stayed shut.
"Huff huff, I'm so close, after this i will become a martial mas..., argh" one of the youngsters groaned in pain before her whole body burst into flames.
There was no time to save her or even warn her, she did not even utter a single word. it all happened so fast.
"Sigh, I warned you all multiple times not to get distracted, she was at the crucial point too, what a pity" elder feng ming looked at the girl's remains and sighed.
Even though the martial hall was a place that could calm the minds of the people inside, some of the youngsters couldn't help but be afraid.
"She... actually died?" Huff huff,
"This is no different than climbing the mountain, no this might be way harder" the youngsters were all struck with fear as they all looked at the ashes of the little girl.
The new jade-green robes they were given was drenched in sweat, they breathed heavily as their hearts started pounding faster and faster.
"Sigh, they're frightened" feng jing who was spectating from the sidelines thought to herself.
"Baam"
a loud sound echoed as the martial hall shook, debris fell from the ceiling and the walls. the youths immediately looked towards elder feng ming with frightened eyes and saw a hole under his feet. It was him. he kicked the ground with his feet and a large hole had formed.
"you must remain calm and focused, don't let anything distract you" he looked at the youngsters with a ruthless gaze, as he spoke, the martial hall was filled with his calm yet powerful voice.
None of the youngsters dared disobey him. How could they mortals still undergoing the martial masters ritual disobey an experienced martial master?
"Yes, elder. we will not be distracted anymore" all the youngsters immediately kowtowed and calmed both their minds and bodies. even though some of the youngsters in the hall had no relationships with each other, they were all in the same boat and could still sympathize with each other to some degree but in the face where one's own life was in danger what's the point of worrying about others. what good will come from worrying about others. when you're own life is in danger.
The reason all the youngsters felt fear after witnessing the little girl's death wasn't because they were worried for the little girl or felt sad for her. it was because they were afraid that would happen to them. they were worried for their own safety.
Not even a day had passed before they all forgot about the little girl's pitiful death and moved on with their cultivation.
"Mortal life is fleeting, in the martial path countless heroes have fallen, becoming dust and scattering away" as he spoke elder feng ming folded his arms on his chest, the little girl's ashes scattered away, and life continued for the other youngsters, the place she had been sitting became empty. as if she was never there.