It was early morning when Elder Orimudi arrived at Niu's home. The sky was still dark, with just a hint of dawn on the horizon. Naria greeted him at the door, her expression curious as she noticed the strange device slung over Orimudi's shoulder.
It was a speed bag, but unlike any Niu had ever seen. Its polished base gleamed with a metallic sheen, engraved with glowing runes. The bag itself pulsed faintly, almost as if it were alive, an ancient energy embedded within its fabric.
Niu's eyes widened as he stared at the device. It was the first time he had seen something so tangible, yet so clearly infused with magic. He immediately knew this wasn't an ordinary training tool.
"What's that?" Niu sent out a telepathic question, sharp with curiosity.
Orimudi glanced down at the boy and smiled, his tone as steady as ever. "This, young master, is a training tool that has been used for generations. It will teach you the limits of the body, the strength of the spirit, and the power of the elements."
Niu felt a spark of excitement surge through him. Finally, something practical.
"Why the bag though?" he asked, looking skeptically at it. "Isn't it too soon to start martial arts?"
Orimudi chuckled, setting the device down in the center of the room. "It may look ordinary now, but in a few moments, you'll see how much it can reveal about power."
Naria stepped aside, watching with a soft smile as Orimudi adjusted the device, lifting the speed bag to the appropriate height. Niu's heart quickened. This was what he had been waiting for—something practical to show him the way forward.
"First," Orimudi began, "we'll start with a Body Foundation stage demonstration. Pay close attention to what you see."
Niu nodded, his eyes locked on Orimudi's hands as he assumed a fighting stance. The elder squared his shoulders, fists raised, and began punching the bag with precise, controlled movements. His hands moved with fluid speed, striking the bag repeatedly with sharp, rhythmic blows. At first, it looked like ordinary training, but then, something changed.
Niu squinted, leaning forward. Orimudi's fists were beginning to blur.
'Is that… an afterimage?' Niu thought, trying to focus his eyes. He could barely track Orimudi's punches. His hands moved so fast, they seemed to merge into one continuous strike.
Orimudi's voice remained calm as he spoke between strikes. "In the Body Foundation stage, the focus is on transcending the body's limitations. Strength, speed, agility—all must be pushed beyond the ordinary. Observe carefully."
Niu did as he was told, his gaze fixed on Orimudi's hands. The punches came faster and faster, and soon it seemed as if his hands weren't even moving. The bag vibrated under the relentless onslaught, but Orimudi's hands appeared still, frozen in midair.
"How… how are you doing that?" Niu blurted out, his voice tinged with amazement.
Orimudi slowed his punches, finally stopping as the bag swung back and forth on its own. He looked at Niu, his face calm but focused. Orimudi stepped back, but to Niu's surprise, the bag kept moving, still receiving the same rhythmic hits.
"Once you reach the limit of the Body Foundation stage, you step into the Spirit Foundation stage," Orimudi explained. "This is where your intent—your spirit—takes over."
He pointed to the bag, which continued to swing as though invisible fists were still striking it. "You see, the body is no longer required. The thought of the action is enough. I do not need to be near the bag physically to land a strike. The mind and spirit push the energy forward."
Niu blinked in disbelief. "You're not even touching it!"
"When you reach the peak of the Body Foundation stage, speed reaches a point where it bends perception. My hands moved so fast that the eye can no longer follow. You see, young master, the body has its limits. But it is only the first step. The next realm is where true mastery begins—the Spirit Foundation stage."
Niu's mind raced. 'So there are physical limits, but they can be pushed further?'
"Exactly," Orimudi replied, his tone filled with quiet authority. "In the Spirit Foundation stage, the body is no longer necessary. Your will—your intent—can move objects as if you were still physically there. The strikes you see are generated by my spirit, not the body."
Niu's eyes widened. "So you can hit the bag... just by thinking about it?"
"Precisely. As you advance in the Spirit Foundation stage, your spirit can extend beyond the confines of your body. With enough mastery, you can perform actions without lifting a finger."
The bag continued to move, receiving invisible hits as though an unseen hand struck it repeatedly. Niu watched, utterly captivated. 'The body is limited, but the spirit isn't. How far can this go? What can the spirit really do when it's fully unleashed?'
Orimudi stepped back even farther this time, his eyes never leaving the speed bag. "But that is not the end," he said softly. "When you reach the peak of the Spirit Foundation stage, the elements answer your spirit's call."
As if on cue, the air in the room shifted. Niu felt a sudden charge, as though the atmosphere had grown denser. Orimudi raised his hand, and tiny sparks of electricity crackled at his fingertips. The sparks leapt toward the bag, each one striking it with the same rhythmic precision as his earlier punches.
Niu's breath caught. "You're generating electricity?"
"Yes," Orimudi replied, his voice calm but commanding. "The elements respond to your spirit, but only if you have the affinity and the understanding to control them. I possess three elemental affinities—electricity, wind, and water."
As he spoke, the sparks faded, replaced by a swirling gust of wind that encircled the bag. Invisible fists of air battered the bag from all sides, making it tremble under the force, yet each hit maintaining the same rhythmic flow.
Niu's eyes were wide with wonder. 'He's controlling the very forces of nature with his will. Is this what mastery looks like?'
"Each element," Orimudi continued, "has its own nature. Electricity is sharp, direct, and powerful. Water is subtle but relentless. Wind is formless, yet shaping its surroundings. As you progress through the realms, the elements become an extension of your spirit."
Niu's mind was spinning with possibilities. 'If I could control elements like that, I could move beyond just physical power. I could manipulate the world itself!'
Orimudi allowed the elements to fade, and the room returned to its normal stillness. He turned to Niu, his expression calm but serious.
"That is the power you will one day command, Niu. The Body Foundation stage is just the beginning. Once you transcend the body, the spirit takes over, and when you have mastered the spirit, the elements will answer your call. But the journey is long, and it will not be easy."
Niu met Orimudi's gaze with determination. His mind was alight with possibilities, with visions of what he could become. The path ahead was clear now—he would rise through the realms, mastering his body, his spirit, and eventually the elements themselves.
"I'm ready to start," Niu said, his voice steady, his resolve unwavering.
Orimudi smiled faintly. "Good. But remember, Niu—power is not just about mastery. It's about understanding your limits and knowing when to push them. Are you sure you can make it without breakfast?" Orimudi chuckled.
Naria, who was observing the two, was grateful for the short break the elder had given them. She was reluctant to stop the demonstration to feed Niu.
Niu was buzzing with excitement. He had maintained a high-level telepathic link for over thirty minutes without a break. The telepathic link was capable of transmitting his thoughts without depending on a language. His body bore signs of exhaustion, but his excitement expertly covered it.
'The sooner I begin training my body, the faster I will rise to the next level of magical mastery,' Niu thought to himself while Naria helped him change into a fresh set of clothes.
'He can barely sit up, yet he wants to become a martial master,' Naria thought, barely suppressing a laugh. Niu was projecting images of himself in a shirtless, muscular form, sitting in a meditative pose, controlling all six elements.
'I can help the child gain a strong spirit root by constantly exposing him to natural phenomena. Nature is the best source of elemental inspiration. If I had not been caught in that storm as a child, I would never have gained such intimate insight into wind, water, and lightning,' Orimudi mused silently, watching the interaction.
'As a dragon, he would be a natural fire elemental bearer. As for his human form, he has reincarnated into the body of a strong child with excellent genetics. He will inherit some affinity to the wind element from his mother and continue gaining spiritual guidance from her.
My teaching will grant him a solid base for the heights of magic.'
'Yet all my planning will be for nothing if Naria becomes a barrier to my methods. The child carries the soul of an extinction-level being, yet its mother sees a helpless baby.
Truly a riddle worth solving,' Orimudi thought as he patiently waited, watching as young Niu was patted on his back and released a soft burp. Judging from how Niu's eyes were narrowing, it was going to be a long day.