Elrian pushed up his sleeves, "Can I help prepare dinner?"
His mother smiled, "Of course, come here."
Elrian stepped up to the wooden counter where various ingredients were spread out. His father was skinning the Sky Lion, expertly removing portions of meat with a knife that glowed faintly—an indicator of its enchanted nature. His mother was sorting through a variety of herbs, fruits, and spices.
"First, we'll marinate the meat," his mother explained as she mixed some herbs into a bowl containing a mysterious liquid. "This is Moonshade Elixir; it helps to tenderize the meat and enhances its inherent Qi."
Elrian sniffed the elixir, catching a whiff of a sweet and earthy aroma. He watched as his mother dipped her fingers into the bowl, channeling a small amount of Qi into the mixture, activating the herbs' properties. The liquid shimmered for a moment before returning to its original state.
"Now, pour this over the meat," she instructed.
Carefully, Elrian poured the marinated liquid over the slabs of lion meat. The moment the elixir touched the surface, the meat seemed to absorb it, its color deepening.
Meanwhile, his father spoke, "These are Starlight Tubers and Dawnfire Peppers. They're not just for flavor; they have beneficial properties for cultivators. Starlight Tubers help in Qi circulation, while Dawnfire Peppers can give a small boost in energy."
His father sliced the tubers into thin rounds and chopped the peppers finely, occasionally channeling a bit of Qi through his knife. The ingredients seemed to respond, releasing a burst of fragrance with each slice and chop.
The cooking process was a choreographed dance of Qi manipulation and culinary skill. The fire beneath the cooking pot was not just any flame, but one infused with a gentle stream of Qi to ensure even cooking. The air was thick with mouth-watering aromas, complex and invigorating, unlike any regular meal.
As Elrian participated, stirring the pot and adding the prepped ingredients under his parents' guidance, he felt like he was part of something larger than just meal preparation. It was a lesson in harmony, balance, and the art of drawing the world's essence into something as simple and essential as food.
Finally, his mother gave the stew one last stir and nodded, "It's ready."
Just as they were about to sit down for dinner, Elrian's eyes caught sight of something unusual on the butchering table—a green, translucent core, about the size of a walnut, glowing faintly amidst the tools and remnants of the Sky Lion.
"What's this?" he asked, pointing at the intriguing object.
His father picked it up and held it between his thumb and forefinger, "Ah, this is a Qi Core. You see, not just humans, but many creatures in the wilderness around our village have the capacity to cultivate Qi. Once they reach the first stage of cultivation, a Qi Core naturally forms within their heads. This core contains all their stored Qi energy."
His mother added, "If the creature has any elemental affinities, the core will reflect that too. For example, this core is green because the Sky Lion had wind-based abilities. Different colors correspond to different elements. Green represents wind."
Elrian looked at the glowing core with newfound reverence. The green hue seemed to dance and swirl inside, almost like a miniature vortex of wind contained within a glass-like sphere. The realization that even beasts had their own journey of cultivation, their own cores and elements, added another layer to his burgeoning understanding of the world. It was a physical manifestation of the complexities he was only beginning to grasp, and it made him all the more eager to delve deeper into the secrets that governed Eryndor.
His father carefully placed the core back on the table before continuing, "You should know, many of these creatures have innate advantages over humans in the path of cultivation. They're often physically stronger from the outset, and as you can see, many have an innate elemental affinity from the moment they reach the first stage of cultivation."
His mother nodded in agreement, "That's right. Humans usually have to work much harder to unlock elemental abilities. Only the most gifted among us can tap into elemental power at the late stages of Qi Purification the 3th stage—so we're talking about heaven-defying talents there. Most ordinary folks will only begin to scratch the surface of elemental abilities around stage four or five as Qi Transformation or Qi Fusion."
Elrian felt a blend of awe and a dash of envy. The world seemed so packed with wonder and peril, where even the beasts of the wild held incredible talents. Yet, rather than discouraging him, the revelation only fueled his budding determination. If creatures with innate gifts roamed the lands, he thought, then understanding those gifts could become another form of strength, another way to protect his village and understand the boundless intricacies of the world.
Elrian's eyes flicked back to the glowing core, his childlike curiosity overtaking him for a moment. "Can I keep it for a while? Just to... play with it?"
His parents exchanged a glance before his father nodded, "Alright, you can keep it for a bit. But listen closely, Elrian: never, ever put this core into your mouth or ingest it in any way. The concentrated Qi and elemental energies are extremely volatile. You could die."
The weight of his father's words hung heavy in the air, impressing upon Elrian the seriousness of the caution. Grasping the core gingerly between his fingers, he marveled at its intricate swirls and the way it seemed to hum softly, as if resonating with the hidden forces of Eryndor itself. Despite the thrill of holding such a potent object, his father's warning echoed in his mind, cementing a boundary he dared not cross.