Thanos sat, listening to the teachings of Sheila Obarisiagbon. Like many others he never really explored the aspect of cultivating all three dantian as a rookie. When training and studying for the past year they focused more on refining their lower dantian. A strong and stable lower dantian means a strong and stable foundation.
Thanos was determined to be in the army ever since he was a teen. And that determination solidified when he met Darius King in the restaurant he worked in a year ago, and after his encounter with the mech and watching Darius lead his team to take it down he decided on a new path as a soldier. He decided to be a Qi soldier. The strongest type of soldier, and to do this he has to undergo training with his comrades in Flaming bull City, which is ruled by the Obarisiagbon Clan, which broke of from one of the 7 great families.
"... You will reinforce your lower dantian before undergoing the process of forming your other dantian. Your training regimen will consist of several exercises, which will be under three categories, namely, the upper, middle and lower dantian category. You will always start with the lower dantian as that is the foundation for a cultivator's strength.
Be warned, a Qi soldier's journey is a one man journey, and it is purely due to talent and wisdom and intelligence of a person that they gain strength as a cultivator, and if you are left behind it just means you weren't made for a cultivator's journey.
Take a few minutes to take in what I've said and prepare for your first lesson."
Thanos sat cross-legged in the dimly lit yard, Sheila Obarisiagbon's words echoing in his mind. The concept of cultivating all three dantian was more profound than anything he had encountered before. For a year, he and his comrades had focused almost exclusively on refining their lower dantian. The military academy had drilled into them the importance of a strong and stable foundation—one that would support their strength in battle. But now, it was clear that the journey to becoming a Qi soldier was far more intricate.
As he stared at the ground beneath him, memories of his past began to surface. Thanos had always been determined to join the army, ever since he was a young teenager. Growing up in a big city where people had big dreams, both his parents were in a field of work were they both save lives. His father was a police officer and his mother was a nurse, growing up he wanted to be like them, protecting people had been his dream. But it wasn't until that fateful day a year ago, when he met Darius King, that his determination had solidified into an unbreakable resolve.
Darius King was a legend among soldiers—a man whose name was spoken with both awe and reverence. Thanos had met him by chance while working in a small restaurant, earning enough to get by. When the mech attack had occurred, chaos had erupted, and Thanos had witnessed firsthand what it meant to be a true warrior. Darius had led his team with unwavering confidence, taking down the mech with precision and skill. It was a moment that had changed Thanos's life forever. From that day forward, he knew he didn't just want to be a soldier—he wanted to be the strongest Qi soldier.
Seeing the destruction caused by the rogue mech had steeled his resolve to train harder and get stronger, he wanted to be in a position in the future when the full invading force arrives he not be forced to get ready, because he will be ready!!.
Sheila's voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. "You will reinforce your lower dantian before undergoing the process of forming your other dantian. Your training regimen will consist of several exercises, divided into three categories—upper, middle, and lower dantian. You will always start with the lower dantian, as it is the foundation of a cultivator's strength."
Thanos closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on the warmth of his Qi in his lower dantian. The energy felt familiar, comforting even, but there was a new awareness now—a realization that this was only the beginning. The lower dantian, located just below the navel, was the primary storage of Qi and the center of all physical training. It was where he would draw strength in battle, where his power would be anchored.
But Sheila had spoken of the upper and middle dantian as well—mystical concepts that had previously seemed beyond his reach. The upper dantian, located between the eyebrows, was the seat of mental clarity, spiritual insight, and intuition. It was said to connect the mind to the divine and the universe, granting a higher state of consciousness. The middle dantian, located at the level of the heart, was the center of emotional energy, balancing the physical and spiritual aspects of a person. Mastering these would be no small feat, but it was a challenge Thanos was ready to accept.
He closed his eyes and controlled his breathing, slowly he drew energy into lower dantian.
Sheila continued teaching " stabilize your Dantian. Now slowly draw energy from your lower dantian, forming a bridge to your heart."
Thanos frowned, this process feels hard, he had formed the bridge half way then his focus broke and he had to start again. Around more than 90% of the class had failed multiple times already.
"Be very careful as this process is very important yet difficult. You have to adjust your breathing, and ensure that as you draw each breath, you don't destabilize your Dantian. So align your breath with the time you draw your Qi from your Dantian and surely the bridge to your heart will be formed successfully."
Thanos listened to her words and after more trial and errors, he had formed his bridge and so did a large portion of the class.
Thanos felt his heart beat, and with every beat it's like he formed a connection with someone. Tears ran down his face, but he had no reason to cry. His ears perked up as he heard a scream, he opened his eyes and Saw Seth Gordon screaming like boiling hot water was thrown on his face. He blinked and saw instructor Sheila Obarisiagbon place her hand in Seth's head and he calmed down almost immediately.
Thanos was afraid and confused and frustrated, until he heard instructor Sheila speak again, but this time as she spoke, her voice carried power that caused his raging heart to enter a state of calm.
"Calm down!! Stabilize the Qi flow to your middle dantian. What you are feeling is an influx of emotions because for once you are truly in touch with your heart. Don't allow your Qi run rampant, stabilize your cultivation and we will proceed to the next step.
After a few deep breaths and words from instructor Sheila, they all became calm.
"And now using the same process we will form a bridge with your mind."