On the winter wind, needles flew merciless like the chilling claws of ice. Everything in this world was part of a cycle. Birth, life, death, and birth. Spring, summer, fall, winter, and spring. Plant, grow, harvest, and plant. Even politics rose and fell with time. Nothing was eternal, even the cycles that ruled this world would one day break and fall apart leaving nothing in its wake. Everything was rules by the law of cycles, and everything was powered by the element of survival. There was something that existed in each and every being: elements. Water, fire, earth, wood, and metal. There was something from these elements in everything. These five elements were born from the universe, and the universe from the Spring of Origins. All one needed to do to thrive is to become in tune with the universe and everything else unraveled. Such a thing, however, was only fulfilled by enlightenment. Ming Ran was far from being enlightened. With the amount of worries that came with his relationships with both family and his husband, training on the Thirteenth Peak, avoiding any conflict with his older brothers and other siblings, and the ever looming future how could he possibly be enlightened? Those who were enlightened would have no problems, they'd be able to solve them with the wisdom of being enlightened. Ming Ran knew he was no where near such a thing.
--1 Year Ago--
Ming Ran sat meditating in the middle of the forest, the sun drifting lazily through the leaves before falling on the stone in the middle of a clearing. He had found this spot about a month ago, and had reflected a little on how often cultivating stories used these kind of places. A massive forest or bamboo grove with a giant rock placed in the center with a patch of foliage missing at just the correct place so that the sun could creep through and fall on the person meditating in the middle of the tranquil atmosphere. He sighed, shaking his head and moving forward. He sat on the edge of the rock and let his head dip back a bit, breathing in the rich earthy scent that drifted all around this area. He closed his eyes and listened the the sound of the leaves swaying in the breeze, the whispers tickling his ears. Slowly, he got into a more relaxed position on the rock and took another breath in. And out...in... and... out...
The wind moved as it liked, but the air shifted in its wake. Before the gust ran through the forest, the space opened up to receive it. The leaves took in the filth on the wind and purified it, feeding the whole tree. The tree grew, and in fall the wind would help carry it to slumber through the long winter. Warm winds would press itself against the frost and wake the fauna. The branches would bloom and the cycle could begin again. The trees did not mourn the end, they were a part of it. The tree would fall one day and give life to the next generations. Whether fungi or animals. Everything existed under the sun and the stars. Everything was different. Ming Ran felt that difference. Some of the trees were shorter, or thicker, and even the ones with identical outsides had very different feels.
A few weeks passed by in a similar fashion, Ming Ran would come out to the forest and listen to the sounds of the forest. Sometimes he could hear chipmunks or birds in the branches. The angry muttering of a hedgehog who had been roused from slumber, the pestering chitter of jays, the nonsense between the squirrel and the chipmunk. Other times he heard people passing by the forest. Sometimes he felt nature spirits peeking through their homes.
Somehow, this world made some sense to Ming Ran. He had been born silent, how was he different from the animals, the trees, the plants, the rocks, and other beings that existed in this world? The land cannot cry out when it is in pain. The animals can not speak to reason with the humans who hunted them. Rocks could do no more than roll down a hill if pushed or prodded. Ming Ran knew these feelings too well, the horrible sensation of silence. Before he met Cang Mu, he had never realized what silence was to him. Being able to express himself was a gift. He pushed out his senses and began to feel the world through his qi. He could barely make out the world around him. It was like gazing into a deep, empty well-- no one can perceive how deep it truly goes.
"What are you listening to?" a mischievous voice echoed in his ear, startling Ming Ran. He jumped up as if he had been burnt and looked at his master in shock. How long had he even been there?! Cang Yuan snickered happily, almost bouncing from one foot to the other. "So? What are you up to?" he asked again.
Trying to feel qi in my surroundings...
Cang Yuan tilted his head, his body still swaying back and forth.
"And? How's that going for you?" Ming Ran shook his head. He was barely scratching the surface. Cang Yuan nodded his head. He had mostly been working on basic formations, meditation, and physical exercises with this one. Any more and his beloved second pupil would give birth to a cow... still this wouldn't do. "Come to my room tomorrow morning. We will begin training right away." Ming Ran gave him a bewildered look.
And... it took this long for you to begin my training..? he asked. Cang Yuan cleared his throat.
"Just waiting until you were ready to bear my teachings!" Ming Ran gave him a look. He didn't need to sign to get across his meaning: That's a load of bull.
Cang Yuan laughed awkwardly and retreated.
When Ming Ran had first met Cang Yuan, he felt like this man was full of mystery and majesty. He felt like there was no man wiser. He carried himself like a king or noble. Now that he had been on the mountain with him, he had realized why Wei Ning had acted the way he did around his master. Cang Yuan was much like a child. Pouting when he was left out of the fun, enjoying himself to the fullest, lazing in the sun, playing and making mischief. Yet, there were times that he seemed to understand the world around him much better than others. Ming Ran once again found himself admiring that gaze when he stepped into his master's quarters the next morning. In his hand, was a long strand of white cloth, inscribed with all manner of scribbles. Cang Yuan never put effort into things that did not explicitly need them. Ming Ran looked at the cloth in disbelief... he wouldn't half-ass something as important as his own disciple's training, would he..?
Cang Yuan rapped him on the head. "You're thinking something very rude right now, aren't you?" he sighed, "This master has not given you the full attention that you deserve. For that, I apologize. Still, this will make up for it. This cloth is inscribed with sealing spells. Once you wrap this around your eyes, you will not be able to remove them until you can feel the qi flowing in things and manipulate it to your will." He patted the spot in front of him, smiling excitedly. Ming Ran sat down as instructed, and allowed Cang Yuan to get to work. Slowly the world went completely dark. Cang Yuan placed his palms on his back, circulating some of the qi through Ming Ran. "This is my qi. It is my internal energy that flows within my physical form. Each of us has three forms: our physical forms house our energy and allows us to walk through the physical world. We have a mental form, it is what confounds us. This form is much like an encyclopedia-- always being filled as we walk around in life. Our morals, philosophies, beliefs, wisdom, and knowledge is something that is stored in our mental form. These two forms help us connect to this world on a basic level, allowing us to interact with the world around us, however, they would be nothing without the third and final form: the spiritual form. This form is what connects our lives to the universe and the Spring of Origins. How is it that we are all connected despite being vastly different? Our spiritual form is that piece that once belonged to the Spring of Origins. One day that piece will return to where it must. Your particular piece is still connected to that place, therefore you are able to travel there by will, should you allow yourself access. This is dangerous, though, for you loose sight of your other two forms. Your physical form will stay in the physical world for all eternity, it is but a shell at the end of the day. Your mental form will exist even without you as these thoughts: knowledge, wisdom, morals, and beliefs already existed before you and will continue to exist after you are gone. Without all three of these forms working together in harmony, there is no you, there is no 'Ming Ran'." Cang Mu patted his head, admiring his handiwork. Once he was satisfied, he began to circulate his qi through his student's body again. "For the next couple of weeks, your job will be to follow me everywhere. Can you recognize my qi? Good! I look forward to seeing you trail after me like an adorable duckling!"
The next couple days were excruciating. Cang Mu paraded Ming Ran around the Twelve Mountains as if he was showing off his child. "Have you met my disciple?" to one person, "He's my newest disciple!" to another, "Cute, isn't he? Follows me everywhere!" to just about every person. When he wasn't parading Ming Ran around he was hiding from him. The only times he would step in and show himself was when Ming Ran was about to wander off of a cliff and then his words were: "What on earth are you doing?! Trying to get yourself killed?!"
Now the atmosphere was, well...
"Shizun... I was wondering what you'd be up to after I came back from my assignment. What are you two doing, hm?" The dark aura combined with a barely contained, yet somehow quiet rage could only be one person.
"Wei Ning! My adorable student! When did you get back?"
"Take. Off. The. Headband. Now, Shizun."
"Can't." Ming Ran stepped forward and grabbed Wei Ning's arm. He felt some joy spring up, but it wasn't his... he looked over at Cang Yuan. Cang Yuan was grinning like a fox. His disciple really was something, wasn't he? A genius. Already picking up on qi? True genius! As expected, his kid was the best! "Although, you've done well to get this far, I don't think you've realized yet what you've accomplished." Cang Yuan patted his head.
"Shizun." Wei Ning still held his teacher by the collar. He patted his overwhelmingly scary disciple on the hand.
"All right. Calm down. I will explain, just let go first, okay?"
Ming Ran sighed in relief, at the very least Wei Ning wasn't threatening him anymore. Don't hurt Shizun, Wei-gege.
"Yeah. You should show me more respect!"
"You're lucky I haven't thrown you off the mountain yet. Speak. Why is Ming Ran blindfolded?"
"Training."
"..." Wei Ning took a menacing step forward.
"I'm not joking. I'm training his senses."
"Nonsense. Neither Shixiong nor myself trained like this."
"No. Not nonsense. Ming Ran is different from you. He has a deeper connection with the universe than you two do. Therefore it is much easier for it to go out of control. This is the most effective way for him to hone his senses. They say that a blind man will have a better sense of what is around him than one that can see. If they are trained, I have no doubt that they could see the world through a third eye by feeling the world around them. Ming Ran will learn this way to sense the world around him as you two do. Except, he will surely surpass you."
Great. I'm now crushed by great expectations... Ming Ran thought bitterly, and yet, there was some warmth in his chest after hearing these words. Something unknown and wonderful had taken root.