Lin Xue's training began in earnest under the guidance of senior disciples. The first and most critical step was to master the Qi Gathering Technique, the foundation of all cultivation. It was a method of absorbing spiritual energy from the environment and refining it within the dantian.
For most disciples, this process was straightforward—albeit requiring patience and focus. For Lin Xue, with her fragmented fire-affinity roots, it was akin to trying to fill a leaky bucket. Spiritual energy slipped through her grasp as quickly as she could draw it in.
"Focus," barked Senior Disciple Han, a stern instructor with piercing eyes. He stood over her during one of the morning sessions. "You're letting your energy scatter. Bring it inward, hold it tight, and guide it to your dantian."
Lin Xue gritted her teeth, beads of sweat forming on her brow. She sat cross-legged on the training platform, her hands resting on her knees. She tried again, closing her eyes and tuning out the world around her.
She envisioned the spiritual energy as flickering embers floating in the air. Slowly, painstakingly, she reached out with her mind, coaxing the embers toward her. They danced closer, faint and fragile, before vanishing the moment they touched her body.
"Too rigid," Senior Han snapped. "Energy is alive. It won't respond to brute force. You must flow with it, not command it."
Lin Xue exhaled sharply, frustration bubbling within her. "I'm trying."
"Trying isn't enough," he said coldly. "If you can't even gather Qi, you'll remain at the bottom of the sect until you're expelled."
His harsh words stung, but Lin Xue refused to let them break her. She inhaled deeply, centering herself, and tried again.
That evening, after the other disciples had retired, Lin Xue remained in the training grounds. The moon hung high in the sky, its silver light casting a serene glow over the sect. She knelt by the edge of a small stream, its gentle babbling soothing her frayed nerves.
She stared into the water, watching the way it flowed over rocks and around obstacles. Senior Han's words echoed in her mind: You must flow with it.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and extended her senses. She imagined the stream not as water, but as energy—fluid, elusive, and ever-moving. This time, instead of trying to seize it, she allowed herself to drift with it.
To her astonishment, she felt a flicker of warmth deep within her chest. It was faint, like the first spark of a flame, but it was there. Her fragmented roots trembled under the strain of holding the energy, but she focused all her will on stabilizing it.
For the first time, Lin Xue felt the faint pulse of spiritual energy swirling within her dantian.
"I did it," she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief and joy.
The following day, Lin Xue approached Senior Han with newfound confidence.
"I gathered Qi," she said, meeting his sharp gaze.
Senior Han raised an eyebrow. "Prove it."
Without hesitation, Lin Xue sat cross-legged and began the Qi Gathering Technique. This time, the embers of energy responded more readily. Though her progress was still slow and uneven, the faint pulse of energy in her dantian was undeniable.
Senior Han nodded, his expression neutral. "It's a start. But don't get complacent. Gathering Qi is only the beginning. You must now learn to refine it and circulate it through your meridians. Without a stable flow, you'll never progress beyond the first stage of Qi Condensation."
Lin Xue's heart sank at the reminder of how far she had to go, but she nodded resolutely. "I'll do whatever it takes."
Over the next few weeks, Lin Xue devoted herself to refining her Qi. This process was even more challenging than gathering it. Her fragmented roots caused blockages in her meridians, making the energy flow erratically.
She often spent hours in painful meditation, her body drenched in sweat as she forced the energy to flow. Each blockage felt like a searing fire ripping through her veins, but she gritted her teeth and endured.
One night, after an especially grueling session, Sister Mei visited her.
"You're pushing yourself too hard," Sister Mei said, her tone gentle but firm.
"I have to," Lin Xue replied, her voice hoarse. "If I don't, I'll fall behind."
"Cultivation isn't a race," Sister Mei said, sitting beside her. "You need to find balance. Overexertion will only harm you in the long run."
Lin Xue lowered her gaze. "But I don't have the luxury of time. My roots are fragmented. If I don't work harder than everyone else, I'll fail."
Sister Mei sighed. "I understand your determination, but there's wisdom in patience. Let me teach you a technique to ease the flow of energy through your meridians."
Lin Xue's eyes lit up with gratitude. "Thank you, Sister Mei."
Under Sister Mei's guidance, Lin Xue learned the Flowing Ember Technique, a method designed to harmonize fire-aligned energy. The technique involved slow, rhythmic breathing and visualizing the energy as a steady flame rather than scattered embers.
At first, Lin Xue struggled to grasp the concept, but Sister Mei's patient instruction made all the difference. Slowly but surely, Lin Xue felt the energy within her body flow more smoothly. The pain in her meridians lessened, replaced by a comforting warmth.
By the end of the week, she could circulate her Qi through her entire body without interruption—a monumental step in her cultivation journey.
As Lin Xue sat under the moonlit sky that night, the Eternal Flame within her burned brighter than ever. Though her path was fraught with hardship, she had proven that even with fragmented roots, progress was possible.
Her resolve deepened, and she whispered to herself, "This is only the beginning."
The journey to immortality was long and arduous, but Lin Xue knew she was capable of walking it. One step at a time, she would rise above her limitations and carve her name into the heavens.