Ancestral Origins
-
The Bending Arts is a hybrid-type martial skill that enables an individual to manipulate and generate elements through the intricate manipulation of qi and physical movements. It didn't have an exact rank, but people consider it as a Top-Grade Earth Rank martial skill.
Yu Tao took an interest in the Bending Arts after seeing how Jiang Qiao manipulated the materials that the old main square was composed of and the earth beneath. Jiang Qiao's earth-bending was so smooth that Yu Tao wasn't able to feel the slightest tinge of vibrations from ground from her extravagant entrance, which was surprising since he gained heightened sensitivity to vibrations after awakening his martial spirit.
Not even an ant would be capable of escaping his senses.
While Huang Qide kept the manual of the Bending Arts, where Jiang Qiao and a number of clan members learned from, in his spatial ring, Jiang Qiao left copies of that manual in Yu Tao and the other two's rings.
The main requirement and the first step for learning the Bending Arts was for an individual to have a decent qi control, which was rather vague, but Yu Tao turned out to have reached that level of qi control after completing the qi control practice mentioned in the manual.
He figured it was due to his continuous practice of his cultivation technique and Spirit Limbs Technique.
Before Yu Tao could start manipulating and generating the elements, however, he had to learn how to make his qi flow freer than the wind, to the point where a single thought or a movement from him would cause the elements to react without the slightest delay.
That was the second step.
That part of the training ties with one of the key concepts behind the Bending Arts, the freedom or liberation from mortal shackles.
In half an hour, Yu Tao learned how to make his qi flow freer than the wind.
Then, the third step, choosing his elements.
Jiang Qiao visited Yu Tao at that exact time and after learning what he was up to, she recommended for him to begin with earth-bending and water-bending since her expertise lied on those and she could guide him while she was here.
Thus, under Jiang Qiao's tutelage, Yu Tao learned the beginner to advanced forms and techniques of earth-bending and water-bending.
Pointing his index finger to a boulder, Yu Tao flicked his wrist and shot a condensed bullet of water at it.
Bam!
The boulder caved in at the impact of the bullet, creating deep spider cracks on its surface.
'It lacks penetrative force and explosive strength. Perhaps I should infuse erosive qi into it to make it deadlier…'
Yu Tao aimed at the boulder again, and this time, he infused erosion qi at the condensing water bullet.
"Yu Tao, we're off to visit Xuan Hao at the clan orchard. Join us in the outer west region!" Jiang Qiao's voice resounded in his mind.
Sighing, Yu Tao released the low-powered, half-decent erosive water bullet at the same boulder, turning about 75% of it into sand while fragmenting the rest.
'Like I have a choice,' Yu Tao thought as he headed to Jiang Qiao's location.
As Yu Tao caught sight of Jiang Qiao, he noticed the clan members that gathered before her and other clan members who were heading towards her.
'Oh, it's a field trip. I wonder where we'll be going…' Yu Tao thought.
"You three are the least responsive of this noble lady's commands," Jiang Qiao remarked.
"I wasn't aware it was a team-building exercise, I apologize," Yu Tao said, sarcastically.
"I don't. You didn't mention a time limit," Huang Xiaolong refuted, mirroring Jiang Qiao's smile.
"I live the furthest from here," Huang Wei said, neither apologizing to Jiang Qiao nor siding with Yu Tao and Huang Xiaolong.
While most of the present clan members were displeased with the three's attitude, no one dared to but in their conversation.
Ignoring the three, Jiang Qiao turned her attention to the other clan members and said, "The new disciples are to remain while the rest are to return to their previous activities. Now."
Under Jiang Qiao's command, close to a hundred clan members returned to their obligations.
"Gather around." Jiang Qiao gestured to the area in front of her.
The disciples executed her command without hesitation.
"Not bad," Jiang Qiao said, satisfied at their demonstration. She continued, "In the Martial Spirit World, most creatures, including humans, start true cultivation around the age of 7. Most humans, in particular, begin true cultivation at the same age of them getting their martial spirits awakened. What is the reason for that?
Most of the disciples were taken aback by Jiang Qiao's question.
It wasn't the kind of question they normally think of in their daily lives.
Moreover, they were merely Houtian Realm cultivators, the second-tier bottom-feeders of the martial spirit World. What significance would the answer to that question be to them?
Huang Xiaolong entered a deep contemplation.
Indeed, what was the reason?
For Huang Xiaolong, aside from the actual answer to Jiang Qiao's question, it would be the restriction placed upon him in his rebirth.
In Huang Xiaolong's previous life, he broke through the Houtian Realm at the age of 3, and died at the age of 17 after he broke through the Enlightenment Realm.
At the age of 3, when Huang Xiaolong attempted to break through to Houtian Realm here in the Martial Spirit World, was when he discovered the restriction placed upon him.
Huang Xiaolong tried to remove the restriction to no avail, so he decided to spend time in training the Body Metamorphosis Scripture.
It wasn't until the Martial Spirit Awakening Ceremony did the restriction vanish, allowing Huang Xiaolong to start cultivating again.
Now if the mysterious restriction was the reason he was incapable of true cultivation until he was around the age of 7, what was the proper answer to Jiang Qiao's question?
"Ancestry."
Yu Tao's voice resounded, catching everyone's attention.
"Elaborate," Jiang Qiao said.
"Genetics, lineage, bloodline, heritage, and roots are several of the terminologies used to describe a person's ancestry. Ancestry, in regards to our topic, is one of the factors that decides an individual's initial talent and potential. The reason that we start our cultivation around the age of 7 is because our ancestral origins are normal." Yu Tao pointed at Huang Xiaolong. "Let's use Huang Xiaolong, the crown prince of the Luo Tong Kingdom, and the crown prince of the Broken Blade Empire."
Confusion sprung up the faces of most of his fellow disciples while Jiang Qiao's smile brightened.
Huang Xiaolong looked at Yu Tao, interested to know where this was going.
"No different from us, Huang Xiaolong had awakened his martial spirit and began true cultivation around the age of 7. However, his aptitude and potential is greater, and his innate Top Grade 13 martial spirit is a clear indication of that. In comparison, Lu Kai, the crown prince of the Luo Tong Kingdom, has an inferior aptitude and potential. In spite of that, he awakened his martial spirit and began true cultivation around the age of 5. The reason? His ancestry. The lineage of the Royal Lu Family, as of the moment, is unparalleled in the Luo Tong Kingdom.
"Then, there's the crown prince of the Broken Blade Empire, Duan Wuhen. Duan Wuhen awakened a Top Grade 13 Martial Spirit and began true cultivation at around a year old. He had an aptitude and potential equal to Huang Xiaolong, and is from a lineage of Saint Realm and God Realm experts. Of course there are exceptions, but that's the gist of it."
"Well said!" Jiang Qiao exclaimed as she looked at the rest of the disciples. "Undoubtedly, one's lineage or ancestry greatly impacts their future achievements. Hence, countless cultivators diligently cultivate their bloodlines, ensuring the inheritance of their cultivation talents to future generations. Thereby reducing the likelihood of their descendants having to endure the arduous and demanding path that they themselves had traversed. Perhaps you entertain the notion that your position within the Luo Tong Kingdom, and perchance even within the Martial Spirit World, had risen due to the influx of resources and changes I've brought to the clan. Alas, your perception is sorely misguided. The Huang Clan's bloodline is still comparatively weak, and it would take several decades for the overall quality of the lineage to catch up with that of the Royal Lu Family. This progress, again, is only feasible due to the reforms I've instigated.
"Therefore, I urge each and every one of you to dedicate yourselves wholeheartedly to your cultivation and diligently nurture your bloodlines, rather than squandering precious time on frivolous pursuits. Only through such focused efforts can our clan aspire to great heights within the Martial Spirit World."
The disciples digested Jiang Qiao's words in silence.
After some time, Jiang Qiao summoned a metallic, blue-eyed winged dragon.
The metallic dragon was enormous and would've taken up ¼ of the Huang Clan's old inner region with ease.
While the disciples were startled with the appearance of the dragon, they weren't totally shocked by it as Jiang Qiao had shown it to the clan over a week ago.
"Get on board," Jiang Qiao said as she leaped up to the dragon's back.
The disciples boarded the dragon's back.
Soon after the last disciple boarded, the dragon spread its wings and flew-off.
"Alright. Listen carefully for your own safety," Jiang Qiao said. "For every 30.46 meters that we ascend, I will remove a percentage of the effect of the enchantment that is preventing you from flying off. Use your battle qi to stick on the dragon's back, otherwise, you'll have to experience the sensation of death."
"Elder Sister Jiang, what is this dragon? Aside from the fact that this isn't alive, I can tell it's not a primordial divine dragon, so what is this?" Huang Xiaolong inquired.
A moment after Huang Xiaolong spoke, a disciple flew off the dragon's back without a word, scaring most other disciples who then placed all their efforts into remaining at the dragon's back.
Ignoring the scene, Jiang Qiao decided to answer the question that practically everyone in the clan had been meaning to ask for over a week ago. Jiang Qiao explained, "This is a Blue-Eyes White Dragon War Machine, a low-grade saint rank artifact I won in an inter-school competition in the Slumbering Dragon Empire. A blue-eyes white dragon is, as with a lot of races, is from a dragon race that came after the primordial races. To elaborate on that bit, the primordial races were the very first kind of their species. They all employ terms such as 'primordial divine', 'origin', and 'holy' to set themselves apart from their sibling races. However, such distinctions are redundant as their innate aura, ethereal runes, or the intricate markings etched on their being effortlessly set them apart. Naturally, these primordial races do not represent the utmost pinnacle of their respective kinds. Rather, they can be perceived as templates or prototypes upon which creation has fashioned many other manifestations.
"This Blue-Eyes White Dragon War Machine is a good example of that. This blue-eyes white dragon was originally a living, breathing dragon from the mystic-eyes dragon race. Unfortunately, because of its many wrongdoings, it was executed and turned into an artifact…"
Yu Tao, Huang Xiaolong, and Huang Wei, listened attentively to Jiang Qiao.
Meanwhile, fifteen more disciples were blown off the dragon's back while the rest tried their best to hold on.
As Jiang Qiao began regaling them with tales of her adventures beyond the borders of Luo Tong Kingdom, Yu Tao rose from his seat to investigate the whereabouts of the fallen disciples.
Obviously, Jiang Qiao wouldn't allow their lives to be forfeit simply because of their inadequacy.
Once Yu Tao came close to the dragon's tail, he immediately saw the other disciples, shackled at the end of long chains connected to the dragon's feet, flowing with the turbulent winds.
With a simple glance, Yu Tao knew that the chains were related to the rods that Jiang tested him with. He couldn't help but wonder if the chains and rods originated from a technique or another artifact that Jiang Qiao has.
Eventually, after five minutes, Jiang Qiao pulled up the 31 shackled disciples to the dragon's back and returned the enchantments to 100%. Following a brief lecture, she proceeded to outline their agenda for the day.
Much to everyone's astonishment, their destination was not the clan's spirit orchard directly. Instead, they would circumnavigate the clan's territory and the vast expanse of the Luo Tong Kingdom. Only after that extensive journey would they descend into the orchard.
Anticipation filled the air, infecting everyone with excitement, including Yu Tao. While this might not have been the exact kind of exploration Yu Tao had envisioned, it still held a certain allure and promised thrilling experiences.
-