Lea's scolding and experience

"Hey Evan, you're really keen, huh? Already warming up?" Joey grinned as he walked over.

"Yeah, might as well get a head start. We've got a lot to learn, and every minute counts," Evan replied, wiping the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve.

While Evan continued his warm-up exercises, he was unaware that someone was watching him intently from above. The day's instructor, a young adult female named Lea, was perched on a tree branch high above the square. She had chosen this vantage point to observe the early arrivals, keen to gauge the level of enthusiasm and discipline among the younger villagers.

Her eyes settled on Evan. She noticed his focused demeanor, his disciplined warm-up routine, and the seriousness with which he took each stretch and exercise. "Interesting," she thought to herself. She knew that cultivating one's physical abilities was a marathon, not a sprint, and that the most crucial quality in a practitioner was not raw talent, but a disciplined, focused mindset.

She also took note of the others who had arrived early, silently applauding their eagerness but also scrutinizing their body language and attitudes. Were they here because they wanted to be, or because they felt obligated? It was crucial to identify the truly committed individuals from those who would only half-heartedly engage in the training.

As the square filled up and the time approached for the official start of the training, Lea descended from her perch, ready to begin the session. She had an inkling that this day would be an important one—for her as an instructor, and for the village's youth as the first generation to undergo organized cultivation training.

As she landed gracefully in the center of the square, Evan caught sight of her and felt a surge of anticipation. Somehow, he knew that under her guidance, they were about to embark on a transformative journey. But for now, it was time to focus, to put in the work, and to learn as much as possible. The importance of today's training was not lost on him, and he was ready to give it his all.

Lea stepped to the center of the square, her eyes scanning the gathered youth. The moment felt charged, full of potential. With a few calculated strides, she commanded the attention of everyone.

"I see some of you arrived early, eager to start this new chapter in your lives," she began, locking eyes with Evan and the few others who had arrived punctually. "That's commendable. It's the first step toward discipline, which is vital for the cultivation journey ahead."

A brief pause punctuated her words before she continued, her gaze now moving to those who had trickled in late or stood slouched, displaying a palpable lack of enthusiasm.

"As for those of you who arrived late, or who stand here looking like you'd rather be anywhere else—I have no patience for that attitude. You're not doing anyone any favors by being here reluctantly."

Her eyes narrowed as she continued her scolding. "Cultivation is not a part-time hobby you can pick up and abandon when it's convenient. It's a lifelong commitment that demands focus, discipline, and an unyielding desire to better oneself. If you're not prepared to offer that level of commitment, then leave now. I won't have you waste my time or the time of those who are serious about this journey."

Lea paused, letting her earlier words hang in the air before continuing. "I've spoken about discipline and focus, but there's another reason why cultivation is so crucial: survival. Some of you may not have ventured far beyond our village, and you may not grasp the dangers that lurk outside our walls. So let me clarify: the wilderness beyond is not just dangerous; it's lethal."

She looked around, making sure she had everyone's attention. "What you consider a terrifying predator, like a tiger, is nothing more than an ant compared to the true monsters that roam the lands beyond our village. Creatures of unimaginable strength, cunning, and malice dwell out there. Creatures so powerful that they defy your wildest imagination. Facing one without being a cultivator is almost certain death—99.99% certain, to be exact."

The square grew deathly quiet. The words "certain death" echoed in the minds of the gathered youth, intensifying the gravity of what was at stake. Even the latecomers and those previously uninterested seemed to straighten up, suddenly gripped by the harsh reality Lea was laying out.

"If you don't cultivate, you're not just missing out on improving yourself. You're leaving yourself vulnerable to threats you can't even conceive. Your life, the lives of your families, and the future of this village depend on your willingness to commit to cultivation. So I'll ask you again: if you're not serious about this, leave now. Because the path ahead is not for the faint of heart."

The weight of Lea's words settled over the crowd. Faces were serious, and the atmosphere was thick with newfound resolve. Even if they had not fully grasped the concept of cultivation and its complexities, they all understood one thing clearly now: it was a matter of life and death.

Lea's eyes seemed to gaze into the distance, as if reliving a memory that had left an indelible mark on her soul. "A few years ago, I was not much older than you all are now. Filled with youthful exuberance and a misguided sense of invincibility, my friends and I ventured far beyond the village's safety. We were hunters, trained in the arts of tracking and killing, and we wanted to prove ourselves. To go where none from our village had ever gone. It was a foolish idea, born of overconfidence and ignorance."

She paused, clearing her throat before she continued. "While we were hunting, we heard a roar that shook the earth. This was not the growl of a mere tiger or the howl of a wolf; this was something otherworldly. We climbed a nearby hill, towering about 1000 meters above ground, to get a better view of what could possibly make such a sound. And there, in the distance, we saw them—two beasts locked in combat, so large that they seemed like moving mountains."

Lea's voice dropped to a hushed whisper, "One was a tiger, but to call it that would be an understatement. It was a god of fire and fury, its eyes like burning embers, its fangs and claws seeming to glow with an inner light. Each swipe of its paw released torrents of flames, turning the air itself into a maelstrom of fire.

"The other was a serpent, a snake with a singular horn upon its head. This creature was the embodiment of water and fluid grace, its scales shimmering like thousands of diamonds. It countered the tiger's fire with bursts of water, each jet so powerful it could crush stones and uproot trees."

Her eyes returned to focus on the young faces in front of her, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed. "They fought with such power that the earth trembled and the skies darkened. We watched in awe and terror until we could watch no more. And then we fled back to the village, humbled and shaken, but most of all, thankful that those creatures were far enough away to not notice us, ants on the ground of their battlefield."

She let her words sink in before concluding, "That experience taught me the true scale of what's out there, beyond our village. It made me realize just how small we really are and how essential cultivation is for our survival. Remember this: if those god-like beings ever turn their attention towards us, not being a cultivator isn't an option. The stakes are not just high; they're astronomical. The path of cultivation is hard, but the alternative is far worse."