Liu Wei shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his eyes darting nervously around the room. Across from him sat Elder Jiang, his new master, whose face remained as impassive as a stone statue.

Should I say something? Liu Wei wondered, his palms growing sweaty. No, that might be rude. I shouldn't speak first to an elder. But how long are we going to sit here? Is this some kind of test?

Just as Liu Wei felt he might crack under the pressure, Elder Jiang finally broke the silence.

"I am Elder Jiang," he stated simply. "Your new master."

Liu Wei blinked, caught off guard by the abrupt introduction. That's it? But I…I already know that. This isn't how an introduction should go. You're supposed to tell me more about yourself!

But he kept his face carefully neutral, not wanting to offend the powerful cultivator before him. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, unsure how to respond. Elder Jiang's eyebrows drew together in a slight frown.

"Are you not going to introduce yourself?" the elder asked, a hint of disapproval in his tone.

Liu Wei's eyes widened in panic. Oh no! I was waiting for him to say more. I've already messed up!

"I-I'm Liu Wei," he stammered, bowing his head quickly. "Your new disciple, Elder Jiang. It's an honor to meet you."

Elder Jiang nodded, apparently satisfied with this basic introduction. "Very well," he said. "Now, let me explain why I chose you as my disciple."

Liu Wei leaned forward slightly, eager to hear the reason. Had the elder seen some hidden potential in him? Some spark of greatness?

"You seem to have a talent with the wind affinity," Elder Jiang stated matter-of-factly.

Liu Wei nodded, thinking back to the strange fruit he'd eaten from the ancient tree during the trip to the Whispering Woods. It had increased his elemental affinity for wind, though he hadn't fully understood what that meant at the time.

"I myself specialize in wind techniques," Elder Jiang continued. "It's a versatile element, capable of both graceful precision and devastating power when mastered properly."

He reached into his robes and pulled out a small, multifaceted crystal.

"This is an Elemental Affinity Crystal," Elder Jiang explained, holding it up for Liu Wei to see. "It's a tool used to measure one's elemental affinities. When you channel qi into it, it will display colors corresponding to your elemental alignments."

Liu Wei leaned closer, fascinated by the object. This was his first time seeing such a crystal.

"The crystal tests for the major elements," Elder Jiang continued. "Fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, darkness, and light. Each has its own corresponding color."

He held up the crystal, pointing to different facets as he spoke. "Red for fire, blue for water, green for wind, brown for earth, yellow for lightning, purple for darkness, and white for light."

Liu Wei nodded, committing the information to memory. This is incredible, he thought. I never knew there was a way to actually see someone's elemental affinities.

"Allow me to demonstrate," Elder Jiang said. He held the crystal in his palm and closed his eyes. A moment later, a soft glow emanated from his hand.

Liu Wei watched as the colors within the crystal shifted. The other hues faded away, leaving only a brilliant green that pulsed like a heartbeat.

"As you can see," Elder Jiang explained, opening his eyes, "my affinity is strongly aligned with wind. The brighter the color, the stronger the affinity."

He held out the crystal to Liu Wei. "Now, you try."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Liu Wei took the crystal carefully, marveling at how light it felt in his hand. He closed his eyes and focused, channeling his qi into the object as he'd been instructed.

When he opened his eyes, he gasped. The crystal was glowing with a vibrant green, even brighter than it had been for Elder Jiang. But there was something else – a softer blue light pulsing alongside the dominant green.

Elder Jiang nodded approvingly. "Interesting. Your wind affinity is quite strong – even slightly stronger than my own. And you have a secondary water affinity as well, though it's much weaker."

Liu Wei stared at the crystal. I knew I had a wind affinity from the fruit, but this water affinity…was that my natural affinity?

"It would be best to focus on developing your wind affinity," Elder Jiang advised. "But don't neglect your water affinity entirely. Used in conjunction, they can create powerful techniques."

Liu Wei nodded. "Yes, Master. I'll work hard to develop both!"

Elder Jiang's expression remained neutral, but Liu Wei thought he detected a hint of approval in the elder's eyes.

"Now," Elder Jiang said, "what is your current cultivation method?”

Liu Wei felt his enthusiasm deflate slightly. "I... I only know the basic qi gathering method," he admitted, his voice small. "I haven't had the chance to learn any advanced cultivation methods yet."

To his surprise, Elder Jiang didn't seem disappointed. The elder simply nodded, as if this was exactly what he'd expected.

"That's not unusual for new disciples," he said. "The basic qi gathering method is a good foundation, but it's insufficient for true advancement. It's also non-elemental, which means it's not taking advantage of your natural affinities."

Elder Jiang reached into his robes once more, this time producing a tightly bound scroll. "This," he said, "is the Wind Rider's Path. It's the cultivation method I personally use, and now, it will be yours to learn."

Liu Wei's eyes widened as he took in the scroll. Its case was made of polished wood, inlaid with swirling patterns that seemed to move if he looked at them too long.

"The Wind Rider's Path has nine levels," Elder Jiang explained. "Each one will push your understanding of wind-natured qi to new heights. By the time you master the ninth level, you will breakthrough to the Immortal Realm and be able to ride the very currents of the air itself."

Liu Wei could barely contain his excitement as Elder Jiang handed him the scroll. He held it carefully, feeling the weight of knowledge and potential it contained.

"Let me explain the basics of the first level," Elder Jiang said. "Unlike the generic qi gathering method you've been using, this technique will teach you to attune yourself to the wind around you. You'll learn to draw in qi that's naturally aligned with your affinity, making your cultivation more efficient and powerful."

Liu Wei nodded eagerly, drinking in every word.

"The wind is ever-present," Elder Jiang continued. "Even in stillness, there are currents and eddies of air. The first level will teach you to sense these subtle movements, to feel the breath of the world around you."

As Elder Jiang spoke, Liu Wei found himself becoming more aware of the air in the room. He could feel the faintest stirring against his skin, the gentle flow as he breathed in and out.

"Once you can sense the wind," Elder Jiang said, "you'll learn to draw it into yourself along with the qi. This will not only increase the speed of your qi absorption but also begin the process of refining your internal energy to match your wind affinity."

Liu Wei nodded, his fingers itching to unroll the scroll and begin studying immediately. He began to unfurl it, eager to see the technique described within.

But before he could open it fully, Elder Jiang's hand shot out, grasping the scroll firmly. Liu Wei looked up in surprise, worried he'd done something wrong.

"Wait," Elder Jiang said, his tone suddenly serious. "It seems we've forgotten something important."

Liu Wei blinked, his mind racing. What could they have overlooked? Had the elder made a mistake in choosing him as a disciple?

"We haven't performed the Master-Disciple Tea Ceremony," Elder Jiang announced.

Liu Wei's brow furrowed in confusion. "The... what?"

Elder Jiang's expression remained impassive, but there was a glint in his eye that might have been amusement. "The Master-Disciple Tea Ceremony," he repeated. "It's an important tradition, one that formally establishes our relationship as master and disciple."

Liu Wei nodded slowly, trying to hide his embarrassment at not knowing about such an apparently crucial custom. "I see," he said, hoping he sounded more knowledgeable than he felt. "Of course, the tea ceremony. How could I forget?"

If Elder Jiang noticed his discomfort, he didn't comment on it. Instead, he rose from his seat and moved to a small cabinet in the corner of the room.

As Liu Wei watched his new master prepare for the ceremony, he couldn't help but compare Elder Jiang to Master Kai. The differences were striking.

Master Kai would have explained the tea ceremony to me first, Liu Wei thought. He always made sure I understood things before we did them.

He remembered how patient Kai had been, always ready with a joke or a story to make difficult concepts easier to grasp. Elder Jiang, in contrast, seemed to expect Liu Wei to already know these things.

But then again, Master Kai was new to being a teacher. Maybe this is how real masters are supposed to act.

Still, he couldn't shake a feeling of longing for his first master's more approachable style. Kai had felt like a friend as well as a teacher. Elder Jiang, despite his higher cultivation level and knowledge, seemed distant and hard to read.

I wonder what Master Kai is doing now. I hope he doesn’t forget me. Maybe someday I'll be able to show him how much I've learned.