Niu slid off the raven and hit the ground below like a bag of rice. He lay there for a while, staring up blankly at the blue sky and gentle clouds. The sky looked deceptively calm when seen from below; up there however, it was as tumultuous as the sea.
Elder Ignii stood above Niu and stared down at him with unconcealed amusement. He had never seen a cultivator so poor at flying before. Cultivators were not like mortals, with weak bodies so easily hurt from rapid movement. In theory, Niu should have been fine. In actuality, he had his hand over his mouth before they had finished takeoff.
“Alright boy, that is enough lying about,” said Elder Ignii.
“You think?” asked Niu. “Because I could do this for another hour at least.”
The elder rolled his eyes before grabbing Niu’s arm and pulling him up. “Let us go pay a visit to the branch head. He should be able to tell us a bit more about your unique situation.”
Niu rubbed his hands over his eyes and rolled his shoulders. This human body was far more vulnerable to discomfort than his former one. “After you,” he grumbled.
They walked along a dirt road that led towards the bottom of a mountain. It was littered with dead leaves from the browning trees overhead. Animal footprints were seen far more often than human ones.
Despite Elder Ignii’s age, he walked gaily like a young man in the peak of his youth. Nothing but the sound of dead leaves cracking beneath his feet could be heard. His red robes fluttered gracefully like the blood-red wings of his mount, and his unkempt grey hair bounced behind him. Niu was suddenly struck with the image of a rabbit and could not help himself from letting out a chortle.
A few minutes later they were standing at the basin, staring upwards at the great mountain with their hands placed resignedly on their hips. The elder let out a sigh.
“I just wish we were able to land Sonya atop the mountain. The branch head’s desire to replicate the heavens is a bit too eccentric if you ask me.”
“Replicate the heavens?” asked Niu.
“Everyone who wants to enter the Earth Branch must first walk up these two thousand steps. They are meant to represent the two thousand Dao’s of the Earth Element,” Elder Ignii responded.
Niu stared blankly at him. “So you mean to say that you would rather fly up the mountain than take these steps?” he asked.
“Essentially, yes.” said Elder Ignii.
Two quick blinks were the only response Niu gave before he began traversing upwards quickly. “Fly instead of walk,” he grumbled. “The owner of a bird has a bird brain,” he said under his breath.
Elder Ignii stood at the bottom of the steps with his mouth agape. Of course with his level of cultivation he could hear every word Niu spoke, no matter how quiet the boy thought he was being.
“A bird brain…” said Elder Ignii incredulously. “Where was this boy brought up? To insult me because he is scared of birds…” the elder continued his offended ramblings as he followed Niu up the stairs.
The entire process of walking up all two thousand steps only took thirty minutes, mostly because of Niu. Elder Ignii kept trying to convince Niu that they should take a break at the halfway point but Niu continued walking, afraid that the elder would make him ride on that damned bird again.
They surfaced the final step and took a few heavy breaths as they peered at their surroundings. There were a series of small temples that surrounded a stone courtyard. The temples were simple constructions of wood and stone, winding their way around the courtyard before expanding into the woods. They were arranged in imitation of a dragon’s tail, and the yellow shingle roofs gave the appearance of dragon scales. Niu imagined that if one could see the temples from above they would take the appearance of a glittering, golden dragon
The central courtyard itself contained a multitude of grey-robed martial artists, at least a hundred, practicing their forms and sparing with one another. Off to the side was a shaded, grassy area where a brown-robed elder was giving a lecture on the Dao to eager-eyed young disciples. He was discussing the role of balance in martial arts, a necessity for both hard and soft strikes.
There were four of these courtyards in total, all connected by the stream of temples.
“This is the Outer Sect,” said Elder Ignii. “We need to go quite a bit farther to reach the branch head. He lives atop the summit.”
Niu nodded his head faintly, distracted by the sights around him. The Outer Sect gave off a vibrant atmosphere. All these young men and women were engrossed in their practice, bettering themselves to better their future.
Their struggles for success reminded Niu of the mortals in cities. Whereas mortals strived to gain more money and achieve a better life, cultivators strive to gain more power and achieve a longer life. Niu was unsure whether a good life or a long life was superior. He was sure, however, that money was not the true route to happiness.
The pair followed a stone pathway that slipped behind the easternmost temples and led through lightly trimmed undergrowth. This path, paired with another on the other side of the temple, gave the appearance of whiskers on the dragonhead.
Many of the stones along the path had become overgrown with moss, making for a difficult trek. This forced the two to slow down and delayed their journey up the mountain.
After a long while, the pathway began to narrow. Soon, branches were brushing Niu’s face as they continued walking upwards in a single file. Finally they passed under a wooden archway and reached a second temple compound.
This one was quite a bit smaller than the last. It contained only two courtyards and three temples. The courtyard was made of a smooth, white stone and had bamboo mats to the side that could presumably be dragged on top of it. There were only a few yellow-robed disciples training in this courtyard. Their sparing looked far more advanced than the simple motions seen below.
The temple on the left was grand and palatial. It was covered with different mythical beast carvings and vibrant colors; this was the Divine Arts Hall. On the right was another gorgeously designed temple, equally grand and equally domineering. This one was the Divine Weapons Hall, where the sound of metal striking metal echoed out in a steady rhythm.
The center temple was nothing like the two beside it. It was made purely out of stone and lacked any designs but a simple sign labeling it as the Dao Lecture Hall. The floor was made of simple wooden planks and had small cushions spaced evenly around it. A few yellow-robed disciples sat patiently inside, listening to a brown-robed elder with rapt attention.
This elder had a dignified air about him. He had a long white beard and a drooping mustache that made him resemble a catfish. He waved his hands in circular patterns, accentuating whatever words accompanied them.
He was giving a far more poignant lecture than the man below, discussing the Yin and Yang of Earth and its need for balance.
“Why don’t you sit in on this lecture,” said Elder Ignii. “I will go talk to with the branch head, and we can meet back here in an hour.”
Niu nodded his head slowly and said, “That sounds good to me.”
“Good. Then I’ll be back soon.” With a swish of his robe Elder Ignii turned around and walked towards yet another hidden path. His bouncing grey hair pulled another grin out of Niu.
Turning around, Niu had to resolve the minor issue of where to sit. Since he was not yet an official disciple he did not want to draw too much attention. Eventually he decided to just do what he had in the tavern, quickly plopping himself down on a cushion in the corner.
“Without male there is no female,” said the lecturer. “Without bad there is no good. This is polarity.” He paused a moment as the disciples pondered his words.
Niu nodded his head as he adjusted the pillow below him. Contrast is what makes something significant. In his past life, he was only considered a “big” mountain because other mountains were smaller than him. If all the mountains had been his size, then he would have simply been a mountain.
“Polarity is the essence of Yin and Yang.” The lecturer continued, “Yin and Yang are the two halves of the Dao. Lacking one of them and there is no Dao. Lacking Dao and there is chaos.”
Niu found this point interesting. He had never considered the possibility of an existence without the Dao. The Dao is the origin and end of everything. Only the Dao is eternal for the Dao was never born. Something that was never born can never die; it is unique within existence.
“Some kingdoms in the Far West do not believe in the Dao. Yet with their magic they are still able to create walls of fire and spears of ice.” Said the lecturer. “This is not chaos, but simply another way to practice the Dao. Just because they do not believe in its existence, does not mean it does not exist.”
Many of the disciples whispered quietly to one another about this. They were all very interested in this “magic” that the West practiced.
“The Dao is One,” continued the lecturer in a raised voice. “Yin and Yang are Two, the Elements are Five and the Manifestations are Ten-Thousand. To grasp the Enlightenment Stage, one must begin to fathom a single Manifestation.”
The disciples nodded eagerly at this statement. For many of them, reaching the Enlightenment Stage was their ultimate goal. If one were to attain this level of martial prowess then the world would be at their feet.
Such a practitioner would have his name etched in the annals of history and his statue carved in the walls of cities. Perhaps more importantly, once a human reached such a stage their lifespan would extend to 1,000 years. This existence was truly peerless.
“But,” began the lecturer, “if touching upon one of the Ten-Thousand is equal to the Enlightenment Stage then what would it mean to touch upon the Five?”
The disciples were instantly flabbergasted. None of them dared to raise their hand and give out and answer. If the Five are the origin of the Ten-Thousand then what would a martial artist who had comprehended such an entity be like? Nobody could say.
Niu was enlightened. He did not suddenly reach the Enlightenment Stage, of course, but had acquired a greater understanding of the Dao.
The Five Elements Sect was named after the Five but it did not truly pursue comprehension of them. It only scratched the surface of the elements and implemented aspects of them into techniques. Thus, despite its name, the Five Elements Sect was only pursuing the Manifestations, not Relationships.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
If one wished to transcend the Enlightenment Stage and seek an understanding of one of the Elements, then they would need to understand all 2,000 Manifestations of it. Thus they would need to be like the staircase. Each step another hurdle, another Dao, but together a single path, a single grand Dao.
A firm hand on his shoulder shook him back to reality.
“Niu!” Elder Ignii said loudly and somewhat exasperatedly. He had probably been saying Niu’s name for a while now.
“Yes, Elder?” responded Niu politely.
“Oh so now I am your senior again?” he asked with a smile. “What happened to being a bird brain?”
Niu paused. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Of course you don’t,” he gave Niu a leveled stare and raised one gray eyebrow in mild amusement.
“Ahem,” Niu started, “so what did you need me for?”
“The branch head is ready to see you now, which means that my job is complete.”
A faint smile spread across Niu’s ivory-colored face. This would be his first step in to the world of cultivation, a change from mountain to man. Maybe the branch head would even take an interest in his abilities and accept Niu as his own personal disciple? If that happened then his early years were all but guaranteed to be successful.
Elder Ignii frowned at Niu’s sudden elation. “Niu I want you to be careful here,” he said.
“While the branch head’s obsession with perfection is what led him to his current success, it has also… twisted him somewhat. I advise you to use your own judgment here and not mindlessly follow his orders.” Elder Ignii said seriously.
Niu’s brief moment of excitement was suddenly curbed. He stopped to consider what the elder had said. If this man was as eccentric as the elder described, then going in to a meeting with blind faith and expectations could have left him quite vulnerable.
“Thank you, Elder.” said Niu seriously while bowing low. He understood that Elder Ignii had no obligation to give Niu advice and simply did so out of the kindness of his own heart.
Elder Ignii appeared surprised for a second before smiling warmly. “The Old Master said that Compassion is one of the Three Treasures. It is only natural for me to have told you this.” After that, he swept his hands across his red robes and smoothly started his descent down the mountain.
The Old Master, which Elder Ignii spoke of, was a nameless sage from ancient times, famous even in Niu’s past world. He was considered the father of cultivation and the first man to achieve immortality.
Niu held the bow for a brief moment before straightening back up. He peered wearily at the path leading towards the branch head, the elder’s words still resounding in his mind, and let out a sigh.
The path leading towards the branch head’s residence was extremely lavish. There were all sorts of precious gems embedded in the ground as an ornamental walkway. They were arranged carefully so that no two gems of the same type were touching each other.
Compared to the simple entrance at the bottom of the mountain, this entire pathway reeked of self-indulgence. It showed that the branch head thought him to be above the simple contemplation of the disciples.
However, in Niu’s opinion, nobody is ever done learning about the Dao. They must learn about it their whole life. Thus these attempts by the branch head to move on and step forward was in fact a step backwards.
At the top of the staircase was a small pavilion shaped in a Yin Yang symbol. The symbol was constructed entirely of black obsidian and white marble. In the center was a small but well-adorned house.
Its walls were made of stained wood and had carvings of golden dragons slithering around the eaves. The doorway was the maw of a great silver tiger and its ruby red tongue was the doormat.
Niu wrapped his knuckles twice against the door, loud enough to be heard but not so loud as to appear forceful or arrogant.
The sound of a wooden chair being pulled back across floorboards could be heard prior to the shuffling of feet. After the shifting of locks, the door smoothly opened.
Behind it stood a tall man with blue eyes and a tan complexion. His jet-black hair was pulled back into a topknot with three silver bands around the middle. His thin arms poked out from the low hanging sleeves of his golden robe and each hand was adorned with a variety of rings.
The man exuded an aura of imminent danger, like the feeling one gets when standing on the edge of a cliff staring down at the great abyss below. The man’s sharp cheekbones and hawk-like eyes accentuated this feeling.
“You would be Niu, I presume.” the man stated with a grating voice.
“Yes, branch head.” Niu responded.
“Hmm,” he glanced over Niu in a scrutinizing manner. “You can call me Master Avem.”
“Yes, Master Avem,” corrected Niu.
“Come inside then,” he said while pulling the door further back.
Niu hesitated for a second before gingerly slipping by Master Avem. He could feel the man’s gaze bearing down on him as he passed by. The sound of the door shutting accompanied the beating of Niu’s own heart.
“Take a seat,” instructed Master Avem. He gestured to a red wooden chair in the corner of the room. He himself sat in a large armchair with an embroidered cushion and a high back.
“So you are the boy with the special affinity, correct?” asked Master Avem.
“I am,” Niu replied honestly.
“Describe what you saw to me.”
“You mean with the affinity stone?”
“Yes,” replied Master Avem dryly, “with the affinity stone.”
“There were two mountains, one black and one white,” said Niu. “There was also a golden dragon between them.”
Master Avem stared at Niu expectantly.
“That was all,” said Niu.
“Hmm.” Master Avem’s eyes glazed over and he leaned back. His chair made a slight creaking sound as the wood adjusted under his bony frame.
Niu waited quietly for the elder to collect his thoughts; he did not want to interrupt his musings.
“The Golden Dragon is the earthen primordial beast,” he started. “While most demonic beasts will slowly comprehend a Dao throughout their life, the Golden Dragon will slowly comprehend the Grand Dao of Earth during its 100 million year lifespan.” he finished.
“The Grand Dao of Earth!” Niu gasped. “Dragons truly live up to their reputations.”
Master Avem looked at Niu disdainfully. “Not all dragons are this powerful. Most only comprehend three Daos and live for about a million years. Only the great Azure Dragon, who naturally comprehends the Dao of Wood, is comparable.”
This point seemed reasonable to Niu. After all, if every dragon were so incredibly powerful and long living, what room would there be for other species?
“Furthermore,” he continued, “primordial dragons such as those can only be read about in ancient texts. Not to mention that even the people from those times believed the beasts to be more symbolic than factual.”
Niu nodded his head in understanding. The heavens were balanced in this manner. The more precious something was, the less of it there would be. This law was demonstrated by the scarcity of precious gems, rare talents, and unique beings.
“As for the two mountains… I have no idea,” said Master Avem. “I have never heard of such an existence in any text that I’ve read.”
A downtrodden expression could be seen on Niu’s face. He had come here for answers but had only received questions and symbolism.
“I would imagine that like the Golden Dragon it is symbolic of the Earth. That both of these have appeared from testing your affinity is… unpredicted.” the old man finished.
“It cannot be denied that you have a great affinity for the Earth. Yet with your pathetic cultivation level this will not necessarily amount to anything.” Master Avem said derisively.
Niu felt his cheeks heat up at this comment. Of course in the eyes of this centuries-old monster, his cultivation might not appear like much at all. Yet in a sense, this was not even Niu’s own cultivation. Since arriving in this world and awakening in this body he had done nothing but go with the flow. He had yet to try cultivation or even consider how it was done.
“For now you will join the Inner Sect,” said Master Avem. “You have not proven yourself worthy of becoming a personal disciple but with your affinity it would be a waste to place you in the Outer Sect.”
This was less than what Niu had hoped for but still within an acceptable range. A quiet life in the Inner Sect would be perfectly fine for growing accustomed to this new world.
“First order of business will be to get you out of those filthy rags,” said Master Avem, looking pointedly at the three holes in Niu’s shirt, now brown with crusted blood.
“Yes, Master Avem.” Niu revealed a sheepish expression. He had completely forgotten that he was still wearing bloodstained rags.
“Afterwards, you will go to the Divine Arts Hall and pick a bottom-tier cultivation method, a bottom-tier combat technique, and a bottom-tier martial form. Once you have reached the 4th stage of body refining and have successfully opened your meridians you will be allowed access to the Divine Weapons Hall. “
Niu listened carefully to the instructions, cradling each word in his mind as though it were sacred. “Cultivation method, combat technique, martial form, and 4th stage.” He said aloud, nodding subconsciously. “Good, I got it.”
Master Avem rolled his eyes at Niu’s repetition. “You can pick any of the unmarked residences as your temporary home. Inside will be your uniform and sect emblem,” he said. “You are dismissed.”
Nodding again at the words, Niu rose to his feet and bowed briefly before walking out the door, being careful to close it quietly behind him.
The air was crisp and cool, causing Niu to smile subconsciously. It was relaxing to have a clear path laid out in front of him. This was the first time since his reincarnation that he knew what he was supposed to do. With a light heart, he descended down the ornate stairs.
Back inside the house, Master Avem was staring out window with his hawk-like eyes. He watched intently as Niu walked lightly down the steps.
“The Dao of the Mountain…” he murmured quietly. “The most powerful of all Earthen Dao’s.”
He clenched his fist tightly, causing blood to seep from between his fingers. A deep guttural voice escaped from his throat, “I will seize it!”