It was quite interesting to consider such things.

But then, Rongxia asked me why I asked such questions when I was already such a powerful cultivator.

I smartly decided to ignore her.

Answering her would bring me no benefits.

I turned back towards my parchment.

So, in order to create this dantian. I would need to follow a few steps:

* Enter a Meditative State: Start by calming the body and mind, using the Breath of the Willow to achieve inner peace. Sit or stand in a relaxed posture, and focus on your breathing. This step helps you connect with your body's natural energy flow and with the ambient Qi around you.

* Sense and Absorb Qi: Once your mind is calm, begin to sense the Qi in your surroundings. Visualize energy flowing from the natural world—such as the wind, earth, or sunlight—entering your body with each inhale. The goal is to gather this Qi into your body, focusing it in the area just below the navel where the dantian will form.

* Focus Qi on the Lower Abdomen: As you continue inhaling and exhaling in rhythm, direct the absorbed Qi toward the lower abdomen, just below the navel. You can visualize this energy flowing down through your meridians, collecting in a small, concentrated ball of light or energy in that area. The sensation should be subtle but focused, as though you are "gathering" energy into one place.

* Concentrate Energy to Form the Dantian: With the gathered Qi, you need to focus on creating a stable energy center. Picture the energy condensing and solidifying into a stable, swirling core within your lower abdomen. The image of a calm, balanced sphere of light is often used to represent the dantian but other shapes could be considered depending on the technique. Here, for the Breath of the Willow, a tree is an option. The formation of the dantian is delicate; it should feel like a natural convergence of energy rather than something forced.

* Visualization Tip: Imagine the dantian as the base of a willow tree, as described in the Breath of the Willow technique. The roots (your dantian) absorb and store Qi from the earth, while the branches (your meridians) allow it to circulate through your body.

* Seal and Stabilize the Dantian: Once the energy has coalesced into a stable form, you need to mentally "seal" it, ensuring it stays intact. Continue breathing gently, but now focus on maintaining the energy within the dantian. The Qi should not dissipate but remain in a gentle flow, circulating within this energy center. Visualize a protective barrier around the dantian, keeping the energy contained but flexible.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

* Circulate Qi to Strengthen the Dantian: After the initial creation, begin to circulate Qi from the dantian through your body’s meridians and back again. This step helps strengthen and stabilize the dantian. The circulation of Qi will also reinforce the pathways in your body, ensuring smoother energy flow during future cultivation. Techniques like Breath of the Willow are particularly useful here, as they emphasize a soft, continuous flow of Qi.

* Repeat and Consolidate: Forming a dantian is a gradual process. Beginners should repeat this practice regularly, allowing the dantian to grow stronger and more stable with time. The more Qi you gather and circulate, the more powerful your dantian will become, forming the basis for advanced cultivation.

This seemed doable.

As for the shape, since a tree was an option while a balanced sphere was the most basic one, I considered for a moment before deciding to do both:

A tree within a balanced sphere!

That was genius.

Sometimes, my mind blows my mind with my own creativity.

By the time I had figured all this out, however, it was already night time.

We ended up staying at this inn after reserving two rooms.

Of course, I needed no sleep so I began the steps to create my own Dantian.

I sat cross-legged and entered my own consciousness as a meditative stance. I started to feel the energy within and outside.

I began to absorb the outside energy while visualizing a willow tree gently fluttering within a calm wind.

I directed the energy towards the 'dantian area' which would be a few inches below the navel in the lower abdomen, completely different from my mana rings surrounding my own heart.

I moved the energy and began to condense it in the form of a willow tree within a balanced and perfect sphere.

I repeated the process of condensing and circulating continuously for hours on end. Even after the sun was up and went back down a few times.

I continued.

Then, I lost the sense of time itself as I focused and repeated the process.

By the time I felt like I was done, I had managed to create a dantian.

My body now held two energy cores within: a mana heart (the condensation of mana rings surrounding the heart) and a dantian.

The dantian was, however, still an empty construct. But it would be filled soon. It would be my new goal.