Over the next few days Tomo continued to instruct his disciples. Contrary to Lin Liqin's expectations he made no efforts to keep his lessons private, instead inviting their three guests to attend.

“Jia Ying and Wei, I was very impressed with your performance the other night. Tell me Jia Ying, did you notice any changes to your Breath of the Earth technique?” asked Tomo with a knowing smile.

“Yes teacher!” Ming Jia Ying reported, “When I first learned it from my mother I could feel the pulses radiate through the ground and could use them to manipulate the earth, but last night I could feel it travel through the air too. I could even faintly feel it pass through the water in the bay and the fires ravaging some of the buildings. I didn't try, but I'm confident I could have controlled them as well if I had focused.”

“Very good, in the future we may have to rename it the Breath of the World technique. Now...”

“Excuse me,” Tsubame nervously interrupted Tomo, but gained the courage to continue after he nodded. “Why are you teaching her to control multiple elements? It sounds like she awakened the earth element. We were always taught that practicing multiple elements would limit your potential. Is that not true?”

“I'm surprised to hear that from you. Doesn't Liqin wield multiple elements?”

Tsubame glanced at Lin Liqin, but he seemed unbothered, so she revealed their dark history. “When we were little only Qiu was able to awaken the fire element. Qin and I are both elementalless. I wasn't able to produce any effects no matter how hard I tried. Meanwhile, Qin has struggled to get where he is. Most may not notice, but he primarily uses his control of the elements to counter attack, redirecting their attacks and reinforcing it with his aura. When he does manifest an element directly the effects are minor compared to others that have practiced as long as he has.”

Tomo looked at Tsubame with a hint of curiosity. “In all my years I've never met anyone that was truly elementalless. Often the instrument used to evaluate the individual was too low quality to accurately evaluate them.” Tomo motioned to Ku Wei before turning back to Tsubame, “Do you mind if Wei accesses your elemental affinity?”

Tsubame nodded as Ku Wei approached her. Lin Liqin perked up when Tomo mentioned he may have an elemental affinity. Even if it were weak he was interested in finding out what it was, “Ku Wei accessed me before I wrote in the encyclopedia, what was my affinity?”

Tomo shook his head, “You didn't have an affinity.”

“But you just said...”

Tomo raised his hand, asking Lin Liqin to let him finish, “Most people see elemental affinities as completely separate concepts, completely detached from one another. Like music and forging,” Tomo motioned to Lin Liqin and his sister, “both require effort, skill, and artistic expression, but are fundamentally different. However, this viewpoint is flawed. Elemental affinities are closer to being born right handed or left handed. Just because one is dominant doesn't mean the other doesn't exist. You, Liqin, are element neutral or shall we say elementally ambidextrous.”

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

Hearing Tomo's words, Lin Liqin looked delighted for a moment before becoming puzzled. Tomo watched him struggle with a question internally, allowing him to attempt to work it out himself. After a bit Lin Liqin asked, “If that's true, why has cultivating been so difficult?”

“One advantage those with elemental affinities have over you is an almost instinctual knowledge of how to summon and manipulate their element.” Tomo looked at Lin Liqin with a bit of sympathy, “In the encyclopedia you stated that you'd never been formally trained. If I can continue the hand metaphor, you've been walking on your hands and writing with your feet.”

Lin Liqin was quick witted, he realized that what Tomo meant was that what he was doing worked, but that didn't mean it was the proper way. If he wanted to save himself further headaches later, he needed to relearn the basics. Tomo was quite pleased seeing Lin Liqin readily contemplating his teachings. Together they turned to Ku Wei and Tsubame.

Tsubame had her eyes closed, a look of contentment on her face as she enjoyed the soothing feeling of Ku Wei's chi making it's way to her dantian. Ku Wei on the other hand was pouring sweat. Normally his chi was like a fish in water when traveling others chi pathways, but Tsubame's made him feel like he was climbing a sand dune in a desert. Most people, even those that don't cultivate, would naturally circulate their chi, but Tsubame's pathways were completely empty. Some were even shut, suggesting they'd never been used.

Ku Wei half expected Tsubame's dantian to be empty, but when his chi reached it he discovered a pool of chi. However, it was completely still, devoid of the ebb and flow Ku Wei was used to observing. After probing the pool with his chi, Ku Wei discovered that it would rapidly restore itself to its original state anytime he withdrew.

“Congratulations, you've finally met someone that is elementalless,” Ku Wei said snarkily to Tomo as he sat down in a nearby chair to catch his breath. Tsubame looked downtrodden at the revelation, but Ku Wei continued, “based on your teachings Grandfather, I believe her chi possesses potential energy rather than kinetic.”

“Now that is interesting.” Tomo stared at Tsubame like he'd found a treasure and his piercing blue eyes made her feel as if he could see right through her into her dantian. Tomo quickly followed up, “Could you tell what her specialty was?”

Tsubame couldn't really follow their conversation, but the mention of a potential specialty had her excited. It was like she was a little girl again awaiting the results of her elementally affinity test. She looked at Ku Wei expectantly as he answered, “If I had to guess, I'd say elastic.”

“Elastic,” Tsubame repeated the foreign word over and over to herself. Despite not knowing it's meaning it filled her with joy.

Lin Liqiu sat silently, watching from the side as all of this transpired. Speaking was still difficult for her, but her eyes conveyed her emotions clearly. She was delighted by the prospect of bright futures for her brother and best friend. A smile playfully tugged at her lips until it reached her wound, the resulting ache causing her to grimace.

Ku Wei and Lin Liqin both noticed Lin Liqiu's plight. Lin Liqin helped her to her feet and Ku Wei guided them back to Lin Liqiu's room. Once she was comfortably back in bed Ku Wei began removing her bandages with practiced ease. Once removed, Lin Liqiu motioned for a hand mirror that her brother was quick to provide.

Lin Liqin was quick to reassure her, “Don't worry Sister, you're still as beautiful as before. Plus, the ladies love scars. Once you're healed up you won't be able to keep them away.”

She didn't respond, but as she handed back the mirror Lin Liqiu began to bashfully blush. Ku Wei began infusing her wound with his chi, stimulating the area and encouraging healing.

“I still can't believe how lucky we were to find someone that awakened the life element,” Lin Liqin stated.

Ku Wei laughed almost self mockingly, “Actually, I awakened the death element. Ironically, if it hadn't been for my brother's attempt on my life and Grandfather's intervention, I'd probably be confined to my tower learning how to become an assassin instead of a healer.”