“Talismans and Formations fall into the same family of using symbols of shape, line and language and imbuing them with intent to reach a desired outcome,” stated Hei Hei, “The differences are quite prominent though. Formations are more powerful, and usually cannot be moved once established. They can also materialise with the will of the Forger and the Forger’s Spiritual Energy, or the successor of the Forger. Timers or Triggers can also be placed in them so that they may sleep for thousands of years before they are activated”.

Formations sure did seem pretty powerful.

“Talismans on the other hand are usually imbued into an item that can be moved from place to place. They are, for the most part, less potent than Formations, but no less effective when done right. Talismans hold the Intent of the Forger, and often work immediately once made until they are broken. Talismans, unlike Formations, don’t run out of energy. They don’t need to be replenished because they draw on elemental energies after they’re made,” said Hei Hei.

“But both can be broken, right?” asked Kai Lan.

“Of course,” Hei Hei replied, “If the energy used to break it is higher than the energy that created it or is sustaining it, or the forger is more knowledgeable, of course it will break”.

“Then…the Formation protecting me here can break?” asked Kai Lan.

Hei Hei nodded, “It can, yes. But it would require someone who is either more skilled in Formations than I, or who has a higher Cultivation. Which is unlikely given how rural Nui Dan is”.

Kai Lan nodded, somewhat reassured by this.

Hei Hei then went on to explain different symbols and shapes and how they worked in harmony to create Formations or Talismans.

It was around this time that Ning Wei made a happy announcement at the dinner table, “I’m pregnant”.

Wu Lan, having already known, smiled proudly and took his wife’s hand.

Xia Fei and Hei Hei smiled as well, “Congratulations to the two of you”.

“Aye, a true blessing”.

Kai Lan frowned, “What is pregnant?”

Ning Wei smiled, taking her son’s hand, “It means, that Ma is carrying a little brother or sister in her belly”.

Kai Lan looked down at his mother’s belly, which still looked the same as before, then back up at Ning Wei, “Really?”

Ning Wei nodded, “You’re going to be an older brother, Xiao Kai. And an older brother has to protect and care for his younger sibling, can I trust you to do that?”

Kai Lan thought a moment before he nodded, “Okay”.

Ning Wei smiled, then kissed Kai Lan on his forehead, “Thank you, Xiao Kai”.

As the months passed, Kai Lan’s training grew more intense as he mastered each goal set by Xia Fei. Ning Wei’s belly began to show after a couple of months, and Kai Lan found himself fascinated by it. Not just because he had a brother or sister growing inside, but because of how the energies reacted to it. Kai Lan had never realised how protective the spiritual world was over new life. It made him happy that it was that way.

Ran Ran and Do Han continued their training as well, moving from meditation into the Nine Stances. Kai Lan was nearly four years old, and had moved into the fifth step of the Foundation Realm, when Do Han suddenly announced that he knew where his place was.

Xia Fei told him to wait until the next day to forge his Golden Core so that he was sure, and Yi Yi, his mother, insisted that Xia Fei be present for the event. She was quite proud of her son, being able to forge his golden core before he was five.

The following day, Do Han arrived with his family and they set up the cultivation garden, with Hei Hei, Xia Fei, Yi Yi and Do Han’s father Wu Li Bai. Wu Lan, Ning Wei and Kai Lan watched from the side as Do Han forged his Golden Core from the Earth and Wood Elements, just as Kai Lan had predicted a few years before.

When Do Han was done, he took a deep breath before he was embraced by his mother and father. Xia Fei gave him a smile and words of praise, a rarity for any of her students except Kai Lan. She told him to take three days of rest to ensure his Golden Core was stabilised before he returned.

Ran Ran, with her competitive spirit, was not to be outdone. Shortly after Kai Lan’s fourth birthday, she too insisted that she was ready to forge her Golden Core.

At just three and a half it was a remarkable achievement. She too successfully forged her core, but with the water, air and shadow elements.

It was about two months after that when Ning Wei and Wu Lan welcomed their second born, a daughter, Shan Mu Lin. Kai Lan could only stare down at the tiny form in wonder when he was allowed to hold her for the first time. Reaching out a finger to poke her tiny hand which grasped on to him tightly. Kai Lan grinned, looking up at his mother proudly.

“I think she likes you,” Ning Wei smiled.

Kai Lan smiled back, “I like her. She’s really cute”.

Ning Wei’s smile widened at this approval from her son and their family of three happily expanded to a family of four.