Teacher Feng

Within the tranquil expanse of the Serene Relic Chamber's vast library, Yi Tian sat on a plush floor cushion across a table from Elder Feng. With several scrolls and ancient manuscripts before him, Elder Feng exuded a joyous aura, his spirit invigorated by the discovery of Yi Tian's innate martial prowess.

As Elder Feng skimmed through the ancient texts, Yi Tian presented him with a book on Blood Qi. Shifting his gaze from the parchments to the young man before him, Elder Feng posed a question, "Tian'er, can you tell me who are the practitioners of Blood Qi and how they are classified?"

A young maiden, a silent servant, set down a pot of freshly brewed tea on the polished low table as Yi Tian responded in an even tone, "Martial artists are the bearers of Blood Qi, classified within the tiers of the Martial Realm based on their mastery of Blood Qi."

Elder Feng, now unrolling a scroll from the pile, nodded approvingly, "Yes, and what are the distinct stages within the Martial Realm?"

Yi Tian's eyes skimmed the contents of the unrolled scroll, a map of an unknown territory, before he returned his focus to Elder Feng's query, "The stages range from the novice Warrior to the Vital stage, followed by the Dantian Master, the Qi Knight, the Meridian Overlord, and ultimately, the Blood Qi Sovereign."

Nodding affirmatively, Elder Feng's gaze dropped to the scroll before him, a soft "Hmm" escaping his lips. He then fixed his eyes back on Yi Tian, probing further, "And do you recall what enables these Martial Artists to harness Blood Qi?"

"The meridian and dantian system," Yi Tian promptly responded.

With the scroll laid out before him, Elder Feng directed his full attention to Yi Tian, "Precisely. However, as you're aware, not everyone is privileged with these systems." His gaze shifted to the servant girl, beckoning her to approach.

With a respectful bow, the young girl advanced towards their table. She appeared to be in her late teens, her soft features framed by her plain brown, albeit high-quality, robes. Maintaining his gaze on Yi Tian, Elder Feng continued, "You were informed in your youth about the rarity of meridians and dantians. However, amidst our family, such knowledge may not be so evident."

Turning his attention to the young girl, Elder Feng gestured for her to sit. Once she had seated herself on the floor, he enquired, "What might your name be, young lady?"

The girl responded with a slight bow, her gaze lowered, "Master, my name is Luli."

Upon hearing her reply, Elder Feng nodded in acknowledgment, "Good. Now tell me, where do you hail from?"

"I was born in the Jiuhua district," she replied.

Elder Feng pondered upon the mention of the Jiuhua district. It was among the numerous outskirts districts of Yifeng City, with agriculture as its primary source of livelihood. "How did you come to find yourself here?" he asked.

The young servant, Luli, raised her eyes momentarily before demurely lowering them once more, her voice suffused with a respectful tone, "A severe drought ravaged the lands where my family and many others farmed, leaving us with barren fields. Given our humble circumstances, we were on the brink of starvation."

Yi Tian, carefully listening to her words, sensed the deep-rooted significance within her simple yet profound sentiments.

"In order to aid my kin, I chose to seek work and remit earnings back to them. At the time, I was but thirteen summers old, and I had the fortune to cross paths with the young lady of the Yuan branch family whilst in town."

Yi Tian's recollection was sparked by the mention of 'Yuan', and after a brief pondering, he remembered a participant named Yuan Bao from the Mountain River Gathering.

Elder Feng raised his hand, interrupting her narration with a placid smile, "Enough, young Luli. I have another query. During your days in the Jiuhua district, how many martial artists did you know?"

After considering for a moment, Luli responded obediently, "The only one I knew was the Martial Governor, Yuan Duyi, who oversaw the district. Many lauded his immense prowess in martial arts."

Elder Feng probed further, "And how about those with meridians and dantians, did you know of any such individuals?"

Luli nodded slightly, "I recall a boy, the son of a wealthy blacksmith. His birth with meridians and dantians became the talk of the town."

"Any others?" inquired Elder Feng.

Shaking her head, Luli respectfully replied, "I beg your forgiveness, Master. Apart from that boy, I knew no others."

Elder Feng nodded appreciatively, signaling her to retire with a wave of his hand, "You may withdraw." As Luli bowed and retreated to her initial position, Elder Feng refocused on Yi Tian, "Bear this in mind, Tian'er. Those blessed with meridians and dantians are a scarce few. It is exceedingly rare for a commoner to be born with them."

Yi Tian expressed his understanding with a nod, but a query lingered within his mind. "What becomes of those commoners who are born with these attributes?"

Elder Feng responded with a genial nod, "A splendid question. You see, it is a core belief that those born with meridians and dantians are akin to nobles, gifted by the heavens with the duty to govern over those bereft of such gifts."

"So, being born with them essentially elevates one to nobility?" inquired Yi Tian.

Elder Feng's robes stirred gently in response to his gesturing hands, "Not exactly. To be considered a noble, one must be connected to the imperial court; they bestow such titles. However, it can be argued that possessing meridians and dantians certainly bestows upon you a higher status than those without."

"I comprehend," Yi Tian acknowledged the message Elder Feng intended to impart. The wise elder sought to enlighten Yi Tian about his social standing when venturing beyond their familiar surroundings, especially with the forthcoming conflict only four moons away.

"Very well, given that your martial knowledge has surpassed mine, I have deemed it best to concentrate on other aspects that could be of aid to you," Elder Feng declared, motioning towards the parchment scroll splayed open on the table. It bore a map, he continued, "I trust you recall this map from your youth. Its sole purpose today is to provide a clear visual of where the war will unfold."

Yi Tian nodded, his eyes scanning the contours of the map while his mind churned in deep thought. The parchment depicted a continent, the very land they resided upon. He resolved to request the map for future reference, understanding that knowledge of his geographical surroundings would prove advantageous.

Elder Feng's voice cut through Yi Tian's musings, his finger tracing paths on the parchment, "This is the Longyun Range, a natural frontier between us and the Xiongfeng Dynasty. It is the principal theater of the conflict." His finger then traced southwards, towards the terminal point of the mountainous range, "The subsequent battlefield lies here, at the point of intersection between Longwei Province and Xiongfeng Dynasty's territory."