Reincarnated into a Snow Griffin-Chapter 62

"There is energy all around us, shaping everything there is and making the world move, on the trees, on the rivers, the animals, in the air, everywhere, including ourselves as well. However what differentiates us from mere mortals is the fact that we are able not only to perceive such energy but to absorb it as well." One of the teaching seniors says in front of the class, barely moving his eyes in our direction as he keeps walking back and forth, talking none stop, making the disciples sitting on the floor scribble fast at the paper in front of them no match his talking speed and I was not different from the others as I pay utmost attention to his words, listening attentively.

"The state the energy is at changes its name and form, all energy outside is called Qi energy in a generic way, which is formed by Ying and Yang energy. On the contrary of what most think, these two are as important as the other, but most regard one as being more important than the other. Anyone would know which one and why?" Only then he stops and looks at the class, sharp eyes that always seem to carry a disappointed rough glint to then stares at each disciple, but as he did not expect an answer he is about to continue when I raise from my place to answer:

"This disciple shall answer. The Yang energy has always been regarded as more important than the Ying."

"...And would you know why?"

For the past few days I have been putting a lot of effort into mapping the place up in my mind since I could not count in my sense of direction to guide me, and in one of those walks around the lake I managed to find the library and, as an avid reader as I already was, found my source of knowledge there, which gave me the impulse I needed to learn things by myself and, as such, come to classes like this with the information already in my mind.

And made me able to answer this sort of question easily: "At parts it had been because of prejudice, as for many years the cultivating Realm believed that women could not ascend as men could, and as the Ying energy is associated with the feminine kin it was seeing as a lesser type of energy, however some came to realized that almost no woman ascended because most were not even given the opportunity, and as such there were less of them trying to ascend in the first place, but Ling Min, the eternal Immortal, proved everyone wrong when not only she ascended by improving her Ying energy, but by having a three elemental base." The teaching master nods all the way, and with a rare glint of satisfaction keeps his eyes on me, and prompts me to talk more:

"Yes, and what is the other reason for it?"

"The other is even more complicated, it comes from a long discussion that cultivators have in regards of what takes one to another level to the point of transcending mortality itself."

"Explain it further."

I nod back." Ying energy is very present in ghosts and apparitions, as it is a more fluent energy type associated with emotions, as the Yang energy is seemed as a clearer type, associated with the light and the sun and appearing most in logical individuals. The argument is that immortals are beings who must detach themselves from mortals affairs, and as such should distance themselves from everything related as such, and emotions are considered products of our mortal bodies. The more cold and logical the cultivator is, the better is his chance of transcending, more in tune with his energy and some would even say soul."

"Indeed, is just as Seraph said, though some belief in the Yang energy, at the pure immaculate aloof demeanor of the immortals, others believe in the Ying energy, further into the mundane pleasures of the flesh, very present at those who cultivate the demonic ways."

"What do we use then? Yang energy right?" One asks as I sit back down, murmurs already starting to sound at my back; some good and praising, intrigued by my detached hidden been, intrigued by an unexisting mystery, and others jealous and depraved, if it wasn’t for my sharp sense, especially of hearing, I would not have even noticed such words, not that doing so made me care at all of what any of them thought of me.

"That’s a great question, we use the third type of view that aims for the Ping Heng, the cosmic equilibrium between these two energies, we must absorb and condense them in equal measures to achieve true enlightenment. This energy, however, once inside our bodies became ours to use, and is called Chi energy, they enter through our veins and meridians and, with enough training, condense inside us into cores. Years and years of training will fill that core with energy, until we became something beyond mortal, and transcend our corporeal bodies."

That seems to ignite the class as chatters break across the disciples, excitement running inside their young minds, but I could not care less about living forever, all I wanted was enough power to overcome my enemies.

"And yet, of course, all of that sounds beautiful and promising, but no matter how strong, beautiful or charismatic one may be, all will be for naught if you cannot sense or absorb the Chi energy, so let’s start with that shall we?"

At that he starts explaining the practical part of the class, and gives us a guided meditation to begin our training:

"First I want you all to sit comfortably, but not enough to fall asleep, I want you all to relax and focus on my words. I want you to breath normally, and once you are ready you can close your eyes slowly..." As the class does as told even the small talk from before dimmers and a new calming silence takes place. " Yes... keep that up... now I want you all to pay attention to your surroundings... to the sounds, to the smell, if is cold, if it hot..." I do as told, my other senses amplified by the lack of vision, listening to the birds chirping outside, to the water flowing at different speeds, the foliage being caressed gently by the wind, and the smells too, the humid mix of water with soil that brings a cozy feeling to the heart, as well as the smell of wood and the people around me, beyond the cozy cold wind that felt so much like home. "Now I want you all to change the focus from the outside to the inside." He says to break us from the outside and improve our immersion.

"I want you all to focus on your bodies, from the top of your heads to the tip of your nose, mouth, neck... all the way down. I want you to analyze yourselves, where does it hurt, where are you tense, is there any discomfort, and relax all of that tension away..." I do as told, from the top of the head to the tip of my toes, and, with my eyes closed and the attention focusing in a place at a time, I realize just how hurt and still in pain I still was after all this time, my wound still in the process of healing no matter how much I ignored the pain.

"Now I want you all to focus even deeper, to pay attention to your breathing, to the core of your being, but do not try to control your breathing, but just stay present with it, you may even count if that helps for now, but focus your attention on the inside as the air expands your ribcage and fills your lungs..."

"Now try to feel it, the energy that flows inside you ever so slowly... try to grasp at it..." It is an interesting experience, but I do not notice much of a change until he finally guides us through the same things in the opposite order once the time is up, from the lungs to the body to the surroundings until we are once more focusing on the outside and finally opening our eyes, almost as if he is slowly pulling us away from our trance.

"Now before you move, before you speak, before anything else, take a moment to feel just how much you have already changed, how this meditation has already had an effect inside each and every one of you..."

As I stop to perceive my own body I am surprised to find that it truly felt... different, somewhat lighter, clearer, almost as if I had just cleaned a cloudy shy so the sun can shine in.

Ding – Energy perception learned

And at that moment, overwhelmed by that sensation of peace and fulfillment enveloping me, I too join the group of students this time as our eyes shine with new vigor, eager and full of expectations for what is to come.

And this was just the beginning.