The Laws of Cultivation: Qi = MC^2

Chapter [B3] 19 — Qi and Gu

Labby stood behind a tree, watching over the field within the sect premises where the various mortal children practiced the forms that an instructor showed them. Or… not mortal any more, she supposed.

She watched intently as they all stood moved their bodies, guided by the instructor and with Chi inside of them.

She could sense it flowing from here, the different kind of energy that filled their dantians and moved through their bodies as they did, slowly shifting and flowing, like waves rising and falling on the shore.

Labby continued to watch from behind, feeling a strange motion in her chest. She wanted to have it too. It was her path and purpose to follow her great master, to be just like him. But here she was, still stuck where she had been before, unable to even possess Chi, while Mo Lin had somehow gotten an entirely new kind of it. It was unfair.

After a while of practicing forms, the children moved on, sitting on the grassy grounds with their legs crossed as they began to meditate, that she moved together in synchronized rhythms, flowing in and out around the world. She could sense the connection of that Chi, all of it flowing in and out from around the world that tied them together, eventually flowing to anchor itself to her great master. Just like her own spirit was. And yet she did not have any Chi inside of her.

Labby turned, starting to walk away. She did not want to stand there any longer or to watch them practice. What was the point? She had tried so many things, practiced, learned, read, and yet still nothing. She did not even know what she was doing wrong. She did not know what the right thing was, either.

It was like everyone else had an answer, but did not want to tell her what it was.

She walked in a huff, feeling frustrated and sad, and was about to go to her chamber and sit around when a familiar presence reached out to her.

“Sister!” The voice said, playing in her head.

Labby turned around to see Twilight seated top Sheldon as the two walked closer. “Senior Sister!” Twilight exclaimed, bobbing happily. Labby smiled as she picked up Twilight in her hand. The little plant spirit had gotten a lot better at talking recently, and Labby would often sit with her to read words and teach her as well.

Sheldon looked up at her, the turtle’s eyes far more discerning as he reached out to her.

“What is wrong?”

Labby looked down at the turtle, feeling unsure of how to reply. Would he be able to help if she told her? She didn’t know, but she certainly wasn’t doing any better on her own.

“Labby is tired,” she replied. “No matter how much Labby practices, she is not able to grasp this Chi. Even Mo Lin got her own, and it’s an entirely new kind as well! Labby feels like a failure,” she replied, looking down as she sulked.

“Have you told your Great Master about this?” Sheldon asked.

Labby shook her head. “The Great Master is busy. He’s doing lots of important things, and working on the sect. Labby doesn’t wanna bother him.”

“A master is there to teach. When the disciple is stuck. They must ask the Master. Such are the roles the two play. The disciple asks. And the master, will guide. To be a good disciple. You too must ask,” Sheldon said, looking at Labby. “Do you wish to be a good disciple?”

Labby nodded.

“Come then. We will take you to him,” Sheldon said, as labby felt water forming around her feet. She jumped, surprise, but the water continued to rise, as it carried her up in the air, before seating her on top of Sheldon’s shell.

The turtle rose in the air, a wave forming around him as he rapidly began to move.

Twilight sat in front of Labby, near Sheldon’s head, standing up and jumping around excitedly as if guiding a ship.

“Chii!” Twilight exclaimed, as the three were off.

***

My mind still remained on the void nuke we had just created, but my responsibilities still had me moving. I worked with Qiao Ying to make sure our test hadn’t alerted anyone, or brought the wrong kind of attention. We reinforced the formations and wards, before I stepped out, looking out at the wintery overcast skies with a strange feeling lingering in my chest.

Just what kind of world was I creating here? And what kind of war would it create? Questions like that haunted my dreams. It was a good thing I barely slept anymore. Sometimes, I felt like I would be able to, even if I tried.

Before my thoughts could spiral to dark places, I felt a familiar presence moving closer to me. Sensing who it was I looked on in surprise, before a frown came over my face. Had something happened?

I stepped into the sky to meet them faster and found Labby clutching tightly onto Sheldon’s body as he flew, with Twilight seated on top of his head, showing a complete disregard for her safety and absolute confidence in the fact that if she fell, Sheldon would catch her.

“What brings you guys all the way here?” I asked, picking up Twilight and resting her on my shoulders, before I grabbed Labby in my arms as well. “Oh wow, you’ve gotten heavier,” I said, holding Labby.

It wasn’t a lie, though the grunt of effort I made may not have been entirely necessary. She had grown heavier. Just… not even marginally enough to be a problem for me.

“Labby has been growing!” She proudly exclaimed, and I smiled. The way spirit grew was not like normal children, and in Labby’s case, it was even harder to say, but so far, she’d grown like any ten year old child would grow. I had a feeling that if I didn’t pay attention, she would shoot up in height any day.

I looked back at Sheldon, awaiting the answer to my question.

“The lost child. Wishes to say something,” Sheldon replied, gesturing at Labby.

Labby seemed to shrink at his words, almost squirming as if uncomfortable that she was in my arms.

“Can… we go down… first?” She asked. “Labby doesn’t like heights.”

I followed along, gently descending back down, before I let go of Labby, putting her down at her feet.

“So, what do you want to say?” I asked.

Labby looked away from me, glancing at Sheldon.

“Labby?”

“Labby… Labby thinks the great master should rest more!” She shouted suddenly, before looking away again. “Great Master is working a lot. You should spend more time resting. Yes. That’s what I wanted to say.”

“And that’s why you came all the way here?” I asked.

Labby turned to look at me, meeting my eyes with a gravely serious expression, not blinking even once, as she gave a nod. “Yes. Labby thinks it’s very important. Great master needs to rest and make more pills for Labby,” she replied, and then nodded again, as if satisfied by her answer.

“Alright. But are you sure that’s it?” I asked. “I feel like there’s something more.”

Labby’s eyes darted again for a moment but she pulled them back towards me. “Nope! That’s it! Now Labby will go, bye!” She shouted, turning around to walk away, and then stopped when she realized how far away from the sect she was, and that she had no way to return.

I looked at Labby, who glanced around trying to think of what to do, before poking at Sheldon who promptly ignored her, and held back a sigh.

This was something I had definitely noticed as well. With everything happening around me, I’d ended up neglecting Labby. And it wasn’t just Labby, but nearly all my spirits.

I walked closer to Labby, kneeling to be closer to her eye level. Labby slowly turned back around to face me again.

“If you don’t want to tell me something, you don’t have to. But I want you to know that no matter what, you can always come to talk to me. Even if I’m busy, you can come talk to me, and I won’t get mad. Okay?”

Labby gave me a small nod.

“Now, what was it that you wanted to talk about?” I asked once more.

Labby looked down, playing with her hands, before she spoke up in a quiet voice. “Labby… doesn’t like Mo Lin.”

“Oh, why? Did she do something to you?” I asked, frowning.

Labby shook her head. “No… she just. She has all this new Chi, and her doll Mei managed to learn Labby’s technique immediately. Labby can’t even figure out how to get Chi, much less something new… Mo Lin would be a much better disciple for Great Master,” Labby said.

My eyes widened in surprise as I realised what was the problem. “I’m not going to replace you Labby. I could never. And Mo Lin isn’t really my disciple, we’re just… sort of trying to figure out her abilities. We think— no, at this point it’s not just me thinking. People are finding and developing new kinds of cultivation that we haven’t seen before, and we don’t know how it works. So I’m trying to find out, to learn more, and maybe help others and create more rigorous understandings for how things behave,” I replied, patting her head.

“You have the wolf spirit. Wolf possesses only one half. The half she does not have. The two can help each other. Reach and learn. Of the other half they miss,” Sheldon said to me.

I thought over it for a second. “Thanks actually quite a good idea. Meeting Ash could be beneficial for Labby. And he’s right here too,” I said.

“Do you want to?” I asked Labby.

The little girl thought over it, before giving me a nod.

“Alright, then follow me. I’ll show you the way,” I said, leading the three of them in.

At the back of my mind, I knew this had served as a distraction from all my concerns and worries at what I had created, but I put that thought out of my mind for the moment, heading in to see Ash.

The giant wolf sensed me coming, walking out to greet me, and I gently brushed his fur. A moment later, his eyes went to Labby and Sheldon.

“Hey Ash, this is Labby, Sheldon and Twilight,” my other spirits, I said, before looking down at Labby who stood behind me, as if afraid.

“You can come out here, he doesn’t bite,” I said.

Ash leaned closer at my words, but instead of looking at Labby, the wolf sniffed Twilight.

“A seed. Of something different, and new,” he said, before looking down at Labby.

“We do not hurt children,” Ash said.

“Labby is not a child!” Labby protested, forgetting her fear for a moment. Ash growled, almost laughing.

“As you say, child,” the wolf said, leaving Labby stomping her feet as lightning crackled around her.

“Alright alright, no fighting,” I said, putting a hand on Labby’s shoulder. “He’s just teasing you, we all know you’re big and strong,” I replied, gently placating Labby. “Let’s head in first, then we can work on how to proceed for you two,” I said, following Ash into his cave.

The wolf pups ran around, noticing our arrival, but seemingly not caring too much as they continued to chase each other. Ash quietly sat down on the ground, resting, though his tail wagged behind, and I could tell he was happy to see me here.

“Alright, so Labby has a similar problem to you Ash. Both of you need Qi and Gu respectively to form Chi but have been unable to. And I figured, maybe working together can help the two of you,” I said.

Ash looked at me. “Will the child… not be hurt? It is a difficult thing to do for one such as her.”

I frowned. That was true.

“Can reach within spirit. Learn. And then attempt. We can help. Bring them to the realms.” Sheldon said. I nodded at Sheldon’s words.

“Alright, let’s do that then,” I said, before finding myself a seat with my spirits all around me. Closing my eyes, I reached out to Sheldon, the turtle’s spirit easily reaching out to mine. Together, both of us reached out to the rest of my spirit, and I began to circle the Chi inside my core.

A moment later, I felt my consciousness sinking, pulled inside of me, and soon, I found myself standing in the familiar darkness.

Ash stood nearby, dark flames covering his fur, and a giant Sheldon stood next to me as well.

Twilight sat on my shoulder as normal, while Labby stood nearby, still in her human form.

I looked at all of them, smiling, before looking forward.

“Let’s go meet the big spirit of the Divine tree.”