The White Crane Sect's outer courtyard was unusually lively that morning. Disciples streamed out of their residences, whispering with excitement as the sun's golden light spilled across the tiled roofs and the surrounding cliffs. Word had spread swiftly the night before: an Inner Sect elder himself would be giving a lecture in the outer sect.
For many, this was a chance of a lifetime. Normally, only outer sect instructors or the rare Inner Sect disciple deigned to speak to newcomers. But an elder? That was unheard of. Even the most senior outer sect disciples were giddy, like children before a festival.
Among the sea of faces were three youths dressed in modest but well-kept robes — the Duō clan members. Hushed murmurs rippled around them as disciples jostled for space on the wide plaza at the foot of the sect's jade-carved lecture platform.
It had been a week since their arrival. That week had been uneventful, spent mostly exploring the outer sect, adjusting to their new routines, and quietly gathering information. They had learned of the sect's vast branches — the Alchemy Division, known for refining pills and potions coveted across the cultivation world; the Array Division, whose members inscribed barriers, seals, and formations of immense power; the Blacksmithing Division, creators of spiritual weapons; and the Body Refinement Division, where only the most resolute disciples tempered themselves in pain to grow indestructible.
It was said that even the lowest ranked Body Refinement disciple could match a Qi Condensation cultivator in brute strength.
The three had naturally taken note of this.
Today, however, all thoughts were directed toward the promised lecture.
A sudden gust of wind swept across the plaza, scattering dust and making robes flutter. Murmurs turned to cries of awe as shadows fell upon the ground. From the sky, a crane descended — no ordinary beast, but a colossal spiritual bird easily thirty feet tall. Its wings, each the size of a small pavilion, beat with solemn power. Its feathers shimmered like polished jade, faintly glowing with silver light. Its cry, deep and resonant, shook the very stones underfoot.
Upon its back stood a man.
The crowd fell silent.
The elder looked to be in his early fifties, yet bore the bearing of someone far beyond mortal age. His hair, a deep black streaked with dignified silver, was tied into a tall crown knot. His beard flowed down to his chest in well-kept strands. His eyes — sharp, clear, and piercing like twin bolts of lightning — swept across the disciples with calm authority. Even the rowdiest youths dared not meet his gaze.
He wore robes of imperial purple, embroidered with golden cranes that seemed almost to shift and flutter when caught in the light. At his waist hung a narrow jade tablet, and in his hand he carried no weapon — only a slender fan of white bone. His presence radiated dignity, not the crushing weight of killing intent, but the unshakable calm of someone who stood high above worldly concerns.
This was Elder Zhāng Wújiàn, one of the White Crane Sect's Inner Elders.
The crane landed gracefully upon the platform, folding its wings like the gates of heaven closing. Elder Zhāng stepped down with slow, deliberate movements, his purple robes flowing like water. He regarded the crowd of thousands.
When he finally spoke, his voice carried effortlessly across the vast plaza.
"Disciples of the White Crane Sect," he began, his tone deep yet refined, "it is rare that I come to the outer sect. But today, I will gift you all with what little insight I can spare. Listen well, for what I speak today will shape the very foundation of your cultivation."
The crowd straightened instantly. Even those at the back held their breath.
Elder Zhāng raised his hand, and a faint ripple of spiritual energy hushed the plaza. His eyes gleamed as he began.
The First Realm – Qi Gathering
"The path of immortality begins with a single step. That step is known as Qi Gathering.
"In this stage, mortals draw the strands of Heaven and Earth's spiritual energy into their bodies, guiding it into the dantian. What you gather is formless — clouds of Qi that drift loosely, lacking true weight or solidity. With practice, these strands strengthen your body and grant you strength beyond ordinary mortals.
"But do not be deceived."
His gaze hardened, sweeping over the sea of faces.
"A Qi Gathering cultivator is not yet truly a cultivator. Your lives remain shackled by mortality. At most, you may stretch your years to one hundred. The villagers in the lowlands may call you 'immortals' when you cast sparks of flame or conjure a breeze — but in truth, you are little different from them. Stronger mortals, nothing more."
A ripple of discomfort moved through the disciples. Elder Zhāng continued unfazed.
"Qi Gathering has ten stages. Each step forward deepens your control of Heaven and Earth's Qi, each stage refines your body slightly more. The difference between the first stage and the tenth is vast. A tenth-stage Qi Gathering cultivator may split stone with bare hands, but they are still bound to the same mortal end."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
"And yet — it is here that most of you will remain. Of every ten thousand who step onto the path, barely a hundred move beyond Qi Gathering. To stagnate here is not failure, but neither is it true cultivation."
His fan flicked open with a snap, like a judge's gavel.
"Only by stepping into the Foundation Establishment Realm can you claim to have truly begun your immortal journey."
The Second Realm – Foundation Establishment
"Foundation Establishment," he intoned, his voice growing solemn, "is the stage where clouds of Qi condense into liquid essence. At this point, your dantian becomes a reservoir, and your life force expands. A Foundation Establishment cultivator's lifespan extends to two, perhaps even three centuries.
"This transformation is not easy. Few succeed through meditation and absorption alone. The vast majority require the Foundation Establishment Pill — a rare treasure, coveted across the cultivation world. Without a sect, a clan, or great fortune, you will not touch this stage."
He closed his fan, tapping it against his palm with measured rhythm.
"With liquid Qi comes control. Fire burns at your command, rivers bend to your will, and the wind itself answers. Arts, techniques, and weapons that are but crude toys in Qi Gathering become sharp blades in Foundation Establishment. But beware — even within this realm, there is vast difference.
"Early. Middle. Late."
His tone grew sharp.
"An early Foundation Establishment cultivator may fall like a leaf before one in the late stage. Never be deceived. Each step upward multiplies strength beyond measure. A single small breakthrough may be the difference between life and death."
The disciples hung on his every word. Even those who barely understood cultivation's intricacies felt their blood surge with determination.
Elder Zhāng finally let silence fall, the only sound the faint rustle of his fan. Then he closed his eyes briefly.
"This is where I shall end today's lecture. Reflect well. Do not waste your youth in idleness, for time will strip away your chances faster than you imagine."
He turned, stepping lightly onto his massive crane. With a single powerful beat of its wings, the beast rose, lifting him high above the plaza. The disciples craned their necks until he vanished into the distant peaks of the inner sect.
The plaza erupted at once.
"Foundation Establishment… to live three hundred years!" one disciple gasped."I didn't know Qi Gathering was so… worthless in the elder's eyes…" another muttered, paling."Hah! Worthless? Even a tenth stage Qi Gathering could crush us like ants!" a third retorted.
But many didn't stay to argue. The moment the elder's figure vanished, dozens bolted for their residences, eager to sit and cultivate, desperate to chase the dream the elder had dangled before them.
The three Duō clan members remained together, standing amidst the dispersing crowd.
One of them let out a low whistle. "Three hundred years… Imagine it. Our clan's ancestors dreamed of such a thing."
Another clenched his fists. "Qi Gathering is only the beginning, yet we are barely scratching its surface. We cannot waste a single breath."
They exchanged firm nods. Their paths were uncertain, but their determination had been reforged.
Somewhere in the crowd, unnoticed, Duō Yì also drifted away with the other listeners, his face calm and unreadable.
For now, the spotlight belonged to the three.
They returned to their modest quarters, hearts burning with new purpose, ready to cultivate with renewed vigor.
The sect had given them a glimpse of the future. It was now up to them to seize it.