Sun continued drawing the Dao Art Image, depicting symbols of elegance and of violence.
He drew with his Qi, leaving a trail of grey in the space of the base of Rising Dragon's blade.
The two-poked wheel gained intricate, profound depth, and the last detail was added to the centre: an encircled heart.
"That should be the most I can achieve..."
Sighing internally, Sun held one of the Dao Art Media in his left hand.
It was a necklace that was supposed to cool the skin and retain its suppleness.
Despite its ordinary appearance, it was definitely a Dao Art Medium.
Should one inspect it, they would feel the presence of Qi, both the innate Qi within the Medium, and the presence of a Dao Art Image, though it is not initially visible.
Qi is present everywhere in the world and manifests itself in a myriad forms with a myriad different properties.
It flows with the rivers, blows with the winds; is stable like earth, yet violent like fire; but they all share a similar quality.
The three Qi Cores, for example, exist within the mind, heart, and stomach.
The Mind Qi Core is represented as water, the Stomach Qi Core is represented as wind, while the Heart Qi Core is represented as light.
Of course, there is no ebbing lake within your mind, nor a violent vortex in your stomach, nor does your heart literally glow.
Qi, in a sense, exists on a different plane, overlapping with the material plane; it is a manner of co-existence.
The image inscribed on this Dao Art Medium is there yet not there at the same time.
It lies on the border of the Material Plane and the Qi Plane.
Similarly, the Innate Qi within this Medium is peculiar.
Sun crushed the necklace in his hand but was sure not to damage the gemstone.
'The Innate Qi within this Medium really is faint...
'Li Zi said that I could try superposing all the Medium's Innate Qi into the halberd... To press my Qi and force the Innate Qi of the Medium into the halberd...'
It seemed like an easy concept to grasp, but there was a little doubt about the method's simplicity.
Sun himself, despite being a Cultivator, was much too focused on his profession as a Guard.
The theory part of Cultivation was not a strong suit of his.
However...
Pressing his palm onto the gem and the gem down onto the base of Rising Dragon's blade, Sun roused his Qi.
His Heart Qi Core began to glow; the light flowed into his hand and out of his palm.
Sun could feel the movement of his Qi and its collision with the gemstone.
Qi conflicted against Qi, the same way water conflicts against fire, but also the same way two objects can push one another.
But this feeling, Sun felt his Qi being eaten, absorbed by the Innate Qi.
He continued to intensify the amount of Qi he was pouring out, and after the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, Sun felt the Innate Qi change.
'It's working...?'
The Innate Qi felt more solid, like a graspable object, but not something his hand could move.
Sun focused on his own Qi, willing the gentle light to push.
Under this command, the gemstone felt lighter, and after a breath's time, it cracked.
"Haha, Success!" Glee immediately showed on Sun's face.
He withdrew his Qi and inspected the halberd closely.
The gemstone no longer had that faint trace of Qi, but Rising Dragon now bore a subtle presence.
"If that was all, then adding the remainder of the Medium's Innate Qi will be quite easy...!"
The Dao Art Image Sun drew was faint, showing signs of disappearing.
Sun instilled some of his Qi into it, allowing its brightness to replenish.
'Clearly, this small portion of Innate Qi isn't enough to support the Dao Art Image, but the image seems more stable than before, even if the change is so subtle.
'I wonder how many I'll need... do I have enough...?'
But that wonder only lasted for a few breaths' time.
Sun recollected himself, placed the cracked gemstone beside him and picked up another Dao Art Medium.
Rings. Earrings. Ornaments.
There was a handful of small jewellery pieces that Sun purchased, but they would all serve the same purpose.
The Medium he handled also successfully transferred its Innate Qi to Rising Dragon, and the once subtle presence grew slightly stronger with each Medium used.
Despite the doubts he harboured at first and the inexperience with such a method, he still succeeded quite easily.
Talent. It was because of talent that he succeeded.
A blessed talent in Cultivation that allowed Sun to progress to where he was now.
The blessed talent that let the ignorant boy achieve what most would practice for.
This blessed talent is what gave Sun a newfound courage to proceed with this method.
After burning through several sticks of incense, Sun had worked through every Medium he had purchased.
'I have applied every Medium's Innate Qi to my halberd, and it is amply supporting the Dao Art Image quite nicely...
'However, it still remains too fragile by a shade... I need just one more of those ornaments... one more Medium's worth of Innate Qi...'
Sun looked at his right hand's palm.
Upon his palm was a heart-shaped ornament, a piece of jade wrapped in a slightly reddish bone.
The Medium given to him by Liming Zi.
'I...'
He gripped his hand tightly, closing his fingers around the ornament.
Sun held his fist closed for a few breaths' time before opening it; the ornament was still intact.
"I can't use this..."
Placing the ornament back in his robe, Sun stood up with Rising Dragon in his hand.
'I have inscribed the Dao Art I used back then on this halberd.
'Golden Ribbons and Arcs...
"Mother, I have not forgotten what you have taught me."
His voice was solemn, and his fist tightened around the leather-wrapped shaft.
The ebbing lake of his Mind Qi Core rippled slightly, and the Heart Qi Core gave off profound light.
The empty space on the base of Rising Dragon's blade began to shine.
The image of the two-spoked wheel shone again, regaining its grey colour, but it soon brightened with pale-gold light.
...