"Close your eyes and focus on your breath," Breaker said. "Feel the swell of your lungs, the rush of air, the sensation within you."

Rix did as he was told.

"A key element of cultivation is the ability to impose yourself upon the world. While true mastery takes centuries, the foundation can be laid here in the basest of techniques. The Breath Bridge is aptly named. The technique calls for you to visualise your breath as a bridge. With every inhalation, qi flows down the bridge and into you. With every exhalation, the bridge extends further out, allowing you to draw qi from a greater distance. For you, the important thing will be to remain relaxed. Your dantian cannot grow in capacity if you are tense. Similarly, this is not a battle. You are not forcing qi into yourself. You are simply opening an avenue for it to flow somewhere it already wants to go. Try it."

Rix frowned, but he shoved his doubts aside and attempted to follow Breaker's instructions. Focusing on his breath was easy enough, but the visualisation was more challenging. He held the image in his mind as best he could, but the entire process felt so strange. He wasn't doing anything. Just sitting and thinking. He somewhat understood Luna's complaint. It was so passive. Even after ten minutes of concentration, he felt no stirring of qi.

He slumped back onto his hands. "Nothing." A glimmer of a smile played on Breaker's lips, but before he could speak, Rix raised a hand. "I know, I know. I'm trying to eat the moon. It's just frustrating. I feel like I'm starting from scratch."

Breaker spread his hands. "Sometimes we must walk backwards to find the right path forward. Your old method taught you what qi feels like. That is valuable and takes most many months, if they find it at all. Now you are simply learning how to work with it properly."

Rix sighed, but he began again. He could feel the qi all around him, a subtle weight in the air, but even after another five minutes of practice, it didn't stir.

"I'm sorry, elder. It just feels silly," he said. "How does picturing something that isn't real help?"

Breaker's eyes crinkled ever so slightly in amusement. "And that is the problem."

"What?"

"You say with such certainty that it isn't real, which means you don't believe it."

Rix gestured in front of him. "It's not a matter of belief. It's literally not there!"

Breaker's face was irritatingly smug. "It's true, you are not conjuring wood and stone from the air — not yet at least — but what you can touch is not the sum of what exists. This is what I mean by imposing yourself on the world. To visualise properly is to create, and over time, the power of that visualisation will grow. For now, it is enough to know that if you hold the image in your mind with suitable conviction, qi will respond."

Rix chewed that over for several seconds. While many elements of the Martial Path were mysterious, they were tangible. You performed physical actions and progress followed. It seemed like cultivation was substantially more ethereal.

"If you say so," he replied.

Breaker inclined his head. "Try again. This time, try not to judge the process. You cannot fully control your mind, but you can stop it from controlling you."

Doing his best to shutter his preconceptions, he closed his eyes and began again. This time, rather than visualise a metaphorical bridge, he used something real: a bridge from the Lantern District that he'd spent months sleeping under one winter. It was short, as far as bridges went, a simple straight walkway spanning over one of the city's countless canals. He shaped that image in his mind, its strong grey brick worn smooth with age, its wooden railing, the dip at one end that every wagon driver knew to avoid. If he needed to truly believe what he imagined, he could think of no better way than to use something he'd physically seen.

When he was satisfied, he turned his focus back to his breath. For a few minutes, he simply sat there exploring that sensation. With each exhalation, the world dropped away a little more. Soon, his awareness held only space for his breath, his bridge, and the infinity of qi all around. Rather than concentrate on extending his bridge, he merely kept it static, focusing exclusively on manifesting its presence.

He didn't know how long he sat there. At one point, in the back of his mind, he felt the tiniest flare of frustration, but as Breaker suggested, he didn't engage with it. Instead, he simply observed the emotion until it fizzled out. That, in itself, felt worthy of celebration, but he didn't allow his focus to wane.

The bridge, meanwhile, became more and more solid. He could feel the wooden banister, rough beneath his hand, and hear the gentle thud of his boots on the stone. He held that image with each inhalation, picturing one end connecting to his dantian while the other faced out into the world.

And finally, answering an invitation rather than yielding to force, qi came to him.

The sensation was vastly different from what he'd experienced before. Before today, he'd thought qi simply had to be wrestled into submission, but with Breaker's technique, it came willingly. It wasn't substantially faster, but it was also the first time he was doing it.

Unfortunately, he was only able to hold the technique for a few seconds. That crystal-clear image of the bridge dimmed and lost detail, and the visualisation abruptly shattered.

Rix's eyes flew open.

He found Breaker regarding him with a hint of a smile. "Does it still feel silly now?"

Rix shook his head, a hint of wonder playing on his face. A tiny part of him was frustrated by the brevity of the experience, but he knew it was unrealistic to expect instant mastery.

"You should be proud," Breaker said. "That takes many students weeks or months. It will require practice for you to be able to use it without thought, but unlike that technique you were using before, this one will allow you to grow your cultivation. In many ways, a cultivator is defined by their qi — the quantity, the density, the power. All these things will contribute to your success. It is why most people refer to a cultivator's strength by how far along in their qi cultivation they are, rather than the other two paths."

Rix chewed the inside of his cheek for a few moments. There was a question that had been bouncing around his head. He was dreading asking, but avoiding it wouldn't change reality.

"Do cultivators have potential?" he asked.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"We call it talent, but yes, I believe we're talking about the same thing."

Rix's expression slipped. "I…I had my potential tested, and it's as low as it gets. Obviously that was only in a System context, but seeing as they're related…"

Something flashed across Breaker's face momentarily, but it was gone before Rix could read it. Still, he took his time replying. "I would expect that assessment carries over, yes."

Rix let out a long breath. "What does that mean in cultivation terms?"

"It makes everything more difficult," Breaker said. "At first, it simply means it will be more difficult to grow your qi, but soon enough that has a cascading effect. Most people with poor talent reach their peaks early. About half manage to open all their gates, but few progress beyond that. They simply don't have the qi."

"That's not what I wanted to hear."

"To be honest, it frustrates me too," Breaker replied. His face had grown contemplative. "You'll need a certain amount of strength to properly help me."

"I'm sorry, Breaker," Rix replied, not knowing what else to do.

The man stared off into space for several moments before refocusing on Rix. "The river does not apologise for its course." His voice had softened now. "This was always a possibility. We will simply have to work to make you the exception. There are stories of geniuses with low potential. Judging by your aptitude with the Breath Bridge, you are a natural at handling qi. With dedication, I believe we will get you to where you need to be."

Rix nodded, doing his best to project confidence. It was a blow, discovering his limitations were more wide-ranging than he'd thought, but he'd suspected that might be the case for some time.

Would have been nice to be pleasantly surprised for once, though.

In the spirit of not wallowing, Rix pivoted to something else Breaker had said. "You mentioned that cultivators have to open gates?"

A hint of a smile appeared on Breaker's face. "The Soul Gates are the first step along the path of soul cultivation. It is where we will begin once you have an appropriate supply of qi. Most young cultivators start by refining their bodies to ensure their vessel is up to the rigours of the other paths, but your System benefits, pathetic as they are, have taken care of some of that already, allowing us to skip ahead."

Rix furrowed his brow. "So the System is basically body cultivation?"

"That's a bit of a simplification. I expect it's pulling from all three paths to varying extents, but judging by what I see through my spiritual senses when I look at you, it does seem mostly oriented towards the body. The physical improvements you've experienced so far are what we refer to as tempering."

"Does that mean if we want to pursue body cultivation later, we're out of luck?" asked Rix.

"Not at all. There are myriad ways to improve something. Think in terms of smithing. Tempering is one of the steps in the construction of a sword, but it is not the only factor that dictates its quality. The weight, the sharpness, the base metal, the design, many things contribute to the finished product. With enough dedication, you can craft a vessel tailor-made for your path."

Rix was beginning to see what Breaker meant by cultivation being a path of exploration.

"Since I can tell you are in need of a little tangible motivation," said Breaker, "I will tell you more about the soul gates." His expression darkened ever so slightly. "But as I would rather not repeat myself, I suspect we should return to your friend."

Rix hesitated. "With respect, Breaker, I understand Luna being here wasn't part of your plan, but you did agree to teach her. I think you might be being…unfair. We're all bound by the same secret now. It makes sense to ensure she learns properly."

Breaker regarded him for several seconds before letting out a sharp breath. "Forgive me. I have been a long time thinking about my eventual escape from this place. With you here, it is difficult for me to focus on anything else. But you are right. The girl has done nothing wrong. I will ensure she receives the same attention as you."

Rix nodded in thanks.

They headed back to the other ruin. Despite her complaints, they found Luna in the same spot that they left her, cross-legged and in deep concentration. The only hint of her frustration was the tightness of her jaw.

"Any luck?" Rix asked.

She opened her eyes and sighed sharply. "All I'm sensing is my legs going numb."

"Time to give up forever then, I guess," Rix said.

Luna's eyes narrowed. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"I literally just fought for you to get taught. Speaking of which, Breaker's going to explain what we do with our qi once we've got it."

"Does it involve more sitting?" she asked, looking between them.

"No, it is a considerably more active process, though for now…" Breaker gestured to Rix, and they joined Luna on the ground once more.

Breaker cleared his throat. "As I explained to Zao Rixian, once a cultivator has built an adequate supply of qi, they must choose how to begin using it. One of those options is what we call opening the Soul Gates, and it is the place my clan would start its fledglings. These gates are one of the many means through which we enhance ourselves. There are seven gates, each corresponding to different categories of performance. When you open a gate, you are permanently improving that aspect of yourself."

"What are the seven?" Rix asked, unable to keep the anticipation from his voice. This was everything he'd imagined when he discovered that book all those years ago, something foreign and mysterious.

If Breaker was upset by the interruption, he showed no sign. "The Mountain Gate, sometimes called the Strength Gate, is responsible for physical power and durability. It gives increased muscle strength, bone density, and overall physical resilience."

"The Wind Gate, or Agility Gate, governs speed, reflexes and flexibility. It improves reaction times, balance and fluidity." He looked to Rix. "You've actually already begun exploring this gate, though judging by your approach, you didn't know what you were doing."

Rix took a moment to catch Breaker's meaning. "My Energy Surge?"

"Is that what you call it?" Breaker said with amusement.

"It's the only technique I was able to work out on my own."

"It's not a technique," said Breaker. "It's more foundational than that."

"Does that mean I've already opened it?" he asked.

Breaker scoffed. "Far from it. Opening gates is an involved process that I will teach you when the time comes. For now, let me continue."

Rix nodded quickly.

"The River Gate, or Vitality Gate, improves health, stamina, and life force. It offers accelerated healing, increased endurance, and resistance to toxins."

Breaker's list seemed well rehearsed.

"The Star Gate, also called the Perception Gate, governs sensory acuity and awareness. It grants sharpened senses, improved spatial awareness, and better qi sensitivity."

Rix noted that one as well. He was happy with his System focus on acuity, so it was exciting to hear cultivation offered other avenues to strengthen that further.

"The Crystal Gate, or Focus Gate, improves mental clarity and concentration. It grants an enhanced ability to concentrate, improved memory, and mental resilience."

"The Shadow Gate, or Intuition Gate, governs instinct and subconscious processing. It improves combat instincts, decision-making under pressure, and the ability to learn new things."

"Finally, the Spark Gate, or Control Gate, governs qi manipulation and precision. It offers finer control over one's qi, improved qi efficiency, and better control over qi techniques."

There was a magic to moments like that, where your perspective was widened and the bounds of your world suddenly expanded beyond what you thought possible. It was the same way Rix had felt the first time he learned about the Martial Path. The joy of possibility.

"You said this was part of soul cultivation, but it sounds more like body cultivation to me," said Rix.

"A reasonable confusion," said Breaker. "The gates improve us physically, but not by improving the flesh. Instead, each taps into a nascent element of our soul that then flows out and augments us in the physical realm. The gates are aptly named, as each is a portal to a different part of our soul."

"And we have to open them all eventually?" asked Luna.

Breaker nodded.

Rix's brows knitted together. "Does that mean all cultivators with the same gates open are equally strong?"

"Not at all," Breaker replied. His mouth tightened briefly as his eyes looked Rix up and down. "The amount of qi you apply while opening them will dictate how strongly their effects are felt. It is also worth noting that each gate you open requires more qi than the last."

Rix winced. This was what Breaker had been talking about before with respect to his potential. Less qi meant less potent effects.

"I see," Rix replied.

Luna glanced between them, clearly aware that there was some subtext she was missing, but she didn't push the issue.

"Worry not about what you can't change," Breaker said. "The technique used to open them also contributes to their effect, and I will be teaching you the strongest that I know. Besides, opening the gates is only part of the puzzle." He grinned. "The other part is how you use them."

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