In the beginning there was chaos. Elements of all types mingled together without rhyme nor reason, ceaselessly moving in an unpredictable fashion.

And then, into this chaotic mess came streams of order. They carved their way across the riotous expanse, gathering bright motes of light and pulling them into themselves. Slowly yet surely they slithered their way across the disorderly zone, all headed towards the same location.

And when they met, there was fire.

Zhang Wuli opened his eyes, the edges of his mouth curving upwards in a satisfied smile as he observed the spirit flame hovering a few inches off the floor ahead of his seated form. He wiped the sweat of exertion from his brow and silently congratulated himself on his best performance yet.

“One whole minute to form this tiny spirit flame?”

Wuli turned to face the voice, belatedly recalling that he was not alone in the room. Two other men were in the room, one kneeling beside him and the other, Head Chef Ma Cheng, standing before them. Ma Cheng shook his head in mild disgust as he regarded the tiny spirit flame that was already close to being extinguished by Wuli’s breath. He rubbed his bulging gut and addressed the wiry man kneeling before him with a warning tone.

“Old Hao, if this is the best your nephew can do, I don’t think I can take him. Forget my shop, I don’t think anyone in this city would take him in like this.”

Elder Zhang Hao’s already bent form bent even further, leaving the old man almost prostrate before Head Chef Ma Cheng.

“Brother Cheng, I beg you to reconsider. If it is not you, then my nephew will have no choice but to destroy his body in the mines. If I were to let that happen not only would I never be able to hold my head high again, but my brother would haunt me from the grave for mistreating his son.”

Wuli’s cheeks coloured with shame as his uncle lowered his head till it was almost brushing the ground. If the situation was different, if his talent was better, if he hadn’t been born with clogged channels then he would have been able to cultivate at the same speed as everyone else. He wouldn’t have had to struggle for his 17 years just to get his command of a single element up to this level. He would have been able to take care of himself even after his parents died. His uncle would not have to be lowering his head to beg on his behalf like he was now to keep him out of the mines.

However, the situation wasn’t different, and his uncle was lowering his head. Wuli swallowed the remnants of his pride and did the same.

“Raise your heads,” came the resigned voice from above, “Seeing both of you bowing is just making me nauseous.”

Wuli raised his head at the same time as his uncle, looking up at the frowning Head Chef as he in turn regarded Uncle Hao with the look of a man that is about to do something he knows he will regret.

“Fine!” Ma Cheng announced in a booming voice, “I’ll give him a chance to prove his worth, but that’s all it is, a chance! If he can’t keep up, I’ll treat him like any other worker in that position.”

Uncle Hao bowed again, drawing an annoyed huff from the Head Chef.

“Brother Cheng, I won’t say thank you since that would only devalue our sworn brotherhood. Wuli will not let you down.”

“That remains to be seen. Old Hao, I won’t stand on ceremony, you can show yourself out. Boy, come; I will show you to your station.”

Zhang Wuli scrambled to his feet and followed the Head Chef through the little bead curtain in the back of the small room, sparing his Uncle not a glance. They both knew how important this was and had said goodbye long ago.

Head Chef Cheng led Wuli down a short, dark hallway that stank of woodsmoke and grease before walking out into a bustling kitchen.

A dozen people went about preparing the ordered meals with an air of haste. There was no panic in their movements, but they were clearly moving as quickly as they thought they could manage.

A wave of heat blasted him in the face as one of the chefs opened a small stone oven and floated out the item within on a cloud of undulating flames.

“What are you looking at? Your station is back here!”

The voice of Head Chef Cheng snapped Wuli out of his gazing and he realized that he had stopped at the entrance and now the Head Chef was already across the room.

Zhang Wuli ducked his head in embarrassment and quickly walked around the busy cooking stations to catch up with the Head Chef. Head Chef Ma Cheng awaited him at the back of the kitchen, standing in front of a set of double doors and somehow looking even more annoyed.

“In the future, you won’t be coming through here. In a busy kitchen like this I must have a place for every chef to do their work without getting bothered. A novice like you walking through will just disrupt the flow. Understand?”

The portly Head Chef stared Zhang Wuli down with a stern look on his face until the boy nodded in acknowledgement. He regarded the boy a moment longer before indicating the door behind him his his thumb.

“Good. Every station in my shop must be worked, and every worker has a station. Your station is here.”

Ma Cheng pushed open the door revealing the place Zhang Wuli would be working.

Towers of plates, palaces of pots, and forests of utensils greeted Zhang Wuli. Half a dozen men in simple rugged clothing took dirty dishes, pots, and pans and scrubbed them vigorously and rapidly before washing them clean and placing them in piles that were carried away by waiting porters.

“Go find an empty spot and work hard. Payment is at the end of the week.”

Zhang Wuli’s face sank.