Following the establishment of a golden core, it was customary for there to be a few days of rest for it to truly settle and become a part of one’s being. However, Kai barely needed any adjustment period, he felt strong, refreshed, and for the first time in his life he felt the connections with the world that he had always envied in others.

Still, he held back, he could sense the unease in his parents when they had witnessed him taking in and using all nine elements to condense his golden core. Now, no doubt, they were concerned about his cultivation.

Neither of his parents had talked much about Cultivation, and all that Kai Lan had learned was that there were six realms with 9 steps in each realm that Cultivators had to advance through in order to reach immortality and eventually godhood. In terms of how to cultivate, his parents had similar techniques, but they were unique in their own ways. From watching them, Kai Lan had learned that the process of actually cultivating energies was unique to oneself and the energies you felt most connected to.

It was techniques that could be trained and grasped, and they came in all shapes and sizes for various elemental, and career related preferences. For now, Wu Lan told his son to focus on increasing the energies and capacity of his Golden Core in order to move through the steps.

“Your mother’s way of cultivating is to cultivate an individual element at each step, increasing her capacity one at a time. She is currently at the 7th step, increasing her capacity by focusing on her wood element,” Wu Lan explained, “Because I only have two elements, I train both simultaneously by taking one ‘wisp’ of energy, as you call them, alternatively each time, Earth, then Wood, then back to Earth. It is quite difficult to pull in multiple energies at one time, and there is also a larger risk of backlash, so it is not as popular to Cultivate this way. Still, no matter which way you cultivate, you must take the elemental energies in order”.

“Earth, Wood, Light, Water, Air, Shadow, Metal, Fire and then Spirit, right?” asked Kai Lan.

Wu Lan nodded with a proud smile, “Yes, that’s right”.

There were benefits and drawbacks to each method, enough that Kai Lan held back as he thought about which was best.

Finally, the morning of his second birthday arrived, and several regular customers arrived that morning with gifts for Kai Lan. There were few in the town that had higher cultivation, so they were unable to sense Kai Lan’s brand-new Golden Core, but their gifts were a collection of toys, clothes, and a few tools that were useful for Cultivation. After all, around two years old was when parents traditionally started to open up their children to the world of cultivation and its laws.

Ran Ran and Do Han visited as well. The three of them playing in the garden while their families had a warm meal together to combat the chilly autumn day.

Despite their differences in understanding of the world, Kai Lan had grown to consider Ran Ran and Do Han his friends. Do Han was imaginative, and liked to play adventurous games or use toys to build magnificent stories. Ran Ran was more logical, preferring quieter and calmer activities. Kai Lan enjoyed both ways of thinking. However, Do Han and Ran Ran spent most of their time trying to convince Kai Lan to swing one way or the other, only for Kai Lan to come up with a middle ground that made both of them happy.

Already, Kai Lan was sure he could guess what their elements would be. Do Han would be Earth and Wood, like Wu Lan. Elements that were strong-willed but bendable, growing at their own pace and ability. Ran Ran was calmer on the surface, but could lash out unexpectedly, so Kai Lan was sure she would be Air and Water, perhaps even Shadow.

From what Kai Lan had observed though, it was uncommon to have connections to more than three elements, and even then, the connections weren’t incredibly strong. It was also uncommon for one to possess elements on opposite sides of the elemental circle. They were more likely to have connections with the elements that sat beside one another.

Later that afternoon, after Do Han and Ran Ran had left and Kai Lan had settled down for an afternoon nap, four black SUVs drove in a line down the Shans’ driveway and parked neatly side by side.

Several doors opened and closed as Wu Lan exited the store front with his wife standing in the doorway. They did not recognise these cars, nor were they familiar with the well-dressed individuals that alighted from them.

The majority of them seemed to be guards of some description as they fanned out around the entrance or around the six individuals that remained.

An elderly man with a cane dressed in a traditional and elegant but plain robe, two men, one of about the same age as Wu Lan and the other a few years older, but with such similar looks that they must have been brothers. They were both dressed in suits that indicated their class but were not overly flamboyant. There were then two women who were both dressed in qipao and seemed to be the wives of the two men by how they situated themselves. The older of the two women held the sixth individual in their arms, a little girl not yet a year old.

The old man looked around with a small smile, then stepped forward to greet Wu Lan.

“Ah, Shan Wu Lan, it has been two years since we met,” said the old man, “You’ll have to forgive my entourage, they insisted upon accompanying me for this outing”. The old man then looked over Wu Lan’s shoulder at Ning Wei, “And greetings to your wife, Bei Ning Wei as well, she looks just as young and lovely as I remember. Perhaps more so now that she is not adorned in a hospital robe”.

The old man smiled conspiratorially as he shook Wu Lan’s hand politely. A feeling of recognition washed over Wu Lan, “Fang Ze Ting?”

“Indeed, I’m glad you remember,” said the old man, “And how is your wonderful son? Two years old today if I am not mistaken?”

“He is well,” Wu Lan smiled, “The pendant you gave was indeed miraculous, as you said he was never unwell”.

Ze Ting chuckled, “Ha ha! I told you so, did I not?”

Wu Lan continued to smile, “You did, though I fear we have had it for too long and taken it from your own family”.

Ze Ting seemed to remember the company he had brought with him and waved his hand dismissively, “Xiao Mei was well looked after regardless, don’t you worry about that. These are my sons, Fang Ze Han and Fang Ze Ming. And these lovely women are their wives, Ning Yu Jing, and Lu Mu Wei. And finally, in Yu Jing-ah’s arms is my first grandchild, Fang Lu Mei”.

Wu Lan smiled, “Well, we are certainly honoured that you would make a trip all the way here, might we offer you some tea and snacks after your journey? All made from herbs we grow and prepare here, of course. Unfortunately, we had guests earlier so our Xiao Kai is rather worn out and napping. Though we can fetch him if you are eager to move on”.

Ze Ting waved his hand again, “No, no, tea and snacks sound lovely, have you any made from rosemary? Or perhaps mint? I am quite partial to both”.

“We have a selection, please, come, sit…”