“Hmm…”
A deep breath exhaled.
After completing the Grand Circulation, my inner consciousness that had been immersed in introspection once again expanded outward.
Feeling the universe within me grow more solid, my half-closed eyes received the light, imprinting the starry night sky onto my retina.
I had successfully completed the first half of the Araya Gong I had created for myself.
The reason I had only created the first half was simple.
Having seen too many types of martial arts in my past life, I couldn’t decide what kind of internal energy I wanted to cultivate in the future.
Therefore, I based it on a cultivation method similar to the Three Elements Heart Method, which is tasteless and colorless, and created it while focusing solely on the purity of the energy, enhancing both my body and internal energy.
Originally, lower-level martial arts don’t consider only seated meditation, but I ensured this energy circulation method did so, also improving it to enable both Minor and Grand Circulations.
To ensure no issues arose regardless of what I built upon later.
“Indeed, Dongtong isn’t bad, but the refreshing feeling after the Grand Circulation is unmatched.”
Unfolding the lotus position I had maintained since birth and standing up, I looked downward.
From the embarrassing day I was born as an elf, which felt like time had frozen, ten years have passed.
Following the Earth Mother, the World Tree (we agreed to call her this), El Prigion’s intention, the first seven elves led by Arya and the leaf-born elves prepared to fulfill our role as mediators.
Demis initially designated himself and his siblings as High Elves and named the leaf-born elves as Lif-Elves.
We began preparations to build the history of elves within the World Tree’s domain.
The High Elf siblings, including Demis, were certainly competent.
And as a result, at least within the World Tree’s domain, the elves managed to achieve accomplishments worthy of being called the starting point of civilization.
Villages formed around the roots of the World Tree.
After Saras developed systems of measurement, the precision in architectural design improved.
This resulted in various types of dwellings, revealing that even homes existed above the trees in certain forest areas.
Over the course of ten years, the elves not only lived under the protection of the World Tree’s roots but also formed colonies at regular intervals throughout the forests, harmonizing the ecosystem.
‘If we compare it to the history of the Central Plains, would this current situation be equivalent to the era after Pan Gu, during the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?’
Though we don’t know if any other humans exist, at least among the “Elves,” the High Elves are akin to the original ancestors.
‘This new life started on a grand scale, didn’t it?’
However, despite having these remarkable advantages, everything wasn’t easy.
Of course, elves had nothing initially.
As a race newly created by the World Tree in this world, they lacked knowledge, history, foundation, and discipline.
Unlike in my past life where there were existing bases established by former sages that could be appropriately continued, as the first ancestors of the elves, we had to create the first history and culture starting from nothing.
The only thing elves possessed was a robust and sturdy physique.
‘Or maybe this one physique is enough?’
This race of elves, if purely compared to the common concept of humans in my past life, demonstrated astonishing physical capabilities from the start.
Though not entirely perfect, they reached levels similar to the invincible martial artists in the Wulin, starting from their base performance.
Specifically, they were seemingly less affected by external environmental factors.
Additionally, their limbs were long, and their muscles exhibited agility and elasticity.
Their joints were flexible, giving them a wide range of motion, and when compared to the martial prodigies who sought my counsel from my past life, they exhibited no inferiority.
Even more astonishing was their sensitivity to energy (qi).
Generally, even gifted children in martial arts families required at least 1-2 weeks to quickly perceive energy through guided induction.
Yet elves could naturally feel energy from birth.
Unlike myself during my past life in the Central Plains, whose meridians were disrupted and thus unable to properly sense energy, elves could feel the dense energy in the air similar to how one feels the moisture in the air during the rainy season.
The initial High Elves, including myself, also possessed unique eyes.
Energy, while existing, was typically too subtle to be seen directly by others.
To make energy visible like a mist, one had to condense it to high density in the form of sword qi.
However, my siblings and I could see the energy floating in the air without difficulty if we wanted to.
‘To just be healthy and live long is sufficient, yet we have been truly endowed with extraordinary bodies.’
Despite the differences in racial characteristics, the understanding of the human body wasn’t much of a hindrance.
The energy flowing within was so dense that it was vividly perceptible which paths it took.
In fact, controlling the energy came almost simultaneously with the ability to sense it.
If in the Wulin, this talent would be comparable to grand masters like Bodhidharma and Zhang Sanfeng.
As a martial arts expert who had founded many martial arts but never had the chance to use them for myself, giving them all away to others was my life.
But now, I could execute all the inspirations and concepts of martial arts I considered myself.
Certainly, this new life wasn’t without its challenges.
We faced the world with nothing.
Currently, the elves’ territory is within the direct domain of Fracion, so immediate safety is not a significant concern, but beyond that, everything is problematic.
Initially, it was clothing.
Now, with pelts and hides available after ten years of exploring, and having discovered crops similar to mana cotton from my past life, we’ve started establishing a rudimentary clothing system.
However, when we first received our names from Mother, we had nothing, not even a stitch of clothing.
Even though we elves were born naked, due to memories from my previous life, we didn’t consider nakedness necessarily natural.
The desire to cover our private parts existed regardless of gender.
But initially, we had nothing suitable to cover ourselves with, lacking both tools and materials.
Arya temporarily weaved leaves together to cover herself, and the other elves followed suit.
Next came the issue of food.
Given the circumstances of our birth, one might have thought we’d be like immortals who didn’t need to eat, but that wasn’t the case.
Immortals can sustain themselves merely by absorbing celestial energy, but no matter how heightened our energy sensitivity, elves are not in that category.
Though we certainly consume less than people in the Central Plains, a certain level of food intake was necessary.
And when we ventured beyond the World Tree’s roots under its direct protection to gather food, we first truly sensed this world.
True to its nature, the world was filled with energies of heaven and earth, teeming with intimidating flora and fauna, some of which could be considered spiritual entities.
All-encompassing primal nature, where size determined value.
Moreover, beyond normal life rules, spiritual entities existed in the world.
Some were beyond regular parameters and were not friendly to elves, causing considerable harm.
‘This was truly dangerous.’
Though elves are certainly a race with excellent potential, most are still in the form of adults without much development within.
If considered a military, we’re an army of conscripts with good equipment but no training.
Mother said that elves are so delicate that it’s difficult for them to flourish; we couldn’t afford to lose anyone at this early stage.
Therefore, Palas and I initially took on the responsibility for the entire elf community’s food.
Our first experience with life-or-death struggles.
Since we elves were part of the forest, surviving was a battle.
It was during this time that martial arts tailored for hunting large beasts, rather than combat against humans, were created.
We attempted to teach these martial arts to the Lif-Elves, but due to their overly practical and instinctual nature, none learned them proficiently.
Though it was cumbersome to create a separate set of martial arts for teaching, I was actually pleased.
If, in the mythology of the Central Plains, Shennong was revered for teaching humans fire and medicine, then I might be remembered as the first to teach the elves martial arts in this world.
Perhaps someday, in some distant future, Arya’s name will be remembered as a great patriarch, surpassing figures like Bodhidharma and Zhang Sanfeng from the Central Plains.
“Mama, are you awake?”
Though it was just idle muttering while gazing at the night sky, I knew Mother was listening.
“I’m awake, Arya.”
Just like our first meeting, Mother’s presence remains warm.
Perhaps the only difference is that now the relationship feels less like a mythical deity and its creation, and more like human mother and child.
Perhaps it’s the indulgence I lacked from my previous life, but Mother allows me to be informal when we’re alone.
“It’s been ten years since that time.”
“Yes.”
“The villages built by my brothers and sisters, including Demis, will only continue to expand. And right now, sensing all beings within my current domain, it seems there are no threats to the skilled elves here.”
Elves already have an excellent sense of energy, but high elves are even better. In my case, combined with martial arts, it has been refined to a different dimension altogether, and it continues to expand. At this point, were we to use Sarus’ measurement system, the “ron elte” (km), I could perceive beings up to about 4 ron elte (km) ahead if I so choose.
That’s probably about an 8 ron elte (8 km) diameter?
Probably, among all elves, including high elves, I’m the only one who can fully sense Mother’s vast form.
This conclusion has been reached after thoroughly investigating the entire domain over the past ten years.
Compared to human perceptions, elves now effectively “conquer” a forest domain of hundreds of ron elte.
Taking her silence as agreement, I continued.
“Species that excessively disrupted ecological balance were already culled a few years ago by Palas and me. And those who have learned the martial arts I’ve created can each manage a steadily expanding territory on their own. Also, new children are being born.”
Though the first generation of elves were born from Mother, subsequent generations have begun to naturally conceive and raise their own children.
Like an ordinary human family from my past life.
“Also, the magic that Sarus has organized has become a sufficient power for our elves now.”
“No longer is my strength an essential factor. Therefore…”
Slowly raising my finger to point beyond the forest.
“I want to see another world.”
Each day of this new life has felt fresh.
A life where survival was impossible without relying on others, parasitically living on someone else’s life.
The days when I shed tears from recurring pain without the help of potent medicinal herbs.
In contrast, this current life, even though it’s less than half my past life’s duration, feels ten, no, a hundred times more intense and vibrant.
Most importantly, the strength cultivated by Mother and refined by myself provides freedom in all actions.
Though we elves are mediators, I wonder if it’s because I’m human from my past life, or if it’s lingering attachment, but my desires continue to grow.
I want to see more and feel more of the world.
And I want to show the world the strength I have honed.
Finishing my statement, I raised my head and stared up at Mother’s vast form for a while.
Mother’s consciousness was transmitted.
…
