After months of relentless training, the young disciples had grown stronger, faster, and more attuned to the flows of energy within their bodies. Their muscles had been forged, their endurance sharpened, and the rhythm of the Iron Path had become as familiar as their own heartbeat. Yet, amid all the laughter, playful arguments, and prideful accomplishment, some of the children began to sense a subtle barrier—a thin, invisible wall that seemed to hum beneath their skin.
Ye Chen had been the first to notice it. She had climbed the Dorgon faster than ever, her arms like iron, her breath steady, and yet, a strange tension pulsed in her chest, a tightness that refused to yield to effort alone. "I can move my arms… my legs… even my blood feels like it's rushing," she murmured to Wu Chen one morning, "but something's holding me back. It's like… there's a lid over my body."
Wu Chen frowned thoughtfully, fingers flexing as he traced the invisible currents inside him. "Yes… I feel it too. No matter how fast we fill the tanks, how much we push ourselves… there's something we cannot reach. It's not pain. It's not fatigue. It's… blockage."
Across the hill, Luo Tang and Liang Yin were mid-banter, racing toward their assigned Dorgon, when Luo Tang stumbled slightly, mid-air, catching himself with a gasp. "Hey! Something… feels weird. My legs are fine, my arms are fine… but I can't seem to push any further!"
Liang Yin's eyes narrowed. "You mean… the limits we feel? I thought it was just me being tired, but… maybe this is something else."
Noticing the growing unease among their teams, Tong Chen summoned the four groups to the central plateau, where the stone Dorgon rose like a small fortress against the sky. The children gathered, breath still quick from the climb, eyes searching the elders for guidance.
"Sit," Tong Chen commanded, his voice calm yet carrying weight. The young disciples obeyed instantly, forming a circle around the elders.
Yan Zhi Lan's gaze swept across the children, her eyes soft but piercing. "Many of you feel it—the block, the barrier that keeps you from reaching beyond your current strength and potential. This is not a failure. It is a threshold, a mark of your progress."
Xiao Ling stepped closer, her robes swaying lightly in the morning breeze. "You are not yet ready to break your current limits. The currents of your blood and Qi have strengthened, but they are not fully synchronized with your mind, spirit, and senses. To step beyond, you must cultivate harmony among all these aspects."
Chen Li frowned, arms crossed. "Harmony… we've been practicing so hard! We lift, we climb, we meditate… what else can we do?"
Liang Shan's booming laugh rang out, echoing over the hills. "Ah, little rivers, this is not just about doing. You have reached a stage where effort alone cannot break the boundary. Your body, your blood, your energy are ready—but the mind must be clear, the spirit steady, and your senses awake. Only then can the door open."
Yan Rui's brow furrowed. "So… it's not our strength that's holding us back?"
Tong Chen shook his head slowly. "No. Strength, endurance, and skill are the foundations. But the threshold you feel—the block—exists because your body is ready for Foundation Establishment, yet the opportunity has not arrived. You must wait for the alignment of all things within you. The body, mind, spirit, senses, and understanding of the knowledge you have gained from the scrolls must converge in perfect synchronization. Only then will you awaken the first currents of your acupoints and break past the limits of ordinary human potential."
Yeotu, leaning against a rock, let out a low whistle. "So all those scrolls we've been studying… the herbs, meditation methods, body exercises… they actually matter for this?"
Xiao Ling nodded, smiling faintly. "Indeed. Each scroll contains guidance for one aspect of your cultivation. One for the body, one for the mind, one for the senses, one for spirit. Only when you integrate them, allowing every lesson, every motion, every breath to flow together, will you be ready to step into the next stage."
Wu Ping tilted his head. "And… we can't rush it?"
"No," Yan Zhi Lan said gently. "You cannot force the rivers to flow faster than they are ready. The currents within must be felt, not pushed. Your energy, your blood, your Qi—these are alive. They will respond only when you are perfectly prepared."
Luo Tang, ever impatient, kicked a small stone down the slope. "So… we keep working, but we can't see it yet? We just… wait?"
Tong Chen's deep voice carried across the plateau. "No, young river. You work not to rush the breakthrough, but to prepare for it. Every tank you fill, every mountain you climb, every drop of elixir you drink strengthens your vessel. Your body and blood are forged to the human limit. Your muscles, bones, and vessels are tempered. Yet the true journey—Foundation Establishment—requires readiness of all five elements: body, mind, spirit, senses, and knowledge."
Ye Chen clenched her fists, determination sparkling in her eyes. "Then we'll practice harder. We'll study the scrolls more. We'll meditate longer. We'll pay attention to every movement, every breath, every heartbeat. When the opportunity comes, we'll be ready."
Wu Chen smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Yes. Patience, focus, and harmony. We cannot rush it, but we can prepare ourselves for it. Every day, every motion, every step—practice is our teacher."
Yan Rui added, determination in her voice, "Then we balance everything. Teamwork, meditation, strength, knowledge, awareness… when all align, we will feel it. The rivers inside will awaken fully."
Luo Tang grinned mischievously, nudging Liang Yin. "So… until then, we train harder than ever, spill some water, climb some hills, and feel like we're rivers-in-training?"
Liang Yin laughed, shaking her head. "Exactly. Rivers-in-training. But remember—each of us is a river, and we must learn to flow together."
Xiao Ling stepped back, her soft voice carrying over the children. "Remember, the breakthrough you seek—the step into Foundation Establishment—is not simply a measure of strength. It is the transformation of your body into a vessel capable of true cultivation. Your muscles, your bones, your blood, and your Qi are only the beginning. The rivers inside you must harmonize with your mind, your spirit, and your senses. Only then will the first acupoints respond, allowing you to step beyond the ordinary human limit and awaken your potential fully."
Tong Chen's eyes swept across the young warriors. "You have worked hard, and you have grown. But now, the next stage requires patience, unity, and comprehension. Focus not on speed, not on force—but on awareness. Let your body, your blood, your breath, and your mind prepare. One day, the threshold will vanish, and you will walk through the doorway of Foundation Establishment—a true beginning of your cultivation journey."
The children exchanged glances, a mixture of exhaustion, excitement, and determination lighting their faces. Even as frustration tugged at the edges of their patience, a new understanding took root. Their bodies were strong, their blood potent, and their energy alive—but the real journey, the awakening of their acupoints and the step into the next stage, awaited only the perfect alignment of everything they had learned, practiced, and cultivated.
As the sun dipped behind the distant hills, casting long shadows over the Iron Path, the children returned to their training, their steps lighter, their laughter tinged with newfound understanding. Each tank carried, each mountain climbed, each scroll studied, and every moment of meditation brought them closer to the day when the rivers within would awaken fully—and the threshold of the Foundation Establishment stage would open at last.
Even the elders, watching silently from afar, sensed the change—the faint hum of potential vibrating through the young disciples. They could see it, feel it, and know that the time was approaching. But for now, it remained just out of reach, a promise shimmering on the horizon of the children's journey.