"We all strive to become stronger and the way we do that is often through cultivation. Cultivation in itself is about absorbing the qi between heaven and earth, while trying to understand the laws that make up our world. The strength of a cultivator is split into many different realms. Take the first major realm in cultivation, which most of the disciples of the sect is in. This cultivation realm is split into two different minor realms. First is qi gathering. Here you gather qi from the world into the dantian. The dantian of a cultivation is also known to be the energy centre of the body. This also means that the most important thing for a cultivator is their dantian. Remember this! ALWAYS protect your dantian!" Mei Yue looked around the group of children in front of her with a stern look after mentioning the importance of the dantian, before she resumed her lecture.

"The next minor realm after qi gathering is called qi condensation. When you reach the qi condensation realm, you will have gathered enough qi to start condensing the qi inside the dantian. After which you will create a permanent vessel for your qi inside your dantian upon reaching the peak of the qi condensation realm. Only after you created your qi vessel inside the dantian will you be able to use real martial arts techniques. Any questions so far?" Mei Yue said, while looking at the children.

Sofie listened to the lecture with amazement, as she finally started to learn more about cultivation. One of the things that caught most of her attention was the thing called a dantian. She had something like that inside her body? How come she didn't know about it? Even her big sister only ever talked about gathering qi inside the body, but to think it was through the dantian…

Before Sofie managed to think any further, a boy with bright red hair was picked to ask a question.

"You said earlier that the qi gathering, and qi condensation realm was only part of the first major realm. Might I ask what the other major realms are?"

Sofie heard what the boy said and soon realized. That's true! Her big sister was not in the qi gathering or qi condensation realm, but at a realm called meridian opening. From what she heard, the meridian opening realm should be after qi condensation and be the next major realm, but what was after that?

Sofie got excited, as she patiently waited for elder Mei Yue to answer the question.

"The major realms above the first one?" Mei Yue looked around with a pondering look on her face, as she soon focused her gaze on the boy asking the question.

"The major realm after the qi condensation realm only have one realm instead of two minor realms like in the first major realm. The realm is called meridian opening. There are 14 different meridians and in this realm the goal is to open these meridians, but it is simply too difficult… Therefore, most people can only open up 12 meridians. Luckily only 12 meridians are needed to proceed into the third major realm, whereas the last two meridians are almost impossible to even locate inside the body and even more difficult to open up. This gave them the name hidden meridians. I myself have opened up 10 meridians and can be said to have reached the stage 10 of the meridian opening realm." Mei Yue looked happy when she announced that she was at the 10'th stage of the meridian opening realm.

"What about the third major realm?" A girl around the same age as Sofie asked without raising her hand, earning a glare from Mei Yue and a few of the other new disciples.

"Above the second major is the core realm. I don't know much about it and all I know is something the sect leader told me about. The core realm is split into 3 different stages. The first is called hollow core, this is also known as half-step into the core realm. Above that is the second stage called the golden core realm. Here you form a golden core inside the dantian and can be said to have officially stepped into the core realm. I have no idea what the next stage is called, as there is no one who reached that realm within the South Islands."

Without letting it bother her that much, Mei Yue kindly answered the little girl who forgot to raise her hand.

"Anyone who have more questions?"

n.o.body said anything and just as Mei Yue was about to finish up the lecture an excited voice broke the silence that had formed.

"ME, ME, MeeEEe! PICK MEEEeeee…!"

Everyone, Sofie included, turned towards the location of the loud voice.

A little dumpling was sitting in the back of the benches with a flushed face, desperately calling out while raising his relatively big hands into the air.

The scene was too much to handle and some of the children who were seriously listening to the lecture before, could not stop themselves from laughing upon seeing the oversized dumpling wildly waving his hands from side to side.

Mei Yue speechlessly looked at the little dumpling, as she started talking in a slightly exhausted voice. "Haaah… Little dumpling. What is it?"

The little dumpling first looked happy when he got picked, but soon his face twisted, and a sour look showed up on his face after hearing what elder Mei Yue called him. Trying to look angry, he looked towards elder Mei Yue. Though it looked more like a little kid about to throw a tantrum with puffed up cheeks and a rosy complexion on his chubby little face.

"Gra…nd… mo… t… "About to call elder Mei Yue something, the little dumpling suddenly found himself short on breath.

Sofie looked confusedly at the little dumpling sweating rivers, then she turned and looked at elder Mei Yue brightly smiling at the little dumpling.

"Elder Mei Yue, I was wondering if you knew what cultivation stage the fath- sect leader was at?" Mustering up his courage, little dumpling changed the way he was about to address Mei Yue into a more respectful one, as he managed to ask his question.

"The sect leader? Hmm… If I'm not wrong, sect leader should have reached the peak of the hollow core realm. Any questions left?" Mei Yue first answered the first question with a pondering look on her face, while she lastly asked if there was anyone left with question, mostly keeping an eye at the little dumpling in the back.

A few quiet seconds pa.s.sed, and elder Mei Yue heaved a sigh of relief.

"Well, this concludes the lecture for today. All of you will have to pick a cultivation manual now and start cultivating. I will lead you to the martial hall in a few minutes, please gather in front of the gathering hall in that time. No need to worry about the senior disciples outside, I will shoo them away."

With that, Mei Yue walked out of the courtyard followed by a loud voice from the front of the gathering hall. Most likely elder Mei Yue "shooing" the senior disciples away.