Yan Ping spent the next few days teaching Anji personally. The child was an excellent student with a keen mind who could keep up with her. Yan Ping never participated in most academic meetings because researchers of the Mystical Qilin Sect lacked a basic foundation. No matter how profound their research topics were, the sect master always thought they had a shaky foundation in cultivation. Not even the senior researchers truly understood the essence of cultivation. It was frustrating.
Unlike the others, Anji’s young age did not deter her from understanding the darker side of life. When Yan Ping first met her, Anji already knew what death was. Despite the meaningless struggle, Anji still did her best to live fully in her limited time. In a way, Yan Ping thought Anji was already more insightful about the way of life than scholars in her sect. It was partially why she insisted on Anji becoming her successor.
After a few years, Yan Ping marvelled at how truly talented her disciple was. Although physically lacking, her mind was more brilliant than anyone else in the sect.
"...that was how I thought borrowing the concept of the Five Elements could relate to combining medicine and cultivation. It’s like weaving the same thread into different clothes. Everything originates from the same fabric if we unravel the clothes into their base material. From there, we can determine applications for similar knowledge in different fields. Senior Researcher Mo told me to journal it and create a name to apply this theory because nobody has a book about it. However, I’ve never written a book before. Writing about the Yarn Theory is difficult because it can be applied in so many different ways."
Six years old. Anji was only six. Yan Ping had to admit that she had never seen a more monstrous talent in this world. What Yan Ping took over 150 years to understand, Anji understood at the age of six. The ’Yarn Theory’ that her disciple developed was similar to the teachings the previous sect leader imparted to Yan Ping. However, Anji’s understanding was much deeper. Yan Ping could only apply parts of the original teaching to cultivation and research in specific fields. However, Anji could apply it in new areas, not even the half-sage considered. Yet, the concept was frighteningly easy to understand. It was as if the solution had been underneath their noses the whole time, but nobody had noticed it. Fresh chapters posted on n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
"Did you come up with the Yarn Theory all by yourself?" Yan Ping asked, sitting her student down. She needed a drink, preferably strong tea.
Anji hesitated. Although it was a thought that came to her, she could not claim credit for the idea completely. If not for the many opportunities that the Celestial Dragon and Mystical Qilin Sects had given to her and the unusual constitution she was born with, Anji might never have understood the Yarn Theory. Grandpa Jin had a huge hand shaping it as well. Without a universal understanding of life and transient existence, Anji would never have seen the invisible thread connecting all life forms and the true nature of fate.
"No, shifu. Anji had help from everyone to understand the true nature of the yarn theory," Anji humbly explained.
Currently, the Yarn Theory that Anji talked about was only good as a framework. It suggested how everything was in a constant state of transformation, born from the same roots. When the state of a ’thread’ interacts, merges, or breaks, evolution is triggered. Although Anji had not figured out how to calculate the course of evolution and trace it back to its origin, she understood that soul cultivation was a way to improve at Yarn Theory. Seeing things from a different plane of existence, especially when becoming a Sage is only the first step to understanding existence, solidified Anji’s belief that Yarn Theory should become the foundation for all cultivation practice and included into a way of living.
"From agriculture to medicine, the Yarn Theory can be used to explain how and why everything happens. Although it cannot predict when a drought will occur, it could help to analyse why it occurs and plan to change the disaster that would occur."
Although it made sense theoretically, Yan Ping also understood why Anji was having trouble writing a book about it. While it was easy to understand how the theory would work, applying it across very different practices would be difficult. It was not because there was a lack of understanding. On the contrary, it would not be easy to adopt it completely due to the differentiated practices. Many professionals keep their skills a secret and pass them down from master to apprentice by word of mouth without documentation. The literacy rate was low, and education was only for the privileged.
Even if the Mystical Qilin Sect could adapt Yarn Theory in layman’s terms enough for everyone to adopt it, there would still be resistance from naysayers and politicians who want to protect their self-interest. Making people smarter would be bad for corrupt officials who want to keep citizens dumb. Not to mention, while Yarn Theory sounded great for its versatility, just as easily it could be applied to improving lives, it could also be used to destroy them. Unlike orthodox martial arts and cultivation practices, the Yarn Theory does not discriminate between good and evil. Its efficiency works for both as a neutral concept.
Weighing the options in silence, Yan Ping sighed through her nose. It was a good thing Anji never talked about it outside of the Mystical Qilin Sect. Although Yan Ping did not want Anji to hide her brilliance, the world was very dangerous, and Anji was still too weak to protect herself. Even if the Rainbow Alliance swore to lay down their lives for her, they could not possibly take on the world.
"Anji," the blind prophet finally spoke. "What you’ve discovered is the truth of the world. Although your father and your shifu are powerful, we cannot take on enemies we cannot see. I can ask a few trusted senior researchers to help you with the book, and you should work on completing the Yarn Theory, explaining it as much as possible. However, I must ask you not to speak of it to anybody else. Although I believe that knowledge is good and that everyone should have equal rights, not everyone has the best intentions at heart. There is a reason why we differentiate cultivation methods between the orthodox and unorthodox factions."
Truthfully, Anji was not surprised. Senior Researcher Mo, Doctor Yun and even Grandpa Jin had cautioned her similarly. Anji knew her shifu could be trusted, so she shared it with her.
"Anji understands," she smiled. "Before coming to the Mystical Qilin Sect, I designed many useful spell talismans to help with chores. I often wondered why such convenient things were not spread to more people, especially when they proved to be so helpful for the servants in the Celestial Dragon Sect. However, Brother Mingshen showed me the reality on our travels while escorting me to the Mystical Qilin Sect. Change is difficult for people to accept because it is scary. At the same time, fear inspires self-centeredness. Something wonderful could be exploited easily by greed and used to cause harm to others."
Hearing the painfully wise words coming out of someone who had yet to live her life, Yan Ping did something uncharacteristic of her.
When the blind woman reached out to give Anji a long hug, Anji was initially surprised. However, without any explanation, she could guess how her shifu must feel. Her mother often lamented how she wanted Anji to stay as a child forever. It must be similar.
Patting her shifu’s back with her small hands, Anji giggled and snuggled into the hug. Her teacher smelled of persimmon tea leaves and sandalwood incense. It was strangely comforting despite the sea of doubts before them.