Over and over, Yuki kept trying to walk up the tree as it said in the movement technique, but no matter what she did or tried, she was having no luck. She figured at this rate, she would end up with a butt impression in the ground before she actually accomplished anything. “Just what am I doing wrong? I am channeling my spiritual qi to the bottom of my feet and making sure to keep it constant as I walk up the tree. Do I need to latch on to the tree with my spiritual qi?”

Yuki did not know if it would work, but it was worth a try. Always try everything and leave nothing out until you run out of ideas. When you run out of ideas, sleep on it until you figure out something new. This was her way of doing things. 

The only problem with this thought process was that Yuki did not know how this would work with air. But she still figured it was better than nothing. She got up, dusted herself off, and tried her plan out. Her foot planted on the tree trunk as she extended her spiritual qi to stab into the tree to anchor her down, which seemed to work at first but after a few steps. 

*Bang!*

She smacked her head off the ground…. “This isn’t working!” Yuki yelled out as she sprawled out on the ground. Her ears twitched back and forth and had a sour puss on her face. She really did not know what she was supposed to do. “This worked, but I can’t really call it walking since my body sways with it. Maybe the description lied?”

Yuki sat back up. She would not be defeated! She fell into deep thought and began thinking about how one would use spiritual qi to walk on air in the first place. She knew what air was. It was a mix of all the elements around her. Whether it be oxygen or spiritual qi, it was all there…. “Wait…. Spiritual qi. If spiritual qi is in the air, then if I were to interact with that spiritual qi it should allow me to form footholds.” 

When this thought came to mind, Yuki didn’t even try to climb the tree anymore as she lifted her foot and closed her eyes. She formed a thin layer of spiritual qi around her foot and then tried to feel the spiritual qi in the air. Once she felt she was ready, she stepped down. Then lifted her next foot and did the same. She repeated this process a few times before finally opening her eyes. 

“I did it!” Yuki yelled as she looked down at the ground. She was only as high as half the height of the tree, but she had officially walked on air! But what angered her the most about this whole process was…. “That stupid technique sucks!”

A sky rank technique that basically lied about how you were supposed to walk on air. It made no sense! Climb up the tree. They probably wanted you to use the spiritual qi in the tree to hold your footing solid! But why did it not explain that!? She did it on her own! 

With puffed-out cheeks, Yuki began practicing walking around on air. She would take it slow and slowly get used to interacting with the spiritual qi in the world around her in this new manner. Once she got used to walking, she would work on running. Once she was good at running, she would try jumping around. And only when she reached that point would she try standing upside down and sideways.

By nighttime, Elder Nishikawa came and got Yuki and had her take a rest. Yuki saw Nana at the side in her dragon form as well, smiling at her. “Your true form is cute.”

“Mmm! Nana is right. Yuki, I could pet you for days!” Elder Nishikawa went to reach out and scratch Yuki’s ears, only to have her hand slapped away. Elder Nishikawa pursed her lips as she retracted her hand. Nana let out a small laugh as she walked over and scratched Yuki’s ears without issue. Of course, this made Elder Nishikawa cry out:  “What!? No fair!”

“Your eyes had bad intentions, so no,” Yuki said with a small smile. 

This smile caught Elder Nishikawa off guard. But soon, she smiled warmly and pulled both girls into a hug. “I am glad you both are being more open with me.”

The three went back and washed up in the heated pound by Elder Nishikawa’s immortal cave. After drying off and sitting down, Elder Nishikawa began making them dinner. “I do not need to eat, but you girls are still growing. Food pellets are not good to eat all the time when you are still in your growing phase.”

After a good meal, Yuki went outside to look up at the stars as she used to do when she was younger. She found a rock and climbed on top of it, and laid down with her hands behind her head. Not even a few minutes went by when two sets of footsteps could be heard walking over.

“Star gazing?” Elder Nishikawa asked.

“Mmm…” Yuki hummed in response as she thought for a minute before asking. “Master, Nana. Have you ever heard of anyone having two dantians?”

“Two? No, that should be impossible…. Wait, you are not saying?” Elder Nishikawa’s eyes almost popped out of her head. She reached out to place her hand on Yuki’s abdomen and injected her spiritual qi inside her. Yuki did not stop her, she wanted Elder Nishikawa to take a look. 

“This!? But how!?” Elder Nishikawa did not understand how Yuki had come to have two dantians.