Earth Element

After his comprehension of all the Earth Element laws had settled in his mind for several days, Hillman first touched upon Earth Element, the most fundamental of the six profound mysteries in Coiling Dragon. This profound mystery was the foundation of the Laws of the Earth, and every Earth Element ability originated from control over earth elemental particles. Previously, when he summoned earth into shields or called forth stone spikes, he had merely borrowed the power of the earth's veins through crude methods, never truly touching the essence of the element. He was like a craftsman who knew only how to move bricks and stones, but nothing of their composition or how to shape them-possessing the form, but not the spirit.

That day, dawn pierced the murky fog of Mist Canyon, scattering like tiny flakes of gold over the bluestone beside the spring. The thin mist in the woods had yet to fully disperse and carried a damp chill. The spring burbled, its splashing droplets refracting rainbow light in the morning sun. Hillman sat cross-legged on the bluestone, a faint earthen-yellow halo lingering around him. He cast aside all distracting thoughts and slowly threaded his spiritual power underground like strands of gossamer. In the past, when his spiritual power touched the earth, he had sensed only a single, dense whole, as though a thick curtain obscured the world within. Now, guided by the Introductory Comprehension of All Earth Element Laws bestowed by the system, his perception expanded without limit. It was as though he had gained eyes that could see into the microscopic world, allowing him to clearly "see" the composition of the earth beneath him-countless minute earth elemental particles arranged in different patterns to form the looseness of sand and soil, the hardness of rock, and the cohesion of clay. Even deep within the roots of the moss beside the spring, vitality intertwined with the earth element. Those particles were like billions of tiny stars, moving in order within the earth's embrace and giving off a faint yet tenacious presence.

[Ding! Host detected analyzing the Earth Element Profound Mysteries. Compatibility is steadily increasing! Current compatibility: 10%! Recommendation: attempt to control different forms of the earth element and complete the transformation from "borrowing" to "commanding" to reach the introductory stage!]

The system notification sounded in his mind. With a thought, Hillman gathered a rich earthen-yellow glow around his fingertips. He first turned his gaze toward a handful of loose sand beside him. This sand was a specialty of the canyon's depths, its grains as fine as powder. A breath of wind could scatter it in every direction, making it difficult to grasp. Like countless invisible threads, Hillman's spiritual power carefully wound around the sand particles, attempting to guide them into a solid form. At first, the grains merely drifted around his fingertips; the slightest misstep made them collapse and float away like a wisp of smoke. After several dozen attempts, he gradually grasped the particles' properties-they were loose and lively, with almost no cohesion between them. He needed to use spiritual power as a framework and pour Earth Element Battle Qi into them to stabilize them, just as scattered pearls had to be strung on a thread before they could take shape.

An hour later, the sand at Hillman's fingertips finally condensed into a Sand Sword roughly a foot long. A frosted sheen flowed along its blade, and its tip was sharp. Though not as hard as a Fine Iron Longsword, it possessed a lively quality, as though it could dissolve into sand at any moment to avoid any collision. He waved his hand gently, and the Sand Sword cut through the air with a soft whoosh, stabbing precisely into a piece of broken stone nearby. With a crack, it pierced the stone, leaving a tiny, neat hole. The Sand Sword then collapsed as well, turning into a shower of sand that slowly drifted back to the ground, as though it had never appeared.

The Spined Iron-Armored Dragon crouched on the grass nearby, its enormous body curled up and the spines along its back drawn in, their sharp edges concealed. Its dark golden scales gleamed softly in the dawn light. Its blood-red eyes watched Hillman's movements curiously, and even its tail rested quietly at its side for fear of disturbing him. When it saw the Sand Sword pierce the stone, it let out a low draconic rumble, as though cheering him on or urging him to continue. Its thick claws unconsciously scraped the ground, tossing up a few blades of grass.

Hillman grinned and continued without pause, turning his gaze toward a piece of granite beside the spring. The rock was as large as a millstone and as hard as iron. Its surface bore the marks of time, crisscrossed with grooves, and it was one of the most common and sturdiest rocks in the canyon. He took a deep breath, and his spiritual power surged into the rock like a tide. This time, rather than simply mobilizing energy, he attempted to dismantle its elemental structure. The granite's elemental particles were tightly packed, with an extremely strong attraction between them, like countless soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder in an unbreakable defensive line. The moment Hillman's spiritual power seeped inside, he felt a powerful repulsive force, as though an invisible hand were pushing it out.

He did not grow impatient. Instead, he recalled a line from his comprehension of all the Earth Element laws: "The forms of all things are determined by the arrangement of their particles. To follow their natural tendencies while changing their shapes is the true essence of control." He adjusted the way he released his spiritual power. Rather than forcibly dismantling the rock, he followed the patterns of its particles, guiding them little by little to move and separate. It was like untying a complicated knot: he could not yank at it with brute force, but had to follow the strands and slowly loosen them. Time passed, the sun gradually climbed, and most of the fog in Mist Canyon dispersed. The sunlight grew fierce, warming his body. Fine beads of sweat formed on Hillman's forehead, slid down his cheeks, and dripped onto the bluestone, spreading into small damp patches. He had consumed a considerable amount of Battle Qi as well, and a faint sense of emptiness arose in his dantian. Yet his eyes grew brighter, for he could clearly feel the particles inside the rock slowly loosening.

"Scatter!" Hillman shouted in a low voice, and his spiritual power erupted.

With a muffled rumble, the hard granite instantly disintegrated into countless pieces of varying sizes. They hung motionless in the air, as though supported by an invisible hand. With another thought from Hillman, the fragments collided and fused under an unseen pull. Their sharp edges gradually wore away until they finally condensed into a rough but sturdy stone shield. This shield was more solid than the earthen shields he had summoned before. Fine patterns covered its surface, and it gave off a sense of weight and solidity. Its face was smooth enough to clearly reflect his figure.

Hillman raised a hand, grasped the stone shield, and gave it a light swing. It felt heavy in his hand, yet incredibly natural, as though it had always belonged there. He tried breaking it down and reshaping it into stone spears, spikes, balls, and other forms. Each time, he grew more proficient and worked faster than before. He discovered that different forms of the earth element required different methods of spiritual control-forming a Sand Sword required fluidity, his spiritual power flowing like water to envelop every grain; forming a stone shield required solidity, his spiritual power pressing the particles tightly together like a mountain; forming a stone spike required sharpness, his spiritual power gathering at a single point to pierce every obstacle. At the heart of it all lay precise control over the arrangement of earth elemental particles. With a thought, he could turn soil into blades and stone into armor.

At noon, the blazing sunlight scorched the grass until it yellowed slightly. Hillman finally stopped. The earthen-yellow halo around him had become increasingly condensed, enveloping him as though it were tangible. His spiritual power had also grown more sensitive; even the sound of a wild rabbit snapping a dry twig a hundred meters away reached his ears clearly. With a casual beckoning gesture toward the ground, he turned the soil into an earthen dragon that spiraled into the air, its scales and claws vivid and distinct. After a whistling roar like a dragon's cry, it turned back into soil and scattered over the ground. With a light stamp of his foot, the bluestone beneath him cracked open, and a handful of fine clay surged out. Under his control, it molded itself into lifelike little animals of all kinds. He could even uproot the moss beside the spring, separating its roots perfectly from the earth elemental particles without damaging its vitality in the slightest. Once replanted, the moss remained lush and green, as though it had never been moved.

Just then, the system notification sounded in his mind again, carrying a distinct hint of joy.

[Ding! Host detected proficiently controlling different forms of the earth element, freely condensing, dismantling, and recombining them! Earth Element Profound Mysteries compatibility has reached 100%!]

[Congratulations, host, on reaching the introductory stage of the Earth Element Profound Mysteries! Precision of control over Earth Elemental Energy increased by 80%, skill consumption reduced by 30%, and the power of all Earth Element skills increased by 50%!]

The instant the notification ended, a vast stream of information poured into Hillman's mind-a deeper understanding of the Earth Element Profound Mysteries. He understood how the earth element blended with other elements-fused with fire, it could become lava, burning mountains and boiling seas; fused with water, it could become mud to trap powerful enemies; fused with metal, it could become metal and stone, indestructible. He also learned how to control the earth element steadily in extreme environments, such as within magma or beneath ice-in magma, he needed to use spiritual power to isolate the intense heat and protect the earth elemental particles from melting; beneath ice, he needed to use Battle Qi to stimulate the particles' activity and prevent them from freezing stiff. These insights came like a sudden revelation, raising his understanding of Earth Element to an entirely new level.

Hillman slowly opened his eyes, a glimmer of understanding flashing within them, as though he had parted layers of mist and seen the direction of the great path. With a wave of his hand, all the earth elemental particles suspended in the air dispersed and returned to the earth's embrace, as though nothing had happened. Only the patch of stone dust on the ground proved that it had not been an illusion. He stood and stretched, feeling comfortable throughout his body. His Battle Qi was rapidly recovering, and the emptiness in his dantian gradually vanished, replaced by denser, purer Earth Element Battle Qi.

Seeing this, the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon let out an excited roar. Its enormous body suddenly sprang up and lunged toward Hillman. Its sharp claws gleamed coldly, but it deliberately restrained its strength, clearly intending to spar with Hillman and test his new ability.

Hillman grinned without a trace of fear. Instead of drawing the Fine Iron Longsword at his waist, he formed a thick stone shield before him with a thought. Light shimmered across its surface, and it gave off an aura of indestructibility.

"Come on!" Hillman shouted, charging toward the Iron-Armored Dragon.

The Iron-Armored Dragon's claws slammed into the stone shield with a deafening crash, sending sparks flying. The shield shook violently, and several cracks appeared across its surface, but it never broke, firmly blocking the attack. Hillman used the force to retreat. At the same time, with a thought, he instantly dismantled the shield into countless fragments and sent them shooting toward the Iron-Armored Dragon like a torrential downpour. The stones whistled sharply through the air.

The Iron-Armored Dragon roared and swept its long tail across, knocking every stone away. They struck the rock wall with a clatter, leaving small pits. Excitement gleamed in its blood-red eyes; it was clearly fascinated by Hillman's new ability. Its attacks grew fiercer, yet it always held something back for fear of injuring him.

Man and dragon fought fiercely on the canyon grass, their roars and the rush of punches ringing through the sky and startling countless birds from the woods. Hillman moved nimbly, earth elemental particles swirling around him. One moment, they condensed into a shield for defense; the next, into a spear to attack. Sometimes they became loose sand to evade the Iron-Armored Dragon's attacks, and sometimes a stone wall to block its path. In their previous spars, he had always relied on skill and experience to barely hold on, forced onto the defensive at every turn. Now, with the aid of the Earth Element Profound Mysteries, he could actually trade blows evenly with the Iron-Armored Dragon, occasionally even gaining the upper hand.

After more than a hundred exchanges, Hillman and the Iron-Armored Dragon stopped at the same time, panting heavily, both bearing a few shallow wounds. Hillman's clothes were somewhat torn and stained with dirt, but none of it could hide the excited smile on his face. The Iron-Armored Dragon's scales bore several new scratches as well, but it paid them no mind. It extended its tongue and gently licked Hillman's cheek, as though praising his progress. Its rough tongue made him itch.

Hillman stroked the Iron-Armored Dragon's head, feeling its hardness beneath his palm, then looked up at the sky beyond the canyon. It was a clear, brilliant blue, with a few white clouds drifting across it. Sunlight streamed through the clouds in countless golden rays.

"The Earth Element Profound Mysteries are only the beginning. Next comes the Profound Mystery of Strength," Hillman murmured, his voice full of anticipation and his eyes shining with hope for the future.

The sun sank in the west, bathing the canyon in golden-red light and stretching the shadows of man and dragon far into the distance. The mist surged once more, shrouding the entire canyon like gauze, as though guarding this sacred training ground belonging to the strong. The woods gradually fell quiet. Only the flowing spring and the breathing of man and dragon echoed softly through the canyon, tranquil and peaceful.