4. Chi flowchart

…

“The first step to properly learn waterbending is to understand what water is,” Pakku said. “Not just its physical nature, but its spiritual nature too. Water has three physical states of existence: solid ice, flowing liquid, and drifting vapour—but water is much more than that.”

Lee listened intently, absorbing every word.

Pakku lowered his left palm to the icy floor, pressing it flat against the frozen surface. “Water is change,” he continued. “It adapts, yields, and endures. It can be calm like a still pond, or fierce like a crashing wave, or unyielding like a colossal glacier. It is the nectar of life, and also the bringer of calamity.

“It is easily malleable into any shape, but it can also be an unstoppable force that can shape canyons. To bend water is not to command it. It is to nudge it. You must feel its rhythm, pull when to pull and push when to push, all to make it flow to your desire. If not done correctly, it will resist.

“Always remember,” he lifted his hand, and the ice beneath his palm trembled, loosening into a thin sheet of liquid that coiled gently upward. “Even in stillness, water is never truly at rest. Beneath the surface, it moves, it remembers.”

His eyes met Lee’s. “You’re too young to fully understand what I’m saying, so for now, simply commit it to memory. With time, you’ll come to understand the true nature of water.”

Lee nodded.

“Alright,” Pakku said with a small smile. “Moving on. Waterbending is divided into three aspects: mind, body, and spirit. The mind concerns understanding water, which we’ve already discussed. The body guides the water, so it must be flexible and controlled. The spirit relates to extending one’s chi beyond the body.

“True understanding will come with time and depend on your aptitude, but we’ll begin working on the other two aspects starting today.”

Lee nodded.

“Close your eyes,” Pakku said.

Lee obeyed, his back straight, palms resting on his knees as he sat cross-legged before him.

“Steady your breathing. Feel every exhale and inhale. Focus on the air as it travels from your nose to your lungs, then returns to your nose to leave your body.”

Lee inhaled deeply, filling his lungs, then slowly exhaled into the still air around him.

“Let your body settle into its natural rhythm. Do you realise what you’re doing right now? You’re pulling, then pushing. The most fundamental motions—the same ones the primordial spirit of the moon uses to move the vast ocean. It’s something we do all the time without thinking. You’ve been doing it since the moment you were born, and you’ll continue until the moment you leave this world.

Lee focused on the steady act of breathing, letting the world around him fade. The cold beneath him, the faint echo of activity outside, and even Pakku’s presence all seemed distant.

“Now,” Pakku’s voice came, softer yet clearer than before, “let your mind relax. Let go of the thoughts that arise with each passing moment so that you can feel beyond the breath.”

Lee tried. At first, there was nothing but the rise and fall of his chest. Thoughts came and brushed against his mind like unruly children. He let go of one, and two more took its place. Sometimes, even the act of letting go slipped from his grasp, leaving him with one old thought and two new ones pressing in at once.

He didn’t give up. He kept trying. Then Lee realised he was approaching it the wrong way. He was being forceful and demanding, and that wasn’t right.

So he tried again, this time more gently.

That seemed to be the right choice. Small victories came, one after another. Slowly but surely, his mind began to clear, loosening its grip on unnecessary thoughts.

“Concentrate on the chi flowing inside you,” Pakku continued. “Feel it move from the centre of your forehead to your nose, then down to your throat. Let your awareness accompany it as it flows to the centre of your chest, then to your navel, and finally settle between your hips.”

Lee turned his vision inward as instructed by his master, tracing the flow within himself. The process was much easier than emptying his mind, as he had been practising it every day while he was healing from his injuries.

First, he barely felt it, just like the result of all past attempts. But then the effects of emptying his mind began to show. With each passing moment, the sensation became more distinct and easier to feel. A faint warmth that started at his forehead, then slipped downward in a slow, steady current.

His breathing deepened without effort. And before long, he felt another energy permeating his entire body. Unlike the lukewarm chi, it was much denser and somehow even more comforting.

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He ignored it and returned his focus to the chi. It moved from his nose to his throat, losing purity but gathering strength as it descended. It was as if each point added something to the mix. By the time it reached his chest, it felt fuller, like a quiet stream swelling into a river. There was something about it that made him invincible.

“Don’t let it influence you,” Pakku said softly. “Keep your head clear.”

Lee let out a hum in response, heeding the warning. He grounded himself and observed the current guide itself until it settled into his hips before melting into his entire body.

A peaceful silence followed.

When he felt satisfied, Lee opened his eyes, a quiet calm reflected within them. He exhaled, then drew in a deep breath before turning his gaze to Pakku.

He found his master studying him with a small smile. “Well done,” he said. “Make sure to reflect on what you felt just now. We’ll move to the next part tomorrow.”

“But I can keep going…” Lee muttered, his reluctance clear in his voice.

Pakku laughed. “Boy, do you have any idea how long you’ve been sitting there?”

“How long?” Lee asked, frowning.