The connection was brief and tenuous. Like the morning dew gathering into a drop at the ed of a blade of grass, the earth Spirit’s consciousness collected. Slowly. Ponderously, until it was pressed up against the tiny threads, and fully aware.

Normally, it was diffuse. Spread out over the breadth of itself, passing by the cycles without a single thought. The sleeping time of winter, the growth of spring, the heat of summer and the falling leaves. There was little variation. Occasionally, the ground would rumble, or there would be a flood, but for the most part, its existence passed in silent stillness.

But now, with those tendrils it connected to, it saw. It did not see the Qi of the Dragon Lines, nor the minerals around, but it saw as humans did. It felt… almost familiar.

It felt like something it had known, long, long ago.

An old bearded man smiled at them all. He had his hands on the earth, and a bright smile on his face, even as he died.

A promise, through all the planes, and all the worlds.

‘And so the great Ancestor, Shennong, commanded his disciple in the ways of preparing the fields. Till the land. Fell the Trees. Divert the waters, Break the Rocks, Sow the Seeds, Reap the Harvest. Craft for theyself a place to call home, and give thanks to the land for its bounty…’

The Earth Spirit shuddered, as it remembered. Its tendrils spread through the man’s body, tasting his essence. His nature and spirit. Testing.

Something deep inside told the Earth Spirit that this man was worthy.

The ancient pact was important. It did not know why, only that it was.

It carved off a small portion of itself. Of its true essence, and placed it within the man.

The connection sealed and solidified, welding two souls together.

Satisfied, the Earth Spirit Made to return to its previous state of existence. To let this gathered consciousness drift away. Even if the feelings were intriguing, this was not the Earth Spirit’s place. They both had a role to fulfill.

They would be connected for but a short time. And then, the feeling would fade.

Like it was supposed to be.

The Earth Spirit prepared to turn away again, but not before looking one last time through their connection.

It gazed upon more men and women, who were smiling at its Connected One. At the man in front, holding out his arm to clasp.

“If you want it, Green Trees will be your home. Welcome to the Village, Brother.”

The sudden surge of emotion hit the Earth Spirit, shattering its concentration.Tears sprung to the Connected One’s eyes.

The sensation was so pure. It worked down their link like the roots of a tree, setting deep and taking hold as the feeling plunged deep into the spirit’s core.

The feeling of belonging.

The Earth Spirit turned away in a panic, fleeing. But it did not allow its consciousness to fade. It couldn’t.

It all kept coming back to that feeling.

Within a day, the Earth Spirit was watching once more.

It hoped to feel that again.

============================

For the first time in a long, long time, Xiaoshi could say that he was truly happy.

The village of Green Trees had accepted him as one of their own. Nobody kicked him, or forced him to work more hours; they merely invited him for games of Go, or shared their food and drink with him, as he shared his bounty with them.

It was like a great weight had been lifted from him.

Each breath he took on his farm was a hymn, a praise to the Heavens and the Earth.

He had made it. And his parents could rest easy. The Shrine was in the most beautiful place, high on the hill so that they could watch over him, always.

“Hey, Xiaoshi!” Linlin called, the pale farmer’s daughter waving at him happily. ‘We’re all going to head down to the river, do you want to join us?”

There were three others as well, Boyi, Boer, and Bosan waving at him.

And perhaps, in time, more would come?

Xiaoshi put down his hoe, and grinned back. “Of course, my friends! I’ll be along shortly!”

Life was good.

========================

It started off slowly. In wonder and curiosity it reached through the connection to watch and learn.

It learned the feeling of fat heads of rice through fingers; It felt the summer breeze across its face. It tasted the dumplings made by friends of the Connected One from the village.

It felt joy, as its Connected one harvested his fields. It learned sorrow, as its Connected One bowed his head in front of funerary tablets.

It felt pride, as he built the shrine upon a hill placing the funerary tablets within, overlooking his little shack and his fields

All these things came to it, from the wellspring of gold that traveled between them.

The roots of emotion built themselves. With it came a desire, unconscious and unspoken, the mass of energy that was the spirit formed itself to look like its Connected One. A shining body of featureless Qi.

The Earth Spirit went to the festivals, even though it was sleepy. It watched the dances, and the party, and the soft kiss between its Connected One and Linlin.

Its Connected one fell in Love with the village. And so too did the Earth Spirit.

Slowly, skin began to coat Qi.

The spirit of Earth grew more enamoured with the people of the village. It loved them just as it’s Connected One did. Like a moth to a flame it could not stop. The feelings were too much, invading its thoughts and dreams.

It wanted to feel the love and affection the villagers had for each other. It wanted to try the games, eat the rice cakes, and feel like they felt.

The Earth Spirit wanted to connect to all of them too.