Elements

There are many aspects qi can conform to, and how easily a cultivator can channel an aspect depends on their personality and mindset.

Yin and Yang
Yin and Yang in Forge of Destiny are very similar to the concepts found in traditional Chinese mythology in how they function, though their exact metaphysical origins in Forge of Destiny differ somewhat. They always appear in arts in some way, and all of the elements usually have an affinity for one or the other in their most common manifestations, though all elements can have Yin and Yang forms.

Generally, yin arts are reactive, passive, and lean towards internal and support arts. Yang arts are usually active, aggressive and include more of the ‘flashy’ external arts typically associated with Immortals among mortals.

The pair of concepts also has associations with gender, much like in contemporary Chinese mythology. In the setting of Forge of Destiny however, there are also metaphysical consequences, with families which lean more towards Yin or Yang have more powerful daughters or sons, respectively.

The Imperial Eight
The elements and corresponding mindsets that comprise the eight are:
 * Earth - those who devote themselves to the well being of others "the element of devotion and plenty, the strong foundation which allows us to stand together in the face of our many foes"
 * Fire - those who lose their temper easily and pursue their passions with intensity "aggression and passion"
 * Heaven - "the creative force, which separates and ultimately elevates man over beast. Ingenuity and inventiveness"
 * Lake - joy or pleasure "joy and delight in material pleasures, but also of content and tranquility"
 * Mountain - "representing steadfastness and immovability and endurance of hardship"
 * Thunder - "conflict, of ambition and new beginnings, of those who seek the initiative in all things"
 * Water - "resourcefulness, wit, and ability to adapt"
 * Wind - "freedom, representing wanderlust and curiosity" 

The Traditional Five
Primaries in The Five Traditional Elements:

Wood - "an element of life and spontaneity," with overlap in Heaven and Wind

Fire - To Be Added.

Earth - To Be Added.

Metal - "calm rationality over steadfast determination," maps well to Mountain

Water - To Be Added.

Other Elements
These are specialized elements which either exist outside the Five or the Eight, or are made via combinations of elements from the Five and/or Eight.

Dark - It does not really exist, except as a gap left by something else. It is the empty spaces in the earth, the lack of light, and the void where even the wind did not reach. Darkness is absence, and that could mean calm and apathy, but that is not its only aspect. Darkness is also a void, and it aches to be filled. It is want and desire and avarice, ever hungering for more, to take in and absorb everything around it.

Blood - An element used primarily by Sun Liling and those from the Western Territories, little is known about it or how it is created. Generally seems to be an aggressive element with multiple combat applications which span both the defensive and offensive modes.

Music - '' "Sound is wind, sound is thunder, such things cannot truly bare the weight of a soul’s expression." ''Music is derived from Thunder and Wind and is described by Zeqing as the soul and spirit expressed through sound. Ling Qi discovered it after being thrown into a blizzard by Zeqing which blocked all of her abilities except for the musical. In Ling Qi's case her music is primarily derived from the Thunder meridian the Forgotten Vale Melody would have developed before Zeqing's test. With it her musical arts are no longer affected by sound based defenses or deafness.