Cultivation is Creation

As soon as training had ended, I made my way to the library and claimed one of the more secluded study tables, partly hidden behind towering shelves of cultivation texts.

Now six hours later, a small mountain of books surrounded me, their spines bearing titles like "Understanding the Immortal Soul," "Companion Bonds Through the Ages," and "A Modern Analysis of Ancient Soul Theory."

My eyes were starting to blur from reading endless philosophical debates about the nature of souls.

"This is getting us nowhere," I muttered, closing yet another tome that spent three hundred pages arguing whether souls were made of pure spirit energy or were simply a manifestation of consciousness. "How can there be so many books about souls and so little actual information?"

"That's because you're reading the theoretical texts," Azure replied. "Cultivation philosophy is... complicated. Everyone has their own interpretation."

I picked up one of the thicker volumes. "This one claims souls are fragments of the universal dao that broke off during the formation of reality. The next one says they're crystallized intent formed through countless reincarnations. And this one..." I squinted at a particularly confusing passage. "I think this one is saying souls don't actually exist and we're all just very condensed clouds of qi?"

"Technically, all of those could be true simultaneously," Azure mused. "Or none of them. The nature of souls is one of those fundamental mysteries that even immortal realm cultivators debate."

I picked up another heavy tome aside, this one about inner world theory.

"Azure, according to this, beings that form soul bonds with cultivators can actually live inside their partner's inner world." I followed the text with my finger as I read. "It's not like storing items – normally Qi Condensation cultivators can't bring physical things into their inner world at all. But soul bonds are something different.”

"Exactly. It says in the book that once the bond is formed, the companion's life becomes intrinsically linked to the cultivator's. So even if they die physically, as long as the cultivator lives, they'll reform within the inner world." I straightened up, realization dawning on me. "Azure, this means…”

"We may have a way to bring back the vine," he concluded. "But how would it survive in your inner world? The environment there isn't exactly hospitable yet."

I flipped through a few more pages. "That's the interesting part. The soul bond apparently creates a kind of... protective bubble? The companion exists more as a spiritual manifestation than a physical being when they're in the inner world. They don't need the same kind of support a normal plant or creature would."

"So theoretically," Azure mused, "we could form the bond with the vine in the Two Suns world..."

"And bring it back here," I finished. "Not just its soul, but its actual self." I closed the book with a soft thump.

"Speaking of which," Azure redirected my attention to the other pile of books, "now we should figure out the right kind of soul bond."

"Okay, so from what I can gather, there are basically three main types of soul bonds," I said, spreading out my notes. "Master-servant bonds, companion bonds, and..."

"Dual cultivation bonds," Azure finished. "Though that last one isn't relevant to our situation unless you're planning something very strange with that vine."

I threw a crumpled paper at where I imagined his presence to be. "Not funny. Let's just stick with the first two."

"Master-servant bonds are the most common," Azure said. "They establish a clear hierarchy, one soul dominant over the other. That's what most cultivators use with spirit beasts or other beings they want to control." ŘἈƝŏβËs

I nodded, scanning my notes. "Right. The master can draw on the servant's power, give commands that must be obeyed, even share senses in some cases. But…" I frowned. "It feels wrong. The vine isn't some pet to be controlled. It sacrificed itself to try save my life."

"That leaves companion bonds," Azure continued. "More equal, based on mutual trust and benefit. Like what Liu Chen shares with Rocky—two souls choosing to stand by one another rather than one forcing the other to obey it."

"The downside is they're harder to form," I said, flipping through another text. "Master-servant bonds can be forced if you're powerful enough, but companion bonds require both parties to be willing. The willingness wasn’t the issue, but usually both need to have some form of spiritual energy."

That was the real problem. The vine might have a soul – the way it had responded to me, protected me, certainly suggested some form of consciousness. But it didn't have qi. In the Two Suns world, it ran on the strange energy system that reality used.

"Do you think that matters?" I asked. "The texts all assume both parties will be using qi, but is that actually necessary? Or is it just because no one's tried bonding with something that uses a different power system?"

"Souls seem to transcend individual cultivation systems – your soul isn’t even from this world, after all. And the bond between Liu Chen and Rocky formed naturally, without any specific technique."

I leaned back in my chair, staring up at the library's vaulted ceiling. "So maybe the qi is just... the medium? The tool used to forge the connection, but not the connection itself?"

"Think of it like building a bridge," Azure said. "Qi is the material you use to build it, but once the bridge is there, what counts is the connection it makes, not what it's made from."

"But would a technique developed for qi work with a different type of energy?" I wondered, pulling another book closer. "Or would we need to adapt it somehow?"

"That depends on whether souls themselves are fundamentally different between the two worlds," Azure said. "If they're the same basic substance, for lack of a better term, then the technique should work regardless of the energy used to implement it. If they're different..."

"Then we're trying to build a bridge between incompatible materials," I finished. "And the whole thing could collapse spectacularly."

We sat there in silence for a long moment, thinking about the possibilities. The vine had been so intelligent, so loyal. The thought of something going wrong, of damaging either of our souls through a failed bonding attempt...

I groaned, letting my head thunk back onto the desk. "This is making my brain hurt."

"If it helps," Azure said, "we don't have to know the deeper metaphysics. We just need a method that works safely."

He had a point. I straightened up again. "Let's visit the Archives."

"Master," Azure's voice held a note of amusement, "perhaps you should eat something first?"

My stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, earning me a glare from a nearby disciple. "Food can wait. I want to—"

"Die of hunger before you can even attempt the bond?" Azure interrupted dryly. "The Archives are closed at this time; you can go tomorrow morning."

I sighed, but he had a point. “Okay, I’ll get something to eat then some much needed sleep."

As I put the books back, I couldn't help but feel excited. We might actually have a way to help the vine. Assuming, of course, I could convince Elder Chang to let me access the actual soul bond techniques...

Stolen novel; please report.

"One step at a time," Azure reminded me. "Let's focus on not falling down the stairs from hunger first."

I rolled my eyes but headed for the dining hall. The sooner I ate, the sooner I could sleep, and the sooner tomorrow would arrive. And maybe, just maybe, find a way to bring back the friend who'd sacrificed everything to save me.

***

The next morning, I made my way to the Archives. The walk gave me time to organize my thoughts. I needed to be careful how I phrased this – asking for soul bond techniques was normal enough, but I didn't want to raise too many questions about exactly what I planned to bond with.

The Archives looked exactly as I remembered – all dark wood and glowing formations, with that special quality of silence that felt alive somehow. Elder Chang sat at her usual desk near the entrance, this time wrestling with what appeared to be a scroll that was trying to eat other scrolls.

She looked up as I approached, and her eyebrows rose slightly. "Ah, young disciple. I must admit, I'm somewhat surprised to see you still alive."

"Good afternoon, Elder Chang," I replied politely, pretending not to notice the scroll trying to sneak away while she was distracted. "The World Tree Sutra has been... educational."

"Has it?" She caught the escaping scroll with one hand without looking. "I had heard rumors you'd made some progress with it, but given this sect's tendency toward creative storytelling..." She studied me more carefully. "Perhaps I underestimated your potential for self-destruction."

"Actually," I said before she could continue down that line of thought, "I'm here about something else today. I'm interested in soul bond techniques."

That got her attention. "Oh? Planning to take a spirit beast companion? Or perhaps something more exotic?"

"I'm looking for a companion bond specifically," I said. "Something based on mutual trust rather than dominance."

"Interesting choice." She finally subdued the rebellious scroll, trapping it under a paperweight that lit up with what looked like suppression formations. "Most disciples prefer master-servant bonds. More practical, they say. Easier to control."

"I'm not interested in control," I replied honestly. "Just... connection. Understanding."

She studied me for a long moment, then nodded slightly. "Follow me."

We made our way deeper into the Archives, past rows of sealed shelves and what looked like a cage containing a very angry book. Elder Chang moved with purpose, clearly knowing exactly where she was headed.

"Companion bonds," she said as we walked, "are both simpler and more complex than master-servant bonds. Simpler in principle – two souls choosing to support each other, to share strength and understanding. More complex in execution, because you cannot force that choice. The technique merely creates the possibility; the souls themselves must do the actual connecting."

She stopped in front of a heavily warded section, placing her hand on a formation that glowed briefly before fading. "The fact that you're asking about companion bonds suggests you've already identified a potential partner. Someone, or something, you trust.”

I nodded, not volunteering any details.

"Hmm." She opened the sealed cabinet, revealing rows of jade slips. "Well, let's see what might suit your needs."

She began removing slips, laying them out on a nearby reading table. "The Azure Dragon's Oath," she said, placing down the first one. "Very traditional, very stable. Forms a deep bond but requires both parties to have compatible spiritual roots. Probably not what you're looking for."

The next slip had a simpler pattern. "The Thread of Fate. More flexible, can work with different types of spiritual energy, but..." She shook her head. "The bond it creates is rather weak. More symbolic than practical."

A third slip, this one marked with complex spirals. "The Eternal Companion Method. One of our more reliable techniques. Creates a balanced bond that can grow stronger over time as both parties advance in cultivation. However..." She gave me a pointed look. "It requires both participants to have roughly equivalent cultivation bases."

"That could be... problematic," I admitted.

"I thought it might be." She continued laying out slips, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some required complex rituals, others needed specific spiritual materials. A few looked promising but turned out to have side effects like shared pain or emotional bleeding.

Finally, she placed a last slip on the table. This one was older than the others, its patterns somewhat faded. "The Heart's Bridge Method," she said quietly. "Not as dramatic as some, but perhaps more suited to your needs."

I picked up the slip carefully, feeling the ancient wisdom contained within. "What makes this one different?"

"It was created by a cultivator who specialized in understanding connections – between people, between righteous and demonic qi." She smiled slightly. "The technique doesn't try to force compatibility or create artificial links. Instead, it helps the souls find their own way to each other, using whatever form of energy they're most comfortable with."

"That sounds..." Perfect, I thought but didn't say.

"Expensive," she finished. "Two thousand five hundred contribution points, to be exact."

I tried not to wince. "Ah. That's... slightly more than I currently have."

"How much do you have?"

"Two thousand," I admitted. "But I've recruited some new disciples for the sect – one at the sixth stage of Qi Condensation, one at the seventh. Once those contribution points come through..."

"The sixth stage would earn you approximately one hundred points," she mused. "The seventh, perhaps two hundred and fifty. Still leaving you one hundred and fifty short."

I gave her my best hopeful smile. "Any chance you could waive the difference? For a dedicated student of the Archives?"

Her eyes narrowed, but to my surprise, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. "A dedicated student who chose to attempt the World Tree Sutra despite my warnings, you mean?"

"In my defense, it hasn't killed me yet."

"Yet," she repeated dryly. But she was already reaching for the registration scroll. "Very well. Consider it a reward for surviving your own poor decisions this long."

I tried not to look too shocked as she began filling out the transfer forms. "Thank you, Elder Chang."

"Don't thank me yet," she replied, not looking up from her writing. "Soul bonds are not to be undertaken lightly.”

"I understand," I said quietly. "But this feels right. Like... like something that was meant to be."

She looked up to study me for a long moment, then nodded once and returned to the paperwork. "Then I hope your instincts prove correct, young disciple. For both your sakes."

A few minutes later, I walked out of the Archives with the Heart's Bridge Method safely stored in my storage ring.

"Well," Azure said as we headed back toward my quarters, "that was surprisingly easy."

"Too easy?" I wondered.

"Perhaps she sees something in you," Azure suggested. "Or perhaps she's just curious to see what you'll do next. Either way, we have what we need."

I nodded, my hand straying to where the jade slip rested in my storage ring.

It was time to practice this method, then I could return to the Two Sun’s world.

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