Cultivation is Creation

I stood in my inner world, staring at the array of incomplete runes before me. The Symphony Shield formation had been a major breakthrough for my formation studies, but there was still so much work to be done.

"Azure," I called out. "Let's review the runes we need to weave."

"You have several body runes planned - the Scorpion Tail, Tracker, and Shockwave runes."

“Those can wait. Body runes are useful, but they're dependant on which vessel I’m in. Inner world runes..." I gestured at the array before us, "these will follow me across worlds. They're the priority."

Azure brought up ghostly images of each rune pattern in the air before us.

"First up, Hawk Eye," I mused, taking a closer look at it. "Enhanced vision, ability to zoom in on distant targets, and improved spatial awareness, when they come together it should let me predict my opponents' attack.

"Then we have Overclock." I gestured to the next pattern, a dizzying array of intersecting lines that reminded me of a circuit board. "Temporary boosts me beyond my limits. Useful, but the most dangerous of the bunch if something goes wrong."

"Which is why you’re not going to use it except as a last resort...right, Master?"

I nodded. I had no intention of injuring myself for a temporary boost.

"Rootform," I continued, examining the earth-toned pattern. "It’ll allow me to transform my arm into a mass of roots and branches…”

Yggy perked up at this one, its tendrils forming an enthusiastic pattern.

"And finally, our two candidates for the fourth slot." I looked between the last two patterns. "Rootbind versus Leaf Storm."

Yggy immediately twisted itself into what looked like a 'vote' pose, pointing at the Rootbind pattern.

"Why am I not surprised?" I chuckled, reaching out to pat its nearest tendril. "What do you think, Azure?”

"I believe Leaf Storm offers greater tactical flexibility," Azure said thoughtfully. "While Rootbind would enhance your existing abilities, Leaf Storm opens up entirely new possibilities for both offense and defense. The ability to create and control thousands of leaf-blades simultaneously could be invaluable in group combat situations."

Yggy vibrated in disagreement, forming a series of shapes that roughly translated to: "Roots are stronger! More control! Better traps!"

I couldn't help but smile at their opposing viewpoints. "You both make good points. Rootbind would definitely enhance what I can already do with the Primordial Wood Arts. The problem is..." I paused, considering how to explain it. "That's exactly why I'm leaning towards Leaf Storm."

Yggy deflated slightly, and I quickly continued. "Look, I already have decent control over roots through the Primordial Wood Arts. Yes, they're stubborn and yes, I need more practice - but that's exactly my point. I need practice with what I already have before adding more complexity to it. Plus, the Rootform rune means I can transform my arm into a root anyway.”

I pointed to the Leaf Storm pattern. "But leaves? Sure, I can technically manipulate them with the Primordial Wood Arts, but they're so different from vines or roots that I've never found a good use for them. This rune could change that."

The pattern shifted slightly as I examined it, and I could almost see the possibilities - thousands of leaves moving like razor-sharp blades, forming shields, attacking from multiple angles simultaneously. It reminded me of something I'd seen in an anime - Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura, though this would be actual leaves rather than the illusion of cherry blossoms.

"The versatility would be a game changer," I continued. "Especially combined with the Symphony Shield formation. We could create layered defenses, use the leaves to probe for weaknesses, or launch synchronized attacks."

Yggy still looked somewhat dejected, its tendrils drooping slightly.

"Hey," I said softly, reaching out to stroke its main stem. "We're going to do plenty of work with roots too. The Rootform rune is definitely happening - just not right this second. We need to prioritize what will be most useful for the upcoming team training."

That seemed to perk it up a bit.

"Which rune should we start with, Master?" Azure asked.

I studied the patterns again. "Overclock can wait - I won't need that for team training. Let's start with Hawk Eye, then move on to Leaf Storm. Both are completely different from my current abilities. Rootform sounds amazing, but I doubt we'll have time to inscribe it before training starts."

"Very well." Azure brought the Hawk Eye pattern forward, expanding it so we could see every detail.

The rune was made up of curved lines intersected with straight lines, all wrapped in a circular pattern that reminded me of an iris.

"It's almost like a camera lens," I murmured, studying how the different elements connected. "But organic. The outer ring handles focus, these curved lines deal with light sensitivity, and these straight sections..." I traced them with a finger. "They must handle the actual processing and enhancement."

"Correct," Azure confirmed. "The pattern is designed to work with your natural visual processing systems rather than override them. That's what makes it more stable than some alternatives."

I spent the next several hours just studying the pattern, understanding how each element connected and what it was meant to do. This was always the most crucial part of rune crafting - rushing in without proper understanding was a recipe for disaster.

The actual inscription process took most of the next day. It was delicate work, the slightest mistake could ruin the entire pattern, and while working in my inner world was safer than inscribing directly on my body, it still wasn't something to be careless about.

Finally, as the two suns completed another cycle, the last line clicked into place. The entire pattern glowed briefly before settling into a steady, subtle luminescence.

"Well done," Azure said. "But we should test it in the physical world to be certain."

I nodded and shifted my consciousness back to my quarters at Azure Peak. The small room wasn't much, but it had a window with a decent view of the training fields below - perfect for testing enhanced vision.

Taking a deep breath, I activated the Shroud rune, then when I activated the Hawk Eye rune, the world... shifted.

Colors became richer, deeper, revealing subtle variations I hadn't even known existed. Distant objects that were clear to my cultivator's vision now showed microscopic details - I could count the individual barbs on a feather from hundreds of meters away, spot the subtle patterns of wear on roof tiles across the training grounds, even track the movement of dust motes in the air.

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"Amazing," I murmured, focusing on a group of disciples practicing in the distance. Their movements, already clear, now revealed entirely new layers of detail - the minute shifts in their balance, the exact positioning of their fingers, even the way their robes rippled through the air with each technique. "The enhancement is remarkable, I can predict their next move, but..." I winced slightly as a dull ache began to build behind my eyes. "It’ll take some getting used to."

"Master, even with your cultivator's constitution, processing this much additional visual information is taxing. I suggest limiting initial use to short bursts until you build up tolerance."

I nodded, experimenting with different aspects of the enhanced vision.

Switching focus between extreme distances was instant - no need for the usual moment of adjustment my regular sight required. My peripheral awareness, normally about 120 degrees thanks to Qi Condensation, now extended to nearly 180 degrees with the same crystal clarity as my forward vision. The level of detail was almost overwhelming - I could simultaneously track a leaf falling from a distant tree while reading a disciple's practice manual from fifty meters away.

After about thirty seconds, the mild headache had grown into something more insistent, and I deactivated the rune. The world returned to my regular vision - still far beyond mortal limits, but now feeling strangely incomplete after experiencing the rune's enhancements.

"Right," I said, rubbing my temples. "Definitely need to work on stamina with that one. The physical enhancement is incredible, but the drain is proportional.”

“One down, one to go." Azure murmured as I returned to the inner world.

This one was... significantly more challenging. Where Hawk Eye had been about enhancement and processing, Leaf Storm was about creation and control.

The pattern was a complex spiral of intersecting lines, each section representing different aspects of leaf manipulation - creation, movement, hardening, coordination.

"This is going to be fun," I muttered, studying the complicated pattern.

Yggy, apparently over its earlier disappointment, formed an encouraging pattern beside me.

It took nearly two full days just to understand all the pattern's complexities. The actual inscription process was even more demanding than Hawk Eye had been.

I lost count of how many attempts I made. Each failure taught me something new, but it was still frustrating to watch pattern after pattern collapse or destabilize. Azure provided steady guidance, pointing out potential improvements and catching mistakes before they could become critical.

Finally, on the night before team training was scheduled to begin, it all came together and the pattern stabilized.

"Cutting it a bit close," I observed, watching the completed rune with a mixture of satisfaction and exhaustion.

"But successful nonetheless," Azure pointed out. "Would you like to test it?"

Returning my consciousness to my body, I activated the Leaf Storm rune after making sure the red sun’s energy was masked by the Shroud Rune.

First, I tried creating leaves using the red sun's energy, leaves began to form in the air - translucent at first, then solidifying into proper shapes.

"Interesting," I murmured, creating more leaves until I had about forty hovering around me. They moved smoothly in response to my thoughts, forming various patterns and formations. "The control is much better than I expected."

"The rune acts as an interface," Azure explained. "It provides a framework for your energy to follow, making the creation and control of leaves more efficient. Though maintaining this many still requires significant concentration."

He was right. While I could keep all forty leaves moving, trying to execute complex maneuvers with each one individually would be pushing it. Still, I managed to create a defensive spiral pattern, then shift it into an attack formation without losing control of any leaves.

"Now let's try working with existing leaves," I said, reaching out to the potted plant on my desk. This was... trickier. The leaves resisted at first, clinging to their natural patterns of movement. When I finally managed to lift a few, their movements were more erratic.

"As expected," Azure observed. "Natural leaves have their own inherent patterns you must overcome. They require less energy to manipulate since they already exist, but more finesse to control properly."

I nodded, gradually working my way up to controlling about twenty natural leaves alongside my created ones. The difference was obvious - the created leaves moved like extensions of myself, while the natural ones required constant adjustment and attention.

"The energy cost is significantly different too," I noted, feeling how much more red sun energy it took to maintain my created leaves compared to the borrowed ones.

A quick mental calculation suggested I could maintain about forty created leaves for several minutes, or manipulate a larger number of existing leaves for much longer - assuming I could keep them all under control.

"Perhaps a combination would be most effective," Azure suggested. "Created leaves for precise attacks and defense, supplemented by natural ones when needed."

I tested this theory, using my created leaves to form a tight defensive pattern while using the natural leaves for broader, sweeping movements. It worked surprisingly well, though keeping track of both types simultaneously was mentally taxing.

"Good enough for now," I decided, carefully dissolving my created leaves and returning the natural ones to their places. The desk had a few new scratches, but nothing too noticeable. "I can get some more practice tomorrow.”

Looking up at the now pitch-black sky, I sighed. As I'd expected, there hadn't been time for Rootform or Overclock, but that was fine. Those could wait until after I'd properly tested these new additions.

"Time to get some rest," I decided, feeling the mental fatigue from days of intense concentration. "Tomorrow's team training should be interesting."

Azure nodded. "You plan to test the new runes in combat?"

"Along with the Symphony Shield," I confirmed. "Instead of playing support this time, I want to see how Wei Lin and Lin Mei handle supporting roles while I take on something challenging. It's the best way to test everything working together."

"A sound strategy," Azure agreed. "Though perhaps we should wait until morning to plan the specifics."

I chuckled, already feeling my exhaustion catching up with me. "Probably wise. Goodnight, Azure. Goodnight, Yggy."

“Goodnight, Master,” Azure replied while Yggy formed a sleepy-looking spiral pattern.

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