Cultivation is Creation

Before leaving Elder Molric's laboratory, there was one final question that had been nagging at me. I hesitated for a moment, watching Constantine perform what appeared to be his cool-down stretches after his workout.

"Elder," I began carefully, "how exactly are runes removed?"

The elder looked up from where he was adjusting Constantine's new weight set (apparently the cactus had complained that the previous dumbbells weren't challenging enough). "Remove a rune? Oh, that's quite simple at your rank!"

I didn't like the way he said 'simple.' In my experience, when Elder Molric described something as simple, it usually involved at least three different ways to accidentally crystallize yourself.

"Since the runes are inscribed on your physical body," he continued cheerfully, "all you need to do is separate the rune from your body! There are several methods, you could scrape the skin off – that's the most common approach. Or burn it away if you prefer a quicker solution.”

Yes, that was exactly the kind of 'simple' I'd been worried about.

“And of course, there's always the option of completely removing your limb if you're in a real hurry, or worse is when someone removes it for you during battle..."

I stared at him, wondering if he was joking. His expression suggested he wasn't.

"Though I wouldn't recommend that last one unless absolutely necessary," he added, as if that was the problematic part of what he'd just said. "Reattachment can be quite troublesome.”

"Right," I managed. I shouldn't have been surprised. Self-mutilation seemed to be a recurring theme in Skybound cultivation.

"Of course, things get much more complicated at higher ranks," the elder continued, apparently mistaking my horror for interest. "Once the runes start integrating with your spiritual core, removal becomes quite... interesting." He paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Though you won't need to worry about that for a while. Now off you go!" He made a shooing motion. "Come back once you've inscribed those runes we discussed. Then we can do some proper combat practice!"

I nodded, knowing that I wouldn’t be around to see what he had in mind this time for combat practice.

As I turned to leave, something shot through the air toward my head – or more specifically, toward Yggy, who was wrapped around my neck like a scarf.

I ducked instinctively as Yggy launched itself forward, meeting Constantine's attack head-on. The cactus had apparently abandoned its workout routine in favor of ambushing its rival.

I moved to intervene, but Elder Molric raised a hand. "Let them have some fun!" he called out, grinning widely. "Don't worry, they won't kill each other."

I wasn't so sure about that. They were both the elder's creations – trying to murder each other seemed perfectly in character.

Constantine struck first, launching a barrage of needles with frightening accuracy. Yggy twisted in midair, its form rippling like a ribbon in the wind as it dodged between the projectiles. A few needles grazed its surface, leaving thin scratches that leaked a pale green sap.

But Yggy wasn't just evading. As it weaved through the assault, it was also closing the distance. The vine shot forward like a green lightning bolt, its tip hardened into a sharp point aimed straight at Constantine's center mass.

The muscular cactus blocked with one of its arms, the impact creating a small shockwave that scattered loose papers across the laboratory floor. Constantine's protective needles drew blood – or sap, in this case – but Yggy had already withdrawn and was circling for another attack.

"Excellent form!" Elder Molric called out, sounding for all the world like a proud parent at a sporting event. "Remember to maintain proper energy circulation!"

Constantine launched another needle barrage, but this time added a spinning motion that created a wider spread. Yggy was forced to retreat, giving the cactus time to press its advantage. Constantine charged forward with surprising speed for a potted plant, its muscular arms swinging in devastating combinations that would have made any martial artist proud.

Yggy proved more agile, however. It slipped between the strikes like water, occasionally counter-attacking with quick jabs that left shallow cuts in Constantine's thick hide. The two traded blows at an increasingly rapid pace, their movements becoming too fast for any mortal to follow.

"Watch their energy usage!" Elder Molric commented excitedly. "See how they're adapting their techniques?"

I had to admit, it was impressive. Both creatures were clearly drawing on the red sun's power, though in very different ways. Constantine's attacks carried raw force, each strike backed by concentrated energy. Yggy, on the other hand, used shorter bursts for quick accelerations and precise strikes.

The turning point came when Constantine overextended on a particularly powerful swing. Yggy didn't just dodge – it wrapped itself around the cactus's arm like a constricting snake. Before Constantine could react, Yggy had used the momentum of the punch to flip the much larger creature over its own arm.

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Constantine crashed to the floor with enough force to crack the stone tiles. The cactus tried to rise, its muscles rippling with effort, but Yggy was already there. The vine hovered over its fallen opponent, its tip curved in what was unmistakably a question – do you yield?

For a moment, I thought Constantine would refuse. The cactus's needles bristled with aggressive energy. Then, slowly, its arms relaxed. One of them made a gesture that somehow managed to convey reluctant acceptance.

Yggy immediately shifted from battle-ready to supportive, helping its former opponent back to an upright position. The vine's movements were gentle now, careful not to aggravate any of the cuts or bruises it had inflicted.

Elder Molric was practically glowing with pride. "Wonderful! Simply wonderful! Such control, such technique!" He pulled out a small notebook and began scribbling frantically. "Must remember to adjust the strength-to-speed ratios for the next creation..."

Constantine, now back in its pot, made a series of gestures that seemed to say it hadn't mastered energy manipulation yet. When it did, there would definitely be a rematch.

Yggy's response was pure sass – a complex series of movements that somehow perfectly conveyed "Sure, sure, keep telling yourself that."

I couldn't help but smile as well. It was nice to see Yggy making friends, even if said friend's primary goal seemed to be proving its superiority through combat. In the cultivation world, that was practically a declaration of eternal brotherhood anyway.

As we finally left the laboratory, my expression grew more serious. I had two major tasks left in this world before the Lightweaver attack: inscribing new runes into my inner world, and increasing my red sun energy capacity. The second would require a trip to the meditation chamber, but first things first.

***

When I arrived at my door, I entered and settled into meditation. The familiar sensation of entering my inner world washed over me as my consciousness separated from my physical form.

The massive expanse of my domain spread out before me – the mountain ranges in the northwest, the garden region to the northeast, and the training zones in the southern quadrants. Yggy's spiritual form floated peacefully in its bubble near the garden area, seemingly none the worse for wear after its recent battle.

At the center of it all, the Genesis Seed stood proud, surrounded by the array of runes I'd so carefully crafted. I sighed, looking at the patterns I'd spent days weaving. Most of them would have to go – my cultivator body already had these inscribed, and duplicating them would be wasteful.

"Consider it good practice for rune weaving," Azure said, materializing beside me. "The experience will prove valuable for the new patterns we'll be creating."

"True enough," I agreed. Still, it felt a bit like destroying a work of art. These runes represented my first real success with energy weaving.

But there was no point in sentiment. I reached out with my will, severing the connections between the red sun and most of the runes. Only the Fundamental Rune, Worldroot Conduit, and Aegis Mark remained – the rest dissolved into streams of crimson energy that flowed back to their source.

"Which new runes will you be inscribing?" Azure asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Soul Ward is the top priority," I replied, watching the last traces of the old runes fade away. "Then the Shroud Rune, Rootform Rune, Overclock Rune, and Hawk's Eye Rune."

"You've forgotten one," Azure pointed out. "We still have one slot remaining."

I frowned. "I still haven't decided between the Leaf Storm Rune and Rootbind Rune. They both have their uses."

The Leaf Storm would give me excellent battlefield control and a mobile defense. But the Rootbind's ability to suddenly restrict an opponent's movement could be game-changing in the right situation.

"Perhaps we should begin with the others," Azure suggested. "By the time we complete those, you may have reached a decision."

I nodded and got to work. Azure formed an image of the Soul Ward Rune using spiritual energy, creating a perfect template to work from. I gathered red sun energy between my hands, attempting to weave it into the complex pattern.

It was surprisingly difficult. The energy wanted to flow in its own ways, resisting my attempts to shape it into precise lines and curves. Several times, the pattern collapsed entirely, the energy dispersing back into the air.

"Remember," Azure said after my fifth failed attempt, "you had extensive practice physically inscribing the previous runes. That experience made the energy weaving easier. This is an entirely new pattern – some difficulty is to be expected."

He had a point. I couldn't expect to master a new rune in just a few attempts. It would likely take hours, possibly even days, to get it right.

***

Six Days Later

The Soul Ward and Shroud runes hung in the air before me.

The former’s design consisted of concentric circles filled with intricate symbols, it reminded me of a mandala.

As for the latter, it was all flowing lines that seemed to slide away from direct observation, creating a visual effect that matched its purpose.

"Excellent work," Azure said approvingly. "Both patterns are stable and drawing power efficiently from the red sun."

I nodded, but couldn't help feeling a bit frustrated. "I would have liked to complete at least one more rune before leaving this world, but we're running out of time. The Lightweaver attack should be happening any day now."

Looking around my inner world, I felt another twinge of regret. "I'd hoped to develop this place more during this loop too."

"We'll have plenty more loops before the tournament begins," Azure reminded me. "And while you may not have made major terrain changes, your breakthrough to the sixth stage of Qi Condensation has caused significant growth. The entire space has expanded considerably."

He was right, of course. A cultivation breakthrough was far more significant than a few landscape modifications. The raw increase in power and capacity would serve me better in the long run.

I let my spiritual form fade, returning to my physical body. Opening my eyes, I found myself back in my room at the academy.

"What now, Master?"

I smiled, standing up and stretching out the stiffness from hours of meditation. The past few days had consisted of eating, sleeping, and hours rune weaving in the inner world. "Time to head to the meditation chamber. Might as well absorb as much red sun energy as I can before everything goes sideways."

As I walked through the academy's halls, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd see any of these people again in future loops. The initiates practicing in the courtyards, the elders conducting their experiments, even Constantine the bodybuilding cactus – would their stories play out differently next time?

But those were thoughts for another day. Right now, I had red sun energy to absorb and a capacity limit to push. And if I was lucky, maybe I'd even figure out which rune to add to that last slot.

The meditation chamber waited ahead, its doors marked with warning signs about proper energy safety protocols. I couldn't help but smile at that – in a place where people regularly exploded or crystallized themselves, they still felt the need to post safety warnings.

Then again, maybe that was exactly why they needed them.

I pushed open the doors, ready for what would probably be my last training session in this particular timeline.

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