Cultivation is Creation

I stared at the vine, which was getting cosy in my inner world, trying to think of a suitable name for it. After everything we had been through, it deserved something meaningful. Something that captured its nature as both protector and nurturer.

"Yggdrasil," I said finally, feeling the name settle into place. "The World Tree from Norse mythology – connecting all realms, supporting existence itself." I smiled as I felt curiosity pulse through our bond. "We can call you Yggy for short."

The newly-named Yggy's presence rippled with approval, and I could feel it testing out the name, almost tasting it.

Before all this isekai business, it wasn’t only cultivation novels that I’d read, I'd been quite the mythology buff. Something about those ancient stories had always captivated me - perhaps because they felt more exciting than the mundane world I'd lived in.

With the intelligence that it had shown so far, perhaps with a name like Yggdrasil, the vine could one day be something more...

"Master," Azure commented, "the name seems particularly appropriate given your World Tree Sutra cultivation method."

I nodded. "That's one of the reasons why I chose it. In the myths, Yggdrasil wasn't just a passive connection between realms – it was a guardian, protecting the structure of reality itself." I felt Yggy's presence swell with pride at this description. "Plus, it's fun to say. Yggdrasil. Has a nice ring to it. Though I doubt anyone thought it would be used to name a semi-sentient vine created by a mad genius."

Speaking of mad geniuses...

The next morning, I made my way to Elder Molric's laboratory, wondering what new chaos awaited me. The previous loop had certainly set a high bar for bizarre experiments, but somehow, I suspected the elder would manage to surprise me anyway.

I wasn't disappointed. As I entered the lab, I found Elder Molric engaged in what appeared to be an intense staring contest with... was that a potted cactus? A very angry potted cactus, if the way it was bristling was any indication.

"Ah, you're early!" the elder called out without breaking eye contact with the plant. "Just give me a moment to finish this delicate phase of the experiment."

The cactus suddenly sprouted several additional arms, each one ending in what looked suspiciously like tiny fists. It began shadowboxing, throwing surprisingly coordinated punches at the air.

"Yes, yes, excellent form!" Elder Molric praised, scribbling notes with one hand while still maintaining eye contact. "Now, remember what we discussed about targeting?"

The cactus turned slightly, noticed me, and immediately launched one of its segments like a spiky projectile. I barely managed to dodge, the thorny missile embedding itself in the wall behind me with enough force to crack the stone.

"Perfect accuracy!" Elder Molric exclaimed, finally breaking his staring contest to beam proudly at his creation. "Though perhaps we should work on impulse control..."

The cactus had already grown a replacement for its launched segment and was now performing what looked like a victory dance, its many arms pumping in celebration.

"The elder appears to have combined enhancement runes with some form of awakening technique,” Azure noted. “The plant shows signs of both increased combat capability and developed personality."

"Let's hope it doesn't develop a grudge," I muttered, eyeing the still-dancing cactus warily.

Elder Molric finally seemed to remember why I was there. "Ah yes, the lesson!" He turned to me with an expectant look. "I assume you've read up on the material?"

I nodded, keeping my expression appropriately serious. "Yes, Master. The texts explain that while the Fundamental Rune allows us to absorb and refine the red sun's energy, we need specialized runes to convert that energy into elemental forms. The most basic of these is the conversion rune itself, which serves as a bridge between pure energy and elemental manifestation."

"Very good!" He looked pleased. "And have you given thought to which conversion rune would best suit you?"

"The Worldroot Conduit," I replied without hesitation. "Its design aligns well with my Fundamental Rune's tree motif, and it should provide excellent energy conversion efficiency for wood element techniques."

"Excellent choice!”

I retrieved the materials I would need. When I began inscribing the Worldroot Conduit pattern, I made sure my movements were precise, the interwoven roots formed an endless knot, each line flowing naturally into the next.

"Perfect on the first attempt!" Elder Molric nodded to himself. "You see? This is what happens when an instructor properly nurtures natural talent instead of forcing rigid conformity! The academy's so-called 'standardized' teaching methods completely fail to..."

I managed not to smile as he continued praising his own teaching abilities, conveniently ignoring the fact that he hadn't actually taught me any of this yet. The cactus, however, had no such restraint - it was making what looked suspiciously like eye-rolling motions with its upper segments.

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While he continued to rant, I prepared for the actual inscription. Once the pattern was transferred to my chest and activated, I felt the familiar sensation of roots spreading through my being.

"Master," I said carefully once he'd wound down, "I've been reading about alternative methods of runic inscription." I paused to check his reaction. "Specifically, about weaving runes directly from energy."

The elder's eyebrows shot up. "Oh? That's quite advanced. Most practitioners don't attempt energy weaving until at least Rank 3." He studied me thoughtfully. "Few are successful at Rank 2, though I suppose with your natural talent..."

"I understand it's difficult," I pressed on, "but the advantages seem worth the effort. Being able to create runes on the fly could provide much more tactical flexibility."

He was silent for a long moment, then broke into a wide grin. "Well, why not? It's refreshing to see such initiative!" He glanced at his cactus, which had settled down to watch us with what looked like genuine interest. "Though perhaps we should move to a different part of the lab. Some of my experiments can be... sensitive to energy fluctuations."

The cactus waved one of its arms in what might have been a goodbye gesture. Or possibly a rude gesture - it was hard to tell with cacti.

Once we'd reached a clearer area, Elder Molric grabbed several scrolls and what looked suspiciously like a small cage covered in cloth.

"We'll start with something relatively simple - the Vine Whip rune. Watch carefully."

He raised his hand, and crimson energy began to flow from his fingers. It moved like liquid light, forming precise patterns in the air. "The key," he explained, "is maintaining consistent energy density while shaping the patterns. Too much power, and the rune becomes unstable. Too little, and it won't hold its form."

The energy continued weaving itself into familiar shapes - the flowing lines that would form the basic structure of the Vine Whip rune. "Each segment must be perfectly balanced," he continued. "Think of it like... writing in water. The medium wants to disperse, but you must keep it cohesive through sheer force of will."

To demonstrate, he removed the cloth from the cage, revealing a small potted plant. With another gesture, he pressed the floating rune against the plant's stem.

The pattern held for a few seconds, glowing brightly... then the plant withered and crumbled to dust.

"Don't worry," he added quickly, seeing my expression. "The human body is far more resilient. These patterns are designed to integrate with living flesh, not simple vegetation."

I nodded slightly, then raised my hand to attempt the technique. Immediately, I discovered why most practitioners waited years before trying this - controlling energy outside the body was exponentially harder than channeling it through existing runes.

My first attempt dispersed almost immediately, the crimson energy scattering like smoke in the wind. The second lasted slightly longer but lost coherence before I could form even the basic outline.

Elder Molric watched my attempts with surprisingly patient interest. "You're actually doing better than most first attempts," he commented. "Most can't even maintain the energy's form for more than a split second."

After several more failed tries, he held up a hand. "That's enough for today. Make note of the other elemental runes you're interested in, then practice energy weaving on your own. Return when you've either mastered it or decided to try the physical inscription method instead."

The next six weeks passed in a blur of practice and frustration. I spent countless hours in my room, trying to master the delicate art of energy weaving. Azure provided constant analysis and adjustment suggestions, while Yggy offered its own unique perspective through our bond - its natural understanding of energy helped me visualise how energy should flow.

Slowly, painfully slowly, I began to make progress. The energy stayed coherent longer, began to take on more complex shapes. My failures became less spectacular, though I did manage to singe my eyebrows off at least twice.

"The key," Azure noted during one particularly frustrating session, "seems to be treating the energy less like a tool and more like a living thing. Notice how it responds better when you guide it rather than trying to force it?"

I nodded, throughout my time cultivating, whether it be qi or red sun energy, they all seem to respond better to being guided rather than forced.

This time, instead of trying to shape the energy directly, I created something like a trellis of my own energy for it to grow along. The red sun's power responded immediately, flowing along the guide lines like an eager vine.

"Excellent thinking, Master!" Azure encouraged. "By providing a framework rather than forcing a shape, you're allowing the energy to maintain its natural properties while still achieving the desired form."

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