I examined each jade slip carefully, channeling a small amount of qi into each one to activate the memory impressions stored within.

As my energy touched the first slip, the Flowing Shadow Step, the Archive around me seemed to fade away. In its place, I saw a dense forest which had been transformed into a battlefield.

A cultivator in black robes was surrounded by five attackers. Just as they closed in, his form blurred and darkened. He literally melted into his own shadow, vanishing completely.

In the next instant, he emerged from the shadow of an opponent across the clearing, blade already in motion. Before the other attackers could react, he had merged with shadows twice more, appearing in different locations with each emergence, leaving corpses in his wake.

The final opponent, panicking, used a fire technique to flood the area with light, eliminating shadows. The technique's user was momentarily trapped in the open, vulnerable until he could reach the next patch of darkness.

The vision faded, and I blinked, readjusting to the reality of the Archives.

"The Flowing Shadow Step would be useful in urban environments or forested areas," Azure observed. "But it has several critical weaknesses. As the vision showed, light sources can severely limit your mobility. More concerning is the tactical vulnerability, in a one-on-one battle, if your opponent knows you can travel through shadows, they wouldn't be surprised when you emerge from their shadow.”

“Instead of me ambushing them, they could be waiting with a strike precisely where I’d appear,” I agreed. “It's predictable if my opponent understands the technique."

Touching the Windborne Seed technique brought a new scene. A vast desert plain with nowhere to hide. A female cultivator was being pursued by mounted enemies, their dust clouds visible for li in every direction.

As they closed in, the air around her suddenly compressed, then expanded violently. Her body shot forward like a seed blown by a gale, covering hundreds of meters in an eyeblink.

She changed direction mid-flight, veering sharply left, then right, making her path impossible to predict. I could see the strain on her face with each direction change, the technique clearly demanding significant energy.

When one pursuer finally intercepted her path, she gestured upward, and her body rose twenty meters into the air, sailing over the obstacle. The aerial movement lasted only moments before she descended, her face pale from the spiritual energy expenditure.

"The Windborne Seed seems the most versatile," I told Azure mentally, "but I'm concerned about the energy requirements for aerial movement."

Movement techniques below the Steller Realm that attempted to achieve flight, even a limited version, were known for their qi consumption. And the possibility of flight didn’t tempt me, after all, thanks to the relationship between the two suns in my inner world, it was something I was already capable of.

The third slip, Root Traversal, showed me yet another scene.

This time, an elderly cultivator stood in a garden courtyard surrounded by heavily armed opponents. Rather than fleeing or attacking directly, he simply tapped his foot once on the ground. His body shimmered and sank downward, disappearing into the earth as if swallowed by liquid.

The confused attackers searched frantically until the ground behind one trembled slightly. The elder emerged silently, dispatched the enemy, then sank back into the earth before the others noticed. He repeated this process, appearing and disappearing through the ground with ease, always emerging near plants or trees where root systems were densest.

When one clever opponent began burning the garden's plants, the elder's movements became more limited, forcing him to travel along fewer, more predictable paths.

As the final vision faded, I returned my attention to the Archive, finding Elder Chang watching me, waiting for my decision.

"The Root Traversal is interesting," Azure began. "Though you saw its primary weakness - dependence on existing roots. If an area has been scorched or naturally lacks vegetation, your mobility would be severely restricted. An opponent could funnel you into predictable paths by limiting your emergence points.”

“This technique seems the most compatible with my cultivation method,” I replied. “Is there any way we could modify it to minimise the weaknesses?”

“I believe we could adapt it to work with any plant matter containing your qi signature,” Azure continued. “Instead of being limited to literal roots in the ground, you could potentially teleport to any seed or plant you've infused with your energy."

That caught my attention. "Like short-range teleportation?"

"Essentially, yes," Azure confirmed. "Similar to your Blink Step rune, but with the advantage of being tied directly to your cultivation method. The energy requirements would be significantly lower when used in conjunction with plant matter you've already established a connection with."

The potential applications immediately began forming in my mind. In forested areas, I'd have nearly unlimited mobility. Even in barren territories, I could scatter seeds during the battle, creating a network of teleportation points.

"Root Traversal," I said aloud to Elder Chang. "That's the one I'll take."

She nodded, seemingly approving of my choice. "A practical selection. It meshes well with your current cultivation method and provides utility beyond mere speed."

As she prepared the necessary documentation for the technique transfer, I found myself returning to my earlier line of questioning.

"Elder Chang," I began cautiously, "before I leave, might I ask one more question about the World Tree Sutra?"

She paused in her writing, not looking up. "You are persistent, Disciple Ke Yin."

"I prefer 'thorough,'" I replied with a smile.

She sighed, setting down her brush. "One question, then."

"You mentioned there were fragments of records about cultivators who mastered the World Tree Sutra. What happened to them, according to these fragments?"

Elder Chang was silent for a long moment, her gaze distant. When she finally spoke, her voice was uncharacteristically soft.

"All I know, all that remains in our records, is that they eventually... lost themselves."

A chill ran down my spine. "Lost themselves? What does that mean?"

She shrugged slightly. "The texts aren't clear. Some interpretations suggest they became so connected to the world itself that their human consciousness dissolved. Others theorize they ascended to higher planes. A few darker readings suggest they were consumed by their own creations." She fixed me with a piercing gaze. "All that is certain is that none remained as the individuals they once were."

The implications hung in the air between us. Was I cultivating a method that would eventually erase my identity? Transform me into something other than human? The possibilities were terrifying.

"Thank you for your honesty," I said finally.

She nodded once, then returned to completing the contribution point transfer. "The technique is yours," she said, handing me the jade slip. "Use it wisely, Disciple Ke Yin."

If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

I thanked her again and made my way out of the Archives, the jade slip containing the Root Traversal technique cool against my palm.

"Well, that was ominously vague," I muttered once we were outside.

"Indeed," Azure replied. "Though cultivation paths often involve transformation of the self. The question is whether the 'loss' she described is transcendence or dissolution."

"A rather important distinction," I pointed out dryly.

***

Back in my quarters, I settled cross-legged on my meditation mat and activated the jade slip containing the Root Traversal technique. Information flowed into my mind, diagrams of energy pathways, visualization methods, spiritual resonance patterns.

The core of the technique involved attuning one's qi to the natural currents flowing through roots and soil, creating a temporary "tunnel" through which the cultivator could travel.

Distance was limited by the practitioner's spiritual power and the density of root networks available. In optimal conditions , an ancient forest with extensive root systems, high-level practitioners could traverse several li in an instant.

"Interesting fundamentals," Azure commented as we both processed the information. "The technique's original design focuses exclusively on natural root networks, but with modification..."

"You mentioned adapting it to work with any plant or seed containing my qi," I prompted.

"Yes," Azure confirmed. "Let me analyze the core principles more thoroughly while integrating what we've learned from similar techniques in the Starhaven Realm."

I nodded, setting the jade slip aside. "Take your time. I think I could use a walk while you work, clear my head a bit."

The past weeks had been intense, world-walking, constant training, breakthrough to Stage 8, preparation for the tournament. Every moment had been dedicated to improvement, leaving little time for simple reflection. Perhaps some aimless wandering would give me the perspective I needed.

"Agreed," Azure said. "Some distance from intensive practice can often provide valuable insights. I'll continue working on adapting the Root Traversal technique."

I rose, stretched, and headed out into the sect grounds. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the stone paths as disciples hurried about their various tasks.

My wandering took me past the practice fields, where several disciples were engaged in friendly sparring matches. I paused to watch, analyzing their techniques with an eye toward the upcoming tournament.

Most were at the middle stages of Qi Condensation, their movements still somewhat rigid, their qi control imperfect. I noted weaknesses, patterns, habitual movements that could be exploited in combat.

"You're still training even when you're supposed to be relaxing," Azure observed with a hint of amusement.

"Force of habit," I admitted. "Though I suppose there are worse habits to have."

I continued my walk, eventually finding myself near the sect's main gate. It was there, watching the comings and goings of various disciples, that I saw him.

Wu Kangming.

He walked with the confident grace that had always characterized him, his white outer disciple robes immaculate despite what appeared to have been a long journey. His cultivation aura had deepened significantly since I'd last seen him, he'd definitely broken through to the ninth stage of Qi Condensation.

But it wasn't Wu Kangming who caused my breath to catch in my throat. It was the young man walking beside him.

Average height, simple gray robes, a sword strapped to his back, nothing particularly remarkable about him at first glance. But I recognized him instantly from the Black Mist Valley mission.

The sectless cultivator. The one Lu Fang had humiliated, drained of essence, and left for dead.

Yet here he was, walking alongside Wu Kangming as if they were old friends, engaged in animated conversation. His spiritual presence had transformed completely, where before I'd sensed only ordinary talent, now I could feel the unmistakable pressure of the ninth stage of Qi Condensation.

"Azure," I whispered mentally, "am I seeing things, or is that—"

"The sectless cultivator from Black Mist Valley," Azure confirmed, his tone reflecting my own surprise. "His energy signature matches my records, though his cultivation level has advanced remarkably."

"But how?" I wondered. "Lu Fang nearly killed him. The essence drain technique should have crippled his cultivation, if not killed him outright."

"An excellent question," Azure replied. "And perhaps more concerning, why is he with Wu Kangming?"

I stepped back into the shadow of a nearby building, not wanting to be noticed as the pair approached the gate. The sectless cultivator was speaking fast, his hands gesturing as he described something to Wu Kangming, who listened with uncharacteristic patience.

"—still can't believe it worked," I caught as they drew closer. "The Mirrorwater reflection actually reversed his technique and killed him instantly!"

Wu Kangming nodded. "Sword dao has many paths, Luo Yichen. What matters is finding the one that resonates with your essence, which is something you have managed to achieve."

I finally had a name to match the face, and apparently, this Luo Yichen had a sword technique called "Mirrorwater" that could reflect his opponents' techniques.

As they passed through the gate, a senior disciple approached to greet Wu Kangming. The conversation shifted to sect matters, something about registering Luo Yichen as a disciple and arrangements for the upcoming tournament.

"This doesn’t seem like good news," I murmured as they moved out of earshot.

"Indeed," Azure agreed. "Wu Kangming has clearly broken through to the ninth stage of Qi Condensation, and based on his aura fluctuations, he might be approaching the threshold of the Elemental Realm."

I grimaced. "And now he has a friend who appears to have reached the ninth stage as well. Two ninth stage cultivators in the tournament..." I shook my head in disbelief. "Usually, having even one participant at the ninth stage is noteworthy. Most tournaments are dominated by eighth stage cultivators."

"The competitive landscape has shifted dramatically," Azure observed. "Wu Kangming was already concerning with his Beyond Heaven-rank cultivation method and sword ghost master. Adding another ninth stage ally makes your path significantly more challenging."

"With Wu Kangming's talent and my luck, I wouldn't be surprised if he breaks through to the Elemental Realm right before our match," I said, unable to keep the worry from my voice. "If that happens..."

"It would be unprecedented," Azure finished my thought. "An Elemental Realm participant would make the tournament extremely unbalanced."

As I turned to leave, I caught one last glimpse of Wu Kangming and Luo Yichen being escorted deeper into the sect grounds. Whatever connection existed between them, whatever strange circumstances had brought them together, one thing was certain:

The tournament had just become much more complicated.