Elder Molric stared at me with an expectant look.

I fought back a sigh - we'd already done the whole "look at the strange Natural" show for the elder council, but I supposed he wanted a closer look.

"He's probably hoping to understand how you manage it," Azure commented. "The council meeting was more about verifying your existence than studying your methods."

Made sense. His earlier experiment with living runes showed he wasn't content with just accepting things at face value - he wanted to understand the underlying principles.

I closed my eyes and turned my attention inward to my inner world. The miniature red sun still cowered in the corner, but its power flowed easily enough when I called.

I guided the energy through the pathways the seed had created, feeling the familiar warmth spread through my body. Red lines traced themselves across my skin as my physical essence increased by a hundred points.

Looking down at my arms, I couldn't help feeling underwhelmed. Even with the boost, this body was still pathetically weak compared to my cultivator form.

I could have used the Tri-Essence Harmony technique to convert more soul essence into physical power, but what was the point? I wasn't here for raw strength – I needed to learn how to better manipulate plants for combat.

Besides, most Rank 1 Skybound seemed to focus entirely on physical enhancement. Even in this weakened state, my ability to manipulate elements should give me an advantage if it came to a fight. The painful process of remodeling this body's essence ratios just wasn't worth it.

Though knowing how these stories usually went, I'd be shocked if some arrogant young initiate didn't try to challenge the new 'favored disciple' within the week.

These worlds all seemed to follow the same scripts - and the 'young master picking a fight with the protagonist' chapter was practically mandatory.

Elder Molric circled me slowly, muttering to himself as he examined the red lines. "Fascinating... the pattern is similar to Sun-Touched transformation, but the mental state remains completely stable. No signs of degradation or madness..." He clapped his hands together excitedly. "The implications are extraordinary! A natural resistance to the red sun's corrupting influence, perhaps? Or some innate ability to process the energy more efficiently?"

I kept my expression neutral, letting him theorize. He wasn't entirely wrong – the Genesis Seed did process and purify the red sun's power, preventing the mental corruption that seemed to plague others. But I couldn't exactly tell him that.

After about a minute, I felt the familiar drain and let the transformation fade. The red lines receded, leaving my skin unmarked.

"I hear you can manipulate plants directly," Elder Molric said, gesturing to a potted specimen on a nearby workbench. "Show me."

I approached the plant carefully, aware that this was as much of a test as it was a demonstration. The vine looked ordinary enough – green leaves, thin stems, nothing obviously altered by the red sun's influence. Yet.

"Master," Azure whispered in my mind, "remember to focus on the purified essence from the Genesis Seed. Raw red sun energy might be too volatile."

He was right. I reached into my inner world, drawing not from the crimson core directly, but from the refined energy the Genesis Seed had processed.

I extended my hand toward the vine, letting the energy reach out like gentle fingers. The plant responded immediately – almost too eagerly.

The vine's leaves developed a crystalline sheen, its stem thickening and developing what looked suspiciously like muscle fibers. The main stem curled and uncurled like a tail, while smaller vines reached out toward me like seeking tendrils.

It then began rubbing against my hand exactly like an affectionate cat, its metallic leaves somehow managing to feel soft rather than sharp.

Elder Molric watched whilst muttering notes to himself that I couldn't quite catch. Finally, he asked, "The transformation is complete, yet the specimen shows no signs of aggressive behavior. Did you will it to behave this way?"

"No, Master. This just... happens whenever my energy touches plants. They transform and seem to recognize me as..." I hesitated, not wanting to say 'master' since that might raise questions.

"As a friend," I finished lamely.

"Fascinating!" He closed his journal with a sharp snap. "Now, watch carefully." He approached another plant – this one looked like a small bush with delicate purple flowers. Moving his hands in precise patterns, he channeled red sun energy through a series of runes that appeared in the air around his fingers.

The bush responded to his power, growing and reshaping itself according to his will, but it didn't undergo the dramatic transformation I'd caused. No demonic features, no apparent sentience – just controlled manipulation of its natural form.

"You see?" he said, directing the bush to weave its branches into a complex lattice. "With proper runic control, we can guide growth without triggering transformation. Much more... subtle."

"The runes act as filters," Azure explained in my mind. "They structure the energy in ways that suppress its transformative aspects while enhancing its ability to influence natural growth patterns."

I nodded, thinking how useful that would be back in the sect. The ability to use the red sun's energy without creating demon plants would definitely help avoid awkward questions. No need to explain why every plant I touched started trying to eat people.

"Your turn," Elder Molric said. "Try to manipulate the plant without causing a transformation."

I took a deep breath and reached out again, trying to mimic the way he had channeled the energy. Without runes it was harder, but I attempted to use the Genesis Seed's natural filtering ability to achieve the same effect.

For a moment, it seemed to work. The plant grew larger, its leaves becoming more vibrant. But then the familiar crystalline sheen began creeping across its surface, and within seconds I had another affectionate demon plant trying to nuzzle my hand.

"A good first attempt," Elder Molric said, though I noticed he was writing even more notes. He looked up suddenly, staring at me with intensity that made me want to step back. "Would you be willing to participate in some experiments? Nothing dangerous, of course! Just some simple tests to better understand your unique relationship with celestial energy and their effects on different plants."

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

And there it was – the mad scientist coming out. Still, I needed his knowledge...

"Maybe sometime in the future, Master," I said carefully, though I had no intentions of following through with that. "I think we should focus on basic training first?"

He blinked, then laughed. "Ah yes, of course! Forgive my enthusiasm – it's rare to find such an interesting subject... er, student." Moving to a different workbench, he began gathering materials. "For now, we should focus on something more fundamental." He smiled slightly at his own pun. "Specifically, your Fundamental Rune."

I perked up at this. After all my reading last night, I was eager to create my first rune.

"Now, there's some debate about optimal placement,” Elder Molric started. “Traditionalists insist on the forehead - they believe being closer to the red sun increases power. Others prefer the heart, arguing that centralizing the rune provides better energy distribution." He gestured to his chest. "I fall into the latter camp, though both approaches have merit."

That was a relief. I'd been worried about having to walk around with an obvious rune on my forehead like Vayara. "The heart seems more practical.”

Elder Molric nodded approvingly and opened his robes enough to reveal his own Fundamental Rune.

I leaned forward to take a closer look. The design was incredibly complex - a central tree motif whose branches formed intricate geometric patterns. The whole thing seemed to ripple slightly, as if the wood itself was growing and shifting beneath his skin.

"Have you given any thought to your design?" he asked, re-fastening his robes.

"Wood-based," I replied immediately. No point pretending I was considering other options.

He smiled approvingly. "Good. I had to ask – you'd be amazed how many initiates make completely illogical choices about their fundamental nature."

"Yeah, probably because the red sun is slowly driving them all insane," I thought, keeping that comment to myself.

"Wood-based Fundamental Runes typically fall into several categories," he continued, pulling out a scroll and spreading it across a workbench. "Tree designs emphasize growth and adaptation. Vine patterns excel at energy distribution. Root systems promote stability and resource gathering. Leaf motifs enhance sensitivity and control." He pointed to different examples as he spoke. "Some try to incorporate multiple aspects, but that requires perfect balance in the initial design."

The scroll showed dozens of variations, each more intricate than the last. "The original design is crucial because while you can add to it as you advance in rank, you can never change the base pattern," he explained. "Many promising initiates have crippled their advancement by choosing poorly."

I studied the examples carefully. "I'm thinking a tree design," I said finally. "The branches would provide natural paths for future additions, and it seems the most versatile."

"Good reasoning. Though I should ask - are you interested in incorporating elements beyond pure wood energy?"

"Is that possible?" I asked, though Azure had already noticed several multi-element examples on the scroll.

Elder Molric nodded. "Possible, yes. Advisable? That depends entirely on your ability to maintain perfect balance. Without it, trying to juggle multiple elements becomes more of a crutch than an advantage."

"Master," Azure chimed in, "I'm seeing several symbols that naturally promote balance - the golden ratio spiral, the Fibonacci sequence expressed through branch patterns, even simple yin-yang motifs could work."

I nodded slowly. "What about incorporating balancing elements into the design itself? Using natural patterns that promote harmony?"

Elder Molric's eyebrows rose slightly. "Now that's an interesting approach. Most initiates who attempt multiple elements try to brute force the balance through sheer power." He pulled out another scroll, this one covered in mathematical diagrams. "Natural patterns do have inherent stability. For example..."

We spent the next hour discussing different options, with Elder Molric becoming increasingly animated as we delved into the theoretical aspects. His earlier rant about combining the two suns' power seemed to have been forgotten, though I noticed he paid special attention whenever I mentioned concepts of balance and harmony.

Finally, he straightened up and fixed me with a serious look. "You know the method, of course. Achieve meditation, let the power flow naturally, observe its patterns, use blood and essence to trace the design, then make the final imprint." His expression grew grave. "And remember - this cannot be undone. Choose carefully."

I took a deep breath, considering my response carefully. After hours of study and discussion, I had a clear vision of what I wanted to create.

"I want to incorporate the Celestial Spiral," I said, using the Skybound term for what I knew as the fibonacci spiral. "The main trunk will follow its curve, with branches extending at key points to form natural energy pathways." I gestured as I spoke, tracing the pattern in the air to demonstrate. "Each branch will terminate in a leaf motif, positioned to create perfect resonance with the trunk's curve."

Elder Molric's eyes lit up. "Ah, the Celestial Spiral - the pattern we see in everything from storm clouds to growing vines. The rays of the red sun itself traces it across our sky." He stroked his chin. "An ambitious choice. Most initiates opt for simpler patterns."

"The Celestial Spiral appears naturally in plant growth," I replied. "If we're working with wood energy, why not use nature's own preferred pattern?"

"Why not indeed?" Elder Molric smiled. "Though managing the energy flow through such complex curves..." He paused, studying me. "Are you ready to begin?"

I nodded. This was what I'd come for - the key to unlocking a new level of power that I could take back to my world.

"I'm ready, Master."