I picked up the resonance stylus, studying the Titan's Crest pattern carefully. It was simpler than the Fundamental Rune, but it had its own elegance – a series of interlocking triangles that formed a larger hexagonal shape.

"The key," Elder Molric explained, "is maintaining perfect symmetry while allowing for natural energy flow. Each line must be exactly the same length and depth."

I began tracing the pattern onto the first lily, trying to maintain steady pressure. The resonance ink flowed smoothly, but my first attempt was clearly too rigid.

"Don't force it," Azure advised. "Remember what we learned with the Fundamental Rune – let the energy guide your hand."

The second attempt was better, but the angles were slightly off. The third showed promise until I rushed the final triangle. By the fourth try, I was starting to get a feel for the rhythm of it.

"Your precision is improving," Elder Molric noted, examining my latest attempt. "But see how the energy pools here?" He pointed to a junction point. "That could cause instability during activation."

I nodded, making mental notes. The next attempt, I focused on maintaining consistent energy flow through each line. The result was much cleaner – each triangle perfectly balanced, the overall pattern harmonious.

After about an hour of practice, I held up what I felt was my best work yet. The Titan's Crest gleamed on the lily's surface, each line crisp and precise.

Elder Molric examined it carefully, turning the leaf to catch the light. "Good enough," he declared finally. "Time to make it permanent. Where would you like to place it?"

"The location doesn't matter for general enhancement runes like the Titan’s Crest," he added quickly. "Though for more specialized runes like Blink Step rune, placement can be crucial."

I considered the question. Though the placement didn't matter, I still found myself eyeing the back of my left hand. It would be easier to carve there – good visibility, flat surface, and I could keep my dominant hand free to work if something did go wrong in the process.

"The back of my left hand," I said.

Elder Molric nodded and handed me a crystal knife similar to the one we'd used for the Fundamental Rune. "Remember – quick, clean cuts. The pattern must be perfect."

I took a deep breath and began carving the pattern into my skin. The knife sliced through easily despite my enhanced durability, leaving deep lines that immediately filled with blood.

"Good, good," Elder Molric murmured as he watched. "Now channel the red sun's energy into it. Not too much at first – let it adapt naturally."

I channeled energy into my Fundamental Rune, causing the silvery tree pattern on my chest to flare with light.

The branches seemed to ripple beneath my skin as they channeled energy down my arm and into the fresh cuts. The blood in the pattern began to glow crimson for a few seconds before settling into a dark red tattoo-like mark on my skin.

"Master," Azure reported, "status update available."

New Enhancement: Titan's Crest

Type: Strength Amplification

Location: Left Hand

Effect: +100 Physical Essence when activated

Duration: 60 Seconds

Energy Cost: 50 Red Sun Energy units per activation

I studied the numbers carefully while pretending to admire the new marking.

If I could successfully adapt the Fundamental Rune to my cultivator body, it should permanently increase my physical essence by at least 100 units. Add the Titan's Crest on top of that... that would be a 200-unit boost.

If my calculations were right, that combination would let me temporarily match the physical power of a 5th stage Qi Condensation cultivator. But I didn’t want to win due to chance, I wanted to soundly defeat Chen Wu.

"Excellent!" Elder Molric exclaimed, pulling me from my thoughts.

He moved to the corner of the laboratory and returned with what looked like a solid stone cube. "Try it out – channel energy into the rune and strike this testing block."

I activated the Titan's Crest, feeling power surge through my body as the pattern flared red. Then I struck the block with a straight punch.

The stone cube exploded into fragments.

Elder Molric beamed at me expectantly, clearly waiting for an appropriately awed reaction.

In truth, I felt nothing special about it. Back at the sect, you couldn't walk past a training ground without seeing disciples shattering stone pillars twice this size. But I could hardly let Elder Molric know that - it would raise too many questions about why such displays of power didn't faze me.

"That's... incredible!" I managed, trying to inject wonder into my voice.

"Master," Azure said, clearly amused by my attempt, "your acting could use some work. Perhaps try widening your eyes next time?"

But fortunately, Elder Molric seemed satisfied with my reaction. "Just wait until you master the next two runes," he said with a smile.

He then turned back to his workbench, muttering something about "breakthrough number one hundred and fifty-one" as he began setting up another experimental plant. I couldn't help but smile at his single-minded focus.

Picking up the book he'd left open, I began studying the diagram for the Blink Step rune. The pattern was fascinating - a series of overlapping crescents that formed what looked like a stylized wind gust, with small directional arrows woven throughout the design.

"The arrows appear to be flow indicators," Azure observed. "They likely guide the energy's direction during activation."

That made sense. A movement technique would need clear pathways for energy flow. I grabbed a fresh Blank Canvas Lily and the resonance stylus, ready to begin practicing.

"Remember how the Fundamental Rune taught us about natural energy flow," Azure advised. "These crescents probably work similarly."

My first attempt went surprisingly well. The practice with the previous runes had clearly paid off - my hand was steadier now, more confident in handling the resonance ink.

"Your control has improved significantly," Azure noted as I completed the third try. "The energy distribution is much more even than your early attempts with the Titan's Crest."

He was right. Where before I'd struggled to maintain consistent pressure and flow, now it felt almost natural. By the fifteenth minute, I held up a perfect rendition of the Blink Step rune.

"Quite good," Elder Molric called from his workbench, where his latest plant experiment was starting to glow ominously. "Now try the Aegis Mark while I finish up here."

The Aegis Mark was a more complex design - a circular shield pattern made up of interlocking hexagons, with smaller protective symbols woven between them. The whole thing reminded me of a honeycomb, if honeycomb could somehow deflect sword strikes.

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"The symmetry will be crucial here," Azure said. "Each hexagon needs to connect perfectly with its neighbors to maintain the protective field."

My first few attempts were frustrating. The hexagons would start out even, but by the time I reached the outer ring, small imperfections had accumulated into noticeable distortions.

"Try working from the outside in," Azure suggested after my fifth try. "It might be easier to maintain the overall shape that way."

The new approach worked better. Starting with the outer circle let me establish the boundaries first, making it easier to keep the internal patterns properly aligned. Still, it took another twenty minutes of practice before I produced a version that satisfied both Azure and myself.

Elder Molric finally looked up from his work, which had somehow produced a plant that was simultaneously crystallizing and melting. He came over to examine my practice attempts.

"Very good," he nodded approvingly. "Now, the Blink Step is traditionally carved on the legs or feet - it helps channel the energy more efficiently for movement techniques."

"And the Aegis Mark?" I asked.

"Either chest or back," he replied. "Most choose the back since it provides broader coverage."

That made sense, but... "How do people manage to carve complex runes on their own backs?"

Elder Molric chuckled. "Unlike your Fundamental Rune, these Rank 1 patterns don't require the user's personal energy during the inscription process. Anyone can draw them on your skin - you just need to channel your own red sun energy afterward to activate them."

His expression turned slightly disapproving. "That's why many young masters have their servants do all their runic work. They never bother learning to carve properly themselves."

I shook my head at that. Even in this world, there were those who took shortcuts. "I prefer being self-sufficient."

"Good!" Elder Molric beamed. "Now then, let's start with the Blink Step. You can handle that one yourself."

I rolled up my left pant leg and picked up the crystal knife. The Blink Step pattern was still fresh in my mind as I began carefully carving it into my thigh. The cuts stung, but it was nothing compared to remodelling my body, now that was torture.

"Master," Azure commented, "your pain tolerance seems to have increased significantly since arriving in this world."

Once the pattern was complete, I channeled red sun energy through my Fundamental Rune and into the fresh cuts. The blood in the lines began to glow before settling into another dark red marking.

New Enhancement: Blink Step

Type: Movement Enhancement

Location: Left Thigh

Effect: Grants instant acceleration in any direction

Duration: 1 second

Energy Cost: 30 Red Sun Energy units per activation

Range: 30 meters maximum per activation

"Perfect!" Elder Molric declared. He gestured for me to remove my upper robes. "Now for the Aegis Mark."

I nodded, turning to give him access to my back. His movements were swift and precise - centuries of experience evident in every stroke of the knife. What would have taken me several minutes, he completed in seconds.

"Channel your energy," he instructed as he stepped back.

I did so, feeling the familiar warmth spread from my Fundamental Rune. The Aegis Mark activated with a brief flash of crimson light.

New Enhancement: Aegis Mark

Type: Defensive Enhancement

Location: Back

Effect: Creates an invisible barrier that absorbs 80% of physical damage

Duration: 30 Seconds

Energy Cost: 40 Red Sun Energy units per activation

Bonus Effect: Barrier automatically strengthens against repeated attacks in the same location

My eyes widened slightly at the bonus effect.

That wasn't mentioned anywhere in the book's description. Could this be what cultivation novels called protagonist's luck? After all, unique variations of common techniques were practically a requirement for any proper protagonist...

"Master," Azure interrupted my thoughts. "I believe you're overthinking this. The strengthening effect is a standard feature of properly drawn defensive arrays. It seems the academy's teaching materials simply focus on the basic functions while overlooking the more technical aspects."

I felt my face heat slightly. Of course - I should have known better than to jump to 'protagonist's luck' as an explanation.

"Excellent!" Elder Molric stepped back, admiring his work. "Now comes the fun part."

Before I could ask what he meant, he was already heading for the door. I hurried after him, still adjusting my robes.

"Master?" I called out, catching up to him in the hallway. "Where are we going?"

He glanced back with a slightly mischievous grin. "Well, as much as I don't care what the other elders think of my... research interests, I still have my pride as a teacher." His eyes twinkled. "Can't have my first disciple in decades getting beaten in a duel, now can I? Time for some proper combat training!"

"Master," Azure commented, "I believe we're about to discover why Elder Molric's laboratory has so many scorch marks."

Looking at the elder's enthusiastic expression as he practically bounced down the hallway, I couldn't help but agree. This was either going to be incredibly enlightening or incredibly painful.

Probably both.

"Your approach to learning is quite refreshing," Elder Molric said as we walked. "Most initiates come from established Skybound families, you see. They arrive with years of theoretical knowledge but..." he wrinkled his nose, "rather inflexible mindsets."

He gestured animatedly as he continued. "They're taught from childhood that there's only one 'proper' way to draw each rune, one 'correct' method to channel the red sun's power. When I try to explain how natural patterns can guide the process, they look at me like I'm speaking gibberish!"

"Is it rare then?" I asked. "For the resonance talent to appear in villagers?"

I already had an idea what the answer would be. It sounded exactly like cultivation talent - concentrated in the major clans and sects, rarely appearing in common villagers.

"Quite rare," he nodded. "Though in my opinion, that has more to do with testing methods than actual potential. The standard evaluations are designed around that rigid theoretical framework I mentioned." His eyes twinkled. "Which is why I prefer to conduct my own tests. Much more... practical in nature."

"Is that why you haven't taken many disciples?"

"Ah, well..." he coughed slightly. "There have been some... incidents. The last one tried to steal my research, and the one before that exploded, and then there was that unfortunate business with the sentient vine..."

I decided it was probably better not to ask for details.