Sunlight streamed through the dining hall windows, the bustling atmosphere of lunch hour providing a lively backdrop as Flint picked up another piece of sushi, the sweet mango and shrimp filling creating an interesting contrast of flavors. Her movements were deliberate, almost measured, as she considered how to broach the subject that had been weighing on her mind.

"You mentioned before that Blaze Mighty was the founder of the Celestial Sword Sect, right?" she asked, her voice casual despite the weight of her words.

Spark nodded, his golden eyes flickering with interest. "That's correct. Why do you ask?"

"I've been thinking..." Flint paused, carefully selecting her next words. "Is it possible that you might be Blaze Mighty's reincarnation? I saw him in my past life memories, and he... he resembles you quite a bit."

The suggestion visibly stirred something in Spark. His posture straightened, and his ears - though in human form - seemed to perk up metaphorically. A flash of pride crossed his features at the possibility of being connected to such a legendary figure. "What did he do?" he asked eagerly, leaning forward slightly.

"He gave my past self a name," Flint replied, her fingers absently tracing patterns on the wooden table. "He called me Obsidian."

"Oh..." Spark's voice trailed off as understanding dawned in his eyes. The memory of Flint's earlier question about Obsidian Snow suddenly took on new meaning. His thoughts raced with the implications - if their past selves had known each other, perhaps their meeting in this life wasn't mere coincidence. The possibility made his heart race, but uncertainty held his tongue.

Flint sat quietly, reading the swirling emotions in his aura - anticipation, excitement, and a touch of nervousness. She waited, knowing he needed to work through his thoughts.

Finally, Spark gathered his courage. His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve as he asked, "Were they... I mean, were Blaze and Obsidian..." He took a deep breath. "Were they lovers?"

"I'm not sure," Flint answered simply, her voice soft but distant. The response landed like a stone in still water, sending ripples of awkward tension through their conversation.

But Flint barely noticed Spark's crestfallen expression. Her mind had already drifted to another memory - the image of The Bamboo Sovereign's wounded body, his sage-colored hair matted with blood, and the crushing weight of her own words: "I can't survive this." The echo of that ancient grief still lingered at the edges of her consciousness, a shadow she couldn't quite shake.

She remembered South Rain's reaction to her breakdown during that memory - the elder's face had paled with alarm. "You must stop absorbing Stasis Element natural aura," South Rain had insisted, reaching for the Frost Mind's Mirror manual. "We need to repair your mental barrier before-"

But Flint had stopped her, keeping the book. Despite the potential dangers, she was determined to keep it for her own use. She was unsure if she could harness the Shadow's natural aura. As of now, the only way for her to improve her cultivation level was through the use of the Stasis natural aura.

Flint pulled herself back from the memories, focusing on the present moment. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a gesture that betrayed a hint of nervousness despite her typically calm demeanor.

"Actually," she began, her voice measured and clear, "I wanted to try absorbing Shadow natural aura, using your spirit root. Like we did last time..."

The words "last time" hung in the air between them. Spark's throat bobbed in a nervous swallow, golden eyes suddenly finding great interest in the half-eaten sushi on his plate. The memory of that evening with the Moonlight's Whisper incense was still vivid - his clouded mind, the overwhelming desire to be closer to Flint, the way his usual princely composure had completely unraveled.

He cleared his throat, trying to maintain some dignity. "Um. Right. This afternoon?" His voice pitched slightly higher than usual before he quickly added, "Aren't you supposed to go flying with Seedling?"

"I'm not going flying with Seedling this afternoon," Flint replied, watching the play of emotions across his face with quiet interest. Despite his attempt at nonchalance, she could sense the flutter of nervous energy in his aura, like autumn leaves caught in a breeze.

The bustle of the dining hall continued around them, but in their small corner, time seemed to slow, weighted with unspoken implications. Spark's fingers drummed a silent rhythm on the table, a habit he usually suppressed as unbefitting a prince. The prospect of another intimate cultivation session with Flint both thrilled and terrified him. Although he felt that Flint’s intention might just be to hold his hand again to absorb some natural aura, it didn’t feel like much.

But with the possibility of their past lives' connection hanging between them like an unfinished sentence, he felt that there was an additional underlying meaning in Flint’s words. It must be so.

———

After lunch, Flint found herself having to coax a reluctant Seedling away from their usual afternoon plans. Though Seedling pouted, she eventually relented when Flint promised to make it up to her with future flying sessions.

"Fine, I'll leave you two to your private time," Seedling huffed with a knowing smirk before sauntering off, her tail swishing behind her. The young fox clearly had better things to do than sit still and meditate.

Despite Seedling's suggestive comment about privacy, the Aura Meditation Grounds were hardly secluded. The network of caves housed numerous disciples practicing their cultivation, though some chambers saw more traffic than others. While there were technically separate areas designated for Initiative and Adept disciples, the boundaries had become fluid since Adept disciples were often away from the sect on various missions, their ability to fly by sword giving them that freedom.

Spark and Flint made their way to one of the less populated Adept-level caves. They found a quiet corner at the back, partially shielded from view of the other cultivators. As Flint reached for Spark's hand, he became acutely aware of its softness against his palm. The contact created an immediate response - he could feel the Light natural aura within him surge and strengthen, responding to her presence. The sensation made his breath catch slightly, though he tried to maintain his composure.

Flint guided her intangible force toward the Shadow natural aura, directing it toward her digestive tract. To her surprise, the Shadow natural aura melded with her body as naturally as food being digested - an eerily effortless process that felt almost like muscle memory.

She nearly rolled her eyes at the realization. No wonder Obsidian had been so terse in the Twilight Harmony Cultivation manual, leaving only the cryptic note "Can use others' spirit roots." If it was this straightforward, she wouldn't have bothered writing a detailed explanation either. Still, the other notation - "Can split Genesis into two types" - remained a puzzle, its meaning continuing to elude her.

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A slight frown creased her brow as she considered the implications. If absorbing Shadow natural aura was this simple, she'd clearly wasted effort struggling with Stasis natural aura. Not to mention damaging her protective mental barrier in the process - what a needless complication that had turned out to be.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, she maintained her gentle grip on Spark's hand, feeling the steady flow of natural aura between them. The ease of this absorption stood in stark contrast to her earlier struggles, making her previous efforts seem almost laughably overcomplicated.

With her free hand, Flint carefully withdrew the Moonless Shadow Method manual from within her robes and placed it on the ground before her. The book's worn cover bore subtle markings that seemed to shift like shadows in the cave's dim light. While maintaining her gentle hold on Spark's hand, she began turning the pages with her other hand, scanning the text.

The book described a technique for harnessing Shadow natural aura - imagining a glowing moon nestled deep within the belly and channeling the Shadow natural aura to slowly envelop its light. So abstract. Flint thought.

Flint followed the manual's visualization instructions, though she remained skeptical about their utility. Suddenly, she felt the Shadow natural aura flowing through her arm being pulled by an intense force, completely sinking into her abdomen. The pull was so strong that the newly generated Shadow natural aura could barely keep up with the demand.

She glanced at Spark, who sat beside her with eyes closed in meditation. Though she could have asked him to generate more Light natural aura to increase her Shadow absorption rate, she decided against disturbing his concentration. The current pace was already far superior to the tediously slow trickle of Stasis natural aura that had been seeping through her mental barrier's cracks.

As she maintained the steady flow, her thoughts turned to the mechanics of cultivation. She understood the basic principle - cultivators could enhance their power by channeling natural aura into their spirit roots, and store it in their Inner Sea for later use in battle. But her own situation presented a puzzle. Without spirit roots, she wasn't sure if she even possessed an Inner Sea. She approached the Shadow natural aura cautiously, wary of letting it flow too freely through her body. The memory of her bleeding eyes when Shadow natural aura had touched them made her particularly careful.

Yet despite lacking spirit roots, her cultivation level was undeniably increasing. It defied conventional understanding, but the results were hard to argue with. After a moment's consideration, Flint decided to simply accept this inexplicable progress. The method might be unusual, but if it worked, perhaps that was enough.

In the dimly lit cave, a soft halo of Light natural aura enveloped Spark, creating a gentle luminescence around his form. Similar auras surrounded other disciples in meditation - some radiating warm light, while others who were working with Shadow natural aura were wreathed in delicate purple threads that seemed to dance in the darkness. Occasionally, Flint caught glimpses of violet ribbons passing before her eyes, strands of Shadow natural aura that appeared to devour any light they touched. She suspected she must present a similar sight to others, her own form partially obscured by these light-consuming tendrils.

As the absorption of natural aura deepened, Flint found herself slipping into an unfamiliar state of meditation. This was new territory for her - she had never experienced such profound stillness before. The correlation became clear: the more natural aura she absorbed, the deeper her meditative state became. Her eyelids grew heavy, gradually closing as her consciousness began to merge with the flowing currents of natural aura.

The physical world seemed to recede as her awareness expanded. She could feel every subtle movement of the Shadow natural aura as it coursed through her system, no longer just a passive observer but somehow intimately connected to its ebb and flow. The sensation was both strange and oddly familiar, as if her body had always known how to do this but had simply been waiting for the right moment.

The tranquil meditation shattered as Flint felt a sudden shift within her body. The intangible force, distinct from the Shadow natural aura she had been cultivating, began to move with purpose. Like tributaries joining a river, streams of force flowed toward her abdomen from every part of her body. The convergence was immediate and overwhelming - a violent twist of pain erupted in her belly, followed by the metallic taste of blood rising in her throat.

"Cough, cough, cough!" The sound echoed through the quiet cave as Flint doubled over, one hand still clasped in Spark's while the other flew to cover her mouth. Crimson droplets spattered onto the pristine white fabric of her Celestial Sword Sect robes, the stark contrast drawing immediate attention.

Spark snapped out of his meditative state, golden eyes flying open at the sound of her distress. He turned toward her, concern etched across his features. "What's wrong?" he whispered, mindful of the other disciples despite his growing alarm. As his gaze caught the blood staining the corner of her mouth, his voice took on a more urgent edge. "You're coughing up blood - what happened?"

His hand tightened instinctively around hers, the gesture both protective and uncertain. The peaceful atmosphere of moments ago had vanished, replaced by a tense undercurrent of worry as he watched Flint struggle to contain another bout of coughing.

The violent coughing fit broke Flint's careful control over the intangible force. Without that restraint, a small stream of Shadow natural aura began to rise, causing blood to well up in her eyes. The sight was unsettling - blood trickling from both eyes and mouth, staining her pale features with crimson streaks.

"We need to get you to a healer." Spark's hand moved to her waist, ready to lift her. His touch was gentle but urgent, his usual aristocratic reserve giving way to open concern.

"Wait." Flint managed to force out the word between swallowing another mouthful of blood.

I think I understand now... she thought, pieces falling into place in her mind. This is what 'Can split Genesis into two types' means.

With focused effort, she gathered the intangible force - no, the Genesis - and wrapped it around her abdomen. Her digestive tract, she realized, possessed the same ability to split this force into two types of natural aura. The term "Genesis" had been Obsidian's name for this intangible force all along.

Though her abdomen still ached from the newly split Light natural aura making contact with her digestive tract, the pain in her eyes had subsided. She carefully guided the Genesis to envelope the Light natural aura, directing it toward her eyes. This process felt distinctly different from absorbing Shadow natural aura.

Where Shadow natural aura absorption felt like swallowing mild wasabi - stimulating but manageable, seeping into the walls of her digestive system and dissolving into her body - this was something else entirely. As the delicate streams of Light natural aura penetrated her eyes, she felt an initial flash of cold, followed by a gentle warmth, as if her eyeballs had been plunged into ice water and then slowly heated over a low flame.

When she opened her eyes, her vision was clouded by a subtle luminescence that made even Spark's face appear slightly blurred. She pulled out the Twilight Harmony Cultivation manual from within her robes, struggling to make out the characters through her light-dazzled vision.

"You must understand that when absorbing Light and Shadow natural aura, they won't naturally find their way to their designated locations - the eyes and digestive tract. Like streams, they'll merge and flow into your body together... However, if they travel in opposing directions, the consequences could be fatal. Therefore, when they enter your body, you must choose their landing point carefully. I recommend the cervical vertebrae, from which you can separate Light and Shadow natural aura to flow upward or downward..."

Flint lowered the book, her mind racing. So Genesis is spread throughout my body, but I need to concentrate it? She closed her eyes, focusing her awareness on her throat. With careful precision, she began drawing the Genesis scattered throughout her body toward her cervical vertebrae.

The sensation was peculiar - like countless tiny streams of mercury converging into a single pool at the base of her neck. She could feel her digestive tract responding differently now, seemingly awakened by the Shadow natural aura she had absorbed earlier. This new sensitivity allowed her to detect when portions of the Genesis began splitting into distinct streams of Shadow and Light natural aura.

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around Spark's hand as she maintained her concentration. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead from the effort of controlling such precise movements of energy within her body. The process required an exhausting level of focus - one small slip could send the wrong type of natural aura flowing in a potentially dangerous direction.

Through her heightened awareness, she could feel the Shadow natural aura wanting to sink downward while the Light natural aura naturally tried to rise. It was like trying to separate oil and water while they were still flowing - a delicate balance of allowing their natural tendencies while maintaining strict control over their paths.

Spark watched her with growing concern, noting her intense concentration and the slight tremor in her hand. He remained silent, but his thumb traced small, comforting circles on the back of her hand, offering quiet support as she worked through whatever internal cultivation challenge she was facing.

Flint maintained her focus, losing track of time as she gradually acclimated to directing the naturally absorbed Genesis to concentrate at her throat. During a brief moment between shifts in attention, she murmured to Spark, "Don't worry, I'm fine." Then her concentration immediately returned to controlling the Genesis's movement.

No wonder it's so challenging to cultivate two opposing spirit roots, she reflected. This constant focus is exhausting. The contrast was stark - unlike those with compatible spirit roots who could absorb natural aura as easily as eating or drinking, this process demanded unwavering attention. She thought of Spark, whose Deficient Shadow spirit root meant he never had to worry about Light natural aura causing him harm. The natural aura simply flowed into his body without resistance or need for careful management.

Time slipped away unnoticed as Flint dared not let her concentration waver. Her eyes, now activated by the Light natural aura, seemed to have locked her into this process of Genesis separation. She couldn't pause it even if she wanted to. Around them, other disciples began leaving the Aura Meditation Ground in twos and threes, while Spark remained steadfast beside her, his hand still providing its anchor of warmth.

"Shall we go?" Spark asked, glancing at the departing disciples. Dinner time had likely arrived.

Flint didn't spare the mental energy to process his words.

"Flint?" He tried again. "Should we leave?"

"...Mm." The sound barely escaped her lips, more vibration than word. She rose to her feet through what seemed like muscle memory, her attention never leaving the focal point at her throat. Leaning slightly against Spark for support, she moved with an almost dreamlike quality, her steps mechanical as they left the Aura Meditation Ground. Her eyes, though open, held a distant look, as if she were navigating through an entirely different world than the physical one around her.