Shadow Over the Heavenly Throne-Chapter 41: Alright, bunny. Enough theory for now

"Alright, bunny. No wall runs today, no faceplanting on the stones. Today... we're going to think."

Shion raised an eyebrow.

Calista crouched and began drawing something in the sand with a stick. Circles. Lines. Symbols. It didn’t look like anything from a textbook. It looked... old.

"Do you know what cultivation is?" she asked without looking up.

"Absorbing Qi?" Shion replied cautiously.

Calista lifted a brow.

"That’s like saying cooking is throwing stuff into a pot. Technically true. Practically? You’ll poison yourself."

She sat cross-legged and pointed at Shion.

"Let’s start from the beginning. Qi is energy. Not magic. Not a miracle. A force that flows through everything. Stones. Trees. Us. But our bodies? They weren’t built to handle it. They're weak. They break under its weight. That’s why children who don’t strengthen their bodies early can literally shatter during their first real intake."

Shion stiffened. Something deep in her spine pulsed—an old fear awakened.

"That’s why Sylphia’s a monster," Calista went on. "She’s been breathing Qi since infancy. She absorbed it from the air, the milk, the touch. Her body’s a foundation of marble. Most people are mud."

Calista’s eyes flicked over Shion like a silent assessment.

"You didn’t have that. But... you survived Awakening. That means something."

Shion didn’t respond. She couldn’t tell if that was praise... or a threat.

Calista began drawing a new circle.

"Cultivation is a journey. Step by step. You’d better remember this. First phase: Preparation. Your body starts absorbing Qi. Some people do it unconsciously. People like you? You don’t have that luxury."

"Second phase: Root Awakening. That’s when your cultivation root—that invisible structure inside your spirit—manifests and defines your potential. Everyone’s born with one. But their quality varies."

She drew four symbols stacked vertically.

"Common. Medium . High. Divine." Her fingers lingered reverently on the last. "Divine roots are the rarest. Once a generation... if that. And each quality has three grades—first, second, third. Subtle but critical differences. Even among Divine Roots, first-grade might evolve... and third-grade is practically divinity itself."

"Roots aren’t just about quality. They're about type. You’ve got Elemental Roots—fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, ice. Each one gives you access to different Qi types and techniques. Then you’ve got Body Roots—those enhance muscles, regeneration, resilience. Next, Soul Roots—telepathy, spirits, illusions, anything intangible. And lastly... Bloodline Roots. Inherited, rare, saturated with ancestral power. Those are the ones that tend to forge legends."

"But even that’s not all. Under certain conditions... a root can evolve." Calista’s voice dropped like she was sharing a secret. "Sometimes a Common Wind Root becomes the Storm Sovereign. Sometimes a Fire Root ignites into the Celestial Flame. New traits. New elements. New paths. Nobody knows why. No one can force it. It’s not a technique—it’s a miracle. Rare. Unpredictable. But real."

"And that’s why... even the lowest root might hold something greater. Or nothing at all. The world doesn’t give answers. Just chances."

Shion listened wide-eyed, every word sinking deeper than any blade. Questions stirred in her mind, but they were too new, too large, to give voice to.

Calista caught the look and smiled—not mocking, but soft.

"You think that’s it?" she asked, amused. "We’re just getting started, bunny."

"Third phase: Body Formation. You strengthen your body. Begin to absorb Qi consciously. Build endurance. You start creating space inside yourself for Qi to flow—like building an internal reservoir. But at this stage, you still can’t use it in outward techniques."

"Fourth: Channel Opening. Your body forges meridians—the Qi flow paths. Everyone has them in the same places—it’s how we’re born. But how the Qi moves through them? That depends on your root and the energy type you’re trying to harness. That’s why there are different techniques for different roots—they work based on specific activation patterns and internal Qi flow paths."

Calista glanced at Shion out of the corner of her eye and immediately saw what the girl was trying to hide—a faint furrow in her brow, a flicker of uncertainty. She sighed softly and moved closer, her voice gentler now.

"Alright. Imagine your body is a network of pipes. Qi is water. These pipes—meridians—are in the same places for everyone. But depending on your root, the water flows at a different pressure, temperature, and even color. Some techniques need a hot stream. Others, cold. Some just a sudden burst. That’s why there are techniques for specific roots. Not everyone can use everything. And it’s not because they’re stupid. Their pipes... just can’t handle the pressure."

"And finally, the fifth level: Internal Stabilization." Calista tapped the center of one of the drawn circles. "That’s when Qi starts circulating freely inside you. You can use it for techniques now—release it outward, shape it, attack with it. You can fight. You can kill. But... it's still a child's level. Because even though you use Qi, you're still dependent on it. You still need to absorb it from the outside, from the air, from energy-rich places. Without that, you'll burn out. And die."

She paused.

"The sixth stage is the line most never cross." Her gaze turned serious. "True Root Formation"

"What does that mean?" Shion asked quietly.

"It means your root becomes a source. You form an internal Qi cycle. From then on, you don't need to absorb energy from outside. You generate it yourself. Your Qi regenerates inside you. Your body and spirit are one. You are the source."

"And if you fail?"

Calista shrugged. "Qi tears you apart from the inside. Or you stay weak forever."

"And only those with High or Divine Roots even stand a chance. Only their roots have a hidden energy core that can solidify."

Shion went quiet.

"And if mine... isn't like that?" she asked after a moment.

Calista froze. Then she laughed. Softly. Briefly. But not mockingly.

"Oh gods. You really don’t know." Calista suddenly reached out and gently took Shion by the wrist. Before the girl could react, she was already in Calista’s lap, pressed against her warm body.

Shion stiffened, completely stunned.

She didn’t know how to react. Her heart was pounding. She wanted to run—and yet... didn’t want to move.

"Bunny... you awakened Divine Roots. First Grade," Calista whispered, holding her firmly, but kindly.

Shion's world spun. Something inside her wanted to deny it, and yet...

"Your roots," Calista continued, "aren't ordinary. They're inherited. You have Blood Roots. And no, those red eyes of yours aren't a coincidence."

Shion blinked. She touched her cheek. Her eyes. The eyes everyone feared, the ones she'd always hated.

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"It's the mark of your mother's clan. Long ago... they were one of the most terrifying sects on the continent. Blood Sovereigns. Their powers were monstrous. Unbeatable. But pride devoured them. They fell. And the world forgot."

"Now they're just a second-rate sect clinging to survival."

Calista leaned in closer.

"But your blood remembers."

Shion couldn’t breathe.

"So don’t worry about whether your root matters," Calista whispered. "Worry about whether... it doesn’t devour you."

Silence. Long. Heavy.

Then Calista smiled again, her usual sharp-edged humor returning.

"Alright, bunny. Enough theory for now."