Chương 272: Lesson 1 - Ranks

"Before we begin with practical exercises," Kal said, "I should explain what you're working toward." His voice carried the patient tone of someone who had taught this material countless times.

"The Lightweaver's path through painting has distinct stages that correspond with our cultivation ranks." I leaned forward, genuinely interested. This was exactly what I needed, solid information about the Blue Sun's cultivation system that would help me understand both its strengths and limitations.

"At Rank 1, where you'll begin," Kal continued, selecting a brush from a lacquered wooden case, "you'll learn to create basic living constructs." He dipped the brush into an inkstone containing a midnight-blue liquid.

"Simple organisms: birds, insects, flowers, small animals. They have limited autonomy and typically last a few seconds to a minute before dissipating." With a few deft strokes, he painted a small songbird on the scroll before him. The image was simple but captured the essence of the creature perfectly: the alertness in its eye, the tension in its tiny body poised to take flight. Kal placed his palm above the painting, and a soft blue glow emanated from his hand.

The ink seemed to absorb the light, growing brighter until suddenly, the bird lifted from the page. It hovered in the air between us, fluttering its wings and chirping softly.

"Beautiful," I murmured, genuinely impressed. The bird was fully three-dimensional and moved with the natural grace of a living creature, though closer inspection revealed it was still composed of brushstrokes, as if a painting had been granted movement and form without fully becoming flesh. After a few seconds, the bird dissolved into wisps of blue energy that faded into the air.

"At Rank 2," Kal continued, already preparing another scroll, "you'll learn to incorporate elemental energies into your work." His brush moved with seemingly careless ease, creating a small fountain with water cascading into a pool.

"Fire, water, wind, earth, each element requires different brushwork techniques and energy control." Again, he infused the painting with blue light, and this time a miniature fountain materialized above the table. Water flowed from its spout, splashing into the basin below with tiny droplets that caught the light. I reached out cautiously, letting the water touch my fingertips. It felt cool and completely real.

"This level of creation typically lasts a few minutes," Kal explained, "and the elements behave according to natural laws. The water is wet, fire burns, wind can move objects." The fountain continued flowing for nearly two minutes before gradually fading.

"Rank 3 represents a significant advance," Kal said, selecting a larger scroll.

"At this level, you can create entire landscapes that can be superimposed onto the physical world." His brush moved more deliberately now, crafting a scene of a mountain glade with flowering trees and a small stream. When he activated this painting, the change was dramatic. The room around us seemed to blur and recede as the painted landscape expanded outward, surrounding us completely. I found myself standing in the glade, feeling soft grass beneath my feet and smelling the sweet scent of flowers.

A gentle breeze ruffled my hair, and birds sang from the trees above.

"This is..." I started, momentarily at a loss for words.

"Immersive," Kal supplied with a small smile.

"Rank 3 creations can temporarily override physical reality within a limited area. They're particularly useful for creating controlled environments for healing, meditation, specialized training, or even battle." After about thirty seconds, the landscape began to fade, and our surroundings returned to normal.

"And then there's Rank 4," Kal said, selecting a fresh brush.

"This is where most practitioners experience a profound breakthrough." He painted quickly but meticulously, creating the image of a small fox. When this creation manifested, the difference was subtle but unmistakable. The fox looked around, not with the mechanical movements of the earlier bird, but with genuine curiosity. It tilted its head, studying me with intelligent eyes that seemed to assess and consider.

It reminded me of Thara's creation, when she demonstrated using singing to manipulate the blue sun's energy.

"At Rank 4," Kal explained as the fox cautiously approached me, sniffing at my hand, "your creations gain true intelligence. They become fully sentient and autonomous, capable of independent thought, decision-making, and learning." The fox sat before me, its tail swishing against the table's surface as it waited expectantly.

"It's aware?" I asked, reaching out slowly.

"Completely," Kal confirmed.

"It has its own consciousness, though one shaped by your intent when creating it. If you were to reach Rank 4, your creations would reflect aspects of your own mind and spirit." The fox allowed me to pet it briefly before darting across the table to investigate other objects in the room. It moved with the unpredictable curiosity of a real animal, not the programmed patterns of a simpler construct.

"How long does it last?" I asked, watching as it attempted to nose open one of Kal's scroll cases.

"That depends on the skill and power of the creator," Kal replied, gently scooping up the fox as it began batting at a brush.

"They can last anywhere from a few minutes to several days." He stroked the fox's back.

"However, I've deliberately limited this one's duration. Maintaining too many active creations simultaneously can be taxing for low and mid ranked Lightweavers." The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. As if on cue, the fox yawned, curled into a ball on Kal's palm, and slowly dissolved into blue light. I was just grateful that it didn't have an existential crisis when it realized its life was ending.

Despite all the death I'd witnessed, that hadn't been easy to watch.

"Rank 4 is as far as most Lightweavers ever advance," he continued.

"The higher ranks become increasingly difficult to achieve, each requiring profound insights into the nature of reality and the Blue Sun itself."

"What about your level?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"What can a Rank 8 accomplish?" A flicker of something, pride, perhaps, or maybe just amusement, passed across Kal's face.

"At Rank 8, the distinction between creation and reality blurs. What I paint doesn't merely exist temporarily; it becomes part of the world itself. My creations can persist indefinitely, without requiring my presence or ongoing energy to sustain them." He gestured toward the window, indicating the Dreamer's Garden outside with its beautiful flowers and trees.

"Those aren't illusions or temporary manifestations. They're as real as any naturally occurring plants, capable of growth, reproduction, even evolution." I tried not to look too impressed, though it was difficult. The power to literally paint new life into existence... it was godlike.

"Master," Azure's voice spoke in my mind as I mulled over Kal's demonstration.

"This system shares remarkable parallels with both the Cultivation World and the Skybound Runic System."

"I was thinking the same thing," I replied mentally.

"Rank 2's elemental manipulation mirrors the Elemental Realm and Rank 2 Skybound abilities."

"And Rank 3 sounds suspiciously like domain creation," Azure continued.

"The ability to overlay a constructed reality onto the physical world is fundamentally similar to those with a domain reshape their immediate environment." I suppressed a nod.

"As for Rank 4, it seems to be where while the other two systems converge on the concept of creating life, Lightweavers create sentient beings."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you progress through these ranks faster than expected," Azure mused.

"Your understanding of elemental energies should give you a significant advantage when you reach Rank 2 work."

"True," I agreed silently.

"And with the knowledge from the Life Comprehension Crystal, I might be able to imbue my creations with true intelligence well before reaching Rank 4.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Azure cautioned.

"Remember where we are and who we're dealing with."

"I've noticed you're very thoughtful," Kal observed, interrupting my internal conversation.

"You process information deeply before responding. That's a valuable trait for a painter. The best works come from reflection, not impulse." I offered a small smile.

"I've always been that way. Sometimes lost in my own thoughts."

"A natural contemplative," Kal nodded approvingly.

"But let me offer a word of caution before we continue." His expression grew more serious.

"Attempting to create something beyond your cultivation level is not merely futile, it can be dangerous." He selected a fresh scroll and picked up a brush.

"Watch carefully." With swift, confident strokes, Kal began to paint what appeared to be a series of intricate symbols. I recognized elements of calligraphy interwoven with the flowing lines of a conventional painting. The result was a strange hybrid. A word-image.

"This is a technique that combines calligraphy with painting," Kal explained as he worked.

"At higher ranks, painters learn to merge different Lightweaver methods for more powerful effects. This particular creation incorporates the 'bind' character." As the last stroke fell into place, Kal channeled blue sun energy into the painting. The character seemed to absorb the light, glowing intensely before lifting off the page entirely. Before I could react, the luminous symbol flew toward me, expanding in midair and wrapping around my body like ribbons of solid light.

I felt my muscles seize as the bindings tightened, pinning my arms to my sides and rendering me completely immobile. For a terrifying moment, I thought Kal had decided to attack me outright, had he decided to abandon the nice guy act so soon? But Kal merely smiled, his expression calm and instructive rather than threatening.

"For a Rank 8 Lightweaver like myself, this binding could hold you indefinitely. You would never break free through your own power, regardless of how much energy you channeled against it." I tried to move, finding myself truly trapped. The bindings weren't painful, but they were absolutely unyielding.

"However," Kal continued, "if the situation were reversed, if you, at Rank 1, attempted to use this same technique on me, the result would be dramatically different." He gestured with two fingers, causing the bindings to loosen.

"The disparity in our cultivation levels would cause the technique to fail entirely. And depending on how ambitious your attempt was, there could be a significant backlash." With a wave of his hand, the bindings dissolved completely into motes of blue light that faded away. I felt control return to my body, flexing my fingers experimentally.

"What kind of backlash?" I asked, rolling my shoulders to release the tension caused by the subtly display of the power disparity between us.

"It varies based on the technique and the degree of overreach," Kal explained.

"Minor attempts might simply result in the technique dissolving harmlessly. More significant disparities could cause the energy to rebound on the caster, anything from temporary numbness to crippling spiritual damage or even death." His expression grew grave.

"This principle applies equally to offensive techniques. Attacking a practitioner of significantly higher rank is often futile and dangerous. The greater the rank disparity, the less effect your techniques will have on them, and the greater the chance of potential backlash." Kal's eyes took on a distant quality, as if recalling something he'd witnessed.

"There are stories of ambitious young Lightweavers who attempted to challenge Rank 7 Elders while still at Rank 4. They didn't survive, not because the masters struck back, but because their own techniques collapsed catastrophically when confronted with superior cultivation."

"So it's important to master each level completely before attempting more advanced techniques, and to be cautious when facing opponents of significantly higher rank," I replied. Inwardly, though, I wondered if Kal was speaking from personal experience. Was this something he had learned the hard way during his earlier loops? I could easily imagine a younger, more reckless version of him challenging an elder before he was ready, only to suffer devastating consequences.

The time loop would have allowed him to survive such catastrophic errors and learn from them, a luxury others didn't have.

"Exactly," Kal said, his severe expression melting into a more approachable smile.

"Patience is as much a tool of the Lightweaver as brush and ink." I glanced at the scroll where he had drawn the binding character.

"Will we be starting with calligraphy soon? Learning how to merge it with painting seems useful."

"There's no need to rush, Tomas," Kal laughed.

"Better to focus on building a strong foundation in basic painting first. Attempting to integrate multiple disciplines too soon is precisely the kind of overreach I just warned against." I nodded, acknowledging his point.

"You're right. I was getting ahead of myself."

"Eagerness is natural," Kal said, seeming pleased by my response.

"But cultivation is a journey measured in decades if not centuries, definitely not days. The foundations you build now will determine how high you can eventually reach." He selected a fresh scroll and placed it before me, then handed me a brush. It was lighter than I expected, the handle carved from some pale wood and inlaid with subtle blue patterns.

"For now, we'll focus on the basics," Kal explained.

"At higher ranks, you can manipulate blue sun energy directly to create images, but using physical tools is essential training. The brush is an extension of your intent, it helps focus and direct your energy in precise ways." I accepted the brush, feeling its perfect balance in my hand. The handle was made of some dark wood that seemed to warm slightly at my touch.

"What would you like to paint?" Kal asked.