Before I could even think of a response, his expression grew serious again.

"However, I must give you one final warning. Do not grow overconfident and attempt to annex any of the inner worlds that will serve as battlegrounds during the tournament. Such attempts have overwhelmed many World Tree Sutra practitioners in the past."

My blood ran cold at his words. The casual way he mentioned other World Tree Sutra users, the specific nature of his warning about annexation, how much did he really know about my cultivation method? How many others have successfully cultivated the World Tree Sutra to a high level?

The warning itself was sobering too. I'd been thinking about the tournament battles as opportunities to gain experience and test my abilities, while also not really thinking about the temptation that fighting in other people's inner worlds might present.

The Genesis Seed's ability to establish connections with foreign dimensions was one of its most powerful features, but apparently it could also be one of its most dangerous.

"What happened to the other practitioners?" I started to ask, but even as the words left my mouth, the Sect Master was already beginning to fade.

"Remember," his voice echoed as his form became translucent, "find your dao, but do not lose yourself to it."

And then he was gone, and the void around me dissolved like morning mist.

I was back in my room, sitting on the edge of my bed exactly as I had been before the world had dissolved around me. The familiar comfort of my quarters felt almost startling after the cosmic scope of what I'd just experienced.

"Azure," I called out inwardly. "Did that really just happen?"

"It did, Master," Azure replied, his voice no longer trembling but now carrying a note of wonder. "That was... extraordinary. The level of dao comprehension he demonstrated, the casual way he manifested aspects of his inner world, the depth of his understanding... I've never encountered anything like it."

From the corner of my eye, I noticed something that made me freeze. There was a scroll sitting on my desk that definitely hadn't been there when I'd returned from the tavern.

I stood up and approached it cautiously, extending my spiritual sense to check for any dangerous formations or traps. Finding none, I carefully unrolled the parchment and felt my eyes widen as I read the contents.

It was a section of the World Tree Sutra, but not any part I'd seen before. This dealt specifically with Realm Stabilizing Trees, and more importantly, it contained detailed instructions on how to partially manifest them from one's inner world into the physical realm.

My hands trembled slightly.

The combat applications alone were staggering. Instead of just benefiting from the tree's stabilizing influence within my inner world, I could potentially summon aspects of it to fight alongside me. The defensive capabilities, the area control, the sheer psychological impact of a sixty-foot tree suddenly appearing on a battlefield...

I sank into my desk chair, overwhelmed by the magnitude of what the Sect Master had just given me. Not only had he provided invaluable guidance about finding my dao, but he'd also handed me a technique that could fundamentally change my approach to combat.

"This is incredible," I murmured, reading through the cultivation method again. "He really didn't hold anything back."

"Master," Azure said thoughtfully, "I think you're witnessing the Dao of Karma in action. By giving you this knowledge freely, the Sect Master is accruing significant positive karma with you. When you eventually reach higher levels of cultivation, you'll remember this kindness."

That made perfect sense, but as I considered it further, I realized it was deeper than that. If my understanding of the Dao of Karma was correct, then the Sect Master's investment in talented disciples wasn't just about future gratitude, it was about directly benefiting his own cultivation.

Think about it: if the Sect Master's actions today helped me achieve a breakthrough to the Elemental Realm Establishment or Stellar Realm, the karmic return might be modest. But if his guidance and techniques eventually helped me reach the Civilization Realm or beyond? The significance of that achievement would create a massive karmic dividend flowing back to him.

It was an incredibly long-term investment strategy, but for someone who had already reached the Civilization Realm and presumably had centuries or millennia ahead of him, playing the karmic long game made perfect sense.

Every scroll given, every piece of advice offered, every moment of protection provided - all of it would compound over centuries and potentially pay dividends that could advance his own cultivation by leaps and bounds.

And if that really was the case, then it wouldn't surprise me at all if Wu Kangming and even Wei Lin received a similar visit over the next few days. After all, investing in multiple potential powerhouses was better than investing in just one.

Whether the Sect Master was genuinely benevolent or simply playing a sophisticated manipulation game, I was definitely the beneficiary either way. Though I suspected that for someone who had mastered the Dao of Karma, the distinction between genuine kindness and strategic investment might be meaningless - both paths led to the same outcome.

As I thought about the Dao of Karma, other pieces of the puzzle began falling into place.

The sect really did seem very strict in its rules and justice system. My first impression when I'd arrived had been that the accommodations felt almost like a well-appointed prison: everything controlled, monitored, and regulated according to rigid hierarchies.

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I'd attributed that to normal sect politics, but now I wondered if it was actually the Sect Master's dao influencing his territory. A cultivator who managed cosmic justice would naturally create an environment where actions had clear, predictable consequences.

The more I thought about it, the more sense it made.

Take Zhou, for instance. The inner disciple had bullied outer disciples for years, even going so far as to cripple Wu Kangming in what should have been a simple sparring match. At the time, it had seemed like typical cultivation world brutality - the strong preying on the weak with impunity.

But then Wu Kangming had returned, stronger than ever, and challenged Zhou to a duel to the death. The karmic scales had balanced with blood, and Zhou's reign of petty tyranny had ended permanently.

At the time, I'd thought it was just typical xianxia protagonist behavior - the arrogant young master gets his comeuppance from the righteous hero. But now I wondered if there had been deeper forces at work.

Had the Sect Master's dao been subtly influencing events within his territory? Creating circumstances where karmic debts would inevitably come due, where bullies would face their victims, where justice would assert itself through seemingly natural progression?

If so, it painted the sect's harsh environment in a different light. Not cruelty for its own sake, but a crucible where karma was allowed to flow freely, where actions had often violent consequences.

It wasn't just good management; it was a cultivation technique on a massive scale. It was a sobering thought that made me reconsider everything I knew about cultivation.

And that brought me to a question that I could no longer ignore: What was my dao?

I'd started this journey focused on immediate goals: surviving in a dangerous world, protecting my family, advancing through the sect's hierarchy. Those were all valid motivations, but they weren't a dao in the sense that Sect Master Yuan had described.

A dao needed to be something that could grow and deepen throughout an entire cultivation journey, something that would remain meaningful even after achieving immortality and transcending mortal concerns.

What did I truly want to pursue?

What principle or ideal could guide me not just through the next few years, but through the potentially endless path ahead?

I thought about my experiences so far. The satisfaction I'd felt when helping my friends, the joy of discovering new cultivation techniques, the thrill of exploring different worlds and meeting their inhabitants. The way I'd felt when absorbing the Realm Stabilizing Tree, not just the power it provided but the sense of growth and expansion it represented.

Maybe my dao had something to do with growth itself?

Not just personal advancement, but the cultivation of potential in all its forms: helping others reach their capabilities, discovering new possibilities, and pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible?

Or perhaps it was connected to balance and harmony?

The way the Genesis Seed integrated energies from different sources, the satisfaction I felt when creating formations that worked in perfect synchronization, the importance I placed on maintaining my humanity even as I gained power?

And then there was the fundamental truth of this world: cultivation itself was creation.

That wasn't just a philosophical concept, it was the literal foundation of this world's power system. Cultivators didn't just grow stronger; they created new realities, new possibilities, new forms of existence. My inner world wasn't just a storage space or power source; it was a universe I was actively creating and shaping.

But then I paused, a frown creasing my brow.

If cultivation is creation, then wouldn't every cultivator's dao be the Dao of Creation?

That couldn't be right.

The Sect Master had spoken of dao as something deeply personal and unique, something that distinguished one cultivator's path from another's.

No, I was thinking about this wrong.

Cultivation might be the universal act of creation, but the dao was the principle that guided how, what, and why you created.

The Sect Master's Dao of Karma wasn't about creation in general; it was about creating balance, justice, and cosmic order. His paradise and punishment realms weren't just expressions of power; they were manifestations of his specific understanding of how creation should serve karmic balance.

So, the question wasn't whether my dao involved creation; that was a given for any cultivator.

The question was what kind of creation called to me?

What principles would guide the realities I brought into being?

What philosophy would shape the universes I built within my inner world and the techniques I manifested in the outer one?

"Azure," I said, "what do you think my dao might be?"

"Master," Azure replied thoughtfully, "I think that's exactly the kind of question you need to answer for yourself. But I will say this, in all my observations of your choices and reactions, you've consistently shown a drive not just to grow stronger, but to understand how things work and help them work better. Whether that's formations, cultivation techniques, or relationships between people."

I considered his words. Understanding and optimization... that did seem to resonate with something deep in my character. But was that a strong enough foundation for an eternal dao?

I shook my head, realizing that I was probably trying to force an answer that needed to develop naturally over time. Sect Master Yuan hadn't expected me to figure out my dao on the spot, he'd given me the tools to think about it properly.

For now, I had more immediate concerns.

The tournament would resume in three days, and I needed to prepare not just my techniques and strategies, but my mindset. The warning about not trying to annex inner worlds was particularly important to remember. Whatever temptations I might face during the battles, I needed to stay focused on victory rather than trying to steal resources.

"Master, will you be taking another trip to the Two Suns world?" Azure asked. "You seemed to make significant progress during your last visit, despite the... unfortunate ending."

I shook my head firmly. "Definitely not. Kal will absolutely be waiting at that village to see who Tomas really is, and a Rank 8 Lightweaver with time-loop knowledge is not someone I want to tangle with right now."

The memory of Elder Thorne's soul-severing technique still made me shudder.

That attack had weakened me significantly, requiring days of careful recovery to repair the soul damage. If something similar happened again, or worse, if Kal himself decided to probe my soul directly, I'd be completely screwed for the tournament. I might not even be able to perform at a basic level, let alone compete against the other exceptional talents.

"A wise decision," Azure agreed. "Rank 8 soul attacks would likely be far more devastating than what you experienced with Elder Thorne."

"Exactly. So instead, I'm going to focus on mastering this new technique." I gestured towards my storage ring where I'd stored the scroll. "Learning to manifest my Realm Stabilizing Tree could give me a significant edge in the tournament battles."

I leaned back in my chair, mind already working through different plans. "I should also see if Liu Chang would be willing to spar with me or give me some combat pointers. As an inner disciple, he has far more real battle experience than most outer disciples. Even someone like Wu Kangming would have to take Liu Chang seriously in a fight."

The plan felt solid.

Three days of intensive training with a revolutionary new technique, combined with practical combat advice from an experienced cultivator. It might not be as dramatic as dimensional travel, but it would be far safer and potentially more beneficial for the immediate challenges ahead.

But as I settled in for the night, one question continued to echo in my mind:

What is my dao?

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