I fix things by smashing them.

~Cernunnos, Lord of the Wild Things

Song Xue already had a light sweat by the time Crow arrived. She just nodded at him, and he joined her. They did their regular routines until Crow felt his root chakra was feeling saturated. For the first time since he started cultivating this method, he reached his limit. Not that he was ready to open the next charka, but he might be able to carve out the channels for the next one.

Afterward, he worked for a few hours helping unload crates at the Sweet Onion and restocked supplies. Most of the staff treated him and Otto as part of the family. There was a divide between people who could cultivate and those that couldn’t. Crow just never acknowledged the difference. Some of these people he’d known all his life.

Once they no longer needed him or Otto, Crow went to the False Dawn Workshop to find Gavin. The station was empty, and all the books and supplies were put away. Curious, he found the introductory book and flipped it open.

“Scarification?” Reading through the text, Crow found it more and more fascinating. Scarification was a body modification by using various methods to leave scars on the body. One way was slicing the skin and insert things inside, giving the skin a raised texture. Another way was to burn or peel away pieces of flesh. It didn’t surprise Crow that it fell out of favor because it was borderline barbaric.

Regardless, creating sigils in the layers of flesh and linking those together created powerful body modifications. In some ways, it was better than eastern cultivation because they directly connected it to the Source and was passively powered. The major downside was that losing a limb, getting his flesh burned or cut off, practically destroyed the sigil.

Lifting his shirt, Crow looked at the sunken flesh that marked the Celtic design on his stomach. Was their Scarification method developed based on bloodline heritage sigils? It looked similar, but his continued to grow as time passed.

While all that was interesting, the last line of the text stated ‘… heavily used by the Draoidh, but faded form use with the introduction of the towers and Shields.’

“Towers? There is more than one?” Crow struggled to read the faded text, but he was positive it was plural. “What exactly are you researching, old man?”

Flipping through a few more books, Crow noticed body diagrams and locations for placing specific symbols or tattoos also lined up with some of the meridian points of the cultivation method he followed.

After looking through a few more, he noticed the patterns laid out weren’t just sigils but nodes of a formation. He’d only just started learning formations, so he couldn’t be absolutely sure of his theory. Didn’t matter; he believed he was right. More, if it was right, this method of using Scarification was genius. Not that Crow had any interest, but the idea of combining talents was an eye-opener.

It didn’t matter. Gavin wasn’t here, so he placed the books back and explored the station Mugna mentioned. This corner of the workshop was different because they shaped it like a flower, with eight coves surrounding a central area that had stools placed near a waist-high work table. Each cove had its own protection formation ring, but they were smaller. Only one had the blocks of wood, and on the table was an introduction to wood carving.

Mugna practically offered Father Oak as an infinite source of wood, which made Crow chuckle.

On the workbench, there were various knives, hooks, and chisels. Crow flipped through the introductory book, which gave the standard basics of wood carving. It briefly touched on Druids in the past that had created various techniques and masterpieces, but it wasn’t much. The most significant piece of information explained all the tools and their purpose. While it described the differences between mallets, palm tools, chisels, and gouges, it didn’t explicitly say those tools couldn’t be used in other ways. The one tool a carver could not do without was the Chip Carving Knife, which was touted as a wood carver’s most prestigious tool.

The carving knife was very versatile, and Crow realized he could follow almost any procedure listed using just that tool. The other tools could augment ability but weren’t explicitly needed. There were even some that were multi-tools, meaning it had a tool on each side.

At first, Crow hesitated. This didn’t seem helpful at all, and he had to wonder if it had any practical value. However, almost all of the people that had guided him warned him that growth wasn’t only about tangible power. Life needed living, and so Crow found the shelf with the hidden vestige.

Dropping to his knees, he saw the books on the bottom shelf nearly reached the shelf above it, so there wasn’t a lot of room, and it was dark. Gently, he slid his hand between the small gap and slowly moved across the top of the various books while patting down, barely brushing the tops of the books until he felt something cold and hard.

Pulling it out, he recognized that this vestige was ancient and was one of those that didn’t just pass knowledge but experiences. Brushing the dust off a nearby stool, he sat down and pressed the item to his forehead. Strangely, the image that appeared was a man staring into a mirror, which made it look like Crow was looking at the person who left this vestige.

“Pardon me, I’m not sure how to start this explanation. First, I guess I should address you, the inheritor of my legacy. This vestige is locked by stages, and only when you accomplish success in one stage will the next one open. Should we not have fate, then I ask you to find a worthy successor for me.”

“Can you hear me?” Crow asked.

“I do not know how long it will take this legacy to be found, but I spent my entire life perfecting. I’m not sure how to pass the method down directly—oh, right, I call this talent Soul Carving. I ask that you do not look down on the method because, in time, you will notice its mysteriousness.”

The man kept on talking, no matter what Crow did to get his attention. All it meant was that this was not the remnant will of an old expert but a simple recording.

“The first stage is called Carving the Image. This stage isn’t about the details but about shape. The idea is to find your muse within your soul and then match images to the wood until something resonates. I will demonstrate after my explanation. It requires circulating mana through your body and the wood to feel the connection. The wood will let you know when you’ve found what it wants to be. A big part of this process relies on instinct. If your instincts are bad, I’m afraid you won’t have much success. One last thing… once you’ve started this process, you must finish the carving all in one go. If you stop or withdraw your mana, the Soul Carving will actualize. Meaning further modifications will ruin the imbuement or essence of the item you created. Now, I’ll demonstrate, so watch, feel, and immerse yourself into the process. All the details, charts, and processes needed to do what I do will come after.”

The man started to do just that, and Crow felt the Soul Carver’s mind overlay his. While merged in this way, he could feel-sense-adore the image of a little girl in his-their mind. She was a tiny little thing, not more than three or four years old. As he focused, Crow-Carver released their mana, the simple knife in his hand slid through the wood as if it was wet clay. The movements were smooth, experienced, and his fingers caressed the wood as if it was an old lover. Crow only felt as if he’d done this thousands of times before, but it never got old. Almost thirty minutes went by, and in that time, he forgot who he was, so enraptured by the process that he lost sight of everything else.

Crow didn’t even need to look at the carving to know it was the girl in their mind. It was faceless, the outline was there, and it had no distinguishing features that could give a hint as to who it was—but Crow knew it was her. He could feel it. It was like that little girl was in front of him because that was how strong the resonance was.

“Hell’s balls…” Crow breathed. All hesitation about wood carving had disappeared. He felt the urge to carve something—a hunger so powerful it almost overwhelmed reason.

The man placed the wooden figurine on the table and stared at it fondly. Looking up once more, the man spoke a final time.

“In the hopes you do not misunderstand as I did initially, wood—or any material you wish to carve, has a spirituality. I’ve always felt a stronger connection to wood. This spirituality is necessary for capturing the essence of your muse. Never force an image onto the wood, or the spirit within will resist you. Trust yourself. I’ll ask once more, if we do not have an affinity with each other, please find someone that does.”

Crow placed the vestige on the workbench and took several deep breaths, trying to find his center and focus on the process outlined by his newest master. It didn’t matter if this master was dead or alive because Crow felt the need to acknowledge him either way.

Finding a block of wood, he placed it on the table in front of him and focused his breathing while imagining what the wood should be. After some time, an image of his mother’s face crossed his mind, and the wood resonated. It felt like a mental vibration, but it was faint, almost to the point he wondered if it was something imagined.

Initially, he hoped the Qi from his chakra was enough, but it didn’t make the wood malleable enough. Opening his Source, he felt the change immediately. The knife sliced through the solid piece of wood like it was wet paper, and a curl of wood fell to the table. It didn’t take long until a pile of shavings fell to the table and floor around him. The fire building inside of him was ignored as if it didn’t matter. Crow knew his body’s condition and wasn’t completely oblivious, but it hadn’t reached a dangerous level yet.

The thirty minutes he spent carving felt like an entire day. His body, soul, and mind were exhausted and hurting. Releasing the connection with the wood, he coughed several times before spitting out black sticky blood. The feedback wasn’t only from Soul Burn because the moment he withdrew his mana from the wood, it was like it forcibly rebuffed him. Without even using mana sense, he knew the wood had hardened. Even if he wanted to fix the figurine, he knew it’d lose whatever essence he’d imbued into it. Trying to Soul Carve it again was tantamount to breaking the item.

Holding it up, he could sense her. Outwardly, it was a faceless person in long robes holding a bundle that might have been a baby. Crow was positive the baby was him but knew it wasn’t his memory of the moment. It was strange. Still, he could sense her in the figurine. As art, it wasn’t all that impressive, but just holding it soothed his mind and body. He felt like the child swaddled in blankets, comforted by his mother. Involuntarily, he looked at the scars on his hands.

“May I?” Gavin asked from behind him, and Crow almost dropped the figurine in surprise. Turning on the stool, Crow handed it over. Once the old man held it, he smiled. “Carving is the second skill you chose?”

Gavin’s question lacked any form of emotion or judgment, but he didn’t let go of the wooden figurine as he examined it with interest.

“Soul Carving,” Crow said. “And yes, I think this the skill I choose. Part of the process seems similar to Mana Crystallization too.”

“Soul Carving? I’ve never heard of that. What is it?”

Rather than say anything, Crow handed over the vestige. Gavin grabbed it curiously and, a few moments later, pulled it away. “It seems you may have an affinity for this method. It appears the owner of the vestige has selected you as his disciple. I won’t interfere with this, but keep me informed of your progress. I admit I’m curious to see how you progress with it.”

“Is it powerful as that man believed?”

Gavin didn’t answer immediately, but Crow could see the old man contemplating the question.

“Scholarly Talents can’t be measured by measures of power, but of use. On the southern continent’s Ripsaw Mountains, a tribe of stone dwarves built their home. One of their greatest heroes wasn’t a warrior but a man who practiced a similar art. Mostly he created stone charms that were highly useful to cultivators. His masterwork pieces adorned throne rooms of kings, standing taller than five meters and exuding powerful essence. Some induced fear, others calm, but every single creation was priceless. It is similar to what you are doing now, but he used a combination of stoneworking and formations. I’ll admit, I’ve never heard of Soul Carving, but I believe it could gain similar fame.”

“But it won’t help me as a battle talent?”

“I didn’t say that, idiot. Look at this figurine; I hold it and feel calm and centered. I’m reluctant to put it down because it is helping me keep a clear mind. Do you think that is worthless in battle? Its charm is a bit weak, but I’m assuming this was your first attempt.”

“Shouldn’t everyone be able to do this?”

“No. I couldn’t resonate with this master’s technique in that vestige. No matter what he did, I couldn’t feel that resonance. I’m honestly surprised you managed it. If I had to guess, this is similar to a soul ability, but—”

“Soul Burn.”

“Yes, exactly. Your soul is in constant torment, and there is no telling what long-term impact that is having on you. The fact you can Soul Carve means your soul power has advanced. Or maybe it’s about soul sensitivity, being able to tune into the spirit of the wood.”

“I understand the calm mind aspect, but do these figurines have any practical use?” Crow asked after receiving the figurine back from Gavin. The moment his hand touched it, it felt like he was embraced by a mother’s hug.

The old man started laughing at the question.

“You foolish boy. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how young you are and how little of the world you’ve seen. When you enter the tower, you’ll hear of groups that specialize in Scholarly Talents. As far as I know, Soul Carving doesn’t exist in those schools or workshops either. The point is, some talents can be learned by anyone with enough time and dedication. Given time, I could gain a solid understanding of Soul Carving, maybe even create some carvings using it, but to do what you just did… I’d have to guess it’s less than one in a million. Imagine if you created something like that, but much larger. Maybe big enough to impact this entire workshop—do you believe it would become a lesser sect’s greatest treasure? A cultivator’s biggest impediment is their unsettled mind. That figurine you just made might be worth a mid-grade mana crystal—notice I said crystal, not gold.”

“Woah…” Crow felt a bit of awe creeping into his mind. “That seems like a lot for this…”

“Now is where I bring you down a few notches. I can use half a dozen other talents in this room to create something better than that object. Most Master Scholars, such as me, would be able to do this much. Your talent is rare, but your Source is still lacking. Your ability is untrained and crude. This is the kind of talent that is only improved through use. You should practice when you have downtime.”

“Oh.” Crow didn’t feel discouraged by Gavin’s words. Rather, he felt the excitement of a challenge. If Gavin could make something better than his figurine, the Crow would make an even better carving.

“I know what just went through your mind, and that’s how a scholar should think,” Gavin laughed. “Now, while you are down here, you will spend the first two hours at the very least studying formations. I’ll stress it again… You need formations to supplement your weakened combat strength. Mana Crystallization and Soul Carving will help too. Who knows what would happen if you combine formations and soul carving.”

Crow recalled the introduction to formations and remembered reading one of the three types of formation creations. “Draw on the Oak, right? You are saying that I’ll be able to use that formation method and combine it with my Soul Carvings?”

“Possibly. The two arts may conflict, but let’s say I’m optimistic that you’ll find a way to make it happen,” Gavin knocked on Crow’s head while laughing. “Soul Carving might be your calling, but I believe these two talents were brought together for a reason. You just have to figure out what it is.”

“Is there a book on various types of woods?”

“For formations or soul carving?”

“Both. I’m assuming the attributes of the wood can augment either since Draw on the Oak uses wood as a medium too.”

“Smart boy. In the main lobby area, one of the sections I had you ignore was reference material. There are several sets of books that record all kinds of known materials and even some that haven’t been seen in several millennia.”

“Teacher? What were you studying Scarification for?” Crow asked, finally asking the question that had been burning in his heart all evening.

“Nosy, brat. Don’t worry about it for now. I’ve some ideas to help you. On that note, I will have to go away for a while. I came to check on you and let you know I leave in the morning. Now that you have your two trades, I’m going to block you from the other stations. I do not want you splitting your attention. Remember, during your time down here, mainly focus on formations. You can probably memorize all the books on carving in one night, but we have a hundred times more books on formations—and that’s just at your current permission level.”

“What if I have questions?”

“Ask Loremaster Quinn—or the Librarian might help if he’s not being an ass. While you’ve not dealt much with the other clan elders, Quinn is a formations expert. It is maybe the only Scholarly Talent he ever pursued.”

“Thank you. When will you be back?”

“Before your aptitude testing, I hope.”