The days that followed Elias and Kaelen's profound discussion blurred into weeks, then months, within the perfectly regulated, self-sustaining environment of Elias's sanctuary. Kaelen's initial awe slowly transformed into a burning, insatiable thirst for knowledge. The sheer scope of what Elias was teaching her, the underlying fabric of existence itself, eclipsed any previous ambition she had held.
Elias proved to be an unparalleled teacher, his patience seemingly as boundless as his knowledge. He didn't just lecture; he guided, demonstrated, and challenged. Their lessons took place primarily in the Axiom Library, a vast, shimmering space where Elias would project intricate, three-dimensional diagrams directly into the air. These weren't crude schematics; they were dynamic, living representations of universal principles. Kaelen saw the dance of energy conversion cycles, the precise molecular structures of matter forming and reforming, the subtle vibrational frequencies that permeated all existence, and the intricate weave of information that defined every particle. Elias would then use the Experimental Labs to manifest these concepts on a smaller scale, allowing Kaelen to observe and analyze them with her heightened senses.
He began with Thermodynamics, explaining not just its principles—the flow of heat, the conservation of energy, the inevitability of entropy—but crucially, how to apply them. Kaelen learned how to manipulate Qi flow for near-perfect efficiency, how to minimize waste, and how to harness residual energy. She saw that traditional cultivation was akin to trying to power a city with a single, sputtering candle. Elias showed her how to build a nuclear reactor from that same candle's raw components.
Then came Matter Transformation. Elias delved into the fundamental composition of elements, showing her how a single atom held immense potential, how elements could be synthesized or transmuted, and how the Law of Information dictated their very identity. To him, matter wasn't just physical; it was information structured in a specific way. He even introduced her to the rudiments of Space as a fundamental law, explaining its geometry, its malleability, and how it could be compressed, expanded, and folded, concepts that blew apart her previous understanding of reality.
Kaelen absorbed it all with astonishing speed. Her mutated divine sense, now subtly invigorated by the environment and Elias's direct mental links, allowed her to visualize the concepts with a clarity no other being could achieve without decades of effort. She wasn't just memorizing; she was understanding at a fundamental, intuitive level, connecting the complex theories to the underlying Qi flows she had always perceived. She spent countless hours in the Training Matrix, running mental simulations, perfecting theoretical Qi flows, and dissecting the energy signatures of simulated opponents, all without generating a single wisp of external Qi. She was building her understanding from the ground up, internalizing the scientific cultivation manual Elias had designed for her, rewriting her very perception of the universe.
She practiced material synthesis in the Artificer's Sanctum, learning to craft metals of impossible purity and Qi conduits of zero resistance. Her Qi gun, now her constant companion, underwent a radical transformation. With Elias's precise instructions on Resonance Dampening and Energy Focusing, she meticulously rebuilt its core. The once crude marvel became a silently humming, incredibly powerful instrument, capable of firing bolts of pure, concentrated energy with terrifying precision and negligible waste. It was no longer just a gun; it was a testament to applied scientific cultivation.
Elias would often observe her from a distance, a quiet, almost imperceptible satisfaction in his eyes. He recognized her dedication, her burgeoning brilliance. He saw himself, decades ago, consumed by the pure pursuit of knowledge, the joy of discovery. He found himself increasingly enjoying her company, the intellectual sparring during lessons, the shared moments of scientific revelation, and the quiet comfort of her presence in their shared, boundless sanctuary. It was a new, welcome feeling, one he had not anticipated, yet found himself embracing with a quiet contentment. His logical mind, usually focused on grand cosmic designs, began to account for a new, unexpected variable in his universal equations: Kaelen.