The wind outside the sect continued to howl as the ash storm spread across the mountains.
Inside Iron Root Sect, most disciples had already retreated into the inner buildings to avoid the worst of the dust. The training courtyard was nearly empty now, with only a few people finishing their practice before heading inside.
Kael walked along the stone path leading toward the inner hall of the sect.
The buildings here were old but still sturdy. Most were made from dark gray stone carved directly from the mountain itself. Over the years many repairs had been made, but the signs of age were still obvious.
Cracks ran along some of the walls.
Several rooftops had been replaced with simple wooden tiles after the original materials broke apart.
Despite its worn appearance, the sect still had a calm atmosphere.
This place had survived many difficult years.
Kael stopped in front of a smaller building near the center of the sect grounds.
A wooden sign hung above the door.
Alchemy Room
He knocked lightly.
A voice immediately answered from inside.
"Come in."
Kael pushed the door open.
The room was filled with the faint smell of herbs and medicinal smoke. Shelves lined the walls, holding dozens of small jars and wooden boxes containing various plants and powders.
At the center of the room stood a large stone table covered with tools used for grinding herbs.
Behind the table stood an older man with long gray hair tied behind his back.
This was Elder Darius, the sect's alchemist.
He looked up as Kael entered.
"You're back from the plains already?"
Kael nodded and placed the small pouch on the table.
"I found some herbs."
Darius opened the pouch and carefully examined the plants inside.
"Ash Spirit Grass," he said.
He counted them quickly.
"Five plants."
He nodded in approval.
"That's good work."
Ash Spirit Grass was not a powerful herb, but it could still be used to create simple recovery pills that helped disciples restore their spiritual energy after training.
For a sect with limited resources, even weak herbs were important.
Darius placed the plants gently on the table.
"You always seem to have good luck finding these," he said.
Kael shrugged slightly.
"I just search longer."
Darius chuckled quietly.
"Most disciples don't have the patience for that."
He walked toward one of the shelves and placed the herbs into a wooden container.
Then he turned back to Kael.
"How are your own cultivation efforts going?"
Kael hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Slow."
Darius nodded knowingly.
"That's expected."
He walked over to a nearby window and looked out toward the gray sky.
"The spiritual energy in this region has become thinner again."
Kael stepped closer and also looked outside.
The ash storm covered most of the sky now, turning everything a dull shade of gray.
Even without the storm, the spiritual energy in the air felt weak.
Every cultivator on Astra Minor could feel it.
Darius folded his hands behind his back.
"Five hundred years ago," he said slowly, "this mountain had several strong spiritual veins running beneath it."
Kael listened quietly.
The elder continued.
"Those veins fed the entire region with spiritual energy. Cultivation here was much easier back then."
He paused for a moment.
"But over time the veins weakened. Some collapsed completely."
Kael had heard parts of this story before.
Still, he always found it interesting.
Darius turned toward him again.
"Do you know what the spiritual density of this mountain was during the sect's early years?"
Kael shook his head.
Darius raised one finger.
"Nearly ten times stronger than it is now."
Kael blinked slightly.
Ten times stronger.
That meant cultivation would have been dramatically easier.
Darius walked back toward the stone table.
"Back then even ordinary disciples could reach Spirit Gathering Realm without too much difficulty."
He began grinding a few herbs into powder as he spoke.
"Now most disciples struggle just to maintain steady progress in Spiritual Awakening."
Kael nodded slowly.
He understood that problem well.
Even during long cultivation sessions, the amount of spiritual energy he could absorb was extremely small.
Sometimes he had to sit for hours just to gather enough energy to strengthen his meridians slightly.
Darius finished grinding the herbs and set the tool aside.
"You're still exploring the surrounding regions, aren't you?" he asked.
"Yes."
The elder studied him carefully.
"Find anything interesting recently?"
Kael thought for a moment.
"Mostly abandoned structures," he said. "Old roads. Broken formation platforms."
Darius nodded.
There were many such places across Astra Minor.
When the great sects evacuated the planet centuries ago, they did not bother dismantling every structure they had built.
Many ruins were left behind.
Most of them had already been searched many times by scavengers.
Still, small discoveries were sometimes possible.
Darius poured the herb powder into a small jar.
"You have a good eye for the land," he said.
Kael looked slightly surprised.
"Really?"
The elder smiled faintly.
"I've seen the maps you've been drawing."
Kael blinked.
"You've seen those?"
Darius nodded.
"You leave them in the library sometimes."
Kael felt slightly embarrassed.
The maps he made were simply sketches of nearby regions he explored.
They showed mountain ridges, dried riverbeds, and locations where herbs could still grow.
He made them mostly for his own curiosity.
Darius placed the jar onto the shelf.
"Observation is an important skill for cultivators," he said.
"Understanding the world around you can sometimes lead to unexpected discoveries."
Kael nodded thoughtfully.
That idea was one of the reasons he enjoyed exploring.
Even though Astra Minor was declining, the planet still held many mysteries.
After a moment, Kael bowed slightly.
"I'll return to training."
Darius waved his hand lightly.
"Go ahead."
Kael turned and walked toward the door.
Before he left, the elder spoke again.
"Kael."
He stopped and looked back.
"Yes, Elder?"
Darius rested one hand on the stone table.
"The planet may be declining," he said calmly.
"But that doesn't mean everything here is worthless."
Kael listened carefully.
"Sometimes the most valuable things are simply the hardest to see."
Kael nodded slowly.
"I understand."
Then he stepped outside.
The wind was still strong across the sect grounds.
Gray ash swirled through the air as the storm continued to spread across the mountains.
Kael looked out toward the distant plains for a moment.
Then he headed toward the training grounds.
Even if cultivation was slow on Astra Minor…
He still intended to grow stronger.