The only thing more elegantly constructed than the unique iteration of cultivation in this book is the perspective of the characters trying to cultivate. Ryun and Zach have such powerful origin stories as they both sought to power up. You don’t know who tout root for as you see both points of view. Ryun desire to uphold his beliefs is so strong that you hope he wins but the values and morals of Zach’s bleeding heart call just as deeply. This book balances well showcasing what the characters know and you know without being overly complicated. I like most about this read is how much it makes me consider my own beliefs in my capabilities and my responsibility of the abilities. This is such a beautiful albeit volatile discussion of philosophy and violence. Examples and possibilities galore. This is my second time reading this series and it’s still great. There are very small amount of plot armor but overall the risk vs reward the characters take are inspirationally good. There’s a quote that this book makes me think about “the moon reflected on the water is not the moon but it reveals the moon. So to does technique reveal the mind”