A realization hit him. This puzzle wasn't passive. It didn't just sit there waiting to be solved, it wanted input from a source. It demanded calibration from a living cultivator. He wasn't solving a lock, he was syncing to a living spiritual machine.
He stepped toward the fourth node. His movements were more confident now after understanding the rhythm.
This one resisted his touch outright. A pulse of pure rejection pushed him back physically. His hand bounced away.
Kael narrowed his eyes. He stepped forward again. But this time he used a different foot pattern. Spiraling inward instead of approaching directly, changing the angle completely.
The node accepted him this time.
He knelt before it. His fingers wove carefully between the runes. Adjusting the energy threads with tiny movements. But he wasn't just manipulating it blindly. He was learning its pattern, memorizing the flow.
Click!
Something locked into place. The fourth anchor turned bright blue.
