The afternoon sun slowly moved across the sky above Iron Root Sect.
Inside the library, Kael remained seated at the wooden table with several old scrolls spread open before him. The faint smell of aged paper filled the quiet room.
He had spent nearly two hours reading through the records Elder Maren had shown him.
Most of the scrolls described the history of Astra Minor before its decline.
Large cultivation cities once existed across the planet.
Several powerful sects ruled different regions, each controlling major spiritual resources and ley line intersections.
Kael paused while reading one of the older records.
According to the scroll, Astra Minor had once been known for its stable spiritual environment. The planet's ley line network was well balanced, and spiritual energy circulated smoothly through most regions.
But nearly six hundred years ago, something began to change.
The records described the spiritual energy slowly weakening across the planet.
At first the change was small.
Only a few regions experienced declining energy levels.
But over time the effect spread further.
Spirit forests began dying.
Cultivation progress slowed.
Several sects began investigating the cause, but no clear explanation was ever found.
Kael slowly rolled the scroll closed.
"So the decline started gradually…"
He leaned back in his chair.
Many of the powerful cultivators left Astra Minor once it became clear the situation would not improve.
But some records suggested that a few groups had stayed behind, trying to stabilize the planet's spiritual system.
Kael stood up and walked toward the shelves again.
He selected another scroll from the wooden box.
This one contained a rough map of the southern plains.
Compared to the large map he had seen earlier, this version focused on a smaller area of land.
Kael spread it across the table.
His eyes quickly moved toward a familiar region.
The Ashwind Plains.
But the map showed something very different from what Kael knew today.
According to the record, that region had once been covered with grasslands and several small forests.
Two rivers crossed the plains before flowing toward the southern mountains.
Kael looked thoughtful.
"Hard to imagine now."
Today the plains were almost completely barren.
Only scattered rocks and dry soil remained.
He continued studying the map.
Several symbols were marked across the region.
Small circles connected by faint lines.
Kael leaned closer.
He recognized the pattern.
Ley line nodes.
The symbols represented locations where smaller branches of the planetary energy network once surfaced near the ground.
If the map was accurate, the Ashwind Plains had once contained several of these nodes.
Kael tapped the edge of the map lightly.
"That would explain the ridge patterns…"
He quickly opened his bag and pulled out his own hand-drawn map.
After spreading it beside the older scroll, Kael began comparing the two.
Several of the curved ridges he had drawn earlier followed directions similar to the ley line branches shown in the old map.
The connection wasn't exact.
But it was close enough to catch his attention.
Kael sat quietly for a moment.
If those ridges were connected to old ley lines, it could mean something interesting.
Perhaps parts of the ancient energy network still existed beneath the surface.
Even if the system had collapsed long ago, small traces of it might still remain.
Kael rolled the old map closed again.
The door to the library creaked open behind him.
Ronan stepped inside.
"There you are," he said.
Kael looked up.
"Something wrong?"
Ronan shook his head.
"No, nothing serious."
He walked over and glanced at the scrolls on the table.
"Still studying old records?"
Kael nodded.
"I found some interesting maps."
Ronan leaned over the table.
"About the planet?"
"Yes."
Kael pointed to the Ashwind Plains on his own map.
"This area used to contain several ley line nodes."
Ronan looked slightly surprised.
"Really?"
Kael nodded.
"At least according to these old records."
Ronan crossed his arms.
"That's strange."
Kael agreed.
"Today there's almost nothing there."
The plains were mostly empty land now.
Only a few scattered herbs grew in the region.
Ronan thought for a moment before speaking again.
"So what are you planning to do?"
Kael looked back at the map.
"I want to explore the area again."
Ronan raised an eyebrow.
"You already go out there often."
"Yes," Kael said.
"But this time I want to look more carefully."
He tapped the map again.
"If those old ley nodes still exist underground, there might be something left behind."
Ronan shrugged.
"I guess it's possible."
He glanced toward the windows where the late afternoon sunlight was beginning to fade.
"If you're planning another trip, you should probably go tomorrow morning."
"The weather should be calmer."
Kael nodded.
"That's what I was thinking."
Ronan stretched his arms.
"Well, just don't get lost out there."
Kael smiled faintly.
"I won't."
Ronan walked back toward the door.
"I'm heading to the training yard," he said.
"See you later."
Kael nodded.
After Ronan left, Kael carefully rolled his maps and placed them back into his bag.
The idea stayed in his mind as he stepped outside the library.
Tomorrow he would return to the Ashwind Plains.
This time, he would search for the old paths hidden beneath the dying land of Astra Minor.