First off, I don't think learning about the roots forces us to do bad things to anyone later in the war arc. Ling qi can certainly face horror and become stronger from it, and I think it's better to do now than on the battlefield, as it'll help us deal with strong negativity like despair much easier. Ling qi is smart and strong enough to avoid evil decisions if there's another option, so I think confronting darkness won't affect that.
I do agree that you should vote for what you want to see now, though I think people who want to wait for palace have a point in that we will naturally but gradually learn more about palace of one, including it's failings and ideals, but not all at once, which is this type of opportunity. With roots, we'll have an experience where we can see and feel the failed dreams and ways of cultivators. The lesson of failure and conviction in a dream not being enough is important, and that harsh reality is something we have been able to avoid. Seeing its effects on others will prepare us and let us recognize this breakdown in other people, whether to exploit or help. I think the lessons we learn from roots can be extrapolated back to a more positive light eventually, as way breaking is the opposite side of way mending, and I have faith that ling qi can connect this lesson to be helpful in connecting with others.
On how much it'll be used, I think that there will be lesser applications of the hurt roots will happen (though palace will probably be used more), and in the long run having this narratively heavy weapon is a good thing. It will be interesting to simply have this weapon in our arsenal, and our contemplation of having this power over others will also help us grow. Also, characters dying is fine, the investment people have in those characters shouldn't affect the story that much. But even if a person is way broken, I don't think that means they always die. A character would certainly and irreversibly change, but they could, for example, simply become a husk of a person and work their way up from that (or fail to). That would be an interesting character arc.
I think the view into personal dreams and ways that have failed is more interesting to me (subjectively of course). We see and hear about the effects of the victors across the empire, but the dreams of those that are forgotten aren't told and have to be discovered (and for the hui, it's for a reason). Also, I think people connecting us to the hui because of the dreaming part of the way will be an interesting point of conflict and we shouldn't shy away from it because we are scared to be attacked because of it.
Finally, I also like how this will touch on ling qi inner darkness from isolation, which might cause her isolation to be brought to the forefront again, priming it for the war arc. Isolation would connect with the idea of the personal dreams we'd be examining (and hui culture), and the isolation inherent in a cultivator's way as climbing realms polarizes them and cutting themselves off of their humanity, causing them to do horrible things.
