His family watched him go, a mix of awe and excitement on their faces. The idea that the brutal training they had just endured could be automated, made safe and repeatable, felt like something from a storybook.
After a moment of stunned silence, they returned to their routines, eager to test the new tool.
While Kamal, Neelam, and Sanya cycled through Heatfrost Vyuha under Sacral Clone's supervision, Solar Clone began working on the healing formation.
Lines and sigils spread across a fresh patch of stone as he wove the essence of Refreshing Breeze Healing into a stable pattern.
Two hours later, a new circle glowed with soft green and white light. Solar Clone stepped back and named it Refreshing BreezeVyuha—a formation that would envelop anyone inside with continuous, gentle restoration, easing strain without erasing their hard‑won gains.
He did not stop there. Riding the momentum, he moved to the next empty space and started sketching more designs—Vyuha for wounds and recovery, Vyuha for mental calm, Vyuha for controlled impact—all still in experimental stages.
Failure circles overlapped like scars across the floor, but now that he had a few successes, each new attempt felt less like groping in the dark and more like mapping a new science.
By the time his family returned from the surface that night, arms full of purchases and faces bright from sunlight, the cultivation ground looked utterly transformed.
Dozens of circles—large and small, some dim, some brilliantly lit—covered the stone, weaving together like a massive, half‑finished circuit board.
Even Sacral Clone stopped in place, stunned. Is my other half's progress really this terrifying?
He walked over to where Solar Clone was crouched, finishing another ring of symbols. "How many Vyuhas have you made? Do you not plan to rest at all?"
Solar Clone did not look up immediately. "No need. I already rested plenty before," he said. "As for completed Vyuhas, only six. The rest are failures or half‑finished attempts. Can you help clear some of these so there's room for more?"
Sacral Clone exhaled and nodded. To anyone else, this chaos might have been discouraging, but to him it was normal.
In a field with only vague theories stolen from novels and no real teachers, dozens of failed circles for six working Vyuhas was not a sign of weakness—it was proof that they were carving a brand‑new path.
Silently, he began erasing the dead patterns, wiping away half‑formed circles and broken lines until only the stable formations remained around Solar Clone's feet.
Sacral Clone's gaze swept over them. "By the way," he asked, curiosity winning over fatigue, "what are the Vyuhas you've actually finished? What do they do?"
Solar Clone straightened and pointed to a calm, symmetric circle etched with gentle curves.
"Stillheart Vyuha," he said. "It stabilises heartbeat, breathing, and emotions. Anyone inside finds it easier to enter the Law of Still Mind and hold their Heart Vows without being shaken."
He moved his hand to a hexagon‑laced platform nearby. "This one is ImpactforgeVyuha. It generates controlled shockwaves and impacts at different strengths. Perfect for tempering the body for the Law of Wounds and Healing without needing someone to keep punching you."
Near the edge of the gardens lay a broad, practical pattern that connected to the soil. "Over there is Fieldweave Vyuha. It looks after the fields for us—balances moisture, keeps pests away, and slowly boosts the fertility of the earth so crops and herbs grow better underground."
He nodded toward a larger array that covered the ceiling and distant walls, faint traces of light circling like an invisible clock. "That one is Sun‑Moon Vyuha. It handles our artificial sky—switches between red sun, cool moon, starlight, and darkness, so everyone's body still feels a real day‑night cycle even down here."
Next, he tapped a formation marked by concentric rings feeding into a single core. "Here's Essencewell Vyuha. It doesn't improve quality yet, but it constantly draws ordinary essence from the surroundings and stores it, thickening the ambient energy in the fortress so cultivation feels less like working in a dead cave."
Finally, he gestured at a smaller, intricate circle laced with fine, lightning‑like lines. "And this is Nerveglow Vyuha. It sends tiny, harmless pulses through the nervous system, sharpening reaction speed and coordination. Good preparation for real combat later."
Sacral Clone let out a low whistle. "Six finished Vyuhas already."
Solar Clone only shrugged and knelt again, continuing the pattern he had been drawing while they spoke. Lines branched out like roots and veins, running toward the gardens and living areas.
When he pressed his palm to the center, soft green light flared and sank into the stone, spreading outward in every direction.
"This will link wood element into every field and garden," he said quietly. "Once it's expanded, the whole underground will start to feel alive."
Sacral Clone watched the faint glow pulse under their feet and couldn't help muttering, "At this rate, this cave won't just be a fortress. It'll be a living, breathing world of its own."