Kamal, Sanya, and Neelam, shaken out of their initial shock, echoed one after another that they also had never seen a talking cow.
Solar Clone's lips curved. "Then what if this cow starts speaking after its intelligence awakens?"
This time, none of them argued. Kamal, Neelam, and Sanya simply shook their heads, not in denial but in helpless acceptance. They had already witnessed too many impossibilities become routine. If even a cow awakened its intelligence, it would be surprising—but not unbelievable.
Sacral Clone's gaze sharpened. The moment he heard Solar mention awakening a cow's intelligence, the pieces clicked into place.
"You created a cultivation system for the cow, didn't you?" he asked quietly.
In his mind, the logic was simple. For an animal to gain true intelligence, a miracle was required—and the only miracle currently within their reach was Essence Flow.
Solar Clone nodded. "Yes. I designed a cultivation path for creatures like this—peaceful by nature."
He looked at the grazing cow, then back at the others.
"I call it Primal Harmony Ascendancy. It's meant for cow‑like beasts that grow through calm, trust, and essence, not blood and slaughter. Every species has its own path; forcing a one-size-fits-all system would warp their nature, and that's never beneficial."
Sanya crossed her arms, her face scrunching up in exaggerated anger. "Brother, you're so mean! Now even a cow gets to cultivate, but I can't? Why?"
Sacral Clone met her gaze calmly, his voice steady and reassuring. "I haven't perfected the human cultivation system yet, Sanya. I want to secure the best opportunities for you—a rock-solid foundation without risks. Starting now could put you in danger if something goes wrong.
This Primal Harmony Ascendancy is just a low-level experiment with limited potential. I'll let you know the moment you're ready for Essence Flow Ascendancy—our family's true path."Sanya huffed but nodded, her pout softening into understanding silence.
The family leaned in as Sacral Clone continued, his tone settling into calm instruction.
"I've only developed Stage 1: HarmonyAwakening so far," he said. "It has three substages."
First Substage – Gentle Essence Circulation
Solar pointed toward the glowing grass beneath the cow's hooves.
"The arrays I built draw Essence Flow from the surroundings and pour it into this pasture," he explained. "The grass, the soil, even the air here are all soaked in that energy. Then I guide a portion of it into the cow's body to open its first circuits."
"The cow doesn't need to fight," he went on. "It just eats, breathes, chews, and sleeps. While it lives its normal life, essence runs along its spine and legs, slowly tempering muscles, bones, and organs."
He glanced at Kamal and Sanya.
"No trials, no monsters," Solar said. "Just a stable routine in an essence‑rich home. Over time, its body steps into the first layer of strength—far tougher than a normal cow—but its mind is still mostly instinct."
Neelam nodded slowly. "So the cow cultivates just by being in the right place… and with your help."
Solar inclined his head. "Exactly."
Second Substage – Quiet Mind Awakening
Solar traced a circle in the air, then a smaller one inside it.
"When its body can handle more, I start guiding essence through its brain as well," he said. "I've set Stillheart Vyuha and a few supporting arrays around its resting spot so it can remain calm and focused. Add repeated interaction—talking to it, teaching simple patterns, letting it solve little routines—and the mind circuits begin to form."
He looked at Sacral Clone. "This is where its intelligence starts waking. It recognises people, understands complex commands, remembers paths and schedules. It can choose instead of just reacting. But it still can't speak yet—its soul hasn't condensed a true voice."
Sacral Clone's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "So you carve body circuits first, then mind circuits, all through daily life instead of combat. One path develops its body, the other its brain, and together they push it higher."
Solar smiled. "That's right."
Third Substage – Harmonious Soul Voice
The light around Solar softened, echoing the gentle aura of the sky‑island.
"The final step is harmony," he said. "By then, its body is already at the peak of this stage. The breakthrough doesn't come from danger—it comes from safety."
He gestured at Gyu holding Rudra, at the quiet figures standing around them.
"When the cow completely trusts its caretaker and truly accepts this place as home, its body‑essence and mind‑essence fall into the same rhythm. At that point, a third ring forms—the soul ring. When all three resonate together, a soul voice is born."
Solar didn't know how to touch a soul, and Essence Flow had never reached that level in his studies. What he had seen, though, was a third pattern of circulation that appeared only when body‑circuits and mind‑circuits were both complete and utterly calm.
That pattern gathered around the heart and between the brows, tying together instinct, thought, and emotion into one stable pulse. It behaved less like raw power and more like the anchor of a being's self.
He can't say it truly is the soul but it acts like the ring that guards whatever makes someone them. So for now, He call it the soul ring.
Once the cow actually reaches that stage, he can find out how close his guess is. If the 'soul ring' doesn't appear, he can rename it and rebuild the method.
Kamal swallowed. "And then… it talks?"
"At first," Solar said, "it speaks mind‑to‑mind, sending clear thoughts and emotions. With time, that soul voice settles into its throat, and it can form words aloud—complain about the weather, rate the grass, even argue about cultivation theory if it wants."
Sacral Clone exhaled, a rare warmth in his tone. "Essence Flow Ascendancy for humans. Primal Harmony Ascendancy for peaceful beasts. Different roads…"
"Same peak," Solar finished, watching the cow as essence quietly flowed through its body. "So when this one finally says its first word, remember today—when you all said you'd never seen a cow speak."