On February 25, 2020, Ankit exit his cultivation room, then he reached out through his connection to his clones, absorbing their memories in an instant. The flood of experiences—daily trainings, quiet progress, and distant echoes of unrest—washed over him.
In a blink, he teleported to the cultivation grounds.
There, his family trained diligently under the watchful guidance of his heart clone.
Kamal swung his sword through precise forms, the sword whistling as it sliced the air. Though he had yet to begin true cultivation, his strikes could cleave hardened steel effortlessly, a testament to the foundational weapon arts crafted by the heart clone. These arts started simple, demanding patience and repetition, but they suited his current mortal stage perfectly.
Neelam wielded her trishula with commanding force. Her movements were fewer than the sword arts but each thrust and sweep carried overwhelming power, shaking the ground slightly with their dominance.
Sanya stood farther out, bow drawn taut. She aimed at a moving target 600 meters away, eyes narrowed in focus. The arrow flew true, embedding dead center. Without pause, she nocked multiple arrows, releasing them in a powerful volley—all striking the bullseye. The final one pierced straight through the core.
As she reached for another target from her storage ring, a familiar figure materialized before her.
At first, she mistook him for one of the clones. But then he spoke softly: "Sanya, you're working so hard. I'm proud of you."
Her face lit up—it was the real Ankit.
The commotion drew Kamal and Neelam over. Joy spread across their faces, relieved and happy after his long absence.
They moved to the serene garden for a family chat, catching up on the months apart.
Soon, the heart clone arrived, having sensed the main body's return. He had quietly instructed the puppets to prepare a feast, storing the dishes in a ring. Now, he tossed the ring to Ankit, who extracted floating plates of aromatic food and invited everyone to eat.
They savored the meal but stopped before feeling full, leaving room as their year-plus of practicing the Mortal Foundation Scripture had honed their self-control and bodily awareness. Their mortal foundation marks had deepened profoundly, marking them as talents above-genius. Still, they held off on formal cultivation, prioritizing an unbreakable base.
News from the outside world had reached them: chaos gripped the nation.
Safe within the fortress's barriers, and with Ankit's protection, they felt secure. Yet they refused to depend solely on him. Determination burned in their eyes—they would grow stronger themselves.
As they rose to resume training, Ankit halted them gently.
"Dad, Mom, Sanya—you should also learn hand-to-hand combat arts. That way, even without weapons, you can defend yourselves."
His clones had noticed the gap earlier but avoided mentioning it to prevent overwhelming them. Now, seeing their resolve amid the world's turmoil, he shared the advice.
They agreed wholeheartedly, recognizing the wisdom.
Ankit instructed the heart clone to guide them, then retired to rest and process his own experiences.
The heart clone, having prepared such arts long ago, began immediately.
Total Combat Flow System
Ultimate modern integrated mortal art created by the heart clone, blending striking, grappling, clinch work, takedowns, defenses, dodges, parries, and fluid transitions. Turns every body part into a seamless weapon—attack and defend in one continuous flow, mastering any range for complete dominance.
The hand-to-hand techniques emphasized close-quarters efficiency, enhanced body control, faster reactions, and fluid movement.
Drawing from their "Law of Wounds and Healing" experience in the Mortal Foundation Scripture, they adapted swiftly—sparring with the clone, each other, or specialized training puppets designed for unarmed combat.
Day by day, their skills will sharpen, forging not just fighters, but a family unbreakable in body and spirit.
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On the evening of February 25, 2020, while the main body rested, the heart clone lounged in his private chamber within the Dark Haven Fortress, phone in hand, immersed in Free Fire.
He had just redeemed the brand-new Elite Pass Season 22 bundle moments after it dropped. The lobby screen glowed with the latest cosmetics—flowing robes embroidered with spirit runes, a glowing katana skin that pulsed with faint qi-like particles, and emotes where the character performed basic meditation poses or released illusory sword beams. The game had transformed beyond recognition.
Ever since the bold "Cultivation Update" in late 2019—introducing new modes, sect ranking battles, spirit beast mounts, and —Free Fire's player count had exploded. They, tasting massive profits, doubled down.