If such a genius appeared in India, Mordan would rejoice—he would shield them, resource them, elevate them to national treasure status.
But what if the next Xin Xuan—or someone far greater—arose in an enemy nation? One person had already tilted the balance. Ten? A hundred? Cultivators who could ignore missiles, infiltrate bunkers, shatter armies with a wave of the hand… The thought chilled him more than any fleet on the horizon.
He pushed the fear down. There was no time for paralysis. Orders continued through the night.
Meanwhile, in the serene halls of Dark Haven Fortress, the family gathered casually around the large screen as evening news played.
Reports of aquatic beast attacks scrolled by—familiar chaos, handled adequately by military forces augmented with Magic Energy weapons. Ankit watched without particular concern; India could manage.
But when Xin Xuan's broadcast replayed, Ankit's eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity.
A functional breathing technique—crude by his standards, but genuine progress. How did it circulate energy? What meridians did it open? How efficient was the refinement?
Tempting to acquire it now… but no. It was still too weak, too foundational. When it evolved into something truly powerful—when Xinxuan refined it into a proper cultivation method—he would approach. A few pills, some spirit stones, or rare resources in exchange. Fair trade.
And for that Buddha statue?
He had already guessed the truth: the statue had likely sat atop or near an origin point for months, slowly saturating until it manifested a natural energy barrier strong enough to deflect modern bullets. It is not much interesting.
Ankit rose, preparing to finally resume secluded cultivation after years of mortal foundation building.
He bid goodbye to the family, promising to return in months.
Just then, breaking news flashed urgently across every channel.
HURLAIO CITY UNDER THREAT: ELUSIVE AQUATIC BEAST TERRORIZES COASTAL METROPOLIS
Grainy footage showed a massive shadow gliding through flooded streets—tentacles briefly surfacing, dragging soldiers into sewers. Magic Energy rounds sparked harmlessly off scaled hide. The creature vanished into underground pipelines before reinforcements arrived.
Dozens dead. Entire districts evacuated.
The military had sealed the city and sewer network, determined to capture rather than kill—mass destruction risked collapsing the urban core, and a live specimen was invaluable for research.
Analysts couldn't classify it: part serpent, part cephalopod, wholly alien in adaptation.
Ankit froze mid-step.
That shadow… the fluid movement, the density of energy radiating even through poor video…
His curiosity ignited fully.
This wasn't mere mutation. This beast was walking—swimming—a legitimate cultivation path. Demonic? Draconic? Something uniquely aquatic? Its strength surpassed Xin Xuan's current level by far.
Before secluded cultivation, why not investigate?
Better yet—why not turn it into a family trip?
He turned to the others.
"I'm going to Hurlaio City to see this beast up close. A short journey—want to come?"
Kamal and Neelam exchanged glances.
"We'll stay," Kamal said firmly. "Our weapon comprehension and body training are at critical stages. Distractions now would waste months."
Neelam nodded. "Go safely. Take Sanya if she wants."
Sanya's eyes were already sparkling. "Yes! Yes! Let's go!"
Rudra, now almost 2 year-old little boy with sharp intelligence gleaming in his eyes, barked excitedly and trotted to Ankit's side. He could speak in simple words now—"Fly! See!"—and showed no fear of heights.
Ankit considered folding space directly to Hurlaio, but dismissed it.
No. Let Sanya enjoy the journey.
With a subtle wave, he enveloped the three of them in an invisible spatial barrier—perfectly transparent from inside, completely undetectable from without. A soft platform of compressed air formed beneath their feet, stable as marble.
They rose gently into the night sky.
Ankit kept altitude moderate—two thousand feet—high enough for safety and broad views, low enough for details to remain vivid.
Below, India unfolded like a living map: glowing rivers of highway lights, patchwork farmlands silvered by moonlight, distant mountain silhouettes.
Sanya pressed against the barrier's edge, pointing eagerly.
"Brother, go that way—see the big temple lights!"
"Over there—the sea's starting!"
Ankit smiled indulgently, adjusting course to skim over ancient forts, circle glittering dams, dip low over sleeping villages where festival lights still twinkled from recent celebrations.
Rudra bounded across the platform, paws silent, mumbling happily at clouds drifting past. Occasionally he'd leap to Ankit's shoulder, tongue lolling as he stared down at the world rushing beneath.
Hours passed in joyful detour.
Only as dawn painted the eastern horizon did Ankit angle southeast toward the coast.
Hurlaio City loomed ahead—once vibrant, now eerily quiet under military lockdown. Floodlights swept empty streets. Armored vehicles ringed sewer entrances. Evacuation camps sprawled on higher ground.
Somewhere deep below, an powerful predator waited—one that had accidentally stepped onto the path of true cultivation.
Ankit's eyes gleamed with quiet anticipation.