Orion broke through on the morning they were supposed to leave.
This was inconvenient.
Not because the breakthrough itself was a problem.
Quite the opposite.
The problem was that apparently entering an entirely new major realm required considerably more concentration than packing luggage.
Golden Essence surged through Orion’s meridians.
His breathing remained slow.
Steady.
Around him, the first rays of dawn crested the distant mountains.
For nearly two months, every sunrise had begun like this.
Cultivate.
Temper.
Compress.
Repeat.
Again.
Again.
Again.
The earliest stages of Body Tempering had fallen quickly.
Rao’s Immortal Body had already spent weeks strengthening his flesh before his spiritual roots awakened, leaving Orion with a foundation far beyond what his actual realm suggested.
The later stages had been different.
Sixth Stage.
Seventh.
Eighth.
Ninth.
Each barrier had taken longer.
Each required more patience.
More control.
Cassian had forbidden him from swallowing pills to force advancement.
Xuan Mei had reinforced that prohibition in nearly every third letter.
Orion strongly suspected they were coordinating.
Now—
The final barrier separating Body Tempering from Essence Gathering stood before him.
Orion didn’t attack it.
That was something he’d learned.
Cultivation wasn’t always about smashing through whatever stood in front of you.
Sometimes—
You simply filled the space behind it until the barrier had nowhere left to remain.
Golden Essence circulated.
Once.
Twice.
Nine times.
His body became warm.
Sunlight poured over him.
The Primordial Solar Spiritual Roots stretched throughout his dantian like rays from a miniature sun.
More Essence entered.
Compressed.
Refined.
Gathered.
The barrier trembled.
Orion breathed.
And it broke.
There was no explosion.
No thunder from the heavens.
No mysterious immortal phantom appearing to declare him unprecedented throughout history.
There was simply—
A change.
Spiritual Essence that had previously dispersed throughout his body suddenly gathered inward.
His dantian expanded.
Golden mist formed within it.
Thin.
Sparse.
But stable.
Orion opened his eyes.
For a moment, the world appeared sharper.
He could hear birds in the trees below his residence.
Feel the morning breeze move against individual strands of hair.
Sense the faint spiritual fluctuations of disciples hundreds of meters away.
A screen appeared.
[Congratulations.]
[Host has entered a new Major Realm.]
[Current Cultivation: Essence Gathering — 1st Stage]
Orion stared at it.
Then smiled.
“Made it.”
“Wonderful.”
Orion’s smile disappeared.
His grandfather stood ten meters away.
Cassian looked toward the sky.
Then toward Orion.
Then toward the enormous flying ship hovering beyond the mountain.
“Would the newly ascended cultivator care to explain why his luggage is still inside?”
Orion blinked.
“…I was busy.”
“We leave in forty minutes.”
“Plenty of time.”
“Your uncle said that yesterday.”
“Where is he?”
“Packing.”
Plenty of time.”
Cassian closed his eyes.
“Your grandmother would have found you very amusing.”
Orion rose.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It wasn’t.”
“Still taking it.”
⸻
His room looked considerably different from two months earlier.
Cultivation manuals covered one table.
Several practice swords leaned against the wall.
Tournament records were stacked beside his bed.
Letters—
Those had their own drawer.
Orion crossed the room and immediately noticed another one resting on his desk.
Silver envelope.
Small crescent-moon seal.
His expression softened.
Xuan Mei.
The Wind Resonant Sect had developed an extremely efficient courier system.
Or Xuan Mei had begun bribing messenger-cranes.
Orion wasn’t sure which.
They had exchanged letters almost constantly since her departure.
Some were serious.
Updates on cultivation.
Tournament preparations.
Sect politics.
Others were considerably less useful.
Xuan Mei had devoted an entire letter to explaining why Orion was objectively wrong about sweet rice cakes being superior to osmanthus cakes.
Orion had responded with three pages of evidence.
Their correspondence had become increasingly ridiculous from there.
He broke the seal.
Orion,
We leave this morning.
Master claims the Radiant Daybreak Sect should arrive several hours after us.
She has also informed me that looking toward the southern docking platforms every few minutes will not cause your flying ship to travel faster.
Orion grinned.
I explained that I was merely observing arriving sects.
She did not believe me.
There was a small ink blot beside the next line.
I hope your cultivation has gone well.
Do not do anything reckless simply because the tournament is close.
And before you argue, remember that I know you.
Orion raised an eyebrow.
“Debatable.”
He continued.
I stabilized Fifth Stage Meridian Foundation yesterday.
His smile widened.
There it was.
Xuan Mei had been Fourth Stage when she’d left.
The Moonheart Cleansing Dew, her own talent, and almost two months of cultivation had apparently carried her through another bottleneck.
Master says my foundation is stable.
So you are not allowed to complain that I am advancing too quickly while ignoring my advice.
“…She really does know me.”
The final portion was shorter.
Travel safely.
I will see you soon.
—Xuan Mei
Then, beneath her signature—
And if you arrive covered in mud again, I am pretending not to know you.
Orion laughed.
A notification appeared.
[Bonded Companion: Xuan Mei]
[Affection: 36%]
The number had risen gradually during their separation.
Sometimes after letters.
Sometimes seemingly for no reason Orion could identify.
The system had already informed him affection could develop independently.
Apparently Xuan Mei occasionally thought about him without his involvement.
Orion tried not to enjoy that information too much.
He failed.
He placed the letter carefully with the others.
Then another screen appeared.
[Major Realm Advancement detected.]
[Reviewing Bond Capacity…]
Orion paused.
That was new.
[Current Bond Slots: 1/1]
[Occupied: Xuan Mei]
[Additional Bond Slot Eligibility detected.]
[Unlock Conditions:]
[1.
Enter a new Major Cultivation Realm — Complete.]
[2.
Genuine acceptance from all current romantic Bonded Companions regarding Host pursuing an additional committed romantic relationship — Incomplete.]
Orion stared.
“Excuse me?”
[Bond slots cannot be unlocked through cultivation alone.]
[The Binding System recognizes genuine interpersonal bonds.]
[Deception, coercion, concealment of romantic exclusivity expectations, or artificial consent will not satisfy requirements.]
Orion read it twice.
Then a third time.
“So even if someone qualifies…”
[Without available Bond Slots, additional targets cannot be bound.]
“And I need Xuan Mei to genuinely be alright with me having another relationship?”
[Correct.]
Orion froze.
“You answered.”
Silence.
“Of course.”
He sat on the edge of the bed.
Multiple spouses weren’t unusual in Ikaros.
Especially among powerful cultivators whose lives could span centuries.
Sect masters, clan heads, nobles, and wandering experts sometimes had two or more husbands or wives.
Some relationships were political.
Others genuine.
Some undoubtedly disastrous.
Orion had never thought much about it.
His system apparently expected that possibility to become relevant.
Eventually.
Orion looked toward Xuan Mei’s letter.
“No.”
The system said nothing.
“I’m not asking her something like that because a screen told me I have another slot available.”
Nothing.
“If that ever happens…”
He paused.
“It happens because everyone involved actually wants it.”
The screen faded.
Orion stood.
“Glad we understand each other.”
“ORION!”
His grandfather’s voice shook the building.
“We leave in twenty-eight minutes!”
Orion looked at his unpacked clothing.
“…Right.”
Cultivation ethics later.
Pants now.
⸻
Twenty-seven minutes later, Orion reached the docking platform carrying two spatial bags.
Cassian stared at him.
“You did that intentionally.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You waited until one minute remained.”
“I arrived before departure.”
Rowan leaned over the railing of the flying ship.
“I told you he’d make it.”
Sect Master Jian sighed.
Around them stood twenty Radiant Daybreak disciples chosen for the tournament.
Some were Essence Gathering.
Several were considerably higher than Orion.
Two had reached Meridian Foundation.
Every one of them was staring at him.
Not because he’d nearly been late.
Because his aura had changed.
One disciple finally spoke.
“Senior Brother Orion…”
Orion looked over.
“When did you enter Essence Gathering?”
“This morning.”
Silence.
Orion smiled.
“Good timing.”
Nobody seemed to know how to respond.
The flying ship shuddered.
Formations ignited beneath its hull.
Golden light spread across enormous carved wings extending from either side.
Orion walked toward the railing.
Below him stretched the place he’d called home for eighteen years.
Radiant Daybreak Sect.
Golden cliffs.
Spirit fields.
Training grounds.
Dawnflower Lake shimmering in the distance.
Then the ship began to rise.
Orion’s dirty-blonde hair moved in the wind.
He rested both hands against the railing.
Sixty-three sunrises had passed since he’d accepted the tournament condition.
He had entered Essence Gathering.
Xuan Mei had reached Fifth Stage Meridian Foundation.
And somewhere beyond those mountains, hundreds of young cultivators were traveling toward the same destination.
Orion smiled.
“Alright.”
The flying ship turned toward the horizon.
“Let’s see how badly this goes.”