Orion did not sleep.
This was primarily because his grandfather refused to let him.
“Again.”
Orion placed his hand on the Spirit Appraisal Stone.
The stone lit.
Cassian stared.
Rowan stared.
Sect Master Jian stared.
Orion looked down.
“That’s new.”
The entire appraisal chamber had turned gold.
Not brightly.
Not violently.
But from somewhere inside the dark crystal, thin golden veins spread outward like sunlight breaking across a horizon.
Cassian leaned closer.
“Again.”
“I don’t think my hand is changing anything.”
“Again.”
Orion sighed.
He removed his hand.
The glow faded.
He put it back.
Golden light returned.
Rowan folded his arms.
“Definitely spiritual roots.”
“Thank you, Uncle.
I was concerned we hadn’t established that.”
Rowan ignored him.
“What grade?”
That was the issue.
The appraisal artifact displayed affinity.
It displayed strength.
It could distinguish Mortal, Earth, and Heaven-grade spiritual roots.
But Orion’s result simply read—
[UNABLE TO DETERMINE]
Cassian looked personally insulted.
“This stone cost eight thousand mid-grade spirit stones.”
Orion raised an eyebrow.
“Can you return it?”
Cassian glared.
“No.”
“Unfortunate.”
Sect Master Jian slowly stroked his beard.
“Do not test him publicly.”
The room became serious.
Orion looked toward him.
Jian continued.
“If the artifact cannot determine the grade, then either something is wrong with the stone…”
Cassian looked offended again.
“…or Orion’s roots exceed its limits.”
Nobody spoke.
Divine.
Orion knew the answer.
They didn’t.
And he intended to keep it that way.
Cassian looked toward his grandson.
“Did you experience anything unusual yesterday?”
Orion had anticipated this.
“While cultivating last night, something changed.”
Technically true.
“I felt my body reacting differently.
Then Essence began gathering toward my dantian.”
Also true.
Rowan frowned.
“Delayed awakening?”
Jian considered it.
“Possibly triggered by his constitution.”
That explanation was convenient enough that Orion almost felt guilty.
Almost.
Cassian sat opposite him.
“Can you circulate Essence normally?”
“I haven’t tried.”
His grandfather’s eyes widened.
“You awakened spiritual roots and came directly here?”
“You told me to report anything unusual.”
Cassian stared.
Orion smiled.
“I’m obedient.”
Rowan laughed.
“He definitely inherited that from his grandmother.”
Cassian’s glare moved targets.
⸻
They returned to Orion’s cultivation platform shortly before sunrise.
Xuan Mei joined them.
She was leaving for Wind Resonant that afternoon.
When Cassian explained what had happened, her eyes immediately moved to Orion.
“Spiritual roots?”
“Apparently.”
“When?”
“Last night.”
She walked toward him.
“May I?”
Orion extended his wrist without being asked.
Her fingers touched him.
Spiritual sense entered his meridians.
Xuan Mei froze.
The reaction was becoming familiar.
Orion looked down at her.
“Strange?”
She slowly opened her eyes.
“Very.”
“Wonderful.”
“Your meridians have changed.”
“Good strange?”
“I think so.”
“Excellent.”
She remained holding his wrist for another moment before realizing it.
Her fingers withdrew.
“Try cultivating.”
Orion sat.
For the first time, he activated the Solar Absorption Cultivation Art while possessing true spiritual roots.
The difference was immediate.
Before—
Solar Essence had been rain striking dry ground.
His physique absorbed what it could.
Most disappeared throughout his flesh.
Now—
He possessed rivers.
The Primordial Solar Spiritual Roots awakened.
Every strand was caught.
Separated.
Refined.
Guided.
Sunlight poured into his meridians.
Orion nearly lost control.
“Slowly.”
Xuan Mei’s voice reached him.
“Don’t chase it.”
Orion steadied his breathing.
“Your technique is powerful.
That means mistakes are powerful too.”
He reduced the absorption.
The torrent became a stream.
Golden Essence circulated through his meridians.
One cycle.
Two.
Three.
Each time, impurities were filtered away.
Each time, the refined Essence became warmer.
Denser.
Then it reached his dantian.
For the first time—
It remained.
A tiny drop of golden spiritual Essence formed within him.
Orion’s entire body trembled.
He opened his eyes.
Xuan Mei was smiling.
Not a restrained smile.
Not the faint curve he had grown accustomed to.
A real one.
“You did it.”
Orion looked at his hands.
“I did.”
Cassian exhaled shakily somewhere behind them.
Orion turned.
His grandfather was looking away.
“Grandfather?”
“Sunlight.”
“We’re facing west.”
“Very reflective sunlight.”
Rowan slapped Cassian on the shoulder.
The senior elder nearly punched him.
Orion laughed.
Then the gathered Essence surged.
His body tightened.
A faint golden glow rolled over his skin.
Xuan Mei’s expression changed.
“Don’t stop circulating.”
Orion closed his eyes.
The Essence moved again.
Rao’s Immortal Body reacted.
The two weeks Orion had spent tempering his body suddenly mattered.
He had not possessed cultivation.
But his flesh had been strengthened.
His meridians prepared.
His bones tempered.
His foundation had been waiting for the final missing piece.
Spiritual Essence rushed through him.
A barrier appeared.
Thin.
Fragile.
Orion pushed.
It broke.
A wave of heat spread from his body.
Cassian’s eyes widened.
“First-stage Body Tempering.”
Orion continued circulating.
Another cycle.
The solar Essence sank into his flesh.
The second barrier appeared.
Much stronger.
Orion pushed.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Sweat formed across his forehead.
He tried a third time.
“Stop.”
Xuan Mei’s voice cut through his concentration.
Orion opened his eyes.
She was kneeling in front of him.
“But I’m close.”
“No.”
“I can feel it.”
“That doesn’t mean you should break it.”
Orion frowned.
Xuan Mei tapped two fingers against his forehead.
“Your spiritual roots awakened hours ago.”
“Ow.”
“You have formed your first true cultivation.”
“Yes.”
“And immediately attempted another breakthrough.”
“When you say it like that—”
“It sounds stupid?”
“Ambitious.”
“It was stupid.”
Orion looked toward his grandfather for support.
Cassian nodded.
“Very stupid.”
“Uncle?”
“Incredibly stupid.”
“Sect Master?”
Jian smiled.
“Remarkably stupid.”
Orion looked betrayed.
“I thought families were supposed to be supportive.”
Xuan Mei folded her arms.
“Support does not mean helping you ruin your foundation.”
Orion sighed.
“Fine.”
She studied him.
“Promise.”
“Promise what?”
“That you won’t chase realms simply because you are behind.”
That struck harder than he expected.
Xuan Mei knew.
Everyone knew.
Sixty-three days.
The temptation was obvious.
Consume resources.
Force breakthroughs.
Sacrifice stability for speed.
Orion looked at his hands.
Then nodded.
“I promise.”
Her shoulders relaxed.
“You need strength.”
She spoke quietly.
“Not numbers beside your name.”
Orion smiled.
“That’s annoyingly wise.”
“I try.”
[Affection: 26%]
Orion ignored the notification.
Mostly.
⸻
That afternoon, Xuan Mei stood near the sect gates.
Her Wind Resonant escort waited beyond them.
Orion carried a wooden box.
Xuan Mei eyed it suspiciously.
“Another gift?”
“No.”
“What is it?”
“A gift.”
She stared.
“I’ve been spending too much time with you.”
“That’s impossible.”
Orion opened the box.
Inside rested a small jade bottle.
Moonlight seemed trapped within the liquid.
Xuan Mei’s expression changed immediately.
“Orion.”
“I know.”
“No.”
“You haven’t even heard the sales pitch.”
“This is not a market.”
“That makes things easier.”
She reached to close the box.
Orion stopped her.
“Xuan Mei.”
Her eyes lifted.
“This is Moonheart Cleansing Dew.”
She inhaled sharply.
“You know it?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Then you know how valuable—”
“I can’t use it.”
“You can trade it.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Orion.”
He sighed.
“I have access to certain things.”
That was as close to the truth as he could currently get.
“I don’t understand why yet.”
Xuan Mei remained silent.
“But they seem connected to the people close to me.”
That was also true.
“I won’t ask you to trust something I can’t explain.”
He held the box toward her.
“But this won’t hurt you.
I’m certain.”
Xuan Mei looked down.
“If I take this, I owe you.”
“No.”
“That isn’t how cultivation resources work.”
“It is how mine work.”
Her expression became complicated.
Orion continued.
“You are going back to a sect where some people are actively trying to control your future.”
His voice softened.
“If this makes you stronger…”
He shrugged.
“I’ll sleep better.”
Xuan Mei stared at him for a long moment.
Then accepted the box.
“You’re terrible at negotiating.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“When I return, I am bringing you something.”
“That’s unnecessary.”
“So is giving away Heaven-tier treasures.”
“Fair.”
She placed the box into her spatial ring.
Then hesitated.
“Orion.”
“Hm?”
She stepped forward.
Her arms wrapped around him.
Briefly.
Lightly.
Orion’s entire mind emptied.
By the time he understood what was happening—
She stepped away.
Her cheeks were pink.
“Thank you.”
Orion stared.
Xuan Mei turned immediately.
“Elder Shen.
We should leave.”
The older cultivator looked suspiciously amused.
“As you say.”
She walked away.
Orion remained at the gate.
Cassian appeared beside him several seconds later.
“You should close your mouth.”
Orion did.
His grandfather smiled.
“First hug?”
“Leave.”
“I’m an elder.”
“Retire.”
Cassian laughed.
Far ahead, Xuan Mei did not turn around.
But Orion could see the tips of her ears.
Bright red.
[Affection: 28%]
Orion smiled.
Sixty-two days remained.