Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 329: Testing the core of dominion

Sage Raph motioned for Lucas to sit, though he himself remained standing, pacing slowly with his hands folded behind his back. The chamber was lit by pale blue lanterns, their light reflecting off shelves stacked with ancient manuscripts, preserved herbs, and crystalline cores.

They spoke for several minutes, about the meeting, about the state of alchemy in the kingdom, and about the instability in the continent. Raph asked about Lucas’s cultivation progress as well, nodding approvingly at each detail.

Then, when there was a brief pause in their discussion, Lucas reached into his inner robe.

"Sage Raph," he said quietly, "there is something important I need to tell you."

Raph stopped pacing. "What is it?"

Lucas drew out a small, jade-lined case and set it on the table between them. His voice lowered. "I completed it. The Core of Dominion."

Sage Raph’s eyes slowly widened.

"You... completed it?" he asked, the words almost breathless. "Not advanced the process. You finished it?"

Lucas nodded once. "Yes."

For a moment, Sage Raph did not move. His aura fluctuated faintly, not in aggression, but in pure disbelief.

"I had hoped you would help me understand the missing structure," Raph said quietly. "I expected you might fill the gaps in the primary formula." He approached slowly, as though afraid the case might vanish if he moved too quickly. "But to complete it...Xavier, do you understand what that means?"

Lucas remained calm. "I do. It is why I delayed coming here until now."

Raph placed both hands on the table and bowed his head for a moment, gathering himself. When he finally lifted his gaze, his expression was a mix of awe, pride, and something almost like fear.

Sage Raph exhaled, a long, trembling breath. "Show me."

Lucas pushed the jade case toward him.

Raph opened it slowly, reverently. Inside, nestled in layers of protective material, was the completed core...perfectly structured, stable, refined far beyond the draft Raph had shown Lucas months ago.

The Sage stared at it for a long time. His lips parted slightly, though no words came.

Across the chamber, the Ice Belle rolled onto her stomach on the bench, chin on her tiny hands, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Humans talk too much," she muttered. "And none of it is about food."

Tom nudged her. "At least pretend to be interested."

Meanwhile, Sage Raph finally closed the jade case and set it down with great care. When he looked back at Lucas, there was something new in his gaze, recognition, respect, and perhaps even a hint of reverence.

"Xavier," he said softly, "you have changed the tide of the future. This is not just alchemy. This is legacy."

Lucas inclined his head slightly. He appreciated the praise, but it wasn’t why he had done it.

Raph placed a hand on his shoulder, firm and warm. "Thank you," he said.

Lucas simply replied, "I should be thanking you for allowing me to finish such a masterpiece."

The Ice Belle sighed loudly in the background. "Is it over? Can we leave? I am bored."

Tom whispered under his breath, "She has been kicking at the air for half an hour."

She glared at him again.

Lucas allowed himself a small smile. "Not yet," he said quietly to the impatient spirit.

"Come with me," Sage Raph said. "There is only one way to confirm the true measure of what we’ve created."

Lucas nodded, rising to his feet. Tom stood as well, adjusting the strap of the pack he carried. The Ice Belle hopped onto Lucas’s shoulder with a soft grunt, crossing her arms and muttering that she hoped this test did not take long, because she was dying of hunger, and that she would perish dramatically if ignored.

Raph did not comment on her theatrics, though the corner of his mouth twitched faintly as he led them down a long stone corridor. The walls were covered with etched diagrams of ancient alchemical theories. Some had been drawn by Raph himself over decades of research.

They passed through an archway and stepped into the courtyard.

It was a wide space bordered by tall stone pillars, open to the sky above. The air smelled faintly of metal and herbs, the residue of countless experiments. Training dummies made with reinforced hides stood along one side, while metallic constructs of various shapes rested under protective coverings.

Raph walked to the center of the courtyard and turned to Lucas.

"This is where we test everything," he said. "Successes, failures, and the things that fall in between. If the core truly works... this courtyard will know its birth."

Lucas exhaled slowly. "I understand."

The Ice Belle, perched on his shoulder, squinted at the empty space. "What exactly are we testing? Is something going to explode? I like explosions."

Tom winced. "Please do not encourage anything to explode."

Sage Raph ignored the commentary and beckoned Lucas forward. He placed the jade case onto a circular formation inscribed on the courtyard floor. As soon as it touched the center, the glyphs lit up with faint violet lines that pulsed gently like a heartbeat.

"This formation will simulate a controlled channeling environment," Raph explained. "If the core is truly stable, it will resonate. If it is incomplete..." His expression darkened. "It will collapse."

Lucas stepped closer, hands folded behind his back. "It will not collapse."

Raph glanced at him, eyes narrowing in something between challenge and admiration. "We shall see."

He lifted his hand, gathering spiritual energy until it swirled around his palm like a soft wind. Then he pressed it to the edge of the formation.

The glyphs brightened instantly.

The jade case shuddered once.

Tom held his breath.

The Ice Belle leaned forward as though watching a performance.

The pulse of light began slow... then gradually increased, beating rhythmically in a perfect cycle.

Raph’s eyes widened.

The glow intensified, not violently, but with a steady, powerful harmony. It spread across the courtyard floor, connecting with the auxiliary formations and blending seamlessly with their lines.

Raph whispered, almost to himself, "Impossible. This resonance... it is flawless."

He stepped back, trembling slightly.

Lucas did not speak. He already knew the core would respond like this.

The light continued to pulse, brighter and brighter, until finally...after one long, resounding thrum...it settled, dimming into a steady violet glow.

Raph let out a slow breath he had been holding. "It... it works."

The Ice Belle clapped once, unimpressed. "Is that all? No explosions?"

Tom exhaled deeply in relief. "Thank heavens."

Raph turned to Lucas, his expression no longer merely impressed. It was reverent.

"The Core of Dominion is perfect," he said. "And now... we must see what it can do."

He stepped to the edge of the courtyard, preparing the next phase of the test.

Lucas followed him, the faint glow of the formation lighting the stone beneath their feet.

The true demonstration was only just beginning.