Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 341: Intense Cultivation 4

He looked away from the Empress and turned his attention inward and probed the dimensions of his spatial powers, expecting only minor changes, yet the moment he extended his senses into the void he felt something that made his breath pause. The familiar resistance he used to feel whenever he reached for the fabric of his personal space was no longer there. Instead there was a smoothness, a kind of serene clarity that made the entire ability feel as though it had been polished from the inside out. He ventured deeper and the realization hit him with a force that left him sitting rigidly upright. Before today the rule of his space void had always been fixed, a simple steady rhythm that he had grown accustomed to. Five minutes within the void translated to five seconds outside and it had been an incredible advantage. Yet now that principle had been completely rewritten. He felt the current of energy that governed the passage of time inside it shift and unfold before him like a vast celestial tapestry. One hour within the void now passed while only ten seconds slipped by in the outside world and the revelation was so staggering that he had to steady his breathing.

It made no sense and yet it made perfect sense at the same time. The celestial Yin essence that had flooded him during his unconscious state had not restricted its influence to his body alone. It had seeped into the boundaries of his personal space and reshaped its foundation in ways he could not begin to understand. The sheer leap in advantage left him almost dizzy. This was not a small refinement. This was a transformation so profound that even the most advanced spatial cultivators would dream of it yet never achieve it in their lifetimes. The void pulsed in response to his thoughts, almost as if it was waiting for him to test its new potential and he felt a thrill rise in his chest. The improvement was colossal and absolute. The celestial Yin essence had improved it in leaps and bounds.

He decided it was best to step outside for a moment and test the flow of his new strength in open air, so he focused on the spatial energy swirling inside him and let it guide his movement. A single pulse of intent carried him out of the Empress’s chamber and straight into his own, the transition happening almost too quickly for him to register. The moment solid ground returned beneath his feet he realized he had made a mistake. His room was far from empty. Selene stood near the door with her arms folded, her cold expression sharpening the air around her. Lira paced back and forth in front of the bed while Nyx leaned against the window frame with a murderous expression that probably would have terrified anyone who did not know her personally. They were all crowding poor Tom, who looked as if he had been interrogated for hours without a drop of mercy.

Selene’s voice sliced through the room as she demanded again, for what felt like the twentieth time, "Where is he?"

Lira sighed and rubbed her forehead. "He clearly does not know anything. Maybe Master went somewhere to rest. He has been through a lot lately."

Nyx’s eyes narrowed. "He should know better than to wander off without telling any of us. Especially now. If he thinks we are just going to sit quietly and wait, then he is very wrong."

Tom raised both hands weakly, his expression bordering on despair. "I already told all of you. I truly have no idea where he went. He disappeared from sight and I have not seen him since. I am being honest."

They were so engrossed in questioning him that none of them sensed Lucas’s presence until the spatial ripple settled. When their eyes finally snapped toward him the room fell silent. Their expressions shifted instantly, every trace of frustration replaced by something bright and overwhelming. Selene was the first to move and she shot toward him with such speed that Lucas barely had time to react before she wrapped her arms around him. Lira reached him a heartbeat later, nearly tackling both of them to the floor in her attempt to hug him, and Nyx followed with an intensity that felt almost like she had been holding her breath for an eternity.

Selene pressed her forehead against his chest and muttered in a voice that carried both anger and relief, "You vanished again and you did not tell me anything. Do you know how much that irritated me. I kept imagining all kinds of scenarios. You are not allowed to disappear like that."

Lira gripped his arm and looked up at him with worried eyes. "Master, why did you not say anything before leaving. We have been searching everywhere for you. At least let us know you are safe. We were worried sick."

Nyx gave him a look that blended irritation and affection so seamlessly that he could not even form a reply. "Next time you do something like that I will drag you by the ear wherever you go. I am not playing. You cannot scare us like this."

Tom slumped with relief in the background as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted from his shoulders. "Thank the heavens you finally appeared. I was beginning to think they would imprison me until sunrise."

Lucas sighed in the quietest way possible. He had teleported here with the intention of studying the internal shifts within his body, hoping to understand how deeply his transformation had reshaped his cultivation and spatial abilities. Instead he found himself buried under three clinging bodies, all of them talking at once, demanding explanations, reassurance, and attention. He felt a mixture of helplessness and resignation settle over him as he gently tried to free his arms but failed miserably.

He thought to himself that he should have teleported somewhere else entirely, somewhere silent and empty, or perhaps he should have simply remained inside the Empress’s chamber until she finished her cultivation. Now he was trapped and the girls would not let him off easily. He wished he had teleported somewhere else or remained in the Empress’s chamber.

He looked to the bedside and found the Ice Belle sleeping peacefully, he gave a soft chuckle and then embraced the girls around him.