Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 343: War time

As Lucas sank deeper into meditation, letting the last traces of the stabilizing potion work their way through his system, he became aware of something unusual resting at the very center of his core. It was subtle at first, like a thin wisp of cold light swirling just beneath the layers of his Qi. But when he focused on it fully, his breath caught in his throat.

It was still there.

A permanent thread of celestial essence.

He opened his eyes for a moment, stunned. His core did not reject it. His meridians did not tremble under its weight. The energy flowed along with his own like it belonged there, as though it had been waiting years for a home.

He pressed his palm to his chest and exhaled slowly.

"So it really stayed," he whispered to himself in disbelief. "A part of me now... permanently."

A grin tugged at his lips before he could stop it. Most cultivators would trade lifetimes, fortunes, and entire clans to obtain even a moment of celestial essence. Many died trying. And here he was, sitting cross-legged in his chamber with a stable strand of it woven into his own Qi like a second heartbeat.

He leaned back slightly and laughed under his breath.

"This is insane... but incredible."

With this in his foundation, his growth would never again resemble the slow, torturous climb other cultivators faced. His breakthroughs would be sharper, smoother and far more potent. His affinities, already redefined by the Empress’s essence, would only grow stronger.

But then a different thought entered his mind, one that sobered him instantly.

If the Empress actually transcended into a true immortal celestial... the gap between them would become an abyss. Dual cultivation with her at that stage?

He shuddered.

"I wouldn’t survive it," he muttered, resting his elbow on his knee. "Just one session with her nearly knocked me unconscious for an entire day. If she becomes an immortal celestial, even touching her Qi too deeply could vaporize me."

He swallowed.

Yet he couldn’t deny the truth either.

The experience had been extraordinary. The surge of strength, the clarity, the rush of power that had restructured his entire being... he found himself craving that feeling again. Not only because of what it gave him, but because of the Empress herself, her presence, her aura, her intensity.

He closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift briefly to her.

If she stayed in the mortal realm long enough, if she did not cross the threshold immediately, if she still needed more cycles of cultivation...

He wouldn’t refuse her, but if she transcended?

He shook his head immediately.

"Absolutely not. I’d be courting death."

He forced himself to steady his thoughts and resumed cultivating, focusing on his breathing and the new celestial-infused Qi circulating through him. Even now, it hummed with quiet power, marking a new era in his cultivation path.

Stronger than yesterday.

Far stronger than he had ever imagined.

And rising still.

_______

Lucas ended his final breathing cycle and let the last ripple of Qi settle into its proper place. His mind felt sharp and clear, his body lighter than air. He had spent several days stabilizing the astonishing gains the celestial essence had given him, and at last everything felt perfectly aligned.

He opened his eyes slowly.

Tom stood respectfully at the door, hands clasped behind his back, though Lucas could see the tension in his posture. The boy would never interrupt him unless it was truly important.

"Tom," Lucas said, straightening his robe, "you look like you have something serious to say."

Tom nodded quickly, stepping forward.

"My lord... the king has sent for you."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Now?"

"Yes," Tom replied. "He says it is time. The forces, the allied clans, the army... everything has been mobilised. They are gathering at the eastern field outside the capital. The generals and commanders are preparing the formations already."

Lucas blinked, absorbing those words fully.

Time to move.

Time to begin everything they had been preparing for.

He exhaled slowly.

"So the day has finally come," he murmured.

Tom nodded again, more firmly this time. "His Majesty said you should come immediately. He wants you present before the banners are raised."

Lucas rose from the bed in one swift movement. The air shifted subtly around him as his stabilized cultivation radiated outward for a moment, surprising Tom enough that he took a step back. Lucas caught the reaction and gave him a small smile.

"Do not worry. I just finished cultivating. My Qi is still adjusting."

Tom managed a nervous laugh. "I assumed something like that, my lord. You feel... different. Stronger."

Lucas placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"We will need every ounce of strength we can gather for what is coming."

Tom swallowed hard. "Is it truly beginning now? The war?"

Lucas nodded.

"If the king has mobilised the armies and summoned the allies, then yes. This is the start."

He glanced at the corner of the room where the ice belle was curled up, snoring softly, a half-eaten peach beside her. A faint smile tugged at his lips. She was blissfully unaware of the storm approaching.

"Wake her gently," Lucas said. "She will come with us."

Tom blinked. "Even into war?"

Lucas shrugged lightly. "Knowing her, she would follow me anyway... besides we’ll need her strength a lot.

Tom scratched the back of his head. "Fair enough."

Lucas tightened the straps of his robe, fastened his belt, and retrieved the storage ring containing the core of dominion and the gauntlets Sage Raph had entrusted to him. Just feeling it around his finger sent a faint tremor of anticipation through him.

He turned toward the door.

"Come, Tom. Let us not keep the king waiting."

Tom bowed and hurried ahead to lead the way, while Lucas cast one last look around the quiet chamber he had used for cultivation these past few days.

The calm was over now.

The preparations were complete.

And the flames of war were about to ignite.

He stepped out of the room, the echo of his newfound power following him like a silent shadow.