The grand palace shimmered beneath the evening sky, its towers bathed in golden light. The air was thick with warmth and the quiet hum of qi. Inside the central courtyard, Calen stood beside his mother, surrounded by the brilliance of the Flare Palace and the awe-inspiring presence of its residents.
Cali had never seen so many powerful cultivators in one place. Experts at realms way beyond her comprehension walked the halls like scholars, and even children pulsed with energy that rivaled and surpassed some seasoned warriors. But none of it mattered more than the boy beside her.
Her son.
Her miracle.
Calen looked up at her, unsure how to speak the words he'd been holding back. "Mom… Master said we'll be leaving tomorrow."
Cali knelt beside him, brushing his hair back gently. "I know."
"I've never been away from you before."
"I know that too."
He hesitated. "Are you… scared?"
Cali smiled softly. "A little. But I'm more proud than anything. You're a cultivator now, Calen. If your father were alive, he'd be bursting with pride."
Calen's throat tightened. "I want to make you proud too."
"You already have." She pulled him into a hug, holding him close. "But promise me something."
"Anything."
"Grow strong. Not just in power—but in heart. Be the kind of man your father was. The kind of man who protects, who uplifts, who endures."
Calen nodded, tears brimming. "I will."
They sat together for a long time, watching the stars rise over Hewitt Capital. The palace glowed like a beacon, and Cali knew—this place would help her grow too. She wouldn't slack off while her son was away. This was a hundred times more nourishing than Alaric Island. She would rise. For herself. For him.
The palace stirred early. The sky was pale blue, and the air buzzed with quiet anticipation.
Jalen stood in the courtyard, dressed in travel robes. Beside him stood Jael, calm and ready, and Calen, his backpack slung over his shoulder, eyes red but determined.
Rana stepped forward, her white hair catching the morning light. She wrapped her arms around Jalen, holding him close.
"Be safe, my love."
"You know I will," Jalen whispered, kissing her forehead. Then he turned to Raja and Jala. The twins hugged him tightly, their qi flaring with emotion.
"Daddy, why do you keep leaving?" Raja asked.
"Can't we come with you too?" Jala added.
"I would—but it'll be dangerous. That's why you need to stay here, where it's safe with your mother."
"But big brother Jael is going," Raja pouted.
"Then get strong like your big brother, and maybe I'll take you out with me," Jalen said, patting the head of his biological firstborn—his might, the first sign of his strength and smile.
"I will, Father," Raja promised. "Don't go back on your word."
"Hey, what about me?" Jala said. "I want to travel with you too, Father."
"Alright, that's enough, you two. Your father needs to get going," Rana called out to her children. They wore long faces but obeyed, flying to her side.
"I want to leave with you too, big brother. It's not fair," Jared whined.
"Quiet, you," Jaquan muttered, pulling Jared gently by the ear.
"Ouch, Dad, that hurt!" Jared complained.
"Not as much as your whining in my ears."
Jared flew into Lara's arms, sniffling. "Mommy, Daddy's bullying me."
"There, there," Lara said, patting her eldest son's back to soothe him.
Jalen watched the scene with a quiet smile. Then he stepped forward and bowed to his father, who clapped him on the shoulder.
"Take care of yourself, son. And take care of them." By "them," he meant Jael and Calen.
"I will. Take care of the family for me—and don't slack off on Jared's training."
Jaquan nodded, then turned to Jael. "You be on your best behavior too, Jael. And listen to your dad."
"I will, Grandpa," Jael said.
Then came Cali.
She walked slowly, her steps steady, her heart heavy. She knelt before Calen one last time.
"You're ready," she said.
"I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too. But this is your path now. Go. Grow. And come back stronger."
Calen hugged her tightly. "I love you, Mom."
"I love you more."
Jalen watched quietly, then stepped forward. "It's time."
Cali stood, wiping her eyes. "Take care of him."
"I will," Jalen said.
With a final nod, he activated Flash Reversion.
In a shimmer of light, Jalen, Calen, and Jael vanished—leaving behind a palace full of love, legacy, and the quiet promise of return.
The light faded.
When Calen opened his eyes, the world had changed.
Gone were the polished courtyards and towering spires of Hewitt Capital. In their place stretched a vast, open sky—blue and endless, arching over jagged peaks and ancient forests. They had arrived on the Great Ling Continent, at the border of the Solar State—enemy territory. But Jalen didn't linger. He used this place only as an anchor point, a stepping stone to reach a continent he had never visited before.
Flash Reversion could not take them where Jalen had never been. So they had to travel the old-fashioned way: by flight, by rest, and by patience.
For two and a half weeks, Jalen, Jael, and Calen journeyed across the skies—soaring over mountains, forgotten rivers, and spirit-touched valleys—toward the Great Erias Continent.
Their first stop came just hours after leaving the Solar State. Calen, despite his Gold Realm qi, was still bound by mortal needs. He had to eat, sleep, bathe, and relieve himself. Only those who reached the Diamond Realm could transcend such necessities. So they paused often—for Calen's sake.
At one such stop, a quiet ridge near a waterfall, Jalen began Calen's foundational training.
"Sit," Jalen said, gesturing to a flat stone.
Calen, shirtless and wide-eyed, obeyed. He crossed his legs, his breath uneven.
"Most cultivators begin at the Ruby Realm," Jalen explained. "But you're different. Your spirit root awakened directly into the Gold Realm. That's rare. Dangerous, even."
Calen frowned. "Why dangerous?"
"Because power without foundation is like a tower built on sand. You'll collapse under your own strength if you don't learn control."
So Jalen taught him the basic forms:
Breath cycling to stabilize qi flow. Root alignment drills to anchor his meridians and Qi visualization using sunlight—an adaptation of his mother's technique, tailored to his solar root.
Calen struggled at first. His qi surged too fast, too hot. But Jalen was patient. Jael watched quietly, occasionally offering corrections with a calm nod or a flick of his fingers.
Over the next week and a half, they continued their journey, stopping at spirit lakes and ancient groves. Calen's training deepened with each rest, his control slowly improving.
Finally, they arrived on the Great Erias Continent—specifically, the southern border of Ron State in a town called Alina. Normally, Jalen would have chosen to camp outdoors, but this time, traveling with children, he rented a spacious home tucked into a quiet valley. A place where they could train in peace.