The faint glow inside Lucian's dantian pulsed— a quiet heartbeat of power slowly rising.
The air around him trembled.
Soft distortions shimmered in the courtyard, subtle yet undeniable.
Something ancient and long-dormant within him had begun to stir.
Lucian remained seated, completely immersed in the circulation of Qi.
He didn't notice the space rippling around him like disturbed water.
His first awakening had been brief—
golden lines blooming beneath his skin for a moment before fading.
A spark.
A whisper.
A sleeping power opening its eyes only for an instant.
But what was happening now…
…was different.
Deeper.
Heavier.
Awakening in full.
Inside the residence, his parents froze as the same fluctuation washed over them.
His father stood abruptly.
"That presence… it's happening again."
His mother's breathing quickened.
"Is this… the real awakening?"
His stepmother frowned.
"But his physique already awakened once. Why again?"
His father released a slow breath, eyes sharpening.
"Some physiques awaken in two stages.
The first is only the dormant seed—the initial spark.
The second is the true awakening."
His mother looked at him closely.
"Then why does this feel different?"
His father's voice lowered.
"I've read of two-stage awakenings… but I've never seen one with such intensity."
They hurried to the courtyard.
The moment they stepped outside, they stopped in shock.
Ripples warped the air around Lucian, far stronger than anything before.
Golden wisps curled around his body, flickering like quiet lightning.
His mother whispered,
"This is so much stronger… yet still stable."
His father nodded.
"As if his physique has been waiting for this moment."
They didn't dare disturb him.
Lucian felt a deep click inside his core—
as though a locked door had finally opened.
A pulse of golden light spread across his skin.
Not violent like before,
not chaotic,
but dense and overwhelming in its quiet strength.
The ground vibrated faintly beneath him.
Golden light gathered at his dantian, swirling into a slow, powerful vortex.
His breathing deepened unconsciously.
Whatever had once slumbered within him…
was no longer content to stay asleep.