In the forest beyond the crater, Caelen paused. He glanced back once—not to the ruins of Lemon City, but toward the trail his son now walked.

  

  “Farewell on your journey,” he whispered. “I may not see you again.”

  His mind drifted to a memory—Taryn at seven years old, caught snooping near the restricted scroll vault. Two guards grabbed the boy and accused him of trespassing. Caelen arrived just in time to hear his son speak first.

  

  “My grandfather’s a very private man,” the boy had said calmly. “He doesn’t like when people raise their voices. But he’s fond of those who show restraint.”

  The guards had frozen. Then released him.

  Caelen had said nothing at the time, choosing to let the moment pass. But he never forgot the way the boy spoke—like he had borrowed authority from a myth.

  Now, after hearing that same phrase echo from behind a mask, and seeing what followed…

  

  He had no doubts.

  Back at the crater’s edge, Taryn removed his auction mask and stored it inside his dimension. His sentimental nature wouldn’t let him destroy it—not yet.

  He activated the paired imprint device.

  

  “Master, I’ve completed the mission,” Eunuch reported.

  

  “Well done,” Taryn replied, pleased. “Where are you now?”

  

  “Five hundred meters east of the crater.”

  

  “I’m on my way.”

  He sprinted across the scorched terrain. Soon, he found them.

  Xara was standing again, her posture steady. Around them, survivors who had escaped the destruction were beginning to gather—wide-eyed, grief-stricken. One man sobbed, saying he’d left home to find herbs and returned to ash.

  But Taryn’s eyes were only for Xara.

  He approached and took her hand. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m alright,” she replied softly. “Just tired.”

  She didn’t press for answers. She could tell from his gaze that now was not the time.

  

  “Where’s the vehicle I left you?” he asked.

  Eunuch opened his palm, and a compact silver disc floated upward before expanding into a sleek, six-person transport craft.

  It was one of the expensive items Taryn had purchased while in Lemon City, using Eunuch’s credit—or rather, the Sun King’s concubine’s limitless cosmic card.

  

  “Do you know how to operate this thing?”

  

  “Yes, master. It’s how we escaped the city so quickly.”

  

  “Past-life intuition?”

  

  “That, and... I read the manual.”

  Taryn blinked, then laughed. “You’re a true scholar.”

  They boarded the craft. Taryn handed Eunuch a marked cosmic map.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  

  “We’re heading to the Central Guild. My teacher once said that’s where unaffiliated cultivators register.”

  

  “We’ll need to stop in Dale City,” Eunuch noted. “The ship’s nearly out of fuel stones.”

  

  “Understood.”

  During the journey, Taryn told Xara about the destruction of the sect, the awakening of his sigil, and the events at the auction. He didn’t mention her mother—or his father.

  He also didn’t explain the seal on his heart.

  Xara listened in silence, then said quietly, “When I woke up, I felt like… I could still feel you. I just knew you were alive, somehow.”

  Taryn didn’t respond. He knew why.

  A fragment of her soul was sealed into his heart. That connection—spiritual, emotional, metaphysical—was the reason she felt him so strongly.

  

  “That potion I gave you,” she continued, “the one I pulled from my dimension… how did it affect you?”

  Taryn looked out the window, then back at her.

  

  “It saved me. My heart had been pierced. The seal froze it in time and space. It doesn’t beat anymore. It’s not dead, but it’s not alive either. You could call it undead.”

  

  “So… that’s what the guardian angel meant when she said, ‘a heart that will never change.’ I thought it might’ve been a love potion,” Xara said with a soft laugh.

  Taryn’s lips twitched, but he said nothing. If she only knew how close to the truth that was.

  They arrived in Dale City shortly after.

  The streets were bustling with cosmic vehicles, armored cultivators, and merchants haggling over mystical devices. Compared to Lemon City, this place was wealthier, cleaner, and far more advanced.

  News of Lemon City’s destruction had already reached the square.

  

  “News travels fast,” Taryn muttered.

  

  “Of course,” Xara replied. “A whole city vanished into lava. That’s not something people miss.”

  They made their way to a recharge station.

  A warm-eyed clerk greeted them.

  

  “Welcome! I’m Lia. How can I help?”

  

  “We’d like to recharge our craft,” Taryn said, handing her the shrunken ship.

  She inspected it.

  

  “This model… it’s from Lemon City.”

  She looked up gently. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Taryn nodded solemnly. “Thank you. I lost everything. I’d like to exchange it. It holds… too many memories.”

  Lia frowned sympathetically. “Well, it’s nearly new—and high-quality. But for a fair trade, we’d have to go custom. My brother’s the best engineer in Dale. He could build one to your specs in about a week.”

  Taryn thought it over, then nodded. “Alright.”

  A few minutes later, her brother arrived.

  He wore goggles on his head and had the confident grin of someone obsessed with his craft.

  

  “I’m Leo. My sister filled me in. What are you looking for?”

  

  “Something fast,” Taryn said. “And discreet.”

  

  “Then let’s talk specs,” Leo replied eagerly. “Your current craft is a high-core model—it supports a master imprint and two retainer imprints. We can upgrade it to an elite-core model with three retainers.”

  He explained how Stellar imprints were used for propulsion, while Planetary imprints enhanced defense. He avoided mentioning Dimensional imprints outright—but Taryn didn’t.

  

  “What about Dimensional imprints?”

  Leo’s expression changed—first to surprise, then manic excitement.

  

  “That’s forbidden tech. Heretical. Highly illegal. But between us… I’ve dreamed of testing one.”

  Lia closed the shop and locked the door without a word.

  Taryn smiled. “So? Would you dare?”

  

  “Absolutely. I’d be betraying myself as an engineer if I didn’t.”

  They shook hands.

  

  “This is Eunuch, my bodyguard. And Xara, my wife,” Taryn said.

  Lia blinked at the word wife, visibly surprised. “You two look young to be married—but I suppose things are different where you’re from.”

  Xara gave a soft smile. “We’re from a sect. It’s normal there.”

  Lia nodded in understanding.

  Leo adjusted his goggles. “Alright. Let’s start.”

  Eunuch raised his hand, revealing his stellar imprint. Leo examined it with glowing lenses.

  

  “B-Class... but there’s a secondary energy here. An A-Class blessing? Incredible.”

  He began tracing the imprint onto cosmic array paper. It took nearly an hour to complete.

  Next came Taryn.

  

  “Before I show you,” he said, “you need to swear—on your cultivation—you’ll forget everything you see.”

  Leo and Lia nodded seriously.

  Taryn raised his hand.

  The air warped.

  

  “S-Class… Dimensional… and… something else. Alien,” Leo whispered. He couldn’t speak aloud. The sheer pressure of the imprint crushed his throat.

  Still, he worked. Six hours later, the schematic was complete.

  Then Xara revealed her imprint.

  Leo cursed. “Not one, but two…”

  Another five hours.

  By dawn, they had three glowing schematics—two S-Class Dimensional, and one B-Class Stellar that Leo now realized carried an S-Class blessing.

  Leo sat back, trembling.

  

  “This ship… will be a miracle.”

  And in a whisper only the Void would hear:

  

  “I live for this.”