Ray left the ladies under the care of Granny Theresa. The wind carried the soft scent of late autumn leaves as he and Diana floated gently into the sky in a crimson-and-gold hot air balloon, its fabric rustling quietly against the high breeze.
As the world below shrank into a quilt of green and gold, Diana sat in the basket beside her son, eyes fixed on him—studying not just his face, but the man he was becoming. Her gaze lingered, unreadable.
Ray glanced sideways and raised an eyebrow. "What? Is there something on my face?"
Diana blinked as if waking from a dream. Her lips curled into a bittersweet smile. "How is my little baby growing so fast?" she murmured, then abruptly reached over and pulled him into a tight hug, her arms trembling just slightly.
A younger Ray—his past-life self—would have squirmed away, embarrassed, trying to keep some adolescent pride intact. He had done that once before in his past life. And he had regretted it deeply. In this life, he was determined to cherish every moment.
So he smiled and wrapped his arms around her in return, holding her close as the sun bathed them in gold. The balloon drifted silently, like a memory suspended in time.
An hour ago…
Before Ray and Diana departed, Granny Theresa stood beneath the flowering elder tree near the edge of her garden, her weathered hands folded behind her. She turned to Arisa and said gently, "Let the ladies find their own way home. They'll be safe."
Arisa nodded with a calm smile and gestured to the group, who quietly took their leave.
Then Ray had turned to the old woman. "Granny, can you explain to my mother… at least a little? Why did I have to come here?"
Granny Theresa only nodded and spoke with soft gravity, careful not to reveal the greater secret—the presence of a spirit tied to Ray's destiny. "The spiritual energy here is strong," she said instead. "Awakening your cultivation here gives you a guaranteed path to greatness. He was chosen, Diana."
Diana frowned, her arms crossed. "And why not let others use this energy too? Why him?"
Granny only smiled knowingly. "Because the energy chooses who is worthy. And your son is one of them."
Ray chuckled softly as the two women went back and forth, but eventually, Diana sighed and nodded, letting her son make his choice.
Present.
Ray leaned against the wicker railing of the balloon, his eyes thoughtful. "I forgot to tell you this, Mother… Granny knows I'm reincarnated. She believes I've been given a second chance to become someone outstanding. It's rare to be chosen, and she thinks I might become strong enough to protect you someday."
Diana narrowed her eyes and gave him a playful glare. "Hmph! Who needs your protection, silly boy." But despite her words, her smile lingered longer than it should have.
Ray grinned, then asked, "So… what do I do for the next six months? And how are we going to tell Father?"
Diana looked ahead at the drifting clouds, then smiled. "We'll create plenty of Crystal Visions to keep you focused on cultivation and swordsmanship. Don't worry about your father. I'll handle that beast."
Ray nodded. "Ma, why don't I create all the cores for the Crystal Visions—the parts that act as their heart? That way, even if I'm not around, you and third mother can still assemble them."
Diana blinked in surprise. "You can do that?"
"I think I can," Ray replied.
She narrowed her eyes again. "We're going to find out. And if you can, leave the rest to Selene and me. You focus on your cultivation and sword training. Only when those are done can you tinker with your gadgets and… whatever else you do."
Ray smiled but didn't answer immediately. His thoughts wandered.
Do I even need to cultivate? My matrix advances my soul cultivation automatically. Even without effort, I gain strength every day.
But he shook his head, steeling himself.
No. I can't be overconfident. Every day matters. I need to become strong; otherwise, I might not survive the next time the assassins attack me.
The balloon descended gracefully onto the private landing field of the Walker estate. The scent of fresh earth and distant pine trees greeted them. Waiting at the edge of the field was Robert—Ray's father—with arms crossed and a suspiciously casual expression on his face.
As the balloon touched down, Diana stepped out first, then Ray. She turned to Robert, her voice dry. "What did you do this time?"
Ray raised an eyebrow at his mother's tone, puzzled, then turned to see Robert wearing a sheepish, almost guilty grin. Ray gave him a look of growing suspicion. Robert scratched his head, then casually avoided eye contact by staring up at the sky.
"Heh… Let's not talk here. Let's head to Ray's personal training ground."
At the private training grounds—an open stone platform surrounded by tall wind chimes and practice dummies—Ray waited as Robert finally spoke.
"After the daily audience with the king," Robert began slowly, "the four dukes and I were drinking spiritual tea. We… may have started bragging about our children."
Ray sighed, already seeing where this was going.
Robert continued, "I talked about John and then a few of the other children. And then… well…"
He looked up guiltily. Diana's eyes narrowed.
Robert chuckled nervously. "I might have bragged a little about Ray being my successor in the Lightning Sword Style. So they… issued a challenge. When Ray breaks through to the Qi Stage, he'll have to prove himself."
Diana asked calmly, "Can Ray use formations? Talismans? Runes?"
Robert hesitated. "He can. If he creates them on the spot. But pre-made ones—like talisman charms or formation disks—would count as cheating."
Ray groaned, "That's six months away. Let's not worry about it now."
Robert gave a sly grin, one that sent chills down Ray's spine. Then, with a sudden movement, he looked at Diana and declared, "I'll be taking Ray for six months. He needs proper training."
Before Ray could protest or Diana could reply, Robert grabbed Ray by the collar and vanished in a flash of wind and lightning.
Diana blinked, then laughed, shaking her head. "Bring him back one week before the awakening," she said to the wind.
Ray, now slung over his father's shoulder like a sack of grain, stared at the blur of the passing landscape. Mountains, trees, and clouds whipped by. He had no idea where they were headed.
"I can't believe this," he muttered. "I just got kidnapped… by my own dad… in broad daylight."
He clenched his fists, internally screaming:
NOOOOOOOOO!
The universe had betrayed him once again.
All he wanted was to create internet infrastructure and quietly build his empire of tech… not training 24/7 like some martial arts maniac.
But reality had other plans.