The city of Sol Ria was wide awake, pulsing with tension like a living organism on the brink of collapse. The air was thick with urgency. Guards swept through the streets in tight formations, their armor clinking like distant thunder. Above, formations lit the skies—sigils of power and surveillance woven into the clouds, casting eerie glows over rooftops and alleyways. The search for Rana and Jalen had reached a fever pitch. But the truth was simple and cruel: they were already too late.
Jalen had vanished beyond the borders of the Solar State. The moment he'd left the hilltop, he'd switched places with a shadow clone he'd left behind with Jael to pick up Jael, and then he uses Eclipse Motion fused with Flash Reversion through Thread Fusion to exit the Solar State.
Thank the heavens the distance from the capital to the border wasn't as vast as the journey from Renin Mountain to Rage Forest on the Reign Continent. That time, the backlash had nearly killed him. His veins had burned, his two cores drained, and his dantian trembled. His spirit had nearly shattered.
Now, though he had lost a tremendous amount of qi again, he was in a better condition, aching, but his body was able to move, plus he still had enough qi reserve in case there was a battle.
Hidden deep within an underground retreat carved beneath a jagged cliff on the outer rim, Jalen knelt beside Rana. Her body lay pale and still, her chest unmoving. Jael sat nearby, silent, his wide eyes filled with uncertainty and fear. The boy didn't speak, but his presence was a quiet anchor in the storm of grief.
Jalen pressed his palms together and summoned the Flare of Recursion, a technique that reached beyond mere healing. It was a technique that touched the threads of life itself, seeking to restore what had been lost. But this time, it wasn't working.
There was nothing from Rana.
No pulse. No qi. No sign of vitality.
Jalen's heart clenched. He had known it was too late for their unborn child, but Rana had still been alive when he rescued her from those monsters.
He can't let her die—not after everything. Not on his watch.
Desperation surged through him, and he poured more energy into her body, his hands trembling, sweat pouring down his face in rivulets.
The light dimmed as his qi ran dry. His hands dropped. His body slumped forward, barely able to breathe. His vision blurred, and then he screamed—a raw, broken sound that echoed through the cavern like a wounded animal.
"Don't cry, Daddy," Jael whispered, levitating before him. The boy's small hands gently caressed his father's face, tears filling his eyes.
Jalen pulled Jael into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry, my boy. Daddy didn't mean to scare you. I'm alright."
"No, you're not. I can feel it, Daddy. We have a bond, remember?"
Jalen forced a chuckle despite the agony in his chest that threatened to consume him and everything around him and patted the boy's head. "I really am fine, so don't be sad."
Then, a flare of light shimmered in the air. Jalen's spirit sea stirred, and he heard a voice—his own voice, but not quite.
Do you wish to save them?
Jalen's breath caught. Who are you?
You mean you've been together so long with this origin shard, partner, and you don't even know the origin shard?
His eyes widened. Origin Shard? You're alive?
Not in the sense that you are. The origin shard is an Eternal Grade spirit tool—designed to make its wielder into an apex predator.
Jalen's mind raced. Eternal Grade?
Yes. It means that unlike other spirit tools, both the origin shard and the wind orb in Nate's possession are extraordinary spirit tools closer to a living being in terms of having DNA and all that, yet not alive since they have no personhood. As for why the origin shard is able to communicate with you as if it's a person, it's just using your speech to communicate the knowledge it has accumulated and recorded from its many users before you. But enough about the origin shard—don't you want to save your wife and kids?
How? Jalen's teeth gnashed. They are already dead?
They are not dead, but in animated suspension.
Jalen's heart skipped. Wait—what do you mean by that?
And kids?
I thought it was only a daughter.
Thanks to your genes that have been transformed by the origin shard, your kids have also inherited extraordinary genes. The boy possesses shadow and fire physiques and two spirit cores of the said elements; hence, he was able to keep his existence hidden from even his own mother. And the girl possesses a light and ice physique and two spirit cores as well. It was due to their incredible genes why they managed to survive not one but two cleansing rituals, but in their state there was not much they could do.
Though barely formed, the girl's Ice Physique had instinctively awakened. Her qi wove a cocoon of suspended time around her twin and their mother. It wasn't conscious—it was survival. A miracle born of bloodline and desperation.
Is this true?
The shard has no reason to deceive. Its record is truth.
So how do you suggest I save them?
It will require Jael.
Jalen's eyes narrowed. You're still after the Flaming Dragon Spirit Core in his possession, aren't you?
The shard cannot deny the truth: it seeks the Flaming Dragon Spirit Core.But you are the master of the origin shard. Though you're not strong enough to wield it fully, it's aligned with your will. And right now, it knows you want to save them both. And it has a way.
Jalen's hands clenched into fists. The thought of using Jael—his own son—as fuel for a ritual twisted his gut. The Origin Shard had always been clever, manipulative, and never quite trustworthy. Yet in this moment, he couldn't afford to dismiss it. If there was even the slightest chance to save Rana and the twins without truly harming Jael, he had to consider it.
Will it hurt Jael? His voice was low and taut with dread.
It will weaken the kid, but he will recover eventually.
Jalen didn't feel too comfortable in himself with that.
You see Jael's essence. His bloodline has been transformed by both yours via the origin shard hence why you two have a strong father son bond along with the Sky Limit Realm Flaming Dragon core and blood that has now completely submitted under the boys will. Making his essence stronger than any dragon of this mortal realm. With that said, the shard will use his blood and energy from his flaming core as fuel to restore vitality to Rana, who has a Flaming Physique. For your son, the shard use the Flaming Qi of your first core and the shadow qi from your second Spirit Core—which this origin shard now believe is also an Eternal Grade spirit tool of mysterious origin like the origin shard—to revive his vitality. This origin shard will also use your light qi and ice qi to heal your daughter. The origin shard will then use cells from Jael's body to construct a complete physical form for your kids. As for why the origin shard will use Jael and not yours because you're no longer pure. Jael's beast essence is pure, uncorrupted, and most importantly overflowing with primal and of the true royal qi. His body is also biologically adaptable, making it ideal for reconstructing new life. Oh, and at the end of this process, Rana will give premature birth to two healthy babies.
Jalen's breath caught, excitement rising—but he didn't dare count his eggs before they hatched. Is there anything else that I need to worry about?
Your shadow and light qi will no longer be available to you. Your Flaming Qi will lose the twenty percent of the Dragon Core's flame essence. Likewise, twenty percent of the Ice Dragon Core's qi will be transferred to your children.
The toll on your cultivation will be unpredictable. You may be crippled for a few days… or for a year. It depends on how much the ritual demands.
This is not a technique—it's a sacrifice. Do you still choose this path?
Jalen looked at Jael, who stared back at him, worried about his well-being.
As long as Jael won't be hurt, and Rana and my kids will be safe… then go ahead.
Very well,the Origin Shard pulsed. But first, speak to the beast. Tell it not to resist—it must keep his flaming core under control.
Jalen nodded, his heart heavy. He turned to Jael and gently patted his head. "Daddy's about to save Mommy and your siblings," he said softly. "But I need your help."
"I'll do anything to help you, Daddy!" Jael beamed, bouncing with excitement. "Just tell me what to do."
"I'm going to use your core and bloodline to heal them," Jalen said, his voice trembling. "So whatever happens… don't resist. Keep your flaming core steady, alright?"
Jael nodded, smiling broadly as Jalen caressed his cheek. "Okay, Daddy."
The Origin Shard pulsed again, and the sanctuary trembled. Threads of silver energy wove through the air, connecting Jalen, Jael, Rana, and the unborn twins. The process began.
Jalen felt his qi being siphoned, his core unraveling. Pain surged through him, but he didn't resist. He welcomed it—for them.
Jael's body began to glow, his bloodline awakening—not in defiance, but in quiet surrender. The dormant flaming dragon core within him stirred, ready to protest, but Jael's will prevailed. He wanted to help his father. Though he didn't understand what was happening, Jael trusted his father completely. The sensation was strange—tingling, but not painful. He stayed still, focused only on helping.
Cells within him separated, reformed, and drifted like threads of light toward Rana's womb. The Flaming Qi surged, wrapping around the unborn twins in a protective cocoon. His second Spirit Core pulsed, releasing waves of energy that shimmered through the sanctuary.
Rana's chest rose. Her skin flushed with color. Then a few hours later her eyes fluttered open.
At first, it was a whisper. A fragile sound, like wind brushing silk. Then it grew—two cries, sharp and alive, echoing through the sanctuary. Jalen collapsed, his body spent, his cultivation shattered. But he smiled. They were alive. And that was worth any price.