Rain fell heavily across Eastern Horizon Academy.
Dark clouds covered the sky while spiritual formation barriers shimmered faintly above the campus, distorting the falling rain into silver ripples of light. Students still trained despite the weather, though the atmosphere across the academy had grown noticeably tense
over the past few weeks.
Everyone could feel it now.
Something was approaching.
Inside the central administrative tower, multiple holographic screens displayed live international broadcasts simultaneously.
Government representatives.
Awakened organizations.
Public debates.
Political accusations.
And increasingly-
Direct attention toward Eastern Horizon Academy.
"The academy continues refusing international inspection requests."
"Unauthorized archive distribution remains ongoing."
"Public cultivation movements inspired by Eastern Horizon continue spreading globally."
The broadcasts repeated endlessly.
Dev groaned while staring at the projections.
"They talk about us like we're some revolutionary organization."
Raghav glanced toward him calmly.
"We are."
"..Fair point."
The conference hall remained filled with tension.
The principal stood silently near the central window while Director Rao reviewed incoming intelligence reports one after another.
Professor Devika finally spoke quietly.
"Three major awakened factions arrived in the city this morning."
Everyone immediately focused.
"Which factions?" Ananya asked.
Director Rao activated another projection.
Several symbols appeared.
The Silver Authority.
The Global Spiritual Regulation Bureau.
And one that made the room colder immediately.
The Vardhan Clan.
Even Dev's expression shifted slightly.
"They sent an ancient clan directly?"
Director Rao nodded once.
"The Vardhan Clan controls several private cultivation inheritances across Asia."
Raghav frowned.
"And they're losing influence because of the public techniques."
"Yes."
The answer carried obvious meaning.
The academy had become a threat to powerful interests worldwide.
Not militarily.
Ideologically.
The principal finally turned from the window.
"They won't attack openly.
His voice remained calm.
"Not while public support remains this high."
Professor Devika folded her arms.
"But pressure will continue increasing."
Outside the academy walls, news reporters and awakened observers had already begun gathering daily.
Some came out of curiosity.
Others for investigation.
A few clearly for intimidation.
Yet strangely-
The students themselves remained calmer than expected.
In fact, many had become even more motivated.
Public cultivation groups now regularly visited the academy seeking guidance. Volunteer teaching sessions expanded every week. Support path students helped ordinary civilians stabilize spiritual
circulation for free.
The academy no longer felt isolated from society.
It felt connected to humanity itself.
One first-year student looked toward the crowded public training grounds and whispered quietly:
"This is what cultivation should've always been."
Nearby instructors heard him.
None disagreed.
Meanwhile, Arun had become increasingly busy.
Inside a rapidly expanding office complex near the academy, countless documents and cultivation resource reports covered entire tables.
Supply routes.
Spiritual herb contracts.
Forge material exchanges.
Public cultivation support networks.
Arun barely slept anymore.
One assistant looked overwhelmed while organizing reports.
"How are we expanding this quickly?"
Arun didn't even look up from his calculations.
"Because the world needs infrastructure faster than governments can build it."
His eyes remained focused.
"If independent cultivators don't receive stable support systems now, chaos will eventually follow."
That mindset reflected Krishak's teachings perfectly.
Strength alone was never enough.
Civilization required structure.
Nearby, Rohon worked inside an expanded spiritual forge facility constructed partially through Arun's growing business network.
Spiritual flames roared intensely while dozens of unfinished weapon components floated around him through controlled spiritual force.
His forging had improved dramatically.
Not flashy.
Not overly aggressive.
Stable.
Reliable.
Purpose-driven.
At the same time, Meera coordinated medicinal support programs for several public cultivation communities.
Her healing gardens had expanded beyond the academy entirely now.
Entire districts depended partially on medicinal pills and spiritual herbs cultivated through her systems.
Though exhausted constantly-
She never slowed down.
Because every time she considered resting-
She remembered where Krishak currently was.
Karan's beast sanctuary had become unexpectedly famous online as well.
Videos of spirit beasts voluntarily assisting humans spread rapidly across networks worldwide.
Children especially loved them.
Ancient beast taming factions absolutely hated them.
And Tara
Tara barely noticed anything happening outside anymore.
She remained buried beneath formation diagrams almost constantly.
Entire walls inside her workspace had disappeared beneath countless overlapping arrays and defensive structures.
Recently, she had begun researching something new.
Large-scale city formations.
When Ananya visited her one evening, she noticed massive blueprints spread across the floor.
"These are academy defense systems?"
Tara shook her head quietly.
"No."
Her eyes remained focused on the diagrams.
"They're future city-scale synchronization formations."
Ananya blinked.
"City-scale?"
Tara finally looked up.
"If cultivation becomes public globally..."
Her voice remained calm.
"then humanity will eventually need protected cultivation cities."
Silence followed.
Because once again—
Krishak's disciples were thinking years ahead already.
Far beneath the Tibetan mountains
Krishak's cultivation entered another dangerous phase.
The corruption nearest the dimensional breach had become far denser than before.
Dark crimson-black energy flooded through the chamber continuously while spatial distortions occasionally appeared around the lower seal itself.
Yet instead of retreating-
Krishak moved closer.
The Universe Origin Body Arts circulated intensely through his body while refined Origin essence flowed through his bones like silver rivers.
The pain had become almost indescribable now.
Every refinement cycle felt like his body was being crushed apart and rebuilt repeatedly.
Sometimes his flesh literally split open under the pressure before healing again moments later.
His mental strain had become equally terrifying.
Fragments of ancient emotions hidden within the corruption constantly tried eroding his consciousness.
Hatred.
Madness.
Endless hunger from beyond the breach.
Yet Krishak endured all of it silently.
Because his body was changing.
The Star Forged Body realm had nearly reached completion.
His bones carried visible silver-gray patterns now.
His organs pulsed with Origin essence naturally.
Even his spiritual core had become denser and more stable than ordinary cultivators could comprehend.
Outside the formation, the old man watched with increasingly complicated eyes.
Finally, he spoke quietly:
"You're preparing yourself for Void Tempering already."
Krishak slowly opened his eyes.
"Yes."
The old man remained silent briefly.
Then asked:
"Do you understand what that truly means?"
Krishak looked toward the unstable dimensional distortions near the lower breach.
Silver-gray light flickered softly within his eyes.
"To temper the body against the void itself."
And deep below the seal-
Something ancient stirred faintly in response.