Fluxara consisted of many families, clans, and sects, all under the umbrella that was the Augustine clan. Amongst everyone on the planet, the highest concentration of plane was the 0th Plane, mortals, followed by 3rd Planers. On a planet where peace had never wavered, most people only cultivated to increase their lifespan, not for strength; they didn't have a worthy use for it other than status. And in a planet where all could live comfortably and where the position of the overlords was so clear, how worthy was the status to dedicate your life to it?
Most on Fluxara dedicated their life to living a happy, fulfilling life and contributing towards a better community and environment. There were exceptions, of course, in a world of Lu, where did exceptions not exist?
The highest concentration of such exceptions, and experts, was the Augustine clan itself, was separated into the main family line and the branch families. Lucius, one of Valerio's best friends, came from one of the branch families. The void clan was not as large as the super clans that existed within the galaxy, numbering just over 100,000 people in total if the branch and main family lines were summed up.
Compared to the mortals or those of non-void, it was the reaction of this one-hundred-thousand that was the biggest. Those with weaker talent and affinity couldn't fully comprehend the magnitude of the phenomenon, but they knew it had something to do with the ruling (main) line. It was the talented or strong who could truly feel the void's agitated excitement drawing closer to the Augustine Manor. The feeling of an entire realm bending towards a singular point…
It was terrifying.
***
In the training facility of the Augustine, Lucius had been in the middle of a combat simulation when he felt the call of the void. His Spiritual Lu, immediately stopped the simulation as he came to a standstill. His blonde hair ruffled with the wind of his momentum coming to an end. He closed his blue eyes.
He smiled.
'Who else but Valerio?'
Others didn't know him well, but Lucius had always known. He'd always known the cultivator inside Valerio. To him, Valerio's weakness had always been temporary; he would cultivate eventually, and when he did… he couldn't wait for that. He couldn't wait to see what all that intellect and talent would create.
His brother would finally be able to walk alongside him, Lucius chuckled.
'I'm waaaay too excited.'
It was the same sort of excitement that come from one of your friend's picking up a hobby you had been enjoying for a long time, except if you had dedicated your entire life to such a thing. They would be able to talk, theorise, and grow together, wasn't that one of the most beautiful things in life?
Soon enough, the sounds of blades clashing rang out once again in the training facility.
***
In the living room of the Augustine manor, Estelle and Diego stood poised, a set of shimmering azure runes hovering near Diego while beautiful flowers and herbs floated around Estelle. Yet, neither seemed to care about their surroundings, their gazes locked onto a spot on the floor, rapt with attention. As the heartbeats pulsed through Fluxara, Diego's hand twitched reflexively, only to come to a rest again. He could have quelled the heartbeats resonating across the land with ease; it was a simple act. But a deeper, simpler feeling held him back—the overwhelming pride of a grandfather for his grandson.
The heartbeats continued, and after the 700th beat, they finally started to slow.
On the 777th beat, the vortex slowly dissipated, and the material plane fell into silence. But in the depths of the Augustine Manor, a single heartbeat continued to beat, slow and deliberate, pounding once every 30 seconds. Each pulse sent a powerful tremor through the air, strong enough to rattle the ancient pillars of the training ground. Though the world outside had quieted, the heartbeats within carried an ominous weight, as if the very essence of the void was slumbering, and in a way, it temporarily was.
Valerio's eyes snapped open, taking a deep breath in reflex. He quickly remembered he couldn't breathe in the void, he tried to stop his inhale, but just as quickly, he realised he could breathe. Rejoiced by the feeling, he gazed at the Void Lu, inhaling and exhaling in wonder.
'My constitution,' Valerio thought in amazement. He squeezed his fist, his muscles were brimming with strength. A strange sense of comfort invaded him, as if he were home. He looked around and noticed the empty void had become full of winding pathways, forged out of sparkling particles and bubbles that seemed to invite him inside.
Unbeknownst to Valerio, his pupils had grown to become an ever darker black whilst his irises had gained a darker tint of blue to them that seemed to vary between different hues of dark azure.
Valerio tilted his head down, he could see Fluxara. He could see his dad.
A huge grin was plastered on his face, as if asking for praise.
Valerio stopped his temper from flaring. He'd never win an argument against his dad.
Maximus void-stepped in front of him and spoke, "How was it?"
Valerio's lip twitched. "I thought I was dead. How about a heads up next time?"
Maximus started laughing, "You know I can't hear you right? This is the void, you can only hear me because I'm projecting my voice to your soul." Maximus flashed behind Valerio and placed a hand on his back.
"Your physique isn't balanced yet, that's why you're so much more powerful than you should be right now. If I left you like this, you'd slowly damage yourself until the Void Lu dissipated on its own. I'll balance you out; that will be the end of your awakening."
The influx of Void Lu was far too much for Valerio's cultivation. It would take months to wear out naturally, meaning he'd be fully shifted into the Void for months, and though Valerio enjoyed alone time, months of isolation weren't on his plans.
Maximus placed his hand on Valerio's back, an indigo light shining over his palm. Valerio had expected to wait while his dad absorbed the excesses Void Lu in his physique, but instead, he felt an intense, sudden suction force on his back. He jerked back, and in the blink of an eye, it was over. If only Valerio had been in the state to pay attention, he could've understood just how much Lu his dad had absorbed. Perhaps he would've finally started asking questions that had eluded him his whole life.
A wave of relief washed over him, a sensation he hadn't realised he needed—like the sudden release of a pressure he hadn't known was there, as if a weight had been lifted from within him. His surroundings blurred once more, and the next thing he knew, he was face-first on the cold stone floor of the training grounds.