A deep, disbelieving silence lingered in the courtyard long after Aryan had vanished back into his room. The two stones, one small and one large, sat on the packed earth like monuments to an impossible morning. They weren't just chunks of rock; they were the physical proof of a fractured reality.
Rohan was the first to move. He strode toward the one-hundred-and-fifty-kilogram stone, his face a mask of simmering fury. With a sharp grunt, he heaved it into the air. The effort was visible the muscles in his arms and back bulged, and a vein throbbed on his forehead.
He held it for a few seconds before dropping it with a heavy thud that kicked up a cloud of dust. He was breathing heavily. The ease with which Aryan had lifted it was a personal, stinging insult.
"It's a trick," Rohan hissed, his voice laced with disbelief. "Some kind of adrenaline rush from a near-death experience. It won't last. The foundation is still rotten. He's still the same." The word 'trash' went unsaid, but it hung in the air like a poison.
Vikram turned his gaze on his older son, and for the first time, Rohan saw not approval, but a cold, sharp disappointment. "Do you truly believe that?" Vikram's voice was low and dangerous. "Did that look like a trick to you? Did you see a single drop of sweat on his brow? Did you hear a single strained breath? Open your eyes, Rohan. Pride has blinded you."
Rohan flinched as if struck. He opened his mouth to argue, but the words died in his throat. His father was right. Aryan's display had been flawless, effortless. It was a performance that spoke not of a momentary burst of strength, but of a fundamental, terrifying change.
Priya, whose tears of joy had now mingled with a sense of awe, clasped her hands together. "Vikram, what does this mean? Could it be a late awakening? A blessing from the ancestors?"
Vikram's gaze drifted to the closed door of Aryan's room. He thought of his own cultivation, stalled at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm for a decade. He thought of the family's dwindling resources and the smug smiles of the Sharma family. What he had just witnessed wasn't just a breakthrough; it was a lifeline.
"I don't know what it is," he said slowly, his voice heavy with the weight of the unknown.
"But the Rathore family does not question a blessing. We nurture it."
He looked at Rohan, his expression hardening once more. "From now on, you will remember that he is a son of the Rathore family. Same as you. Do not let your jealousy bring shame upon our name. Understand?"
Rohan's face went pale. The words were a heavier blow than any fist. He gave a stiff, resentful nod. "Yes, Father."
"Good," Vikram said, his tone final. "A seedling that shows such life must be given fertile soil."
Inside his room, Aryan was oblivious to the shifting dynamics of his family. The outside world had faded away, replaced by the cool, ethereal glow of the Supreme Store's interface. It was a library of miracles, a catalog of divinity. He scrolled through items that made his breath catch in his throat.
[Star-Shatterer Sword (Heavenly Grade)] - Forged from the heart of a fallen star. Can cleave mountains and rivers.
Price: 98,000,000 SP
[Pill of Dragon's Soul (Divine Grade)] - Refined from the soul of an ancient dragon. Grants the user a dragon-like constitution and immense spiritual power.
Price: 450,000,000 SP
[Art of the Myriad Illusions (Immortal Grade)] - A technique allowing the user to create worlds from thought, capable of trapping both Gods and Demons.
Price: 1,200,000,000 SP
He glanced at his balance in the corner of his vision: 100 SP. It was laughable. But the despair that would have crushed the old Aryan was absent. To the new Aryan, this wasn't a wall; it was a mountain, and he had just been given the tools to begin his climb.
He filtered the store, setting the category to "Pills" and the grade to "Mortal." The list became far more manageable. His eyes scanned the options, his mind working with cold efficiency. He needed the fastest, most effective way to complete his mission.
[Qi Gathering Pill (Low-Grade)] - Temporarily increases the speed of Qi absorption by 20%.
Price: 50 SP
[Qi Base Stabilizer Pill (Low-Grade)] - Stabilizes cultivation in the first three layers.
Price: 70 SP
Then, he saw it.
[Five Elements Qi Condensation Pill (Mid-Grade)] - A balanced concoction that nourishes the body with the five elemental energies. Provides a significant boost to cultivation below the fourth layer of the Qi Condensation Realm. Lightly purifies the body.
Price: 80 SP
It was more expensive, but its description promised a more fundamental benefit. It didn't just target one aspect; it nourished the whole. It aligned perfectly with the superior foundation being built by the Supreme Immortal Scripture.
"System, purchase one Five Elements Qi Condensation Pill," he thought.
[80 SP will be deducted. Confirm purchase?]
"Confirm."