Chapter 44 – Departure to Null Spire
The skies over Skyhaven still carried the scent of smoke. A few days had passed since the Asura invasion — the day Earth trembled beneath divine wrath. Though the fires had been extinguished and the skies cleared, the city still bore its scars. Charred metal, collapsed spires, and cracked streets stretched for miles. Yet, amid the ruin, humans were rebuilding — not just their homes, but their courage.
Children ran through the rubble chasing drones that carried repair materials; cultivators guided reconstruction arrays; merchants reopened stalls with shaky smiles. The City was healing, piece by piece.
On the terrace of an almost rebuilt tower, Vaibhav stood silently, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. His once calm eyes reflected the fractured skyline.
Behind him, the glass doors slid open with a faint hiss.
Lin Xuan stepped out, his white coat fluttering faintly in the breeze. His expression was unreadable as always — somewhere between calm detachment and quiet fondness.
"Still watching the ruins?" Lin Xuan asked, standing beside him.
Vaibhav's voice was steady but low. "Not the ruins. The survivors."
Lin Xuan's gaze followed his — children playing, people laughing even amidst debris.
A brief silence. Then Vaibhav said, "We've decided to leave for Null Spire Military Academy."
Lin Xuan's eyes shifted slightly. "We?"
"Me, Shin, and Alicia."
There was no hesitation in Vaibhav's tone — only resolve. "The invasion is over… for now. But we can't keep depending on luck or borrowed strength. Military Academy can push us further — maybe even teach us how to fight what's coming next."
The wind rustled his hair. For a long moment, Lin Xuan said nothing. His gaze was sharp — as if he was reading more than words, more than intent.
Finally, his lips curved faintly. "So you're choosing your own path now."
Vaibhav nodded once.
Lin Xuan smiled — small, fleeting, but genuine. "Good."
The faintest trace of pride glimmered in his eyes. "Then I won't stop you. But…" His tone deepened. "Don't forget — the further you go, the harder the path becomes. Null Spire doesn't train soldiers… it forges monsters."
Vaibhav's eyes didn't waver. "Then we'll become stronger monsters."
For a moment, Lin Xuan looked at him — really looked. The boy who once couldn't even control his energy now stood tall against the remnants of invasion, speaking like a warrior born of storm and ruin.
"Fine," Lin Xuan said at last, slipping his hands into his coat pockets. "I'll make the preparations."
Scene Shift – Shin's Home
At the far end of Skyhaven, in the quiet suburb where laughter still lived, Shin's house stood almost unscathed — thanks to its absurdly overengineered defensive barrier that Lin Xuan once mocked as "a fortress for an idiot."
Inside, chaos reigned.
"Absolutely not!" cried Hinata, clinging to Shin's arm as if her life depended on it. "You're not leaving! You'll die out there, or worse — you'll forget me!"
"Hina, come on! You're cutting off my blood circulation—" Shin groaned, trying to shake her off, but the girl was like a spiritual beast with emotional claws.
From the couch, Professor Akari sighed dramatically while sipping tea. "Let him go, Hina. If he dies, we'll just… resurrect him using Lin Xuan's data backup."
"THERE'S A BACKUP?!" Shin barked.
"Of course not." Akari smirked. "But it was worth watching your face."
Shin turned to Professor Hiroshi, who was quietly reading a book beside the window, pretending to be uninvolved.
"Dad, you could help me out here!"
Hiroshi turned a page calmly. "No, I think Akari's plan sounds good. If you die, we'll study your remains for research purposes."
"WHY ARE MY PARENTS LIKE THIS?!" Shin shouted.
Before the argument could escalate further, the front door opened with a faint chime.
Lin Xuan stepped in, his calm presence silencing the room almost immediately. His gaze flickered over the chaos — Akari smirking, Hinata clinging, Shin half-panicking — and he sighed lightly.
"I see… everything's normal."
"Sensei!" Hinata exclaimed, rushing over. "You're here to stop him, right? You won't let him go!"
Lin Xuan smiled faintly, crouching slightly to meet her eyes. "Hina, Shin's grown stronger. If you hold him back, you'll just make him weaker."
Hinata pouted. "But… he's stupid. He'll get lost and starve."
"That," Lin Xuan said, glancing at Shin, "is true."
"HEY!"
"Which is why," Lin Xuan continued smoothly, "I'll be monitoring them myself."
He pulled out three metallic bands — sleek, silver with glowing cyan lines pulsing across their surfaces.
"Upgraded Genesis Nexus Bands," he said, handing one each to Shin, Vaibhav, and Alicia. "Synced directly to my system. I can track your vitals, energy, and… questionable life decisions."
Shin squinted. "You mean spying."
"Monitoring," Lin Xuan corrected. "I can disable your functions remotely if you break something important."
Shin muttered, "Great, my own parole officer."
Akari chuckled. "You see why I like him?"
Hinata still refused to let go, clinging tighter as Shin picked up his bag.
"Come on, Hina, I'm not going to another planet… yet."
"You might as well be!"
Anika appeared from the hallway — holding a plush monster toy with glowing eyes. "Hina, want to see the monsters in my new collection?"
Hinata's tears froze mid-sob. "Monsters?"
"Yep. Big, scary, and fluffy."
Hinata released Shin instantly. "Bye, Shin-nii! Don't die!"
And just like that, she ran off with Anika, leaving Shin standing there with his bag halfway on his shoulder.
Shin blinked. "Did I just get emotionally replaced by stuffed animals?"
Akari crossed her arms. "Finally, peace."
"Professor Akari," Lin Xuan said, "thank you for raising this troublemaker."
"Please," Akari scoffed. "I was trying to kick him out since he turned fourteen."
Shin gaped. "WHAT?!"
Hiroshi closed his book. "You lasted longer than I expected."
Everyone laughed — even Lin Xuan allowed a quiet chuckle.
Shin looked at them, a small smile tugging at his lips despite the chaos. "I'll come back stronger. So strong that even you'll have to acknowledge me."
Akari smirked. "I'll believe it when your brain catches up to your mouth."
Scene Shift – The Salon
It wasn't a battlefield, but Shin still looked nervous.
The trio — Vaibhav, Shin, and Alicia — followed Lin Xuan through the golden glass doors of an elegant salon. The name above the entrance read: "Heaven's Shear – By Lin Xuan".
Shin blinked. "Wait. YOU own a salon?"
Lin Xuan adjusted his gloves. "I design, I build, I fight, and I style. True cultivation is balance."
Shin whispered to Vaibhav, "He's terrifying."
Alicia, on the other hand, was impressed. "So this is where all the pretty people of Skyhaven go."
"Exactly," Lin Xuan replied, leading them to their seats. "And now, my disciples will stop looking like apocalypse survivors."
Vaibhav sat first. Lin Xuan's movements were precise — not too long, not too sharp. The sound of scissors filled the air. Strands of dark hair fell, and a new form emerged — a clean, sharp, slicked-back style that revealed his forehead. A single strand fell forward, softening his otherwise intimidating look.
Alicia glanced at him and smiled faintly. "You actually look… like someone famous."
Shin leaned closer. "Yeah, like a rich guy who tips badly."
Vaibhav didn't even look at him. "Keep talking, clown, and I'll set your shampoo on fire."
Next, it was Shin's turn.
"Blond?" Lin Xuan asked, eyebrow raised.
"Yep. I'm thinking rebellious prodigy look."
Lin Xuan sighed. "You already are rebellious. Fine."
The dye shimmered gold under the salon's light. When Lin Xuan finally handed him a mirror, Shin blinked — his reflection almost unrecognizable. His blond hair fell in messy layers, framing his face with wild, chaotic energy.
"Damn…" Shin grinned. "I look like trouble."
Vaibhav muttered, "You are trouble."
Alicia laughed softly, sitting beside them as Anika — now apparently the salon's honorary stylist — brushed through her silver hair and added a faint shimmer of blue at the ends.
Anika said with pride, "You're going to make every other student at Null Spire jealous."
Alicia smiled. "That's the plan."
Lin Xuan crossed his arms, observing his students — Vaibhav with quiet confidence, Alicia radiating grace, and Shin grinning like chaos personified.
He spoke finally. "You three… don't forget what you carry. You're not just students. You represent Lin Xuan."
Vaibhav nodded silently. Alicia bowed her head slightly. Shin just saluted dramatically.
"Yes, Sensei Stylist."
Lin Xuan glared. "Don't make me shave your head."
"...Understood."
As the sun began to set beyond Skyhaven's half-rebuilt skyline, the trio stood at the edge of the terrace — the city stretching endlessly below.
Alicia broke the silence. "It feels… strange, leaving again."
Vaibhav nodded. "It always does."
Shin stretched, the wind rustling through his blond hair. "Well, as long as there's food, chaos, and a few monsters to punch, I'm fine."
Lin Xuan stood a few paces behind them, hands in his coat pockets, watching the three silently. His voice came quiet but clear:
"Go, then. Grow strong. Null Spire isn't mercy — it's survival."
Vaibhav turned slightly, a confident smile touching his lips. "That's what we're best at."
For once, even Lin Xuan's cold composure softened. "Then I expect nothing less than domination."
Shin smirked. "Don't worry, we'll make you proud — or mildly disappointed. Either way, memorable."
Lin Xuan chuckled, shaking his head. "Go before I change my mind."
The trio exchanged one last look — silent, determined, excited.
They didn't need a portal, fanfare, or farewell speech. The air shimmered faintly as their Genesis Nexus bands glowed — Lin Xuan's signal activating.
In a blink, the terrace was empty.
Only Lin Xuan remained, the evening wind brushing against his hair.
He whispered softly, almost to himself,
"Let's see how far you can go, my disciples."
The wind carried his words across the horizon — toward the unknown path that awaited them at Null Spire Military Academy.