Days passed in the depths of the Forbidden Valley.
Siddharth sat cross-legged inside a narrow cave, his breathing steady but his mind restless. No matter how much he circulated his prana, no matter how carefully he refined monster blood, his cultivation refused to advance beyond Shishya Rank 6.
The wall remained.
Then, one night, the necklace on his chest grew warm.
"Siddharth…"
The familiar, ancient voice echoed in his mind.
"Kaushik," Siddharth said immediately. "You're awake."
"Yes," Kaushik replied. "And I know why you're troubled."
Siddharth did not waste time. "There's a wall. No matter what I do, I can't move forward."
Kaushik nodded. "You've hit a bottleneck."
He continued calmly, "The Beast Transformation Art allows rapid growth, but it also forges a stronger foundation. Because of that, bottlenecks are inevitable."
"Then how do I break it?" Siddharth asked.
Kaushik's voice turned serious.
"Through a life-and-death situation. When facing true death, your hidden potential will bloom. Only then can you shatter the wall and advance."
Siddharth fell silent.
He already knew where to go.
A few days ago, deep within the valley, he had discovered a secluded lake saturated with prana. But guarding it was a terrifying presence—a snake monster radiating Sadhak Rank 1 power.
Back then, Siddharth had retreated.
After I grow stronger, I'll come back, he had told himself.
Now, there was no choice.
"If I want to break through," Siddharth said quietly, "I have to fight it… no matter the cost."
Kaushik did not stop him.
"Then go," he said. "And survive."
Only three days remained before the year-end evaluation.
At dawn, Siddharth stood before the lake.
The surface was unnaturally still, prana rippling faintly through the air. Suddenly, the water exploded upward.
The snake emerged.
Its body was massive, scales dark and gleaming, eyes filled with cold intelligence. The pressure it released alone made the surrounding ground crack.
The battle began.
Fangs struck like lightning. Siddharth dodged, countered, and struck back again and again.
Minutes turned into hours.
Four hours passed.
Yet Siddharth felt no exhaustion.
Instead, his body grew lighter.
His steps became faster. His breathing remained calm and steady, perfectly synchronised with his movements.
It was as if his body had entered a state where fatigue no longer existed.
I could fight like this for days…
Blow after blow was exchanged—hundreds of clashes shaking the ground around the lake.
Then—
Something shattered inside him.
The invisible wall crumbled.
Prana surged violently through his body, flooding his meridians and bones.
Breakthrough.
Siddharth roared as his cultivation advanced.
Suddenly, the snake stopped attacking.
It pulled back, its massive body coiling calmly.
Then—
Boy… you are interesting.
The voice echoed inside Siddharth's mind.
He froze.
"Who's there?!" Siddharth shouted, spinning around. "Show yourself!"
We have exchanged countless blows, the voice replied calmly.
And you still do not recognise me?
Siddharth stared at the snake.
His eyes widened.
"You… you can talk?!"
The snake lowered its head slightly.
"I am no mere monster," the voice said. "I am a sacred beast. I communicate through telepathy, just as humans speak aloud."
Siddharth remained on guard, but curiosity crept in.
"I like you, kid," the snake continued. "How about we form a Bandhan?"
Siddharth frowned. "What is a Bandhan?"
The snake explained, "If you place your blood upon my forehead, we will be bound together. Our souls will connect. A bond that transcends life and death."
Siddharth hesitated only briefly.
Then he nodded.
"I accept."
He bit his finger and let a few drops of blood fall onto the snake's forehead.
The world trembled.
A deep connection formed instantly.
Siddharth gasped as emotions flooded his mind—calmness, ancient pride, quiet loneliness. They were not his… yet they felt intimately familiar.
It was as if they had become one.
The snake spoke again, softer now.
"Name me."
Siddharth closed his eyes.
After a moment, he smiled.
"I'll call you Kailash," he said. "After the mountain where Lord Shiva resides."
The snake—Kailash—lowered its head in acceptance.
Thus, a bond beyond life and death was formed.