Mohit remained seated on the cold ground for a long time after the spiritual beast disappeared. His breathing slowly returned to normal, but his hands still trembled faintly.
The alley was quiet again, as if nothing strange had ever happened there.
But Mohit knew better.
He slowly stood up, leaning against the wall for support. His legs felt heavy, like he had just run a long distance without rest. A dull ache pulsed through his muscles.
"So this is what using energy feels like…" he murmured.
He took a few careful steps forward. His balance was slightly off, but his body slowly adjusted. Every movement carried a faint echo of warmth inside him, like embers refusing to fade completely.
As he walked home, his mind replayed the encounter again and again — the glowing eyes, the sudden lunges, the strange ripple of energy from his palm.
That creature wasn't normal…
His fingers clenched unconsciously.
And neither am I anymore.
When Mohit reached his room, he closed the door quietly and collapsed onto his bed. The ceiling fan spun slowly above him, its soft hum calming his racing thoughts.
He raised his right hand in front of his face.
"Can I do it again…?"
He closed his eyes and focused inward, searching for the same warm flame-like presence inside his chest. It was still there — faint, small, but alive.
Carefully, he guided it toward his palm.
A soft tingling sensation spread through his fingers.
Nothing happened.
Mohit frowned slightly. He tried again, concentrating harder. The warmth trembled, then weakened.
A sharp wave of tiredness washed over him.
"So it drains energy fast…"
He sighed and lowered his hand. His body felt empty, like a battery running low.
After resting for several minutes, the warmth slowly returned on its own, faint but steady.
It recovers naturally… but slowly.
This realization made Mohit both relieved and cautious. If he pushed himself too hard, he could easily exhaust his energy again.
He sat cross-legged on his bed and closed his eyes.
Remembering his calm breathing from earlier days, he slowly inhaled and exhaled, letting his mind settle. With each breath, he imagined drawing invisible warmth from the air into his body.
At first, nothing happened.
Then… a faint ripple brushed against his skin.
His senses sharpened slightly.
He felt something subtle around him — not visible, not tangible — but present everywhere.
Energy.
Tiny streams of warmth flowed toward his body, slowly merging with the faint flame inside his chest.
Mohit's heartbeat slowed.
A quiet sense of peace spread through him.
So I can absorb it…
Minutes passed quietly. The warmth inside him stabilized, becoming slightly stronger than before.
When Mohit opened his eyes, a small smile appeared on his face.
"This is cultivation…"
It wasn't dramatic. There were no explosions or flashing lights.
Just steady growth.
His phone buzzed softly on the bed. A message notification blinked on the screen.
Mohit ignored it for the moment, still savoring the calm feeling inside his body.
But deep within his senses, something stirred again — faint, distant, like an echo from far away.
Not danger.
Not yet.
But a reminder.
The world was still watching him.
And his journey had only just begun.