After Lira had left, her figure vanishing past the courtyard path beyond his window, Lucas turned back toward his chamber, his steps thoughtful, composed. The moment the door shut behind him with a soft click, his composure shifted. Calm, yet deliberate. Focused.
He sat down cross-legged on the mat, the warmth of his morning cultivation still pulsing faintly beneath his skin. The rush of reaching the Expert Rank was still fresh—too fresh. If he walked outside now, letting his new aura leak freely into the world, it would be like dropping a boulder into a pond. The ripples would spread, and fast. Whispers would become rumors, and rumors would swell into chaos.
He wasn't ready for that. Not yet.
