Lucas rose swiftly, the weight of cultivation still running through his limbs as though his veins had been lit with fire. He reached for his robe and slipped it across his shoulders, tying it loosely as he turned toward the bed. Nyx lay there, her breathing soft and even, her hair cascading across the pillow in dark waves. There was a faint glow to her skin, the aftereffect of the Yang energy he had poured into her during the night. It was still circulating gently within her, nourishing her body and leaving her wrapped in a comfort she had likely never experienced before.

He paused for a moment, his expression softening as he leaned over her. She looked peaceful in a way that struck him deeply, her usual tension dissolved completely. He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, his hand lingering on her cheek before he bent down and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. "Rest well," he whispered under his breath, careful not to disturb her. "You've carried too much already."

Straightening, Lucas made his way toward the door. His hand reached for the handle, but he froze almost instantly. The thought struck him like a blade of cold steel, what if someone saw him stepping out of the princess's room at dawn? Whispers would spread like wildfire, and no amount of explanations would silence the tongues of the palace servants or the courtiers hungry for scandal. He could already imagine the consequences, and though Nyx was brave, he would not let her suffer that storm because of him.

His brow furrowed as he drew his hand back from the door. "No… not this way," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. A faint glimmer appeared in his eyes as he reached inward, pulling upon the core of his cultivation. His Qi surged, weaving through his meridians with ease, responding to his will like an extension of his very body. With a steady breath, he raised his hand and tore open the fabric of reality itself.

Before him, a dark rift shimmered into existence, edges rippling like liquid glass. The familiar pressure of the spatial passage washed over him, but it felt different this time. As he stepped closer, he realized what had changed. The currents of space were smoother, calmer, far less chaotic than they had been before. The jagged distortions that once fought against him now obeyed, folding themselves neatly under the strength of his Qi.

Lucas stepped into the rift, and the tear sealed behind him with a quiet ripple. He wrapped himself in his energy, creating a protective shell that separated his body from the raw currents of the void. The silence inside the passage was heavy, but it no longer pressed down on him as it once had. Instead, it felt stable, almost welcoming, as if acknowledging his growth.

He floated there for a moment, his senses stretching across the dimensions, and a faint smile curved across his lips. "So this is what it means to stand at the third stage," he thought, his voice low but filled with quiet satisfaction. The stability was undeniable. The passage no longer twisted wildly around him, no longer threatened to crush him beneath its weight. His control had increased so greatly that the very fabric of space responded with deference.

The realization struck him with clarity...when he reached Grandmaster rank, it would be even more refined, perhaps as natural as walking across the ground itself. That was the level where true mastery over space could begin, and the thought alone set his blood alight with anticipation.

For now, though, he pushed forward, guiding his path toward his own chamber, the stable void folding itself easily around him as if it had already recognized him as its rightful master.

The rift shimmered open in the quiet of Lucas's chamber, bending reality for a brief instant before parting like a curtain of liquid glass. He stepped through with practiced ease, his robe swaying lightly as the distortion sealed behind him. Not even a whisper of its presence remained. He exhaled slowly, his lips curling faintly. That was easy, he thought, the effortless nature of the transition filling him with a quiet confidence.

Lira, who had been bent over his trunk carefully arranging garments and supplies, froze the moment the energy of the spatial tear swept across the room. She straightened quickly, her eyes wide with alarm, until she saw him standing there, whole and unharmed. Relief spread over her face like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. "Master," she breathed, pressing a hand to her chest as though steadying her heart. "You scared me. I thought something had gone wrong."

He chuckled softly and stepped closer to her, the tension of the void leaving his shoulders as warmth took its place. "Wrong? Nothing could be further from the truth," he said, his tone calm but playful. "If anything, it has never felt more natural. I only worried I might have startled you."

Before she could answer, he reached out, slid an arm around her waist, and with an easy strength lifted her clean off the ground. She let out a startled yelp, her hands flying to his shoulders for balance, but her lips broke into a bright, involuntary smile. A laugh bubbled out of her chest, soft and delighted, the sound filling the chamber with something far gentler than the solemn matters of court and cultivation.

"Master!" she exclaimed, half scolding but unable to hide the happiness in her voice. "Put me down before I drop all of your things."

He only tightened his hold slightly, shaking his head as if to refuse. "Not until you promise to stop looking so serious," he teased, gazing up at her with that steady warmth in his eyes.

Her laughter softened into something tender, her cheeks flushing as she looked down at him.

Lucas leaned in then, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, lingering just long enough for her to close her eyes and savor the comfort it carried. When he drew back, he still held her close, though his voice shifted, becoming slightly more practical. "Now," he murmured with a faint smile, "be a good girl and prepare the bath. I need to clear my head before the king calls for us."

Her lips parted, caught between affection and obedience, and she nodded. "Of course," she said softly. "I'll make sure everything is ready."

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