As Lucas sank deeper into meditation, letting the last traces of the stabilizing potion work their way through his system, he became aware of something unusual resting at the very center of his core. It was subtle at first, like a thin wisp of cold light swirling just beneath the layers of his Qi. But when he focused on it fully, his breath caught in his throat.
It was still there.
A permanent thread of celestial essence.
He opened his eyes for a moment, stunned. His core did not reject it. His meridians did not tremble under its weight. The energy flowed along with his own like it belonged there, as though it had been waiting years for a home.
He pressed his palm to his chest and exhaled slowly.
"So it really stayed," he whispered to himself in disbelief. "A part of me now… permanently."
