Turning quickly, she saw a tall, handsome man walking toward her—his appearance so striking that for a single second, she felt completely stunned, as though a god had stepped out of a painting.
Then the man spoke, voice warm and approving.
"Not bad. Not bad at all. You kept your composure even in this situation. Instead of panicking, you calmly analyzed the details. You will really go far on this path."
Vera quickly steadied her racing heart and mind, then asked in a clear voice.
"Sir, do you know where this place is? And are you from India? And what is this 'path' you're talking about?"
The Heart Clone—appearing as Ankit—replied calmly.
"Your first answer: this is your dream world. Second: yes, I am from India. Third: I was talking about the cultivation path."
Vera's eyes widened slightly.
If this was her dream world, how was this man here? But then the last part hit her—cultivation. That meant he was a cultivator, and a very powerful one at that, able to enter or even create dream worlds.
She asked carefully, voice steady despite her quickening pulse.
"Sir, are you a cultivator? And why did you want to meet me?"
The Heart Clone looked at her with quiet warmth.
"I want to take you as my disciple. I will provide you with a real cultivation system, techniques, resources, and guidance. In return, you must follow my two rules."
He explained them clearly: first, give sincere loyalty (but she could sever the relationship anytime she wished), and second, never reveal anything about him, his family, his places, or anyone related to him to outsiders—even after parting ways.
Vera felt a rush of excitement mixed with seriousness.
She had read countless novels online after the internet exploded with cultivation rumors, so she knew how powerful masters could be—and how dangerous they sometimes were, especially toward female disciples.
For a brief moment, her mind wandered to those darker plots.
But then she looked at the man's calm, handsome face again, and a different thought slipped in unbidden: Well… if it's him as my master… I wouldn't mind…
Just as her imagination began to run wild, the Heart Clone spoke again, voice gentle but firm.
"Hey, hey—don't think like that. I'm taking you as my disciple because you are currently one of the top talents on Earth. You know Xinxuan? Your talent can be compared to his. I have already taken him as my disciple, and I want to do the same with you so you can support me in the future. Not for the things you're imagining."
Vera froze, then flushed bright red with embarrassment.
She pointed an accusing finger at him, voice a mix of mortification and indignation.
"Sir! Even if you're powerful, you shouldn't listen to my thoughts like that!"
The Heart Clone didn't respond, simply letting her words hang in the air with a faint, amused warmth in his eyes.
Vera took a deep breath, organizing her thoughts.
So this person had already taken Xinxuan as a disciple? And her talent was on the same level as his…
That explained why he chose her.
And in return, he wanted loyalty—but with the freedom to leave whenever she wanted.
After a moment, she looked back at him steadily.
"Sir… I'm okay with that. I'm ready to be your disciple. But my mom and dad…"
She trailed off, worried.
In so many novels, masters took only the disciple, leaving families behind or ignoring them completely.
The Heart Clone nodded reassuringly.
"You can bring them too. I have no problem with that. Now, you should return to the Indian ambassador—he will take you and your family to India. From there, I will bring you to my place. You will meet Xinxuan and others soon, so try to make friends with them. Okay—bye."
With those words, both figures vanished.
The dream world dissolved around Vera like mist under sunlight.
Back in the real world, inside her small bedroom, Vera blinked and found herself sitting on the edge of her bed once more, the unfolded letter still glowing faintly in her hands before fading to normal paper.
She took a deep breath, heart racing with excitement and determination.
Opening the door, she stepped out to where the ambassador, her parents, and the burly man (her father) were waiting anxiously.
Before anyone could speak, she looked straight at the ambassador.
"Please take me and my family with you."
Her parents stared at her in confusion.
"Vera? What happened? What's in the letter?"
Vera smiled softly, eyes shining.
"Mom, Dad—this is really a huge life-changing opportunity for me… and even for you. Let's go. I'll explain more details later."
The ambassador's face lit up with relief and quiet triumph.
He nodded quickly.
"Then let's move. Everything has been prepared."
And with that, the family stepped out of their small home, heading toward a future none of them could have imagined just hours ago.