The kitchen remained quiet.
The lantern flame swayed gently, casting soft shadows that moved slowly across the wooden walls. The air still carried the faint scent of the food they had prepared earlier, but the warmth of the evening had changed.
Something new lingered now.
Something uncertain.
Evan leaned against the counter, his gaze unfocused as he tried to process what had just happened.
Lyra stood across from him, her posture straight and composed, but her attention remained fixed entirely on him.
"…Start from the beginning," she said calmly.
Evan exhaled slowly.
"I'm trying to figure out where the beginning even is," he replied. "Because as far as I can tell, I was just standing here, cutting vegetables, and then suddenly my body decided to start cultivating on its own, that's what happend right?"
Lyra did not interrupt.
Her patience remained steady as she waited for him to continue.
Evan rubbed his temple slightly.
"…Then that usual sound appeared."
"What sound?"
"Like a bell," Evan explained. "A very clear one. Not from the room. Not from outside. It was… inside my head."
Lyra's expression grew more serious.
"…Inside your mind?"
"Yeah," Evan said with a faint shrug. "Which would normally make me question my sanity, that's how the system normally alerts something to me, except the voice that came after it was extremely confident about what it was saying."
"…What did the system say this time, my prince? " Lyra repeated slowly.
Evan said.
"After the mechanical sound, the system said..."
Evan was confused.
Lyra folded her arms.
"Come on... What exactly did it say?"
Evan hesitated briefly.
Then he repeated the words carefully.
"It said a skill was activated."
Lyra's gaze sharpened.
"…A skill?"
"Something called 'Passive Qi Absorption.'"
For a moment, Lyra said nothing.
The silence stretched long enough for Evan to notice.
"…You look like you're thinking very hard right now," he said.
"I am."
"…That usually means something complicated."
Lyra slowly walked a few steps across the kitchen, her mind clearly turning over the information he had given her.
"…You are saying that your body began absorbing Qi automatically," she said slowly. "Without any technique or conscious effort."
"Correct."
Lyra looked at him.
"And that skill is called 'Passive Qi Absorption'?"
"Yes"
"And afterward, the system told you that. This is what happened."
"Also correct."
Lyra stopped walking.
"…That is unusual."
Evan chuckled.
"You've used that word a lot tonight."
"…Because the situation continues to deserve it."
He leaned back against the counter.
"So what does it mean?"
Lyra turned toward him again.
Her eyes studied him with renewed seriousness.
"It means," she said slowly, "that something about your body is different from what we expected."
"I don't know if you remember this, my prince, but this happened before."
Evan's eyes narrowed.
"Yes, it was when you were too young. That was the reason I first sealed your cultivation."
"ohh... I see."
"Now that I changed your seal to let you cultivate again, this skill will probably be reactivated."
She walked closer again and placed a hand lightly against his shoulder, examining him with careful attention.
"Your Qi flow is stable."
"Good."
"Your breathing remains steady."
"Also good."
"However…"
Evan sighed softly.
"Here it comes."
Lyra's gaze remained firm.
"…The amount of Qi inside your body has already increased since the awakening."
Evan blinked.
"…Already?"
"Yes."
"…That sounds fast."
"It is."
Evan scratched the back of his head.
"So my body just started cultivating by itself?"
"That appears to be the case."
He stared at the ceiling for a moment.
"…Well, I guess that's convenient."
Lyra's expression did not soften.
"…It is also dangerous."
Evan lowered his gaze again.
"…How?"
Lyra stepped away slightly and gestured for him to stand straight.
"…Walk forward."
Evan obeyed, taking a few steps across the kitchen.
"How does your body feel?"
"…Light," he admitted. "Stronger than before."
Lyra nodded slowly.
"That is the effect of Qi strengthening you."
"So what's the problem?"
She watched him carefully before answering.
"The problem is that Qi cultivation and body development must remain balanced."
Evan frowned.
"…Balanced?"
"Yes."
Lyra leaned lightly against the counter as she explained.
"When cultivators increase their Qi, their bodies must also grow stronger to contain and control that energy."
Evan crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"…And if the body can't keep up?"
Lyra's answer came without hesitation.
"The cultivator becomes unstable."
Evan raised an eyebrow.
"Unstable how?"
Lyra spoke calmly, but her words carried weight.
"Their meridians may become damaged."
"…That sounds unpleasant."
"Their body may fail to withstand the pressure of their own energy."
"…That sounds worse."
"And in extreme cases…"
She paused.
"…their cultivation may collapse entirely."
Evan winced slightly.
"Okay. That definitely sounds bad."
Lyra nodded.
"That is why cultivation normally progresses gradually."
Evan tilted his head.
"But mine didn't."
"No."
He rubbed his chin slowly.
"So if this… 'Passive Qi Absorption' thing keeps happening…"
Lyra finished the sentence.
"…your cultivation will continue increasing."
"And my body won't be ready for it."
"Correct."
Evan looked down at his hands again.
"…So what do we do about that?"
Lyra was silent for a moment.
Then she answered.
"…We strengthen your body."
Evan blinked.
"…That sounds straightforward."
"It will not be easy."
"Most useful things aren't."
Evan sighed.
Lyra studied him carefully, as if measuring something.
"…You will need to begin body cultivation."
Evan tilted his head slightly.
"…Body cultivation?"
"Yes."
She gestured toward him.
"While Qi cultivation strengthens your internal energy, body cultivation strengthens your physical structure."
"…Muscles?"
"Muscles. Bones. Tendons. Organs."
Evan let out a quiet whistle.
"That sounds intense."
"Body cultivation is hard."
He thought about it for a moment.
"…When do we start?"
Lyra answered immediately.
"…Tomorrow morning."
Evan blinked.
"…That soon?"
Lyra nodded.
"If your body is already absorbing Qi automatically, we cannot delay."
He leaned back against the counter again, letting out a slow breath.
"…Looks like my schedule just became very busy."
Lyra crossed her arms calmly.
"You asked me to teach you."
Evan smiled faintly.
"…didn't know I had to cultivate my body too, at least not this early."
Lyra's expression remained completely serious.
"You will learn both."
Evan smiled softly.
"…Fair enough."
He glanced toward the window, where the night had grown deeper.
"…Body cultivation, huh."
Lyra turned toward the door.
"…Let's go eat the food and get some rest."
Evan raised an eyebrow.
She looked back at him.
"…Tomorrow, your training begins."