Sweet potato skins sizzled softly in the charcoal ash beneath Kaelen’s hammock as another morning breeze swept through the courtyard.
The sweet, caramelized scent of roasted tubers drifted between the stone pine posts, mingling with the aroma of freshly steeped jasmine tea. Above him, the broad green needles of the ancient pine shielded his face from the high canyon sun. Beside his hip, Book 4 of The Bandit King’s Secret Bride lay open to the climactic battle at the Red River gorge.
Kaelen took a bite of tender, steaming sweet potato. It was perfectly soft and warm.
Three full days without touching a single tool, Kaelen thought with profound peace. There are no screaming clan elders or tedious sword forms here. Just roasted roots, good tea, and the sweet rhythm of a well-oiled hammock.
He closed his eyes and sank into the quiet expanse of his consciousness.
Deep within his dantian, the Fallow Slate hovered in silver majesty.
The numbers were rolling forward like a silent river.
[The Fallow Slate — STAGE 2 TRI-TRACK TALLY] [Track 1 (Cultivation Vessel): 192h 00m -> Multiplier: 193x Active (SEALED)] [Track 2 (Martial Combat): 143h 00m -> Multiplier: 144x Active (SEALED)] [Track 3 (Alchemy & Comprehension): 96h 00m -> Multiplier: 97x Active (SEALED)]
