Chapter 41: Realization

When Amrit had seen the vast universe and the cultivators roaming freely he had subconsciously forgotten that he was as weak as an ant. No in the grand scheme of things, an ant might be stronger. He had assumed that he would be able to reach the same realm in the future because of his legacy. He had forgotten the one crucial thing that drives mankind forward. Fear. It is the fear of hunger that made man store food for the future, the fear of injury that drove them to get stronger, and the fear of death that drove them to develop various means of survival. But Amrit had forgotten about the fear. The fear he felt when he met Advaya for the first time. He had forgotten even someone as strong as the universe can die in the end.

It was like a cold splash of water fell over his head. Amrit instantly woke up from a daze. He had been complacent lately because of his rapid and easy breakthrough. Even though he had broken through fast, it was not fast enough. He was simply not strong enough. With the way things were going, he was going to die if he involved himself in the war. He had been happy that he could provide an inheritance for the clan which would help in the development of the clan. He felt like he had fulfilled the duty of the young master of the clan. Although he had thought about the development he had forgotten the most crucial thing in the cultivation world, their survival. He had entirely forgotten about the survival of the clan. He had always assumed their clan would remain the overlord of the Lunaris city forever. He had forgotten about the history of his clan and their survival at the cost of many elders from the past.

Amrit felt like he had woken up from some nightmare. He suddenly gained a clear view of what he should do in the future. This realization further improved his qi, body, and soul harmony and pushed his cultivation to the thirteenth level. This wake-up call came on time. If it came later when he was already in the higher realm of cultivation, this mentality could develop into an inner demon and potentially be a bottleneck for life. In many cases, mentality was the hidden attribute that indicated how far could someone go in their life. Although it may not help in the short term, in the long term the benefits become apparent.

This was a good thing. He can now focus on the things that will make him strong and fulfill the goals he didn't know he had. It didn't matter if there would be turmoil in the future he would become strong enough to survive even if he had to flee with his life. If he became strong enough everything would be possible eventually. As Amrit was lost in his own world, the story from his grandfather came to an end. Now they were discussing the strategy. This was a strategy spanning a decade and it involved various secrets of the family. They were discussing the survival even if it weren't theirs, they had to ensure their bloodline would survive. But it is easier said than done. They can't tell these things to the clan members as it will ensue chaos in the clan and maybe in the city. This will only worsen things and cause internal conflict.

Although the Rijal clan seems tight on the outside, there are many clan members dissatisfied with various things. Some are dissatisfied due to their position, some due to their talent, some because they think they are entitled, and some because even though they are strong, they think they are restricted by the clan rules. When there are different people with different opinions, it is normal for conflict to arise. Still, when they were outside, they appeared to be on the same page, everything seemed to be alright. But if the news regarding the survival of the clan was leaked, there is no telling what will happen.

But without telling the clan members, preparing for such a big thing will result in hardship and extra expenditure. So Punya and Keshab decided not to tell the family members as it would cause unnecessary disturbance but buy the resources rapidly and train clan members in the name of expanding their base on Bareback mountains. Although they can't procure much of top-tier resources, even enhancing the lower and middle battle power of the clan will play a big part in their survival. This will justify buying resources and training the clan members. Killing wild beasts, surviving in the wilderness, and enhancing their cultivation all at once will prepare them for the war.

 If they can run into the wilderness, their possibility of survival can increase. Although there will be casualties, it won't be worse than what is going to happen right? And it will be a bonus if they can expand their base and procure more resources. This is a win-win solution. Even if the elders are dissatisfied with this decision, they won't dare to question the development of the clan. As for when the elders and other clans in the city find out about the real motive, the Rijal clan will already be strong enough. This was almost a foolproof plan. Almost because the only certainty in this world is death, every other thing could be changed with enough strength. And in a decade, even if war doesn't break out, the Rijal clan will only be strong and that is even better.

With that said, everything is still speculation. War may break out in two to three years or it may never happen or it may end overnight without giving a chance for undercurrent to brew. This was all for tomorrow, they only had to prepare that's all. After the discussion of strategy ended, the family of five went to do their things. Everyone had so much work to do and fast. They didn't have much time left before the other clans were suspicious which will increase the difficulty and expenditure. They have to make a move as fast as possible and discreetly. Although they had already started buying materials, it was nowhere enough to prepare for the war.

Check out my Patreon for more chapters: patreon.com/Rijal909