Chapter - 13 The Return
Coming near my courtyard, I was hit with a deep sense of "I made it". A strange warmth--like stepping out of a storm and into your old room, familiar walls, familiar scent. That coming back home feeling.
"Damn..." I muttered under my breath. "I really need to be careful. It's not every day you wake up in a damn cultivation world--mysteries deeper than black holes, people crazier than Earth politicians, and every move could get you killed."
Being thrown from Earth to some blue dot in the Milky Way… where I now had to survive by doing what? Channeling energy through invisible tubes in my body to fight off lightning and dragons? Sigh.
I made it to the door of my house. Just as I reached for it, I heard faint voices--laughing, chatting. I recognized them instantly.
Ishita and Yashaswini...
Slowly opening the door, I stood there with one hand stretched out, frame silhouetted by the light behind.
Ishita, mid-sentence with Yashaswini, turned around with frustration. "Don't you know how to knock a door before enteri--"
She froze. Her mouth slightly open. Eyes wide.
I smiled softly.
"I'm back."
And walked in slowly.
Ishita stood there stunned, then tears welled in her eyes. Before I could say anything more, she ran and hugged me tightly.
"I saw you at the medicine pavilion… You were so injured… What the fuck happened, Aman?! I--I was scared…"
She held me like silence holds a storm,
Afraid to let go, afraid I'd be gone again.
Her voice trembled, a melody of fear,
That danced with the winds of pain.
In a world of swords and shifting skies,
Where even gods don't play fair,
I came back not just alive--
But to someone who cared.
—
After some "don't be sad, I'm fine, just got struck by a dragon" talk, Aman's tone remained oddly casual, almost cheeky. Ishita and Yashaswini stared at him like he had lost a few marbles in the lightning strike.
"You're seriously just going to brush off being hit by lightning like that?" Yashaswini asked, baffled.
"I mean…" Aman stretched, grinning. "It's not the first time life's zapped me. Just… this time it was literal."
Ishita rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips. "Idiot."
Aman dusted his sleeves, his expression slowly shifting into something more serious. "Alrighty. It's time that I go."
"Go? Where go?" Ishita asked, her brows scrunched.
"I've got some things to take care of," Aman said. There was a glint in his eyes that always came when he was up to something.
Ishita crossed her arms. "You're still recovering. I'm coming with you. No arguments."
He opened his mouth, about to argue--then closed it. No point. She had that same "try me" look his mom used to have.
After changing into clean clothes and grabbing some leashes, Aman paused mid-step. A realization hit him like a falling spiritual boulder.
"Bro…" he muttered. "These clothes are so damn plain. How's this fitting for an immortal like me?"
Ishita blinked. "What?"
Aman waved it off dramatically. "Nothing. Just mourning my drip."
As they reached the old pet farm, Ishita's mood lightened. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of the animals. "They're so cute!" She rushed to pet the bunny and the new goat.
"Yup, they're great. But we need to relocate the farm," Aman said, scanning the surroundings like a battlefield commander. "If this leaks, I'm done for."
Ishita stood up instantly. "Alright. Where to?"
Aman closed his eyes and whispered, "Biome setting… maxed out cover, maxed out food. Water body essential for land fertility…"
Ishita blinked slowly. "Biome… what?"
Aman grinned, his ADHD brain firing on all cylinders. "I've got a plan."
Where roots will stretch and rivers sing,
Where fertile lands to life shall cling,
Beyond the hills where foxes roam,
There shall rise our pets' new home.
Aman's eyes glinted. A memory surfaced. The terrain, the climate, the potential--it all aligned. "We're going to Kaalguda."
Ishita frowned. "The same town where you met Yashaswini?"
"Exactly".
"Alright then," Ishita said, tightening a leash, "let's build you your secret immortal pet sanctuary."
And with that, Aman's legend took another quiet but powerful step forward.
—
As Aman and Ishita prepared to leash the pets for relocation, something... shifted.
The chicken flapped its wings with exaggerated flair, soaring through the air like a divine beast descending upon its throne. With impeccable aim, it landed right on Ishita's head, striking a pose more majestic than ridiculous.
It puffed out its chest and began clucking in a rhythm that only Aman seemed to understand.
"Peasant," it seemed to declare in perfect chicken arrogance,
"I shall ride upon your noble head,
For I am the Immortal Chicken Elder,
Lord of the Seven Realms,
Slayer of Worms,
And Bane of Uncooked Rice!"
Ishita froze in place, stunned by the audacity. Aman? He almost choked trying not to laugh.
But the rebellion didn't stop there.
The fox strutted up next, tail flicking with royal elegance, and casually laid down on Aman's shoulder like a prince reclining on a cloud.
The pig started waddling in circles around Ishita, oinking in a tone that sounded suspiciously like "kneel before porkfection."
The goat raised its front legs and struck a bizarre martial arts stance, as if challenging the wind itself to a duel.
And the bunny? That little menace climbed onto Aman's head and sat there cross-legged, eyes closed--meditating.
Ishita stared at the madness unfolding around her. "Are you sure these are just pets?"
Aman sighed with a tired smile. "They're not pets… they're unpaid cultivator roommates with egos bigger than mine."
—
The journey began not with thunder this time, but with laughter.
Aman was genuinely laughing after what felt like an eternity--his chest rising and falling not from survival instinct, but joy. He had missed this. The way his heart felt lighter, as if some of the shadows clinging to his soul had melted in the warmth of companionship.
In his past life, Aman had faced trauma that carved out the person he became. That pain... it demanded sacrifice--trust broken, walls built, a mind forever on guard. But not today. Today was not for mourning the past.
He turned his gaze ahead, firm and focused. He needed to reach the town of Kaalguda.
His first priority? A new home for his oddball farm. One that was geographically blessed--rich qi, water sources, flora for food, cover for protection. A place untouched by greedy eyes. But to find it, he needed a world map.
They walked through an ancient forest where the sunlight painted golden cracks between branches. Aman sipped water while the pets frolicked freely.
Leaves danced with whispers of wind above,
While roots cradled secrets below.
Laughter stitched between rustling grass,
A rare peace in a world that seldom slowed.
Soon, Kaalguda rose on the horizon--dusty roads, wooden stalls, the aroma of spices, and noise of townsfolk in mid-bargain.
Aman's sharp eyes darted toward signs. He needed a cartographer. But his crew had other plans.
Sniff sniff...
The sweet scent of hot food slithered through the air like a siren's song.
The chicken, perched proudly on the goat's back, raised his wings dramatically.
"Peasant," he clucked with his divine chicken language, "Get me food to fill my belly. I have travelled all this distance--I feel thy hunger!"
The other pets looked at each other. Mission: Food Hijack, initiated. Even the fox, usually calm, wagged his tail like a hyper squirrel.
Aman sighed. "…Fine, food it is."
They entered the restaurant. The waiter froze, blinking at the odd party--two teens and a zoo. "Uhh…"
Aman waved her over. "Table for us… and food for my pets too."
"…Right." She walked off, mentally questioning her life choices.
When the food arrived, it was chaos.
The bunny dove into the steamed buns like it was a life-or-death situation. The pig nibbled the greens with expert taste. The fox sniffed the meat, nodded in approval, and devoured it gracefully. And the chicken? He stood atop the table, wings wide, declaring the food "fit for the Immortal Chicken Lord of the Seven Realms."
Aman leaned back, chuckling. "Bruh… slow down. The food ain't going nowhere."
After eating a few bites, Aman stood.
"Ishita, stay here. I'll go find the map and get some supplies."
She nodded, feeding the bunny a little extra dumpling.
With that, Aman disappeared into the crowd, the wind whispering of things to come.
—
End of Chapter 13