Aaryan leaned back against the cave wall, absently weighing an Essence Stone in his hand. The absurdity of his situation still hadn't settled in. A few well-placed words, some vague nods, and now he had disciples practically worshipping him.

Ridiculous.

Profitable, but ridiculous.

Just as he was starting to think he might be able to ride this out safely, a shadow fell across the entrance of his cave. A disciple? Another deluded fool? He sighed, straightened up, and prepared his usual half-mysterious, half-dismissive act.

Then he saw the robes.

Not a disciple.

An elder.

Aaryan's stomach dropped. He instantly straightened, his mind racing. What had he done? Had he gone too far? Were they finally here to punish him for his nonsense?

The elder stepped forward, lowering his hood. He was an older man with streaks of silver in his hair, his eyes filled with something that made Aaryan's blood run cold—expectation.

"I have heard of your wisdom," the elder said solemnly. "And I seek your guidance."

Aaryan's mind went blank.

An elder was listening to him. Was this bad? …No, no. He was overthinking it. Just take the stones and move on.

Confidence. Confidence had gotten him this far. It would carry him through.

He swallowed, forcing himself to keep his face neutral. "Elder, I am but a humble disciple."

"Humble, indeed," the elder mused. "True wisdom does not need to declare itself." He sat down cross-legged, clearly settling in. "I have reached a bottleneck in my cultivation, and I believe you can help me."

Aaryan's face was frozen in what he hoped looked like a wise expression but was, in reality, sheer horror.

Think, think, think—

He had no idea what this elder's problem was, but he knew one thing: he was about to make it worse.

But if there was one thing he had learned in life, it was that confidence could get you through almost anything.

Aaryan exhaled slowly, half-lidding his eyes as if peering through the veil of reality itself. Then, in a voice as weighty as fate, he spoke:

"The river never questions its path, yet the ocean awaits without doubt."

The elder inhaled sharply, his eyes gleaming with revelation.

"Understanding follows patience," Aaryan continued, deepening his tone. "But patience is not mere waiting—it is the art of knowing when to let go and when to hold on."

The elder's lips parted slightly, eyes wide as if staring into the abyss of truth itself. A reverent whisper escaped him: "So simple… yet so profound."

He exhaled, almost unsteady. "Yes… yes… I see now."

Aaryan did not see.

"You stand at the threshold," Aaryan added gravely, "A closed door yields only to those who realize they were never meant to knock."

The elder's brows furrowed in contemplation. Slowly, he nodded, as if weighing the weight of the universe itself.

"Yes… I understand now."

Aaryan made a slow, deliberate gesture, as though weighing the very concept of existence in his palm. "You must enter secluded cultivation," he intoned. "For six months. No distractions, no external influences. Only then will you find clarity."

The elder's eyes widened, his expression turning reverent. "Secluded cultivation… of course. Such insight."

Aaryan's internal screaming intensified.

The elder pulled out a small pouch and placed it in Aaryan's hand. Heavy. Essence Stones.

"Half now," the elder said, standing. "The rest upon my return."

He turned, but then paused, as if struck by another thought. Aaryan tensed.

"And when I return," the elder murmured, more to himself, "I shall share my insights with the other elders. They, too, must hear of this wisdom."

Return?!

Aaryan barely managed to keep himself from choking as the elder bowed and departed, disappearing into the night.

The moment the elder was gone, Aaryan stared at the pouch. He could return it. He should return it. He— (picked it up) —okay, maybe just hold onto it for a moment. It was heavy. Heavy meant valuable. His grip tightened slightly.

He looked at the Essence Stones, then at the cave entrance, then back at the stones.

Panic hit him like a tidal wave.

This was not a disciple. This was an elder. An elder who now thought Aaryan had the wisdom to solve his cultivation problems. An elder who would return in six months expecting results.

What if he came back angry? What if this was some elaborate test? What if he had just walked into a trap?

Aaryan pressed a hand to his forehead, trying to steady his breathing.

This was fine.

This was not fine.

He had taken the joke too far.

Aaryan paced in his cave, gripping the Essence Stones like they were the only thing anchoring him to reality.

This was fine.

This was not fine.

An elder had just left, convinced that Aaryan possessed deep, world-altering wisdom. And not just any elder—one who had already decided to spread the word once he returned.

Aaryan exhaled sharply, forcing himself to think rationally.

Alright. Six months. That's forever. By then, this will all be forgotten. No big deal." A pause.

"...Right?

Yes. That was the logical conclusion.

…Except.

Aaryan's fingers twitched. What if—what if the elder failed? What if six months passed, and he returned, furious that the so-called wisdom had led him nowhere? Would he accuse Aaryan of misleading him? Would other elders get involved?

No. He was overthinking. There was no way the elder would put that much weight on a single conversation.

"Even if he failed, it wouldn't be my fault."

Aaryan exhaled, reassuring himself. He wasn't responsible for some elder's lack of talent.

A pause.

"…But what if he doesn't see it that way?"

Aaryan stopped pacing.

A scenario unfolded in his mind, vivid and terrible.

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The elder returns, his face dark with anger. "You lied to me," he accuses. "You wasted six months of my cultivation!"

Aaryan, wide-eyed, stares up at him. "Now, now, let's not be hasty—"

"Not only that," the elder seethes, "but I told the others! Now they're all furious too!"

The cave fills with more elders, their robes billowing ominously as they close in on him.

Aaryan's fingers twitched harder. No, no, no. That can't happen. I just need to—

And then—

A much, much worse thought hit him.

He froze.

What if the elder actually succeeds?

The thought was absurd. Impossible. His advice had been pure nonsense, carefully crafted to be vague and meaningless. There was no way it could actually help someone break through a cultivation bottleneck.

…Right?

Aaryan swallowed.

But what if, by sheer dumb luck, the elder did break through? What if he came back singing praises? What if this whole thing escalated into something even worse?

Would he be expected to keep giving wisdom?

Would he—Aaryan's breath hitched—be stuck like this forever?

More disciples would come. More elders would come. What if they started writing down his words? What if someone compiled them into a book? What if it spread beyond the sect?!

"Would he be expected to keep giving wisdom? Would he be trapped in this role forever? Would people start quoting him in debates?"

Aaryan shuddered. That was how sect-wide doctrines were born. First, one person misunderstood you, then another, and before you knew it—

A terrifying image popped into his mind—a massive temple, banners bearing his name, disciples kneeling in rows before a towering statue of him, hands raised as they chanted:

"The river never questions its path…"

Aaryan clutched his chest.

No. Absolutely not.

He wasn't about to let himself become the founder of some accidental sect-wide philosophy.

He had to shut this down before he ended up on a sect flag.

Now.

Aaryan woke up to find a neatly folded set of pristine robes at the entrance of his cave. For a moment, he just stared.

He turned his head. A new stack of scrolls had appeared beside the robes. His eyes twitched. When had that gotten there? He could swear the pile had been smaller yesterday. His gaze drifted downward.

A weapon.

A sheathed sword, its hilt wrapped in fine silk, lay reverently before him as if awaiting his blessing.

Aaryan clutched his forehead. No. No.

He stepped outside, and his blood ran cold. More disciples had gathered, whispering amongst themselves. As soon as they saw him, they fell into hushed silence, as if the mere act of being in his presence required solemn reverence.

"He's emerged."

"From his secluded contemplation..."

"An elder sought his wisdom. An elder!"

"He must be far greater than we realized..."

Aaryan stared.

No. No. Not again.

Oh no. It's happening again.

The same slow-moving nightmare. The same blank-eyed worship. The same suffocating madness closing in.

His mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.

"Enough!"

The disciples flinched, then nodded fervently, awaiting further insight.

Aaryan pressed a hand to his temple. "No more gifts. I do not need them. I am but a humble disciple."

A beat of silence. Then—

"Incredible..." someone whispered, eyes shining. "He rejects material wealth... He teaches us to let go of worldly attachments."

Aaryan nearly choked on air. "That is not what I—"

"He speaks of self-sufficiency!" another disciple cried, voice trembling with enlightenment. "We must not hoard! We must share our resources!"

Aaryan's pulse spiked. He lifted a hand, desperate to intervene. "Stop. Stop giving things away!"

Someone gasped.

"He reminds us that attachment is an illusion! Even attachment to our desires!"

"No, that's not—!"

"WE MUST GIVE EVERYTHING AWAY!"

Then, to his absolute horror—

Disciples started pulling out their own resource sachets, handing them to each other with almost religious fervour.

"Take this, brother. May we all walk the path of true wisdom."

"No, no, please, you take mine. I insist."

Aaryan watched, horrified, as what could only be described as a full-blown charity movement began right in front of him.

Someone knelt before him, eyes filled with unshakable devotion. "Master, your teachings have already changed my life. I vow to follow your example and reject my earthly desires."

Aaryan took a slow, deep breath. This is fine. This is all fine. Just remain calm.

Another disciple turned to his friend. "Truly, he embodies the wisdom of a sage. Have you seen his robes? So simple. So modest."

Aaryan's eye twitched. These are the only robes I own.

"He is not just wise," someone murmured in awe. "He is selfless."

Aaryan dug his fingers into his palm.

I am going to kill that elder. Slowly.

Aaryan exhaled slowly. This wouldn't stop on its own.

Even if he refused their offerings, even if he threw the damn robes back in their faces, they would just find meaning in it.

"He teaches through rejection!"

"True wisdom is found in denial!"

"We must reflect upon his silence!"

Aaryan pinched the bridge of his nose. No. He had to shut this down before it escalated further. Before someone decided that renouncing food was the next step to enlightenment.

He turned on his heel and marched toward the overseer's quarters.

The disciples, as always, misinterpreted.

"Look at his stride. Such purpose!"

"He moves with the weight of knowledge!"

"Is he going to meditate in seclusion again? Perhaps we should follow—"

Aaryan stopped. He could feel them moving behind him.

He turned his head just slightly, voice dangerously low.

"If anyone follows me, I will start kicking."

Silence.

The group hesitated. A few disciples shuffled back. A few more clutched their robes, eyes wide with understanding.

"Even his threats are lessons!" someone whispered.

Aaryan's breath hitched. No. No, they couldn't be this far gone. He closed his eyes.

Just.

Keep.

Walking.

By the time he reached Dharun's quarters, Aaryan already felt drained. He barely stepped inside before Dharun's eyes flicked up from the documents on his desk.

Aaryan had no doubt. He'd been waiting for this.

Dharun didn't say a word at first. He simply leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers, watching. That infuriating glint in his eyes said it all—Ah. So it finally happened.

Aaryan exhaled sharply. "Alright. I admit it. This is a problem."

Dharun tilted his head. "You don't say."

Aaryan fought the urge to grab the nearest object and throw it at his smug face. Instead, he took a deep breath. " I need this to stop. Immediately. Before someone declares me a deity and I start believing it."

Dharun arched a brow. "And why, exactly, should I help?"

Aaryan's eye twitched. He met Dharun's gaze and deadpanned, "Because if this keeps going, I might accidentally replace you."

A beat of silence. Then—

Dharun laughed.

Not just a chuckle. A full, deep, thoroughly entertained laugh.

Aaryan's fingers twitched at his side. He hadn't even had breakfast.

The laugh didn't stop.

Dharun leaned back, shaking his head, exhaling in amusement. "Ah." Another chuckle. "Ah, Aaryan." Dharun shook his head, his smirk widening. "You fought it for as long as you could. I respect that."

Aaryan gritted his teeth. He was too tired for this. "Just tell me how to fix this."

Dharun tapped his fingers against the desk, clearly savouring the moment.

"Fix?" he mused. "Oh no, Aaryan. You don't fix something like this. You survive it."

Aaryan sat, posture stiff but composed. "Overseer." A careful inhale. "I am requesting your advice with full sincerity. I would greatly appreciate a direct answer."

Dharun tilted his head, pretending to give the matter deep thought. He tapped his fingers against the desk in a slow, deliberate rhythm, humming as if weighing the fate of the world itself.

Aaryan watched him with increasing irritation.

Then Dharun exhaled, nodding slightly, as if he'd arrived at some profound conclusion.

"Well…" he mused, drawing out the word. "You could just disappear for a while."

Aaryan blinked. Stared. Then leaned in. "That's your great idea?"

Dharun shrugged, utterly unbothered. "Worked for me."

Aaryan let out a slow, measured breath. The kind of breath that meant the difference between restraint and homicide. "And if I refuse to go live in a cave?"

Dharun's lips twitched. "Then you're in for a very long few months."

Aaryan closed his eyes for a moment. A muscle twitched in his jaw. "There has to be another way."

"Oh, there is." Dharun leaned forward slightly, resting his chin against his knuckles. His gaze sharpened, amusement never leaving his eyes. "If you really want it to stop, you need to make them doubt you."

Aaryan's frustration dimmed just slightly. His instincts sharpened.

"The only way to break faith," Dharun continued smoothly, "is to let them break it themselves."

Aaryan opened his eyes. He studied Dharun carefully, reading between the lines.

"And how," he said, voice flat, "do I do that?"

Dharun smirked.

"By giving them exactly what they're asking for."

Silence.

Aaryan stared at him, waiting for an explanation.

Dharun 's eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of a man who enjoyed watching others walk into their own demise"

Aaryan exhaled, voice laced with deep, tired disbelief. "You are absolutely the worst person I have ever met."

Dharun beamed. "And yet, here you are. Asking for my advice."

Aaryan closed his eyes again. He didn't need breakfast. He needed patience. And the restraint to not see if he could knock that smirk right off Dharun's face.

Aaryan exhaled sharply through his nose and pushed himself up from the chair. There was no point in arguing. Dharun had already decided this was his entertainment for the day.

Without another word, he turned and left.

The hallway stretched ahead, quiet and dimly lit, the faint murmurs of training drills echoing in the distance. Aaryan barely heard them. Dharun's words circled in his mind, winding tighter with every step.

Make them doubt.

The simplicity of it was almost insulting. If it were truly that easy, why hadn't Dharun done something about it before?

Because he didn't care.

Aaryan clenched his jaw. Of course Dharun wouldn't waste his time trying to correct nonsense. He had the authority to ignore it. But Aaryan didn't have that luxury—not when they followed him around like lost children, desperate for wisdom he didn't have.

If they wanted guidance so badly… what would happen if he gave it to them?

Not real guidance. No. Something completely ridiculous.

What if he told them to count every grain of rice before eating? What if he made them stand on one leg for hours to "balance their inner energies"?

Would they finally start questioning him? Or—Aaryan's stomach twisted—would it just make things worse?

He wasn't stupid. Blind faith didn't crumble overnight.

If this backfired, he could end up with even more fanatics. And what then? What if they decided that his nonsense advice was the ultimate test of devotion?

Aaryan rubbed his temples. He needed a plan. A way to control the damage.

Lost in thought, he barely registered the path beneath his feet. Only when the familiar silhouette of his cave came into view did he snap back to reality—

And stop dead in his tracks.

There they were. Again.

A fresh crowd of disciples.

Waiting. Watching. Their faces practically glowing with anticipation.

Aaryan slowly inhaled, his headache worsening.

Of course.

Of course there were more of them.

One of them took a reverent step forward, eyes alight with purpose. "Master Aaryan—"

Nope.

Aaryan turned on his heel and walked the other way.

The sound of hurried footsteps followed. "Master Aaryan, please!"

He inhaled sharply, his patience hanging by a thread.

This was going to be a long day.

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