Chapter 25 - the power within

Tristin opened his eyes after sitting cross-legged for over three hours, though it felt like only three minutes to him. He had been deep in his subconscious, cultivating his spiritual and mental energy.

"Cultivating is hard, but I think I'm starting to understand," he murmured to himself while searching for his swimming shorts. "If I can manage to merge my subconscious and mental energy with the old man's spiritual energy, I could use this power to its full potential."

At this moment, Tristin was borrowing the power from the old man's subconscious within his body. This process took much more effort and was less effective. It was like trying to stop a raging fire about to consume your house by taking a bucket of water from a nearby dam, rather than using a pressurized pipe directly from the dam.

The process was exhausting, time-consuming, and inefficient. If Tristin could merge his subconscious and mental energy with the old man's spiritual energy, he would be able to circulate this power throughout his body. This would make him attuned to the energy, allowing all his meridians to absorb it, thereby strengthening his body.

Downstairs, Grandma was watching TV when Tristin came down with a backpack slung over his shoulder. "Tristin, where are you going this late at night?" she asked, puzzled to see him heading out.

"Grandma, I'm going to see Mr. Masombuka. His house was affected by the storm, and he doesn't have anyone in Bongsburg since he came here alone to keep us safe," Tristin explained. He didn't want to lie to his grandmother, but he couldn't exactly tell her he was going for a baptism at Zinhle's house—she would surely misunderstand.

"Oh, Mr. Masombuka is a kind, honest man. He was really devastated during the funeral and was very helpful. Be kind to him, Tristin, since he has honored your parents' wishes and continues to do his job given by your father, even though your parents are no longer with us," Grandma said, sighing as she thought about Tristin's parents.

"I will, Grandma, I promise. I'm not sure what time I'll be back, so don't wait up for me," Tristin reassured her.

"Alright, Tristin. You be careful out there," she said, not wanting to restrain him too much. It wasn't just because he had lost his parents recently, but because of Tristin's character.

Tristin said his goodbyes and went to the garage, grabbing the keys to his Ferrari. He drove to Zinhle's residence, deciding not to be low-profile anymore.

When he arrived at the gate of Zinhle's house, he hesitated to drive in. The Mnisi residence had many houses, and he wasn't sure where to go. He picked up his phone and called Zinhle.

"Tristin, are you on your way now?" A sweet but shy voice sounded on the other end.

"Zinhle, I'm actually at your gate now. Could you please come and pick me up?" Tristin asked.

"Okay, no problem. Just give me a minute," Zinhle said, hanging up.

"Grandma, Tristin has arrived. I'm headed out to pick him up now. Should I send him to the main house since he's a bit early?" Zinhle asked her grandmother, who was busy studying the bones for guidance.

"You can bring him here for now. He also needs to prepare, and there is a ceremony he needs to take part in before the baptism," Grandma Mnisi said without looking up.

Zinhle nodded and bowed slightly before leaving the small round house where Grandma Mnisi practiced her spiritual calling.

At the gate, Zinhle was baffled by the blue Ferrari parked nearby. After seeing the decor of Tristin's house, she knew he was hiding his wealth. When he mentioned using his car, she hadn't expected a Ferrari.

Seeing Zinhle's shocked expression as she stood at the gate, Tristin stepped out of the car and approached her.

"Hey, Zinhle, has your grandma finished the preparations?" Tristin asked with a smile that made Zinhle's heart skip a beat.

"Why is he more handsome than when I left his house earlier? Is it the Ferrari, or is it something else?" Zinhle wondered, her eyes fixed on him.

When Zinhle didn't respond, Tristin thought she hadn't heard him because of the gentle breeze. He repeated himself.

Snapped out of her thoughts by Tristin's voice, Zinhle said, "Oh, yeah, she's still finalizing some stuff. You can park your car inside," pointing to a parking lot.

Tristin followed her instructions and parked the car, then walked back to her. 

Zinhle was still trying to calm herself as she saw Tristin in a new light. His aura had grown after three hours of cultivation, making him more charming.

Tristin was unaware that the spirit of the Leviathan had a seductive charm. The more he grew in power, the more his charm increased. Even Eve couldn't resist the seductiveness of the Leviathan when she shared the apple with Lucifer.

Noticing Zinhle's turmoil, Tristin assumed she was shocked by the Ferrari. "Lead the way, then, Zinhle," he said with anticipation.

Zinhle led him to Grandma Mnisi's round house. As they walked, members of the Mnisi family bowed slightly when they saw Tristin. It was a busy night as they prepared for his baptism.

Unsure of how the night would end, the Mnisi family followed all of Grandma Mnisi's instructions. It was their first time seeing someone with the spirit of the Leviathan, and their first witnessing such a person being baptized. They bowed out of curiosity and fear.

"We're here," Zinhle said, removing her shoes before entering the round house. Tristin did the same.