Translator: CinderTL
Reaching the pinnacle of breathing technique cultivation... a form of transformation?
Seeing Roland's slightly furrowed brow, Graham reached out and gently ruffled his short black hair.
"Kid, while you have talent, this is... not something you should be concerning yourself with right now."
His voice carried the weariness of someone who had been through it all.
"The Knight's Breathing Technique is already incredibly difficult to master. Those who succeed are as rare as phoenix feathers..."
As if stirring up unpleasant memories, Graham sighed softly.
"And among those rare knights, those who can refine their breathing technique to its absolute peak are one in a hundred, almost extinct. So don't put too much pressure on yourself, even if..."
Here, the Knight Academy Dean took a deep breath, forcing a faint smile onto his solemn face.
"Even if it shortens your lifespan a little, what does it matter? Life is fleeting. To shine with a brilliance beyond the ordinary within our limited time is already an immense fortune."
Roland's eyes flickered with surprise at these words.
He hadn't expected the rough-looking Graham to speak such philosophical words.
However, the comforting words did nothing to shake Roland's resolve.
To cultivate the breathing technique to its peak...
For ordinary people, it might be as difficult as climbing to the heavens, but...
Thinking of his Golden Finger, a faint smile curled Roland's lips.
For someone like me, who possesses a Job Panel, reaching the pinnacle of the Knight's Breathing Technique is merely a matter of time.
Noticing that Roland seemed unmoved by his words, Graham frowned.
"Boy, just because you've successfully cultivated the breathing technique and even managed to superficially channel Battle Qi doesn't mean your path ahead will be smooth sailing."
He paused, his tone becoming earnest.
"Cultivating the breathing technique is a long and arduous journey. Being too eager to achieve results can actually..."
Here, Graham waved his hand and sighed.
"Never mind. Since I'm in a good mood today..."
The burly man casually grabbed a training longsword from the weapon rack and beckoned Roland with a finger.
"Come on, lad. Let me give you some pointers."
At these words, Roland's eyes lit up. He immediately cleared his mind of distractions, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you, Dean Graham."
"Ha!"
Dean Graham nodded approvingly at Roland's humility. The burly man hefted the training longsword in his hand and chuckled.
"Don't thank me just yet. Do you know about the annual 'scholarly exchange' tradition established after the River Domain Nations forged diplomatic ties with their neighboring kingdoms? This year, it's our turn to visit the Knight Academy of the Golden Valley Kingdom."
"You better train hard, lad. If you have any questions about cultivating the breathing technique, feel free to ask me anytime. But when the time comes..."
Dean Graham flipped his wrist, positioning the longsword sideways in his signature stance.
"You'll be leading the team. Don't embarrass me, understand?"
"Yes!"
Roland nodded without hesitation. He had only heard whispers about the scholarly exchange, but no matter what challenges awaited him, the opportunity to learn the secrets of the breathing technique from a powerful knight like Dean Graham was worth facing anything.
Furthermore, with the River Domain Nations' stable diplomatic relations with neighboring countries, he didn't anticipate any real danger on this journey.
"Excellent!"
Seeing Roland's resolute attitude, a flicker of admiration flashed in Graham's eyes. He then said sternly, "Now... try circulating your breathing technique and attack me!"
For the next hour, the once-silent training ground erupted with the crisp clang of metal on metal, punctuated by Graham's occasional gruff shouts.
"Too slow, boy! The breathing technique isn't a shackle; it's your second skin! Make it come alive!"
"Where are your eyes? The sword tip? Fool! Watch my shoulder! Watch my waist! Anticipate! The breathing technique gives you more than brute strength; it gives you perception!"
"Ha! Now that's got some spirit! Battle Qi isn't stagnant water poured into your sword; it's a surging torrent that flows with your movements!"
As the setting sun dipped below the horizon, twilight deepened.
Roland struggled to plant his training longsword into the ground, his chest heaving like a broken bellows.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
He gasped for breath, taking a long moment to gradually recover.
Though the sparring match with Graham was brief, maintaining the breathing technique's flow during such intense combat proved far more challenging than Roland had imagined.
But...
His gaze swept over the Job Panel, where the Knight's Breathing Technique's experience points had suddenly surged. A satisfied smile unconsciously crept across his lips.
As the Knight Academy Dean, Graham's teaching prowess rivaled even Reggie's, who specialized in skill instruction.
In fact, compared to Reggie's meticulous yet somewhat cumbersome guidance, the burly man's teaching style was far more concise and efficient.
In just this brief exchange, Roland felt his Battle Qi application had improved significantly.
This was far more effective than studying alone!
"Alright, kid, that's enough for today!"
Seeing sweat dripping from Roland's forehead, Graham casually tossed his training longsword, which flew precisely back into its rack.
"Let your body remember that icy sensation of Battle Qi flowing. The rest is just daily practice!"
He drained the last of his wine, then strode out of the training ground.
"Come ask me anytime if you have questions."
Before the words had fully faded, the burly figure had vanished from Roland's sight.
"Icy... sensation?"
Roland frowned, mulling over Graham's words.
It wasn't that he hadn't sensed the flow of Battle Qi during combat, but...
The sensation was far from cold; it was an indescribable heat.
When he pushed his breathing technique to its limit during the fierce battle, what surged through his body wasn't merely air currents but what felt like clusters of burning flames.
"Could it be... that different constitutions perceive breathing techniques differently? Or perhaps..."
His mind racing, Roland summoned his Job Panel and focused on the Race category.
His brow furrowed deeper as he read the label: "Dragon?"
"Could this anomaly be related to the golden droplet the giant dragon gave me?"
After the Mist Creek Town incident, Roland had poured over countless ancient texts, but he found no record of mortals being granted dragon blood.
As for himself, besides a slight enhancement in his physical constitution, he hadn't displayed any unusual symptoms in his daily life.
Consequently, he had set the matter aside, along with Shar's Favor.
But now...
"Perhaps... that drop of dragon blood is subtly transforming my body?"
This thought compelled him to examine himself closely.
His skin was fair and radiated a healthy glow, appearing no different from that of an ordinary human.
"I should probably ask Galvis about this."
Roland wiped the sweat from his brow, returned his longsword to the weapon rack, and turned toward home.
"As a half-elf, he has a long lifespan and has traveled nearly half the continent. Perhaps... he can offer some useful insights."
(End of the Chapter)
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