Weeks passed slowly within the forest as Ieros devoted himself completely to training. His daily routine had become simple but exhausting—train his body, meditate for hours, then leave the cave to hunt monsters before returning to repeat the process again.
The constant repetition slowly transformed him.
After several weeks of hunting weaker monsters around the forest, Ieros had successfully reached Level 3. All his basic stats had already crossed the thirty mark, while his qi had risen above forty thanks to continuous meditation and the extra gains from leveling up twice.
The improvement was obvious.
His movements had become smoother, his senses sharper, and the overwhelming strength he gained from the sacred pill no longer felt unfamiliar. At first, even simple actions had been difficult to control, but now he could move naturally without accidentally using too much force.
He had also stopped wearing the rough monster fur he once used as clothing. During one of his hunts, he managed to obtain a simple set of armor from a fallen player he discovered deep within the forest. Although slightly damaged, it offered far better protection than the fur. His recent level-up had also rewarded him with a decent sword, something much more reliable than the crude weapons he had been using before.
Still, the rewards were nothing compared to what he received during his first level-up.
There were no heaven-defying treasures, no absurd weapons, and no impossible formations this time.
That alone convinced Ieros that the system had corrected whatever error had occurred earlier. Looking back, he realized how lucky he had been. If greed had clouded his judgment and he had chosen something far beyond his capabilities, the system might have sealed it away completely or taken it back.
Fortunately, he had chosen the cultivation technique.
And now, after weeks of preparing his body, it was finally time to begin cultivating properly.
Inside the cave, Ieros slowly sat down in a lotus position before calming his breathing. The air around him became still as he focused entirely on the memories and knowledge engraved into his mind by the Sacred Sect technique.
Before learning any combat skill or special technique from the Sacred Sect, he first needed to master the foundation cultivation method known as the Sacred One Heavenly Cultivation.
The method was terrifyingly difficult.
Unlike ordinary cultivation techniques that focused only on gathering qi, this method demanded absolute precision and control. The qi inside his body had to move faster while becoming thinner at the same time.
The speed increased the power behind every movement and attack.
The thinness reduced qi consumption and made the energy almost impossible for enemies to detect.
Together, they created a cultivation method focused on both power and concealment.
However, controlling qi in such a precise way placed enormous strain on the body.
Fortunately, the sacred pill had already changed him completely. His meridians were much wider and stronger than those of ordinary humans, allowing qi and airflow to circulate more efficiently throughout his body. This reduced fatigue and made the dangerous cultivation method possible for him to practice.
Even so, the pain was unbearable.
As Ieros circulated his qi according to the technique, his veins began bulging beneath his skin. His muscles tightened painfully while blood slowly trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Yet he refused to stop.
Hours passed in complete silence.
Then an entire day went by.
By the second day, his body had become drenched in sweat while faint traces of blood flowed from his eyes due to the pressure building inside him. Every part of his body felt as though it was about to explode apart, but Ieros gritted his teeth and endured everything.
Just as his concentration began to waver, a sharp ding echoed through his mind.
The system's voice immediately followed.
"Congratulations, Host has learned the skill: Sacred One Heavenly Cultivation."
"Host has learned a cultivation method related to his title, causing the skill to level up by two."
"Congratulations to Host for learning an EX-Rank skill and upgrading it to Level 3."
"Host rewards have been sealed until sufficient strength is obtained."
"Host has accepted the title: THE SACRED SECT HEIR."
"All side effects from consuming the Sacred Pill have been removed. Congratulations, Host. You have escaped certain death."
For a moment, Ieros felt as though the system was mocking him with that final statement.
Certain death.
So the sacred pill had nearly killed him from the very beginning.
Ieros let out a slow breath before wiping the blood from his face and opening his eyes completely.
The moment he stood up, he immediately noticed the changes.
His body felt lighter than before, almost as though a heavy burden had been removed from him. The qi flowing inside his body had also become smoother and calmer, moving naturally through his meridians without resistance.
Even his senses felt sharper.
A faint smile slowly appeared on his face.
After weeks of suffering, he had finally stepped into the true path of cultivation.
His revenge no longer felt like a distant dream. With every passing day, Ieros could feel himself drawing closer to the strength he would one day need.
As he organized the countless pieces of knowledge within his mind, he began searching for techniques that suited him best. After careful thought, he finally decided to focus on a particular sword technique from the Sacred Sect while also practicing the sword style his father once used.
Although he did not possess his father's actual manual, the memories of watching him train countless times were deeply engraved into his mind. Every stance, every swing, and every movement remained clear to him even now.
Because of that, Ieros believed he could slowly recreate the technique through constant practice.
At the same time, he made an important decision regarding the Sacred Sect techniques.
They were far too dangerous.
The power behind them was overwhelming, but so was the strain they placed on his body and mind. Until he could control them flawlessly—until using them became as natural as breathing—he decided they would remain his final resort in battle.
Only when he could wield those techniques with his eyes closed would he consider using them freely.