Secret Potion

Secret Potion

The mist dispersed, and starlight gathered.

Karl appeared upon a stone seat carved with ancient patterns and steeped in mystery.

Excitement, unease, urgency... countless emotions were instantly suppressed by absolute rationality.

His expression was indifferent, his brown eyes unruffled, as he calmly took a booklet from his chest.

Poison Wolf Breathing Technique!

Breathing Techniques were divided into ordinary and secret transmission types.

Ordinary Breathing Techniques could be cultivated by anyone. As for how far one could go, that depended entirely on the cultivator's talent and opportunities.

Secret transmission Breathing Techniques were also known as Bloodline Breathing Techniques, and only those with specific bloodlines could cultivate them.

The Church's Guardian Knights and the kingdom's several ancient families all possessed their own secret transmission Breathing Techniques.

Generally speaking, those who cultivated ordinary Breathing Techniques would achieve far less in the future than those who cultivated secret transmission Breathing Techniques.

Someone cultivating an ordinary Breathing Technique was already considered exceptionally talented if they became a knight. It was nearly impossible for them to become a Great Knight.

Let alone a Legendary Knight!

Yet families that cultivated secret transmission Breathing Techniques never lacked peak experts.

That was why, for hundreds of years, the kingdom's upper ranks had remained firmly controlled by several ancient families.

The Church, with its sacred Guardian Knights, stood even higher above all else.

Since ancient times, top-tier knights had never come from among the commoners.

"Life Seed!"

"Secret Potion?"

Opening the booklet, Karl swiftly absorbed the essence of the Poison Wolf Breathing Technique with the exaggerated comprehension granted by absolute rationality, confirming that there were no major problems with the technique.

The principle of a Breathing Technique was to use all manner of methods to condense a Life Seed within the human body.

The vitality contained within the Life Seed nourished the flesh, allowing the cultivator's strength, speed, and other abilities to surpass the limits of ordinary people.

In the end, they could contend with fierce tigers, tear apart jackals with their bare hands, and even rival the ancient ferocious beasts of legend.

Secret Potions were methods used to assist cultivation.

Karl did not know how other Breathing Techniques worked, but without a Secret Potion, the Poison Wolf Breathing Technique could not even be learned. Once one had entered the path, however, dependence on Secret Potions would greatly diminish until they were no longer needed.

He turned to the section concerning Secret Potions.

"A pair of fresh Wolf Eyeballs, fifty grams of Wolf Marrow, Serpent Grass, the venom sac of a Crimson Jade Spider..."

"No wonder it was so cheap!"

"Though these things are not rare, gathering them all in the sealed-off Black City is nearly impossible. Naturally, there would be no way to cultivate the Breathing Technique."

Closing the booklet, Karl willed it, and his body gradually faded as he returned to his residence in Signo City.

The ingredients needed for the Secret Potion were not rare and could all be bought on Rouen Street. They were simply scattered across many shops, requiring quite a bit of running around.

Moreover, buying things such as Wolf Eyeballs and Wolf Marrow individually was rather strange and likely to attract attention.

By the time Karl had gathered everything, he had spent half the day at it. The sun had already shifted westward and was gradually setting.

Clang...

Pff!

"Add water. Once the Crimson Jade Spider's venom sac dissolves, add a Wolf Eyeball and pierce it with a needle..."

In the kitchen.

Karl held the booklet in one hand, open to the section on making Secret Potions, while following its instructions to brew the mixture.

Various grass stalks and special parts from unknown creatures churned repeatedly in the boiling water.

A pungent stench spread through the room.

Especially after the venom sac melted, thick smoke rose up, making the entire kitchen seem shrouded in fog.

Karl concentrated fully, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

He was not a qualified cook, nor did he understand how to combine medicines. He could only follow the instructions exactly.

"Um..."

Just then, a faint voice sounded behind him.

"Baron Karl?"

"Mrs. Mary." Karl paused and turned around. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh!"

Taking in the surroundings, he suddenly understood.

"Am I disturbing you?"

"It's fine, I don't mind." The landlady, Mary, hurriedly waved her hands and spoke somewhat awkwardly. "It's just... Jenny is about to take the examination for the Barrow Troupe. Could you keep it down a little?"

Then she added,

"If you need to do anything, just leave it to me."

The chaotic noises in the kitchen, the pungent smell, and the billowing smoke made it truly difficult for anyone to settle down.

"I see." Karl lightly slapped his forehead. "My mistake. I actually forgot about that. How about this..."

After thinking for a moment, he said,

"I'll finish what I'm doing first, then I'll use another place next time. Don't worry, I won't disturb Jenny."

"Thank you, thank you!" Mary hurriedly thanked him. "If you're cooking, just leave it to me. There's no need for you to do it yourself."

"I'm not cooking." Karl shook his head, declining her help. "I'll be done soon."

"Then... all right."

Seeing how firm he was, Mary could only withdraw the foot she had stepped into the kitchen with and return to her room.

Mary's husband had died early. She had not taken his surname, and her family and relatives were all lower-class commoners.

She had raised her daughter alone for many years, and life had been difficult.

Now, Jenny had a chance to enter the Barrow Troupe and might even join the ranks of the nobility in the future.

Naturally, she would not want to miss such an opportunity.

As Karl's thoughts turned, he saw that the Secret Potion was nearing completion and hurriedly took out the prepared glass bottle to pour it in.

The dark red liquid rolled about within the glass bottle. When he brought it close and sniffed it, it had a distinct bloody smell.

A Secret Potion!

It was complete.

And there was enough of it to divide into three portions, more than sufficient for beginning cultivation.

The mysterious place.

Karl crossed his legs and twisted his body into a strange posture, adjusting his breathing according to the technique's instructions.

Gulp...

He drank a portion of the Secret Potion.

Not long after.

A layer of fine sweat appeared across his skin. The veins on his forehead and neck bulged, and his breathing became rapid.

Karl felt as though his blood were boiling, while his heart pounded as if it would burst through his chest.

His blood surged through his body, and he could even hear the sound of rushing water.

Hungry!

Hungry!

So hungry!

He abruptly opened his eyes, stopped the posture, and quickly picked up the milk, meat pies, and jam prepared beside him.

Under absolute rationality, even though every cell in his body was rebelling, his expression remained unchanged.

As the nutrients from the food entered his body, the hunger gradually faded.

"Three meals' worth of food!"

"It seems that while cultivating a Breathing Technique, the digestive capacity of the stomach and intestines increases dramatically. I consumed so much food so quickly, yet I don't feel bloated. My mind has become more active as well."

Standing up, Karl picked up the broadsword and gave it a swing. A sense of ease beyond anything he had felt before rose in his heart.

His strength...

Had increased!

It was merely one attempt, his first cultivation session, yet he could already clearly feel his body changing.

Whoosh!

A vertical slash!

The broadsword came to a steady stop.

Karl charged forward with the sword gripped in both hands, and the broadsword whipped up a fierce gust of wind.

Rage Strike!

Iron Gate Style!

Combat skill—Gale Slash!

Three afterimages appeared out of nowhere, crossing through the air before him and faintly producing a low sword whistle that cut through the air.

"Three afterimages?"

"Grandfather had been born with immense strength. Without ever cultivating a Breathing Technique, he could kill a Knight Squire, yet he could only produce three afterimages."

"Now, I should not be much weaker than he was back then."

Karl put away the broadsword and stroked his chin.

Under absolute rationality, he would not become wildly ecstatic. Everything was calculated with perfect clarity.

Yet after practicing the Gale Swordplay this time, it was obviously much smoother than before.

Previously, performing the swordplay had been like a child swinging a great blade. He could execute it, but it was far too strenuous.

It had always felt somewhat forced.

Now.

That feeling was gone.

"Knight Squire!"

"Now, I can be considered a Knight Squire as well!"

(End of chapter)