Guiding Cultivation

Olivier exchanged a few words with Fane before heading straight to find Blumer, and together they returned to the Duke Mansion.

Back home, he didn't rush to instruct Blumer, instead telling him to arrive at his courtyard at dawn the next day.

"My Lord, you've returned. What does the War God look like?"

Seeing Olivier return, Jessica asked with excitement.

To the sisters Sophie and Jessica, the War God was powerful, mysterious, and divine, and they were filled with curiosity.

"He has a nose and two eyes just like anyone else, but the most important thing is that he isn't as handsome as your lord here."

Olivier laughed.

"This is the War God Token. Keep it safe; to see the token is to see the War God himself. From now on, we can walk sideways through the O'Brien Empire."

Olivier casually tossed the token representing the War God to Jessica.

"Is this really the War God Token?"

Jessica held the token, examining it from every angle, while Sophie leaned in to observe it as well.

"If you give the token to us, won't the War God be offended?"

The two confirmed it was indeed the War God Token, knowing Olivier wouldn't deceive them.

"Don't worry. Right now, you represent me. Besides, the War God gave the token to me; he didn't say I couldn't let others use it."

Olivier said.

"Did you sisters miss me today?"

Olivier pulled Sophie and Jessica into his arms, enjoying the comfort of the soft, fragrant bodies against him.

"Of course we did. Aside from practicing magic, we were thinking of you."

Jessica said coquettishly.

"I missed you both too, heh heh."

As he spoke, Olivier's hands began to grow restless.

Afterward...

"Rising with the rooster" described someone as diligent as Olivier; every day before dawn, he would climb out of his bed to practice Taiji Fist.

Before dawn, at the first light, and when the sun was fully up—Olivier chose this specific time frame because it felt particularly profound.

By the time the air was slightly cool, Blumer had already arrived at the courtyard. However, he did not disturb Olivier's practice. Watching the soft, flowing movements of the fist technique, Blumer truly couldn't understand what use it had or why his elder brother persisted in it so tirelessly.

In truth, Olivier had long ago tried to teach Taiji Fist to Blumer and the sisters, but neither of them could grasp its essence. As time passed, Olivier stopped expecting them to learn it.

"Blumer, you're here."

Every time Olivier practiced Taiji Fist, he poured his entire being into it, immersing himself in the comprehension of the Profundity of Laws.

"Taiji Fist may look powerless, but it actually contains the principles of heaven and earth. When practicing, one must have a mind free of distractions, merging oneself with the world. Only then can one perceive the Profundity of Laws between heaven and earth. A large part of your brother's strength was cultivated through this Taiji Fist."

After finishing his practice, his heart clear and tranquil, Olivier decided to give it one more try to teach Blumer.

"Our cultivation is about comprehending the Profundity of Laws between heaven and earth. These laws exist everywhere, yet they are formless and intangible—unseen and untouchable. Only by merging with the world can one perceive them. Once we comprehend these laws, our strength increases, allowing us to unleash attacks capable of destroying the heavens and the earth. Have you ever wondered how these formless laws can manifest into something substantial?"

With his mind clear and tranquil, the laws of heaven and earth seemed right before his eyes. Olivier had been thinking about how to teach Blumer, and he finally decided to start by explaining some of the most fundamental, yet profound, concepts.

Blumer understood Olivier's words, but he had never thought about them in this way before.

"If we analyze the world from two aspects: first, the formless Profundity of Laws, such as the Profundity of Light; and second, the tangible, visible things of the world, such as sunlight, fire, and so on. The Profundity of Light manifests through sunlight, and the Profundity of Fire through flames. You can see that formless laws are expressed through tangible matter."

Olivier spoke as if preaching the Great Dao, and Blumer listened intently.

"Formless laws are difficult to comprehend, so we can start with the tangible matter they manifest through. Do you know why I choose to practice Taiji Fist at this time? Because this is when light and darkness alternate—darkness recedes and light spreads. It is when the laws of light and darkness are most active, making it easier for us to perceive them."

Having said this, Olivier felt he had said enough.

"Big Brother, I understand. From now on, I will also practice at the break of dawn."

Some things cannot be learned through mere teaching; one must comprehend them personally. Olivier didn't care how much Blumer could understand, as long as he grasped the underlying logic.

Cultivation relies on aptitude. Olivier would guide him as best he could, but success ultimately depended on individual talent.

"Blumer, let me see your strength. Attack me with everything you have."

He had been back for a long time and knew Blumer had comprehended a bit of the Profundity of Light Speed, but he had never seen him use it or witnessed his techniques.

"If I do it here, I'll destroy the place."

Battles between Saint-level experts could easily shatter the heavens and earth; destroying a mere Duke Mansion would be effortless, let alone an entire city.

"Are you telling me you can't even control your own techniques?"

Olivier said in a deep voice.

"Didn't you tell me to use my full strength?"

Blumer replied weakly.

"Of course you must use your full strength, otherwise how will I know what you've comprehended? Come, let's go to the barren mountains outside the Imperial Capital."

Olivier said.

"Why go to the barren mountains on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital?" Blumer asked, puzzled.

"If we don't go to the barren mountains, do you want to tear our home apart?" Olivier said.

"Oh, right, Big Brother, haha~"

The two brothers transformed into two streaks of light, flying over the Imperial Capital and heading toward the barren mountains where Olivier had once bitterly cultivated.

Olivier intended to test Blumer's level, keeping his speed moderate—just slightly faster than Blumer—though he gradually increased the pace, urging Blumer to use his full strength.

Big Brother is truly a freak, thought Blumer, who was already exerting all his strength while watching Olivier fly ahead in an unhurried manner.

It didn't take long, but Blumer felt incredibly miserable. Olivier kept pushing him to speed up, not just urging him but also launching surprise attacks to test him. The mystery of the Profundity of Light Speed lay in speed, and one could see some clues just from this journey.

Before long, the two arrived above the barren mountains.

Olivier had once cultivated on these mountains for three years, and Blumer had often come here to seek guidance; Blumer's Light Shadow Sword had even been perfected here. This place held many memories for the two brothers.

"Aiya, I'm exhausted."

As soon as his feet touched the ground, Blumer began to complain. Although the journey was short, every second felt like being roasted over a fire. Every second felt like a year. Blumer had never been out for real-world training; he usually only sparred with his senior brothers, and his most dangerous battle had been against Wharton. The flight just now had required his full effort every single second, making it unbearable.

Olivier's timing was always spot-on, like a precise computer capable of calculating exactly where one's limits lay. Every attack he launched reached the very edge of Blumer's limit without actually causing him harm. This situation was extremely draining on one's spirit and energy, which was why Blumer complained.

"If I were your enemy just now, you would have been dead long ago. If you encounter someone stronger than you, are you just going to wait for death?" Olivier frowned.

Blumer didn't dare to make a sound; he understood that Olivier was right.

"Second Brother, you have always cultivated in a safe environment without experiencing life and death. This is a major shortcoming of yours. No true powerhouse is forged without being tempered in blood and fire. If you can't even handle this little challenge, how could you ever spontaneously cultivate into a god?"

Olivier felt somewhat disappointed in Blumer. It seemed he was a fledgling eagle living under the protection of wings; even with Saint-level strength, his mindset was far too lacking. Back in the day, Olivier had challenged others repeatedly, facing death several times—he had nearly died twice just under Haydson's hand.

"Stay with me for this period, and after three months, you will go out for real-world training."

Flowers in a greenhouse cannot grow without experiencing wind and rain. Blumer was already at the Saint level, and given Olivier's reputation on the continent, other Saint-level experts would show some respect and not pose too great a danger.

"Now, attack me. Use your fastest speed and your strongest attack."

Olivier knew that too much talk was useless; it was better to first understand his situation.

"Big Brother, here I come then."

With that, Blumer began to attack Olivier.

Blumer had comprehended the Profundity of Light Speed. Although his speed couldn't compare to Olivier's, it was still very fast, leaving behind individual afterimages in the air as he attacked Olivier incessantly.

It was just like the sparring match between Olivier and Fane, except the attacker was now Blumer and the defender was Olivier. The difference was that Fane had been incredibly wretched while receiving blows, whereas Olivier received them with ease. No matter how Blumer attacked, Olivier could parry them casually.

After a while, Blumer had cycled through all his moves, and Olivier had a rough understanding of his situation.

"Second Brother, I am going to start counterattacking. Watch closely."

Although Blumer's attacks couldn't harm Olivier, having a human target to hit felt great. Especially after seeing with his own eyes how Fane was left with no power to fight back against Olivier, he had begun to dream of when he might have that kind of strength, giving Blumer a sense of what it was like to pummel a peak Saint-level expert.

Great. When he heard Olivier was going to counterattack, Blumer plummeted from heaven to hell.

"Feel my attack well."

The situation flipped instantly. Blumer was sent flying by Olivier in a flash. Finally, Blumer could understand how his senior brother Fane felt: every moment required his full effort, every moment felt like he was about to be killed in an instant, and he was exhausted from defending, yet he couldn't block a thing.

Fortunately, Olivier's attack didn't last long.

"Second Brother, the final move. This is all the Profundity of Light Speed that I have comprehended. Watch closely."

This move was enough to kill Blumer instantly. It was a strike that integrated all of Olivier's Profundity of Light Speed. Although his Profundity of Light Speed couldn't compare to the Profundity of Light Elements and hadn't reached the limit, he had still comprehended more than half of it.

In this move, a point of light suddenly appeared. Even though it was daytime, this point was exceptionally bright, like a meteor streaking across the sky, heading toward Blumer with incredible speed.

Urgent, blinding, dangerous.

This was all Blumer could perceive, yet he had no idea how to receive the move.

Fortunately, just as it was about to strike him, the light suddenly vanished.

Blumer was stunned, terrified. For the first time, he had felt the power of someone near the peak of the Saint level. The scene kept replaying in his mind, and he seemed to have gained some insight.

Olivier didn't disturb him, waiting quietly for him to wake up.