The caravan slowly came to a stop on the wasteland. By the time Green found Old Green, dusk had already fallen. A month of trudging through wind and dust had left Old Green looking somewhat haggard. However, thanks to the Knight-level beast flesh he had eaten earlier, the essence of his Life Force had not been damaged; he only looked utterly exhausted on the surface.
Old Green stood by the river with a water jug in his hands, concentrating on lowering it into the riverbed. Bubbles gurgled up across the surface. Given Old Green's status, he should not have needed to handle such trivial chores personally, but he had nothing else to do and was using this to pass the time. Nearby, the guards were busy drawing water from the river and pouring it into the filter in the center of the camp. Once filtered, the water would be loaded into the water carts for later use.
The girls, who had not bathed for a month, were even more desperate for water than the guards. One after another, they carried buckets to fetch water from the river, preparing to bathe. To them, being without sufficient water for so long was undoubtedly torture. At the beginning of the journey, Ashlyn, Leila, and Mia would often come looking for Green. But as the trip continued and their bodies went without proper cleaning for so long, they merely chatted with Green occasionally through the carriage windows and stopped entering the carriage.
Green interrupted Old Green's water-drawing and pulled him aside.
"Green, is what you said true?" When Old Green heard that Green was about to break through to Knight, he immediately stood up and gripped Green's arms tightly with both hands. His voice was filled with anticipation and fear. He was hopeful because Green had already displayed formidable strength at the Knight Apprentice stage, and becoming a Formal Knight would make him safer. His fear, however, came from his understanding of the Storm Breathing Technique—every breakthrough was tantamount to gambling with one's life, completely different from other Breathing Methods.
"Green, are you sure you can succeed? Is there really a need to rush this?" Old Green's worry was plain to see. He even felt a little regret for teaching the Storm Breathing Technique to Green. Green's progress was simply too fast—so fast that Old Green found it difficult to accept. He could not bear the thought of his child undergoing two brushes with death in just three short months, and guilt filled his heart.
In Old Green's eyes, Green was pursuing strength so urgently largely because he was holding him back. If not for his existence, Green could have long since spread his wings and soared.
Green was not a dull man, so he naturally sensed the worry and guilt in Old Green's tone. He gently patted the back of Old Green's hand and comforted him. "Don't worry. The success rate of this breakthrough is over ninety percent. Nothing will go wrong."
"In a little while, I'll leave the camp and find a quiet place to attempt the breakthrough. I should be back very soon. While I'm gone, I'll have to trouble you to explain things to the people in the camp."
Green needed to get away from the caravan and find a quiet environment for his breakthrough. The Visas Wasteland was sparsely inhabited, and large Predators rarely appeared there, making it an ideal breakthrough location for Green.
"Ah, I understand. Green, you must be careful!" Seeing how resolute Green was, Old Green stopped trying to hold him back. He only sighed deeply and reminded him once more.
Green nodded, then strode away from the caravan with firm steps.
[Chip, bring up the advancement method.]
A blue human model appeared in Green's field of vision. Densely packed energy-flow pathways clung to it like the blood vessels of a human body. The energy flowing through those pathways was sluggish and listless. The Life Seed at the heart floated there quietly like a stubborn stone.
[Beginning advancement simulation.]
The blue human model swiftly assumed various postures while coordinating them with different breathing states. As the postures and breathing changed, the energy within the body began to stir. Between each inhalation and exhalation, the energy, stimulated by external forces, slowly began to flow. With an ordinary Breathing Method, one only needed to coordinate one's breathing and have the energy repeatedly strike the Life Seed until it eventually formed an energy resonance, making the Life Seed beat like a heart. This ordinary advancement method carried no risk and could be attempted multiple times.
The Storm Breathing Technique, however, was completely different. As a Breathing Method that granted power far beyond that of others at the same level upon advancement, it required an extremely powerful energy resonance to raise the Life Seed's frequency to its peak. At that frequency, combined with the Storm Breathing Technique, the Life Seed would once again be transformed into primordial Life Force, forming an energy vortex and completing a life evolution similar to breaking through the Apprentice Level. If it failed, the Life Seed would shatter, and all his efforts would come to nothing.
[Every breakthrough is equivalent to undergoing a Knight Apprentice-level trial. Moreover, the energy in the body will grow increasingly abundant and increasingly difficult to control, while the losses will also grow greater. No wonder the risk rises with every breakthrough.]
As Green watched the drawbacks of the Storm Breathing Technique, a brilliant smile appeared on his face. When it came to controlling energy, Green, who possessed the Chip, had reached an unrivaled level of mastery. There was no chance of losing control. Unless he was disturbed from outside, the Chip could completely control the flow of energy within his body.
The Visas Wasteland had almost no cover, only rolling hills. After crossing two or three hills, Green began searching for a suitable place.
Under the silver moonlight, the rubble scattered across the wasteland reflected silvery radiance, resembling a starry sky spread across the ground. Green searched for a long time but failed to find an ideal location. The wasteland was simply too barren, with almost nowhere that could provide cover.
[Fortunately, I have a backup plan. Chip, bring up a cave design.]
A design for a centrally laid-out cave appeared in Green's field of vision. This kind of cave was simple to excavate; he only needed to leave a supporting pillar in the center. Green pulled out a shovel he had prepared in advance and began digging on the spot.
Relying on his powerful Knight-level physique, Green dug a cave into the ground at tremendous speed, like an excavator. He continued digging downward through the cave. After only an hour, a three-by-three cave had been completed underground.
By the time he finished digging, Green was covered in dust and looked like a beggar, but he did not care. After sealing the original entrance and leaving a ventilation hole, Green rested briefly before beginning to prepare for his breakthrough.
Green began assuming various postures and coordinating them with different Breathing Methods.
[Energy resonance detected. Abnormal energy flow beginning in the body. Interfere?] [Interfere directly. Accelerate energy flow and increase the activation speed of the Life Seed.]
Green could clearly feel a tingling sensation spreading through his body. It was both comfortable and unpleasant, like being unable to scratch an itch. The sensation continued intensifying as time passed. Green knew this was a sign that the activity of the energy within his body was increasing.
Within the Chip's field of vision, the energy seed at Green's heart trembled wildly like it had been fitted with a high-frequency motor. Its speed grew faster and faster until it finally reached the limit the Life Seed could withstand. In an instant, the Life Seed shattered into countless particles, releasing an enormous amount of Life Force.
The moment the Life Seed shattered, Green felt excruciating pain throughout his body, as though he were being torn apart. Every part of him seemed to have suffered a violent blow.
"Fuck, it hurts this much?" The intense pain made Green blurt out a curse, even using an expression from his previous life.
[Pain perception has been blocked.]
As soon as the Chip spoke, the tidal wave of pain receded just as swiftly as it had come.
Green continued observing the human model. With the coordination of his movements and Breathing Method, the Life Energy that should have dispersed into the outside world after the Life Seed shattered was gradually brought under control. Next came the most crucial tempering stage. Under the Chip's control, an energy vortex far surpassing the previous one formed at Green's heart.
The vortex at his heart absorbed an endless stream of external energy. Green could clearly feel his body undergoing strange changes as that energy transformed it. Very soon, his body began to feel saturated. This time, he sensed his bodily limit even earlier than before. Although he possessed a larger vortex and greater endurance, his body had reached its limit ahead of schedule.
It was like a wooden barrel. Although it had grown taller and larger, its opening had also become wider, allowing it to absorb energy faster.
Growth came faster, quickly reaching the capacity limit, so naturally the time needed to fill it became shorter.
[The Chip's efficiency is too high. I reached the limit even earlier than in the model.]
Looking at his condition, Green was astonished by the Chip's capabilities. However, he had anticipated this situation long ago. Based on his research and theories from his previous life, he had organized an effective method.
[Chip, activate the Multiple Life Seed Program.]
Through Green's research, the Life Seed was much like an alternative heart. It was not as if a living creature could only have one heart—didn't octopuses have three? Based on his body and the routes of energy flow, Green had designed an effective method to divide the Life Seed into five and lodge them in different organs. However, only Green could perform such precise manipulation. Without the Chip, no one else in this world could complete it.
Within the blue model, the energy vortex at the heart began to tremble slowly under the influence of some force. The trembling continued without pause, but its intensity remained at a fixed standard. With each successive tremor, energy slowly spilled out from the heart and quickly transferred to the lungs, where it formed a small vortex. Compared with the vortex at the heart, the one in the lungs was much smaller.
As the operation continued, the vortex at the heart eventually split into five portions, which took residence in the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. The difference in size between the vortices was no longer discernible. As they continuously absorbed external energy, however, Green could clearly sense them growing. At the same time, his body broke through its former limit and entered a higher level.
After waiting a while longer, as the energy gradually reached its limit, the five vortices began to contract slowly. In the end, five Life Seeds appeared within Green's body.
[Activate breathing function.]
Green could feel the five Life Seeds begin to contract with each inhalation and exhalation. Under this slow transformation, his already-maxed-out body underwent another subtle change.
The breathing of the Life Seeds brought Green more energy. Under the Chip's control, the Life Seeds possessed precisely identical breathing frequencies, so they would not cause the energy disorder that might otherwise trouble Green. Only the Chip could achieve such precise control, completing a process akin to creating two identical snowflakes when the Life Seeds formed.
The entire advancement process flowed as smoothly as drifting clouds and flowing water, without a single accident. In Green's eyes, all of this was inevitable. He had already simulated the advancement process over a million times, accounting for every external factor. Even if he failed, Green had a response prepared. Otherwise, he would never have chosen to attempt the breakthrough.
[View body attributes.]
Green silently recited the command.
[Strength: 5.2] (External energy enhancement) [Speed: 4.8] [Constitution: 5.2] (External energy enhancement) [Special Status: Life Seeds breathing. Breaths per day: 200. Estimated increase: Strength and Constitution +0.1 for every 10,000 breaths completed; Speed increased to 5.0.] [Genetic limit: All attributes 5.0] [Energy enhancement limit: 5.5]
Looking at his luxurious status panel, Green believed that even a Grand Knight would not be able to withstand a single blow from him. The calculation of physical attributes did not improve linearly but along a curve. A Grand Knight's physical attributes should lie between 4 and 5, with a maximum limit of only 5. This was the genetic limit of humanity, and even the limit of the vast majority of carbon-based organisms. The legendary Holy Knight should have broken through the human limit.
Once one reached a value of 5, even a 0.1 difference in Constitution would result in overwhelming, one-sided suppression in an actual battle. As for the external energy enhancement after his attributes, that should be an ability possessed only by the legendary Holy Knights.
Green clenched his fist and silently sensed the energy flowing through his body. He slowly concentrated that energy into his fist.
"Bang!"
"Oh no, is it really this powerful?" Violent tremors spread through the entire cave, which then collapsed with a thunderous roar.
"Pfft!"
Green crawled out of the rubble and opened his mouth, spitting out a huge cloud of dust.
"Next time I experiment, I'm definitely finding a proper testing ground." Green grumbled as he patted the clothes completely covered in dust.
[Chip, how powerful was the energy I released just now?]
After walking to the ruins of the cave, Green asked the Chip.
[Instantaneous energy release: 7,500,000 J, equivalent to the power of a high-explosive shell fired by a 99A Main Battle Tank.]
Looking at the enormous figure, Green felt that he needed to establish a standard for comparing energy. The energy-calculation methods from his previous life needed to be synchronized with this world.
[Using the energy released by a firestarter in this world as the basic unit, calculate the energy I released just now.]
A firestarter was a commonly used device for carrying fire in this world, similar to the fire pouch from his previous life.
[Calculating.] [The energy radiation released by one firestarter when fully discharged is approximately 150,000 J. Set as 1 degree.] [According to calculations, the energy released by the punch was approximately 50 degrees.]
"Fifty degrees. That means my physical body can now withstand at least a 50-degree impact, while the energy shock wave produced by my punch can cause intense impact within a range of at least ten meters. However, the energy in this world is highly restrained, so its large-scale destructive power is reduced. Against individuals, though, its lethality is quite thorough."
Green also noticed the difference. If his fist truly possessed the destructive power of a 99A Main Battle Tank, the cave would not have merely collapsed. Detonating a tank shell inside an enclosed space would certainly produce a tremendous roar. Yet after Green threw his punch, it had not made much noise, and the cave had only caved in. This world suppressed the spread of energy, while also causing energy to be extremely amplified against a single target when released.
"Forget it. The conditions aren't sufficient right now, and I can't figure out the principle anyway. I'd better hurry on." Green patted the dust off himself a few more times, then followed the route he had taken there and prepared to return to the camp.
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