Due to exhaustion, my body felt utterly weak. I opened my eyes to see a beautiful girl with golden eyes and flowing yellow hair.
In a weakened voice, I asked, "How long was I out?" Surprise flickered across my face as she nuzzled my hair.
She smiled, her voice sweet and soothing. "About an hour."
I nodded. "Did I pass?" She nodded again.
"You're quite unique, aren't you? I didn't expect you to still be alive after that third strike," she said, her smile both beautiful and slightly unsettling. "And to have mastered two paths – the Knight and Cultivation paths – that's remarkable." She continued to nuzzle my hair as the cold wind touched our skin.
The sunset painted a breathtaking scene. "While we still have time, can you teach me already?"
She was surprised I was asking while still exhausted and just waking up. She decided to tease me gently. "My, are you perhaps fond of getting hurt? That's perfect for me."
She licked her lips seductively and continued to nuzzle my hair gently. Goosebumps erupted, and I immediately shook my head. "No way! I just need you to teach me some skills. I have none to use as a knight."
She chuckled, her melodious laughter making me blush. I turned away to hide it.
She pushed my head off her lap and stood. "Did you enjoy your time in my lap?" she teased.
Ignoring her teasing, she began demonstrating a simple skill. With a burst of speed, she appeared in the corner of the training grounds—it was as if she had vanished. I nodded, confused by her movement. She explained seriously,
"Imagine your feet covered in mana. This creates something that looks like boots; wear them. Once your feet are covered in mana, use this for sudden bursts of speed."
I nodded, noticing the difference. Qi enhances the body; mana acts like equipment, creating and covering your body. If I focused all my mana on my arm, it would be covered in energy and strengthened.
That's why cultivators are generally stronger; their body enhancements are permanent. Once a knight's mana is exhausted, they weaken significantly.
I nodded and attempted the technique. Following her instructions, I tried creating mana-boots. Then, with a burst of energy, I tripped, and an awkward silence filled the air.
Clara looked at me, unable to suppress her laughter. Her laughter was melodious. My face burned with shame. I stood as if nothing happened.
She wiped away glistening tears. "You can't do it yet; your mana is exhausted from our fight. Wait a few hours for it to recover."
I nodded, my face still flushed. She gave me a pill – not a healing pill, but a recovery pill to restore Qi or mana. I smiled and thanked her. She waved goodbye, having other tasks to attend to.
Night had fallen. I gazed at the pill, saving it for later, as I still possessed the Divine Fruit. I returned to my room and took a bite of the fruit. My body enhanced, cultivation accelerating. I immediately cultivated throughout the night, skipping work. By morning, my cultivation had soared, breaking through to the 6th Stage. My body and Qi surged, my Qi reserves significantly stronger.
If I had this strength during our fight, I wouldn't have fainted from exhaustion. I smiled, though perfect cultivation is time-consuming. You must purify the Qi within yourself and imbue every inch of your body.
My mana doubled due to her brutal training. You can advance from 1-star to 2-star Knight through battles or near-death experiences, or intense training; talent and hard work are crucial.
I was at peak early 1-star Knight level. During my free time, I comprehended the Grabbing Shallow technique and the contents of an old book. At this rate, I'd reach peak intermediate comprehension of both.
I smiled, feeling the subtle changes in my body. I punched the wall; my fist remained unharmed. A few cracks appeared in the wall. I could now likely beat a 2-star Knight in the early stages. But against middle, late, or peak 2-star Knights, I'd be soundly defeated.
In my memories, the Elder would instruct me to poison the Empress in a week. With the Empress having limited screen time in the novel, I was in the dark about her fate. After the Elder broke through to the Broken Void Realm, he planned to poison her, seize the kingdom, and spread false news of her death. In the story, he likely failed, but the Empress paid a hefty price to defeat him; every detail was meticulously planned and executed