I can evolve everything

A few minutes later, Karen pulled Ryan and Ella out of the study and into the hallway.

The candlelight in the corridor flickered in the breeze blowing from the study, casting the shadows of the three people in an unpredictable manner.

Karen didn't go straight back to his guest room to rest. He had Ella bring a chair, placed it across the doorway of the study, then sat down, holding the greatsword horizontally in front of him.

"Sir, aren't you going to rest?" Ryan looked at the old knight, whose mood was clearly sour and whose face was serious. "Harold... after all, he's an old friend of yours. I think after the fright he just had, he probably doesn't have the strength to do anything else."

"It's precisely because he's an old friend that I know what he's thinking."

Karen answered without looking up.

"Ten years ago, if Harold had made this mistake, he would have drawn his sword and killed himself immediately... No, ten years ago, he would never have made this mistake. But the Harold now..." Karen turned to look at the kneeling figure in the study, "Now, he's even willing to trade the flesh and blood of living people. A person who has abandoned all moral principles is dangerous, even if he's on his last breath."

The old knight raised his head.

"Trust is like a mirror, Ryan. Once it's broken, even if you glue it back together, the cracks will always be there. Go and get some rest; I'll be watching over things here."

Renn nodded and didn't try to persuade him any further.

He knew Karen's stubbornness; it was the wisdom of an old-school knight.

He and Ella didn't go far; instead, they leaned against the windowsill on the other side of the corridor.

Moonlight streamed in, illuminating Renn's face.

Although the dizziness caused by overuse of breathing techniques has subsided, the soreness deep in the muscles remains.

"hiss……"

Raine subconsciously rubbed his chest, where his heart was, where it was still warm.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

Karen, though seated, had sharp ears. He glanced at Ryan and roughly knew what it was about.

"Ella just told me. You used a breathing technique when you were facing Baron? And it was some kind of explosive application?"

"Yes, Sir." Ryan did not deny it. "In the heat of the moment, I felt a surge of heat rush through my heart, and then my body moved on its own."

"That's a sign of starting to learn breathing techniques, but the way you're using it, you're completely overdrawing your energy."

Karen waved, signaling Ryan to come over.

He reached out his large hand and placed it on Ryan's chest, closing his eyes to feel it for a moment.

"As expected... your heart has completed its initial awakening."

The old knight withdrew his hand, his tone slightly surprised, but he quickly came to terms with it.

"The knight's training is essentially the refinement and transportation of life energy. The heart is the pump, the source. You have only ignited the source now; this is called the fire of the heart."

Karen pointed to Ryan's limbs and head, and continued to instruct him.

"To become a true knight, you must control this inner fire. Let it flow through your veins, throughout your entire body, strengthening your muscles, bones, and meridians, and finally gather back at your head to refine your spirit. It's a complete cycle."

"Only when these energies form a closed loop within the body, eventually returning to the heart and condensing into a seed of life, can you be considered to have truly crossed the threshold of becoming a formal knight."

At this point, Karen glanced at Ella beside her.

"This girl's 'Wind Whisperer Breathing Technique' is of perfect quality, so once she masters the breathing technique and life energy flows through her body, it should be like a river, endlessly flowing."

Although Ella hadn't quite mastered the basics, she still proudly raised her chin.

"As for legendary quality breathing techniques, although I have never experienced them in person, legend has it that they are as vast as the ocean."

"The quality of a breathing technique is divided into four levels based on the amount of life energy it gathers. However, theoretically, all breathing techniques share the same foundation in gathering life energy. Apart from the different additional effects after practice, even a rudimentary breathing technique may have the same effect as a legendary breathing technique in terms of condensing life energy."

"Of course, theory is just theory. Unless you are a genius who comes along only once in a century, it is impossible to achieve this effect."

"And you..." Karen looked at Rein, "The Wilder family's 'Black Rock Breathing Technique' is, in my memory, of excellent quality. Logically speaking, the life energy gathered in your heart should be like a stream. Although not wide, it is long and continuous."

"A stream...?"

Ryan repeated the sentence in a low voice, subconsciously placing his hand on his chest again.

Just after the [Heart] chapter was completed, something else happened, leaving Rein no time to fully experience it. Karen's words reminded Rein and allowed him to slowly feel the changes within his body.

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the depths.

That's not a stream at all.

Deep within that ever-beating heart, life energy flows like magma. Although the flow is slow, its width is clearly more than just a stream, or even more than the width of a river.

The river in my heart is wide and turbulent.

Renn was secretly alarmed.

The "Black Rock Breathing Technique," which was clearly of excellent quality, has become so different through the evolution of the Misty Corridor.

Raine began to slowly savor the gains he had made from this evolution.

Like the previous evolution [Iron Wall Stance], the evolution of Misty Corridor is not simply like the game I played in my previous life, where skill points are directly and crudely added to the breathing technique.

Instead, one would gain a new understanding, as if this breathing technique was something that Rein himself had personally cultivated.

Now, Raine can clearly feel how to perfectly utilize the heart to refine life energy. He recalls the "Black Rock Breathing Method" he read when he was still at home. Now, he not only understands most of it, but he can even perceive the many flaws in his family's excellent breathing method!

It seems that the deduction and evolution in the [Misty Corridor] is not just about learning the most basic things, but about truly allowing Raine to master it!

This sense of enlightenment allowed him to clearly understand how every bit of energy should be used and how to maximize the potential of the breathing technique.

Therefore, Raine had only evolved a breathing technique of superior quality, yet the effect he achieved was far superior to that of perfection!

If we use Karen's analogy as a benchmark.

Excellent quality is a stream, perfect quality is a river, and legendary quality is the ocean.

Therefore, Raine's current [Black Rock Breathing Technique - Heart Pump Chapter (Lava Amplification)] has definitely surpassed the scope of a small stream. It is more violent and wider than a river, more like a surging river of lava.

Between perfection and legend.

This is the conclusion Ryan reached.

"It seems you do have some talent."

Seeing that Ryan remained silent, Karen assumed he was experiencing the sensation of the stream, so she continued, "Being able to complete the basics of heart health in such a short time, besides your father's teachings, your own control over your body is also key."

The old knight paused, then changed the subject.

"However, even if you've mastered the basics, you'll only be a slightly stronger apprentice knight. Logically speaking, you shouldn't last more than three moves against Baron."

"Ella said you held out for at least two minutes, and you even launched an attack?"

Ryan's heart skipped a beat, and he was about to explain.

"Don't be nervous." Karen waved her hand, feeling that she had found the answer. "Although Barron is a madman, he has his own set of principles. He said he 'doesn't want to kill innocent people,' so he should have held back against you. He's more interested in forcing you to retreat than killing you."

"In addition..." Karen looked at Renn, "the defensive skills and combat instincts you displayed during the Sunset City assessment. That unconventional, survival-oriented fighting style can indeed catch orthodox knights off guard."

Ryan breathed a sigh of relief. Karen's explanation saved him a lot of trouble explaining.

"As for your current state."

Karen pointed to Ryan's still sore arm.

That's "overload." Your body hasn't been fully strengthened yet. Prolonged or excessive use of breathing techniques can lead to muscle soreness and increased body temperature.

"However..." The old knight frowned, seemingly recalling something, "Usually, overload causes a fever, but your temperature is ridiculously high. When I rushed in just now, I could feel the heat emanating from you even from two meters away. This is probably a characteristic of the 'Black Rock Breathing Technique'?"

"Maybe so." Ryan went along with it, giving a wry smile. "I feel like I've been thrown into a lava lake."

"That's a good thing. It proves that your potential has been fully utilized."

Karen took a small metal box out of her pouch and tossed it to Ryan.

"This is a special ointment supplied by the Knights. Apply it to your joints. Don't sleep too soundly tonight. Take the time to meditate and guide that life energy to repair your muscles. It's more effective than sleeping."

Ryan caught the metal box; it was icy cold to the touch.

"Thank you, Sir."

"Alright, go get some rest." Karen closed her eyes again and leaned back in her chair. "We have a tough battle to fight tomorrow."

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Renn suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He turned his head and looked at the old knight sitting in front of the door. The question about the future that had been nagging at him finally couldn't be contained and slipped out:

"Sir, if one day I truly condense the life seed you spoke of and become a full knight... then what will happen after that?"

Renn's fingers unconsciously rubbed the sword in his hand, his eyes burning:

"Does the path of breathing techniques end there? Or are there even higher peaks to climb?"

Karen raised her eyelids and scrutinized Ryan as if she were looking at a child who had just learned to walk but wanted to climb a snow-capped mountain.

"The Seed of Life? That's just the key we just got to open the door."

The old knight's voice was deep and hoarse, echoing in the corridor:

"Once the seeds hatch, what you need to do is no longer simply 'gather' them. Instead..."

He held up one finger, pointed to his temple, and then to his heart.

"As the seed gradually grows, let the life energy completely assimilate your physical flesh and blood."

"Spiritual rebirth, nourishing the seed with the body."

Karen didn't explain the meaning of those eight words any further, she simply waved her hand:

"Go to sleep. Right now, you haven't even touched the threshold, so don't aim too high and think about the ceiling."

Renn nodded thoughtfully and turned to walk towards his room.

Spiritual rebirth? Feeding the seed with one's own body?

Although Karen's words were vague, Raine couldn't help but recall Karen's various postures in previous battles.

"Sir Karen is probably at that level right now..."

Renn secretly pondered to himself.

If condensing the seed of life is the mark of a true knight, then Karen has probably already gone very far down that path.

"If only I could reach that level..."

By then, he might be able to venture out into this world on his own.

Raine and Ella exchanged a glance, bowed, and turned to go back to their room.

The moment he closed the door, Ryan didn't rush to apply the ointment.

He leaned against the door and slowly opened his palm in the darkness.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, my heart started beating rapidly again, and my body gradually warmed up.

That familiar power instantly surged into his palm. Although it was much weaker than when he had overexerted himself before, Renn could clearly feel a layer of dark red light emanating from his palm.

This is his power.

Although it is still very weak now, it can only be unleashed for a few minutes.

But the seed has already been planted; given enough time, it will surely condense into a seed of life.

"Necromancer Mars..."

Renn clenched his fist, and the red light in his palm went out.