Lord: I can see loyalty.

In the days that followed, the city of Portol became busier and more lively than usual.

Cohen's Brotherhood mobilized almost entirely, scouring mines, pharmacies, and black markets throughout the Southern Territory for the valuable materials on the list.

Every day, fast horses galloped back to the Earl's Castle in Portol from different directions, delivering chests of ore, bundles of herbs and other treasures to Vincent, who was in charge of sorting them.

"Three pieces of cold iron ore from the Northern Territory, of excellent quality, send them in."

"There's only one Dragon Blood Grass from the Eastern Territory. It's old enough, but it wasn't stored properly, so its medicinal effects have been reduced. Send it in."

"A bag of sea salt from the West Frontier, personally sent by Miss Timothy. Take it inside."

Vincent meticulously checked each item, noting them down in the register, while people kept carrying things inside.

Valentine has finally returned.

The old man circled the materials several times, sometimes frowning, sometimes nodding, and finally stroked his beard and said, "The materials are all there, but some are not in good condition. However, it should be enough."

"That's enough." Vio stood to the side, looking at the materials piled up on the table, a glint of expectation in his eyes.

Valentine glanced at him, then spoke with unusual seriousness, "Kid, there's a huge difference between Tier 3 and Tier 2. Many people never get past this hurdle in their entire lives. Are you sure you're ready?"

Vio nodded.

"Then let's give it a try." Valentine didn't say anything more and turned to mix the external ointments and medicated baths.

Three more days passed, and no news came from the western border. This was within Vio's expectations, since as long as the great knight Alec did not choose to attack the city, Ulysses would not dare to take the initiative.

Or rather, for Ulysses, he just wanted to stall until there was a result in the capital, then he would have a "backer".

And everything was finally ready.

That morning, Vio stood in the courtyard of the Earl's castle, with several large pots in front of him, boiling ointments of various colors, emitting a strong and strange smell.

Next to it was a large vat filled with various herbs and mineral powders, the water murky and faintly glowing.

Cohen, Vance, Jimmy, Gina, Vincent, and Valentine, along with a host of others who had helped, stood by.

"These topical ointments need to be applied three times a day," Valentine said, pointing to the pots. "This medicated bath is for two hours each day. As for the internal medicine, I've already prepared one dose each morning and evening."

Vio nodded.

"Also," Valentine pulled a yellowed booklet from his pocket and handed it to him, "this is something I copied from an old knight when I was traveling. It contains some insights into the third-level breathing technique. It may not be true, but you can still refer to it."

Vio took it and solemnly put it into his pocket.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Valentine waved his hand without saying anything more.

Vio turned around and walked towards the familiar knight training room.

As soon as I opened the door, a scent of minerals and herbs wafted out.

A mist filled the air, making it so that Vio could only vaguely see the part in front of him.

Despite the passage of time, the room remains the same, with magic ore embedded in the walls, floors, and ceilings, and a large vat made of ancient wood in the center of the room.

This time, however, the tub contained not ordinary herbs, but a medicinal bath prepared by Valentine using precious ingredients.

The water was murky, with a faint fluorescent glow, and emitted a spicy yet sweet aroma.

Vio took off his coat and walked barefoot into the jar.

The water was very hot, but he didn't frown. He slowly circulated his breathing technique, and the medicinal power seeped into his body through his skin, intertwining with the airflow of the breathing technique and surging through his meridians.

He closed his eyes and began to try to guide the flow of energy within his body, following the instructions in the booklet.

On the first day, he felt hot all over, and the medicinal effects were rampant in his body, making it impossible to guide them.

He gritted his teeth and tried again and again until late at night, finally managing to get the airflow to complete a cycle according to the breathing method.

The next day, the heat finally subsided a little, replaced by a soreness. The airflow was no longer erratic, but it still felt sluggish.

He was soaking in the medicinal bath, his skin turning white, but he was completely unaware of it.

On the third day, the soreness disappeared, and his Qi finally began to flow smoothly. He felt the medicinal power gradually seeping into his muscles and bones, as if reshaping his body.

On the fifth day, he began to try to compress and condense the airflow. With each breath, he could feel something vibrating inside his body.

The seventh day...

The tenth day...

Vio couldn't remember how long he had been in this secret room. Day and night seemed to have lost their meaning; only the breathing technique and the flow of air remained.

Under the influence of the medicinal bath and ointment, his body underwent subtle changes. His skin became firmer, his muscle lines became smoother, and he could feel the power flowing through his body with every breath.

He was about to attempt to break through the threshold of the third tier.

This is the gap between second-order and third-order.

Each impact felt like hitting an iron wall; the air currents were scattered, and he groaned, a trickle of blood even spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He didn't stop.

The second, the third... each impact caused the barrier to loosen slightly, but each time it was pushed back.

He tried to adjust his breathing, slow down his pace, and stop being impatient for quick results. Instead, he compressed and condensed the airflow little by little, then compressed and condensed it again.

Finally, after what seemed like the umpteenth attempt, he felt the barrier begin to loosen.

But it was only like a heavy stone door being pushed open a crack.

Some airflow rushed in through the gap, giving him an unprecedented sense of fullness.

His body began to heat up, and it felt as if countless streams were surging beneath his skin, and every inch of his muscles were cheering.

He opened his eyes.

The light in the secret room was still dim, the medicinal bath had cooled down, and the fireflies on the water had dimmed considerably.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but his physical condition told him that all the precious materials had been used up.

The energy flow within the body continued to circulate, becoming even more robust and sustained than before.

That barrier still exists...

But it is no longer so indestructible; at least a crack has appeared.

Vio slowly stood up, stepped out of the medicine vat, and put on his outer robe.

He pushed open the door to the secret room, and the sunlight made him squint slightly.

Vincent was standing guard outside the door. When he saw him come out, he quickly went up to him.

"Your Excellency, you..."

"How long has it been?" Vio asked.

Thirteen days.

Thirteen days.

Vio nodded without saying anything more, but simply raised his head and looked at the distant sky with a slight frown.