Lord: I can see loyalty.

The sky was already fully bright, but Vio's breathing became increasingly slow and deep, unlike someone who had practiced for hours.

He was no longer satisfied with just breathing.

He slowly placed his right hand on the hilt of the Southern Will sword, without drawing it from its sheath. He simply began practicing the most basic stance of the Dune Sword Technique in rhythm with his breathing, while holding the sword.

Start with a horizontal thrust, a diagonal slash, and a return to the starting position.

The movements were extremely slow, so slow that you could see every flaw in the body and feel the sword's movements flowing with the breath.

The breathing technique and the knight's swordsmanship are beginning to be exchanged.

At first, it was a bit stiff, as if the sword was deliberately moved in sync with the breath.

But Vio patiently adjusted, shifting his focus away from breathing and movement, and gradually, the stiffness subsided.

His movements were still slow, but they had gained a natural fluidity.

Although the sword was not drawn, the air around him seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, and the dust and fallen leaves on the ground swirled slightly with his extremely slow movement.

Vio couldn't help but be immersed in this subtle harmony.

Breathing is no longer an auxiliary technique separate from swordsmanship, but has become the wind that gathers power.

Time loses its meaning in extreme focus.

The sunlight changed from the slanting rays of dawn to the blazing heat of midday, gradually lengthening his shadow.

Vio's inner shirt was already soaked with sweat, but he was completely unaware of it, his whole mind immersed in the feeling.

It's a bottleneck...

Vio finally opened his eyes slightly; he could clearly feel the existence of the bottleneck.

Clearly, this is the bottleneck he faces in breaking through from beginner to first level.

"What's still missing..." Vio muttered to himself. This was clearly not something that could be overcome simply by accumulating quantity.

When he finally returned to reality from this disoriented state of practice and exhaled a long breath, he realized that it was already dark.

With only a sliver of daylight remaining in the forest, he practiced slowly and deliberately for an entire day without eating or drinking.

Although learning breathing techniques increased his appetite and food intake, it also seemed to be able to suppress his hunger when necessary.

His thirst was more pronounced, so he walked to the rocks, picked up the water bag that had long since cooled, and took a few sips.

"Your Excellency." A blue-crowned knight appeared at the edge of the clearing and bowed respectfully. "Chief Albright of the Cooper Clan has sent someone to invite you. They have prepared a welcome dinner for you and our soldiers, which has already begun."

Vio paused for a moment, then remembered what it was about and nodded: "Okay, I'll be right there."

The dinner was held in the largest open space in the center of the camp, where several bonfires were burning brightly, dispelling the chill of the mountain forest at night.

The aroma of roasted meat mingled with the sweet scent of some wild mountain fruit wine wafted through the air. Cooper tribesmen and warriors from the Southern Border sat together, their customs different, but their smiles were as bright as the food, and the atmosphere of the dinner was already quite lively.

Vio found Gina's spot and sat down next to her. His eyes quickly found Albright sitting in the middle next to the village elder.

Albright noticed Vio's gaze, laughed loudly, raised his heavy wooden goblet, and his voice boomed, drowning out the surrounding noise:

"Our diligent Earl has arrived for the banquet! Come quickly, I've specially reserved the fattest cut of hind leg and the finest wine for you!"

Vio smiled and walked over, sitting down in the empty spot on the other side of Albright.

Immediately, a Cooper girl brought over a wooden platter piled high with roasted meat and a large glass of frothy fruit wine.

The meat is a freshly roasted leg of lamb, with a crispy, caramelized surface and juicy meat when cut open.

Vio was indeed feeling intensely hungry. He no longer held back, cut off a large piece with his dagger and put it in his mouth, then gulped down a large mouthful of wine.

After eating a substantial meal, he could feel the energy he had expended during the day's cultivation rapidly recovering.