Ch. 13 - Second Body Tempering & Rhythm

Just then, he noticed Arnor watching him with a peculiar look.

"You've changed quite a bit," Arnor said. "The old you would never have been this serious."

Robb smiled. "Probably because I can finally see some hope."

It was true. In just a few short days, he'd acquired the Potion Apprentice class, learned the Solar Breath, and landed a remarkably well-paying job at the herb shop.

But most importantly, he was beginning to truly understand the rules by which this world operated.

Robb retrieved the bottle of Scorching Essence Oil from his drawer. The pale golden liquid glinted faintly in the sunlight.

With the experience from his first session, he could now perceive the energy contained within the oil far more clearly.

"Tell me..." Arnor took the bottle and examined it closely. "Why would Lord Hadrian take such an interest in you? Just because of one well-preserved stalk of stargrass?"

Robb shook his head. "I think it's more than that. My guess is it's because of the rhythm."

"Rhythm?"

"Like what the Solar Breath describes, every type of power has its own specific cadence."

Robb explained. "While sorting ingredients today, I noticed many of them carried a distinctive kind of fluctuation."

Arnor tapped his forehead. "That reminds me of something. My grandfather once said that a true mage must not only command power, but understand its very nature."

"Take this Scorching Essence Oil, for example." He swirled the potion in his hand. "On the surface, it's for body tempering. But it actually contains the rhythm of the sun."

Something clicked in Robb's mind. No wonder he'd seen that golden sun during his first body-tempering session.

Perhaps it hadn't been a mere hallucination, perhaps, through the breathing technique, he'd perceived the energy signature embedded in the oil.

"It's about time." Arnor glanced at the sun through the window. "Where should we practice this time?"

"The old testing ground again," Robb said, gathering his things. "The runes there can mask our presence, and besides..."

Before he could finish, a muffled thud came from next door, followed by Dagon's exasperated voice, "Damn it! Failed again!"

The two exchanged a look, sharing a resigned smile.

Their neighbor, consumed by his research into sonic magic, was nearly as disruptive as the spells he studied, producing some kind of commotion almost every day.

...

They made their way along the slightly chilly morning path. The abandoned testing ground lay eerily quiet under the sunlight.

The rune-carved stone pillars cast dappled shadows, and the blue-gray stains on the ground flickered in and out of visibility under the daylight.

No wonder the mages had chosen this site for experiments, the area was extraordinarily sensitive to energy. Any supernatural force would leave traces on the ground.

Robb noticed the blue-gray coloring seemed fainter than the day before.

"Strange..." he murmured.

Through the keen perception gained from his class change, he realized these colors were actually residual energy. They gradually faded whenever exposed to sunlight.

"We're here." Arnor's voice broke his train of thought. "You can start getting ready."

Robb pulled out the supplies from his bag while scanning their surroundings warily. "Why do you think the mages abandoned this testing ground?"

Something about this place had always struck him as odd. In the resource-scarce Black Mist Forest, a site equipped with barrier runes shouldn't have simply been discarded.

"You'd have to ask those runes."

Arnor pointed to the mottled markings on the stone pillars. "Supposedly, one of the Morning Star Mages had an experiment go wrong here, contaminating the runes. They've been gradually losing their original function ever since."

"Anyway, enough chitchat. None of this has anything to do with a couple of nobodies who aren't even proper apprentices yet."

The golden-haired youth seemed disinclined to discuss the topic further. He briskly produced the Scorching Essence Oil. "I should warn you, the second body tempering might feel quite different from the first."

"How so?"

"Remember the sensation from yesterday?" Arnor began flipping through his notes. "When the oil seeps in, there's a distinctive rhythm."

Robb nodded. He would never forget that experience, searing energy coursing through his meridians, every pulse like the heartbeat of the sun.

"This time..." Arnor's voice turned grave. "You need to actively guide that energy. Think of it like..."

He seemed to search for the right analogy.

"Like dancing. The first time, someone else was leading. This time, you have to learn to follow the music and control the rhythm yourself. And after this session, you won't need anyone's help for future body tempering."

Something dawned on Robb. He thought back to that morning at the herb shop, those ingredients had all possessed unique rhythms too. The key was in perceiving and harnessing that quality.

"I understand." He pulled off his shirt and sat cross-legged on the stone platform. "Let's begin."

[Scorching Essence Oil detected. Begin second body tempering?]

[Notice: This session will affect partial attribute growth for combat class, Knight Squire]

After the first body tempering, he could already clearly perceive the pathways of the meridians within his body.

"I won't be walking you through every step this time." Arnor said as he prepared the Scorching Essence Oil. "You need to actively guide the energy flow yourself."

Robb nodded, closed his eyes, and began adjusting his breathing.

[Begin second body tempering?]

Confirm.

When the first drop of Scorching Essence Oil landed on his back, the familiar burning sensation returned.

But this time, Robb didn't passively endure it. Instead, he actively synchronized with the cadence of the Solar Breath.

Inhale, seven beats. Energy surged inward with his breath.

Hold, three beats. He attuned himself to the scorching rhythm embedded in the oil.

Exhale, five beats. He guided the energy along his meridians.

"Good," Arnor's voice came from a distance. "Now enter the second layer of breathing."

Robb deepened his rhythm. This time, he could clearly perceive the trajectory of every strand of energy, like manipulating countless tiny streams of fire, directing them along specific pathways.

[Second body tempering]

[Progress: 35%]

[Potion Apprentice class synergy active]

[Meridian restructuring efficiency slightly increased]

[Energy absorption rate slightly increased]

As his breathing deepened, Robb gradually entered a wondrous state.

Unlike the passive endurance of his first session, he could now clearly sense the patterns governing the energy's flow.

Those searing currents were like invisible brushes, tracing the contours of his meridians under his guidance.

"Focus on the second layer of breathing." Arnor's slightly anxious voice drifted over from nearby.

"Inhale for nine beats, hold for five, exhale for seven. Remember, you're the one setting the rhythm."

Robb adjusted his breathing frequency as instructed. With the shift in tempo, he felt the energy within begin flowing in a new pattern.

Each breath was a musical note, and the meridians were the instruments of the performance.

When the rhythm aligned perfectly, the energy flow became exceptionally smooth.

[Second body tempering progress: 67%]

[Meridian rhythm resonance detected]

[Bonus effect: Energy flow efficiency slightly increased]

"I think I'm getting the hang of this..." Robb mused silently.

The patterns governing this energy flow bore a striking resemblance to the "rhythm" he'd observed in the herb shop that morning.

Just then, a far more intense wave of heat suddenly surged into his body.

It was the final application of Scorching Essence Oil, considerably hotter than what came before.

"This is the critical moment." Arnor's voice turned stern. "Remember, don't resist the energy. Guide it..."

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