Chapter 44: Faith

"So this is the Knight-level Breathing Method!" Robin muttered subconsciously.

He seemed to have opened a door to an entirely new world, feeling unprecedented energy surging within his body.

Then, without any hesitation, he gulped down two doses of Apprentice Breathing Method Secret Medicine in one go, the strong medicinal taste spreading in his mouth; he quickly adjusted his state and closed his eyes to cultivate.

Apprentice-level Secret Medicine is a far cry for him now, yet still much faster than his usual solo cultivation.

That night, Robin immersed himself in the world of cultivation, and time flew by.

The effect of the two Apprentice-level Secret Medicines was astonishing, letting him cultivate straight until dawn.

When he slowly opened his eyes to check his cultivation results, he was delighted to find that the Soil Dragon Breathing Method had added a hundred points of experience in one breath.

This notable boost filled him with confidence about future strength growth.

He gauged his body; despite a night of high-intensity cultivation and having taken the medicine, the impact was minor, his body remained vigorous and he could still work normally.

After completing his daily training, Robin went to the Blacksmith Shop as usual.

He tied on an apron, picked up an iron hammer, and began hammering earnestly.

The forge fire blazed, reflecting his resolute face. He knew in his heart that a great change might be imminent, and he had to forge the two weapons he envisioned before then.

In others' eyes, Robin might have been shaken by Lily's death, and since then he does only three things each day.

Combat skill training, hammering, Breathing Method cultivation.

Tomson also began to follow Eric on missions, but Eric's occasional wandering around Lord Valentin's camp had become routine.

"Father, that stinky Knight is here again!" Tevis said with a furious face, pacing back and forth in the room, his voice full of arrogance and impatience, "He's just a lowly common Knight Apprentice! If I'd known, I would have killed that Knight as well from the start."

Thinking of Eric made his teeth itch with anger; that guy was like a piece of gum he couldn't shake off, lingering nearby every day, driving him increasingly irritable.

Lord Valentin sat in his chair, his brows furrowed into a tight, river-like shape, his face full of frustration; at this point he was at a loss. "What do you know!" he glared at his son, saying irritably,

"The other side is already a Formal Knight, not one of those easily manipulated Knight Apprentices; killing them just costs a few coins and settles it. If we actually did that, it could spark a war between the two lords, and we wouldn't be able to get away with it!"

Lord Valentin knew exactly what was going on; Eric was roaming outside the domain, his intentions not about drinking but clearly waiting for Tevis to appear, looking for a chance to issue a Knight duel.

Thinking of that, he couldn't help but sigh.

Tevis had only just reached the early Knight stage, his strength still unable to crush Eric; if they duelled and that guy went berserk, trading injury for injury, any slip would be unrecoverable.

"How about sending a few capable Knights to drive him away?" Tevis's eyes flicked, proposing an idea.

"You're thinking too simply!" Lord Valentin interrupted before Tevis could finish, "There are other Knights watching Eric; the moment our men appear, they'll be stopped immediately. Moreover, I always feel that Damia Great Knight has been watching this side from the shadows; a slight misstep and the situation will spiral out of control."

Hearing that, Tevis instantly deflated, plopped onto his chair, muttering, "What now? Just let him wander right under our noses?"

Lord Valentin fell silent, also racking his brain over how to solve this thorny trouble.

A Knight hurried into the room, his steps light but his expression tense. He bowed slightly and said cautiously, "Lord, someone has delivered this letter, bearing a family crest."

Hearing that, Lord Valentin's already irritated mood grew more doubtful, and he couldn't help but furrow his brows slightly.

The family crest meant the letter came from within the clan, and there must be a reason behind it.

He reached out to take the letter; its texture made him realize its unusual nature.

Lord Valentin slowly opened the parchment envelope, pulled out the letter, and as his eyes skimmed a few lines, his complexion changed instantly.

He sprang to his feet, his eyes bulging, the muscles on his face twitching with anger, his demeanor terrifyingly grim.

"This… this move was played beautifully, deceiving everyone!" Lord Valentin spat, his voice brimming with uncontainable fury.

The contents of the letter struck like a heavy hammer, pounding his heart and making his already tricky situation even more complicated.

Tevis, startled by his father's reaction, quickly rose and leaned forward, asking, "Father, what's wrong? What does the letter say?"

Lord Valentin didn't answer immediately, but hurled the letter onto the table, pacing back and forth, rapidly contemplating a response.

The news the letter brought might completely alter the current situation, and he must decide quickly; otherwise, the entire clan could fall into an irrecoverable disaster.

At dawn the next day, before the first ray of sunlight fully cleared the morning mist, Lord Valentin rushed to Lord Bloet's residence in a hurry.

"Bloet, something's wrong!" Lord Valentin blurted as soon as he entered, skipping pleasantries and getting straight to the point, "I've received reliable intel that a Wizard is active nearby, and there appear to be two Wizard Apprentices!"

Lord Bloet had still been a bit sleepy from the morning, but upon hearing this, he snapped awake, his expression turning extremely serious: "Wizard? Are you sure?"

"Confirmed! One of them has already reached Third Apprentice Wizard, whose strength rivals a Great Knight." Lord Valentin's voice was low and urgent, "Moreover, with the Wizard's bizarre and unpredictable combat style, without four Great Knights besieging, we simply can't take them down."

Lord Bloet's brows knit into a knot; he fully understood the Wizard's terror.

Those bizarre spells and abilities beyond ordinary imagination can turn the tide in an instant.

If those remnants truly reach Third Apprentice Wizard, his domain will face an unprecedented crisis.

"We must quickly organize a joint force to encircle and eliminate them!" Lord Bloet ordered decisively, "Summon all lords, hold an emergency council, discuss countermeasures. This matter cannot wait; if we let the Wizards grow strong, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Lord Valentin nodded in agreement: "I mean the same. However, gathering enough strength still requires time to coordinate. We must act swiftly, yet cautiously, without alerting the enemy."

The two exchanged glances, each seeing deep worry in the other's eyes.

Only as Lord Valentin turned to leave, his back to Lord Bloet, a slight smile curled his lips, and the coldness in his eyes was hard to conceal.

(End of Chapter)