“We get this entire area to ourselves?” Solara looked around, surprised by the size of the area. “How lucky.”

“The Blazing District that we had our class in was also very large. The smoke just made it hard to see,” I said. That wasn’t the case here. It was a dense forest, filled with the calls of bugs and birds, the smell of a recent rain, and there was a lake visible through the trees. The reflective surface was still under the sunlight.

Lilian’s nose twitched. “Hey! I recognize that smell,” she said, her head snapping to look at him. “Frogmen. I hunted them back in the forest I grew up in. They’re not too strong, but still decent enough for a warm-up.” She paused, and her eyes narrowed toward the tree line. “Speaking of which… I think I just saw one.”

Frogmen, huh? They can be quite dangerous if they’re at a similar level as the hunter, I recalled. We moved forward, the faint rustling of leaves a sign of movement nearby. Without a word, I raised my single hand, signaling the girls to stay back as I advanced.

My Demonic Sphere had already found them, but it wasn’t long before the glistening eyes of a frog-like creature appeared right before me. The dark, slick-skinned creature blended into the shadows of the undergrowth.

[Level 26]

“Ribbit!” It screeched at me, and I moved quickly, darting forward with a precision that startled it, my grip tightening around my hilt. My sword swung free, the silver gleam of the blade blinding as it sliced clean through before it could leap away. Blood splashed.

The creature fell with a wet thud, and I ignored the system notification to turn to see another one emerge. Its throat swelled as it prepared to strike.

[Level 29]

“Ribbit!” This one wasn’t quite as slow. It lurched forward, its mouth stretching open wide, a spray of venom aimed right at me. I sidestepped, my blade finding its mark as I plunged it into the creature’s side. The frog shuddered before collapsing, its body crumpling to the forest floor.

[You’ve defeated a Level 26 Frogman.]

[You’ve earned experience points.]

[You’ve defeated a Level 29 Frogman.]

[You’ve earned experience points.]

“Too easy?” Solara asked, her eyes following the fall of the second creature.

“Too easy,” I agreed, brushing some dirt from my sleeve as I sheathed my blade. “But it’s enough for what we need. We aren’t here to give ourselves a hard time. Prepare to fight.”

We pressed on, this time with Solara and Lilian joining the fray. As we moved deeper into the forest, we dispatched several more of the creatures. The kills brought a faint thrill, and the buildup of energy within me grew with each defeated monster.

The experience points also grew. I’d leveled up quite a bit after killing that Dark Elf, and from the looks of it, I might level up again. The fight that followed wasn’t anything extraordinary, but it was relentless. Frogmen emerged in clusters, their croaks echoing through the forest as they leaped from the undergrowth or the shallow waters near the lake. Some tried to ambush us, their tongues snapping out like whips, while others launched sprays of venom with surprising precision.

Solara met them head-on, her fiery energy scorching through their defenses as she sliced them apart with swift, calculated strikes. Her wings blocked many of the venom sprays, even those shot toward me.

Lilian darted between them with gleeful ferocity, her claws shimmering with moonlight energy and raking through slick flesh as she dodged and weaved with almost playful precision. She seemed to enjoy how fast and flexible she was compared to the Frogmen, who specialized in those exact two things.

I focused on efficiency, cutting through each Frogman with minimal effort, my blade severing through their weak points with ease. It was difficult to maneuver with just my left hand, but I pushed myself to learn it rather than using the Starlight Sword Qi. That’d be overkill.

The Frogmen were honestly annoying. Their green skins blended with the forest too well, and their long, weird legs allowed them to leap unpredictably. Some of them used the lake's reflection to confuse us. They weren’t hard to kill, but they were still quite annoying.

By the time the last Frogman fell, the ground was littered with their twitching corpses, their greenish-red blood soaking into the soil. The atmosphere was heavy with the metallic smell of death and the faint, acrid scent of venom.

[You’ve earned experience points.]

[You’ve leveled up.]

[You’ve reached Level 43!]

“Good work, girls.” When we were finished, all of us covered in blood, I turned to the girls. They must have leveled up, at least Solara, since she looked pleased. Lilian also looked pleased, but I couldn’t be sure if it was for a level-up or if she was just happy at the bloodshed.

Now they were watching me with anticipation. “This is why I didn’t bring Nebula,” I said, gesturing to the array of lifeless forms strewn around us. “We’re going to do stuff with all the energy here.”

“What do you mean?” Lilian asked, her tone half-curious as she glanced around.

“Because what I’m about to show you goes beyond the academy’s normal practice,” I replied, my voice dropping to a low murmur. “This is Cultivation in its truest form. The absorption of raw energy… a technique they don’t teach here.”

Their eyes widened slightly as I sank to the ground, crossing my legs as I centered myself amidst the fallen creatures. My Demonic Qi stirred within me, a dark current waiting to be unleashed. I closed my eyes, drawing in a deep breath as I let the power rise, pulling the ambient energy toward me.

A faint, almost imperceptible vibration filled the air, a thrumming pulse as the energy began to flow, seeping from the forest itself, from the lifeless bodies around me.

“Blood Mana isn’t Demonic Mana, but it’s close enough,” I said, taking in their gazes. “At the same time, it goes well with Life Mana. So that’ll do well for Solara. However, the Poison Mana in the air is going to be an issue for you two, so I’ll absorb it totally.”

“Will you be fine?” Lilian asked, making me nod.

“Yes. It’s not really Demonic Mana, but it won’t harm me if I just break it down. Then I can absorb it easily. Since there will not be any poison in the air after I’m done, when it’s your turn, Solara can just copy me to the T. Lilian, I’ll instruct you on the specific parts since this doesn’t go perfectly with your Lunar Mana,” I said and let out a breath, closing my eyes. I tried to focus sharply.

“Good luck…” Solara said in an unsure way, making me hold back a smile. She’d be doing the same soon; there was no point in worrying.

The essence of the fallen creatures began to draw inward, swirling around me in a dark haze. I could feel the girls watching, their expressions a mix of awe and apprehension. I could understand that. Being able to increase one’s energy pool actively was an insane feat. To them, this was unlike anything they’d witnessed at the academy or even in their life—a raw, primal power that transcended spells and mana manipulation.

The energy in the atmosphere wasn’t exactly Mana/Qi. It was ambient energy. It wasn’t very suitable for the human body to take directly. That was the case in both worlds, this and Murim. After all, right now, there was Poison and Blood in the atmosphere’s energy, which would be deadly for anyone who didn’t know what they were doing. That was why special breathing techniques were required, they were made specially to help negate that, and there were also different gradings for the said techniques.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

I couldn’t be sure why the people of this world hadn’t figured out Cultivation yet, but whatever the case, it wasn’t because breathing techniques didn’t work. It clearly did, given how I breathed right now.

This could be revolutionary for this world, and I planned to monopolize all of it.

Mine was a Heaven Grade technique, naturally, as it belonged to the Heavenly Demon. It made the process very smooth and fast. In a matter of seconds, the Blood Energy in the air slipped into my body through my nostrils, my mouth, my pores, and my entire body. The Poison Energy came flying next, and when it entered my body, I had to focus my willpower on it to crush it into smaller parts, separating it into its core affinities.

Both of the energies settled and mixed with the Demonic Qi into my core, the sensation sharp and almost electrifying as it merged with my own essence. It’d take a while for the process to be completed, for my energy to rise to a new peak, strengthened by the absorbed life force around me.

****

The Demonic Core in my chest was still new, a fledgling structure compared to the one in my abdomen, the one I was calling Pure Core now. Although it’d be more accurate to call it Star Core, but there was a reason. The Demonic Core was one-third of the Pure Core’s size. It was roughly 35%, and size was an important factor here.

This core was designed to handle Demonic Qi, and my techniques were strongest when they used that Qi. If I wanted to rely on it more, I had to make it larger. When it’d be the same size as the Pure Core, I’d practically have the power of two Peak Class individuals on top of a 4th Ascension’s powers.

Drawing a slow breath, I focused inward. The blood and poison energy I just absorbed swirled like a whirlpool, a dark storm in miniature. I directed it toward the edges of the Demonic Core, the energy grinding against its boundary like a whetstone against steel. My breathing felt suffocating. Each rotation pushed the limits outward, deepening the core bit by bit. It was slow, painstaking work, but I could feel the results taking shape as the core expanded and grew more stable.

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours, or maybe it was hours, but my focus never wavered. By the time I opened my eyes, my Demonic Core had swelled to roughly 40% of the Pure Core’s size. It wasn’t a monumental difference, especially given we killed so many monsters for it, but it was progress.

“Phew,” I exhaled, feeling the strengthened pulse of energy coursing through me before glancing at the girls. “I’m done. Sorry for making you wait.”

Both Solara and Lilian were watching me with an intensity that bordered on reverence. They didn’t say anything, but their expectant gazes spoke volumes. They blinked rapidly, pulling themselves from their gaze, and nodded.

“It’s alright. So it is our turn now?” Solara asked.

“Yep. Sit,” I instructed, gesturing for them to cross their legs. They exchanged a glance before nodding, lowering themselves to the ground.

Once they were settled, I continued, “The breathing technique I taught you before was simple. It’s more accurate to call it a ‘Circulation Method.’ You weren’t absorbing energy, just cycling what you already had. Now…” I reached into my Soul Storage, drawing out two pages inscribed with precise diagrams and instructions.

“What’s that?” Lilian asked.

“A true Breathing Method. Made specifically to suit your affinities. With it, you’ll be able to draw energy directly from the atmosphere. Be sure to memorize these,” I said, handing the pages to them, “and then I’ll destroy them.”

It’d be bad if these techniques were to be spread, after all. The girls understood that as they took the papers, their gazes scanning the text with silent focus. The minutes ticked by as they absorbed the knowledge, their eyes flicking back and forth between the pages and occasionally glancing up at me for reassurance.

I could see their surprise and reverence as they read the text. I heard Solara whisper, “How Godly…” as her eyes trembled at the text and additional drawings to help visualize. It was understandable why she was so awed.

Something like this could be sold in an auction for an Empire’s world, no, even more. But I never plan to sell. This was the secret of my cult, the prime ingredient needed for our ultimate success. We’d have double or more strength at our ranks, and that was just the basics of it. We could learn martial arts through this, allowing us to break past our Ascension Rank’s limits and transcend to greatness. The girls seemed to understand that.

Finally, they handed the papers back. “Great,” I said and held the papers in my left hand. I closed my eyes and focused. My ‘Pure Core’ shifted from Star Affinity to Destruction Affinity. This was why I didn’t call it Star Core since I could just switch easily. I flowed Destruction Qi into my palm, and it spread to the papers. They cracked, starting to incinerate, dissolving into ash. The ashes scattered in the breeze, leaving no trace.

I smiled, but before I could speak again, Solara hesitated, her gaze flicking toward me. “Iskandaar…” she began. Her tone was uncertain, but her expression was determined.

“Yes?”

“I think it’s better if we swear an [Oath of Silence] about this,” she said firmly. “This is too important to risk leaking.”

The words caught me off guard. “An Oath?” I repeated, my brows furrowing. Oaths in this world weren’t mere promises. They were binding contracts enforced by the System, and breaking one could have dire consequences. Especially because the technique I just let them read was Grandmaster Grade, which is far from the Heaven Grade that was few in Murim. “There’s no need for that. I trust you both—”

“It’s not about trust!” Solara’s voice rose, her usual composure breaking for a moment. “I… I’m grateful that you trust me this much, but what if I’m threatened? Or put under mind control? Truth Spells?”

“Oh.” I immediately saw her point now. In such scenarios, if she had made an oath instead, she would not be unable to speak or do anything to leak it.

And if somehow they force her to leak stuff anyway? She’d end up dying before she could reveal anything useful. That was the reason why I didn’t suggest taking an oath from the get-go, but at the same time, that was unlikely. After all, someone interested in learning the secrets of Cultivation through her would definitely want her alive, so they’d never force her so far that she’d die. It made sense.

Honestly, I should have thought this myself.

I was always careful, but I truly did trust the two of them. From what I’d known of Solara from the game and more from the real-life days we’d spent together, I knew I could trust her. I benefited her more by living than otherwise. As for Lilian? Well, that wasn’t even a question. If not by her own choice, she’d continue serving me due to the Mark that her grandmother left on my face.

Her hands clenched into fists as she looked at me, her expression resolute. “I don’t ever want to bring harm to you, Iskandaar. Intentionally or otherwise. You still have a promise to fulfill, remember? You’ll help me revive the Fenixia House, and I need you for that. So please… let me take an oath of silence. Even if Lilian doesn’t, I’ll do it.”

“Nah, I’m doing it too,” Lilian said without hesitation, her sharp eyes fixed on me. She didn’t mind, that was one thing, but I also noticed a light of approval in her gaze. She liked Solara, and she must have risen a few rankings through her words just now.

I paused, weighing their resolve, before nodding. I was glad they were the first members of my cult, for they cared about my cause without even knowing it fully. “Alright. If that’s what you want.”

Both girls exchanged a glance before clasping their hands together, bowing their heads as they began to chant. The words were strange, a blend of the ancient tongue and the common language, their voices resonating with a power that filled the air.

By the time they finished, two notifications blinked into my vision.

System Alert:

* Solara Fenixia has sworn an oath of silence regarding the Breathing Method provided by Iskandaar Romani. Breach of this oath will result in severe penalties, including death.

* Lilian Lunewolf has sworn an oath of silence regarding the Breathing Method provided by Iskandaar Romani. Breach of this oath will result in severe penalties, including death.

I smiled faintly. “Thank you. Now, let’s get to work.”

They both nodded, Solara beaming happily. I laughed as they crossed their legs again and prepared to begin. Then I remembered something, blinking.

“Ah, wait for a bit,” I turned to Lilian, stepping behind her and placing my single left hand lightly on her shoulders. “Take off your dress for a bit,” I said. “I need to guide you directly since there’s Blood Mana in the way. Direct touch is necessary for guiding.”

Solara stared at us instead of beginning by herself. Lilian hesitated for only a moment before sliding her top down, revealing her back. I closed my eyes, focusing as I pressed my palms against her skin. “Start,” I instructed.

Lilian inhaled deeply, following the breathing pattern she’d memorized. I guided her energy flow, helping her break down the Blood Energy in the atmosphere and redirect it into her core. The process was smooth until she paused, her voice cutting through the quiet. “By the way, I don’t mind the blood,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. She pointed at her eyes. “Lunewolves are children of the Blood Moon. It doesn’t bother us like it would normal werewolves or demiwolves.”

“...You couldn’t have mentioned that earlier?” I asked, exasperated.

She shrugged, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “Thought you’d figure it out.”

I sighed, pulling my hand back. I covered my face for a bit, holding back a curse. Shaking my head, I looked back at her. “...Then you can manage it on your own. Solara, you too. Follow what you memorized.”

Both girls nodded, closing their eyes as they began to cultivate. The faint hum of energy filled the air as the scene faded into quiet focus.