In a dungeon beneath a luxurious mansion owned by a powerful lord, there was a dark, dirty, and filthy cell. The sound of chewing could be heard in the cell.

Tristan grabbed the last leg of that disgusting creature and placed it in his mouth.

"Hunger really is the best seasoning."

He looked around his cell, searching everywhere for something even remotely edible. He sighed in sadness when his search failed.

Still hungry, he decided to hold onto the only thing he had besides his miserable life: the divine artifact he had acquired, The Tales of the Creation of Heaven and Earth.

Initially disappointed, he decided to use the energy he had just received from his last meal, which could keep him alive for a few more days, to further explore this strange artifact. After all, it was the only thing he could do besides dying.

But he had a plan for how he could use this artifact.

Like any noble child, he had learned the basics of magic, but that knowledge wasn't very deep, as he had never attended an academy due to his young age before being abandoned in the dungeon.

Now he had the opportunity to learn more about this world.

'Elements of Nature'

'The Principle of Cultivation'

'The Path of the Awakened'

'The Principle of Light and Darkness'

'The Beginning of the Journey of the Jade Sword Emperor'

'The Beginning of the Journey of the Silent Blade'

'The Beginning of the Journey of the Supreme Lord of the Jungles'

'The Foundation of the Flying Sword Sect'

These were some of Tristan's thoughts as he began his research. The journeys of famous people and sects in popular tales often contained real knowledge and teachings. He cross-referenced several versions, assuming that the information that appeared most frequently was the most reliable.

After two days of research, with the energy he had gained from the centipede running out, he decided to review what he had learned.

Studying tales was complicated; they weren't as informative as an educational book.

"The most important thing I learned was about breathing techniques and elemental affinities."

"Each breathing technique is related to an element, and once someone advances far enough in cultivation, their vital energy pathways mold themselves according to that element. After some time, these pathways become permanent, making it risky to use techniques of other elements."

This was very important knowledge; Tristan's father's family primarily used Fire breathing techniques. Tristan himself had used these techniques before his cultivation was blocked.

"Additionally, cultivation techniques permanently modify the bodies of cultivators."

The difference between a simple breathing technique and a cultivation technique is that a cultivation technique would change someone's mind by altering their mentality and perception of the world. If that person were talented enough, they would be able to feel elemental energy in their vital energy and the essence of the world and then control it later.

So, essentially, the purpose of a breathing technique is to create a connection with elemental energy.

As for cultivation techniques, they are breathing techniques that, in addition to creating a connection with an element, also allow the body and core to be nurtured.

After long contemplation, Tristan thought to himself, "Is it possible to learn some of these breathing techniques from the tales?"

A cultivation technique wouldn't work for him, but a breathing technique might be possible.

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"That would be very complicated to do. The tales didn't contain detailed explanations for learning these techniques; most spoke in poetic and philosophical terms. I would have to interpret the meaning of these things and try to figure out what they mean."

"I might be smarter than the average person, but I've never been a great self-learner."

Tristan thought about his chances of success using his current ability.

"It should work; it’s not like I’m reinventing the wheel. I just need to modify my Fire breathing technique with my new knowledge."

A new thought crossed his mind.

"What element should I try to learn?"

Tristan reflected on this matter.

"I've already used my family's Fire breathing technique, and my vital energy pathways should be somewhat accustomed to it. The problem is that my cultivation has been blocked; the Fire element is useless to me in my current situation."

"My only hope would be to learn the Light breathing technique and try to use its healing abilities."

He was beginning to organize his thoughts, creating a direction for his future in his mind.

"If I disregard the risk of dying from energy deviation, could this work? My father sought out several powerful healers available in this city, but none were able to resolve my situation."

"It's true that, unlike them, I have an advantage, which is my knowledge. Maybe my knowledge of biology and physics will help me understand something they couldn't, or maybe my problem is entirely magical, and I will have just wasted my time and risked my life."

He shook his head, and a glint of determination appeared in his eyes.

"Well, there’s not much to think about; my other options are death or continuing this miserable existence, which would be much worse."

"Besides, learning Light breathing had another advantage. Unlike the other elements, Light and Darkness were like Yin and Yang, two opposing elements that complement each other, one not existing without the other. Because of this, unlike other breathing techniques, Light and Darkness breathing techniques could be used together, or rather, they were like one and the same."

Although this might not make him as strong as a Fire or Metal cultivator, it would make him a very versatile fighter.

Wasting no more time thinking, Tristan dove back into the fragment of the book and searched for the principles of Light and Darkness.

After searching for a while and reading several golden pages, he gathered the information that appeared most frequently. He compiled everything he understood and created three mantras that would serve as the foundation for his meditation.

Meditation would be useful to help shift his mental state.

(The principle of Light and Darkness. When viewed individually, it is possible to imagine that they are separate and distinct things. But, in truth, they represent duality, two opposing forces that complement each other. This duality is present in all things of Creation.)

(There is a bit of Light in Darkness and a bit of Darkness in Light. To understand the truth about the duality of the world, one must first look within oneself and understand their own duality.)

(We are our own worst enemies, and we are also what prevents us from reaching the heavens. For those who wish to transcend on the path of ascension, it is necessary to find the Light and Darkness that represent their existence and find the perfect balance between them.)

After a long period of meditation, Tristan used what he had learned from his family's Fire breathing technique and tried to modify it, adjusting it with the knowledge from the meditation he had developed from his three mantras. Slowly, he managed to create a primitive Light and Darkness breathing technique.

"It’s time to test this."

Although the principle of how a breathing technique works is simple: you need to enter a specific mental state that will allow you to feel an element in its essence.

In practice, very few people are talented enough to learn how to enter this mental state and change their essence.

The talent to sense an element was determined by the combination of mind and body, with the mind representing understanding and willpower, and the body representing lineage.

Tristan sat in the Burmese position, with his feet on top of his thighs, closed his eyes, and began to use the breathing technique he had just created. He tried to find the Light and Darkness within himself and then attempted to make it resonate with the Light and Darkness contained in the world's vital essence.

At first, nothing happened, but then, suddenly, he managed to sense the world's duality that represented Light and Darkness. He allowed this energy to enter and circulate through his body. The energy flowed through his vital energy pathways and moved toward his core. The world's energy entered his core, acquiring his own energy signature, and then left his core, returning to his energy pathways.

And so it continued in cycles. The world's energy entered his energy veins toward his core, became part of it, and returned to his energy veins, circulating throughout his body.

Suddenly, it felt as though his body was being torn apart.

Blood gushed from his nose and eyes, and then he fell to the ground, writhing in agony.