The executive wasn't kidding when she said that the Martial Union would link him up with a Martial Artist user of the Hungry Pain technique.

However, he had expected that he would be referred to a Martial Senior.

Instead, he received an invitation from a Martial Master.

Master Vericita Nepomniachtchi, also known as the Breathing Sovereign was a high-grade Martial Master who had lived for four centuries. She was as old as the Kandrian Empire and was born just one century into the Age of Martial Art.

She was easily the oldest Martial Artist human being that Rui would have met by now. This Martial Master had also consumed the Roaring Dragon Blood Potion that Rui had chosen. She would be the Martial Master who would be informing Rui about the experiences of the Roaring Dragon Blood Potion.

Rui raised an eyebrow.

Would an esteemed and elder Martial Master serve as a consultant for something as trivial as the effects of a Roaring Dragon Blood Potion?

Rui didn't think so. 'Well, we'll see. Speaking with Martial Masters is only fruitful, making I can have her spend some time helping me with breathing techniques with the hundred hours that I have purchased.'

The meeting was scheduled for the next day without any delay. He quickly set out the next morning, heading to the town of Vrexin on the other side of the nation. The climate noticeably grew warmer towards the south. The Kandrian Empire was large enough that the climate could entirely change due to the starkly differing distance from the poles.

By the time he reached the town of Vrexin, he was even lightly sweating.

It wasn't long before he found the establishment that he was looking for.

[Breathing Sect]

A large board flashily announced the name of the organization that the walled Martial complex belonged to.

"Figured," Rui heaved a sigh, experiencing deja vu. He figured that that wouldn't be the last time that he would be invited by a Martial Sect personally. The guards quickly let him in where two maids awaited him, bowing to him.

"Senior Quarrier, welcome to the Breathing Sect. Her Mastery awaits you eagerly. Please let us guide you to her."

The Breathing Sect was a lot different from Ranging Sect. The Ranging Sect inherently required space and room to accommodate and make enough space for the many training long-range Martial Artists of the Empire.

The Breathing Sect, on the other hand, did not require that much room inherently. The place was filled with meditating Martial artists and aspiring Martial Artists. Their breathing was gentle yet controlled.

It painted a picture of serenity.

Rui had already noticed the stark lack of sound or noise in the Martial Sect. Even the sounds produced by his footsteps were quite muffled. It appeared that the entire premises were sound-dampened to create an environment that was easier to focus in.

Eventually, he was led into a large luscious garden deep in the sect.

A single elderly woman was seated on the grass, cross-legged with her hands collected in her lap.

Yet it was her breathing that drew his attention.

There was something particularly eye-drawing about it.

It took a moment to realize what it was.

It wasn't so much as the breathing itself so much as what it did to everything around it.

His vision distorted every time she inhaled and exhaled.

Light itself was being warped with every breath she took.

His eyes widened as he felt the very skies respond to her deep breathing, tilting and gently rocking by the sheer weight of her relaxed breathing.

"You've come…" Her soft elderly voice rippled through the air so smoothly that he could have sworn her voice had directly materialized inside his mind. "Child of the Void."

A soft and serene smile slowly bloomed on her face as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Master Vericita," Rui bowed with respect, clasping his palm on his fist.

"You may dispense with formality if you so please, young man," She informed him, smiling softly. "Come. Sit before me."

She turned to the maids that remained bowed behind him. "Prepare some tea for our guest."

"Yes, Your Master,"

She turned to Rui with a soft smile, meeting his gaze. "I've been waiting a long time to meet you for a long time, my child. I am pleased that our paths have finally crossed. It seems that you have understood the importance of breathing well."

"I have, Master," Rui replied politely. "Much of my Martial Art relies on breathing techniques."

"Such is the case for nearly every other Martial Artist," She remarked. "Breathing is not just fundamental to Martial Art, it is fundamental to an exertion of self, Martial or otherwise. It is fundamental to life itself. Life breathes, one way or another, it needs to. What do you think, Rui Quarrier?"

"I am inclined to agree, Master," Rui earnestly replied. "Breathing is extremely fundamental to Martial Art."

"Mmmm…" She nodded, smiling with appreciation. "And yet despite that, not nearly as many are as understanding of this truth as you are. Despite being so fundamental to Martial Art, it is denied its true status as an official fundamental field of Martial Art. Tell me, Rui Quarrier. What do you make of that?"

That was an abrupt segway. A more refined conversationalist or wordsmith would have found a smoother manner to channel the conversation in the direction they wanted. But such a direct approach did not leave any room to avoid the topic This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

Rui considered her words with a steady expression. While her voice was soft,her words were not lacking in controversy.

There were three officially recognized fundamental domains of Martial Art and combat as recognized by the Martial Union and the Panamic Martial Federation.

Offense, defense, and maneuvering. A battle could not be won without some form of offense. A battle couldn't be lost without some basic form of defense. A battle could not move forward if the combatants didn't.

With these rationales, offense, defense, and maneuvering were crowned as the holy trinity of combat, the three fundamental domains or fields of combat.

Not even two minutes had passed since they began conversing but this deceptively-soft and gentle granny had already brought up a controversial topic. Her words indicated that she firmly believed that breathing was as fundamental to combat as offense, defense, and maneuvering, and deserved to be crowned alongside them as a foundational field of combat.

But what did this have to do with Rui?