Regaleon: The Forgotten Knight

"Now, I know that cultivation can be a very tedious process." Aelric said, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "In fact, it can also be incredibly boring. However, I believe that with my help and my presence, you should be able to get through the tediousness, boredom, and monotony that come with it."

A brief pause followed. Then, without warning, Aelric chuckled.

The sound that escaped his throat was low and strangely sharp, resembling the cackle of a jackal as it reverberated through the vast expanse of the cavern.

"Nah. I was just kidding." The words came immediately after his sinister chuckle died down.

"It would be as though you were sleeping. You wouldn’t even possess the conscious awareness or mental faculties necessary to realize that you were cultivating until after the process was complete. Simply put, it would be akin to entering a state of profound unconsciousness."

He gave them a reassuring smile. "So there is absolutely no way it would seem boring or tedious to you."

Hearing that, the group collectively released a sigh of relief. For a moment, their hearts had nearly risen into their throats when Aelric first described the process as tedious.

They had already begun imagining the horrifying scenario; sitting motionless for hours within the Essence Pool, painstakingly manipulating the Aether through their bodies while waiting for the faintest indication of progress, all the while worrying about whether something might go wrong.

Honestly, at this stage, it wasn’t even the manner in which the breakthrough would be accomplished that frightened them.

It was everything that could potentially go wrong; the possibility of failure, especially the possibility of damaging their Aether Veins. But thank Aetherium, Aelric had merely been joking.

Even so, the group couldn’t help but be somewhat astonished by how effortlessly Aelric’s mood could shift.

Only moments ago, he had been speaking with such utter seriousness that he resembled a stern veteran preparing inexperienced soldiers for battle.

And now?

He had casually reverted to his usual lackadaisical and carefree self, as though the gravity of his previous words had never existed.

The transition was so abrupt that it was almost disconcerting.

For several seconds, it was difficult to reconcile the two sides of the same man. Yet before they could even recover from that brief bewildered perplexity, Aelric’s expression changed once more.

This time, the smile disappeared. His emerald eyes became focused and piercing, and the relaxed atmosphere surrounding him vanished as though swept away by an invisible wind.

When he spoke again, his voice carried a firmness that tolerated no room for negligence or complacency.

"Listen up. You are about to cross the boundary into what is known as the true beginning of your cultivation journey. Therefore, I advise you to take your time and not rush. As the elders commonly say, slow and steady wins the race."

Despite how tacky and trite the final proverb might have sounded, there wasn’t even the slightest trace of jest in his voice. Instead, a faint gravity permeated every word.

His emerald eyes swept across the seven Awakeners one after another, lingering briefly on each face as though he were attempting to sear their expressions into his soul.

One hand rested casually upon the hilt of the longsword at his side, while the other moved occasionally as he gesticulated, emphasizing certain points of his explanation.

"The Initial Stage of the Rank One Etheryean Realm is relatively easy to break through, especially considering its proximity to the Awakening Realm."

He paused, allowing those words to settle before he continued. "However, do not mistake that ease for a reason to become careless."

His expression hardened. "As a matter of fact, if you want to ensure that your breakthrough is healthy and stable, you must be extremely cautious about everything you do while using the energy within the Essence Pool to locate your Aether Veins."

The seven Awakeners remained silent, giving him their undivided attention.

They had already decided that they would not rely solely on their theoretical knowledge but instead place their trust in Aelric’s firsthand knowledge and accumulated experience.

Therefore, there was no reason to interrupt him. Their task was simple; listen. And listen they would.

"As I’ve said, it sounds simple." Aelric continued, his gaze narrowing slightly. "But I’m telling you now, and reiterating it so that you understand the importance of what you’re about to do; it must be done with the utmost meticulousness."

The seriousness in his voice deepened with every word. "There is no rush. None whatsoever."

His gaze moved slowly across them.

"You have already passed through the Saturation Process and reached the absolute limit of the Awakening Realm. So take your time and make certain that you do this properly."

He paused. "Also, lest I forget, remember this: to break through into the Initial Stage of the Rank One Etheryean Realm, you must locate every Aether Vein throughout your body. None can be missed."

His eyes sharpened as he added. "And that includes the Primary Aether Veins that awakened alongside your Soul Essence."

Aelric allowed a brief silence to settle over the cavern, the silence lingering just long enough for his words to sink deeply into their minds before he continued.

"In fact, based on my experience, I recommend that you first strengthen your Primary Aether Veins before attempting to locate the dormant ones as doing so will make the entire process considerably easier."

"But why should we bother with the Primary Veins first?" Caelestra suddenly asked.

Her brows were furrowed slightly, her expression carrying a mixture of curiosity and mild skepticism.

"I mean, since we’ve already passed the Saturation Process, shouldn’t locating the Secondary Aether Veins be our priority before anything else?"

Aelric nodded. "You are right about that. But there is a reason I said that you should focus on your Primary Veins first."

Aelric suddenly raised a hand as he elaborated. "You see, think of your Aether Veins as a vast network of streams."

Then his fingers moved through the air as though tracing an invisible map.

"The Primary Veins are the streams you already know exist. You know their locations. You know their paths. You know where they begin and where they lead."

His hand shifted.

"On the other hand, the Secondary Veins are like underground streams whose locations you haven’t yet discovered."

The seven listened intently.

"If you immediately attempt to search for every hidden stream without first reinforcing the ones you already possess, then the energy flowing through your body will become unnecessarily chaotic."

His voice dropped slightly. "And during a breakthrough..." Aelric’s emerald eyes swept across them. "...chaos is the last thing you want."

The final statement immediately caused the atmosphere to become noticeably heavier.

Even Sylveris, who had been standing beside Aelric, looked toward the group with worry and concern in her eyes.

Especially at Aureleah. Her older sister.

However, as though completely oblivious to the foreboding atmosphere that had settled over the cavern, Aelric continued.

"Once your Primary Veins have been strengthened sufficiently, they will naturally become more receptive to the Essence Pool’s energy."

He tapped one finger lightly against his arm.

"Then, instead of forcing your perception outward and blindly searching for the dormant Veins, you can use the strengthened network as a guide."

"So the Primary Veins become a pathway for discovering the dormant ones?" Kaeloris asked, adjusting his cracked spectatcles out of habit.

"Exactly." Aelric replied with a small smile before adding. "However, that is not their only function."

His expression became serious again as he spoke further.

"The Aether within the Pool is simply too potent. Without the resilience of your Primary Veins, the Secondary Veins may not be able to withstand such an influx of energy. They could become severely damaged."

He glanced toward the Essence Pool.

"In simpler terms, if you don’t reinforce your first streams, how do you expect the hidden ones to withstand that much water rushing through them?"

His eyes returned to the group. "If you aren’t careful, they might simply snap."

A brief pause followed his words before he added.

"And if that happens..." His voice became quieter. "...you could suffer an Essence Deviation."

The words fell into the cavern like a stone dropped into a still lake.

The coolness of the Essence Pool hadn’t even been enough to make the seven shiver when they first stepped into it. Yet the moment those two words were spoken, they shuddered almost instinctively.

Essence Deviation; the term alone possessed a weight that transcended its mere meaning.

It was a name spoken with apprehension throughout the cultivation world, a phenomenon that could turn a promising breakthrough into a catastrophe. And precisely because they know about it’s gory effect, none of them wanted to experience it...