Way of the Knights

Chapter 12 - Breakthrough!

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Another week passed, and the triplets have been incredibly busy with their training.

The sheer density of how they train is immense. After eating their breakfast, they will immediately hit the Air Projectile Chambers. After doing this for about four hours, they will take a break and recover their lost energies.

After lunch, they will then switch to the Automated Training Dummies and constantly spar with it until the sun was down. Their stamina was squeezed until the very last drop that they can't even move a muscle afterwards and have to rely on Raven to drag them inside the house. He will then throw them in a basin that has medicinal liquid. They will wake up minutes after, energized but still mentally exhausted.

They will cultivate and absorb the medicinal liquids on their bodies, they will use it to cure their bruises and battered skin. After eating dinner, they will pass out and sleep deeply.

As for Raven, he stayed at the Air Projectile Chamber longer than they do. He was enduring the blows of a Level 3 setting, which allowed the chamber to produce air projectiles ina quicker speed and launch at a faster manner as well. That's approximately 9 attacks in one breath that he has to endure.

Unlike Paul and Mark, who either dodged or block the attacks. He endured it while holding a stance, then only premise is that he will only attack the projectile that is thrown in front of him. As for those that was aimed on his back or his sides, he allowed them to land on his body and endure it.

Raven could dodge everything that was thrown to him if he wanted to, not even a Level 4 setting could stop him. But he chose to endure it and allow these blows to forge his body.

As a result of this suicidal training, even though his cultivation didn't have any breakthrough, his defence were being upgraded constantly. It won't be noticeable at first glance but in battle between the same realm, he is an absolute terror.

***

Inside their stone house, the triplets are currently soaking in a medicinal bath. Paul and Mark had their eyes closed and currently doing their best to absorb every bit of the healing properties on the water.

To them, this might be their most favorite time of the day. Each time they soak their bodies in the medicinal bath, they could feel every single fiber in their body screaming in joy as they greedily suck the efficacy on the water.

The feeling was so blissful that they can't fully express it in words. If Raven could read their thoughts he would just smile.

The medicinal bath that he prepared is a special one. It wasn't composed of expensive herbs and flowers, it's just one of the long lost medicines that is recorded in Sacred Alchemy Records, an extremely popular book during the Sacred Leaf Era.

The Sacred Alchemy Records was treated like a heavenly scripture by the people of Sacred Leaf Era since this was a time when Alchemy was extremely popular and the most noble profession. Everything that's recorded in this book were said to extremely miraculous. Take this medicinal liquid for example.

Raven made this using simple and cheap herbs, flowers, and fruit essences. It's name is Body Restoration Liquid. If he brought all of the ingredients to make this in the market, at most he would only spend 7 gold coins, which is extremely affordable for anyone.

It's effects was best shown after a heavy duty or a intense training. The more battered one's body, the more effective it gets. The version that he was using to them is the lowest grade, F-rank Body Restoration Liquid, which is enough for anyone within Skin-Toughening to Muscle Training Realm cultivators.

If he decided to splurge money, then he could also create an A-Rank Body Restoration Liquid which could even be effective to those at the Soldier Realm.

While Paul and Mark was concentrating on absorbing the essences, Raven was just chilling while whistling to a tune. Even without his permission, the Demon Chapter of the [Prime Emperor's Scripture] is circulating on it's own and devouring the medicinal efficacy like a maniac. He also didn't need to focus on circulating it since the Demon Chapter does it for him anyway. So times like this are like a relaxation time for him.

In the middle of his relaxation, he felt something that made his eye twitch. His eyes abruptly changed and a golden ring surfaced around his pupils. He gazed at his brothers and smiled.

"Saturate the first layer of your skin and focus the rest on the second layer!" He manipulate his voice to not be too loud nor quiet.

Paul and Mark heard his words and made their decision. Suddenly, the atmosphere inside the bathroom changed. Qi strings suddenly appeared and was gravitating towards their bodies, upon contacting with their skin the Qi will be sucked and forced into the Second Layer of their skin and become nourishments.

This bout of fierce Qi absorption lasted for a good amount of time before another change abruptly happened.

Paul and Mark's body shook and after a while, a layer of black and disgusting dirt surfaced out of their skin. This discharge happened for a solid minute before stopping. Their eyes opened and emitted a faint light.

"Congratulations on your breakthroughs. You might wanna clean up first though." Raven chuckled as he stepped outside of the bathroom while pinching his nose.

Paul and Mark was in a gleeful mood that they didn't even cared how smelly they were, they gladly cleaned themselves up as well as cleaning and airing out the bathroom as well. When they got out, both of them were smiling and silently feeling the increase of strength in their bodies.

Along with the discharge of the impurities on their skin, their complexions turned a little bit better. Paul was already a looker to begin with. Now, the brown shade of his hair went up a notch and became glossier and softer, the outlines of his prominent jaw became sharper and his skin hugged the muscles on his body closer.

As for Mark, his skin tone went up by a notch. He wasn't as built as Paul but his body was more defined and sculpted, his hair even grew a bit longer and started to reach the end of his nape. With these changes, his aura became more refined and manly.

"Ah. . .the feeling of breakthroughs, so addicting." Paul sighed in wonder.

Mark didn't say anything but he was grinning from ear to ear. Both of them can't even fathom just how their life had changed in just two weeks with Raven. Before the school year started, they weren't even close to breaking through, two weeks later they are now officially standing at the Late-stage of Skin Toughening Realm. What kind of concept was that?

Many would think that they broke through quickly and their foundations aren't solid enough. To that Raven would be the first one to say no.

In truth, Raven never allowed them to actively absorb Qi during this two weeks and the only thing that they are allowed to absorb was the medicinal efficacy on their baths, which means that was a natural breakthrough and their foundations are as solid as it could get. If they really are on a rush, then they don't need two weeks to step into this realm, they could've done it in just a week.

"Must be nice." Raven snickered and looked at them while smiling.

"If you're planning to riling us up to fight you then sorry, not working." Paul grinned as he jokingly said. Raven's eyes widened as he wore a 'how could you' expression.

"Seriously though, all of this was because of you." Mark said sincerely, Paul nodded and smiled as well.

"Our next target is the Peak-stage of Skin Toughening. To achieve that, you must let the Qi naturally overflow to the third layer of your skin. And since you guys just broke through, you could raise the tempo of your trainings as well. I'm gonna upgrade the training dummies for you tomorrow so that you could thoroughly master the Foundational Skills." Raven explained.

"Alright, we'll do that. But how about you? Why haven't you had you break through yet?" Paul asked while frowning, Mark was also confused since technically, Raven should be cultivating much faster than they are.

"Oh my, in a rush are we? It seems that you guys forgot how long has it been before you broke through the mid-stage." Raven teased as he saw both of them blush. That's right, they were too elated to remember that it took them a whole year of ceaseless training with no luck.

"I'm just messing with you." Raven laughed and explained, "Well, my technique is a bit different. It is divided into three parts. For now I am focusing on the body part and It's a bit troublesome since like a deep well that needs to filled.. But don't worry, I'll catch up in no time."