45: Becoming a knight

Inside the stone house.

Ron picked up the ointment and directly tilted his head back, gulping down a mouthful.

He held it in his mouth, occasionally swallowing small sips.

At the same time, he moved his fists and feet in wide, sweeping motions, and the Wild Wolf Breathing Technique operated frantically.

On the God-Given Continent, the advancement of a Knight generally occurs in two ways.

One way is when the life energy within the body accumulates to a critical point.

At a certain moment, it naturally breaks through the limit, and a Life Seed grows.

The second way is to use external objects, such as potions, alchemical items, divine blessings, and the forceful transmission of Battle Qi by high-level Knights through anointing.

These two methods each have their pros and cons.

The first method, though gradual, upright, and peaceful, has no significant risks or side effects.

However, it takes an extremely long time, and the difficulty of breaking through is extremely high; those with mediocre talent cannot break through the limit at all.

Among ten people, perhaps nine will be stuck at the high-level Knight Squire realm, unable to break through for life.

As for the second method, although the breakthrough probability is higher than the former, it is like pulling up seedlings to help them grow, resulting in an unstable foundation.

In the future, more time and effort will be needed to compensate and remedy it.

Some people even suffer damage to their origin during the breakthrough, which cannot be recovered in this lifetime.

Not only will they remain at the Apprentice Knight realm for life, but their combat power and attributes will also be lower than Knights of the same level.

Therefore, the breakthrough method Ron chose was naturally the first one.

Although he also used nutritional ointment, that was just a way to quickly replenish life energy.

It was not much different from consuming meat, eggs, and milk daily to supplement nutrition.

However, taking a Life Breakthrough Potion is different; its principle is to forcefully detonate the user's [Crimson Crystal] through special substances in the potion, using external force to induce the growth of a [Life Seed].

If successful, it's fine, but once it fails, the minor consequences include injury and a regression in realm, while severe consequences include instant death.

“Given my talent, while it's not exceptional, it's definitely not bad.”

“So, I'll try my best first to see if I can break through without external help.”

“If, in the end, I truly fail... it won't be too late to think of other methods.”

Ron thought to himself, in any case, there was a Life Breakthrough Potion recipe in Lorraine's Potionology notes.

If he really failed to break through today, he could just wait a few more days, buy the relevant materials in Kura City, and then try again.

Thus, thinking of this, Ron's tension and worry gradually disappeared.

And the speed at which he operated his Breathing Technique also became faster and faster.

As he executed each move with ease.

His movements became increasingly fluid.

“Hooch! Hooch!”

Ron's breathing also became increasingly rapid.

Time flew by, and about half an hour later.

As the last mouthful of nutritional ointment was swallowed, the crimson crystal within his body.

Its surface was now covered with cracks, like a spiderweb, emitting an irrepressible bright light.

Finally, after Ron completed another cycle of the Breathing Technique.

He seemed to hear a crackling sound of something breaking within his chest.

“Hmm?”

Ron stopped his movements, standing still in place.

His gaze was like a torch, holding his breath and concentrating, fully focused on introspecting his body, experiencing the changes happening in his chest.

Just then, with that dreamlike cracking sound.

The already cracked outer shell completely shattered, and a surging vitality burst forth.

The crimson, impure, blood-colored spherical crystal was reborn, transforming into a crystalline jade bead emitting a faint white light.

This luminous body was not substantial, but rather existed between reality and illusion.

Accompanying his breathing, the white light it emitted flickered on and off, like a living thing.

“Hoo, hoo!”

Ron gasped for air, feeling a surge of power throughout his limbs and bones.

At the same time, his five senses were also enhanced.

His normally ordinary vision was now strengthened, becoming like a microscope.

Not only could he see the tiny dust particles suspended in the air under the sunlight, but he could also keenly perceive the traces of leaves falling outside the window.

This feeling was like a slow-motion movie; he could even predict the final landing spot of a leaf by its drifting and swaying trajectory.

Ron's hearing was also enhanced; even the sound of birds flapping their wings dozens of meters away could be heard clearly.

“Wait!”

Just as Ron was immersed in the joy of his increased strength and enhanced senses.

Suddenly, his enhanced sense of smell detected an unbearable stench.

Ron followed the source of the smell and quickly looked down.

He found that a large amount of turbid, mud-like sweat was flowing out of his pores.

Brown blood and filth also unconsciously flowed from his nostrils and mouth.

“Ugh...”

Ron suppressed his nausea and quickly grabbed the clothes he had prepared, heading outside the house.

He went to the nearest water source, quickly washed himself, changed his clothes, and then returned to the stone house.

He opened all the windows and doors, and sprayed some [Perfume Potion] he had already prepared, and only then did the stench in the stone house slowly disappear.

During the Knight Squire stage, each minor realm breakthrough only brings an increase in strength.

Externally, there are no changes.

However, breaking through to the Knight realm is different from before.

Because this is an evolution, an evolution from a mortal to a transcendent.

Therefore, during the evolution, the impurities originally within the body will also be expelled.

After all, humans eat grains, so it is impossible for their bodies not to have dirty things, just more or less.

Ron's detoxification this time was among the most extensive kind.

However, this situation is not a bad thing.

On the contrary, the more toxins expelled, the more solid the foundation and the cleaner the body.

“Indeed, my previous choice was correct.”

Ron lowered his right hand, which had been covering his nose, feeling somewhat fortunate.

“Fortunately, I took the risk of breaking through in this stone house; otherwise, wouldn't everyone in Hibo Town know about my breakthrough to Knight?”

Ron knew that when breaking through to Knight, all attention and physical strength are concentrated on condensing the Life Seed.

If any accident occurs, the consequences would be extremely dangerous.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, those attempting a breakthrough would choose to do so within the city, especially in their own homes.

They would break through with the company of their parents and relatives.

However, Ron could not do that; he had not forgotten that he was still being watched by Gevas and Mirar.

If they found out he had broken through to Knight.

Mirar might be alright; as an ordinary person, she might be intimidated and retreat, thus giving up on targeting him.

But Gevas was not that kind of person!

He was insidious and ruthless, decisive in his actions.

Previously, as soon as Barto showed any intention of divorcing his wife, he was immediately killed by Gevas.

Now, if Gevas knew that the young man he had tried to frame had actually become a Knight.

He would definitely cut the grass by the roots, leaving no future trouble!