49: March Nurturing

The next morning, at Mentor Jordan's training ground.

"Green, I'm asking you one last time."

"Are you truly ready?"

"Have you prepared one High-level Life Recovery Potion and one High-level Spiritual Power Repair Potion?"

Mentor Jordan asked cautiously.

"Once the arrow is shot, there's no turning back. If you're not fully prepared, it's best not to start lightly."

"I know your personality well."

"If you don't succeed in this breakthrough, given your cautious, even fear-of-death nature, you'll never become a Grand Knight in this lifetime."

..."Mentor Jordan, I'm ready. This is my best state."

"The potions are also prepared."

Green replied solemnly.

To buy these two life-saving potions, Green had spent a small portion of the savings he had accumulated over the past two years.

During these two years.

Of the three potion resources provided by the academy, Green only used Low-level Spiritual Power Recovery Potion, and only when he was experimenting with refining Low-level Wizard Potion.

As for the other two potions, Blue Moon Potion, because Green's Golden Finger—Hundredfold Harvest—greatly amplified his Spiritual Power meditation.

Green no longer needed Blue Moon Potion; most of it was sold by Green at the flea market in the Demonized Plants Master Exchange Hall.

As for Low-Level Clarity Potion, Green didn't need it either, as he had a method of increasing mental alertness by eating.

Green had experimented and found that eating until he was eighty percent full had the same effect as a top-quality Low-Level Clarity Potion. So, these Low-Level Clarity Potions were also sold by Green.

Aside from the magic stones he inevitably spent each month to purchase some potion practice materials, Green lived extremely frugally.

He saved 100 magic stones each month, accumulating 2400 magic stones over two years.

This time, to purchase one High-level Life Recovery Potion and one High-level Spiritual Power Repair Potion, Green spent a full 1000 magic stones...

"Alright, I believe you wouldn't joke with your own life."

"For these three months, you'll stay here with me."

"You're not allowed to go out. For meals, tell Adler in advance and have him bring them to you."

"Do you understand all this? Did you take leave yesterday?"

Mentor Jordan asked, still worried.

"Mentor, Adler told me everything yesterday. All arrangements have been made," Green replied.

"Hmm, that's good then."

Mentor Jordan nodded and said:

"Your day is arranged like this."

"Wake up at seven in the morning, practice the Heart of Life Knight Breathing Technique for an hour, and warm up your body."

"In the morning, you'll ask Adler for advice on combat techniques and spar with him to familiarize yourselves with each other's fighting styles."

"In the afternoon, I will guide you in cultivating your obsession, nurturing and solidifying the obsession in your heart."

"In the evening, you'll soak in my special medicinal bath, undergo spiritual tempering, and recover your body."

"Oh, right, you need to pay for the medicinal bath potions for these three months, a total of 1000 magic stones."

"My labor fee isn't needed; you already paid for it when you entered my special training camp."

"As for Adler's fee, you can discuss it with him yourself."

..."Green..."

"You're my good brother. Helping you is my duty, no money needed."

Adler said with a silly smile.

"Hmm..."

Green accepted this kindness and remembered this favor.

And Allie's favor, that was a huge debt.

The cost of asking Mentor Jordan to personally escort Green to Grand Knight was not small...

Green took off his cumbersome apprentice robe and put on a specially made full-weight steel Knight armor.

It didn't use any precious materials, only the finest mundane hundred-refined steel.

Even with Adler assisting, Green took ten minutes.

Only then did he fully don this set of special training armor, weighing a total of 600 kilograms. This armor alone could not be broken by Low-level Wizardry.

But it was too heavy. With Green's peak High-level Knight strength, although he could move freely, he couldn't sustain it, and his speed wasn't fast. Wearing this equipment out would just make him a punching bag...

"Green, let me reiterate the central focus of these three months of special training."

"Nurturing Obsession!"

"Everything else is merely a means to nurture obsession."

"You must remember this at all times, integrating your belief into your training, driving yourself with belief to unleash infinite power," Mentor Jordan instructed.

"Begin."

"Yes."

Green first practiced the Knight Breathing Technique to warm up.

After three repetitions, Green had also initially familiarized himself with the armor, and his movements no longer distorted.

He then began sparring with Adler...

Green picked up a huge Knight broadsword and charged towards Adler.

"Bang..."

A few seconds later, Green flew backward again, slamming heavily into the training ground wall, forming a large imprint of a human figure, with a deep, one-inch footprint on the armor over his chest...

"Green, haven't you eaten? Your movements are soft and weak."

"Show your ferocity! Why are you acting like a woman?"

"If you're my brother, come and cut me!"

During combat, Adler's style changed dramatically, like a berserk giant bear, exuding an aura of savagery and killing intent, while continuously spouting all sorts of trash talk to provoke Green.

Could Green tolerate this?

He immediately grabbed his greatsword and charged up wildly...

Then, he flew back even faster.

"Bang..."

"Bang..."

"Bang..."

In Mentor Jordan's training ground, such sounds echoed all morning.

And these sounds would continue for three months...

In the afternoon, after lunch.

Green endured the pain all over his body and underwent a 'questioning of belief' with Mentor Jordan...

"Green, what is your belief?"

"To live. I want to live."

..."Why live? Living is so tiring, so painful?"

"I just want to live, because only by living is there hope, only by living can there be development."

"My life isn't just full of hardship and exhaustion; it also has joy, beauty, and dreams worth pursuing my entire life."

..."There are many ways to live, though. You could live an easy life. With your current wealth and status, you could find a beautiful Knight as a wife, get a stable job. Why struggle so hard to become a Grand Knight?"

"No, such a life is too insecure. If something unexpected happens and I don't have the strength to protect my family, my children, I would be heartbroken. That's not the life I want."

..."Why do you think that way? Staying in a Wizard Tower is so good, how is it insecure? I know some apprentices who have stayed in Wizard Towers for seventy or eighty years, living safely and soundly. You should have confidence in our Plant Heart Wizard Academy; it's the safest, and it will remain safe."

"No, relying on mountains, mountains will fall;"

"Relying on water, water will flow."

"Relying on heaven and earth is not as good as relying on oneself."

"I want to possess my own strength; only the power held in my hands will not deceive me."

"In this world where individual might is bestowed upon oneself, you never know whether tomorrow or an accident will arrive first. Only sufficient power can bring peace of mind."

...Evening.

Green took off his armor and sat naked in a huge bathtub.

There wasn't a single good piece of flesh on his entire body; it was either bruised here or swollen there.

Fortunately, Adler had been very careful and hadn't injured any bones.

Two types of potions were added to the bathtub.

One was a Low-level Recovery Potion to help Green recover from his physical injuries.

The other was a special numbing-itch potion that made Green's entire body feel numb and itchy.

Green had to sit in the bathtub for two hours.

Unable to move or speak.

He could only rely on his own belief to endure this torment, like being gnawed by ten thousand ants...

Using endless pain to temper and refine Green's spiritual belief.

Green could only silently adhere to his conviction in his heart: I want to live, I want to live, I want to live...

Green had to endure such days for three months.

No rest, no relaxation...

Mentor Jordan would also continuously increase the intensity as Green's endurance improved...

Ensuring Green remained in the optimal state of tempering...