Free Web NovelPreparations for the trial room were underway.
The core area of the Shadowy Valley (Youying Valley) Trial Ground, the stone hall known as the “Will Breakthrough Altar,” was now completely sealed off.
Several auxiliary technicians in alchemist's white robes were busily adjusting the potion concentration and temperature control devices around the central stone platform.
A faint, white mist began to drift in the air of the altar, consisting of atomized Shadow Moss spores, which were slowly introduced into various air circulation ducts as the indoor temperature gradually decreased.
This space was originally the main sacrificial hall of the ancient Snowsworn, its four walls covered with fragmented ritual carvings.
And those circles of phosphorescent blue light, flickering faintly in the thick fog, formed a spiritual pressure that was almost tangible.
In this hair-raising atmosphere, several knights undergoing breakthroughs sat on the ground, immersed in painful struggles, completely unaware of what was happening outside.
Their Battle Aura flickered around them; some trembled incessantly, while others even muttered under the influence of hallucinations, their foreheads covered in cold sweat.
This state was precisely the mental disturbance at work, forcing them to break through; in principle, the breakthrough process was divided into three stages.
First was fumigation stimulation.
The atomized spores would directly enter the body through breathing, irritating nerves, amplifying mental perception, and forcing the subject's will core to be exposed to a certain extreme boundary state.
The second stage was potion catalysis.
Knights would be injected with a catalyst prepared from Cang Wen Honey and Frost Blood Red Berry, to stabilize the Battle Aura circuits in their bodies, alleviate the side effects of the spores, and activate potential bloodline factors.
Finally, the Tidal Breathing Technique guidance.
This was a technique requiring high mental concentration, used to guide Battle Aura circulation throughout the body and complete the final breakthrough under the triple conditions of “extreme cold + high pressure + hallucinations.”
However, from the observed results, all of this was far less ideal than the theory suggested.
When the Battle Aura core was stimulated, it would bring intense hallucinations and feelings of mental confusion, often triggering fragments of fearful memories, testing the knight's composure to maintain Battle Aura operation even on the brink of death.
Although there was a potion antidote, the knight himself would repeatedly collapse during this process, some even failing completely and having the trial forcibly terminated.
Standing in the observation room, Lord Louis looked at a knight who had just fainted and was being carried away by a technician, his brows slightly furrowed.
“Is the intensity still too high?” he murmured to himself.
“For ordinary knights, it is indeed too harsh,” Arian responded in a deep voice, “but this is already the best breakthrough method I've ever heard of.”
The atmosphere became quiet for a moment.
At this point, the technician nodded to them: “Lord, it's ready.”
Lord Louis turned to Weil and smiled: “Then don't take too long. If you haven't broken through within five hours, I'll leave first.”
“Huh?” Weil was stunned for a moment.
“Just kidding.” Lord Louis patted his shoulder, “Relax a little.”
Arian, however, was slightly surprised: “Five hours? It usually takes Elite Knights an average of two to three days to break through to Extraordinary Knight. If it's not completed after the fourth day, it's deemed a failure.”
He paused, then added: “The shortest time recorded here is exactly twenty-eight hours.”
Lord Louis just smiled and didn't explain further.
He certainly knew these common facts, but he also knew that Weil was different.
This young man, who had grown up by his side, was recognized as a genius by the Daily Intelligence System and had long since shown the edge of his talent.
Moreover, according to Weil himself, he had already reached the doorstep, just one final push away.
Although his earlier joke, “I'll wait for you for five hours,” was just to lighten the mood for the other party.
A secret anticipation inexplicably rose in Lord Louis's heart.
But it made the young man's face tense for a moment, clearly even more nervous.
Arian noticed this and gently advised: “Relaxing a bit makes it easier to pass.”
Weil nodded nervously, took a deep breath, and stepped into the stone door.
The moment he stepped into the stone hall, Weil felt that the air was off.
The moment he stepped into the stone hall, the air was tinged with a faint white mist, and a chill slowly crept into his brain along his nasal cavity, like fine needles gently pricking deep within his consciousness.
Although the Breath Control Technique had not officially begun, he could already feel signs of his mental state subtly tensing up.
Several alchemists were at the periphery, fine-tuning the last temperature controls and potion nozzles; the atomization device was running smoothly, and the scent of Shadow Moss had diffused.
Weil walked steadily, stopping before the stone platform marked with the induction circuit.
He instinctively glanced towards the observation room, and indeed, Lord Louis was still standing there, nodding gently at him.
Weil gained a sense of certainty, took a deep breath, and slowly sat down in the cold mist, adjusting his posture.
The meditation breathing technique naturally surfaced in his mind; he steadily guided the Battle Aura within his body to move accordingly, synchronizing with the gradually decreasing temperature of the trial room, preparing to enter the next stage.
But the next moment, a sudden mental pressure surged like a tide, and flames erupted deep within his memories.
It was the night the village was plundered, with Snowsworn riders charging into the streets, torches sweeping across rooftops.
Weil was young then, his mother desperately dragging him from their burning home, fleeing all the way.
Later memories became increasingly blurred, only remembering iron chains, leather whips, and bloody wooden cages.
The guests who came to select slaves scrutinized him with the eyes of those picking livestock.
“Good quality, price negotiable.”
“Teeth are decent, take him back and teach him.”
Those scenes of humiliation, once etched into his very bones, now surged forth like a tide, stimulated by the spores.
Weil could barely breathe, his entire body so weighed down that he couldn't move.
But suddenly, a warm light broke the grayness of the illusion.
It was as if a warm power was slowly unfolding in the deepest part of his consciousness.
He opened his eyes and looked, at the edge of the chaotic illusion, a figure stood above the sky, extending a hand to him, like the first ray of sunlight piercing into the abyss.
It was Lord Louis, his silhouette blurred, yet appearing extraordinarily bright in Weil's heart, like an existence that could not be looked at directly, higher than the mundane, higher than everything.
That was not merely the image of the Red Tide Lord, but the sole target in his heart truly worthy of his loyalty in this life, beyond doubt, unshakeable.
Just as dawn illuminates the snowfield, it will rise without prayer.
At this moment, all the oppressive feelings seemed to find a fulcrum.
Weil took a deep breath, abruptly quickening his breathing rhythm, and the Battle Aura within him boiled like a raging fire.
The Battle Aura broke through its critical point, instantly erupting into a crimson halo of light, which then condensed into a flame-like aura swirling around him.
The entire stone hall seemed to respond to his awakening, red light bursting in the mist, illuminating Weil's tightly closed eyes and clenched jaw.
He had finally broken through.
The red light in the trial room gradually faded, leaving only a faint warmth lingering in the low air.
Weil sat quietly in place, his body still glowing faintly with residual Battle Aura.
He felt as if he had experienced an unspeakable storm, his whole body peeled open and reshaped.
The Battle Aura pathways in his chest circulated with unprecedented smoothness, as if even his heartbeat synchronized with them.
He slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was that familiar figure.
Lord Louis stood behind the glass, slightly surprised, yet with an undisguised sense of relief.
“Did I... succeed?” Weil murmured, his throat somewhat dry.
At the same time, several faint whispers came from outside the training area door.
“Impossible, right? How long has it been?!”
“He hadn't even been in there for half an hour, had he?!”
“Is there some kind of malfunction?”
“No.” Arian's voice carried undisguised shock. “To maintain a red Battle Aura overflow in this state indicates that he has completed the Extraordinary Knight breakthrough.”
“So, he really only took less than thirty minutes?!”
For a moment, even the alchemy assistant who was adjusting the atomization temperature control system stopped what he was doing and blurted out, “Just now, Lord Louis said he wanted to personally experience the fumigation stage, and I had just adjusted the temperature to standard, but that guard already completed his breakthrough?”
Lord Louis chuckled upon hearing this, shaking his head with a helpless expression, but his eyes clearly showed surprise and relief: “Never mind, I won't join the fun today.”
Arian, however, gazed at the trial room for a long time, finally sighing softly: “I remember—the fastest on record was twenty-six hours. And he did it in less than half an hour.”
The door slowly opened.
Weil stood up and walked out step by step, his Battle Aura already re-converged.
A faint scent of potions and spores still lingered in the air, but it no longer bothered him.
He walked up to the crowd, stood still as usual, showing no excitement.
Until Lord Louis approached, raising a hand to pat his shoulder: “Well done.”
Weil opened his mouth but said nothing.
This affirmation weighed more heavily on him than any honor in the world.
From this moment on, he truly entered the ranks of the Red Tide Territory's top forces, capable of contributing more to Lord Louis.
Weil lowered his head and solemnly said, “Thank you, Lord.”
Lord Louis smiled: “Don't be so formal with me. How do you feel?”
“Much stronger, Lord,” Weil replied earnestly. “The Battle Aura circulation is much clearer than before—and I've awakened my bloodline talent.”
Those around him were stunned; the proportion of awakening bloodline talents was not high, probably less than 30% among Extraordinary Knights.
“Bloodline Talent: Absolute Defense,” Weil whispered. “I can sense it—once activated, Battle Aura will automatically expand into a protective field centered around me, capable of protecting those around me.”
The scene was silent for a moment.
“It's actually a ranged defense?” someone gasped softly.
“This is too suitable for a guard.”
Arian murmured, “Most bloodline talents are offensive—this kind of pure defensive type is very rare.”
But Lord Louis's expression didn't show much surprise; Peak Knights almost always awaken bloodline talents, and Weil already possessed that potential.
He turned to Arian: “Wasn't there a temporary training ground set up on the east side of the canyon? Take him there and test its specific effects.”
“Yes!” Arian reacted and immediately took the order.
The group quickly moved to a new location.
The canyon's enclosed terrain had long been used as a practical training ground by the Shadowy Valley (Youying Valley) team, perfectly suited for talent testing.
Several simple wooden observation platforms were erected at the edge of the training ground, surrounded by dozens of Red Tide Knights.
Everyone knew this would be a rare practical demonstration of talent.
Weil stood in the center of the field, took a deep breath, and gently activated the Battle Aura within him.
Bloodline Talent: Absolute Defense activated!
With the rhythm of his breathing, a faint red glow emanated from his body, rapidly expanding into a translucent shield centered around him, covering an area of about four meters, enveloping him and several Red Tide Knights beside him.
The shield was as thin as a water curtain, yet astonishingly stable.
Air and sound seemed suppressed, and even the dust on the ground settled quietly.
The first testing knight stepped forward, an Extraordinary Knight wielding a spear, stout and with intense Battle Aura.
He focused for a moment, Battle Aura flowing to his arm, emitting a blue flame along the spear, and fiercely thrust at the shield.
“Dong!”
Sparks flew, the spearhead rebounded as if hitting a heavy hammer, and the tester retreated three steps, his spear vibrating incessantly, his palm bones faintly numb, a look of surprise on his face. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
The second knight switched to a broad-bladed greatsword, channeling Battle Aura into both hands, and unleashed a horizontal slash, a sharp aura rushing forth.
Faint ripples appeared on the shield's surface, deflecting the entire attack, not even a glimmer of light penetrating.
“That last strike, in real combat, would be enough to shatter a rock wall,” he said through gritted teeth.
The third tester specialized in penetration and rapid consecutive strikes, condensing Battle Aura at his fingertips, unleashing three stabs, each carrying a red spiral Battle Aura.
The result was the same; the shield only rippled, showing no weakness.
Low gasps of admiration rose from the observation platform, and everyone's gaze was almost entirely focused on the red light barrier around Weil.
“It's too exaggerated.—”
“These are all genuine Extraordinary Knights, yet there's no effect at all.”
“And he just broke through!”
“This talent, if used to protect Lord Louis, is simply a divine gift.”
“Next, we'll conduct a magic test.” «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» This time, Lord Louis personally stepped forward.
He raised his right palm, and a wisp of red magic power gathered at his fingertips; it was just a slight fluctuation, yet it made many people instinctively hold their breath.
Lord Louis did not use his full power, as he didn't want others to know his true strength, merely using the most basic magic power to compress a Fireball as a starting spell.
“Boom!”
The Fireball shot towards the shield, but before contact, it was repelled by a red light and instantly disintegrated.
Then he continuously tested with ice shard barrages, wind pressure cuts, and then a small lightning explosion.
Each spell was steadily blocked by the shield, not even the aftershocks managed to penetrate.
When the final lightning explosion spell landed, the shield violently shook, and the light trembled like ripples.
Weil's face paled, and sweat beaded on his forehead, but he still stood perfectly straight.
Seeing his struggle, Lord Louis slowly withdrew his hand.
The edge of the field fell silent once more.
“With that level of magic... it still didn't break?” someone exclaimed softly.
“This is no ordinary shield anymore—”
“He's only an initial Extraordinary Knight!”
“And Lord Louis's magic spells just now far exceeded the limit a knight could withstand.”
“The magic power was controlled so precisely—it really doesn't seem like a casual strike.”
Lord Louis slowly withdrew his hand, ignoring the exclamations, his gaze thoughtfully fixed on Weil.
He silently assessed the characteristics and practical value of this shield in his mind.
Weil's Absolute Defense could cover several people in an instant, creating a rare safe zone in the chaos of battle.
Its dual properties of resisting both physical and magical impacts meant that it would no longer be just a personal life-saving measure, but could become a crucial pivot for commanders to deploy troops, transfer wounded, and break through encirclements.
“This ability can save many people on the battlefield in the future,” he said softly, his tone already carrying the certainty of contemplation.
Weil whispered, “I've always had a premonition that this was some kind of arrangement.”
He looked up at Lord Louis, his eyes filled with an almost fanatical belief: “This is the power granted to me to protect you.”
Lord Louis smiled at his words: “Then from today on, you are the last shield by my side.”
Weil stood straight, his shoulders unconsciously tensed, as if accepting a vow.
He bowed deeply and solemnly, his voice firm: “Yes, Lord!”
