Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Apprentice Market "Speaking of which, the breathing technique passed down in your Ralph Clan, though not like the royal one, it’s not bad either, right? Why didn’t you..." Andre asked curiously. Ron scratched his head awkwardly. Indeed, in his original memory, his father and elder brother repeatedly asked him if he was interested in Knight cultivation. But back then he was immersed in indulgence, disdainful of the bitter and tiring Knight cultivation. Now he deeply regrets it, but it’s already too late. Andre noticed Ron’s expression and immediately understood everything. "I see, back in the Royal Capital, you were famous for being a profligate son." His tone suddenly became playful, lightly swirling the tea in his cup: "I remember once, in the Royal Garden, you were so drunk that in front of several ministers, you actually..." "Ahem!" Ron hurriedly interrupted him, a trace of embarrassment on his face. Those absurd memories of his former self, to him now, were nothing short of a nightmare. Seeing Ron’s restless demeanor, Andre couldn’t help but laugh out loud: "Alright, in exchange for these fifty Magic Stone Fragments, I won’t reveal your past." He placed his teacup on the table, his expression regaining some seriousness: "But seriously, Ron, have you really thought this through?" "What do you mean?" "The ’Crown Breathing Technique’ is indeed powerful, but precisely because of that, its cultivation difficulty far exceeds ordinary breathing techniques." Andre’s eyes flashed with a hint of concern, "Even in our royal family, not everyone can master it." "Moreover," he paused, "With your current physical condition, hastily cultivating a profound breathing technique might..." "I know the risks." Ron interrupted him, "But compared to my fate in three months, what do those risks count for?" It didn’t matter, after all, he had a cheat, and another reason he wanted to cultivate breathing techniques was to see if he could activate an extraordinary profession related to Knights, gaining additional strength growth. Seeing Ron’s determined eyes, Andre sighed deeply: "Since you are so determined, I won’t try to dissuade you." He stood up, rummaged around, and pulled out a bundle of crumpled handwritten notes from his bag, obviously for ease of study at any time: "These are the manuscripts I copied back then, with some cultivation essentials and precautions." "But I have to remind you of one thing." Andre stared into his eyes intently: "If you think you can practice on your own with the notes, you are gravely mistaken." Ron looked at him in confusion. "High-tier breathing techniques are not that simple." Andre shook his head, "They require a rigorous guidance process and specific body refining methods, otherwise, it’s easy to go astray." He looked at the bundle of crumpled notes: "For example, the first stage and the following second stage require the use of specially formulated ’Scorching Essential Oil’ to temper the physique. If you get the potion ratio wrong or take it at an inappropriate time..." Andre pointed to his chest: "At worst, your body gets burned, at worst, it ignites starting from your lungs." Ron gasped; he finally realized how naive his previous thinking was. "And different stages require different body tempering medicines." Andre continued, "For instance, the third stage requires ’Magma Dew,’ and the final stage requires..." Seeing Ron’s slightly pale face, Andre smiled: "Don’t worry, since I’ve taken so many Magic Stone Fragments from you, I’ll naturally see this through to the end." Saying this, he handed the notebook to Ron: "I’ve recorded the formulas for these medicines, but the specific refining process requires my personal guidance." Ron accepted the notebook and opened the first page. Amidst the dense writing, besides the essentials of the breathing technique, there were numerous annotations on potion refining. "To be honest," Andre said as he pocketed the pile of Magic Stone Fragments, "I’m quite curious to see to what extent you can practice this breathing technique." There was a trace of mischief in his tone: "Even in our royal family, there aren’t many who can fully master the ’Crown Breathing Technique,’ most people get stuck at the second stage and can’t progress any further." "Are you trying to dampen my enthusiasm?" Ron smiled wryly. "How could I?" Andre’s smile widened, "I’m encouraging you." He stood up, straightened his apprentice robe: "Let’s go, to the Herb Store first. Though the materials for the ’Scorching Essential Oil’ aren’t rare, the ratio is critical, I must personally help you choose." Seeing the other’s gleeful demeanor, Ron finally realized—this prince had probably been waiting for a good deal. After all, in this world dominated by Wizards, what significance do secular royal inheritances have? It’s better to seize the chance to exchange for some tangible benefits. As for those so-called sect distinctions... who would care about those trivial things in life-and-death situations? After leaving the dormitory area, Ron followed Andre through a winding stone path. "Don’t tell me you haven’t been to the market much these past few months?" Andre asked as he led the way, occasionally looking back at Ron. Ron, feeling a bit uneasy, rubbed his nose. Indeed, previously he hardly ever went out, spending all his time cooped up in his room, wrestling with the ’Basic Meditation Technique.’ Even for daily necessities, he relied on a runner to procure them. His only monthly outing was to collect the Magic Stone Fragments sent from home. "I remember you even had your meals delivered to your room." Andre chuckled: "If I hadn’t come to find you today, I’d have thought you starved to death in there." The stone path was illuminated by eerie blue moss. Various strange plants on either side emitted an eerie glow in the night, some swaying as passersby moved, others blooming with illusory colors in the darkness. "Be careful of these plants." Andre pointed to a clump of mushrooms glowing purple on the ground, "These are ’Nightmare Umbrellas,’ they will..." "I know." Ron instinctively stepped back a few steps: "It was written in the entrance guide, they’ll release hallucinogenic spores." "Oh?" Andre raised an eyebrow, "Looks like you read the entrance guide carefully." "After all, aside from those books, there wasn’t much else to see." Ron smiled wryly. During that period, he immersed himself fully in meditation and reading, knowing little about what was happening outside. "And I did fall for it once. In my first week, I ended up sleeping in that area for an entire day, waking up to find myself hugging a poisonous Mandala. Ever since, I’ve been very cautious of these things." Andre found it amusing, just as he was about to speak, a shrill scream suddenly came from afar. A gray-robed apprentice staggered out from the roadside bushes, his right hand twisted into a vine-like structure. "This sort of thing happens several times a month." Andre shook his head: "But you needn’t worry, living like a recluse, you’re actually safer." "Up ahead is the apprentices’ market." Andre bypassed him, pointing to a worn stone arch ahead: "Here, you can find almost anything an apprentice might want. Of course, provided you have enough Magic Stone Fragments." Passing through the archway, they were greeted with a peculiar scent of herbs and potions. A boot-wearing cat walked gracefully past them, its fur shimmering with a metallic luster in the dim light. Next came a group of chattering little elves, chasing a crystal ball that hopped on its own. Ron was so absorbed that he almost ran into a tall figure at a nearby stall. The imposing tentacle-like body made him hesitant to get close, so he stepped aside. "Don’t be nervous." Andre chuckled: "The Kraken Race may look terrifying, but they’re great business partners, just be careful when they talk; their saliva is corrosive."