Chapter 112: Chapter 103: "Clock King" and "Hydra" (Part 2) "Inhale for seven counts, hold breath for three counts, exhale for five counts..." He murmured softly, controlling his breath rhythmically and precisely. These words were already imprinted in his mind, becoming part of his muscle memory. With the deep and powerful breathing rhythm, Ron felt a warm current circulating through his body’s meridians, like spring water, carrying the pulse of life. [Current Progress: Breathing Body Refining (Beginner 97/100)] "Just three more experience points to break through to the Skilled Level." A slight smile of anticipation appeared on his lips. Adjusting his breathing rhythm, he began the second stage of breathing. This was a deeper phase, requiring more precise control and stronger willpower. "Inhale for nine counts, hold breath for five counts, exhale for seven counts..." Sweat began sliding down his forehead, trickling along the contours of his cheeks and dropping onto the wooden floor, forming small dark spots. But Ron’s expression remained intensely focused, his brow slightly furrowed, gaze steadfast, as if all things in the world had vanished, leaving only himself and the energy flowing inside him. As his breathing deepened, the warm current inside him became more scorching, rushing through the meridians like magma. The burning sensation was almost unbearable, but Ron knew this was the transformation process—pain was the necessary path to power. With each deep breath, he felt more energy being absorbed into his body; With each breath hold, that energy circulated through the meridians, nourishing muscles and bones; With each exhalation, impurities and stagnation were expelled from his body, making him purer. His muscles began to tremble, not from exhaustion, but from the overwhelming energy being endured. The reforged meridians emitted a faint golden glow, visible under the skin, like starlight twinkling in the night sky. [Breathing Body Refining Experience Points + 1] 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮 The system prompt was like a shot of adrenaline, strengthening Ron’s confidence. He didn’t pause to rest but immediately entered the third stage of breathing, the final phase of the basic stage of the Crown Breathing Technique. "Inhale for twelve counts, hold breath for seven counts, exhale for nine counts..." This time, he focused his consciousness entirely on the image of the sun. In his Spiritual World, the golden sun grew brighter, emitting pure and scorching energy, illuminating the darkest corners of his soul. Ron felt his body was like a furnace, every inch of muscle, every bone, and every meridian being reforged in that blazing fire. Every exhalation seemed to forge something within his body, making it purer and stronger. The sensation was both painful and wondrous, like the process of a snake shedding skin, or a butterfly breaking free of its cocoon—a miracle of life’s transformation. [Breathing Body Refining Experience Points + 1] Ron could sense his body becoming visibly stronger. Muscle lines became smoother, bones emitted faint cracking sounds, and skin tightened and glowed with sheen. However, the cultivation of the Body Refining Technique should not be overdone; the final breakthrough was crucial, and for today, he’d reached his extreme limit, leaving the rest for tomorrow. [Current Progress: Breathing Body Refining (Beginner 99/100)] He grabbed the Ironwood Sword nearby and swung it casually a few times. The sword edge carved through the air, emitting a deep and mighty whistling sound. [Current Progress: Basic Swordsmanship (Skilled 99/100)] Seeing the prompt on the screen, Ron shook his head with a wry smile. Basic Swordsmanship remained stalled at the final point, like an insurmountable chasm, separating him from the Master Level. "What’s really missing?" he asked himself, sheathing the sword, his brow furrowed. Ron slumped heavily onto the floor, feeling a hint of fatigue creeping into his heart. The night’s exercise was a massive drain even for an apprentice like him, whose physical condition far exceeded ordinary people’s. Perhaps, as Andre said, the final breakthrough in swordsmanship required not just repetitive practice but some special insight or the life-and-death tempering of real combat. It’s too late; Ron decided to rest for the night and face this challenge tomorrow. Placing his hand on the Silver Pocket Watch, he had deliberately saved a bit of today’s energy scale just for this moment. As the reset effect was activated, the black gem in the watch lit up, emitting a gentle glow. A cooling sensation began at the point of contact, swiftly flowing throughout his body, like a gentle spring rain washing away all fatigue and discomfort. [Successfully reset negative states: Fatigue, Energy - 1] Ron immediately felt refreshed, as if he’d just experienced a deep sleep. The muscle soreness vanished, and his thoughts became clear. This nearly miraculous recovery ability was the key to maintaining high-intensity training. Lying in bed, he recalled the various information gathered in the Library today, especially the "Medicinal Body Resonance" recorded in the Special Talent Brief Record. "Such a heaven-sent coincidence." He closed his eyes, sinking into dreamland. The next morning, sunlight poured through the windows into the workshop, draping the entire room in a layer of golden light. Ron got up early, washed, and headed straight to the lab. The knowledge about Bloodline Modulation learned in the Library yesterday left him in eager anticipation, impatient to try applying it in the improvement of the Bloodline Activation Potion. The fatigue of last night had completely vanished, replaced by a burst of vitality and a thirst for exploration of the unknown. This was the benefit of the Pocket Watch—no need to worry about bodily limits, allowing him to focus all his energy on truly important things. "The key lies not in simply mixing different activators but in extracting the purest ’bloodline factors’ and then recombining them in specific ratios." He muttered to himself, flipping through his formula notes, which filled several pages with dense records, some places even repeatedly revised, showing the extent of his investment in this project. On a new blank page, he neatly wrote the title: "Improved Bloodline Activation Potion Scheme." The tree spirit stood quietly beside him, its tranquil eyes watching every move Ron made. Its roots had already delved deep into the underground of the workshop, with vines quietly extending to every corner, forming an invisible perception network. Ron pulled out several test tubes, each containing different formulas he had tried before. Through the glass, the liquids displayed various colors and concentrations, some clear as water, others murky as mud, and some in-between, emitting faint glows. "Traditional activation potion formulas are too general to accurately target more ancient bloodlines." He murmured as he drew a complex diagram on paper, marking detailed parameters of various materials and reaction conditions. "If I could isolate the part of the Fire Lizard bloodline closest to the Sun Flame Dragon, and then use a special catalyst for enhancement..." As his thoughts deepened, Ron’s ideas became increasingly clear, and his hands sped up accordingly. Based on the theory learned yesterday, countless "bloodline factors" were hidden within the bloodline, these tiny energy fragments determined the basic characteristics of living organisms. If he could precisely separate and manipulate these factors, theoretically, it would enable more precise bloodline activation, akin to using a fine needle instead of a heavy hammer, accurately striking those dormant genetic switches. Ron took out the Silver Wing Separator, the precious tool gifted by Lady Allen, glowing softly with silver light as it came alive in his hands. He began to try extracting the purest parts from the Fire Lizard Scale solution. A drop of crimson liquid was carefully placed into the separator, and Ron held it with both hands, starting to rotate and shake it in a specific manner. This process was exceedingly meticulous, requiring intense focus and patience. A slight mishap might lead to the waste of precious materials or unpredicted side effects. Time passed, mentally exhausted, yet his hands remained steady as a rock. The separator spun nimbly in his hands, separating the liquid into different layers, each exhibiting various colors and energy fluctuations. "Interesting... this pale golden part should be the factor closest to the Sun Flame Dragon bloodline."