Endless Horde: Through the Eyes of a Godking

Chapter 18: White Lotus Core

According to the memories of the Godking, Breathing Techniques are used to cultivate Internal Breath.

At its core, Internal Breath is already something that elevates a person's strength and prolongs their lifespan. Using Breathing Techniques further enhances the gifts that the Internal Breath possesses.

From what he could remember, five Breathing Techniques left a deep impression on the Godking.

The first one was the [White Lotus Core Technique]. This technique encapsulates true neutrality. It allows one's Internal Breath to be pure and encompassing at the same time. This was one of the most sought-after techniques in Godking's world since it allows its cultivator to adapt to pretty much anything, and that's not an exaggeration.

The second one was the [Boundless Ocean Art]. Those who cultivated this possess monstrous stamina, allowing them to battle for weeks, even straight-up months, nonstop at later levels. This art specializes in accumulation and flow.

There's also [Fiend Celestial Art] which allows one to harness the power of Celestial Bodies. They cultivate their art by absorbing Astral Energy or, at its later stages, absorbing stars and planets, swallowing their core to improve their strength. Those who practiced their art had extremely strong bodies. They could even survive the explosion of a star directly.

The fourth one was the [Immortal Scripture]. This was the most elusive art according to the Godking. Even with its simple name, the might of the art wasn't to be questioned. This technique does allow its cultivator to extend their lifespans indefinitely. The only reason why the Godking didn't choose this was because it wasn't suitable for his lifestyle.

And finally, the technique that the Godking favored above all else, the one he used to ascend to his throne: the [Universal Harmony Art].

The [Universal Harmony Art] allows its cultivator to commune with Nature and Laws, providing them with a deep understanding of it which also allows them to peer through the secrets of the world. Using their knowledge, each move they make becomes the movement of the Universe itself. In other words, they turn into a walking and talking force of nature.

Of course, there are still other techniques on the Godking's memories as well. It's just because these five made a really deep impression on Godking that it became prominent in his memories.

After recalling these techniques, it'd be a fat lie if he were to say that he wasn't tempted. Well, duh! If Cedric could have even a fraction of the Godking's power, then his life would become infinitely better!

That being said, nothing's for certain right now. Even with the knowledge of each technique memorized in his mind, he still couldn't tell if they would work in this world since the Laws are different.

'But it's still worth a try. So long as I'm being careful, then I won't risk injuring myself.'

The question for him now is, what to choose?

Really, any one of those five would be amazing. And since he memorized them all, he knew that he already minimized his chances of making a mistake.

Truth to be told, he was gravitating towards the [Immortal Scripture]. It's just in his nature to care about his life, and the temptation of being Immortal was simply too great for him to ignore.

However, based on the Godking's memories, the [Immortal Scripture] was a pain in the ass to cultivate. It requires tons of mind-boggling resources, some of which might not even exist in the world he's in.

'Come to think of it, I can only really choose between the [White Lotus Core Technique] and the [Universal Harmony Art]. The other Breathing Techniques require resources that may or may not exist in this world. Choosing them and then knowing later that my progress would be blocked due to the lack of resources would be quite depressing.'

Cedric sat down and started weighing his options.

'Since I'm starting this early, I'm pretty much a blank slate. Meaning, any of the two should fit me perfectly. But what should I choose?'

He's having a dilemma over this. Cedric actually found this funny since he still had no clue if they would truly work or not, yet here he was stressing over it.

After spending half an hour, pondering over his choices, Cedric ultimately decided to go with the [White Lotus Core Technique].

The [Universal Harmony Technique] was incredibly tempting, especially since Cedric had the memories of the Godking, meaning that he would essentially have his guidance as he practiced it.

However, Cedric didn't want to follow in the footsteps of the Godking. Ultimately, Cedric knows that he's not the Godking. He might be counted as his successor but the path they walked wasn't necessarily similar. They live different kinds of life and what worked for the Godking might not work for him.

Cedric trusted his senses for his choice. With them, he was urged to choose the [White Lotus Core Technique]. His 『Intuition』 practically chanted its name to him. That's why ultimately decided to choose it.

He might be making a mistake here but...he's willing to shoulder the responsibilities of his choices.

'Alright, I've made my choice. Now, it's time to see if it actually works. Hopefully, it does since it'd be pretty embarrassing if it didn't.'

Cedric took a deep breath and focused his attention. All of his thought compartments were primed. He reviewed the information about the technique he chose, memorizing it by heart in no time.

When he was ready, he began operating his Inner Breath according to the cycle that the technique imparted.

The act was painful, especially for a beginner like himself. Just from his initial attempt to control his Inner Breath, he could tell that he was being met with great resistance.

This was because his body thought that what he was doing was harmful to itself. After all, he's disrupting the natural flow of his Inner Breath and that may lead to severe consequences that he might not be able to handle or survive. It's a defense mechanism of some sort.

Cedric didn't force it then. Instead, he opted to nudge his Inner Breath according to the path listed on the technique. From his first attempts, Cedric immediately realized that this would take some time but he didn't mind. At the very least, this method was safer.

Unknowingly, Cedric has already been at it for so long. By the time he was done with his first circulation, the sun was already down.

Still, judging from his ecstatic look, it was clear that it worked. His entire body was in pain but the thickness of his Inner Breath practically doubled after a single circulation. How could he not be happy about that?

With the amount of Inner Breath he has, he practically boosted his overall process by a lot. And that's just from a single circulation. Yes, he was hurt and tired but that didn't stop him from celebrating his success.

This also meant that his theory was correct. The elements of breathing from Godking's world also worked here.

He tried to look for any acknowledgment from the System but found nothing. He only saw that his 『Inner Breath Mastery』 reached Lv.2 after that. Cedric doesn't care though. What's important to him is that he has discovered another way to improve himself.

What Cedric didn't know was that things could've been easier if he removed the Restriction Seal on his body. Remember, the restriction also applies to Inner Breath, making it more challenging to utilize it.

That being said, it's ultimately a benefit that he didn't do so. After all, this would've happened later anyway. Plus, the restriction boosted his experience at leveling the 『Inner Breath Mastery』 so it was all good.

Knowing that he can't make another attempt at circulating his Inner Breath, Cedric decided to stop for today. He was confident that over time, his body would adjust to this activity and he'd be able to circulate the technique more than once on a single attempt, but for now, it would be wise to listen to his body.

Even though he was just sitting there, Cedric actually felt spent, which was quite a surprise for him. Nevertheless, he didn't bother too much about it. He returned to his room to have a meal, freshened up, and returned to the training ground to practice his skills.

After dedicating a good amount of time to his practice and noticing that his body was already used to the 1.5 Restriction, he added another 0.5, making it a Lv.2 Restriction.

He then moved around, immersed himself in the feeling of pressure, and did his best to accelerate his adjustment period.

Cedric spent a good portion of his stamina with his taxing activities so he returned to his room later that night. He ate dinner, showered once again, and changed his clothes into a set of pajamas.

Laying on his bed, Cedric wore a smile. It seems that he discovered a way to spend his energy effectively. He knew that this wouldn't last long so while he still could, he'd take advantage of it.

That night, Cedric slept peacefully like a baby.