Way of the Knights

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Raven was exhausted.

When he came back to their house, he only saw his friends training inside the formation currently which provided him comfort. He didn't pay attention and just went towards his room to lay on his bed.

His exhaustion was a bit strange but also to be expected. He had been on a constant grind ever since his rebirth, he was too scared to waste time that he was seizing every chance he could to cultivate and become stronger.

Along the way, he forgotten that he was still a kid, his cultivation might be astonishing compared to most kids at his age but in the end, he was just child. His body could only handle too much.

His exhaustion wasn't a physical one but it was a mental fatigue and overexertion of some forces that he wasn't really allowed to use yet.

The people around him always see him performing techniques that are either too strong or too strange. These people always thought that whatever he does was amazing but they always forgot one important question, which is probably the reason why Raven is experiencing this severe exhaustion right now.

And that question is, how was he able to execute these techniques with his current strength?

The formations that he used against the criminals a month ago during their Field Trip, the technique he used to locate the presence of the Fifth Emissary, the technique he used to imprison his soul. All of these are techniques that are basically impossible for him to use at his current state yet he was able to use them. So how?

Raven of course could answer this but he did all that he could to avoid it. And the reason is because if he revealed that secret, then it would make everyone around him worry about him.

'Life Essence Conversion Technique' is the what he use to achieve all of this.

Each time a person raise the realm of their cultivation, they similarly extend their lifespans as well. A normal human lifespan is capped at 100 years, with luck they might be able to push this until 110 years old but that's the absolute limit, if they want to live longer, then they must cultivate. Once they breakthrough to Skin Toughening Realm, the cap is raised to 120 years. Muscle Training Realm raises it further to 150 years. Stepping on Organ Cleansing Realm means that a person could live up until 175 years old before they die, Bone Tempering 200 years and Marrow Cleansing raises it to 250 years.

Since Raven haven made a breakthrough yet, this means that he could live for at least 175 years, and he is very close to making a breakthrough so this will be raised even further.

'Life Essence Conversion Technique' uses lifespan as fuel to perform other techniques that are normally beyond what a cultivator could use. The stronger the technique they want to activate, the bigger the lifespan needed for the conversion.

Raven had used this technique multiple times already, the first time was when he cured Luna. He used a very high grade technique that instantly shaved off 10 years of his lifespan. Since then he shifted into using gems as mediums to at least help him lessen the amount needed but situations forces him to use more techniques, overall he had shaved off at least 20 years of his life.

Now the burden of the loss took it's toll on his body in a form of severe exhaustion. Raven was actually expecting this, however it still feels terrible. Without knowing when, Raven feel into a deep sleep.

***

Luna and the rest had finished their fifth attempt at the Virtual Beast Arena. They busied themselves learning the techniques that Raven have them and using the formation as a tool to gain more insights about it.

The technique that Raven gave her was called: [Light Shifting Spear Technique]. It was a set of spear stances and attacks that promotes quickness and sharpness. She had been studying the first movement and managed to get understood the rudimentary form.

The first attack from the technique is called: 'Piercing Light'. It was a simple attack, she basically needs to thrust her spear forward and there should be a bolt of light that will come out from it. Knowing how to perform it and actually doing it are two different things.

At first, she basically did nothing but thrust the spear forwards, it was quite challenging to actually let her energies flow on to the spear not to mention make a projectile out of it. After numerous practice along with some trial and error she managed to basically shoot out a projectile of energy from the tip of her spear whenever she attempted it, but the projectile could only fly at least twelve inches away from the spear before dissipating.

The Piercing Light should be a range attack, and twelve inches isn't necessarily a long distance, but even so that was progress, and considering that she just learned this technique today means that she was a genius through and through. But she never thought of it like this, or it was just she was incapable of thinking this way since she is always humbled by the monstrous enigma that is called Raven.

Speaking of which, he has been out for a while now. She couldn't help but worry about his well being. But worrying won't get her anywhere, so far he hadn't met any situation that he cannot deal with so he should be fine.

"Are you going for another round sis?" Anne woke Luna out from her stupor with this question, she faced her and shook her head.

"I had insights that I need to ponder on first. I'll go after I polish it."

Anne nodded and walked towards the formation once more, the others soon followed and it didn't take long before she was sitting alone by herself once more. She sat cross-legged and pondered about the insights she learned and formed interesting theories that might help her to master the first move.

She decided that it's better to test it on a real target so she headed outside to spar with the steel dummies.

Going down, she unknowingly passed by Raven's room, seeing the door was slightly open raised her curiosity. Of all the times that she had been training with them, this wasn't the first time that she passed by this room but it certainly is the first time that she saw it open. Raven never left the door of his room open so seeing this really bothered her.

Due to her rising curiosity, she took a peak inside, there she saw him sleeping with a frowned brow. Unknowingly, she went inside to look closer and by the time she noticed this, she was already standing at the edges of his bed.

She saw him sweating really hard and seemed to be muttering something inaudible for her. She became a bit worried so she reached out a hand to feel his forehead.

"Right, catching a fever should be impossible for us since we're cultivators. Haha." Luna felt dumb as she realized this after feeling his temperature.

After refining their bodies using energy, it's almost impossible for them to catch mortal diseases, unless it was an effect of a technique.

"Must be a nightmare then." Luna murmured, but this left a question on her head though, what was his nightmare all about?

In the end she decided to get some warm water and a towel wipe away his sweat, she couldn't just leave him alone after seeing his situation like this. After getting the stuff she needed, she then gently squeezed excess water off from the towel and wiped away the sweat on his face.

This allowed her to have a closer look of his face once more. Luna can't deny that he really looked handsome even though he was frowning. He had sharp brows, long lashes, well-defined jaw line, thin lips and a wheat colored skin.

Compared to the faces she used to see back in the palace, his face wasn't that impressive at all but for some reason his face was imprinted on her mind.

Suddenly, Luna felt something grasp her hand. When she realized it, Raven was actually holding her hand tightly. She tried releasing her hand but he won't let go. It was at this time that she heard him speak...

"Don't leave me...please..."

Luna was stunned, she looked at Raven's face but found him still sleeping. She thought he might be sleep talking but for some reason it felt unnatural. His tone was full of sadness and desperation, it was like something very important to him was being taken and he was powerless to stop it. Luna felt Raven clutch her hand even tighter, this time she stopped trying to free from his grasp and allowed him to hold her hand tightly.

Those words were too....emotional. Luna never heard him use that kind of tone, and for whatever reason, she felt pain on her chest, but why though?