Lux remained seated within the ruined temple.
His breathing slowed.
One breath.
Then another.
The surrounding prana stirred.
It flowed toward him in countless invisible streams before entering his body through every pore.
The Leclair Breathing Technique.
A method passed down through generations.
Its purpose was simple.
Refine.
Purify.
Strengthen.
Every cycle removed the impurities mixed within the ambient prana before directing the refined energy toward his core.
Deep within his lower abdomen, the crystalline core revolved steadily.
Compared to the pond it had once been, it now resembled a small lake, its surface calm and filled with dense, refined prana.
Ripples spread across it as another stream poured inside.
The increase was minute.
Barely noticeable.
Yet Lux patiently repeated the process.
Cultivation had never been about shortcuts.
It was accumulation.
Minutes later, he slowly opened his eyes.
"...Good enough."
He rose to his feet.
