Once he arrived at the quiet grove, Ryan immediately began cultivating using the method he had practiced countless times before.
Almost immediately, an indescribable strangeness appeared.
He was certain that his cultivation method was exactly the same as before, but an unexpected change occurred.
He felt as if an invisible gate had been opened. Original Essence from the surroundings entered his body far more easily than before, seeping through his body and circulating within him.
Wherever the Original Essence passed, a comfortable warmth spread through him.
This feeling was so wonderful that he couldn't help but immerse himself in it and subconsciously continued cultivating.
The more he cultivated, the more excited he became. He had never cultivated so smoothly before. He never knew that cultivation could be so addictive.
Only after completing several cycles did Ryan finally force himself out of this state of immersion.
"Could this feeling be related to my Advanced Cultivation Talent...?"
Ryan's heart pounded as he stopped.
Anyone with cultivation talent could absorb Original Essence to strengthen themselves. The only difference was the efficiency.
Before, with his Weak Talent, Ryan could cultivate diligently for a long time and still achieve very little.
Later, after obtaining Julian's Medium Cultivation Talent, his cultivation speed had already undergone a tremendous change.
But now, after obtaining Aurelia's Advanced Cultivation Talent, the difference was even more obvious.
The amount of Original Essence he could absorb and refine was on an entirely different level.
Having figured this out, a hint of joy flashed across Ryan's face, and he threw himself back into cultivation without hesitation.
Again and again, Original Essence entered his body and circulated through him, strengthening his physique.
When he completed the thirtieth circulation, Ryan finally stopped.
Although the comfortable feeling was still there and he had the urge to continue cultivating, he managed to stop himself with his willpower.
He had not forgotten the warning Aurelia had given him.
Training required a balance between work and rest. If he overworked himself and damaged his body, he would regret it. The hidden problems caused by his previous excessive training had just been corrected by Aurelia, and he probably wouldn't be so lucky again.
"I feel like I've gained some strength."
After stopping, Ryan had time to carefully feel the changes in his body, and he noticed something different.
His strength seemed to have increased noticeably.
Whoosh!
Ryan raised the monster-slaying saber.
This time he wasn't using the Blazing Heaven Severing Saber, but simply swept the saber horizontally toward a hardwood tree about fifteen centimeters thick directly in front of him.
Crack!
With a crisp sound, the sharp blade tore through the trunk, and the tree toppled to the ground with a thud.
"Indeed, this wasn't an illusion."
Seeing this result, Ryan's face lit up with excitement.
Although he could have damaged such a tree before, he could never have done it so easily. The moment the saber struck, there had been almost no resistance.
"Very good."
A look of confidence appeared in Ryan's eyes.
To achieve such results from just one cultivation session, reaching the assessment standard within half a month should be no problem.
The rest of the time was spent in classes and self-study.
More than ten days later.
In a grove of trees, a black-haired young man wearing brigandine armor was training.
His face was solemn, and the monster-slaying saber in his hands changed constantly under his control, emitting a chilling whistling sound.
The blade flickered beneath the shade of the trees like a streak of cold light.
This man was Ryan.
His condition now was vastly different from what it had been ten days ago.
His proficiency with the Blazing Heaven Severing Saber had not changed dramatically after more than ten days of training.
The greatest difference was Ryan himself.
Compared to ten days ago, his appearance had not changed significantly, but his physical fitness had definitely improved dramatically. The most obvious manifestation was that his body had become heavier.
Every muscle beneath his skin was firmer and denser than before.
Despite his increased weight, Ryan's movement speed and saber speed had not decreased. On the contrary, they had increased significantly.
This was because his strength had also increased along with his weight.
Its growth was even more dramatic than his increase in weight.
Whoosh!
With Ryan's final strike, the blade swept toward a hardwood tree with a diameter of thirty centimeters.
Crack!
The trunk was cleaved apart.
Boom!
The tree canopy crashed down, crushing several smaller trees beneath it.
It was hard to imagine that a tree with a diameter of thirty centimeters could be brought down by Ryan with a single saber strike.
And yet, that was exactly what had happened.
This was Ryan's full-force strike.
With his Advanced Cultivation Talent, the results of more than ten days of cultivation far exceeded Ryan's expectations.
He had not only fully met the assessment standards but exceeded them by a considerable margin.
He had underestimated how terrifying Advanced Cultivation Talent was.
His cultivation speed was so fast that even he was a little frightened.
He finally understood why Aurelia could become a Rank 3 Blood Warrior at such a young age.
Many people spent their entire lives struggling to reach Rank 1.
The difference brought by talent was simply too great.
"Tomorrow is the assessment day."
Thinking about tomorrow's assessment, Ryan couldn't help but sneer.
These past few days, he had been harassed by certain people quite a bit, and tomorrow would be his time to retaliate.
When Ryan returned to his dormitory after washing up in the bathhouse, he was surprised to find someone waiting at his door.
Upon seeing this person, Ryan raised an eyebrow and asked in confusion.
"Elias...?"
Upon hearing the voice, the man looked up and, seeing it was Ryan, immediately greeted him.
"Ryan, you're back..."
"Mm."
Ryan nodded.
Because he had taken over the body of the original Ryan, he had been trying to avoid giving himself away by leaving early and returning late these days.
He hadn't expected Elias to wait for him outside his room.
"Are you ready for tomorrow's assessment?"
A hint of worry flashed across Elias's face as he asked.
"Yes, I'm ready."
Ryan nodded.
"I see."
Hearing Ryan's affirmative answer, Elias's face did not show any joy.
He was well aware of Ryan's previous abilities, and it was almost impossible for him to reach the assessment standard in such a short time.
Therefore, he took Ryan's words as a way of saving face.
Finally, he sighed slightly, took out a beautifully decorated small blue bottle from his pocket, and handed it to Ryan.
"This is Silver Deer Blood. Seize the opportunity."
After saying this, to avoid Ryan refusing, he turned and left.
He had gone to great lengths to obtain this bottle of Silver Deer Blood, even secretly using some of his family's resources and paying a price for it.
He might even face punishment from his family later.
This might seem foolish, but it was also the last time he would help his friend.