The Cornflower Witch Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Acquiring the Breathing Technique (Thanks to little Qing Ji, the great victorious alliance leader)

Night, in the forest behind the village.

Hylial stood quietly in the moonlit clearing, eyes closed. The silver moonlight fell upon her, casting a faint glow on her hair and dress, making her appear serene and slightly divine.

She slowly adjusted her breathing, gradually seeking out the obscure rhythm of her blood within her body, then steadily immersed herself in it, synchronizing her breath, heartbeat, and consciousness. A strange sensation spread throughout her body.

The state of each part of her body gradually surfaced in her mind, from the touch of her skin, the existence of her muscles, the activity of her internal organs, to the subtle sound of her blood flowing—everything became clearer and clearer.

Never before had she felt her body so vividly, as if she were controlling this body for the second time. Fresh and delicate sensations came from all parts, initially a little strange, but she quickly adapted. This made her perception sharper and improved her control over her limbs.

Hylial opened her light blue eyes and looked up at the branches and leaves not far above her head. She delicately reached her fingers into the gaps between the leaves, plucking a green, unripe flower-fruit from among the dense foliage without touching a single leaf. This feeling was quite remarkable.

It was like a ping-pong match: when the opponent hits the ball, even if you know how to return it, your wrist might not be synchronized with your vision, sometimes you swing and miss, or you can’t determine exactly where the ball will hit the racket.

Brain: I think I can hit that ball.

Hand: No, you can’t.

But when her perception and control over her body improved, she could, in an instant’s reaction, precisely make the ball land on any point of the racket, and better control the force, producing unexpected effects, whether it was backspin, topspin, or even more specialized techniques.

Breathing… adjusting frequency… perceiving blood rhythm… synchronized immersion.

In the sea of consciousness, the dense, slender crimson network completed another cycle, and the power of the blood constitution subtly increased during this process.

(‘Breathing Technique’ completion +6)

After completing this cycle, Hylial eased her breathing, withdrawing from that strange state. At that moment, a slight soreness spread throughout her body.

She could only train this much today, otherwise, she would accumulate internal injuries. She checked her progress.

[Breathing Technique Lv.0] (Blood Rhythm): An unformed ability, current progress (24/100)

Today she completed three cycles of training, and her cultivation progress increased by 12, 6, and 6 respectively. At this rate, it would take about another week to fully master it.

After finishing her breathing technique training, she picked up the wooden sword placed under the tree, recalling the basic skills Frien had taught her during the day, and practiced swinging the sword.

Initially, her movements were very slow. She constantly adjusted her posture to make her exertion of force smoother. This is where the benefits of the breathing technique became apparent, as her increased control and perception of her body allowed her to detect subtle differences in her movements. This enabled her to continuously correct her movements based on these differences.

If an ordinary person were to learn swordsmanship without a qualified instructor, they would at best only learn the approximate movements, merely mimicking the form, making it difficult to truly enter the art, ultimately becoming a form of performative swordsmanship.

With a qualified instructor and constant correction through actual combat, it would take years of hard work to gradually find the most suitable way to exert force and techniques. Only then, by constantly familiarizing oneself with these and ingraining them into muscle memory, could one become a master swordsman. This process could take anywhere from five years to more than ten years.

‘Basic Swordsmanship’ proficiency +12

Basic Swordsmanship Lv.0: Still learning, current progress (36/100)

After a complete practice session, Hylial felt a bit tired. She blinked her eyes, looked at her progress, and thought that if she worked hard, she might reach Basic Swordsmanship Lv.1 tomorrow.

Oh, and her [Discernment Eye] couldn’t see others’ achievements in skills and techniques; it could only be used to observe her own progress. Perhaps she would need to raise her constitutional rank to further enhance this ability.

She had gained a lot today, so she contentedly put away her sword and walked with light steps towards her small cabin.

Pushing open the door where a faint light was visible, Hylial entered the room to find Talil still awake, lounging by the table, idly watching the candle. When Hylial entered, Talil suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with delight.

“Lia’s back.” Their relationship had become much closer over the past two days, and at the girl’s request, she had stopped using formal titles for her.

“Mhm.”

The girl nodded, came and sat on the chair opposite Talil, stretched out her legs, and gave a small, languid stretch, showcasing the graceful curve of her waist. This relaxed posture inadvertently exuded an inexplicable charm, causing Talil to stare in a daze for a few moments.

“Huh? What’s wrong?” Seeing Talil unmoving, Hylial waved her hand in front of her, tilting her head and asking curiously, her silver hair and blue eyes particularly captivating.

“Nothing.” Talil bit her lip, trying to clear her head.

“Lia, did you just finish practicing swordplay?” After dinner together earlier, Lia told her she was going to practice swordplay.

“Yes, I’m wandering now, so it’s better to learn some self-defense skills.” Hylial clasped her hands on the table, then rested her head on one arm, gazing at the quietly burning candle.

“Lia is very diligent.”

Talil wasn’t so diligent; she was always short-lived in whatever she did. If something was monotonous and boring, it would be difficult for her to stick with it. So she greatly admired people who could endure boredom and study. Her sister Winnie and Lia were just such people.

Inspired by Lia, Talil decided that she would also diligently study the breathing technique tomorrow. If she really mastered it, it would be amazing, and even the big guys in the village wouldn’t be able to beat her.

Thinking of such a scene, Talil almost chuckled secretly, but in Hylial’s eyes, she looked a little silly.

What is this child thinking, Hylial shook her head, leaning on the table to relax and rest. At this moment, she didn’t feel like moving much, but she still had to take a bath later, sigh.

…

Fourth day afternoon, forest clearing.

Hylial and Talil sparred with wooden swords, the crisp clang of their weapons echoing through the air.

Bang, bang, bang…

The two wooden swords clashed intermittently as they swung them.

In another exchange, Hylial nimbly adjusted her footsteps, gracefully evading Talil’s attack, then flipped her sword, disarming Talil of her wooden sword.

The thrown wooden sword arced through the air and then diagonally embedded itself in the grass.

“Whoa, what kind of technique was that just now? My sword suddenly flew out.” Talil was curious and excited.

“This… I got an idea just then.” In truth, Hylial couldn’t explain why she did that just now; an inspiration came to her, she felt she could disarm her like that, and she could easily do it, so the movement happened naturally.

“Lia is so amazing~” Talil praised her sincerely.

During these few days of getting to know each other, Talil clearly felt that Hylial was a very intelligent person with exceptional talent, who learned everything quickly.

“Can you teach me, Lia~”

She was beginning to learn how to act cute in front of the girl. If the other young men in the village saw her like this, they would probably be very surprised, because Talil was usually like a boy, occasionally even fighting with her peers in the village.

“I can try.” The girl thought for a moment and decided to give it a go.

“Great!~”

Talil picked up her wooden sword again and then slowly practiced in the manner Frien had taught her.

“No, the force for this movement isn’t like that.” The girl shook her head. Though it looked similar, Talil’s performance in the details was far too different.

“You stay still, I’ll help you adjust.” She walked over, supporting Talil’s arm and forearm, adjusting her through subtle movements.

“Like this…”

…(Talil’s ‘Basic Swordsmanship’ proficiency +1)

“Yes, straighten your legs, use your waist…”

…(Talil’s ‘Basic Swordsmanship’ proficiency +1)

“It’s like this, watch my movements…”

…(Talil’s ‘Basic Swordsmanship’ proficiency +2)

After about two hours, Talil was so tired she sat under a tree, her wooden sword discarded nearby. “Whew, whew, so tired…” Although she complained of being tired, her eyes were now full of excitement and enthusiasm.

“I think I found some tricks. Lia is amazing, even better than Lord Frien taught me!” Her words were sincere.

At this, the girl beside her also lightened up somewhat, gracefully sitting down while holding her skirt.

“If you practice like this for another five or six days, you should be able to learn basic swordsmanship.” Today, Talil’s swordsmanship proficiency increased by a total of 17 points, bringing her current progress to (24/100).

“Mm-hmm (^o^)/~” If she weren’t so tired, Talil would have shouted for joy.

“I’m going to tell Grandpa that I can be a great adventurer too!”

When she was little, she had heard many exciting stories from her grandpa, and she could recite them all: ‘helping nobles deal with corrosive slugs in the city’s underground sewers,’ ‘climbing the howling wind mountain to burn the nests of ash-feather vultures,’ ‘battling venomous lizards in the forest.’ Even now, her grandpa’s cabinet still held a few deep green venomous lizard scales.

“Lia, listen to me, my grandpa used to go to so many places…” Talil was now excitedly telling the girl about the old village chief’s glorious past achievements.

…

“It’s certainly very alluring.” Looking up at the bright sunlight filtering through the leaves, Hylial also dreamed of such an exciting adventurous life, just like the countless games she used to play, where various monsters, dungeons, and battles were always so captivating.

If she had the chance, she also wanted to travel around, using mission opportunities to experience this vast and wonderful world.

;

Seventh day

Hylial was already a familiar face in Linden Village. Almost every villager knew this extraordinary, exceptionally beautiful, gentle, and kind girl. She was well-liked; if it weren’t for the huge difference in status, it’s likely many young men would have approached her, competing for her attention.

“Alright, you’ve all trained enough.” Carrying a wooden spear, Frien slowly walked past the crowd.

“Basic swordsmanship and spear techniques, the two best among you have mastered them. If others still don’t know, you can ask them for guidance later.” He then turned and his gaze swept over everyone again.

“As for learning the ‘Breathing Technique,’ don’t force it. If you really can’t grasp it, just eat more and train your strength and agility; that can also enhance your power.” Among the young people he instructed this time, only Hylial had learned the ‘Breathing Technique.’

“I will be leaving tomorrow. If your skills improve in the future, come find me in ‘Three Towers Town.’ After my assessment, those who pass can join the patrol team. If your strength is even greater, there will also be a place for you in the Baron’s cavalry.”

Compared to ordinary village work, the patrol team’s treatment was much better, with some unofficial income. And the cavalry, moreover, was the core force under Baron Horien, responsible for handling various emergencies in the territory, occasionally even receiving rewards from the Baron.

“Is Lord Frien leaving?” an apprentice asked.

“That’s right, departing tomorrow.” He nodded, embedding the butt of his wooden spear into the ground.

“I’ve been recovering here for a week, and my fracture is almost healed. It’s time to report back to the Baron. As for that ‘Red Wolf,’ I know you’re all very worried it might return.”

“However, I cannot stay defending the village indefinitely, as I am also responsible for the road safety of various villages and towns within the Baron’s territory.”

“I believe with the village’s barrier in place, it shouldn’t dare to attack again carelessly. If you’re truly uneasy, then go to the Adventurer’s Guild in Burntstone City and post a bounty there. I think someone will come to deal with it.”

“Alright, training is done for today. Dismissed!”

After the crowd dispersed, Frien found the silver-haired girl in the back row, and the two conversed under the tree.

“Miss Lia, you’re going to Burntstone City, right?”

“Yes, Mr. Frien.” The girl’s voice was soft and gentle.

“On my return to ‘Three Towers Town,’ I’ll be traveling along your route for a while, but we’ll part ways at Riverstone Town. You can then travel with a caravan and continue towards Burntstone City. It’s a prosperous market with many people coming and going, so you should be able to find some clues there.”

“Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Frien.”

“No need to be so polite. You helped many of my team members that day; it is I who should be thanking you. Here, take this sword.” With that, he picked up a short sword he had prepared from behind the tree and handed it to Hylial.

“Take it, use it to defend yourself on the road. The blacksmiths in the village can’t forge such a fine sword.”

Taking the sheathed short sword, Hylial expressed her gratitude once again.

[Refined Iron Sword] (Quality: Good): Forged from iron, expertly crafted, currently well-maintained.

Drawing the short sword from its wooden sheath, Hylial tried swinging it. It was a bit heavy, but she had no major problems using it.

“You’re not strong enough yet; you can’t use too heavy a sword. Fortunately, you’ve already learned the ‘Breathing Technique.’ By training with it, your physical strength will gradually catch up, becoming no weaker than a sturdy young man your age.” Frien was quite satisfied with this temporary student.

“If you can advance further, reaching stage two of the breathing technique, many strong soldiers won’t be able to compare with you in terms of explosive power and speed.”

“As for stage three of the breathing technique, I’m not entirely clear on the specifics, but I’ve seen those knight masters. Their strength allows them to easily lift wild boars and lions larger than themselves, and they can casually crush human bones.”

“I see.” Hylial nodded, indicating that she would train hard in the future.

“I imagine you don’t know anyone in Burntstone City. Here’s a letter of introduction from me. You can give it to Miss Mylin at the Adventurer’s Guild; she’s a distant niece of mine and we get along well, so she should be able to help you.”

“Alright, no need for more thanks. If you have the chance, you can come find me in ‘Three Towers Town.’ That’s where Baron Horien’s castle is, and I’ll be stationed there often.”

Although Frien told Hylial not to thank him, a warmth and gratitude arose in the girl’s heart. What he gave her might not have been valuable, but for her, it was all urgently needed at the moment, solving too many difficulties.

“I will definitely visit you in Three Towers Town when I have time.”

…

The day of departure was approaching, and Hylial found it hard to sleep at night. She had just gotten used to village life, and now she was off to another unfamiliar place. However, as Frien said, staying in the village would make it hard to grow, and there weren’t enough resources. To find opportunities, she had to go to larger places.

Turning slightly in bed, the girl lightly tied up some of her hair to prevent it from getting flattened. In these few days, she had also learned how to manage her beautiful yet troublesome long hair.

On the other side of the room, Talil lay sleeping soundly on the wooden board, occasionally mumbling incoherent words in her dreams, seemingly fighting monsters and eating delicious food. Hylial had grown accustomed to this.

Tomorrow, she would depart tomorrow. She raised her hand and looked at her slender, delicate fingers; some information floated into her mind.

First, there was the disc of destiny, surrounded by an invisible thread and emanating a soft glow. In its center lay the silver vine-framed card [Sleeping Maiden], and below it, in one of the three empty slots, a pale red-framed card now appeared. Its frame was imprinted with subtle, dark red veins, like blood flowing silently.

Within the card was a hazy, indistinct black human figure, its outline similar to the girl’s. Inside the figure, a light red heart beat with a strange rhythm, and several blood vessels extended from it, delving into the black figure, with occasional wisps of crimson flowing in and out.

[Breathing Technique Lv.1] (Blood Rhythm): Regulates blood flow rate through breathing, driving and enhancing overall physical strength and reaction speed. This ability places demands on the heart and body, and cannot be used for extended periods (recommended not to exceed 1 minute/day); (Completion 56/300)

Even after learning the breathing technique, her daily completion still steadily increased. In about ten days, she would likely enter the [Breathing Technique Lv.2] stage. This situation puzzled Hylial, because according to Frien, the further along one progressed, the more difficult the cultivation would become; one might train with the same routine day after day, yet see no increase in progress.

It was precisely for this reason that Frien’s breathing technique had been stuck at the second stage for nearly ten years.

Never mind, she wouldn’t dwell on that. Her understanding of the power of the constitution was limited at the moment, so she probably wouldn’t figure out the reason now. She would have to explore it later.

As for the swordsmanship and spear techniques she was taught, she had mastered them quite well too.

Basic Swordsmanship Lv.3: Fundamental sword skills, the foundation of combat, current progress (125/900)

Basic Spear Technique Lv.2: Fundamental spear skills, the foundation of combat, current progress (246/300)

She learned these two skills particularly quickly, and while teaching Talil, she also gained some improvements herself. She wondered if there was a limit, after all, even the most formidable basic swordsmanship was still just basic swordsmanship.

With these, Hylial touched the scabbard by her bed, finally feeling a sense of security in her heart.

Phew, she should be able to get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow, she’d set off for Burntstone City.

Curling slightly on her side, her silver-snow hair slid down her neck and shoulder. Unbeknownst to her, she had drifted into peaceful dreams…

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(End of this chapter)