The Exalt Cultivation Fantasy

Act 1: Blue Ocean Pavilion - Chapter 35: No Step Duel

"Meditation is how Exalts focus to peak into their inner space and feel the Ein around them. It is how they begin the process of absorbing Ein." Draven spoke eloquently like a tenured professor. Every word drew Oscar in out of a yearning to know more. "But people neglect that it can do so much more. Meditation is just a way to focus on yourself. I knew from how you climbed that you realized its other uses."

Oscar nodded, "It was as if I could see inside my body. Every blood vessels, muscle fibers, and organs were visible. It was a unique sensation."

"That period of rest did well for you. Meditation is merely hyper-focus. Its effects vary on what we are focusing on. Meditate and focus on your ears; you will hear farther than ever. Meditate on the skin and feel every little stimulus."

Oscar grew excited. He never thought meditation could have such a profound, broad use.

"Reaching the twenty feet mark is not bad, but you're still not putting it all together."

"Put it together?"

"What have you discovered and learned during your time digging and climbing? Combine all of that to escape."

Oscar learned only two things: the flow of power and body meditation. But he arrived at the point of meditation because using the flow was impossible during the climb. "I do not understand. How can I keep my power flowing through momentum on this rigid wall."

"Use meditation to detect the flow. You've used it to calm your body, but you do not see the intricacies within" Draven jumped down and landed next to Oscar, who stepped back in surprise.

Without a word, Draven moved to the wall and began to climb. He had to show Oscar how to do it. Whether or not it was helpful was up to Oscar.

Starstruck, Oscar refused to blink to capture every movement. Master was mind-blowingly fast in climbing up the wall. His Master's hand seemed to caress the wall and stick tight like a lizard to advance upward.

After Draven finished, Oscar started to climb. He entered a state of meditation. Once again, the surreal sight of his body filled his vision.

'Find the flow.' Oscar scanned every inch of his body, but he could not catch anything special or related to the flow. He strained himself to keep searching until he coughed out some blood. Similar to meditating for Ein, overdoing it led to consequences.

Back on the ground, Oscar reviewed his mistakes and cleared his head to make another attempt. 'Look deeper within. What is my body doing?'

Right as his hands and feet made contact, Oscar entered meditation. His body was in flux as if waves and ripples were shaking the ocean. 'So that's why.'

Though he found his balance on the ground, his positioning on the walls caused an imbalance. It may have looked fine on the surface that he was making the correct movements, but it was a mess internally.

The very process was fascinating. The power ran amok and dispersed in random places. Oscar wondered whether he could climb up twenty feet in such a sloppy state.

'How do I maintain solidity when hanging off the wall?' Oscar did not move a single finger; he was still at the starting point of the climb. His head was hung down in thought, piquing Draven's interest.

'What is he up to?' Even the powerful Warden was confused at Oscar's inactivity.

Oscar made a move, if it could be called that. His hand moved up only about the length of a fingernail.

Then after another period of inaction, his hand moved again only slightly. It was awkward as Oscar's left hand and foot was still firmly holding on while the right hand and foot were stiff in mid-air.

'This boy…' Draven knew what Oscar was doing, but he never expected this. 'The flow cannot travel if the body cannot maintain its form. He's moving in the same motion for climbing but in slow steps to constantly adjust.'

It was as Draven thought. Oscar, at each stop, used meditation to find the proper muscle to utilize, the appropriate amount of strength, and the best position. 'With the shoveling, I could control the flow with proper form that went along. During climbing, I was able to use meditation before every step. By using meditation, I can find the proper form to allow my strength to flow to each next move.'

A maddeningly slow process. It was the only way Oscar knew he could comprehend the answer.

'He is not the fastest nor the most talented, but he is smart and persistent.' Draven thought.

Eventually, Oscar's hand and foot reached the safe spots to hold on. His left side started to move very slowly and with pauses. This process went on for an hour until he finally reached his limits.

"Do you need a vial? I did say I would not give you any more, but you've already grasped the core of this lesson."

However, Oscar shook his head in refusal.

"Forgive me, Master. I need to finish this, or else it wouldn't be real training. There's no point if I don't reach the end." Oscar was stubborn and meditated to recover his body's condition.

Draven nodded and went back to observing. Even near the end, this youth did not succumb to temptations like most criminals.

Oscar restarted his climb. His hands were faster than last time. He had a good understanding of how his body needed to move without the need to meditate each time.

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He only meditated at the times when he had to recover.

At the twenty feet point, Oscar looked up and surpassed his previous limit. He pulled his entire body past it. There was now five feet away from the surface.

The warm light of the torches tickled his cheeks. He felt the cleaner, salty air of the caverns intoxicate his nose and lips.

'Don't stumble here!' Oscar refused to be distracted. He held it together and crawled upwards.

A hand popped out of the hole and stuck itself to the surface, not letting go. Under Draven's watchful gaze, Oscar pulled himself out of the hole and lay on the floor like a dead man.

"HAHAHAHA!" Oscar could not contain himself and bellowed in laughter.

Clap Clap

Draven applauded Oscar. Seeing the boy struggle and finally overcome was a rare sight for him in this prison.

"You have successfully climbed up. In no less than a full day, that is worthy of praise. Come with me." Without notice, He held onto Oscar's shoulders, and they vanished from the cavern.

The sudden bright light stung Oscar's eyes. The long time in the dark caverns had made his eyes sensitive to any light source. He finally got a clear look around after some time. "A training room?"

The place was almost identical to the private training rooms in the Outer Hall. However, this room was five times as big. It was hard to believe there was a room this big.

"Let's get you out of those bands."

With a wave, the bands clicked open and fell to the floor. Oscar's arms and feet ached and gave off a cool, refreshing feeling in the wake of freedom.

'I feel like I can fly.' His body felt extremely light, yet he felt strength welling up inside. However, his Ein was still restricted by the band on his neck. Realizing he was wasting time, he quickly turned to Draven.

"Master!" Oscar bowed and waited for Draven to give the next instructions. He had five days left.

"How astute. It makes me happy to see someone with manners and decency. For the next five days, you will be fighting me."

Oscar looked surprised, but then a wide smile blossomed across his face. There was nothing better than this. "I will do as you command."

"That's shocking. You didn't complain or whine this time."

"It's because I'm excited."

"Excited?" Draven tilted his head in confusion.

"Yes. I can't wait to see how much stronger I've become and get used to this body. Also…."

"Also?"

"I've been wanting some payback for your unreasonable spartan training." Oscar took up a stance with a smile and fierce eyes.

Draven laughed uncontrollably for the first time in a while. All pretenses of poise and etiquette went down the drain. He clutched his stomach from how hard he laughed. "You're a crazy kid. But I admire your courage. Very few would talk to me like that. Payback? Very well, try and get your punches in."

He walked until he was right before Oscar and sliced his hands through the air, making two long cuts on the floor behind their feet. "Your goal is to force any part of me behind my line while ensuring you don't go behind yours. The No Step Duel."

Unlike Oscar, Draven remained still with his hands behind his back. His figure wrapped in an air of oppression and confidence, forcing Oscar to hunch slightly.

The overwhelming pressure did not lessen Oscar's smile. Draven was the perfect opponent to test his new limits.

"Begin."

Oscar was not polite and let loose a powerful punch.

CRACK

A loud sound. Oscar felt the strength contained within his fist. It was overwhelming. He thought of how devastating it would be if infused with Ein.

Even more shocking was his Master. The blow had no effect; not a single inch of his body moved or recoiled. His fist was reeling from the pain. Just how tough is his Master's defense?

"That was a beautiful punch. You were serious and didn't hold back." Draven lifted his hand and clenched it hard. "But it was only that. All looks and no essence." His fist rammed into Oscar's face like a steel ball.

The helpless Oscar flew past his line and smashed into the wall at the other side of the room as a long arc of blood spurted out.

Cough Cough

"This monster!" His cheek was bruised black, and a line of blood fell from his lips.

"What's wrong? You said you wanted to see how much stronger you've gotten and how you wanted to bash me?" Draven spoke like a ruffian or a thug. The previous well-mannered Warden was no longer there. The thrill of a fight made Draven drop his mask of elegance. "Tough luck, kiddo. You're in for a long session of pain. I will be with you every moment of it."

Oscar limped back to his spot and tightened his stance. "Again!"

Draven unleashed another straight punch, but Oscar was able to put his guard up in time. But the Warden's strength was too much as Oscar was forced back.

He was slammed to his back and sent rolling away past his line. His arms had two large bruises on them. Draven held back to prevent bones from breaking, but it did not prevent bruising.

His arms trembled while pulling himself up. The previous attack weakened his arms severely.

Still, Oscar returned to his spot to resume. His eyes stared unwaveringly at Draven. "AGAIN!"

This boldness was met with an iron fist. Whenever Oscar was blown to the wall, slammed to the floor, or sent rolling away, he would get back up to start again.

"It's time for a break." After several beatings, Draven paused their duel.

Oscar fell to the floor, planting his face on the surface. The pressure and power behind his master's punch were far more tiring than digging and climbing.

'It's…not over.' Oscar dozed off to sleep, using the last of his energy to make a statement.

"You realize it's only a 15-minute break?" Draven shook his head. Oscar was in for a rude wake-up.

…….

In the Neptune Archives, there were far fewer students than before. Most students decided that missions and training are more important than reading a few months into their first year.

"Hoh, you've already finished the entire section on various ores. If it were not for your status, I would recommend you be a librarian here." The elderly librarian woman that Oscar was acquainted with spoke to a girl with long silver hair that went far down to her thin waist. Her lips were slightly pale but charming, combined with her dazzling emerald eyes.

"We don't need to worry about status here. But I am sorry to say I would humbly reject your offer. My training is far more important." Celestina Lovre Dragnar, the princess of the Brilliant Drake Empire, spoke respectfully to the old librarian.

"That is true. Your talents will carry you far. There is no need to be stuck in a position like this old lady."

"You jest. I admire you for your diligent work and for being a fellow lover of books."

"Hehe, you're making this old elder blush."

Celestina and the librarian shared a round of small laughter.

"By the way, where is that boy?" Celestina looked around.

"A boy? What boy?"

The princess was asking about a man. The librarian, who saw this princess coldly rejecting the talented Gilbert, became shocked. It was quite the scene in front of the Archives.

What sort of man was she interested in?

"This person is also here very often, like me. He had black hair and black eyes."

"Oh! You must be talking about Oscar!" The librarian's eyes shined with joy.

"Is that his name?"

"Yes. Oscar is an avid reader of everything here. He's one of the few that goes into the literature section to read stories. Often, he brings me a cookie or snack." The librarian thought fondly of Oscar. Any lover of books was not a bad person, in her opinion. However, it was odd that the princess asked about him. To the librarian's knowledge, there should not have been any interactions between them.

"The literature section? Where is that? I'll start there." Celestina smiled brightly, and the librarian felt her withered heart jolt. This princess had a deadly effect on people.