Chapter 3
vin had long grown ustomed to the stares from the Protégés of Cobalt Strike Guild. Be they
of pity or mockery, he epted them with an air of tranquility. Having lived in their midst for eight
years, vin remained an outsider, never truly blending in, and Cobalt Strike showed no desire to
embrace him.
Weary and in pain, he dragged his body back to the Cobalt Strike’s storage shed.-
This shed, where he''d resided for all those years, was situated on a low hill near the main peak of
the Guild''s stronghold. It was arge space, once overseen by five custodians, but now only two
remained.
One was the steadfast vin, and the other a despondent old man. They were the lowest ranking
members of the Guild, having relied on each other for many years.
Upon returning to the shed, vin rubbed his face vigorously before the iron door, revealing a faint
smile as he had always done. "Old man, I''m back."
Pushing open the iron door, he snapped his fingers as if nothing had happened.
The old man with his gray hair sat silently under the ancient tree in the distance, where a solitary
grave was situated. He would sit there every day, quietly mourning the departed.
One was lonely and forlorn, the other stubborn and strong. Their vastly different natures somehow
found harmony in this simple life they shared for many years, a curious matter indeed.
Humming a tune, vin changed into clean clothes in the shed. There was no frustration, no sense
of defeat, no resentment. It wasn''t so much that he had grown used to it, but rather that he was
striving to remain optimistic, a resilience and persistence that had served him well for eight years.
Near the solitary grave, the old man sat still, as if he hadn’t noticed vin’s injuries. His focus was
entirely on the grave and the magnolia flowers swaying beside it. His daily routine was simple: tidy
up the shed, eat something, and then sit by the grave.
"I''ll eat a bitter. I''m going to practice for a bit."
vin greeted the old man before settling on a stone bench, sitting in deep meditation. His
breathing was steady as he absorbed the subtle life force of the world around him, nurturing his
injured body.
He was not practicing Combat Magic, but a remarkable method of breathing called the Restoration
Mantra!
Typically, mages sought to draw in the energy of the world, concentrating it into magic within their
bodies, and wielding it through specific Combat Magic to disy powerful fighting abilities. It was
widely acknowledged that the energy of the world was just what magic appeared to be in its ‘wild
state,’ and its ''primal state.''
But what vin now captured was not just energy, but a life force, the Restoration Aether!
This rare and astonishing method of breathing came from the old man.
Ever since vin had been imprisoned in Cobalt Strike as amon Protégé, and assigned to the
shed as a servant, the old man had been there. It seemed no one knew of the old man''s origins, nor
did they care for such a wretched old fellow. The old man was cantankerous, and seldom spoke to
vin, let alone anyone else. But on a rainy night five years prior, when vin had dragged himself
back to the shed all bloodied and beaten, the old man had unexpectedly recited a mantra that
vin hadmitted to memory.
"The essence of life is elusive, roaming between heaven and earth, without beginning or end.
"The Great Bear rides the breath and orchestrates the seasons. Heaven and earth intersect. All
things transform, with beginning and end, cycling forever.
"Life springs from the seasons and ispleted day and night.
"Trace its path, watch its course, and if you understand itsings and goings, you can then
masterfully strategize it."
It took vin three years of exploration and study to finally understand and integrate this
knowledge, using it with ease.
It was this remarkable method of breathing that allowed vin’s injuries to heal in the shortest time,
enabling him to survive the oppression and exploitation of the Cobalt Strike with his stubborn
resilience.
What were the origins of this mantra? The old man hadn’t said a word, and vin hadn''t asked.
After a day of recuperation, vin''s vitality and injuries hadrgely recovered, and the pain had
almost vanished. The Restoration Mantra worked wonders.
As evening approached and the sky darkened, vin ceased his practice and cooked a meal,
setting it on a simple wooden table outside. "Old man, it''s time to eat."
They ate ordinary wild greens and simr dishes day by day, but today, vin managed to prepare
them with a bit of variety, presenting four dishes.
The old man nced over. Perhaps enticed by the appealing color and presentation or perhaps
truly hungry after a day of fasting, he brushed the dust from his clothes and began to eat leisurely,
without a word.
"Eat up. I''m going to practice a little more," vin said, hastily swallowing a few bites before
returning to the stone bench to draw in more Restoration Aether. He needed to heal his injuries
quickly, leaving no lingering weaknesses.
The old man sampled each dish. Finding the vors to his liking, he pulled all four tes towards
himself and continued his unhurried meal. Today, it seemed his appetite was particrly good.
"Master vin?" A pretty young woman knocked on the iron door and entered.
"Carlys," vin greeted her with a lightugh. "Haven''t seen you in months, and you''ve grown even
more beautiful."
"Months without seeing you, and you''re in trouble again, causing worries. Celesse sent me to bring
you some medicine." The young woman swayed the small bamboo basket in her hand and nodded
to the old man, who ignored her as he continued with his meal. Unperturbed, she stepped briskly
towards vin. Her steps were light as she said, "Let''s see how deep your wounds are.”N?velDrama.Org owns this.