Chapter 1876 - Mellow (2)

Over the coming period, Dyon diligently trained his group of now ten beasts. Previously, he had thoughts of expanding them further before considering human settlements, but his new discovery had suddenly changed his plans.

He focused on maturing the cobras. The bronzed had already reached their limit of evolution within this area, placing them two steps above their mother. However, the cobras had just been born. They still needed to grow to their ceiling first.

In addition to this, Dyon began to specialize his squad of beasts. Up to now, their energy consumption had been all over the place. They simply ate whatever meat and stones they came across, but Dyon began to focus their paths.

The bronzed were incredibly swift, but lacked power. In addition, they were too heavy to make use of their greatest asset: their wings. As a result, Dyon began feeding them light type energy stones, focusing them on a path of speed.

The cobras had decent movement thanks to their snake-like bases, however, it was clear and obvious that their greatest strength was their defense. Their black steel exoskeleton that covered their back and heads was only one aspect. The other was their leather skin and sharp fur.

The pink leather skin that had grown from their faces to cover their bodies was incredibly thick, making theirs thicker than even their mother's defense. However, the sharp and thin black fur that covered it was the true danger.

Battling a cobra head-on was foolish. A single attack could result in numerous holes smaller than the eye could see tearing through your skin, bone and muscle. Knowing this, it was no wonder Dyon could the bold type path for them.

The bronzed took in all of the light type stones they gathered from raiding underground caves while the cobras ate the bold type stones.

Dyon knew that there were many other energy types to exploit. However, it seemed this area only had holy, light and bold type. Still, even if he had more, it wouldn't matter considering he had yet to find another den of newborns to make use of.

Like this, the cobras slowly grew toward maturity. Unfortunately, Dyon's main body wasn't experiencing such smooth progression.

Though Calming Lake was a true paradise unlike the Ancient Battlefield, it was hiding a hell far worse than the latter.

Dyon's face remained serene, but there was a war going on his mind.

{Let go of that arrogance, what sort of silly path are you trying to follow? Did you not want to be calm and calculating? A person like this knows when to put their pride away and bow their heads}

As expected of the first and simplest tier, the attacks were bordering on juvenile. Did they really believe they could convince him this way? Their thoughts were shallow and unfounded. This level of consciousness could never shake Dyon.

{Boy, there is nothing wrong with arrogance. Embrace it, laugh at the skies from on high, even if it means losing your head in a shower of blood.}

However, there were attacks that stuck more firmly, ones that a deep part of Dyon truly believed.

He wanted to be a person who could act on a whim and still find a path to victory no matter what odds he faced, no matter what trouble he placed himself him.

Wasn't that the type of person he was already? Wasn't that why he couldn't cultivate an Undefeatable Spirit? He had such confidence in himself that he never doubted victory…

Dyon's mind was in shambles even as he clawed through consciousness after consciousness. He didn't know the path he should take.

He didn't want to forsake himself and the mentality that brought him to this place, but at the same time, he still felt he had to change.

That feeling he grasped that day. The moment he learned Clara's life was in danger and Madeleine was fighting for her own… That instant where he thought Amphorae might die along with his little brother and sister… That eerie calm when he thought he might lose everything due to his arrogance.

That day, no, those several weeks, he felt like everything was in the palm of his hand and out of his hands at the same time. He had 'lost' everything, but he had also gained everything.

{Yes, that's the true martial path, one that discards everything to gain everything. If you care for nothing, you can remain calm in the face of death. Discard love and family, discard even the will to keep your own life, only then can you reach the pinnacle of there is.}

Dyon's calm expression cracked before recovering.

{Transcendents must learn to do this. To transcend means to shed away mortal matters. You must watch your wife, your parents, your children, all of them, callously die by the will of the Heavens. If your heart is shaken by such events, how could you ever be worthy of transcending?

{There's a calm that comes with letting go of everything, of existing above everything. You must grasp this feeling once more… That calm feeling that allows you to accomplish everything.}

Dyon hadn't realized it, but in his focus, he had fallen to the second tier of Calming Lake and the attacks on his path had grown fiercer…