Chapter 204: Two Weeks of Cultivation – Part 2

Seeing the Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander nod again, the Miss Baron suddenly fell into a daze—

“There is already a gap between us… if he really becomes a Gold-rank expert…”

A strong sense of sorrow appeared in the Miss Baron’s heart, making it difficult for her to breathe.

The gap in status! The gap in strength!

Or, if one simply set those aside and looked at the issue of lifespan, she feared that by the time she was old and frail, Dean would still look like a man in his prime.

After all, it was well known that Gold-rank experts, as long as they did not fall in battle, time barely left any traces on them.

“I, I… what should I do?”

The Miss Baron asked herself silently.

The Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander looked at the young girl in front of her. She remained silent—some things could not be spoken from her mouth; she could only leave the decision to the other party.

This was her own creed, as well as the habit of a Swordsmanship Commander.

After a moment, the Miss Baron raised her head—

“Sister Ethel, can you teach me?”

The Miss Baron asked, holding onto the last thread of hope.

“Of course!”

The Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander chuckled softly and answered gently.

……

Dean did not know what was happening outside the room; he was completely immersed in cultivating the City [Body Forging Technique].

Unlike the [Body Forging Technique] of Emerald and Goth.

Although it had the same hot current, slight stinging pain accompanied by this heat began to spread through Dean’s body like flowing water.

However, soon a cooling sensation invaded Dean’s skin from the surface, quickly relieving the pain until it vanished completely.

Dean knew that this was the effect of those minor, secondary Healing Potions.

“[Constitution] improvement plays a big role in the City [Body Forging Technique]. Last time, when my [Constitution] value was only slightly stronger than the Knight-rank, that pain was like having flesh cut from my body—the City [Body Forging Technique] must be combined with auxiliary potions. It is precisely because of this pain that it is so unbearable… It is rumored that those who forced themselves to cultivate without auxiliary potions went mad from the suffering. Although it might be an exaggeration, one cannot rule out that it is true!”

Dean felt the heat receding and thought silently in his heart.

Then, he carefully checked his body to ensure there were no abnormalities before continuing his next round of cultivation—the Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander was already waiting there.

“Can we continue?”

This Swordsmanship Commander asked.

“Yes!”

Dean nodded.

After that, the room was filled with the sound of wood and flesh colliding.

And this sound of collision lasted for five full days, starting from dawn every morning until sunset every evening, without stopping for a single day.

The young men, who knew what their Regiment Commander was doing, could not help but shrink their necks every time they saw broken square logs thrown out of the door.

Even Theron, who was the bravest of them all, clicked his tongue in amazement and ran away from a distance.

And within those five days, after breaking thirty square logs, Dean’s [Body Forging Technique (City)] was finally recognized by the System—

[Learned: Body Forging Technique (City)]

[Body Forging Technique (City) Lv1: A Body Forging Technique in the City army that can effectively change the practitioner’s constitution; Effect: Constitution +0.25]

In terms of the increase in attribute points, the City [Body Forging Technique], which focused on constitution, surpassed Emerald and Goth.

Although it was only 0.05, as the level increased, this 0.05 was enough to make it impossible for anyone to ignore—

[Body Forging Technique (City) Lv1 → Lv3]

[Body Forging Technique (City) Lv3: A Body Forging Technique in the City army that can effectively change the practitioner’s constitution; Effect: Constitution +0.75]

After gaining the same 30 XP points, the [Body Forging Technique (City)] reached Lv3.

And after gaining another Constitution +0.75, Dean’s Constitution officially entered the Grand Knight rank—

[Constitution: 5.04]

“The changes in [Constitution] indeed affect the cultivation time of the [Body Forging Technique]. However, since I raise the level of the [Body Forging Technique] with XP and am then recognized by the System, it seems I don’t need to consider this point… The only thing I need to worry about is XP—now, the bandits near the Tier Territory have basically been wiped out. To gain XP by suppressing bandits, I must enter the Snowplains Dense Forest…”

Just thinking of the Snowplains Dense Forest, Dean frowned.

Inside the Snowplains Dense Forest, there were several gangs of real bandits that could truly be called ‘factions’.

However, the number of these bandits and their years of accumulated management had long turned their camps into fortresses as solid as copper and iron.

It was clearly throwing an egg against a rock to try and compete with these bandits with the small number of people Dean had in hand now.

But, if he let them be unchecked…

Thinking that these bandits might threaten his rear after the war broke out, Dean’s brain began to turn.

In his previous life, these bandits had done some quite remarkable things.

Although it could not be said that they completely sided with City, their impact on Emerald was quite large.

And this was absolutely not allowed by Dean in this life!

“With my current Strength, it is not very difficult to infiltrate those stockades, but to carry out a true assassination is somewhat difficult!”

Although there were no true Silver Level experts among those bandits, there were several leaders who were close to the Silver Level. Moreover, the robbers would definitely not care about so-called chivalric spirit. If there was the slightest slip-up, everyone would swarm at him. At that time, besides running away, Dean would have no other way out.

“For now, I cannot deal with those bandits. At least during winter, they will not cause trouble. Once winter passes… it will be May next year. There is a five-month buffer before the Blood Moon War breaks out. This is enough for my Strength to improve further, making it easier to destroy those stockades!”

After thinking it over, Dean made his final decision.

“The [Body Forging Technique (Emerald)] does not need to consider anything else besides the demand for XP. As for the basic medicinal herbs needed for the [Body Forging Technique (Goth)] and the [Body Forging Technique (City)], Buchea had already found them. After Old Anders completes the Transaction, they will be delivered. This is not a problem either; and afterwards… until Lv8, I will face the same XP problems as with the [Body Forging Technique (Emerald)]…”

When it came to XP, setting aside some that he could not get for now, Dean subconsciously thought of the upcoming Midwinter Festival.

“If those guys make a move, it will definitely be at the Midwinter Festival, during the Baron’s banquet. Only by defeating me in full view of the crowd can it suit their interests… Similarly, except for Nord, it seems I don’t need to hold back against anyone else, especially that ‘Poison Scorpion’. Together with his thirty subordinates, that is obviously a considerable amount of XP!”

Dean calculated silently.

For the Poison Scorpion Mercenary Group, which had the identity of thieves, Dean would absolutely not let them go.

After all, the underground world of Vauban County had long been treated as his exclusive territory by Dean—whether for preparations for war or for convenience in acting.

Dean would not allow others to lay their hands on this place full of Shadow and Darkness.

After pondering for a while, Dean redressed himself and strode out of his room, heading towards the two-story building behind the garrison.

With its completely wooden structure, most of the framework had been completed under the premise of working day and night with sufficient manpower.

Some detailed work would not take more than a week to finish.

In fact, one of the rooms inside was already fully usable.

Therefore, the Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander spent most of her time there, and so did the Miss Baron of the Tier Baron Family—Dean knew about this Miss Baron’s training with the Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander over the past few days; similarly, it was precisely because of this that he had time for ‘free movement’.

After all, with a Silver Level existence following him, no matter how careful Dean was, he could not completely hide himself.

And obviously, some things could absolutely not be known.

For example: matters regarding the Goth spy network and the underground world of Vauban County were all like this.

“Instructor, I have some matters to attend to in Tier Town!”

Dean entered the room, glanced at the Miss Baron of the Tier Baron Family who was sweating profusely, and then directed his gaze to the Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander.

“Have you mastered the City [Body Forging Technique]?”

The Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander asked.

“Yes, I have mastered it!”

Dean said ‘truthfully’; the Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander did not speak, only nodding in admiration.

After some brief pleasantries, Dean left the room, went straight to lead the Warhorse that was already familiar to him, and galloped towards Tier Town—his cooperative attitude was enough to reassure the Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander.

Or rather, her reconnaissance of the nearby area gave her the confidence.

Every night, this Grand Duke’s Swordsmanship Commander would leave for a period of time—the other party did not hide it, so Dean knew it clearly.

In response to this, besides gratitude, Dean increasingly adjusted his attitude as a ‘protected person’.

The Warhorse ran fast. More than ten minutes later, he appeared at the gate of Tier Town—

“Dean Ken, Regiment Commander, good day!”

The guard stationed at the town gate shouted a greeting.

“Good day!”

Dean dismounted, nodded, and handed the reins of the horse to the other party.

Although riding a horse was not strictly prohibited in Tier Town, Dean, who maintained his ‘Knight’ side, would definitely not do so.