After finishing the letter, Rowen carefully folded it and placed it back on the table.
His heart was anything but calm.
According to his grandfather, the answer to his condition lay inside the wooden box.
Taking a slow breath, Rowen reached for the small wooden box.
The box wasn't locked.
With a gentle push, the lid slowly opened.
Inside, he found only three items.
The first was an old silver ring.
Its appearance was plain and ordinary, without any decorations or gemstones.
If his grandfather hadn't specifically mentioned it in the letter, Rowen would have mistaken it for nothing more than an ordinary ring.
Remembering his grandfather's warning, Rowen quietly slipped the ring onto his finger before turning his attention to the second item.
The moment he saw it, his breathing stopped.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Resting quietly inside the wooden box was a blood-red crystal no larger than his palm.
The crystal emitted a deep crimson glow, while an astonishingly pure wave of mana radiated from within it.
"This..."
"Impossible..."
Rowen could hardly believe his own eyes.
It was a Mana Stone.
Mana Stones were naturally formed treasures found within dimensional rifts and were among the most valuable cultivation resources in the world.
Based on the purity of the mana they contained, mana stones were divided into different grades.
Pale orange was the lowest grade and the most common.
Deep Orange contained denser mana and was considered a high-quality cultivation resource.
Above that was Crimson Red, a treasure eagerly sought after by powerful awakeners, major guilds, and influential families.
As for the Blood Red Mana Stone...
It was considered a legendary treasure.
The mana contained within it was incomparably pure, making it almost priceless.
Such a mana stone was nearly impossible to find in a tier-3 town like Boulder.
Even Tier-2 cities rarely possessed one.
It was said that only the most powerful organizations in Tier-1 cities had the qualifications to obtain such a treasure.
Yet...
One now rested quietly inside his grandfather's wooden box.
Rowen stared at the crystal for a long time before finally forcing himself to calm down.
His grandfather...
Who exactly were you?
Suppressing the countless questions in his mind, Rowen turned his attention to the final item inside the wooden box.
It was a neatly bound booklet.
The dark brown leather cover showed only slight signs of use, as though it had been completed not long ago.
Across the front, four carefully written words caught his eye.
Unknown Mana Breathing Technique
A trace of confusion flashed across Rowen's face.
"A Mana Breathing Technique?"
He had never heard of such a cultivation method before.
Unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, he slowly opened the booklet.
The first page was filled with familiar handwriting.
The moment he saw it, his body trembled slightly.
It was his grandfather's handwriting.
Taking a deep breath, Rowen began to read.
Dear Rowen,
If you have opened this booklet, then everything has happened just as I expected.
After countless failures and years of persistence, we finally succeeded in creating this breathing technique.
Unlike ordinary cultivation techniques, it was never created to increase one's mana or improve one's cultivation realm.
It was created for only one purpose.
To strengthen the human body.
Every breath you take while practicing this technique will gradually temper your muscles, bones, blood, meridians, and even your internal organs.
The process will be slow.
It will also be extremely painful.
However, if you can endure it until the end, your body will undergo a complete transformation.
Whether this technique can truly solve the problem hidden within your body...
Even we do not know.
You will be the first person to cultivate it.
If it succeeds...
Then perhaps a miracle really can happen.
The remaining pages contain the complete breathing method.
Study them carefully.
Never allow this technique to fall into anyone else's hands.
And remember...
No matter what happens in the future...
Your grandfather has always believed in you.
After reading the final line, Rowen slowly closed the booklet.
His heart couldn't calm down for a long time.
If everything written inside was true...
Then perhaps...
There was still hope for him.
His gaze slowly shifted toward the Blood Red Mana Stone resting inside the wooden box.
According to the instructions recorded in the booklet, the first step was to absorb the mana contained within the mana stone while practicing the breathing technique.
Rowen gently picked up the Blood Red Mana Stone.
The astonishingly pure mana contained within it was unlike anything he had ever felt before.
Fortunately, he wasn't unfamiliar with the sensation of mana entering his body.
During the Awakening Ceremony, he had already experienced it once.
Taking a deep breath, Rowen slowly closed his eyes.
Following the breathing method recorded in the booklet, he gradually guided the mana from the Blood Red Mana Stone into his body.
A warm current immediately flowed through his meridians.
Remembering his grandfather's warning, Rowen discarded every distracting thought.
The booklet had clearly stated that he must remain completely focused throughout the entire process.
His breathing gradually became steady.
However...
Just like during the Awakening Ceremony...
The mana inside his body began disappearing once again.
Rowen's expression immediately changed.
"So it really is happening again..."
But this time, he didn't panic.
He trusted his grandfather.
Without any hesitation, Rowen increased the amount of mana entering his body.
He began forcefully drawing more and more mana from the Blood Red Mana Stone.
The flow of mana became faster and faster.
Deep within Rowen's consciousness.
A pair of scarlet eyes slowly opened.
"Hehehe..."
"What delicious mana..."
"I've waited for so long..."
A hideous creature slowly revealed itself within the endless darkness.
Its twisted face was filled with excitement.
"Hehehe... This is much better than that old fool's mana."
"Hehehe..."
Without hesitation, it began greedily devouring every trace of mana entering Rowen's body.
The faster Rowen absorbed mana...
The happier the creature became.
"Hehehe..."
"More..."
"Give me more..."
Completely unaware of what was happening inside his own body, Rowen continued following the breathing technique.
Seeing the mana disappearing once again, a trace of ruthlessness flashed across his face.
If one stream wasn't enough...
Then he would absorb even more.
The amount of mana flowing from the Blood Red Mana Stone increased dramatically.
The hideous creature laughed madly as it greedily devoured the torrent of mana.
However...
Something unexpected happened.
A tiny portion of the mana escaped its grasp.
Instead of disappearing, it slowly began circulating throughout Rowen's body according to the breathing technique.
At that very moment...
Within a brilliantly lit space far away...
A tiny creature slowly opened its eyes.