Lu Mingfei, become the King of Elden!

Chapter 288 The Path of the Strong

"I see... You little rascal, you've accomplished quite a feat without making a sound."

He patted Lu Mingfei's shoulder forcefully, with approval:

"Alright! Since it's your territory and that knight is in charge, I'll definitely have to go and take a look around if I get the chance, to see how you've managed it."

"welcome any time."

Lu Mingfei responded with a smile.

"Then it's settled!"

Jellian shouldered his flame-shaped greatsword, turned to face the other side of the bridge, waved to Lu Mingfei with his back to him, his posture still free and unrestrained:
"Go on, kid! Go your own way! We... will meet again!"

"Until we meet again, General Jeremy."

Lu Mingfei responded loudly.

"Don't call me General. Just call me Jeremy."

Jeremy's words drifted in on the wind and then faded away.

Lu Mingfei withdrew his gaze and pondered the new combat technique he had just learned once again.

He subconsciously sensed the surging rune power within his body once more—a full 80,000!
This enormous number brought a brief, blissful dizziness.

80,000 runes!

This was far more lucrative than most of his previous gains, leaving him momentarily at a loss, as if a destitute beggar had suddenly been hit on the head by a gold brick, his mind filled with thoughts of how to spend it.

He forced himself to calm down, took a few deep breaths of the bloody and burnt air, and began to carefully consider his options.

This wealth must be used wisely to maximize one's strength in order to face the Divine Tower ahead and the many more challenges and stronger enemies to come.

After repeatedly weighing the pros and cons, a clear allocation plan gradually took shape in his mind.

First, sufficient reserve funds must be set aside.

Twenty thousand runes are used for weapon enhancement and spirit mixing of ashes.

Along the way, he collected some forging stones, which he could use to enhance the two greatswords.

Oreg's ashes are quite damaged and need to be reconstituted and restored by Rodrik as soon as possible.

These expenses are considerable and must be budgeted for.

Having established the basic safeguards, the next step is to strengthen ourselves.

"The foundation of physical health must not be neglected."

He felt the need for power he had experienced in the previous battle and made a decision.

Twenty thousand runes were invested in tempering the 'physique' of the soul, and twenty thousand were invested in 'strength'.

A more robust body and greater strength are needed to wield heavy weapons more freely, and the power of techniques like the 'Lion Slash' can be increased to a higher level.

His thoughts drifted to that mysterious and elusive "sensation".

As his strength increased, Lu Mingfei gained a deeper understanding of the nature of his body.

As a Dragon Eater, the attribute "Sensitivity" is absolutely related to the strength and application of one's Dragon Eater.

Lu Mingfei discovered that in the border area, there were very few people who needed "sensing attributes," whether they were warriors or outsiders.

Aside from the Dragon Warriors, only those like Kaneki who walk the path of cursed blood remain.

Both Dragon's Feast and Cursed Blood seem to involve some kind of "alienation" at the level of the soul.
"The remaining 20,000 will be put into 'sensing'."

He made up his mind.

Lu Mingfei closed his eyes, his mind sinking into the ocean of runic light. He guided the vast energy, channeling it according to a predetermined plan into the soul meridians representing strength, physique, and perception.

The immense energy washed over his body and soul, bringing waves of tearing and reshaping pain, but also a sense of fulfillment from the increase in power.

He could clearly feel that his muscle fibers were becoming stronger and denser, his nerve responses were becoming more acute, and even his perception of the surrounding environment was becoming more subtle.

As the last bit of Rune energy was completely absorbed and transformed, Lu Mingfei suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

He clenched his fist lightly, his knuckles cracking crisply, and his aura was now significantly stronger than it had been moments before.

He could clearly feel that his strength, physique, and even his mysterious sensory abilities had all taken a solid step forward.

His body seemed to contain a surging tide, and every move he made was full of explosive power.

But that's secondary.

Most importantly, he seemed to have touched something.

He felt as if he were standing before an invisible door, behind which came a faint, magnificent, and vast whisper, a whisper that seemed to touch upon some fundamental rule of this world.

Is it the law? Or the cycle of life itself?
He couldn't tell.

No matter how focused he was or how much he channeled the surging runic power within him, he could not reach the door, and even the view behind the door became increasingly blurry.

A sense of bewilderment arose spontaneously.

"bottleneck……"

Lu Mingfei muttered to himself, suddenly understanding.

The enhancement brought by Runes is real and substantial, enough to transform any ordinary warrior.

But at this moment, he clearly realized that the road ahead could no longer be opened up by simply piling up runes.

This is more like a... cognitive barrier, a manifestation of a lack of in-depth understanding of the nature of one's own power.

He possessed power, but he had not yet fully grasped how to mobilize it more efficiently and subtly, or how to make it resonate more deeply with the rules of this world.

It's like someone who has brute strength but doesn't know how to exert it effectively; they can't make their full strength reach its maximum potential.

What he needs is no longer quantitative accumulation, but qualitative transformation.

He needs a deeper level of "spiritual practice," a process of sorting out and sublimating his own power.

Lu Mingfei took a deep breath and slowly calmed the surging power within him.

He was not impatient.

The path to true strength is always clear and unwavering.

At this moment, he was perfectly clear about where he was, what obstacles lay ahead, and what questions he had in his heart that needed to be answered.

What he had to do was to cut them apart and break them down step by step.

Fortunately, he was not alone on this arduous journey.

Fate's twists and turns have allowed him to accumulate invaluable connections and resources, and in Stoneville, two mentors await his return.

Having good interpersonal relationships and a wide network of connections is sometimes a sign of strength.

The upcoming itinerary has been finalized.

First, as planned, head to the Tower of the Gods to resonate with the Great Rune. This is a crucial step in the Faded Ones' mission, and perhaps some clues about the nature of the law can be found in the Tower of the Gods itself.

Then, they immediately set off back to Stoneville.

He will bring back all the gains from this trip to the Dragon Tomb, the newly mastered combat skill "Lion Slash", the possible changes in Dragon Feast Power after devouring Guileer's Dragon Heart, and the bottleneck concerning the essence of power that is currently troubling him, to his two mentors.

(End of this chapter)