In the morning, Rowan's knocked on Grim's door. This was unsual because they normally would meet at the training grounds in the morning.
"Bring a towel. We are going to train at the river today."
Grim wondered why he choose a river to train. If there was one thing he'd learned about his father, it was that his father only explained things when he wanted to.
They walked quietly, hearing the sounds of birds, and a creek noise. Which grim thought to be some sort of a version of a cricket. They made there way to the eastern gardens and than down to the Luminous River. The great waterway that ran through the empire's capital and split the capital in two.
Rowan stopped at a small, secluded bend where the river formed. Sheltered by trees that looked different from anything Grim had seen. They were dark blue at the base, and as it went further up, it faded from blue to white. White blue leaves on its branches.
"Take off your shirt and boots," he instructed, already removing his own. "We'll be getting in."
Grim hesitated only briefly before complying. The late summer air was warm, but the water would likely be cold.
"What exactly are we doing?" he asked as they walked into the shallow part of the river. The water was cokd just as Grim thought.
"I'm going to teach you how to properly fill your mana heart," Rowan said as he moved a little deeper into the water. Rowan was now waist deep.
"I've been monitoring your cultivation, Grim. You've been doing well with your water mana gathering, but there's a more efficient method." He gestured to the river around them. "To fill your heart appropriately, you must be near the source of the mana you wish to cultivate."
"So being in water helps with water mana," Grim surmised.
"Precisely. Just as standing in sunlight would aid light mana cultivation." Rowan positioned himself, sitting cross-legged in the shallow part where the water reached mid-chest. "Join me."
Grim mimicked his father's position, feeling the gentle current swirl around him.
"Now, you've been drawing mana directly into your heart," Rowan continued. "That works, but it's not the best method to cultivate. Instead, bring the mana to your mana core first, filter out the impurities, and then send it through your mana circuits and conduits before directing it to your heart."
"Like a purification system," Grim mused.
"Exactly. Your core serves as the initial filter, and your pathways further refine the mana before it reaches your heart. This produces higher quality energy and causes less strain on your heart itself."
Grim closed his eyes, focusing on the water surrounding him. Unlike the moisture in the air he'd been working with in his room. This was pure flowing water. Rich with natural water mana.
Following his father's instructions, he drew the water mana toward his core first. The point just below his navel that he'd previously bypassed in his cultivation practice. Immediately, he could feel the difference. The mana seemed to swirl in his core. He could feel the mana separating into pure energy and what felt like... was the best word he could think of.
"I can feel the impurities," he said, surprised.
"Good. Now channel only the pure mana through your conduits and circuits."
Grim visualized the twelve primary conduits and eight mana circuits his father had taught him about connecting his core to his extremities and, crucially, to his mana heart. As he directed the purified mana along these channels, it seemed to gain potency, becoming more responsive to his will.
"This is much faster than yesterday," Grim observed, feeling his mana heart filling more rapidly than in his previous attempt.
"That's because you're doing it correctly now," Rowan replied. "And because you're drawing directly from a primary source."
They cultivated in silence for several minutes. The only sound was the gentle lapping of water and occasional birdsong from the unique trees. Grim found himself settling into a rhythm—draw, filter, channel, store—that felt natural and efficient.
After about twenty minutes, Rowan reached into a small pouch at his waist and withdrew something that glinted blue in the morning light.
"Take this," he said, offering what looked like a small blue berry covered in frost despite the warm air. "It will accelerate the process further."
Grim accepted the berry, which was cold enough to send a shock through his fingers.
[That's a frozen dew berry,] the voice in his head informed him. [They are Berries that grow on the top of cold Mountains. They increase your water cultivate rate by 40% for three days.]
"Just eat it?" Grim asked, studying the glowing berry with new interest.
"Chew slowly," Rowan advised. "The sensation is intense."
That proved to be an understatement. The moment Grim bit into the berry, a rush of energy flooded his mouth. It was like drinking from a mountain stream. Colder than anything he ever felt before. Pure, and overwhelmingly powerful. The water mana within the berry was more concentrated than anything he'd encountered before.
"What the—" Grim gasped, barely catching himself before swearing. "That's fucking intense!"
"Breathe through it," Rowan instructed calmly. "Let the energy settle."
The cold sensation spread from Grim's mouth down his throat and into his chest, as if his insides were being crystallized. When it reached his mana heart, the effect was immediate and dramatic. The water mana he'd been carefully gathering suddenly resonated with the new energy, his heart pulsing strongly with power.
His awareness of water expanded exponentially. He could feel every current in the river, sense the moisture in the air, and even detect the sweat beading on his father's brow.
"Now continue your cultivation," Rowan said. "You'll find it much more efficient."
He wasn't exaggerating. What would have taken Grim hours now progressed rapidly. Within an hour, his mana heart was completely filled with pure water mana, pulsing with power that made his previous efforts seem laughable by comparison.
"I'm full," Grim announced, opening his eyes. "Heart at 100% capacity, completely filled with water mana."
Rowan nodded approvingly. "Good. Now we can begin the real training."
Instead of leaving the water, Rowan moved to a slightly deeper part of the river. "Come. The Ethereal Mist technique is most effective when practiced near a water source."
Grim followed, now hyper-aware of every ripple and current against his skin. His connection to water had never felt so strong.
"The relationship between mana and sword arts is straightforward but often misunderstood," Rowan began as he drew his practice sword from where he'd left it on the bank. "The more complex the sword art, the more mana you'll use. Many cultivators train their techniques separately from their mana management, which is a fundamental mistake."
"They run out of power in the middle of a fight," Grim guessed.
"Exactly. The true masters learn to cultivate continuously, even while moving or performing everyday tasks." Rowan demonstrated by drawing water mana from the river even as he moved through a basic sword kata. "It puts strain on the body at first, but eventually becomes second nature. When you reach that level, you'll never run out of mana in battle—making you a truly dangerous opponent."
Grim retrieved his own practice sword and waded back to his father. "So I should practice cultivating while training? Not just during meditation?"
"Yes, though, start slowly. Perhaps during your basic forms, when the physical movements are almost automatic."
Rowan raised his sword. "Now, let's see how your filled mana heart affects your Ethereal Mist technique. Remember the form, but this time, allow your water mana to flow more freely through your conduits and into your blade."
Grim took the proper stance, feeling the water mana responding eagerly to his intent. When he executed the technique, the result was startling. Instead of the small cloud he'd managed in previous sessions, a thick fog erupted from his sword, rapidly spreading across the river's surface and rising several feet into the air.
"Whoa," Grim breathed, watching the mist swirl and dance around them.
"Excellent," Rowan said, his voice now disembodied in the dense fog. "Now maintain it while I test your awareness."
As they walked back toward the palace, Grim could feel the difference in his body. The water mana wasn't just stored in his heart anymore—it seemed to flow through his entire system, responding to his thoughts with minimal effort. When they passed a decorative fountain, he couldn't resist a small test, subtly gesturing with one finger. The water curved unnaturally for a moment before he released his control.
Rowan caught the motion from the corner of his eye. "Don't show off," he admonished, though there was a hint of pride in his voice. "Control is as important as power."
"Yes, Father," Grim replied dutifully, hiding a smile.
As they reentered the palace grounds, Rowan placed a hand on Grim's shoulder. "One more thing. I've decided to show you the Ambrose scrolls soon. Not to learn from yet," he added, seeing Grim's eyes light up, "but to understand what you're working toward."
Grim barely heard the rest of the sentence. The Ambrose scrolls. The forbidden techniques that only the most elite warriors of the empire ever got to see. The kind of shit that turned men into monsters on the battlefield. And his father was going to let him see them.
His pulse quickened. His fingers twitched.
Then Rowan's next words snapped him right back down to reality.
"But first," he said, with a smirk that sent a chill down Grim's spine, "you'll have to prove you're ready."
Grim narrowed his eyes. "...Define, prove.'"
Rowan's smirk widened. "Tomorrow. Before dawn. The eastern training grounds."
Something about the way he said it set off every internal alarm Grim had.
"Shit. That's not gonna be fun."