Way of the Knights

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Running away from Ellen's frightening attacks, Luna actually hid behind Raven's chair unconsciously while tugging the hem of his clothes.

Raven shook his head and raised his finger to block the charging red head. Unexpectedly, Ellen can't even make his finger bend no matter how she forced it.

"Calm down Lele. Or would you want me to announce many secrets of your childhood to them?" Shockingly, the raging tempest calmed down and just hatefully snorted at him. Luna heaved a sigh of relief while Anne was a bit surprised.

"How rare…" she whispered.

"What is?" Mark asked.

"For her to calm down just like that." Anne explained, "Normally when that happens she won't stop until she get her hands satisfied from attacking. I never saw her back down like that. This friend of your is really capable."

Paul and Mark was a bit stunned. Paul lamented and thought: 'How could you brother! How dare you show off and hog all the beauties for yourself!' While Mark on the other hand: 'Well, this is Raven that we're talking about.'

They could only sigh and munch on food and drink their tea in silence. For some reason, they felt a bit out of place here.

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It was then that the two suddenly felt their energies became chaotic. Paul's eyes widened and looked at the tea he just consumed, he looked at Mark and saw that he was looking at him too. Anne noticed this sudden change which caused her to be alarmed.

"Are you guys fine?" She asked after seeing their twisted expressions. Raven's ears twitched and two golden corona's appeared on his eyes without anyone noticing it. He quickly saw their expressions and the drinks that they consumed. His eyes shone as he quickly picked them up by their collars and said: "Oops, can't have you guys messing up the house."

He then dragged them away and ran outside. The girls were shocked and followed behind them, when they got outside. They saw Raven helping them sit down properly. After doing this, he retreated back to the side of the girls and saw their puzzled expressions.

"What's happening Avi?" Ellen was the only one who call him like this. Raven shrugged and said:

"Breakthrough." Using his deadpan voice, he explained the situation for them. The girls were enlightened and nodded.

"I see, but I never saw them actively cultivate though?" Anne couldn't help but ask.

"It's the food." Raven pointed. "It was prepared by a Special Chef. It contained energies that could be absorbed by the body. They had already reached the point of extreme saturation of Qi so now's the time for a break through." He explained patiently to them.

Seeing Raven casually sit down to watch over them, the girls also followed. Though Raven might look extremely relaxed, he was actually very vigilant right now. He knew that his brothers were caught unprepared for this breakthrough, so if anything goes awry, he won't hesitate to rush forward and help them. He even reverted the gravity suit to normal gravity just to be sure he could reach them quickly.

Though it wasn't visible, the atmosphere around the two became extremely chaotic. Paul and Mark could hear rumbling noises inside their bodies like something was about to wake up from the depths of their bodies. There was an agonized expression in their faces as they cultivated. Ellen saw this and couldn't help but ask:

"Are they doing fine? Why do they look like they're in pain? Isn't it just a breakthrough?"

"No worries they are fine." Raven shrugged as he paid attention to them.

Suddenly, Paul and Mark's aura flared. Their bodies sucked Qi like a whale inhaling air. The girls were dumbfounded by this scene, almost all of their pores were open and absorbing Qi and a frightening pace. Even their hair was being lifted in the air and fluttering due to the immense surge of energies.

"What the hell? Isn't just a breakthrough? What's with all of this commotion?" Ellen was staring wide eyed at this scenario, Anne and Luna felt the same way as well. They've had their share of breakthrough experiences as well and those didn't kick up a commotion like this one, not even close.

"What do you mean? It's precisely a breakthrough…" Raven said with a smile in his face, the girls were flabbergasted and wanted more explanation but it seems that they won't have it. They could only wait until this whole process was finished.

After the furious suction of Qi, it became awfully quiet. Afterwards, the girls heard sound of something breaking from their bodies. After that sound, their skins glowed brilliantly forming a thin curtain that adhered to their bodies. Next thing they knew, the boys were standing and roaring in the air. This was just them showing their elation from their breakthrough…

It was then that they heard Raven said:

"Familiarize yourselves with that new found power of yours, we will test that later."

Paul and Mark nodded and sat back down. As they meditated, Raven and girls could see some faint blue lights flickering on the surface of their skin. It was like fireflies dancing in the night. Ellen being the hot headed and impatient person that she is, couldn't take it anymore and asked:

"Avi, just what is happening here? Isn't just a normal breakthrough to Early-stage of Skin Toughening? Why in the world would something like this happen?"

Anne and Luna were also looking at him clearly asking for answers as well. Raven was a bit stunned when she heard her say this, a playful smile appeared in his face as he said:

"Who said it was a breakthrough to Early-stage?" He even place a shocked expression as he asked this question back.

"Mid-stage then? But how can that be?" Anne was the one who guessed this time. However Raven still had that playful smile in his face.

"To correct you, it's Peak-stage Skin Toughening, they now have the ability to close and open their pores at will to contain and release Qi, making it possible for them to learn some true Battle Arts and Movement Arts."

The girls let out an audible gasps, they looked at him and his brothers like they were some sort of monsters. Paul and Mark had already finished stabilizing their cultivation bases and already joined them.

"Congratulations, congratulations!" Raven clapped and placed an amused face as they sat down. Paul was shamelessly laughing while Mark just smiled. "Barely a month's passed since cultivating but already on Peak-stage of Skin Toughening? How does it feel to be a genius?"

Paul and Mark knew that this is one of Raven's playful antics once again, Mark was blushing in shame while Paul just laughed uproariously and said:

"Hahaha! Good! Feels good! My old man will surely be shocked if I let him know. I bet he won't smack me again for being useless! Hahahaha!"

"Oh the Dean? Hoh, he sure would extremely be happy and proud! Say, what are your thoughts about applying for ther genius class by end of the semester?"

Paul looked shocked a bit and so does Mark, they looked at his playful smile and felt their confidence being provoked.

"I'll apply for it of course! I'll even pass with flying colors!" Paul roared.

"Hoho~ how about this brother here? Do you have the same plans?" Raven then asked Mark. He saw him nodded and say:

"Challenge accepted. Doing that will allow me to regain my reputation back. If I pass, then my family won't be mocked by those people because of me and my 'talents'." Raven saw him gripping his fist tightly. A gratified smile appeared in his face as he declared.

"Alright, I'll help you. But be prepared. Since our goal is the Genius Class then of course we have to step into Marrow Cleansing Realm. For now however, the training resumes…"

Raven smiled and stood up, he then started walking away from the group. The girls were puzzled by the boys weren't.

"Where's he going?" Ellen asked.

"Hmm? Well he probably got riled up with our breakthrough and decided to have one as well." Paul scratched his head while explaining.

"That could happen too?" Anne exclaimed.

Mark nodded and said: "He's just like that. Mysterious and also a freak of nature."

"Couldn't agree more." Paul added.

As they talked Raven had already sat down and started his breakthrough. They all saw how he started perspiring to the point where his clothes are fully drenched in sweat. Even though he was sitting quite far from where they are, they could feel a strange heat touching their skins. At this distance it was nothing but a comforting heat, but the same thing can't be said for what Raven was enduring right now.

It felt like he was soaking in magma. His skin was starting to turn red and it was even wriggling constantly. Suddenly, his aura flared and looked like a visage of fire. It was so intense that his clothes started burning, weirdly it only burned his clothes not the hairs on his body or his spatial ring at that.

The girls were shocked, Ellen and Anne's hands immediately covered Luna's eyes while the boys covered their eyes for them.. It was quite the funny scene.