Chapter 62: Reaching the Bottleneck of Spiritual Power

Inside the training room of the Frost Wolf Castle, David prepared for yet another breakthrough.

With the immediate affairs of the territory settled, and Reina handling the administrative tasks, David focused once more on his cultivation.

The recent dual cultivation session with Reina had brought his Snow Elf Soul closer to a breakthrough.

To counter the Second Prince's looming threat, David knew he must quickly ascend to the sixth tier. Without reaching that level, any confrontation would be an uphill battle.

"My current spiritual power is at the third tier," he thought. "I wonder if advancing the Snow Elf Soul to the fifth tier will strengthen my spiritual force further."

Lately, despite his relentless training and the support of tools like the Snow Elf Potion, Snow Elf Breathing Technique, and his Intermediate Ice Elemental Talent, his spiritual power had hit a plateau. No matter how much effort he poured in, there seemed to be no way forward, no opportunity for further advancement.

He speculated that this might be the Snow Elf Soul's inherent limit. Much like a knight's potential, capped by the strength of their bloodline and breathing technique, his spiritual cultivation seemed constrained by the resources at his disposal.

"Perhaps the Snow Elf Breathing Technique is only effective up to the third tier," he mused. "Reaching the third tier might already exceed its natural limit, thanks to the system's aid. But can it help me push beyond this bottleneck again?"

David pushed these thoughts aside and refocused, summoning the system interface with a silent command: "Breakthrough."

An invisible force surged into his spiritual world, pouring into his Frost Wolf Soul, making its form even more solid, like that of an ancient ice wolf brought to life.

At that moment, the Frost Wolf Soul reached the fifth tier.

An immense feedback loop from the Snow Elf Soul's evolution flooded David's mind, causing his spiritual power to surge and his spiritual domain to tremble.

"My spiritual power… it increased!" David's eyes lit up with excitement.

Though the boost was modest, it reignited his hope of breaking through the bottleneck. Perhaps, with this new tier, he could continue advancing his spiritual power.

Activating the Snow Elf Breathing Technique, David gathered ice elemental energy into his spiritual world, honing and strengthening his mind.

But despite his renewed efforts, time passed, and the results were the same.

With a heavy heart, David opened his eyes. Even at the fifth tier, the Snow Elf Soul couldn't push his spiritual power any further. It was clear that this path had reached its limit. If he wanted to continue growing, he would need a proper Meditation Technique, one exclusive to mages.

"The path of the mage is my next step," he murmured.

Despite his consistent search for traces of mages, the results had been discouraging. Other than the mysterious Shadow Witch he had encountered, no new leads had surfaced.

To complicate matters, the arrival of Lucia, the Saintess of the Silver Moon Holy Light Church, in the northern lands, accompanied by the Holy Light Knights, was a significant development.

While the Holy Light Church's main influence stemmed from the Dawn Empire, its grip on kingdoms like the Silver Moon was far less pronounced due to political tensions between church and crown.

Unlike the Dawn Empire, where the church's influence was absolute, regions like the Silver Moon Kingdom had laws limiting the church's power, especially in noble territories.

This was precisely why David felt secure harboring witches within Frost Wolf Ridge. As long as their existence remained covert, the church would find it difficult to act against them.

However, the Saintess's presence complicated things. With the chaos of the north as a backdrop, the church likely aimed to spread its faith among the suffering populace, potentially turning them into devout followers.

For David, this was unwelcome news. The Holy Light Knights posed a direct threat, and their actions might force northern witches into hiding or exile. Such an outcome would make his search for a mage even harder.

"For now, I'll focus on honing my knightly powers," David decided. The search for spiritual growth and meditation methods would have to wait.

Still, his magical abilities, Frost Breath and Winter's Curse, required further refinement. These skills would prove invaluable in the battles ahead.

---

At the castle, Reina remained engrossed in administrative duties.

David made his way to Lia's quarters to check on her.

"Lia, how are you doing?" he asked warmly.

"Almost ready," Lia replied gently. "In another two days, I should be able to serve you again."

"Take all the time you need to recover," David said, smiling.

"Yes, my lord," Lia answered with a sweet smile.

David then turned to Amy.

He realized he had neglected the young witch lately, spending most of his time with Reina. It was time to make it up to her and, in the process, further cultivate his Ice Elemental Talent.

His intermediate talent had already been pivotal in enhancing his powers. If he could elevate it to an advanced level, the benefits would be extraordinary.

---

That evening, in a secluded estate on Frost Wolf Ridge, Anne read quietly by the light of an oil lamp.

She had been waiting for an opportunity to meet the Frost Wolf Duke.

For now, she remained patient.

Summoning her familiar, a small black sparrow, Anne retrieved a letter from the tiny creature.

"The Saintess Lucia is heading north, accompanied by Hilman, the Holy Light Knight's vice commander," she read.

Her expression turned grim.

Hilman was a hunter blessed with Demon Slayer Blood, making him a natural enemy of mages. His innate sensitivity to magical fluctuations meant witches in the north were at significant risk.

"If Hilman senses even a trace of magical power, the church will hunt us relentlessly," Anne muttered.

Despite the danger, Anne resolved to stay. Frost Wolf Ridge offered relative safety, and the nearby Frost Wolf Forest provided a potential escape route should the church encroach.

For now, Anne's plans remained intact, though she couldn't help but wonder when the Frost Wolf Duke would make his move.

---

Back at the castle, David remained unaware of Anne's presence or the potential ally she represented.

Instead, he was busy in his study, forging a deeper bond with Amy.

The large desk creaked under their movements, while the young witch buried her face in a book, too shy to look up.

Though different from Reina's fiery defiance, Amy's quiet submission ignited a different kind of excitement in David.

With their connection deepened, his Ice Elemental Talent finally reached the threshold for advancement.

-Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there 

patreon.com/LegendaryTL

Thanks!