10,000-years-old Crimson Lotus Wine

For the past two months, Oasis had been training harder than ever.

With the help of the weight adjustment set he purchased from the Ethereal Refiner shop,

his training regimen had become a balanced blend of physical conditioning and spiritual cultivation.

Every morning, he began with the Phoenix's Heart cultivation technique,

followed by intense physical training at noon, and concluded with the Dancing Phoenix Footwork in the evening.

This routine had become second nature to him...

---

Just after sunset, Oasis stood in his training field, calm and focused, his shirtless torso glistening with sweat.

Taking a deep breath, he started moving rapidly around the field.

His blue-cyan aura radiated around his body, leaving trails of light and mirages in his wake as he demonstrated his lean, muscular physique.

The moonlight reflected off his sweat, adding a mystical sheen to his movements.

"Not bad," Oasis murmured to himself, smiling as he admired the results of his hard work.

"It's just a matter of time until I reach perfection."

He paused for a moment, analyzing his progress.

"While training these past months, I realized my body doesn't just store mana in my mana heart."

"Excess mana is also stored in my bones, and my conscious realm converts the surplus into spiritual energy." He pondered this development.

"Maybe it's due to my unique body constitution."

The training field was a testament to his dedication, with worn paths marking his relentless drills.

The air was filled with a palpable energy, a mix of the residual aura from his training and the cool evening breeze.

The leaves rustled gently, and the distant sound of the academy's life added a harmonious backdrop to his solitary practice.

Oasis felt a surge of excitement as he reflected on his improvements.

His body was more resilient, his techniques more fluid, and his mind sharper than ever.

The integration of the 'Dancing Phoenix Footwork' into his routine had been particularly rewarding.

Each movement felt more natural, more in sync with his body's rhythm and his cultivation level.

"I still have some time before I start with my practicals at the academy," Oasis thought, his eyes filled with determination.

"I've made significant progress. I believe my footwork technique will continue to improve as my cultivation level rises. It's almost one with my body now."

As the night deepened, Oasis continued his practice, driven by a relentless pursuit of perfection.

The stars above seemed to mirror his ambition, twinkling brightly in the clear night sky.

The training field, bathed in moonlight, stood as a silent witness to his journey, each step echoing with his resolve to become stronger, faster, and unbeatable.

---

"I've been monitoring him as you asked, Sir," Seraphina spoke calmly.

"I think he should start his practicals now."

"There are only nine months left for him to officially begin, but what's the use of waiting if he's capable?"

"He's already defeated a second-year practical student," Seraphina suggested.

"Oh, for you to suggest that, I think he really is special," Great Instructor Leonardo Graymare replied, sitting in his office.

"I don't think the others are too far behind him in any field he chooses. He will catch up, and he will pass. The main exam is still far off," Seraphina added.

"Alright, I concur with your suggestion. I will visit the boy myself," Great Instructor Leonardo Graymare decided.

"There is no need, Great Instructor. You don't need to bother yourself with this," Seraphina responded.

"I insist. I will pay him a visit. Go back to your duties," Leonardo instructed, as Seraphina left the office with a nod.

"Let's go and see the little monster you left behind..." Leonardo thought to himself.

---

'Groar, groar, groar,'

Oasis snored as the sun started rising, still asleep.

Outside, Great Instructor Graymare flew towards Oasis's abode near the lake and landed on his training grounds.

"Wow, this training field has seen a lot," Graymare thought.

"So the little monster is still sleeping, huh?"

"Wake up!" he called out, slightly unleashing his aura.

Oasis immediately felt the new aura in his territory and rushed out of his sleeping area within a few breaths, appearing in his training field.

"Ah, old man, I don't think this is the right..." Oasis began, rubbing his eyes.

"Volacris, huh? You call me an old man?" Graymare replied.

"Just because your appearance looks young doesn't mean you are not old. I can tell you are an ancestor," Oasis responded.

"Wait, I've seen you somewhere, right? Oh, at the whispering exams. Who are you again?"

"Anyways, Volacris, let's head inside and have a chat," Leonardo suggested.

Both of them walked into Oasis's abode and sat in front of a table, sitting in a traditional manner without chairs but on cushions.

"Ah, old man, I'm sorry I don't have tea or drinks here," Oasis apologized.

"Oh, this old man is the leader of the academy, dammit," he thought as he finally realized.

"Don't worry about that, Volacris. Here, let's drink this," Leonardo said, taking out a bottle of wine and two bowls.

"Oh, old man Graymare, you are aware that I'm a kid, right?" Oasis said as he saw him take out the wine.

"So you know who I am, huh?" Leonardo replied.

"Don't worry, this wine is special. Kings would kill for it," he continued.

"This is the '10,000-years-old Crimson Lotus Wine'," he explained as he opened the sealed wooden cap.

The aroma filled the entire place, thick with mana.

He poured it into both bowls.

"Don't stop. Drink it without stopping until you finish," he instructed.

"Oh, this old man is forcing a child to drink alcohol. Anyways, trying doesn't kill," Oasis thought as he drank the wine in a bowl.

Cough, cough, cough

!!!

"It tastes weird...wait...wait...my insides are burning. What's going on?" Oasis thought as his body started releasing a lot of uncontrolled energy.

The room was filled with a dense, almost palpable energy.

The thick aroma of the Crimson Lotus Wine mingled with the aura of released mana, creating an intense atmosphere.

Oasis's body began to glow faintly as the potent wine coursed through his system, activating latent energies within him.

Graymare watched with a calm but intense gaze, his eyes reflecting a mixture of curiosity and satisfaction.

"Calm your mind, Volacris. Channel the energy, don't let it control you," Leonardo advised, his voice steady and authoritative.