Titan's might initiation.

The lackeys did as they were told, but Ed did something he didn't tell them, he was tracking them and after a group finished its job and decided to return to the meeting place he knocked them out again and took the package and he inserted some of his Mana into select acupuncture points in the head. This caused them to have a fuzzy memory of what happened to them that day as the Mana was interfering with certain electrical signals in their brain's synapses. But Ed didn't forget his promise and gave them all the 25 coppers after he took his stuff off them.

Ed tracked down the remaining 4 groups and did the same and vanished without trace.

The 10 people groggily woke up and couldn't remember anything but found some coppers on them so they didn't care about what happened to them and went to the tavern to have drinks. The shop keepers who sold them their wares where all traveling merchants except the pawn shopkeeper but no one gave a damn because they had good business today, all in all everyone was happy.

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Ed went back to his home and looked at all the things he purchased today, after checking everything he hid these things in his usual place and he started to do things that urgently needed to be done i.e preparing the willow mushroom powder.

Due to his previous life as a martial artist and his fond memories of his time spent at his grandparents house he had a basic understanding of how to prepare some herbs to make herbal baths.

He proceeded according to his memories and he was so diligently involved in the process that he forgot about the time , it was already getting late and his mother would arrive at any moment. Thankfully he completed the process before his mother could arrive.

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When Jenn entered the house she was assaulted by a strong pungent medicinal smell, so much so that her eyes became red and started to tear. When Jenn asked Edward about the smell he just said he found some wild mushrooms from the forest and decided to roast them but they accidentally got charred and hence the smell.

Jenn didn't know what to say, she knew that some mushrooms were poisonous so she asked Ed some questions about the color and nature of the mushroom. Ed just made up some B.S and Jenn concluded that her son got some valuable medicinal herb but tried to roast it and wasted it. Jenn felt sad for Ed and not angry at Ed wasting such a treasure and hence consoled Ed that she will buy him some roasted mushroom from the market tomorrow.

As Jenn stood up to go make dinner Ed asked her to prepare a bath because he played in the forest and told her that he was itchy. Jenn agreed and drew a bath but Ed told her that he will bath himself so she didn't mind it and went away to prepare dinner. Just as she left she was knocked out by Ed. Ed felt extremely sorry as he had to knock out his own mother but he felt that she would do better if she knew less of his secrets.

Ed took out the medicinal powder and mixed it with the hot water. As it will take time to mix completely he decided to warm up his body by doing some exercises.

After warming up his body he jumped into the medicinal bath, upon entering he felt that his skin was being pierced by thousand needles but Ed knew that this was due to the medical efficacy and didn't waste his time as he started the Titan's might. Upon directing the rich Mana to enter his body through specific channels according to the mnemonics of the formula his body greedily sucked in the medicinal efficacy of the herbal bath into his body. The medicine that entered his body started nourishing all his muscles, tendons and ligaments in his body.

Ed didn't know about the story behind his cultivation and body refining techniques, it required a draconic physique for maximum benefit, Ed in his past and present life had the required physique but in his past life he didn't have the support of Mana rich resources and more over he didn't concentrate and deeply desire power like he did in his present life. A weapon is strong as its user so things like will and determination play a great role in the path of cultivation, so the benefits he attained in this life was more powerful and different to his achievements in his previous life. The medical efficacy in the bath only lasted for a hour before the bath water became clear. As the prickly feeling disappear Ed who was submerged in the bath tub rose up. Unknown to him his inner muscles now had a metallic luster and his tendon started to feel like bronze, the only visible effect is that his skin became smooth like polished jade. Overall the result was satisfactory and Ed felt a lot powerful. Ed also didn't know that both his techniques complemented his body so his potential was limitless. Ed knew that he had also absorbed some of the medicinal wastes into his body so after he dried his body he sat in a meditative posture and started the Divine Dragon formula , he rotated his inner Mana for a full 9 great cycles and all the toxic substances in his body were ejected through his pores. Finally after he washed himself and disposed of the bath water he went to wake up his mother as he was feeling particularly hungry.

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Jenn was woken up by Ed.

Ed spoke in a frightened voice" Mom what happened why did you faint?"

Jenn's memory was fuzzy and didn't know how she fainted. Ed spoke again"Mom don't over exert yourself, you have been working hard for couple of days now so take care of yourself and leave small things to me, plus i can take care of myself."

Jenn didn't remember so she just decided to go with the flow and accepted Ed's suggestion and went ahead to cook dinner.

Ed decided that it was better to build himself a secret spot so that he didn't have to knock out his mother every time he cultivated.

Ed made his plan to build a secret tree house slightly deeper into the forest and tried to restrict his cultivation time between the periods his mother would be home.

Ed had a approximately a year to cultivate and then he will be able to go to the royal capital. Since he had the necessary resources he planned to increase his strength smoothly in the available time.