Karl stared at Varek, wondering how he was able to reach that level at such a young age.
He didn’t doubt Varek.
No, he would never do that.
To him, Varek was his closest person in this world.
The first person to ever treat him like he mattered.
The first powerful person who did not look down on him or bully him just because he existed.
Varek gave him everything and even fulfilled the small wishes he had.
He would never doubt Varek.
But…
how was it possible for him to be so powerful?
“Could this be what they call genius?”
Karl’s lips slowly curled.
“I’m also a genius, you know?” Even the aunties and teachers in the charity base always praised him.
“I’ll surprise you.” He winked at Varek.
“Hm.” Varek nodded.
Karl rested on his table.
“I’ll become very strong and protect you in the future.” He would use that to repay Varek for everything he’d done for him and the original owner.
Varek’s eyes lingered on his face.
“Hm.
I’ll wait for you.”
Karl’s happiness bloomed.
He looked at Varek.
The more he looked, the more fascinated he became.
‘Varek is so good to me.’
Days went by.
Karl, who had made up his mind to cultivate, was finally given a handwritten basic cultivation manual by Varek.
He sat in his room, staring at the book on his lap.
The book outlined all the steps he needed to take to start cultivating.
Varek had tweaked it meticulously to fit the physique of a ger.
Karl found it really easy to understand.
After reading through the book for the second time, Karl carefully placed it on his bed, sat in a meditative position, and closed his eyes.
He tried to relax his mind as much as he could.
This was the first stage he needed to overcome.
Relaxation.
Complete relaxation.
He couldn’t think about anything else.
He couldn’t imagine anything else.
His mind had to be blank.
Karl closed his eyes for a long time.
His mind wandered from the charity base to the run-down building and then to Varek.
Varek’s ethereal face kept flashing in his mind.
“So beautiful…” Karl chuckled.
He froze.
“Damn it.
I shouldn’t be thinking!”
He closed his eyes again and started all over.
This time, he thought about how he wouldn’t be able to eat on time if he failed to relax and start his cultivation today.
The fear gripped his heart, pushing away every random thought until his mind became calm and relaxed.
Karl maintained this state for an hour.
His body felt relaxed and refreshed as if he had just had a massage…
though he had never had one in his life.
He opened his eyes.
“Rai!”
The door opened.
Rai came in.
“Make the bath.
I want to start now.”
Rai raised a brow.
“You’ve cleared your mind?”
Karl’s lips twitched.
“If you say more, then I might not be able to leave my mind cleared.”
“My apologies, Young Master.” Rai suppressed a smile as he rushed into the washroom.
He returned a few minutes later.
Karl left the bed and entered the washroom, where he saw the ‘hole’ filled with dark brownish water.
This was the medicinal bath that would help him start cultivation.
The water that would bring him to the first stage of body cleansing level.
Karl was ecstatic.
He removed his robe and stepped into the water.
“Warm.” He mumbled.
He closed his eyes and submerged himself in the water.
Only his neck and head could be seen outside the water.
For the first hour, Karl felt nothing.
The water was still warm, and the color remained.
Yet he felt no difference in his body.
He frowned slightly.
Varek had told him that he had never heard of a Ger cultivating, and it might be impossible for him…
could it really be the case?
Karl’s mood fell.
However, he refused to step out.
He tried to relax his mind again, throwing away every other thought.
Soon, he felt the water entering his body.
It was a strange feeling.
Every pore in his skin became a medium through which the water could pass into his body.
He felt filled to the brim, but strangely, it wasn’t uncomfortable.
Karl could feel the water flowing through his veins and every part of his organs.
It was a strange feeling; one he had never felt in his life.
He kept his eyes closed, enjoying the feeling in his body.
Two hours passed this way.
Karl finally opened his eyes.
The water around him had dried up.
He knew everything was in his body already.
He couldn’t stop the smile that graced his face.
Karl stood inside the ‘hole’ and closed his eyes again.
It was time to purge the water out of his body.
The work of the water had been to rinse the first impurities from his body…
Varek had explained this to him properly.
Karl also knew that this was the most important part.
He relaxed his mind.
Soon, he could feel the water slowly leaving his body.
His pores stretched, releasing the water faster than it had entered his body.
Karl’s body began to tremble.
He felt like his blood was being pulled along with the water.
The sensation made him pale…
It was painful.
He groaned.
Biting his lower lip, Karl continued to purge the water.
The pain increased.
He endured.
He had to be strong.
He had to be able to protect both himself and the child in his stomach.
He had to shed his weakness so that no one would ever look down on him again.
He could no longer become a doctor, but what about a strong powerhouse like Varek?
He couldn’t continue to be weak forever.
He really couldn’t…
“Ugh!”
He groaned as he felt a sharp pull from his belly.
The last bit of water leaked out of his pores, but with it was something Karl couldn’t define.
His heart rate increased abnormally, and his stomach tightened.
Karl frowned.
This shouldn’t be.
Varek didn’t mention this to him…
The pain was unbearable.
His body bent over, almost falling headfirst into the pool of dark, unclean water.
Karl’s eyes snapped open.
He held his stomach, panting hard as he crawled out of the water.
His legs were weak.
His face paled.
The pain was becoming sharper.
Karl lowered his head to the liquid, which followed him out of the water.
His eyes suddenly widened.
“Blood!” He cried out.
The blood was much.
It formed a trail down his body, slowly mixing with the dark water.
Karl’s body turned cold.
Panic gripped his heart, numbing the excruciating pain in his stomach.
He shook his head frantically.
“No.
No.”
“Varek!!!”
Tears rushed to his eyes.
“Varek, please, help!!!”
But Karl knew Varek was in the academy.
The academy was so far away that Varek wouldn’t hear him.
His fear grew.
He staggered forward, but the pool of blood under his feet scared him.
His legs weakened, and he fell.
“Varek…
please…” Tears escaped Karl’s eyes.
His consciousness blurred.
Just when he thought he was doomed, someone suddenly appeared beside him.
Varek’s looming figure covered him.
In the next few seconds, he was lifted in the man’s arms.
Karl finally breathed in relief, closing his eyes as his consciousness slipped away.
Hours passed.
Karl’s eyelashes fluttered.
He slowly opened his eyes.
His blurry gaze fell on Varek, who was sitting right beside him, resting his chin on his hand.
Eyes closed.
Then, he felt something moving on his belly.
He reached out and paused when he realized it was Varek’s hand.
“You’re awake,” Varek mumbled, opening his eyes.
“How do you feel?”
Karl licked his chapped lips.
“Hungry.” He was really hungry.
It felt like he hadn’t eaten anything in ages.
Varek’s expression softened.
“I’ll tell the servants to prepare your dinner.”
“Um…” Karl paused.
Memories of the things that happened before he lost consciousness returned to him.
He gasped lightly.
“Varek, how’s the child?
Is it okay?” He had lost so much blood earlier.
Could it be that he had lost the child?
The thought made Karl unable to breathe.
Varek’s hand moved from his belly to his arm.
He patted his arm gently.
“The baby is okay.” He assured him.
Karl raised a brow.
“Really?”
“Hm.” Varek nodded.
Karl breathed in relief.
“Then, what happened?
Why was I bleeding so much?”
No one told him he would bleed that way…
Varek’s expression grew serious.
“It’s because your physique is the same as mine.
The Supreme Blood Physique.”
“Normal cultivation won’t work for you.
Instead, it harms you.”
Karl stared at him, totally confused.
“What’s Supreme Blood Physique?” He hadn’t seen that in the books he read.
“I don’t know either.” Varek shook his head.
“It’s a name I gave it after I found out about my physique.
This physique makes it easier to perceive spiritual energy.”
“The rest, you might have to find out yourself.
I haven’t been able to use the physique at all.”
Karl frowned.
“Why do I have it?
Wasn’t it said that gers don’t have any special physique?”
“It’s…” Varek paused and glanced at Karl’s stomach.
“It’s the baby.”
“The baby?”
“Yes.
The baby inherited my physique.
As the parent…”
Karl understood the rest.
But that only made him even more scared.
“Then, can I cultivate?”
“Or do I have to deliver the baby before cultivating?”
His fingers curled into the blanket, but the despair he expected to feel didn’t come.
If the baby really couldn’t survive him cultivating, then he would stop.
Until he gave birth, he wouldn’t think about cultivation…
“You can.”
Varek’s words interrupted his thought.
“Huh?”
“I’ll change your cultivation technique.
You can cultivate.
Also, it’s best if you cultivate.”
“Otherwise, you might not be able to birth the child.”
Karl’s heart skipped a beat.