Life Giver

During the next two months Casmir learned to balance out his life, every day he would work to advance his knowledge or cultivation while sparing time for his lovers and friends.

This new found balance helped him to understand that his life was full, he need only move forward one step at a time.

At times, Casmir even thought that the responsibilities on his shoulders might not be as heavy as he once thought.

Yet he could never shake the invisible pressure and unease that surrounded the Life Giver Orb, influencing his decisions.

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Casmir's focus became broadly divided into three areas of training.

Firstly his medical training at Heldan Academy began but Casmir didn't worry about spending too much time in this area because his studies were broadly in line with his existing knowledge that he had learnt under Gloria's tutelage. Alongside his studying with Elena, who was studying in a similar area, Casmir's medical studies went rather smoothly and he could always ask the more experience Gloria for help if needed.

The medical training built up on Casmir's fundamental knowledge of life and it involved studying a large variety of cells and processes that occurred in different forms of life. After all, even though Casmir was human his medical expertise needed to span various races so that no matter his future profession, his knowledge could still be used across races.

However even with Casmir's fortunate position as the adopted son of a medical expert, it would still take years for Casmir to grow into a competent physician.

Nonetheless Casmir's drive to understand life in order to help cure the Lifeless Plague kept him motivated and fortunately, he wasn't alone in his studies.

Not only did he have Elena and Gloria to help him, he was joined by Alona during his classes. Alona was one of Casmir's friends from his previous school whom he had met during his admission to the academy.

Alona was an Elemental that took the form of someone from the Lamia race with long pale white hair, she was shy by nature but incredible intelligent and easily the brightest in Casmir's class. Her parents were experts in the study of plants, more specifically plants that could contain Qi energy and they had taught her since she was young so she was well read.

However as the weeks went by and Alona grew closer to Casmir, he was not so dense as to not notice her feelings towards him. He had mentioned to her that he was already with someone but he was conflicted as to how to approach this situation.

Casmir knew he needed to have many partners to advance the Life Giver Orb and spread his natural immunity through his children, but how was he supposed to tell Alona that?

Would she even accept that? And was it right to pursue a relationship with someone, just so that they would b.a.r.e your children?

Casmir did not know, so in the end he simply chose to push those thoughts to the back of his mind. He needed to recharge his vital energy to even be able to i.m.p.r.e.g.n.a.t.e her and he had already promised Elena a child, so this decision could wait for now. There was no need to rush into another relationship.

Alongside Casmir's medical training, Casmir began his classes for Qi studies.

Unlike the demanding cultivation training he had just been through, Casmir's Qi studies class had changed to a more traditional teaching style. They were taught in class rooms with books, whiteboards and various other traditional teaching equipment.

Qi studies wasn't just training the body and Qi energy, it was about acc.u.mulating knowledge of ferocious beasts, natural treasures that can aid cultivation and the various Qi technique's one could encounter.

The Qi studies course was a place for many young students, some of which wanted to become soldiers and so these people needed to be taught battle tactics. How to take on ferocious beasts and protect towns or outposts, the tactical uses of different Qi classes for example a Qi Healer should naturally be protected in a battle.

Other students on this course also sought to train their Qi control or advance their knowledge of the path of cultivation for use in non-military positions. Casmir was one such person, he was training here because he wanted to access the resources only higher level cultivators could, in order to study the Lifeless Plague better.

All in all, Casmir Qi studies class was only half cultivation and training, the rest was just like any other academic career, studying, problem solving and gaining understanding.

Casmir did notice that he was better adapted for an academic environment because of his upbringing compared to some of his peers, such as Zaya.

Zaya was very uncomfortable learning in a classroom, needing to rely on Casmir and Balon to understand some methods of learning.

In her tribe, Zaya would of course learn from her elders but in an much more active setting, they would teach them during hunts or by using the local environment as their tool.

Of course this was not to say they did not read books or their intelligence was lower, people from Zaya's tribe simply learned differently and in a more reactionary manner. When they needed to do something, they would learn about it then and there, as opposed to trying to learn about things they might not need for many years.

Fortunately Zaya was intelligent so after a few weeks of this new teaching style she settled in.

She also continued her combat training with Casmir outside of the academy, at least three times a week they would spar with each other or explore the outskirts of Ellaris park where various wild animals lived.

During their time together Casmir helped Zaya to understand various nuances about life in the city while Zaya taught him about hunting, tracking and even her barbaric cooking style that left her food charred but oddly full of flavour.

As they spent many long afternoons alone together, they grew closer.

Zaya opened up to Casmir, her closed off and sometimes cold attitude gradually warmed up to him. When Casmir chased after her during their training, she would often tease him and let out short bells of laughter as if a young child playing tag.

And while Casmir and Zaya grew closer during their time together, Casmir and Master Bluefire's attitude towards one another also changed.

Master Bluefire taught Casmir once a week about Qi refining and during those sessions Master Bluefire gradually acclimated to Casmir's presence. Her attitude towards him became more natural as Casmir began to see Master Bluefire like more of a teacher and less of a prison warden.

As for what Master Bluefire taught Casmir, she taught him the fundamentals of Qi refining but not any actual techniques, Casmir needed to be at least Qi Grade 2 before he could use them.

Casmir learned how to identify various forms of Qi energy by sensing them and he memorised various theories and rules of Qi energy, such as how Qi energy decays over time and the necessary factors for the formation of various forms of Qi energy.

He was also forced to memorise various ores and Qi crystals that were used in Qi refining, however this was a slow process baring in mind the near infinite variety of Qi resources that existed in the world.

However during Casmir's classes, he noticed a reluctant worry and almost pity in Master Bluefire's eyes on occasion.

Naturally this worry stemmed from the unforeseeable consequences of Casmir's fathers actions.

Although Casmir's father, Helios Jing-Sheng, had already died, Master Bluefire didn't know how deep his offence to the Immortal council was.

There were many people with unstoppable powers on the Immortal council and if they discovered Casmir's identity then they might order his death without a second thought. Master Bluefire was well aware of what happened to the rest of Casmir's family, his mother was killed and his sister was crippled, if not for Casmir's Grandfathers protection she would not have survived.

Master Bluefire was truly concerned about this, yet she was also powerless. Even with her connections she would not be able to influence any decisions made by those on the Immortal council.

So she focused her concerns on the actions of the Truth Religion in Ellaris, even though Casmir's involvement with the group was likely a coincidence, they're actions went against Master Bluefire's beliefs in the rule of law and order.

She wasn't going to let them have their way so easily.

Casmir was of course unaware of Master Bluefire's concerns and her interest in the Truth Religion, his life simply continued as normal.

Outside of Casmir's training and studies Casmir also began to teach Rose and Elena to defend themselves.

With some suggestions from Zaya and Master Bluefire, Casmir organised some basic training for them and gave them some basic weapons to train with.

Elena, being a Qi Grade 2 cultivator already could utilise her Qi energy outside of her body and because she was training her Qi control in order to become a Qi Healer, Master Bluefire recommended archery for her.

Cultivators that use bows can infuse their Qi energy into their arrows and control them to a certain degree, they could also enhance the arrows strength and instil various effects into them like using fire Qi energy to burn a target.

Elena made great progress with archery. Although her physical skills left something to be d.e.s.i.r.ed, with the added control and power of her Qi energy, Elena's arrows could accurately pierce through the centre of a tree over 50 meters away.

Rose meanwhile wasn't very fond of weaponry but after repeated insistence from Casmir, she reluctantly chose throwing weaponry. That combined with her growing cultivation was enough to put Casmir at ease for now, regarding her safety.

Rose had activated her cultivation without a problem a week after Casmir spoke to Gloria about it, her cultivation was normal unlike Casmir's but she gradually adapted herself to the exciting sensation that is Qi energy.

After two months of cultivation, Rose only managed to reach the pinnacle of Qi Grade 1.2, much slower in comparison to Casmir but fairly normal for most cultivators.

However as it turned out Rose's talent did not lay in cultivation, but her body.

Rose had a natural talent for speed and flexibility, which is perhaps why she held a fondness to the movement of dancing. After two months of regular training with Casmir and Elena, Casmir noted that Rose was competent enough to out manoeuvre the forest Boar he once faced, although her accuracy with throwing weaponry was lacking too much to threaten the Boars life.

Casmir didn't know if Rose had some Qi affinity towards speed like Zaya did, or perhaps it was purely natural talent that Rose had never unearthed.

Regardless, Casmir was very satisfied with her and Elena's progress, he rewarding them with many pleasant evenings alone together.

He was especially liberal with Elena as during their studies they had been staying in an apartment by the academy, they only stayed there on week days but it seemed like every other night they ended up exploring each others bodies.

Even Zaya could see a strange satisfaction in Casmir's eyes on most mornings, one that gave her a slightly envious feeling.

And as Casmir spent his time experiencing the fires of youth, dark undercurrents slowly shifted and changed around him, unwittingly dragging Casmir into their depths.