"Lightning Whip Strike," Reith read the text out loud.

Technique scrolls were created only to be read by users of a path with the same affinity.

An increase in affinity level would lead to faster comprehension.

"I can read this," Reith said to himself. It felt like he was reading the simplest of words, and the understanding seemed to come from deep within his soul, like a yielding.

As his eyes moved across the text, he felt like he was being sucked into a deeper dimension.

"Release yourself, Reith," Ruach's voice floated into his ears.

He took a deep breath and relaxed. Yes, that was all he needed to do.

Learning a technique. It wasn't like what he had done before.

It was something different, and he didn't know if it was because of his cultivation path.

This time, he was living the technique.

Reith opened his eyes and a lightning strike appeared in his pupils, pulling him into another dimension.

It was like his soul was immediately drawn out, and his subconsciousness stood in front of a bare space.

The sky was darkened with a glint of purple, and lightning strikes flashed on all sides.

Reith wanted to be confused like any other normal human, but this time it felt like he was meant to belong here.

He clenched his fists and the words of the technique he had just read appeared in his mind's eye.

The Lightning Whip Strike.

"I have to build energy and then chant the spell," Reith said to himself.

Due to his talent grade, building energy wasn't hard to do.

When the time was right, Reith opened his mouth, and just as he was about to speak, Ruach materialized in front of him.

"So tall..." Reith widened his eyes.

Smiling, Ruach nodded. "This isn't the real world. It was created so you could practice these techniques better. Here I can manifest my true self.

"I don't want to scare you, so I appeared like this," Ruach said, and then he looked at the raging energy in Reith's fists that begged to be released.

"You don't need to chant the spell," Ruach advised.

"But we were taught—"

Ruach walked closer and stood beside Reith.

Without saying a word, energy gathered in his stretched hand.

Then he threw his clenched fist, and a thick lightning rod fell from the sky, crawling along the floor like a crooked snake. The lightning slashed forward and hit a large rock, completely obliterating it.

The shockwave from the destruction blasted out and slammed into Reith, throwing him backward.

But Ruach had already anticipated it. He reached out his free hand, grabbed Reith's collar, and stopped him from being pushed away.

"Did you see that? You can do the same. Your casting speed can also be faster. Will you listen to me?" Ruach said with a slight smirk.

Reith knew he didn't have a choice.

"Yes." He shook his head slightly and chuckled. "Have it your way."

Ruach nodded and stepped in front of him.

Tapping Reith on the forehead, he spoke. "You only need to see it. Picture the shape you want the spell to take."

Reith listened and tried again. He gathered energy in his hand.

He just needed enough, and maybe he could do what Ruach had just done.

"You can do it. Just trust in my words and follow my instructions."

Reith gathered energy and followed the picture of what he had seen Ruach do.

The strength of the lightning rod and the sheer power it carried.

But nothing happened.

"Uhm... Ruach, I don't think it's wanting to get released," Reith said, looking at the energy locked in his hand.

There was crackling, and it seemed like the overflow of energy was about to spill from his palm.

"Don't rely on yourself, Reith, or your strength. Don't hold so tightly because of fear," Ruach said as he looked at the boy.

Although he didn't like how the boy suffered, at this moment, it was something he needed to go through.

"I'm here with you, Reith. Release the energy," Ruach said.

Reith turned to Ruach and nodded.

Release?

Then he looked at the raging energy in his hands, and a picture took shape in his mind.

Reith opened his palm and pointed his fingers forward.

"Lightning Whip Strike."

At the sound of his voice, it was like the sky had fallen, and a long lightning rod descended, striking the ground more than three times.

Reith fell on his back from the shockwave, unable to believe his eyes.

The light from the strike was so blinding that he had to squint. When he opened them again, there were dark marks scorched into the floor.

Once his vision cleared, Ruach stood in front of him with a hand stretched out.

"You did great," he said with a hint of pride.

This was his first technique.

Reith nodded his head, and then a wave of dizziness hit him.

"We are about to head back," Ruach said, but Reith straightened up.

"But I don't think I'm done yet," Reith protested, but just as he was about to step forward, he fell into a state of darkness.

By the time he opened his eyes, he was back in his room, his body entirely drained.

It felt like every ounce of his energy had been sucked dry.

His head throbbed intensely, and his eyes were droopy.

Turning to the open window, he realized that everywhere was dark.

And that annoyingly buzzing sound in his ear.

Reith turned and saw that his phone was ringing endlessly.

From the notifications, he could tell there were a lot of messages.

"What happened to me?" Reith muttered.

Ruach's voice resounded in his ears.

"Creating an environmental dimension so you can properly practice is based on your Spirit Garden, but it requires a lot of energy," Ruach explained.

"That's why you feel this way. It took a lot of Hana to create and maintain that space. You were in there for three days," Ruach revealed.

Reith's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

"Three days?!"

In a sharp moment, he grabbed his phone.

What if he had missed important news?

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