As he meditated, Matthew's tense mind gradually relaxed, and his thoughts became more active.
He suddenly had a moment of clarity.
No wonder the mountain giant bear had chosen this place as its lair. Even if it didn't know how to meditate and couldn't absorb energy particles, its instincts as a magical beast likely allowed it to sense the uniqueness of this place.
Living long-term in such a stable, energy-rich environment would naturally nourish and enhance its Constitution and Strength over time.
He stopped letting his mind wander. He didn't have the luxury to overthink anyway, as the energy particles here were unimaginably dense. The sheer comfort of this meditation session far surpassed anything he had experienced before, making him feel as though he were soaking in a warm spring, with every inch of his mind being nourished.
At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to cast aside all distractions and immerse himself entirely in the meditation method, greedily absorbing the abundant energy particles around him and steadily converting them into his own Spirit.
As he sank deeper into the 【Elemental Meditation Method】...
The peaceful, dense energy particles in the cave converged toward him like trickling streams. Guided by his Spirit, they slowly seeped into his body.
This energy was far denser and purer than what he had encountered in Stone Mill Village. Each strand carried a gentle yet vigorous vitality, acting like a silent, sweet spring that nourished his parched meridians.
Matthew could clearly feel his physical strength, depleted from the day's fierce battle, rapidly recovering. The soreness in his arms gradually faded, and his mental exhaustion was swept away.
Had he opened his eyes at this moment, he would have seen lines of black text popping up before him:
【Elemental Meditation Method proficiency +1】
【Elemental Meditation Method proficiency +1】
...
After an unknown amount of time.
Matthew gradually emerged from his deep state of meditation.
He slowly opened his eyes, feeling thoroughly refreshed. His Spirit flowed abundantly within him, and the fatigue from the previous day's fierce battle was completely gone.
Feeling the changes within his body, he fully confirmed that this cave was indeed a true "blessed land"!
“To think I'd actually run into this kind of opportunity!”
“Everything truly connects.”
Feeling a surge of excitement, he called up the panel for the 【Elemental Meditation Method】 with a simple thought:
【Elemental Meditation Method: Mastered (78/500)】 (+6)
The moment he saw the increase in proficiency, Matthew froze, a wave of shock washing over him.
“It actually... increased by six points?!”
He remembered clearly that when he meditated in Stone Mill Village, he usually only gained two proficiency points per session.
Yet in this cave, his efficiency had actually tripled!
If he were to keep meditating in this cave, a single day of practice would be equivalent to three days in Stone Mill Village!
What's more, the energy particles here were still predominantly gentle green. Although the active white particles had increased in number, they were nowhere near as dense as the green ones.
Even so, it still yielded such a significant boost...
If he were to cultivate in a place with an even higher concentration of white energy particles, just how fast would his progress be?
The thought left him in awe.
“And this is just a natural cave on the outskirts of the forest... How amazing must the cultivation environments within those legendary wizard organizations be?”
A sense of yearning welled up in Matthew's heart.
The more he realized the vastness of the outside world and the abundance of resources, the more he felt his current limitations.
His longing for a wider world and his desire to reach higher realms grew exceptionally intense.
However, he quickly reined in those desires.
Matthew slowly calmed down.
In this world, everything ultimately boiled down to strength.
If he rashly headed to the county seat, the provincial capital, or even the royal capital, and met with some misfortune, it would defeat the whole purpose.
Therefore, until he possessed sufficient strength, he would never take unnecessary risks.
His participation in this operation had been driven by two main considerations: first, the high probability of success, and second, the fact that the giant bear already posed a threat to his safety. It was better to seize the opportunity to eliminate the threat early.
With the assistance of his attribute panel, Matthew wasn't anxious about his growth. Taking steady, measured steps and planning carefully was his way.
Although cultivating in this cave for a single day was equivalent to three days in the village, Matthew hadn't forgotten the dark red bloodstains on the mountain giant bear. Those stains hadn't been inflicted by their group, but were leftovers from the bear's previous clash with some other creature—stark proof of how dangerous this forest truly was.
Moreover, the elusive gazes lingering in the shadows of the forest prevented him from ever truly feeling at ease.
Without sufficient strength, it was impossible to establish a secure foothold here.
Rather than living in constant anxiety and facing potential life-and-death threats at any moment, it was far wiser to retreat to Stone Mill Village first. He could steadily improve his Constitution and Spirit in a relatively safe environment.
Now that the giant bear had been eliminated, Stone Mill Village would serve as a safe stronghold for the winter. There was no need to rush.
Looking around the cave, he let out a quiet sigh.
“What a pity... This natural blessed land for meditation is, after all, located on the outskirts of the forest. I can't stay here for long.”
“If I want to settle down here, I'll have to wait until I advance to the Brass Rank and my body undergoes another evolution in its life level. Only then will my safety be guaranteed.”
With those thoughts, Matthew let out a soft breath, suppressing the slight restlessness in his heart, and looked up toward the entrance.
Outside, the gray, snowy landscape stretched out in silence under the dim, pre-dawn sky.
Matthew slowly stood up and surveyed the natural cave.
The moonlight cast long shadows through the entrance, illuminating portions of the stone walls and the ground.
In the faint light, he realized just how spacious the cave actually was.
The depths of the cave remained shrouded in darkness, stretching far beyond what he could see. The entire cavern was much larger than he had anticipated, suggesting the giant bear had only used a small section near the entrance as its shelter.
A few thick, stubby stalactites hung from the ceiling, and the rock walls bore the wavy patterns of water erosion. Aside from the heavy tracks left by the giant bear, most of the ground was covered in a layer of dry, loose dirt.
The entire cave was a masterpiece of nature.
With a subtle thought, he slowly extended his newly restored Spirit, spreading it outward like invisible tentacles.
He began to stroll deeper into the cave, a faint sense of anticipation rising within him.
...
After an unknown amount of time.
The faint morning light slowly filtered in through the entrance.
“Let's go, Matthew. It's time to head back.”
Instructor Calm patted Matthew on the shoulder with a smile, clearly exceptionally pleased with Matthew's performance from the previous day. Noticing the slight trace of disappointment on the youth's face, he asked, “Didn't sleep well last night?”
Matthew shook his head and explained, “No, I'm just not quite used to sleeping in a cave yet.”
His tone was calm, but he couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret.
Last night, after fully recovering through meditation, he had thoroughly explored every corner of the cave. He had hoped that such an unusual concentration of energy might mean some magic items or natural wonders were hidden here, but in the end, he found no such "surprise."
Still, he quickly brushed the disappointment aside.
After all, the gains from this trip had already far exceeded his expectations. The spoils alone were worth a small fortune, to say nothing of discovering this energy-rich natural blessed land.
Some opportunities simply couldn't be forced.
He should cherish what he had already gained instead.
Matthew took a deep breath, cast aside his final lingering regrets, slung his pack over his shoulder, and followed Instructor Calm out of the cave.
Rate on N.U.
