"Well… um…" Logan scratched the back of his head, clearly flustered and at a loss for words.

"Huh, Logan," Ali spoke up with a mock frown, trying his best to look serious, though the teasing in his eyes betrayed him. "And here I thought you respected me as your master. You could've taught me the technique too, couldn't you?"

Logan scratched his head again, clearly embarrassed. "It's not like that, Master… Rowan helped me in ways I can't fully explain. And it's not that I didn't want to teach you... I just… didn't get the right opportunity."

He finally said after hesitating for a while.

Ali clicked his tongue but smiled. "Is that so? Alright, I'll trust you."

He then turned to Rowan, his tone curious. "So, Prince… how far have the two of you reached?"

Rowan nodded and answered, "Based on what Logan taught us back then, we've successfully completed the formation of our dantian. We think we've reached the second stage, though… we don't actually know what that stage is called."

This time, it was Logan who looked visibly shocked.

"What?! When did you complete forming your dantian?"

Rowan answered casually, "After you left, it took Daliah about a year and a half. I took a bit longer.... only managed to form mine around eight months ago."

He spoke without any sense of pride, unaware of how impressive that timeline actually was.

But Logan's reaction made it crystal clear.

His wide eyes, the stunned expression on his face.... it said everything.

They had done far better than he expected.

"You… you both should be in the Body Refinement stage then," Logan said slowly, still digesting what he had just heard. "Though I don't know how far you've progressed in it. Only a few practical tests will reveal that. And reaching the next level will take even longer."

"How powerful is this Body Refinement stage, exactly?" John William asked eagerly. "Can you compare it with the standard magic tiers?"

Logan paused for a moment, then replied,

"Without using magic, they should be able to fight any Tier One mage. And if they do use magic alongside it, their effective combat power will increase based on their current tier."

"Princess, Prince," Ali turned toward them, "what are your magic tiers right now?"

"I'm still at Tier Three," Rowan answered calmly.

"And I'm Tier One," Daliah added softly.

Ali immediately turned his gaze back to Logan, clearly waiting for his evaluation.

Logan nodded slightly before speaking.

"Then I'd say… if Daliah fights smart, she can probably go toe-to-toe with a Tier Two mage. As for the prince, he should be able to hold his own against any Tier Four."

"That's… that's incredible!" Noah said in amazement. "How long have they been training?"

"The same amount of time I've been a hunter," Logan replied. "So, a full three years."

Everyone in the room leaned in, clearly fascinated by the conversation.

"So he's become an even more formidable opponent now," Zeohyr thought. He had also arrived with Gideon's other party members here. He narrowed his eyes slightly, evaluating Rowan again.

"Would it be possible to see this in real action?" John asked, sounding curious. "It'd help those of us who didn't witness Logan's fight with Noah understand it better."

"Sure," Rowan said calmly. "I'd also love to try this out." Though he had been training and cultivating for a long time but hadn't use internal energy against anyone because Logan didn't want it to be revealed till now. So he was also eagerly waiting..... Waiting to try this power.

Just as he stood up, Ronald was about to volunteer for a friendly duel.

But before he could say a word, a calm yet unexpected voice cut through the room.

"I'm still at Tier Two," Lilith said as she stepped forward. "Princess, if you don't mind… would you spar with me?"

Her words stunned everyone.

Especially Daliah who had never taken part in tournaments or public duels before. Her eyes widened slightly as all attention shifted toward her.

"Me?!" Daliah asked, visibly surprised.

"Yes," Lilith replied without hesitation.

"Lilith, dear," Noah interjected, a hint of concern in his voice. "Why don't we let the prince demonstrate first?" He knew how reckless Lilith was. And he didn't want any accident to happen. After all, it was the princess she wanted to go up against. Emily looked worried as well.

But Lilith shook her head. "No, Father. I want to know. I need to know how powerful this cultivation technique really is. And I want to experience it myself… with my own fists."

She knew she wasn't a match for Rowan. After all, she had already lost to him in the tournament. Lilith was passionate, but she wasn't foolish. Daliah was her best chance...

Someone her own age, who had never truly battled in public, but someone who now possessed this mysterious power that even her father acknowledged.

The same power Logan, who was also the same age, used to go toe to toe against her father, an S-Class hunter.

"You can say no," Rowan meanwhile said gently, placing a reassuring hand on Daliah's shoulder.

Daliah opened her mouth to respond, but her eyes instinctively drifted toward Logan.

Then she looked back at Lilith.

Something shifted in her gaze, in her entire posture.

She straightened her back, the hesitation fading.

"Alright," she said softly. "I'll spar with you then."

"I can't act weak… not in front of Logan," she told herself.

No one knew what to say. The room had fallen into complete silence.

But finally, Ali Arkman broke the tension with a light smile. "All right then. Let's see it. And nothing to worry about. Emily's here, after all. So everyone can relax."

At his words, everyone seemed to remember that they had one of the kingdom's finest healers sitting right among them. A sense of ease returned to the air.

"Okay then," several people nodded in agreement.

Moments later, the entire group made their way outside. They arrived at the training grounds located beside the country yard, the very same field where, years ago, Logan and Darius had trained under their respective masters on opposite ends.

Lilith was the first to step forward, walking confidently to the center.

A few steps behind her, Daliah followed, coming to a stop a few meters away from her opponent keeping a respectful distance between them.

It may have been a duel between two young girls, but the atmosphere was anything but light.

The tension hanging in the air was thick, as if a legendary clash were about to begin.

Because on one side stood Lilith Starwind, a widely acknowledged prodigy of her generation.

And on the other stood Princess Daliah, not only royalty, but one of the very few people known to have learned the mysterious cultivation technique.

Ali stepped into position between them, taking the role of referee.

"Are you both ready?" he asked, his tone calm but commanding.

"Yes," both girls replied in unison, lowering into their fighting stances.

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