The Monster King's Legacy-Chapter 131: The Path of Discipline

Lance continued practicing day by day, always before the watchful gaze of the elder dragon.

He stood at the edge of a vast plateau, a different location, sweat glistening on his skin as he went through the motions of his drills. His sword carved clean arcs through the air, each strike as precise as Lance could make them, each movement refined through countless repetitions.

Some distance away, the elder dragon who seemed to have all the time to always look after Lance’s training, watched him closely.

As Lance completed a set of sequences, the dragon’s keen eyes caught every imperfection.

"Your stance faltered on the last pivot," the dragon pointed out. "You’re too focused on the motion of your blade and not on your body’s foundation. Strength comes from the ground up."

Lance exhaled, adjusting his footwork before running through the sequence once more. This time, he focused not just on the swing but on every part of his body, the shifting of weight, the tension in his legs, the balance in his core.

The dragon gave a slight nod. "Better."

Lance let out a breath of relief as he heard the dragon. The training was relentless, requiring pure physical discipline; swing, step, correct, repeat. Every imperfection was noted, every mistake drilled out of him with patient but unyielding instruction.

It wasn’t just swordplay either. The training covered everything Lance already knew but forced him to refine it further, only that he had to do most of it himself, after all, dragons don’t fight with swords. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of it all was that the elder dragon was still able to be of great assistance despite never holding a word himself before.

Lance was beginning to think that this elder dragon was not at all ordinary. Even when he moves, Lance could not detect even the slightest sound, and when he approached, he couldn’t even sense him, not even a bit.

That suspicion of his only grew when the dragon started talking about meditation.

"Sit," the dragon said.

Lance did as he was told, lowering himself onto the cool hard floor. The sun was just beginning to set at that moment, following a day of training.

"Meditation is not simply closing your eyes and waiting," the dragon said, settling down beside him. "It is an act of discipline. Just as you train your body and magic, you must train your mind."

Lance took a deep breath, trying to empty his thoughts.

"You are thinking too much," the dragon remarked. "Do not force your mind to be empty, acknowledge your thoughts, then let them pass."

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"Is this how dragons manage to pass so much time?" Lance asked as he tried once more.

"Not at all. Dragons don’t need meditation, we can just… hibernate, or something similar at least. This is a discipline for your kind. Luckily, I happen to know a few things." The dragon said, but from Lance’s knowledge of old men, this was a normal wordplay, this dragon knew a lot.

Lance furrowed his brows but tried again. He focused on his breathing, allowing the rhythm to steady him. Inhale, Exhale. The distant sound of wind, the subtle warmth of the sun, the steady rise and fall of his chest, slowly everything calmed.

Minutes passed. His mind, once cluttered with stray thoughts, began to settle.

"Good," the dragon said. "Through meditation, you strengthen the connection between body and mind. This will aid in regeneration, clarity, and control. It may even strengthen your will."

Lance opened one eye. "You’re saying this will help me recover faster?"

The dragon seemed to smirk. "Exactly."

Lance sighed but nodded. If there was one thing he had learned in his time training under these dragons, it was that patience was key. Not to mention, this exercise, if for recovery alone, would be useless, as he could just use his magic ability, but adhered to the training, as it held other advantages beyond just recovery. Not to mention, everyone knew meditation was never to be underestimated. Now that he had the opportunity to learn it, there was no way he would pass out on the offer.

…

After another grueling day of training, Lance found himself sitting near the edge of a plateau, staring down at the world below. It was breathtaking, no matter how many times he saw it.

Aelyndra landed beside him, her wings folding neatly against her back. "You’re improving," she noted.

"I’d hope so," Lance muttered, rolling his shoulders.

She let out a small hum before turning her gaze toward the horizon. "My mother is said to return in a few days."

Lance raised an eyebrow. "Your mother?"

Aelyndra nodded. "She is an elder of our kind. One of the oldest and most powerful dragons still living."

Lance let that information sink in. He had seen the dragon elders before, wise, ancient beings whose very presence carried immense authority. If Aelyndra’s mother was anything like them, she must be truly formidable, he thought in his mind. Also, if her mother was such a figure, it now explained why Aelyndra was so popular in everybody’s mouth and why the elders seemed so disappointed when she refused to train herself. It all made sense to Lance then.

"She will want to see you, as I’m sure she is already aware of your presence" Aelyndra added. "And she will have questions."

Lance exhaled through his nose. "Great. Another dragon elder to scrutinize me. I just hope she doesn’t devour me."

Aelyndra chuckled lightly. "It is inevitable."

…

As the days past and slowly, they had gone over a week, Lance continued his training, pushing himself further under his instructor’s watchful eyes. He continued to strengthen his body, he honed his skills, and deepened his meditation.

Though he had shared the effects of his awakened ability with the elder dragon, the dragon advised that he didn’t use the ability, as he was not quite sure how it worked yet. It could also be that the healing worked by reversing his state. Though it may have some effects and help improve him faster, it could also hamper his growth in the long run.

Finally, the day arrived.

Lance stood beside Aelyndra, surrounded by a few dragons of much older generations. They waited in silence, their collective presence filling the air with an unspoken reverence.

Lance couldn’t help but swallow hard. For some reason, meeting Aelyndra’s mother was more stressful than charging into a battle.

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