Reborn as the Last van Ambrose
Chapter 257: Cultivating Dark Mana

Chapter 257: Cultivating Dark Mana

The sacred grove lay deep within the forest, far from the palace grounds.

Ancient trees formed a natural circle around a clearing where another waterfall cascaded down moss-covered rocks into a pool that reflected the moonlight.

Grim arrived to find Húxiān already waiting, her divine presence making the very air shimmer.

"You came," she observed with obvious satisfaction. "I confess, I wasn’t entirely certain you would follow through."

"I gave my word," Grim replied, though he couldn’t entirely suppress his nervousness about what the training would involve.

"Indeed you did," Húxiān agreed. "And now we discover whether you have the strength to honor it."

"Sit," she instructed, indicating a rock in the pond. "We begin with assessment. I need to understand exactly how the dark mana has integrated with your natural flow."

Grim settled into a cross-legged position, immediately the natural energy arpund him. Mana flowed upward from the earth, not unpleasant but clearly designed to enhance and amplify whatever processes would follow.

"Close your eyes and circulate your mana normally," Húxiān instructed, moving to stand behind him. "Let me observe your natural patterns before we attempt any modifications."

Grim complied, drawing energy through his cultivation channels. The process felt different in this location—more intense, as if the sacred grove was designed to enhance spiritual activities.

"Fascinating," Húxiān murmured, her voice carrying professional interest. "The corruption hasn’t just mixed with your mana circuits—it’s become woven info every part of your body. Separating it will require more care than I initially anticipated."

"Is that problematic?" Grim asked, though he kept his eyes closed and his circulation steady.

"Challenging," she corrected. "But not impossible. The dark mana has integrated so thoroughly because your body naturally accepts it. We can use that compatibility to our advantage."

She placed her hands on his shoulders, and immediately Grim felt her divine energy wntering his body.

The sensation was unlike anything he had experienced—not invasive, but encompassing, as if she was reading the very structure of his spiritual being.

"Now," she said, her voice taking on a tone of absolute authority, "I want you to begin directing your mana toward your fourth heart. But instead of normal energy, focus specifically on the dark corruption. Feel for its unique signature."

Grim concentrated, searching for the dark mana’s distinct presence within the overall flow of his energy. It was there—denser, more viscous than normal mana.

"I can feel it," he said, his voice strained from the effort of maintaining such precise control.

"Good," Húxiān replied. "Now comes the difficult part. Begin separating the dark mana from your normal mana. Don’t fight it—guide it. Think of it as untangling silk threads rather than cutting rope."

The process proved immediately challenging. The dark mana resisted separation, clinging to his normal mana with surprising tenacity.

Each attempt to isolate it caused ripples of discomfort through his body, as if the corruption was fighting to maintain its integrated state.

"It’s not cooperating," Grim said through gritted teeth, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead from the strain.

"Dark mana is naturally possessive," Húxiān explained, her hands providing steady guidance as he worked. "It doesn’t want to be contained because containment limits its influence. You must be more insistent."

Grim increased his efforts, using more force to pry the dark energy away from his normal mana channels. The result was immediate and violent—pain flared through his body as the corruption fought back, sending chaotic energy surging through his system.

"Control it!" Húxiān commanded sharply. "Don’t let it overwhelm you!"

But the dark mana had gained momentum. It pulsed through his body with increasing violence, making his scar blaze with purple light while his eyes shifted to their corrupted state.

The energy spilled outward, cracking the earth around him and causing the nearby trees to wither where the corruption touched them.

"I can’t—" Grim gasped, his body convulsing as the dark energy threatened to tear him apart from within.

Húxiān’s divine power flowed into him like a cooling stream, counteracting the corruption’s violence while providing an anchor for his consciousness. "You can and you will," she said firmly. "The dark mana is yours to command, not the other way around."

With her support, Grim managed to regain some measure of control. The chaotic energy gradually settled back into manageable levels, though he could feel it lurking just beneath the surface, ready to explode again at the slightest provocation.

"Again," Húxiān instructed, seemingly unaffected by the display of destructive power. "This time, work with the corruption’s nature rather than against it. Dark mana wants to be powerful—give it a more powerful position by placing it in your fourth heart."

Grim tried a different approach, presenting the heart as a throne rather than a prison. The dark mana responded more favorably to this tactic, flowing toward the designated location with less resistance.

But as the corruption began to concentrate in his fourth heart, new problems emerged. The organ wasn’t designed to contain such dense, aggressive mana. Pain flared through his chest as the heart struggled to accommodate the dark mana’s presence.

"It’s too much," he said, his voice tight with strain. "The heart can’t hold it all."

"It can," Húxiān replied with absolute certainty. "But it needs to be modified to handle the mana type. Allow me to assist."

Her divine energy flowed into his fourth heart, restructuring it at the most fundamental level. The process was intensely uncomfortable—like having his internal organs rearranged while conscious—but gradually the heart began to adapt.

"Better," she observed as the modifications took hold. "Now continue the transfer, but more gradually. Don’t try to move all the dark mana at once."

Grim resumed the process, working in smaller increments that his transformed heart could accommodate. Each successful transfer reduced the corruption’s influence on his normal mana channels while concentrating it in a single, containable location.

The work was exhausting. Hours passed as they refined the technique, with Húxiān providing guidance and support while Grim struggled to master the delicate balance required. Several times the process nearly went out of control, requiring immediate intervention to prevent catastrophic energy release.

"You’re fighting your own nature," Húxiān observed during one particularly difficult moment. "The dark mana isn’t foreign to you—it’s part of who you’ve become. Stop treating it like an enemy and start treating it like a tool."

The shift in perspective helped. Instead of viewing the corruption as something to be conquered, Grim began to see it as a resource to be managed. The dark mana responded to this change, flowing more smoothly toward the fourth heart while maintaining stability.

As dawn approached, they finally achieved success. The majority of the dark mana had been transferred to Grim’s fourth heart, where it swirled in controlled patterns that no longer threatened to overwhelm his system.

The corruption was still present, but it was contained and directed rather than chaotic and destructive.

"How do you feel?" Húxiān asked as Grim opened his eyes for the first time in hours.

"Different," he replied, testing his energy flow. "The burning sensation is gone, but I can still feel the dark mana’s presence. It’s like having a sleeping dragon in my chest."

"An apt metaphor," she agreed. "The corruption is contained but not eliminated. You’ll need to maintain the separation through regular practice, and you’ll need to be careful about how you access its power."

"Can I use it safely now?"

"With proper technique, yes," Húxiān confirmed. "The dark mana is now stored in a way that allows controlled release rather than chaotic eruption. But remember—every time you use it, you risk destabilizing the containment. Moderation is essential."

Grim stood slowly, noting that his body felt lighter without the constant pressure of corrupted energy flowing through his normal channels.

The scar on his face had returned to its normal appearance, and his eyes showed no trace of purple corruption.

"This is just the beginning," Húxiān continued. "Soon, we’ll discuss the sword dao contract I promised."

"What kind of contract?" Grim asked, curious about what divine beings considered appropriate for humans.

"Something that can handle both your normal mana and the dark corruption you now carry in controlled form."

As the sun rose over the forest, painting the waterfall in golden light, Grim realized that the night’s work had fundamentally changed his relationship with the corruption.

Instead of being a victim of Malaxis’s influence, he was becoming someone who could harness that power for his own purposes.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "I know this training comes at a significant cost to you."

"The investment is worthwhile," Húxiān replied. "Your success serves purposes beyond your immediate concerns. Rest now—tomorrow’s training will be even more challenging."

As they prepared to leave the sacred grove, Grim felt a sense of cautious optimism.

The dark mana was contained, his relationship with Ruxi was secure, and powerful training lay ahead.

The sleeping dragon in his chest pulsed once, as if acknowledging the new arrangement.

The corruption was still there, still dangerous, but it was no longer his master. With proper training and discipline, it could become his greatest weapon instead of his greatest weakness.