"Why don’t you guys give it a try."
The students looked at one another, then some decided to give it a try.
However, three seconds later.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Six explosions echoed in the classroom, and those who were about to infuse their demonic energy into the echo sphere were forced to stop.
Simon indifferently looked at three of his classmates whose clothes and body was burnt by the flame of their ember sphere.
’Quite ruthless of the academy. Couldn’t you have given them something less harmful?’
Just as Simon had this thought, Instructor Valdin spoke.
"And that’s what happens if you pour too much of your demonic energy into the ember sphere."
Snap
He snapped his fingers, and crimson runes glowed beneath the asses of the unfortunate six Initiates.
Everybody’s eyes widened as the injuries of the Initiates healed at a visible rate.
"This should serve as a warning to all of you. This test should not be taken lightly. It can injure you, but don’t worry, it won’t cause severe injuries."
Snap
Instructor Valdin snapped his fingers again, and new ember spheres appeared in front of the six Initiates.
"If your ember spheres are destroyed. Come and meet me to collect a new one."
"You can also meet me for advice and guidance on how to improve your output control."
He swept his gaze across the silent class, then he clasped his hands behind his back again.
"By the end of this lesson, every one of you should be capable of maintaining a stable energy output."
He glanced at the eyes of his students.
"If you cannot..."
He paused.
"...then you can never become a true assassin of the Shadowgrave Clan."
The air became tense, and a few gulped in fear.
They could feel the weight and pressure of those words.
Instructor Valdin exhaled deeply, then he waved his hand.
His ember sphere vanished, then he walked to the table and sat on it with his arms folded.
"That’s it for Output Control. It’s time for Input Control."
He paused for a moment, then he continued.
"But before I teach you Input Control, let me talk about a few things first."
Everybody listened attentively, and in the next moment, Instructor Valdin snapped his fingers.
The tables of everybody glowed as black formations appeared on their surfaces.
A second later, a black book was in front of everybody.
They all raised their brows in confusion.
"Right in front of all of you is a basic cultivation technique."
The instant Instructor Valdin said these words, the eyes of many initiates immediately glowed with excitement and disbelief.
"I’m sure many of you know how rare and valuable cultivation techniques are, but since you’re part of the clan, cultivation techniques would no longer be rare to all of you."
Instructor Valdin unfolded his arms and placed them on the table.
"That basic cultivation technique is called Demon Heart Foundation Technique. It’s a technique that’s suitable for everybody."
"Some of you might even know it. It’s a rather popular basic technique amongst the elite clans and kingdoms."
Instructor Valdin paused.
"Like I said earlier, I know that some of you already have cultivation techniques, but your cultivation techniques might be flawed or inefficient. Maybe even both."
"If you use the Demon Heart Foundation Technique, it can correct whatever flaws your previous cultivation technique caused."
"As long as you’re not an Archfiend, any flaw can still be fixed easily."
Instructor Valdin paused and swept his gaze around.
"As for some of you, you already have cultivation techniques that are well suited for you. They were given to you by your family, clan, or backer. So, you don’t have to change it."
Instructor Valdin paused again, then he crossed his legs.
"When you have enough merits, you can purchase a cultivation technique that’s best suited for you."
"All of you have different elemental affinities. Some have fire, earth, wind, and so on. The Demon Heart Foundation Technique is good, but it might not be the best for you."
Some began to murmur amongst themselves, and Instructor Valdin clapped his hands.
"Total silence."
Without hesitation, they all kept quiet.
Instructor Valdin nodded once, then he continued the lecture.
"I’ll talk about the elements soon enough, but let’s talk about Input Control first of all."
"The reason why I gave you the Demon Heart Foundation Technique is so thay you can use it to practice how to improve your input control and how to maintain the stability of the flow of your demonic energy."
Instructor Valdin pushed himself off the table, then he walked forward.
"I’m sure that for many of you, when you want to draw out demonic energy from your Chaos Flame, you draw it out with reckless abandon."
Majority of the class blinked, wondering what else they were meant to do.
Instructor Valdin shook his head and released an unimpressed sigh.
"Most of you draw out your demonic energy like starving beasts."
A few students stiffened at the insult.
Instructor Valdin raised his hand, and a faint pulse of demonic energy radiated outward from his entire body.
"You think strength comes from ripping energy out of your Demon Heart as quickly as possible."
He clenched his fist.
"Wrong."
The demonic energy around him suddenly surged violently, flaring outward before collapsing again.
"That is how amateurs fight."
Instructor Valdin relaxed his hand, and the energy around him stabilized instantly.
"Your Demon Heart is not a well you can empty at will. I’m sure you all know how volatile your Chaos Flame is, so what makes you think that it’s okay to draw out demonic energy from it in a reckless manner?"
Everybody went silent, and Instructor Valdin swept his gaze across the class.
"Your Chaos Flame is the source of your demonic energy, but your Demon Heart is the vessel holding the true source of your demonic energy."
His voice lowered slightly.
"When your Demon Heart beats, it transfers a little quantity of demonic energy throughout your body. However, it transfers that little quantity in pulses."
He paused and looked directly at the class.
"Those pulses are what you must learn to feel."