He closed his eyes and started using the breathing technique.
After some minutes passed, he could feel world energy coming towards him and entering his body from his skin pores.
He felt 1/100 of water droplet-like strength entering his body every 10 minutes. This feeling made his body and mind become serene.
After an hour passed, he forgot his surroundings and entered a deep meditative state.
Lia walked out of the room and closed the door behind noiselessly.
***
[One White Stats point gained.]
An AI Watch voice sounded in his mind and he opened his eyes slowly.
He felt his strength had increased by a little but more importantly he was done with the task Lia asked him.
He looked around the room but Lia was nowhere to be found.
He deactivated his Devlin Transformation and went downstairs.
He found Yami in the kitchen who was working with the other maids.
"Do you know where the Empress has gone?" He asked her.
Hearing his footsteps and voice, Yami turned her eyes towards him and replied, "Her highness normally stays in the garden. She asked me to tell you to find her there in case you wake up from your meditative state."
"Okay, thanks." Saying that he turned around and left from the exit door of the empress villa.
Outside was enveloped in the little darkness as the Moonlight and magic lanterns were shinning to reveal the beauty of the garden.
'It's already night, I was in a meditative state for almost 8 hours.'
He walked around the garden but it didn't take him long to spot a ravishing figure in a purple dress.
Her white hair was shining with the reflection of the Moonlight. Small fairies were hovering around her whose wings were glowing. Her mesmerizing figure looked ethereal.
When Rio got closer, she turned around and her eyes showed a glint of happiness which she hid instantly.
"You look elegant in this purple dress but the white dress you wore today was my favorite." Rio said bluntly.
"Today?" Lia raised her eyebrows then she continued, "You were in the deep meditative state for almost 30 hours."
"What???" Rio's facial expression was filled with surprise.
"Don't be surprised. It's not long for someone who has gone into a deep meditative state. You were lucky to enter a deep meditative state on your second try. It takes people years or decades to do so and they can stay in this state for a week to month." Lia explained and walked to him elegantly.
"Don't they get hungry?" He asked the girl who was standing right in front of him.
"You absorb world energy which is more nutritious to your body than food. You should spend your time in the library or you will embarrass yourself in front of other asuras." Lia said with an amused expression on her face.
"Oh... I have to tell you something." Rio said with a proud smile.
"What is it?" Lia raised her eyebrows.
"I gained a white Stats point and the task you gave me." Rio rubbed his nose with his finger and waited for her to praise him.
"You will need nine more stats points to reach the yellow stage. If we use this method, it will take quite a long time." Lia mumbled.
After thinking a little she said, "Come with me."
She moved towards the other side of the garden while Rio followed behind her. She looked like a fairy walking in the night as Moonlight glimmered on her beautiful hair and body.
She walked past a lot of trees that Rio couldn't recognise. There were a lot of different plants such as shrubs, ivy, bush, herbs, mushrooms, trees and so on.
Some of them had berries like fruits and some of them had weird looking transparent balls hanging on them in which you could see the image of the beasts, humanoids, armors and even many different things Rio didn't recognize.
'She has such a crazy hobby of collecting these weird plants.'
She stopped near a tall tropical grass with hard, hollow stems that looked like bamboo. An ivy plant was coiling around it which had some white beads attached to it like fruits.
She plucked one of the white beads out of it and handed it to Rio who was standing behind her.
"Consume it," She said in a calm voice.
"Am I going to face torment of pain again like how it always happens when I'm with you?" Rio hesitated and said with a fear in his eyes.
He inspected the white bead in his hand that was soft like other berries.
Lia rolled her eyes at him, "Even if it gives you pain it will make you stronger. I won't do something that will harm your life."
Rio gulped nervously and ate the white bead.
As it entered his mouth, it dissolved instantly. He felt a rush of energy going towards his heart. His white core absorbed the energy and he felt strength spreading inside his body.
[Fruit of White Egleshew eaten. One White Stats point gained.]
His eyes shone as he read the text floating in front of him.
"Whoa...It gave me a white stats point." Rio's mouth was agape.
She plucked out nine more White Egleshews and handed him, "Eat them all."
It was tiny in size that his palm was able to hold them all at once.
He ate them all by stuffing the White Egleshew inside his mouth.
They dissolved instantly even being high in quantity and a massive energy flowed towards his white core which absorbed them instantly.
He felt a massive boost in strength compared to the first time he ate White Egleshew.
[Nine Fruits of White Egleshew eaten. Nine White Stats points gained.]
