27 Disguising Potential

Cifer was having a hard time processing the flood of information, especially as it did not match what he'd originally been told and understood. However, he could guess who came up with this gamble that required so much trust in each other that it both warmed his heart and made him want to scream how stupid this was. Only Momo could be this naive. Especially with the glaring flaw.

"So, basically, we go somewhere else and let them see my Potential to take us in. Then we split resources to slow me enough and speed you up enough to keep us moving forward at the fastest safe speed. All because my Potential is too frightening as my Manifestation is about average for a Manifestation of Foundation, completely blowing Manifestation of Originations out of the water." Cifer assesses.

All three nod. Cifer groans when none of them seem to have realized the problem. "So how am I supposed to show my Potential as less than what it is to a bunch of expert testers!? They're hardly going to believe I'm actually that good unless I show them my Manifestation, and it is way too strong!" He explodes, infuriated that such a key point had been overlooked. It got even worse when every last one of them looked at him blankly.

Oji recovered first to answer. "It's actually not that hard to mask your Manifestation as coming from a deeper point." He said as if that were a very obvious point. "Just like a fish can dive to a greatest depth or swim up to a highest point, your Manifestation can adjust to portray a different depth."

Cifer felt his face heat when the other two nodded as well. It wasn't that nobody had considered that point, but that there was a solution so obvious that it wasn't worth making a big deal out of. He still had a question though. "And how big is this range from the deepest point to the shallowest?"

Grand Elder Keomi answered him. "Usually the initial point is dead center of the range, but getting it to go deeper is extremely hard. On the other hand, it can go up to about half the initial depth whenever the Cultivator wants."

Cifer had to think for a moment. His came from the first layer of the green Essence Sea, a depth of over 5,000 feet. Half of that would be around 2,500 feet, which was in the midst of the fourth layer of the blue Essence Sea. He figured that would probably let him go just about wherever he wanted, but not make him such a terrifying thing.

As he was thinking about this, Oji confirmed it. "For you, that should make your Manifestation seem Steel Blue, which would be enough for the Crimson Sect to wave you in without an examination. They'd want a bit more before treating you as a great treasure, but most of their geniuses have Steel Blue Manifestations while more ordinary members have Sky Blue."

"In other words, anywhere in Zhou, if you show them a Manifestation that started in Steel Blue it would immediately make you a highly treasured genius who has an unimaginable future." Momo giggled. "Easily enough to ask them to admit me with you as a condition for joining."

Cifer smiled, summoning his White Lily and pulling it towards the surface. It took a long while before it turned into the complex Sapphire with Royal and Navy Blue, and then it simplified to Sapphire a short time later. Then he got it to the Azure shade right above where he had the Steel Blue they were looking for.

Everyone grinned as they watched. They could already envision a dragon hiding among the eagles until it was so strong nothing could stop it any more. Then their faces froze as the shade refused to change again. Cifer's face contorted in pain as he tried to force it to go just a little higher. His Manifestation refused, stubbornly staying a majestic Azure.

Momo spoke up in great concern, hurriedly yelling at Cifer. "Stop! If it's hurting that's a sign that your Manifestation has already reached the shallowest water it can handle. Maybe having come from the green Essence Sea and crossing the larger divide is effecting how shallow it can go?" She theorizes.

As Cifer stops, panting and glad to no longer endure such pain, Momo looked to the other two. "Surely that's good enough? I know we were hoping to limit him to showing Steel Blue, but isn't Azure good enough? It just makes him look a little stronger."

Oji's face was complicated. "It should work, but it would be best if he had a higher Cultivation when he arrived. One that would let them believe he's managed to increase the depth his Manifestation is able to show somewhat. But me and the Grand Elder are running low on time."

Cifer nods. "How many Pearls of what kind do we have? If my Potential is really what everyone says than all I should need is a short while and some resources to fix that." He smiles, glad to finally have a problem he could fix.

After a few moments of hesitation, Oji gave him a pouch with a few hundred of Striped Blue Pearls. Momo gave him a dozen Wavy Blue, all she had on hand anymore. Grand Elder Keomi gave him a single Azure Pearl. Any of these represented an enormous fortune that could buy a mansion on the Clan's grounds, and Elder Keomi's contribution made that seem insignificant!

Shock on his face, Cifer bowed to each of them in gratitude. "I will pay you all back when I am able." He swore, then took the resources and found a clearing in which to Cultivate, ignoring his exhaustion.