Diving the Essence Sea (2)

Oji had been keeping close watch on the time during Cifer's dive. He knew the procedure on these matters. If Cifer was able to survive an hour while trying to push his limits it meant that he was expanding his limits at a terrifying rate. If he wasn't trying to push his limits, than it meant he knew what they were, and that was also something that the Crimson Sect had a certain amount of value for. Cifer had lasted 45 minutes when something suddenly changed.

The boy began breathing more heavily as his mantra changed words. "No, no, no, no, no, no." Over and over again. It creeped Oji out. He was clearly rejecting something, and strongly. Repeatedly. But the only thing in the Essence Sea to reject was Manifestations. To have so many trying to bond him that he had to change his mantra itself to reject them all was something not even his brother could say, and Sivla could dive to the 2,801-3,500 foot deep range before having to activate the family bloodline. After using it he'd taken his Manifestation of Origination from 3,800 feet deep and was hailed as the greatest genius of his generation in all of Emor. But this reaction made Oji wonder just how deep this Cifer could dive.

Moments later he felt utterly disappointed when Cifer came crashing out of his mediation and so proudly told him he'd made it to only 1,200 feet deep. "Unfortunately the pass mark is 1,500 foot. Sorry kid, you're close but I can't take you. The higher ups won't listen to a moron like me if I recommend someone who doesn't have exactly what they are looking for. Regardless of the fact that it's all bullshit." He let out a sigh, closing his eyes.

Then heard Cifer's next statement. "Then let me try with the Crimson Sect's method. From Momo's experience it doubled the depth she could dive. If the same holds true for me, than I'll make 2,400 and blow their expectations clean out of the water."

Oji spun back around so fast he felt like he was going to give himself whiplash. "It WHAT!?" He demanded before catching himself. He really had to stop making judgments based on the quality of Emor's techniques. To him there wasn't that much difference between what Cifer was doing and what the Crimson Sect had people do. Both were trash methods.

As his cultivation grew he was able to dive deeper into the Essence Sea, but even after entering High Origination he could only make it to 2,350 feet deep using Emor's technique. Using the Crimson Sect's he would do good to make 1,300 feet deep. Yet Cifer almost matched that with a technique that was almost as inferior to the Crimson Sect's garbage as that was inferior to Emor's most special technique!?

"Momo said it let her go from instantly dying at 700 feet to being able to take her time and carefully pick her Manifesation of Origination at close to 1,400 feet deep." The boy shrugged. "I guess that makes it a fair piece more than double. If she'd tried she might have been able to go down to 1,650 and grab just anything as fast as possible. But that's not Momo's style."

Oji felt a sudden desire to see how far this kid could really go. He hadn't offered the Crimson Sect's technique because they controlled the lecture stone and ensured that it could only be used a maximum of one time per Clan he was supposed to visit. And Oji hadn't bothered to learn their methods well enough to give the lecture on the fly by himself. Not without a few mistakes that would lower the quality of the lesson.

But Oji knew Emor's much better diving technique by heart after using it hundreds, if not thousands, of times. It was always possible to dive into the Essence Sea after all, and Oji found it a formidable way to temper his Will to steadily attempt to dive deeper or stay longer. Occasionally he'd use the Crimson Sect's methods to give them an idea, at a level they would understand, where he stood.

However, for his own purposes he never forgot Emor's method. He had already promised himself that he would make Skeleton Foundation, and at that time the thousands of feet of difference between the Crimson Sect and Emor would result in a huge gap between the Manifestation of Foundation that he could obtain by either method. So he would never let himself lose that critical advantage.

"Alright kid." Oji said, making his decision firmly. "I can't give out the Sect's technique again today, but I can teach you my personal method. There's just a few modifications anyway, but I actually prefer my own method and it is different enough that they won't be mad at me." Cifer's facial reaction of despair to hope to skepticism vastly amused Oji for some reason.

"Just shut up and pay attention. I hate repeating myself." Oji snarled at him playfully.

Cifer took it very seriously. "Yes Sensei!" His young teenager voice cracked as he hurriedly resumed a meditative stance.

"First prick both pointer fingers and hold them together. I doubt you have a bloodline for this method to activate, but if you do it will be a huge help to you. One of the primary advantages of this method is the very fact that it allows the bloodlines of a person to strengthen the projection you put in the Essence Sea." Oji instructs.

Despite his heritage, Oji had never succeeded in this step. But he always tried it and knew every part and sign by heart. He talked Cifer through the means to harness his blood as part of his dive, since his parents and ancestors were a part of his Identity and therefore of his Potential.

Cifer listened to every part of the instructions carefully as he prepared for a second dive. He thought he felt something stirring in him again as Oji talked him through everything in preparation for the dive.

Oji continued with his instructions even after it was clear Cifer had sunk into the Essence Sea. It would help him retain his focus. Meanwhile Oji was more interested in watching the color of Cifer's skin this time. It would change slightly for every 700 feet that he dived while the meditation lasted, and let outside observers estimate the depth he was at.

With his experience back in Emor watching his uncle, a Peak Skeleton Foundation, demonstrate a dive to 7,000 feet Oji knew what the coloration would be. First was thin slivers of faint blue during the first 700. Unless you were to look for it you would never see it. Oji watched Cifer clear this as fast as the first time, taking about two minutes.

Then came wavy patterns of sky blue that were about an inch thick. Cifer spent most of the last dive like that. This time they vanished in about two minutes as well. Oji was surprised, that meant Cifer found 1,400 and 700 feet more or less the same. The solid sky blue of the next range was what the Crimson Sect told him to look for. Cifer finally slowed down and passed it in 3 minutes.

Now Oji had to force himself to concentrate on continuing to give the instructions. He buried his shock as deep as he could. Not even his brother could do that before he connected with his Manifestation!

Oji watched Cifer's skin deepen to a steel blue. That meant he was in the 2,101-2,800 range. Oji himself couldn't do much better even with a Cultivation of High Origination. This time Cifer took much longer, but 15 minutes later his skin changed to an azure blue.

Even Oji's brother, the greatest genius of a generation, could only go this far without using the power of the Imperial Bloodline. He forgot to breath or to give further instruction as he watched. He had no idea how to process this, only wishing his brother could see this unknown kid in a tiny Clan pull off the same thing as him. He chuckled at the thought of Sivla's face.

He saw Cifer starting to struggle and belatedly started to give instructions again, restarting the 2 hour or so cycle since he couldn't remember where in it he had been. Starting again with activating Bloodline to help the dive. What happened next terrified Oji completely.