24 The Unique Foreword and Method

Cifer made his way to the very top of the recorded information. Since this was something his parents had prepared for him from the moment he was born, Cifer was not going to give up on understanding it. And would take the time to back up all the way to the Foreword.

It started by stating directly that unless Cifer himself chose to make this portion visible to another it would be impossible for them to see the Foreword. This was because the Foreword acted as a sort of key to understanding the rest of the manual. Which would give the details of multiple Cultivation methods, several scaling Techniques, a couple hypothetical Abilities tied to the possibility of a Bloodline, and even a Power.

That immediately caught Cifer's attention. The method one used to Cultivate would effect the speed of your progress and factor into how solidly built up you were. Both of which would in turn make you much stronger if you possessed a better one. Techniques, Abilities and Powers differed in a rather subtle way, but they all were ways to increase the strength of a Cultivator in battle.

Techniques were instantaneous attacks, with the best being like Oji's Palm Technique and allowing the user to form it and hold it ready until the right moment. They often gave the largest increase in force in return for the disadvantage of typically being one off attacks.

By contrast, Abilities and Powers were long lasting states that altered the constant output, stacking with Techniques and each other. Abilities were the more common, and often had steep requirements in terms of Potential or Bloodline. An Ability would require constant effort to maintain, boosting the user in the aspects it focused on until he either stopped circulating it or ran out of Essence. They were usually draining to use for extended times.

But Powers were different. Demanding an enormous amount of training, capability and dedication, a Power would provide a nearly permanent boost to some aspect of the Cultivator. The cost of Essence to maintain them was close to nonexistent and would become natural. The downside being that Powers would typically grant the smallest boost of the three, but that didn't mean it was insignificant. One of the reasons the Li family were the Royals was that they had a Power that was only taught to those of direct descent. The constant increase to baseline and the layering on of Abilities and Techniques resulted in a very dramatic difference within the same Stage or even a Stage above.

Cifer's inheritance included one of these coveted Powers and much more! And he controlled who else could learn it. He smiled in simple gratitude and continued to read the foreword.

It apologizes for leaving him with the Clan the way they had, especially for leaving him nameless. The contradicts itself, saying, "Yet that was the greatest gift we could give. For a Name gives an Identity, and an Identity imposes Limits. Even if it does offer Connections and Empowerment, the most critical single matter is to know the Limits and how to raise them."

The Foreword then used Death as an example. The Connection to Death Essence was Loss, and it was Empowered by Sorrow. But it was limited by Fate. It told of how the sorrows of loss could help Death Essence reach it's limit, but unless the Cultivator periodically improved his Fate he would inevitably his a bottleneck that he could never overcome.

The Foreword assured Cifer that every Essence had all 3 of these, and that the relationship between them was both stable and fluid. That is to say, the degree to which each is in the Cultivator may change. But the way that the extent of each effects the Cultivator due to relative values is predictable.

Cifer reached the end of the Foreword sweating. He'd never heard of or considered that there might be additional emotions and concepts that could quickly empower or impose severe limits on Cultivation. If he could discover the Empowerment and Limitation of Mercy than he and Momo both could enjoy a far smoother Cultivation.

Engrossed in reading, the thought of Momo tugged at him. But he was well accustomed to her being so spoiled that he had momentarily forgotten her plight in his studying. He read all the Cultivation methods recorded in the massive record left to him.

It was no wonder that the Foreword was required to understand this! They constantly referenced the Limitation and the Empowerment interweaving with the Connection to the Essence as the Cultivator makes his constant goal the lifting of the Limit while processing the Empowerment to consume it. He could faintly understand that this would purify and feed the Essence constantly, resulting in explosive growth for minimal resources.

Another depicted a whirlpool of frenzied Connection stirring Empowerment to break down Limitation before calming to continue to advance over top of it. The cost in resources was extraordinary, and the speed of development was just a bit above average. But it proclaimed the most overwhelming strength within its Stage.

A third frame works the Cultivator's body and equates the Limitation with the forces the body can endure and put out. It warns that this method basically replaces traditional Potential for the Strength of Soul and talent for fighting. But it was the simplest of the methods available here.

Looking up at last, Cifer tore his gaze from the manual and saw the sun was sinking under the horizon. Than remembered. "Momo!"

He raced down the stairs from his room, grabbing a bag for his food and clothes. He didn't see Auntie Azumi, so he left her a note. Stocked up on food, a change of clothes in his bag, there was one more thing Cifer wished he could get before leaving. A weapon of some sort.

The stores were all closed at this hour, and they would have refused to sell Cifer a weapon at any rate. He went out, sighing that he would have to do like that man had and use his bare hands. But as Cifer reached the edges of the Aoi Kani Clan he saw something he could probably use. A scythe.

A scythe was a pretty bad weapon, but at least it had a solid heft and a sharp blade. It was far preferable to nothing. Better yet, Cifer convinced the owner to part with it for a single Blue Striped Pearl. It was highway robbery, but at least Cifer had that much money with him.

Armed and packed, Cifer set out north towards the Skull Sect where Momo had been heading.