“Before we address anything relating to training, magic, or other such concepts: you must instead receive instruction in the most fundamental aspect of the Realms.”

Aurelian raised his eyebrows at Tarixi, but didn’t interrupt the spectral Goblin.

“When you first emerged into the Realms, did you receive any kind of primer or manual relating to Cultivation in the Prime Material?”

“No.” Aurelian said with a spike of anticipation. “I’ve been wondering about it since I saw that I had a Temper level, and since all the System text—and conversations with you—kept mentioning Cultivation and Cultivators. In my original world, they existed in fiction and stories, but I don’t know how accurate those were to the real thing.”

Tarixi nodded as if that made sense.

“Concept bleed is a known phenomenon. Worldshards often reflect the nature of the Realms in some manner, though I would never have expected it to be in the form of fiction. That is most intriguing, and we should discuss that more in depth at a later date.”

“Sure.” Aurelian answered with genuine enthusiasm.

“But first, we need to ensure that you, here and now, are ready to make progress.”

“So where do we start?” he asked with the same enthusiasm.

“We’ll begin with the basics. First, do you know why I said you won’t need food or water?”

“No, but I’d like to.” Aurelian said earnestly.

Tarixi laughed when she answered. “It’s because you can meditate with Soulforce, and intake mana to address your immediate need for sustenance. It will not work long-term, but it will let you fight and live as normal for up to two weeks, at which point the diminishing returns erode the process. You can use a similar method to defer sleep for up to a week, as well.”

“Is it hard?” Aurelian asked with a sense of relief at the revelation.

It gave him time.

“It simply requires practice. I will teach you the method after we cover your essential knowledge.”

“Okay!” he agreed with a nod. “So, what’s the first step?”

“That depends.” Tarixi began simply. “On whether or not you know anything about how denizens grow in power, here in the Realms.”

“Infusions, Tempering, and I assume Core stages.” Aurelian answered after several moments’ thoughtful consideration.

“Correct on all three, though perhaps without full context.” Tarixi said with a smile. “Which I will now provide. Your Codex should record the information, but I recommend you listen regardless.”

“Happy to.” Aurelian agreed with sincerity.

He had wanted this information since he’d first transmigrated!

“Cultivation in the Realms is a constituent amalgamation of three primary parts: Infusion, Tempering, and Core Development.” Tarixi floated over to cross her legs in the air before him. “Since we are not discussing ancillary methods for the purpose of simplicity, I will address mana and its myriad nature later.”

“Okay.” Aurelian said simply while laying out his bedroll, and sinking down to sit on it.

“We’ll start with Infusion. This process is both the most simple, and the most immediate method of growing your power. Infusions are done by levelling a Skill to a threshold, which is rated by the System on multiples of five.”

“So level twenty—?”

“No. Twenty-Five.”

“But you reach the Novice stage at level ten.” Aurelian objected in confusion.

“That is because the System normally advances born denizens from one to ten during their growth from infancy. By ten years old, they are granted access to the System as a ‘Novice’. Before that, they are qualified as a ‘Beginner’ and are worth zero experience to anyone.”

“Ah. That’s merciful.” Aurelian said with a grinding gamer’s immediate understanding. “Nobody will bother killing Beginners if there’s absolutely nothing in it for them.”

“Precisely.” Tarixi said with a nod. “It’s one of the few immutable truths of the Realms: children are, by and large, considered worthless even by the most ruthless of Cultivators. Killing them is an act of evil and spite, nothing more. They aren’t even strong enough to qualify as nourishment for beasts, let alone sapients.”

“I doubt that stops evil-intentioned people, though.”

“It does not.” Tarixi agreed sadly. “As the Godsworn taught us during the Revelation War.”

“Anyway…” Aurelian said while hoping to get off the topic of murdering children.

“Yes, so, Infusion,” Tarixi said while picking up the hint immediately. “There are two required elements to Infusion: an Essence Draught, and an Essence itself.”

“I got an Essence Draught for a Body Skill from a System reward, but it says it’s uninfused.”

“That is quite common,” Tarixi said without surprise, “and is one of the most regular ways in which people attain Essence Draughts. The imbuement is the difficult part of the process, usually, and often requires life-threatening effort if a Cultivator truly desires a powerful Infusion.”

Aurelian simply nodded and listened.

Tarixi seemed to appreciate his patience, and continued comfortably.

“The more powerful the infusion is for an Essence Draught, the more dangerous it is to both acquire, and to use. I cannot think of an adequate example or comparison for you, other than to say that it comes down to the Cultivator’s physical and mental fortitude, and the quality of the provided Essence. If the Cultivator is too weak to withstand the force of the provided Essence during Infusion, then there is a significant risk of death during the process.”

“What about a weak Infusion?” Aurelian asked.

“That, in some ways, is even worse. Infusion informs on the nature of your Tempering when advancing from Novice, to Initiate, to Adept, to Specialist, to Expert, and so forth. If you Temper yourself with weak Infusions for Mind, Body, and Spirit; you run the very real risk of having a weak or otherwise flawed foundation.”

Tarixi shook her head as if in memory of such an event, and then continued.

“A poor foundation can drastically affect your overall capability, and even stunt your potential to push into Specialist Tier and beyond. Each subsequent Temper is considerably harder to reach than the last, and achieving Specialist was the highest that the vast majority of Cultivators would ever rise.”

“Do you think that’s still true now?” Aurelian asked with interest.

“With the Godsworn having taken dominion?” Tarixi enquired.

“Yes.” Aurelian confirmed. “I assumed you were speaking about the Empire, is all.”

“It’s a fair assumption, and you are right.” Tarixi admitted with a nod. “Honestly, I do wonder if the expected plateau is possibly as low as Adept now. The Empire provided multitudinous options to aid the growth of Cultivators freely, out of a belief that self-determination inspired greatness and better moral character both. I would be very surprised if the Godsworn do the same. Equity was never part of their ethos, and much of their dogma revolved around the nature of predetermination and divine edicts of worthiness—or the lack thereof.”

“Dogmatic cultists that only want their favoured few to reach the highest echelons of power?” Aurelian asked in a dry and somewhat sardonic tone. “I’m sure that isn’t the case.”

He punctuated the statement with a snort of derision, and was rewarded with a laugh from Tarixi.

“Well put, Aurelian, and astutely observed. Yes, I can imagine that the average Cultivator’s power in this new and awful reality is likely far lower than what it was during the Empire’s time in power, but sadly we can only imagine. We cannot move forward with that assumption in place, lest you be caught unawares by a canny foe.”

“Fair point.” Aurelian conceded. “And sorry for the tangent. You were saying?”

“Mm. Yes. Infusion. So! Infusion forms the bedrock of your eventual Tempering, and the number of Infusions increases relative to your standing. You only need one per tier, but they accumulate over the course of the tiers. A Cultivator at Specialist-level will have no less than three Infusions for Mind, Body, and Spirit apiece, totalling nine—and a Master-level Cultivator will have five for each, totalling fifteen.”

“And if Infusions dictate the quality of your Tempering, then—woah. Woah.”

Tarixi smiled approvingly. “Quite right. I can see you’ve figured it out. Power will increase immensely between Tiers. The gulf between each subsequent level of strength is the difference between a mound, a hill, a wall, a cliff, and a mountain. There is no ‘consistent’ gain in strength. Cultivators improve in power in a categorical manner.”

“So can you Infuse a Skill more than once?”

“Yes, you can, though it’s not advised. While Infusing the same Skill over the course of multiple tiers can make that singular skill incredibly powerful, it has diminishing returns. Instead of improving yourself with addition, you are improving yourself with alteration. The Tempering process will focus on the latest Infusion when moving to the next tier, and if that Infusion is built on top of a previous one of the same skill—”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Then it replaces the modification, instead of adding it to the other ones.”

“Yes.” Tarixi said with a laugh for his enthusiasm. “We do not know why the System does it that way, but it almost seems to reward those that diversify and take risks, and punish those without imagination or innovation. It is always better for you to spread your Infusions, because you will receive a higher net gain for doing so, and develop a Mind, Body, and Spirit Temper that improves multiplicatively across each Tier.”

“So in simpler terms, Tempering, like, rebuilds your Mind, Body, and Spirit?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes.” Tarixi confirmed with a nod. “Each time you Temper, the System will enhance your Mind, your Body, and the Spirit in different ways. You will even gain passive capabilities that correlate to how the System incorporates your Infusions across each tier.”

Here Tarixi seemed to truly become enthused, and her expression became wistful.

“For example, I Infused Fire Dragon Essence into my Absolute Flame Control skill for my Adept-tier Tempering, and the resulting Infusion combined with my Mana Channelling’s Initiate-tier Phoenix Essence Infusion to create a passive Spirit trait which allowed me to cast fire-type spells with half the normal required mana, and at triple power.”

Aurelian let loose a low whistle. “So each time I Temper, I get a passive bonus to my Mind, Body, and Spirit?”

“Not always.” Tarixi said with a shake of her head. “Which is why strong Infusions are so incredibly important. The higher the quality of your Essence with each Infusion, the better off you’ll be during Tempering. The Skills you choose to Infuse will also play a massive role in which areas of your Mind, Body, or Spirit are changed by the System.”

Aurelian leaned back onto the palms of his hands and shook his head.

“This is a lot, and that’s just Infusion and Tempering. Is there more to those?”

“Yes, but it’s mostly just the variations you’ll find from what we’ve already discussed. The essentials have been covered, though how they tie into Core development is a whole other nest of vipers.”

“Which we’re about to cover, I assume?”

“Yes,” Tarixi laughed, “we are indeed. Core development, after all, is as critical to your overall growth as Infusion and Tempering—though for different reasons. Your Core, Aurelian, controls not simply your ability to use and manipulate mana, but also your generation of Soulforce itself.”

Aurelian’s eyebrows furrowed. He felt like he knew where she was going.

“Think of your Core like a furnace, where the fuel is your Soul. Through this combination, you create—”

“Soulforce!” Aurelian cut in abruptly. “That’s how Soulforce is—oh. Uh. Sorry.”

Tarixi, instead of being angry at his outburst, instead sighed and shook her head in an amused manner. “I suppose I cannot fault your enthusiasm, if nothing else. Yes, Aurelian, your Core is how you produce the Soulforce that allows you to Cultivate in the first place. Without Soulforce, you would not be able to absorb or refine System energy into mana, and would thereby be bereft of even the most basic access to magic.”

“Would that affect my physical abilities too?”

“Absolutely. Soulforce is not merely your pathway to mana usage, it’s also the energy that allows you to access the System in general. Our Soulforce bridges us to the System’s power, and acts as the conduit through which we gain mana. The System, ah, harnesses our Soulforce in some manner not fully understood—and in return, it refines and outputs mana throughout the realms. The relationship is extremely symbiotic.”

Aurelian nodded thoughtfully at her words, and hummed in consideration.

“What happens if your Core is destroyed?” he asked, before hesitating. “Can it be destroyed?”

“Yes.” Tarixi said firmly. “A Core is not a physical organ for most Cultivators, but it very much can be destroyed. To do so requires great power, and a combat that transcends mere physical exchange and moves into the realm of metaphysical power and pseudo-divinity… but have no doubt on the matter, there are those out there capable of such feats. You can never assume your Core is entirely safe.”

“You said it’s not physical for most Cultivators,” Aurelian noted. “Why the specificity?”

“You picked up on that, did you? Good. The Core is more of an energy source, one rooted in spiritual essence and Intent than true physicality—but it is anchored to your physical body, in the middle of what we call the solar plexus.” Tarixi hovered down and poked him exactly in the middle of his. “Here there is a small, currently almost-unnoticeable organ that, with proper Cultivation, will eventually form into the physical housing for your Core.”

“I’m guessing that’s pretty far removed from my current level.” Aurelian speculated.

“Very much so,” Tarixi agreed. “That would only eventuate after your Core reaches the Refinement stage, which will require the Skeletal Reinforcement of your Specialist-level Tempering. With each Temper stage, you see, your body undergoes changes.”

“Can you tell me about them?”

“Of course.” she answered with a smile. “First Temper is also known as Soulforce Expansion. It immensely increases the width and number of your mana channels, and allows for your body to act as a better housing for your spirit, thereby enabling a superior level of Soulforce control and saturation—and unlocking further stages of Core development. From there, Second Temper acts as a means of total purification of your blood.”

Aurelian raised an eyebrow at how familiar the process sounded, but didn’t speak.

“At Second Temper, your body will fully rid itself of any miasmic, toxic, or tarnishing dregs of Essence from prior Infusions—and all future Infusions will benefit from this cleansing process. This is how the body ensures that your current and later Temperings will not be weakened by unwanted detritus.”

“That makes sense. It’s a form of permanent detoxification.”

“Yes. It also greatly increases a Cultivator’s passive resistance to toxins.”

Aurelian blinked, and then sighed. “That means alcohol, too, right?”

“Yes,” Tarixi said with a snort, “though there are Cultivator-specific mixtures to remedy that.”

“Oh! Cool.” Aurelian said with an unabashed sense of relief. “Continue.”

“Mm, the next Tempering—known as Specialist-level—is Skeletal Reinforcement, and the period where the organ in your solar plexus develops into a proper physical container for your Core. Specialist Tier also coincides with a drastic increase in your body density, and resistance to physical harm. Third Temper is the most important stage for the Body specifically, as Cultivators will largely finalise their physical state upon achieving it. The name, as you can imagine, is very fitting; as most Cultivators find their ‘physical niche’ at this level.”

“What about the later Tempers, then?”

“Those almost wholly deal with Mind and Spirit, and while they build upon the Body still, there is never a greater change than the one that occurs during Third Temper. That is when your future as a Cultivator, and whether or not you will make it to Expert-level or beyond is decided.”

Aurelian nodded and filed that information away carefully. He knew, down to his core—both literal and metaphorical—that he would need to be extremely cautious about both which Skills he used for Infusion, and the manner of Infusion itself. Using lesser Essences would probably just end up putting him in line to get murdered by any number of mooks looking to cash in on the Nephilim bounty he imagined the Nine put up.

He’d need every possible advantage to survive their ire in the weeks to come.

It was a daunting consideration, but one he was glad to be aware of early.

“So what about the Tempers beyond Third? What are they called?”

“Expert, Master, Grandmaster, and Ascended. In order: Fourth Temper finalises your mental state, mental fortitude, and brain’s ability to process and properly manage all the future changes that Tempering will bring. It is an incredibly important milestone for your Willpower, and if done incorrectly, will permanently cripple your advancement.” Tarixi said seriously.

Aurelian nodded in silence, and she continued.

“Fifth Temper allows a Cultivator to diffuse their Core’s energy and essence across their meridians, and greatly reinforce the potency of both mana and Soulforce. Sixth Temper allows the Cultivator to unfetter the Core completely, and replace their physical body with one forged entirely from mana, Soulforce, and Intent—if they survive the process.”

Aurelian’s eyes widened, and he thought about the concept.

At first consideration it seemed like a weakness, until he realised that the body created could be almost anything the Cultivator imagined; including new limbs like wings, tails, or special additions like gills, claws, any of it. The ability to transcend physicality and become a being forged from Intent was… insane.

“What about Seventh Temper? Ascended-level, you said?”

“Ascended is… hm. In the entire history of the Empire, there were less than a dozen Ascended. The fact that Lucius Tollarius, his wife Selucia Tollarius, and his younger brother Justinian Tollarius all managed to attain Seventh Temper was…” she shook her head.

“They were called the Golden Generation.” Tarixi continued with a look of remembered wonder, and sad reminiscence. “Even Bael’tharax, for all that he was ancient, had never seen or heard of such an achievement. Three Ascended Tier Cultivators, all born within years of one another, and all raised in proximity? The odds of it happening were so outside the realm of plausibility that many thought it was a hoax until they actually proved they’d done it.”

“And then Justinian betrayed them all.”

“Yes,” Tarixi said quietly, “and you can imagine what that did to the Empire, and to Lucius and Selucia. He joined the Solari as their Grand Ascendent some five hundred years into Lucius’ reign as Imperator. Some hypothesised that he was brainwashed, or that the Solari somehow managed to control his mind and bend him to Solarius’ will.”

“You sound as if you don’t believe that.” Aurelian noted with rapt attention.

“I don’t.” Tarixi admitted. “I think, personally, that Justinian betrayed us for a much simpler reason.”

Tarixi fell silent for a moment thereafter, and almost looked hesitant to go on.

Aurelian gestured at her to continue with urgency. He hated cliffhangers!

Tarixi sighed, but relented.

“I think Justinian was jealous of his brother. For all the glories that both had achieved, Lucius always outshone him. Justinian was often jokingly called the ‘Golden Extra’. I don’t think anyone could have fathomed how that must have felt, to have an entire nation mock an achievement that none of them could even dream of, simply because the two people you loved most in the world were more beloved.”

“You think he turned against the Empire out of, what, spite from being bullied?” Aurelian asked with a look of bewilderment.

“No. I think he wanted something for himself, something that was purely his. The Empire could never be that. Even if he took over from Lucius as the next Imperator, he’d always be the ‘Golden Extra’.” Tarixi shook her head. “No, I think that Justinian wanted his own legacy—something that would, in the end, surpass everything Lucius had ever achieved.”

“So he decided to destroy everything his brother had, and erase the legacy of his two closest friends, because he had an inferiority complex?”

“The opposite.” Tarixi said grimly. “I think he did it because he wanted to prove that he was superior. Justinian, for all that he was mocked, was legendary as a warrior. He was, inarguably, the best of the three at pure killing ability. The Gilded Aegis, the Imperator’s personal guard, considered Justinian to be their example of perfection.”

“Wow.” Aurelian said quietly. “That’s… that’s intense.”

“It is, and tragic as well.” Tarixi said with a look of remembered sorrow.

“Are you alright, Tarixi?” Aurelian asked carefully.

“I was just thinking about something bitterly amusing,” she answered quietly.

“What’s that?” Aurelian probed.

Tarixi hesitated, and then seemed to come to a decision, and spoke in the same reserved tone.

“Perhaps the greatest irony of all is that in his campaign to ‘liberate’ the world from the Empire’s ‘apostasy’, Justinian did prove his supremacy. He finally proved to everyone, divine and mortal, that he was more than the ‘Golden Extra’, that he was the greatest of the three.” Tarixi shook her head sadly. “And all it cost him, in the end, was everyone and everything he had ever loved.”