Cultivation Technique: Twilight Foundation
Tier: 0
Stage: 0/10
Description: A basic cultivation technique that is capable of creating a strong foundation for martial cultivators and immortal cultivators. This technique harnesses the power of twilight to nurture the mind and body. To avoid negatively affecting a cultivator’s disposition the unique aspects of this cultivation technique have been suppressed.
Rewards: 0.5 astral energy per second during cultivation, +1 free stat point per cultivation level
Cost: Stamina 1.0/s and 1.0 Mental 1.0/s
Requirements: None
Cultivation Technique: Solar Fire
Tier: 0
Stage: 0/9
Description: A basic cultivation technique suitable for martial cultivators and immortal cultivators. This technique harnesses the solar, fire, and other yang properties found in astral energy to temper the mind and body. This technique can be used by anyone, but it can have an impact on the disposition of people that don’t have a talent related to this technique.
Rewards: 0.5 astral energy per second during cultivation, +1 free stat point per cultivation level
Cost: Stamina 1.0/s and Mental 1.0/s
Requirements: None
Cultivation Technique: Lunar Water
Tier: 0
Stage: 0/9
Description: A basic cultivation technique suitable for martial cultivators and immortal cultivators. This technique harnesses the lunar, water and other yin properties found in astral energy to temper the mind and body. This technique can be used by anyone, but it can have an impact on the disposition of people that don’t have a talent related to this technique.
Rewards: 0.5 astral energy per second during cultivation, +1 free stat point per cultivation level
Cost: Stamina 1.0/s and Mental 1.0/s
Requirements: None
Holding a sphere that looked like the Twilight Core that he fused into his village core, Elijah was able to display the three cultivation techniques to everyone in the communal area. Three gray translucent screens were projected from the sphere in Elijah’s hand. Each screen contained the basic information of a cultivation technique and detailed information on how to properly perform the techniques.
From behind the translucent screens Elijah could feel the burning gazes of the villagers. Although he knew they weren’t focused on him, Elijah was still shocked by the powerful hunger and desire that their gazes contained. Elijah couldn’t relate to the desperation they felt, but he was still able to show his villagers respect by not commenting on their current behavior.
Besides, it’s not like Elijah didn’t go into a daze when he first saw the cultivation techniques. Elijah’s cultivation technique was created to be perfectly suitable for him and the detailed description of how to perform the technique was very straightforward. However, the three cultivation techniques he showed the villagers were designed to be use by a wide range of people and contained far more information in the detailed description.
Particularly, Elijah focused on the disposition aspect of each of the cultivation techniques. As Elijah finished reading the cultivation techniques, it was like a switch was flipped in his brain. Instantly, he had a better understanding of how cultivation techniques affected an individual’s disposition.
For a long time, Elijah was bothered by the recent changes in his mental state. Specifically, how he was more arrogant and prideful than he normally was. These changes became particularly noticeable when he entered and exited the game world.
Obviously, the source of these changes was his cultivation technique. However, it was only after the switch was flipped in his mind that he understood why it was happening. Affecting the disposition of its user was something that all cultivation techniques did.
Cultivation techniques were comprised of three key aspects. They contained general information about the mind and body, knowledge about astral energy and how to use it, and a unique heart mantra. All three were needed to properly utilize a cultivation technique.
Missing one aspect would have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a cultivation technique. The technique could still be used, but the individual would at best, create an unstable foundation for their cultivation journey and at worst, receive severe injuries that were impossible to recover from. Despite these severe consequences there were still plenty of people willing to use incomplete cultivation techniques.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Of the three aspects, the heart mantra was the one that had the greatest effect on an individual’s disposition. A heart mantra could be created by combining a few random words, a few phrases or a few sentences. All heart mantras were different, but they were similar in their core purpose.
The core purpose of a heart mantra was to connect to an individual’s heart to the Dao. The Dao wasn’t something that could be understood with the mind, but something that was felt with the heart. Elijah didn’t truly understand what the previous sentence meant. However, he was absolutely certain that it was true.
Although Elijah didn’t fully understand the heart mantra, he was still able to understand the effects it had. The Solar Fire cultivation technique had a heart mantra that connected the user mental state to the fire and the sun. An individual could become overbearing, prideful, or easily provoked.
The Lunar Water cultivation technique was the opposite. It connected an individual’s mind to the moon and water. It was very likely that a person would become more docile, humble, and harder to enrage.
As for the Twilight Foundation cultivation technique, although it said it didn’t negatively affect the user’s disposition, that didn’t mean it didn’t have any effect at all. All cultivation techniques affected the user in some way. However, the effect of the Twilight Foundation would probably be weaker than other techniques. As for what the exact effects would be, Elijah would have to wait until someone cultivated it to find out.
Minutes passed by as the villagers fiercely gazed at the cultivation techniques. He could sense that the villagers were worried about missing the opportunity to learn a better cultivation technique and they were trying to burn all of the information into their mind. It was unnecessary since Elijah was able to directly transmit the cultivation technique into their minds after they placed their hands on the sphere.
This was his original plan too, but he didn’t think it was necessary to interrupt them now. Instead, Elijah decided to focus on himself. After he revealed the cultivation techniques a notification appeared in the corner of his vision and Elijah was confident, he knew what it was about.
Congratulations! You have completed the A Path Forward quest.
Congratulations! You have obtained the Calming Incense Blueprint.
Item: Calming Incense Blueprint
Tier: 0
Description: A blueprint describing the necessary resources and technique for creating a calming incense. Once created, the calming incense can remove negative thoughts, improve cultivation and calm an individual’s mental state.
Congratulations! You have reached level 36 in the Ruler specialty. +1 to all stats, +1 to attack and +1 to defense
Congratulations! You have reached level 39 in the Chief job. +1% to all stats.
“Looks like leveling up is becoming more difficult,” Elijah thought to himself.
Completing the A Path Forward quest should have at least awarded Elijah with enough experience to gain five or more levels. After all, having a cultivation technique was the difference between a good and bad life for most humans in Fallen Heaven. However, despite receiving a ton of experience, Elijah only gained one level in his Ruler specialty and Chief job.
The last time Elijah received a significant increase in the levels of his specialty and job was when he had the group of wounded humans swear a heavenly oath. At that time, he was able to increase his Ruler specialty by two levels and Chief job by three. Of course, even gaining five levels between his specialty and job was considered small when he compared it to some of the increases he received in the past.
Shaking his head, Elijah pulled himself back to the present. He obtained a blueprint that would be very useful for the cultivation of his people. Also, he could trade the finish product to other people for resource when he managed to interact with other territories.
As far as he knew, anyone was able to create the Calming Incense. However, people with crafting related jobs or specialties would have a better chance at successfully creating the item. Also, they would receive bonuses that would make the item have a better performance.
“Maybe I could try creating one,” Elijah thought to himself.
Before he could continue that line of thought he was disturbed by a sigh from his left. Turning his head, he saw Elder Jeb forcefully pulling his eyes away from the three screens. When he turned to face Elijah, his eyes were overflowing with gratitude.
“No words can describe how grateful we are for what you have given us,” Elder Jeb said. “You have single handedly changed all of our fates. We…I…” In the end, Elder Jeb chose not to speak anymore and gave Elijah a ninety-degree bow as a show of thanks.
As Elder Jeb began speaking many villagers broke free from the screen to pay attention. As they saw him bow, they repeated his action and thanked Elijah for his contribution. Part of Elijah felt a little embarrassed about the display. However, his arrogance promptly beat down that part of himself and allowed Elijah to bask in the joy of his followers bowing to him.
With a smile on his face Elijah deactivated the sphere and commanded his people to rise. “There’s no need to thank me. As your Chief it is my duty and my pleasure to help you grow. If you ever feel the need to thank me then simply work hard at developing and bettering yourselves.”
Elder Jeb straightened himself and gave Elijah a smile. He didn’t thank Elijah or try to emphasize how meaningful the cultivation techniques were to them. However, there was now an almost inextinguishable light of gratitude and respect in his eyes when he looked at Elijah.
“Who will you let use the cultivation techniques?” Elder Jeb asked.
“All of us have fought and suffered together, so there is no need for me to restrict the cultivation techniques from any of you. Currently I have the tier zero version and the tier one version of all three cultivation techniques. Everyone will be allowed to freely look at all of the tier zero versions for the three techniques. But tier one versions can only be viewed after you’ve sworn a heavenly oath. This is a safety precaution to prevent the techniques from spreading. Also, it will protect you from being targeted or tortured by people that want to learn our cultivation technique.”
Looking around the room Elijah could see that nobody had a problem with what he suggested so far. After a brief nod of satisfaction Elijah continued speaking. “The goblins and the others will be able to learn the cultivation techniques as well, but they will naturally have to pay a greater price. I won’t simply give them access after swearing a heavenly oath. Any questions or suggestions?” Everyone was satisfied with what Elijah said, but one person had something to say.
“Ah, Chief. Can you show us the screens again? I didn’t manage to absorb all the information.”
Elijah smiled.