There is many ways to grow your soul. There is two main ways though. Consumption where you would absorb the soul of something similar level as yours which would grow your soul effortlessly. However it also had to have a similar element or your soul would side effects. It also had to be of a similar rank. I didn't observe ranks yet since this growth way is impossible at the moment.
The one I will be using though is cultivating it. To do so one would throw their magic onto the sides of your inner world slowly expanding it. Your inner world would expand and tear then be repaired again with your magic. Its the same way as muscles work, but the healing is instantaneous and is insanely painful. Now just like muscles you cant overwork them and that's the same as your soul. Your soul would harden making it so you couldn't cultivate it after you just did. When I first came to Nixeus I felt pain, but it will most likely be much worse when I do it intentionally.
Of course I thought both of these might be a possibility, but I didn't know. I have read so many books and the way they cultivate are all slightly different. If I tried to cultivate the wrong way my body might fail or it might not even work in the first place. Some things are learned with experience and I will just follow the experience of others in certain times.
While I previously thought my progress was fast and that I was a genius I was wrong. My speed is only slightly above average. Of course I blame the fact I am learning all by myself for the most part I don't know yet. I stayed in the shop for a solid 40 minutes reading up on everything. My shadow seemed to be fading so I left immediately. I don't wish to be known yet. Luckily I sat in the shade of something so my mask would fade slower.
I first ran to the woods as fast as I could while working out again. Doing the usual routine while at the same time making sure I wouldn't be tracked.
Late in the evening with regenerating enough magic to cultivate I went back to the inn. Of course because I've read enough novels I sat naked in the washing basin so I wouldn't excrete impurities into my cloths. It was time for me to face my first tough part.
I sat in the wood basin feeling nervous and excited for what as about to happen. Like the first time I sat cross legged and inhaled deeply before entering deep meditation. I entered my inner world still dark and dreary like ever.
I sat in my inner world looking every where and then started. I wished for all the magic to expand. I say waves upon waves of magic water flowing to the edge of my inner world. With every single wave or crash in felt like my insides were being crushed and expanded. It felt like someone was cutting my soul into a million pieces putting them back together and repeating. It felt like I was in a living hell.
I saw my soul slowly expand inch by inch. I was able to see my inner world crack then repair and repeat. It hurt even more knowing I was doing it to myself. Knowing that I was causing my suffering made me want to stop this pain.
I felt everything and wanted to let the pain consume me, but I couldn't not yet I knew as soon as I stopped so would my growth. I sat not moving for what felt like years. My thoughts were going as fast as they could, but I couldn't use them it was like nothing existed.
Eventually the pain slowly became to much for what my body could handle and the pain, the thoughts, and everything blacked out.
I only awoke up when the sun was out quite brightly. I don't know how long I was out, but I was covered in my own piss. I didn't have any black substance coming out from every pore I just had the blackest and most bloody piss ever. I instantly started checking my royal jewels making sure I could still have kids. Thank Gladius it was fine.
I grabbed instantly got some water I prepared beforehand and cleaned myself and left that substance in there. I sat on the bed fully clothed this time and went back to my inner world and was instantly full of relief. My inner world had expanded into 20 feet by 20 feet. My island stayed the same, but my pond had gotten deeper and much wider.
This was the first biggest cap in cultivation. I don't know how I progressed this far because it takes others months to get this far. When you would stop cultivating your soul would grow firm. Your soul would not be able to change for weeks maybe a month. No matter how much magic you pumped in it it wouldn't grow through cultivation.
My actual cultivation speed would be around 6 times faster than other making me a be around a genius level. Hahahaha a genius shadow magician that's fucking hilarious. The worst magician type is born as a genius that's fucking hilarious. My inner world I could spot it in my heart now. It was the size of a marble. It was pitch black showing the sign of shadow element. It was beautiful.
It was time for me to see how far I truly progressed so I gathered as much magic as I could and I was amazed as how big it was. If before all the magic in my body would amount to a bowling ball then what I could control now was a bowling ball.
Now that I know how I want to do necromancy I think its time I work on some combat skills. I first want to find a bow and practice that, then maybe find some skills for it. I will have soldiers fight for me on the front lines while I stay back. Then I will develop some skills for archery as well. Then the real fun will begin.