"I need to know if there are other ways I could use to increase my cultivation level quickly and efficiently," Alex repeated.
Camron stared at Alex strangely. 'Don't tell me that he doesn't know the true use of ECs.' Camron thought.
"Alex, what is an Energy Crystal to you?" He questioned.
"Why are you asking me a question instead of replying to my question?" He said in confusion.
"Because I need to know if you have been handing out ECs without knowing its actual use."
Alex stopped talking and thought about it carefully. He could recall Grace telling him that it was the universally accepted medium exchange.
['Hey, did Grace mention anything about ECs apart from it being money?'] He asked his alters.
['I don't think so.'] Al replied. Hearing Al's reply, Alex answered Camron's question with confidence in his answer.
"It is the universally accepted medium of exchange," Alex said out loud.
"And??" Camron pushed on, wanting to hear if Alex had more to say apart from that.
"And nothing else. Quit asking me pointless things and answer my question." Alex snapped.
Camron sighed.
"As I thought." He shook his head. "Alex, although ECs are known as the universally accepted medium of exchange. They are also known as valuable and essential cultivation resources." Camron explained.
['Wait, Grace did say something like that. F*cking unreliable excuse of an alter named Al!! Why did you lie?']
['Hahaha. Didn't you get the memo? I am a freaking liar. Hahaha.'] He continued laughing enjoying Alex's reaction.
['Why didn't you guys say anything?'] His question was directed at Xander and Lex.
['Because we weren't sure if that was the answer he was looking for. If we were wrong, you would be blaming us like you are doing to Al. you should learn to take the blames for your actions. It is your own fault for not remembering.'] Xander cleared out.
He turned his attention back to Camron. The conversation between him and his alters lasted within 2 seconds.
"Cultivation resources? Elaborate on that." He had a confused and serious expression on his face.
"You know how ECs are formed right?"
'How they are formed... Now, grace didn't tell me that. Did she? What's the harm in saying that I don't know.'
"No, I don't know." He confessed.
"Wow, didn't they care to educate you in your palace, your highness?" Camron playfully mocked.
'Ahhh. That's the harm. I will get you back for this Camron.' Alex thought regretfully. He heard his alters laughing at him in his mind.
He scoffed and said; "Tell me if you are going to tell me." He snapped. Alex folded his hands and frowned at his friend.
"Hahaha. It is nice to see you act like this." Cameron smirked.
"Do you want your jaw swinging? Cause I could by all means help you loosen it." He narrowed his eyes and threatened.
Camron chuckled in response to his threat. "Walk with me, my friend. Let me enlighten you." He smirked and started to walk ahead of Alex.
['Not going lie. I'm starting to like this Camron guy now. Hahaha.'] Al said.
'F*cking bastards. I will get you all back.' Alex said to himself privately. He looked a Camron who was now ahead of him. He swallowed his pride and followed.
"Energy Crystals, ECs – are cultivation resources because they contain QI. Now not all Things that contain QI are cultivation resources. ECs are made of pure QI, the QI is so pure that starts to take a solid and tangible form; that is the crystal. When you absorb the QI from an EC, you do not need to refine it for it has no impurities."
"So I can absorb QI from that. I didn't know. But what does this have to do with my question?" Alex questioned as he couldn't make any connection between his question and Camron's answer.
Camron sighed once more. "Do you have a blue EC with you?" He inquired.
"Yeah, I do. What about it?"
"Bring out a low-density blue EC. You know how they are differentiated right? The one with the lighter color is a low-density crystal and the darker one is a high density one." Camron clarified just in case.
"Yes, I know how they are differentiated. Do I look dumb to you?" Alex grumbled. Despite his grumbling, he complied and brought out a single low-density blue EC.
Upon seeing the EC Camron stretched his hand, asking him to hand it over. Alex looked at him weirdly but still handed it over to him.
"Now bring out another one," Camron said. "Huh?" Alex exclaimed. He was confused but just as he did previously, he obediently complied.
"Try absorbing the QI in the crystal," Camron suggested. "It's not difficult to do. Just draw the pure energy from within it the same way you do when absorbing QI from the air."
"Alright."
['Being an obedient rabbit I see.'] Al said playfully as he chuckled.
['Shut up. You handicap.'] Alex turned his attention back to the blue EC in his hand. He made an attempt to absorb the QI from the EC.
-Click!
The EC in his hand started to crack. Not long after it started to crack, it completely shattered and turned to sparkling dust that flew away with the wind. Alex felt a weird yet familiar energy course through his whole body. It was QI, it didn't go into his core area as he wanted it to. It spread its self around his muscles and bones. Although the amount of QI felt like it wasn't sufficient, it was still able to go round his body.
Alex looked at his body expecting to see some kind of change occur to his body, but nothing happened. The only difference was that he felt refreshed. He felt himself get stronger, only for a bit. And the strength was only a temporary one.
"Can you explain what just happened?" Alex inquired.
"After you absorbed the QI in the EC, it crumbled because its very source of existence had been taken away."
"I could guess that part. What I want to know is why it didn't go to my core first? Why do I feel a little bit stronger and why do I feel like this strength is only temporary."
['I feel like I just took some kind of drug. Its effects can wear off at any moment.']
['It might be the cocaine of this world.'] Al said.
['Indeed.'] Alex brushed off his statement.
"Well, the first reason why it didn't head to your core first, is because the energy is already pure. It doesn't need to be refined by the core unless the energy you absorbed is above what your body can assimilate with. Then it will naturally head to your core on its own. But note, if the energy is still more than what your core can assimilate, then you will blow up, die, boom." He made an exploding gesture with his hand.
"The person will die from an overload of pure QI. To answer your second question; the reason why the strength is temporary is that it is not yours. You will have to expend that QI. But when you absorb just the right amount of pure QI, it can assist you in making smooth breakthroughs and that strength will no longer be temporary." Camron finished explaining.
"Wow. Then I don't need to worry about making breakthroughs. I am loaded with a lot of ECs. Alex smiled and said as he felt relief wash over him.
"There are repercussions if you absorb too much pure QI from ECs. Your core will get used to processing pure QI and when that happens, a little contact with ordinary QI that contains impurities – will cause a chain reaction that would still lead your body into exploding."
['Not. A. Single. Thing. In. This. World can be freaking free, what sort of stingy businessman designed such rules!!!'] Alex fumed in his mind.
"Then what about cultivation pills? Does the same thing apply to it?" Alex asked dejectedly.
"Mmm. They are a bit similar but not the same. For cultivation pills, some can help to increase your strength permanently and some temporarily. But the thing about the pills is that at a certain stage your body will get immune to their effects. So if you want to use pills as a long term supplement you will have to spend a lot to acquire them. But it is cheaper than using the ECs to cultivate."
Camron came to a sudden stop. "I thought you said that you were an alchemist."
"I am. I just don't how yet." He kept on walking even after Camron had stopped.
"You don't know how? Is that an excuse or you were lying about being an alchemist?"
"I wasn't. Now be silent so that I can think clearly."
['I guess I will start with the ECs. Limited dosage.']
['Yeah, just make sure not to overdose on it stoner. Or else we dead man.'] Al playfully cautioned.
"Camron, how does one know when to stop absorbing QI from an energy crystal?"
"Well, it's obvious. The same way you know when to stop eating."
['Such normality shouldn't apply to a glutton like this rabbit. Despite his size, he could eat the food that would be able to satisfy five grown men. Five!'] Al emphasized.
['He wasn't referring to the food you perverted fool!'] Alex retorted.
"That's good. I will spend most of tonight cultivating. What do we do with the other EC in your hand?" Alex asked as he glanced at it.
"This." Camron smiled and kept it in his pocket. "This is my payment for providing you with such vital information. Goodnight Alex, see you in the morning." Camron said quickly and disappeared from his sight.
['What the f*ck!! Did we just get scammed by that retard!? I take back what I said earlier, I don't like him. Nobody scams me, I do the scamming. Alex quickly switch with me so that I can catch him and deal with the b*tch ass retard!!'] Al shouted furiously.
"Hahaha. I thought he was naïve. It looks like he is not." Alex was intrigued by Camron's action.
['He can have it. It is after all just a low-density blue EC. And don't even dream of switching with me.'] He said in reply to Al's plea.
['Arrghh!!'] Al screamed in his head. Alex ignored him and headed to his room.