Layn never liked cultivation. Not because of how much power one could derive from it. The archmage simply couldn't accept to acknowledge a force that could only be used in fights.
That was the most pressing problem that Layn had with cultivation in general. In order to achieve any phenomena other than boosting one's physical status, one had to not only reach a suitably high cultivation base but then also learn all sorts of techniques.
When compared to magic, cultivation was just too stiff to be useful.
Taking the current situation as an example, with cultivation alone, Layn would drown thrice before reaching his destination. As it turned out, the lake was not only far wider but also far deeper than anyone expected. And it was this difference in scale that made Layn commit his first blunder.
