"Manipulate soul energy? Sorry to say, I'm not well-versed in that area," Rina replied with a shrug.
"But, I've heard of it," she added. As they strolled through the vast grassy field, Kyoma's undead crew swiftly dispatched any hostile rabbits that dared to cross their path. The other rabbits wisely kept their distance, seeing how fearsome Kyoma's team was. With no need to rush or worry about surprise monster attacks, Rina took the opportunity to give Kyoma a crash course on the fundamentals of mana, soul, and physical strength.
"Listen up, Kyoma," Rina began, sounding like a wise sage about to impart ancient secrets. "In this day and age, there are three main paths to power: using mana, relying on physical strength, or unleashing soul attacks. Mana is the most common way to go - it's like a universal energy that almost anyone can use, even monsters. You just need to figure out which element you're most attuned to, like fire, water, earth, wind, light, darkness, or something else, and then you can conjure spells to blast your enemies or protect yourself from harm."
"However, not everyone is proficient in controlling mana. Mages must manipulate mana through specific spells that draw in mana from both inside and outside their bodies, causing the spell to manifest. To cast spells successfully, one must possess coordination, knowledge, and talent. If someone lacks the talent to become a mage, they will not be able to sense the ambient mana in their surroundings, and will ultimately fail to conjure their desired spells. At the highest level of mastery, mages are capable of manipulating the seas, moving mountains, and destroying cities with the same ease as drinking water," Rina explained, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
"Moving on to those who prefer a close and fast-paced style of combat, we have the physical body cultivators. These individuals focus on strengthening their bodies to reach an inhuman level of fitness, enabling them to jump up several stories with ease and rely solely on their physical prowess to engage in combat. Like mages, they also utilise mana, but they typically opt for spells that can be cast quickly or ones that reinforce their body and attacks. At the highest level of this cultivation path, it is said that saint-level swordsmen can split mountains and oceans with a single swing of their sword."
Each class has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, mages are typically weak in close combat, and require a significant amount of time to cast their spells, often needing to recite complex incantations. Nonetheless, if left uninterrupted, mages can unleash destructive spells that can alter the course of a battle. In contrast, physical body cultivators excel at close combat, but their attacks are generally limited to single targets and are not as powerful as those of mages.
"You're likely already familiar with the basics, but it's important to understand mages and physical body cultivators in order to grasp the concept of soul cultivators. While mages and physical body cultivators use tangible elements such as mana and physical attacks, soul cultivators utilise intangible soul energy. Their attacks are unblockable by conventional means, as they target the soul directly and bypass any physical defences, no matter how robust." Rina spoke with a tense voice, suggesting that she had firsthand experience witnessing the devastating power of soul cultivators.
Kyoma pondered, "If there's no way to defend against soul attacks, then aren't soul cultivators the most powerful beings in this world? It seems that without being a soul cultivator, one is defenceless against their attacks. This world is much more perilous than I thought."
Rina sought to ease Kyoma's worries as she explained further, "Rest assured, adventurers at the A-rank or lower level are not capable of manipulating their soul to attack. To be able to do so, one must possess a soul that is sufficiently strong. Currently, our souls are probably no larger than that of a fetus and as soft as cotton candy. Therefore, it is impossible for us to manipulate our soul to launch any sort of attack."
...
Once they had walked far enough from the fieldrabbit's home, Kyoma and Rina came across a tranquil spot by a lake. They decided to take a break here before continuing their journey towards the southern forest. In order to get there, they would have to cross the fieldrabbit's field, navigate through the wild boar's territory, and finally reach the outskirts of the southern forest where the goblins reside. Currently, they were in the relatively safe area between the fieldrabbit's field and the wild boar's territory, shielded by the rocks and trees that surrounded them.
While Kyoma tended to the fire, Rina explained the process of inspecting one's soul to manipulate its energy. "To inspect your soul, you need to meditate and focus on your inner self. Once you are able to sense the energy surrounding your soul, you can start manipulating it with your mind. It takes a lot of practice and patience to master the art of soul cultivation. Even among soul cultivators, there are different levels of proficiency."
Kyoma listened attentively as he cooked the field rabbits. He seasoned them with some herbs and spices he found in his backpack and grilled them over the fire. The smell of the roasting meat filled the air, making his goblins' mouths water.
As they enjoyed their meal, Rina continued to explain the dangers of soul cultivation. "Manipulating your soul is not without risks. If you are not careful, you could damage your soul, which could lead to serious consequences. It's important to have a strong will and mental fortitude to prevent your soul from being corrupted."
Kyoma nodded, taking note of Rina's warnings. He knew that soul cultivation was not something to be taken lightly, but he couldn't help but feel intrigued by the idea of manipulating his soul.
As Kyoma was eating the grilled rabbit alongside Rina, he asked her, "How do I inspect my soul?"
Rina took on the role of a mentor and replied, "To inspect your soul, you must close your eyes and clear your mind. Shut off all six of your senses, including your ability to sense mana in the air, and focus your attention inward until you can see your soul."
After their meal, Kyoma and Rina spent time training on how to inspect their souls. They assumed a cross-legged position and closed their eyes while controlling their breathing, gradually reaching a state of tranquillity. They then directed their consciousness inwards to examine the dormant soul within their bodies. As they did so, Kyoma saw a faint image of himself as a toddler taking shape within a cloud-like form. The image was slightly transparent and would flicker at intervals. This was his soul, the core of his being, and a vague stream of soul energy nourished it from outside his body. Kyoma followed the stream upstream and found that it originated from the Loran's ring he was wearing. He then inspected the ring's interior in the same way he examined his body.
Upon making contact with the inside of the ring, Kyoma found himself instantly transported to the familiar white void of space he had visited before. Inside this space, a hazy image of the old man from his dreams materialised, along with the details of his assigned quest. Despite his efforts to discern the specifics of the task, Kyoma couldn't perceive them through any of his senses. The information seemed to be transmitted to him through a combination of all six senses simultaneously, leaving him with an impression that was difficult to articulate. It was like feeling something intangible, reading words that weren't present, or smelling the scent of an orange in the absence of the fruit. Such was the enigmatic nature of soul manipulation.
Complete 5 rounds of the Yin and Yang breathing technique (Apprentice Level).
Difficulty Level: Basic
Time Limit: 24 hours (10 hours remaining)
Rewards: +5 Strength and Agility, +1 Physical Resistance
Penalty: Unknown
Upon receiving the knowledge about his current quest, Kyoma's mind was flooded with information on the Yin and Yang breathing technique, including a demonstration on how to perform it. When he returned to consciousness, he opened his eyes and saw Rina sitting in a meditative position, drawing in ambient fire mana into her body. The sight was both refreshing and breathtaking, as small pixels of fire mana circled around her like she was a goddess of fire.
Kyoma felt like he was transported into an MMORPG, a popular game from his previous life where players could choose their class and complete quests to grow stronger. Now, he had a quest from Loran's ring with rewards and penalties waiting for him. Though +5 strength and agility may seem small, it was actually a significant increase for ordinary people. A typical level-up would grant around +10 stats, so gaining +5 was like levelling up halfway. Not everyone possessed a perverted skill like Kyoma's "Assimilation", which had the ability to enhance his abilities and increase his stats significantly through the use of his undead. Eager to start, Kyoma immediately began practising the Yin and Yang breathing technique he had learned.
"Huuu..... Haaaaaaaaa... Huuuu..... Haaaaaaaa..." Kyoma struggled to replicate the Yin and Yang breathing technique, as he attempted to follow the demonstration that had been given to him. However, he encountered nothing but disappointment and failure.
...
Mastering the Yin and Yang breathing technique was proving to be more challenging than Kyoma had anticipated. It required precise coordination between inhaling and exhaling, down to the millisecond. The technique relied on using his diaphragm and accessory muscles to take a deep breath forcefully, but slowly. This meant that Kyoma had to inhale as hard as possible, while still controlling the intake to be slow and steady. It seemed like an impossible task to inhale with force and still control the intake speed. The physical demands of the Yin and Yang breathing technique may seem contradictory at first glance. On one hand, it requires Kyoma to take in a forceful, deep breath, but on the other hand, he must control the intake to be slow and deliberate. This requires a high level of mastery over his respiratory system and muscle control.