"This should be enough for now," Ryker exclaimed, eying the small crystals in his hands. While it might not seem like much, it is a key part in his revenge plan. Namely, his need in being able to create pills, or in short, becoming an alchemist.
As all professions require cultivators to use their Soul to create their creation, he need to have a stronger one if he want to have any hopes of being able to create the pill he had in mind.
For that, he need to increase the strength of his Soul. To increase one Soul Power, it require either treasures that can help enhance the Soul, or a Soul Art.
Thankfully, he has both. For the later, he possess the Celestial Soul Art. He had been thinking of practicing for quite sometime, along with the Celestial Body Art. However, he had to withhold from practicing the Soul Art and Body Refining Art due to not having enough time.
After all, he need to have higher cultivation if he want to protect his love ones, and splitting his attention between the cultivation, soul enhancement, and body refining would take precious time. It is also the reason why he did not focus on learning the different Cultivation Art in his possession, as he want to focus in increasing his strength.
However, he realize the best way to become strong is by having a solid foundation while being strong in all except. From his cultivation, to his soul, and then body. If all three are strong, there is very little that can hope to threaten him.
So, he will start with his Soul. He took out the small crystals. They are called Soul Crystal and would help increase the strength of one's soul. He had exchanged them with his points at the Adventure Guild. They cost a lot but he has a lot of points, courtesy of doing at least three missions in one day.
They are many people speculating how he manage to do that. Some suggested he get some help. Though, there is no proof and even if it is true, there is no rules saying an adventurer could not ask for help. It just, doing so would not do anything as the helper would not receive any rewards from the guild.
They are right, that he has helpers, namely Ina and Era. Whenever he took several missions at once, he would let them take some of the easier one's while he handle the hard one. If not for the fact the Craw Family is still looking for the two women, he would not have to do this and let the two of them receive their rightfully earned points.
Unfortunately, he need all the points he can get to get stronger. And, both Ina and Era acknowledge the fact he is their best bet in getting payback.
He pushed the memory of what he did to get the Soul Crystal and and crushed the crystals. The crystals let out an ethereal shine as white smoke exit emerged from it.
Ryker immediately absorbed the smoke, guiding it into his Inner Realm. When the smoke was inside of him, Ryker immediately move his Soul Avatar to the smoke, letting it absorb it.
A nourishing feeling washed over his body, the effect of his Soul absorbing the smoke. However, it is not the end, while his Soul absorbed the smoke, getting stronger by the seconds, Ryker circulate the Celestial Soul Art.
All Soul Art can be divided into two branches. One is nourishment. This category of Soul Art is rare due to it's nature. By using their qi and refining it, the Soul Art would transform the qi into a soul strands, which is similar to the effect of a soul treasures, except it is not as good but more numerous due to it's nature.
As for the second branch, it is called refining. Similar to Body Refining, one would be forced to pressure their soul, ripping through it and slowly make it stronger. While this branch is more painful, the effect tend to be better than the first branch, as it would strengthen the soul more effectively.
As for Celestial Soul Art, it is special because it contain both branches, the ability to nourish and refine. Though, for the nourishment, one would require a certain strands of Celestial Energy, that can only be refine when someone reach the second level of the Celestial Energy Art.
It would take sometime before he can hope to achieve such level. So, for now, he would focus on refining his soul. As he circulate the Celestial Soul Art, a storm appeared in his Inner Realm, where his Soul Avatar reside.
The storm surround his Avatar before slowly ripping through it. At that moment, Ryker felt great pain. The only reason he manage to stay awake is the fact he had some experience regarding his Soul being torn apart. Namely during the ritual.
His experience, combined with his perseverance allow him to stay conscious despite the pain he was feeling. He continue to refine his Soul. As he did so, some of the white most combined with storm.
Instead of being destroyed by it, the mist merged with the storm, turning some part of it white. When the white part of the storm hit his Soul Avatar, he feel his Soul shredded and nourish at the same time.
During this time, he could also tell the nourishment effect somehow doubled.
"If I refine my soul before I used any Soul treasures, the effect will be a lot better," he mused in his head. He nodded, seeing there is nothing wrong with the theory. And so, he continue to refine his Soul, withstanding the pain in hope of getting his Soul stronger.
-x-
After he finish refining his Soul, or to be exact, unable to handle the pain any longer, he take a quick look in his Inner Realm. His eyes brighten at sight inside his Inner Realm.
His Soul Avatar, which once looked blurry, had now have some color, instead of just wispy white.
"Looks like I reach the next level," he exclaimed. Soul Cultivation have their own realm, at least in the Genesis Realm. The first realm is called the Formless Realm, determine by the fact the Soul Avatar being blurry while surrounded by wispy white cloud.
The second realm, the one he is at is called Illusory Realm. While it have some color, it still appear blurry. He smiled. Someone could began practicing the different profession even if they only reach the Formless Realm in the Soul Cultivation.
Having his Soul at the Illusory Realm would help increase the chance of success.