Finally alone, I decided to explore more about the environment I found myself in and seek more information about this new world. Opening the window of the room, I was greeted with a beautiful landscape: a garden of roses extending as far as the eye could see, illuminated by a warm yet refreshing sun.
"Absolutely beautiful. I don't know the reason or the circumstances that brought me to this world, but I won't make the same mistake twice. Nothing will restrict me anymore; everything I desire will be mine," I said as I admired the beautiful view.
As I wandered my gaze around the room, I spotted a bookshelf with various books. Approaching the shelf, three books immediately caught my attention.
"Hehehe, 'Mana Cultivation', 'Mages and Knights', and 'How to Become a Cultivator'. Just what I was looking for. Sorry, Mia, I won't need your teachings on mana anymore. I found two teachers," I said with a light laugh.
Walking over and sitting in an armchair, I opened the book 'Mana Cultivation' and spoke in a gentle voice, "Alright, my dear teacher, show me what you've got."
"'Mana cultivation is done by absorbing ambient mana; the greater the amount of mana in the location, the greater the progress in cultivation.'"
"The user needs to sit and concentrate on absorbing the mana and guiding it through the channels distributed in the body that lead to the core where mana is accumulated. When the core is full, it expands, making it possible to accumulate more mana and consequently rise in power rank (the power rank is based solely on the amount of mana the user possesses)."
"But quantity doesn't define everything; the purity of mana is one of the main factors that define the user's strength in this world. For example, a common mid-stage mana master may defeat a common final-stage mana master if they have 2 cycles of pure mana and their opponent only has one cycle. It won't be an easy victory, but there's still a chance it can happen."
"We don't know the limit of how much mana purity can affect a person's power, but based on the ancient Mage King of the Zephyria Kingdom, who achieved five cycles of mana purity while still a saint, an initial-stage saint with five cycles of purity couldn't defeat a mana king with two cycles of purity. But they could defeat a final-stage saint with three cycles. This is because of the amount of mana; when a large realm is broken, beyond the fact that ambient mana is consumed frenetically by its core, the amount of mana increases significantly compared to the previous amount. But there are exceptions, and those are the Geniuses, individuals with an affinity for one of the four elements: water, fire, earth, wind (there will be other types of affinities but these are exclusive to some species). These elements can be used in conjunction with mana to unleash spells or attacks with special attributes of the element. And even these geniuses will only be able to win if they have purer mana than their opponent."
"The first cycle of mana is done automatically when mana is absorbed, but it's still possible to enhance the purity of the mana already present in the core. This is done by guiding the mana from the center of the core through the channels distributed throughout the body and making it return back to the core purer. But it's a dangerous and long process that requires a lot of concentration and mana affinity. If there's any mistake while circulating the mana, the channels can be ruptured, leading to the core's breakage, which would make the person unable to use mana for the rest of their life, as there's no known way to treat this type of injury."
Closing the book calmly, I reflected on the content. "Let me see if I understand. The more mana I possess, the larger my cultivation realm will be. And the purer my mana, the greater my combat power will be. But if the difference in cultivation is too great, purity may not be enough to face the quantity... HAHAHHAAH, how interesting. I can't wait to use mana." Laughing like a maniac, I quickly picked up the 'Mages and Knights'. "Now, it's your turn, my second teacher. Begin my journey."
"'The Mana Knights and Mages differ in their approaches to manipulating magical energy, known as mana. While the Knights extract mana from the core and imbue it into their bodies to enhance their physical attributes, the Mages extract mana directly from the core and use it through mana channels to cast spells.'"
"Hmm, this one seemed simpler than the other. But even though it's simple, it's important knowledge. Knowing the class of my opponent can make it easier to deal with them." Thank you, professor; you've been very useful. Putting the two books I've read back in their respective positions on the shelf, I returned to the armchair and focused on the remaining book, last but the one I'm most eager to read, 'How to Become a Cultivator'.
"Professor, I left you for last because I have high expectations for you. Don't disappoint me," I said with a serious look before starting to read immediately.
"'Firstly, it may take years of practice just to sense mana, so don't get discouraged if you can't do it the first time. But if you already sense the mana present, the next step is to channel mana properly. The practitioner adopts a comfortable posture, often sitting in the lotus position. They concentrate on the energy present in their body and begin the absorption process. Mana enters the body through breathing, permeating the subtle channels surrounding it. Then, it's guided by the mana channels, which extend around the body, converging to the core located about an inch below the navel. By consciously directing mana along this path, the cultivator purifies it, eliminating impurities and strengthening it. This circulation act is called a purity cycle; it's recommended that the cultivator performs this process in an isolated environment because the slightest mistake during this procedure can lead to serious injuries.'"
"Hehe, I already feel the energy in my body. Indeed, geniuses are different HAHAHAH."
After containing my joy for a bit, I began to follow the steps mentioned in the book but soon encountered a problem. With furrowed brows, I said with clear concern in my voice:
"Where's my core?"