Sal was very close to breaking through to the second level of the introductory phase, but his spirit vessel had reached its maximum spiritual energy capacity.
It couldn't contain any more of it, meaning he couldn't progress in his cultivation until he expanded its capacity to store spiritual energy.
To increase its capacity, he had to temper it.
There were many methods to temper a spirit vessel.
Some required the help of spiritual techniques that only spiritualists and the enlightened could use.
What exactly were spiritual technique?
They were a type of power that can only be manifested through the profound manipulation of spiritual energy that results in a change of its properties.
Spiritual energy at rest wasn't anything special, but once it was stored in the spirit vessel, a synchronization effect would be triggered, elevating the spiritual combatant's strength to heights beyond mortal's reach.
Similarly, its properties changes once it was manipulated in a certain way to a certain degree. Once a change was introduced in its property, a special type of effect can be obtained. These special effects were aptly named spiritual techniques.
Back to the original topic, when these methods were to be utilized, elders would guide disciples in their cultivation, helping them temper their bodies using spiritual techniques.
The others required time, effort, and resources.
Resources he didn't have.
Efforts he couldn't afford to put in as he was planning to launch a slaughter late at night and he needed to reserve his stamina and energy for that.
Time… Well, that was something he had. At least two hours of it.
He was planning to carry out his assassination after midnight when most people would've fallen asleep and the streets would be deserted. After all, the chances of encountering others or leaving behind eyewitnesses during the assassination would be greatly reduced if he took action during that time of the day, allowing him to carry out his action discreetly and not get in trouble with the camo leader.
There were two hours left before midnight.
He could afford to spend these two hours tempering his spirit vessel.
Sal thought, 'To temper my body, manifesting the Simple Cycle will be the most suitable according to my needs.'
Spiritual techniques were divided into three major types. Namely, they were offensive, defensive, and auxiliary. Each type was further divided into many subtypes. Take auxiliary type for example. They focused on self healing and cultivation boosting.
Simple Cycle could be considered an auxiliary type spiritual technique.
To manifest the Simple Cycle, spiritual energy had to be constantly leaving and re-entering the spiritual vessel. This would put a great amount of stress on the spiritual vessel, tempering it with each cycle and expanding its capacity to hold spiritual energy.
There were two downsides to this method:
Firstly, if the spiritual vessel was too strained, it could be damaged. Secondly, it required the manipulation of spiritual energy, which was different than merely harnessing it. Introductory phase combatants couldn't typically manipulate spiritual energy. Only those above that realm, such as spiritual combatants in the second and third realms of cultivation, could do so.
Sal didn't need to worry about the first downside. After all, his spirit vessel was a high-quality one. It wouldn't be easily damaged even when under a great deal of stress.
As for the second downside, the Ancestral Breathing Method could make up for it.
As mentioned before, it allowed for the harnessing and manipulation of soul power. Using this method, manipulation of spiritual energy, which is typically only possible for spiritual and enlightened combatants, became possible for introductory phase combatants!
Sal's breathing pattern changed. Sometimes, on exhale, his breath was strong and on inhale, his breath was weak. Sometimes, it was the entire opposite and sometimes it was completely erratic as if he was suffering from cultivation deviation.
Ancestral Breathing Technique, the third form, Breath of Unrecognizable Changes, Manipulation!
Each time he breathed out, his spiritual energy would move out of his vessel, and each time he breathed in, it would be moved back into his spirit vessel.
As he repeatedly did that for 10 minutes, his spirit vessel experienced a change.
Its size expanded, and its spiritual energy capacity increased by an entire unit.
Sal maintained the Simple Cycle for 100 more minutes before stopping.
The spiritual energy capacity of his vessel had increased to 101. However, there were only 90 units of spiritual energy in it. Unless he filled it to the brim, his cultivation stage wouldn't increase.
Immediately, Sal began to cultivate.
Ancestral Breathing Technique, the first form, Breath of Purification, Detachment!
Ancestral Breathing Technique, the second form, Breath of Domination, Devour!
Utilizing the first and second forms of the Ancestral Breathing Technique, he absorbed ten units of pure spiritual energy into his vessel.
Now there were 101 units of pure spiritual energy in it.
His strength had surpassed a level 1 introductory phase combatant.
He had officially entered the second level!
Standing atop the roof of the makeshift shack, Sal looked eastward, his gaze piercing through the darkening night.
Behind the towering wall that separated the outlanders living in the refugee camp from the inlanders of the Banu Fortress, a towering skyscraper with dozens of floor could be seen.
Sal didn't know what it was called as he had only ever laid his eyes on a construct so grand after time traveling into this world of which he had no common sense of, but it was a skyscraper.
Atop this skyscraper, a grand clock was nestled, its face proudly displayed against the sky.
The minute hand of the clock was just shy of twelve, while the hour hand pointed at eleven. It was 11:55.
Midnight was just around the corner.
The time to carry out the assassination was nigh.
'It is time to complete my preparations,' Sal thought, his eyes brimming with a strange level of calmness.
Despite the fact that he was planning to take lives, there was neither excitement nor murderous intent in his demeanor. It was as if killing was an everyday job for him, nothing to feel excited or disturbed about.
The clock ticked by.
The time for the assassination drew closer.