At the end of Thal'Korr's advance, Liam hadn't even improved his mana cultivation by 1%.
When Spirits improved their power through cultivation, Spirit Masters didn't become stronger in terms of mana. After all, Spirits cultivated the mana that existed in their masters' souls.
At the end of his cultivation, Liam had only restored the mana that Thal'Korr had absorbed during the progress, and it had taken Liam more than an hour of cultivation to return to his previous state at the peak of 1-Star. But even without a mana increase, he was stronger. With Thal'Korr in a new realm, the Spirit's powers had increased in all directions, opening up countless possibilities for Liam.
By becoming more battle-hardened, gaining more powerful physical attributes, and going further with each of his powers, Thal'Korr was now a new Shadowfiend.
