Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

{Classification: Second Class, Ordinary.}

{Description: a technique compatible with demonic practitioners. It can form an invisible mask of mana. When activated, the mask contains the magical fluctuations of the user's cultivation base, reflecting a lower level of cultivation than the user's real one or no cultivation at all for those whose cultivation is of the same realm or lower than the user's.}

{Detail: it has 5 levels of mastery. At the first level, the user can hide their own cultivation; at the second level... Finally, according to rumors from users of the technique, the fifth level of mastery can completely hide the user's aura from even Spirit Kings.}

Liam read the entire contents of the book in his hands, which told him exactly what to expect from the technique at each level of mastery, its potential for future use, and its specific limitations.

Contrary to what one might expect from the cultivation world, there were very detailed and well-founded analyzes of techniques and the like. Out of the 60 pages of Mana Mask, they devoted 40 to the possibilities, problems, and successes that over 2,000 users had achieved.

In Demon Gate, merit points could be earned by sharing your experiences and discoveries in different situations. One didn't need to provide personal details. The simple fact of sharing that a specific technique was ineffective against a certain enemy type, for example, made points for you.

It reminded Liam of Earth, where scientists helped each other by sharing their experiences, and how that helped everyone's knowledge and skills develop more quickly.

Of course, it wasn't a perfect system. But there were many benefits to sharing small pieces of information that weren't critical to you, but had the potential to help others.

Aside from the 40 pages that talked about technique—a text that was useful for disciples like Liam to compare techniques before choosing one—19 of the remaining 20 pages were complex texts that couldn't be understood by simply reading them.

The techniques were written in code, full of passages that would make no sense to someone with poor comprehension, including passages that would have to be understood gradually.

Of the five levels of mastery of Mana Mask, reaching the maximum level of comprehension meant understanding everything in the 19 pages, something that could take decades to happen.

Even for the greatest cultivation genius on the continent, reading it once would not be enough to understand it.

Not only that, learning such a text required mana. But from what Liam could sense now, there was some kind of matrix on the Library that prevented Spirit Masters from moving mana inside their bodies.

He just scanned the 19 pages, closed the Mana Mask book, and picked up one of the other volumes he had chosen to compare techniques.

The third technique he picked up was called Shadow of a Thousand Faces.

{Shadow of a Thousand Faces}

{Classification: Second Class, High.}

{Description: a disguise technique. It allows the practitioner to take on the appearance and cultivation level of people they have met or studied in detail. The technique uses mana to shape the spiritual appearance and mask the practitioner's true cultivation level.}

{Detail: it has seven levels of mastery. In the first level, the user can imitate the spiritual fluctuation of cultivators up to one level weaker than themselves. In the second level… Finally, at the seventh level of mastery, the user must be able to imitate the spiritual fluctuation of even cultivators of an entire realm higher than their own.}

Liam opened his eyes wide as he read the passage in the 57-page book, tempted to choose it without analyzing the other alternatives.

'This technique is incredible.' He thought as he sat in the reading area, a place with 22 tables and 88 comfortable chairs.

With something like it, one could pose as an expert, bluff their way out of trouble, or even use an enemy's identity to cover their tracks!

But Liam was curious about the other two books he had yet to read.

{Hidden Dragon Seal}

{Classification: Second Class, High.}

{Description: a technique in which one must inscribe spiritual seals on their bodies. These seals suppress and conceal the practitioner's cultivation level, making them virtually undetectable.}

{Detail: there are six levels of mastery. The first, the user can create a single seal that can only suppress their own cultivation. The second, the limit is two seals at a time, so they can use it on other people... Finally, at the sixth level of mastery, the user can create six concealment seals that, when combined, can even seal the cultivation of cultivators one realm stronger than the user.}

'The Hidden Dragon Seal is also impressive. Not only can this technique be used to hide cultivation, we can also use it as a weapon against third parties.' Liam thought as he finished reading the contents of a 77-page book, the largest of the five he had chosen.

But there was a reason this technique had such an enormous book!

'The problem with it is that, while using the seal, the practitioner cannot use half or more of their powers. They become invisible to others in terms of cultivation, but in order to use their full power, they have to break the seal and reveal their power.

The good thing about it is that it can be used on third parties to restrain enemies, prisoners, or even beasts... Come to think of it, that's a fantastic technique!'

Liam found himself torn between the three most impressive techniques he had come across in his readings.

He put the other two books that didn't catch his eye aside, leaving the three he liked best in front of him.

'Hidden Dragon Seal and Shadow of a Thousand Faces have the same classification. So their efficiency should be similar, and learning them will have a similar level of difficulty... Probably the one with the most mastery levels is the one that would take the longest to master completely.'

He looked at the Shadow of a Thousand Faces.

'A lower level technique can be learned more quickly. And right now, the most urgent thing for me is to have a technique whose functions I can use in two weeks at the most.' He thought about the Mana Mask, but he was still undecided.

The rank of a technique told you how powerful it could be, but also how difficult it would be to learn.

A First Class, Low-quality technique could be learned quickly even by not very talented Spirit Masters. But a Sixth Class, High-quality technique would be extremely difficult to learn for practitioners with talents that could not take them to at least the sixth realm.

Liam had a talent that could take him to the fourth realm, so he imagined he wouldn't have much trouble learning Second Class techniques.

'As incredible as the Shadow of a Thousand Faces is, it wouldn't give me what I need most right now—a way to hide my future progress. At best, it would allow me to mimic the aura of others, which wouldn't fool people who already know me. Besides, I'd be taking a colossal risk if I used it and looked like someone with serious problems.' He pushed it away, leaving two options.

'Between the Hidden Dragon Seal and the Mana Mask, the former certainly has more potential because of its rank and because it can be used on others. Even more so for someone who has to deal with beasts. The seals of the technique could be of great help to a tamer.

But Mana Mask is more compatible with what I'm looking for now. It can hide my level without limiting my power. Suppose I'm attacked by an enemy by surprise. If I use the Hidden Dragon Seal, I might be in danger because I won't be able to access my full power right away. But with the Mana Mask, I could use 100% of my power and still look weaker than I am.'

Liam stood up and picked up four of the five books he had, intending to return them to their respective places on the shelves at the second level of the Library.

He then made his way to the level two copy room, where he handed the Mana Mask book to the Officer who was in charge of the area.

'It will have less future potential, but it will better fulfill what I need.' He received the copy from the Officer and stored it in his spatial ring.

Leaving the Library, Liam hurried to the Lotus Temple, the best place to train any kind of technique.

Training a technique could be done anywhere that the practitioner could use the mana in their body. But the best place was definitely an area rich in mana, with privacy and no possibility of interruption.

Liam made his way to the fourth floor of the temple, paying 50 merit points, leaving him with only five points on his ID, but the right to train for two hours in one of the best rooms in the temple.

When he arrived at the bottom of the steps between the third and fourth floors, he had a smile of anticipation on his face as he suddenly felt something reach his nostrils.

Liam stopped just five steps from the entrance to the fourth floor, seeing no one in front of him, but still smelling a strange perfume.

His heart leaped in his chest as his limbs grew hotter, blood pulsing to parts of his body he would rather not have pulsing right now.

'What is that? What's that smell?' He turned to see a woman walking calmly up the stairs, looking at him strangely, as if he were a stone in her path.

Liam ignored the woman's uncomprehending look at him and focused on her breasts, plump red lips and long orange hair. Her wide hips and thick legs didn't go unnoticed, either.

Without realizing it, he took a step down, moving toward her as a purple mist of seduction rose from his pores.

Gulp!

A sudden hunger blocked out all of Liam's other thoughts as he did what he had been trying to hold back for the past few days.

'I have to do this!'

With that thought, the surroundings of this part of the stairs became shrouded in mist, leaving only him and the stranger standing there.