Chapter 51: 48. Complete Core Comprehension

"I am saying that your core isn't as simple as your inspections make it out to be." At this point, I am glad I am sitting and lean forward as if that will implant me deeper into the conversation.

"As an awakened being, you possess a soul." Gene continues to explain. "This is a major difference between us and enlightened beings. Souls are more complex and intricate than cores, allowing awakened beings to wield greater power. To easily understand our path of progression, our soul displays its complexities in a simple way to understand."

"The way you speak, it sounds like a disconnect between our souls and us," I ask. My arms are now resting on my knees, with a hand propping up my head.

"There is, and there isn't. It's complicated, and that isn't really for the scope of this conversation. I will say, though, the more you progress, the less of a disconnect."

"So what about my bronze core? What does that mean?"

"Ah, this is where we get into the complexities. Let's go over more basics before we cover reforgement."

"If we go back to basics, can you just take me to step one?" At this point, Gene's information on cultivation looks like a tasty feast, and I am ready to devour it all.

"Very well. Let's take this to the start of cultivation." Gene wisps up an image of a simple human by manipulating the shadow energy around us. "Let's call this Awakened being Adam. Adam is fresh on the precipice of cultivation. He is eager to bind his soul to mana to gain more power." As she talks, the image takes the shape of a young man with short brown hair and a weak build.

"However, Adam can't bind mana at this point. His soul cannot do so." Adam is now standing in a graveyard surrounded by pale gray energy. The energy never attaches to Adam. No matter how he tries, he can not hold the mana. 

"For Adam to bind mana to his soul, he needs to enhance it through training the three essences of his soul."

"Mind, body, and spirit," I add to signal I am following along.

"Right." Gene acknowledges and continues to expand my understanding. "The easiest and most common path for a commoner like Adam is to train in the essence of body. Unlike the essence of mind or spirit, body essence takes little outside resources to develop. All that Adam needs is grit and determination." The shadow image of Adam begins doing a series of exercises, transforming his weak body into one of strength.

"Eventually, in his training, Adam will reach a certain threshold. This is called a level. Now whether or not a perk is given or earned upon reaching a new level, I do not know. However, it is undeniable that Adam's strength is greater than what his training amounts to. Most tend to agree that it is a bit of both. In the case of Adam, his diligent training resulted in the perk of increased strength." Adam is now tossing large boulders like they are small rocks.

"To balance his newly acquired strength, Adam decides he needs some durability. So he begins training in that aspect of the body essence." Adam begins punching boulder after boulder. At first, all he gets is bloody hands. After more attempts, his hands bleed less. Boulders then start to crack from the impact of his fist. Finally, the boulders shatter with one punch. 

"Adam has two levels in his body essence now. More specifically, he has leveled the strength and endurance of his body. While his soul has increased in strength, he is still not able to bind mana. Our cultivator needs one more rank in essence for his soul to bind mana."

Adam is no longer engaging in physical exercises. Now he is studying combat manuals and practicing various fighting techniques. "Showing budding skill in fighting, Adam decides to better hone this talent. He increases his mind essence and pursues the path of wisdom." Adam has now developed a smooth fighting style and is slaying a pack of feral hogs with a saber.

"Upon gaining a third rank in an essence, Adam's soul is now fit for binding mana." Surrounded by numerous dead boars, Adam kneels to the ground and begins absorbing pale gray energy radiating from the battlefield. This time the energy infuses Adam becoming one with his body and, to a lesser degree, his mind. 

"Adam has now reached the first stage of being awakened. He is considered a page. Continuing to train in body essence, Adam obtains three more levels and reaches the rank of rook." Adam's body absorbs more pale energy becoming more attuned with death mana. "With his soul becoming more in sync with death mana, Adam can wield power to greater capacity." Adam raises corpses, summons bone swords, shields, and spears, and even easily creates structures.

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"So," I interject to ask a question weighing heavily on my mind. "Why would Adam choose to increase his death mana? Is it common to bind only one mana?"

"Great question!" Gene responds enthusiastically. I don't think it is far-fetched to say she is enjoying this teaching moment. Or maybe it is more that she is delighted to be engaging in actual conversation. Whatever it is, her willingness to answer my questions, as simple or complicated as they may be, makes this tutoring session much more enjoyable.

"Your ability to bind different mana is the exception and not the rule, especially for people of your race. In fact, had I not witnessed you binding the dark mana myself, I still would be skeptical it is possible."

"So people don't get to pick how to fill their empty cores?" I ask skeptically.

Gene shakes her head no. "Except for the prime core, the initial binding of the soul to mana, awakened beings don't have empty cores. In fact, there isn't even a core. What you are seeing is a summary of your soul. That being said, cores and souls are used interchangeably with the understanding that the core is just a representation."

"So when I examine my core, the empty layers aren't really layers? My soul is just incomplete?" Though I am on the precipice of understanding, I feel like I'm grasping at straws here.

"For Adam to reach the second stage of his soul or the second core layer," Gene clarifies. "He needs two things. First, he needs the capacity."

"That comes from training his essence. Obtaining another three levels of essence development will give his soul greater capacity for energy. In the case of Adam, he trained his body essence three levels higher." I secretly celebrate when I see Gene nodding that my understanding is correct. I take all the victories I can get, even when it is understanding basic cultivation concepts.

"Secondly," Gene adds, "he needs enough energy that his soul starts expanding."

That addition allows the information given and my experiences to collide into a beautiful mess of understanding. Fighting the numerous spiders and beasts in the Greater Shadow Realm, I could feel the mana wanting to expand in my soul. It was looking for more areas to grow. 

"That means," I use words to solidify my understanding. "Adam needs enough death mana to not only fill the capacity already created by his first stage of awakening, but he also needs enough to push into the second stage. Or rather, his prime core needs to be overflowing with energy to create a new layer of the core."

"Exactly! And since Adam is already bound to death mana, his only option to expand is by absorbing more death mana. There are exceptions, being certain races can bind two energies; however, this has only been found in the bloodline of elves." Before I can even ask, Gene shuts down my question. "I have sensed no elven blood within you. You are a pure islander, also known as an orc. Your people are not dual cultivators."

"Is there a way to unbind the mana connected to a soul?" I ask, trying to make sense of my condition.

"I know of one ritual that can wipe the soul completely. However, the more invested a soul is in mana, the harder it is to unbind it. Within just a few stages, it is practically impossible."

"Practically?"

"You and Annette seem to push the limits of possibility. So yes, practically. Gene responds lightheartedly. "In your case, I believe whatever ritual you performed to become a lich wiped your soul clean. And since you used your prime core, the foundation of your soul energy, to create your lich bond, perhaps that's why you aren't bound to one energy. In a way, your soul is fractured."

That can't be good. "That doesn't sound good." My thoughts and words are practically the same. An uncanny display of cohesion if I dare to be so boastful.

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