Jason only nodded his head after hearing Dalia's words and even if he was slightly confused, everything was much easier to understand than before.

"So to put it simple, a curse is just a negative ability or effect I'll receive through a cursed beast. The potency of a cursed soulbond is also much stronger as it would be if a 'normal' cursed being curses me? It's like the cursed being gives me a part of the curse and with the cursed soulbond I receive the whole curse?"

Smiling lightly, Dalia nodded as she said 

"That's roughly it and there are only a few exceptions where cursed soulbonds beings don't share their curse with their master.

Shane is one of them and the curse on his bane of thousand eyes wolf is probably the reason. Not only has the wolf literally thousands of eyes but they also have the ability to kill lower-ranked beings by simply looking into each other's eyes if this is desired.

As such, Shane's soulbond's curse only changed its body structure and eyes' ability. To put it simply, one might even say that the bane of thousand eyes wolf is only a pseuod-cursed being because it has no negative effects or misfortune lingering around, which it could transfer to Shane."

Halting for a moment, Dalia pondered how to put it as she explained

"In the end, you would need a true cursed being and it would probably be the best if you bind it as your soulbond in order to receive the strengthened curse. Otherwise, if you find the perfect curse and receive it without binding the cursed being, the curse will only be temporary which might backfire in your circumstances!"

Only now did Jason realize that there were still many things he didn't know which even humanity was aware of.

Searching for a cursed beast and binding it which only lowered his soul world's amplification would be perfect but how high were the chances for something like this to exist?

Furthermore, binding a cursed being was extremely dangerous and there were too many uncertain factors one had to think of!

The only positive aspect was that other humans might have encountered cursed beasts and wrote something about it in an online thread.

Such form threads were either about them bragging to have defeated such a being, that they survived an ambush, or maybe even to warn others about the terrifying curse the cursed being they found harbored.

As such, it might be possible for them to find out something in a shorter time than they expected!

However, Jason would still try to enlarge and strengthen his vessel before trying his luck with a curse that might bring him more disadvantages than benefits if he were to make a single mistake.

Right now, he was not only responsible for his own life, but also Artemis', Scorpio's, and even the black origin flame's, who seemed to become more like a living being with time passing.

Thus, he couldn't act recklessly and allow his soulbonds to be endangered through a curse.

It would have been something else for Jason if he were to be alone but that was not the case!

With this in mind, he stood up to receive his masters' attention before he made his stance clear.

"I think a curse might be a good second option if enlarging and strengthening my vessel doesn't work, but I don't want to be responsible for injuring my soulbonds' which they could receive through the curse! 

With this in mind, I would only form a soul contract with a cursed being once I know more about the curse it harbors and that It won't cause any problems to my soulbonds!"

Seeing how firm Jason was with his decision, Shane and Dalia couldn't help but smile because it was the only right decision to take instead of acting rashly as he did before when he entered the four-star rift.

Suddenly Shane felt weird with the book about curses in his hand while he was already pondering if he should search for curses online too 

'Why was I so expectant?!' He suddenly asked himself before he shook his head.

Clearing his throat, Shane wanted to say something to be distracted from his embarrassing behavior

"That's a good decision and in my opinion, it should definitely take a long time until you might even be able to find clues about a cursed being that suits your needs!

There might be a few cursed beings that curse someone and create a weakened state but this might as well come from several other reasons instead of a decreased soul world amplification.

For instance, it could be a curse, slowing down one's mana output, circulation, sensitivity or much more.

As such, I will start investigating thoroughly and tell you once I know more.

However, I'm sure that you will need a suitable cursed being to live freely, without the fear of breaking apart any moment because of your vessel.

As for you, it would be good if you can continue increasing your soul energy while absorbing mana and refining your body.

Most cursed beings are at least Magical-ranked beasts, more likely even at the Guardian rank.

Even if the latter wouldn't be the best for you, it's still better than a Lord stage cursed beast or even worse... 

If it's the worst, we can just dig our own grave because I'm not strong enough to defeat a cursed Monarch ranked being… Even a Lord rank cursed being with a powerful curse might be difficult to defeat, even less catch.

And then you would need to have enough soul energy to bind it which would take a long time.

Fortunately, your soul energy replenishing process is quite fast and it wouldn't take years for you to reach the required soul energy.

However, the things I stated are only the worst possible outcome and the most fortunate would be a cursed cub or low-ranked plant.

Either way, don't think too much about it and let me take care of it, alright? Just focus on your body refining and mana core rank!"

Nodding his head, Jason wanted to do exactly what Shane told him and focus on the other things he had to take care of.

Right now, the pain within him was still endurable and not even comparable to the Heaven's Hell technique's pain, even less the Devilish Valkyrie-shield fruit he had to eat in order to survive refining his mind and splitting it afterward.

He only had to be more careful if the pain would increase!

One major goal he wanted to achieve this year was reaching the combat prowess of a Low-Lique state but that was not everything.

Currently, Jason had to waste way too much time practicing the Heaven's Hell technique every day and he wanted to change this issue this year, the sooner the better.

Only thinking that a single sitting took more than 3 hours was already a horrifying thought and with this in mind, Jason wanted to change something substantially!

After testing several things with his sub-area within his mind Jason figured out that he was already ready to establish his second sub-area as long as he had enough resources and something protecting his brain from the possibility of being damaged.

This would cost a fortune and Jason was way too poor to start right off the bat. 

Unfortunately, his masters' already told him that they wouldn't support another suicide act like they already did when he ventured inside the four-star rift, telling him that he was responsible for himself if something bad were to happen.

Jason knew that his masters only did so that he acted more independent and responsible but his mind was already set on refining his brain once again to divide it and establish another small sub-area.

He also tested out if it was better to create an endless cycle to strengthen his soul world core and obtain more soul energy in his first sub-area instead of continuously absorbing mana passively, and he figured out that the latter was slightly more efficient.

From an endless soul energy cycle, that used his high replenishing, Jason would receive a 1.5% increase in his soul energy in one day which was comparable to slightly more than one sitting in the Heaven's Hell technique's third level.

This was not something grand but this endless soul energy cycle would be able to increase his soul energy units by 1.5% every day without lifting a single finger or having to practice the Heaven's Hell technique which would require more time the higher his soul energy became!

However, his passive mana absorption was still slightly better in his current circumstances.

The three hours he would save with the endless soul energy cycle inside his sub-area instead of the passive mana absorption cycle wouldn't be enough for him to receive mana in return if he were to absorb mana in this period!

In the future, when the practice period for the Heaven's Hell technique increased, it would be useful but Jason hoped that he already established his second sub-area at that time.

Now, he only needed an enormous fortune which caused him to look at the mana grade-1 Jadetite sword he forged only a few hours ago as his lips curled upwards.