Chapter 4 – Breakthrough, Exploiting to hearth content

Alone in my room with my great haul, I was quite happy. First of all, I put cultivation sing on the door to my chamber.

I duped each of both stones and talismans 20x. I tried experiments like duping them with more quantity at the same time, it had the same cost-effectiveness, just more headache.

I was quite hesitant which stone start with, finally deciding on neutral stone, then try fire one to be able to tell the difference.

I had 3 basic stats to train on: Body, Power Cultivation, Mind. From Noreall memory there were several rules/Dao’s/laws which govern this universe. Body cultivation means imbue those laws into your body. Energy cultivation was mean to resonate with them, to be more connected to them, to breathe them in and out, to circulate them within you. And finally, Mind was about understanding them, to be able to find good leverage, to find a fragile point in where to empower them or crush them. Needless to say, there could be a great synergy between stats…

Let's start with the worst one, the Energy cultivation…

I brought the nice glowing tier 1 spirit stone and sit in a meditative pose. I close my eyes and tried to feel something.

HUNGER….OK, that was easy…

Something within me wanted to devour this delicious thing before me now, I tried to direct it into my spiritual roots…and it was effective…somehow.

Only something bellow of 1/16 absorbed into my meridians, where it started circulation.

Oh yes, Ravenous constitution, I almost forgot about it.

I wanted to try meditating with this energy withing me to feel the universe or something…but it was gone after 1-2 seconds. Good thing I felt my earth root awaken and demanding MORE.

OK, lets first absorb some basic one first to get rid of [starving] at earth root.

I grabbed 16 basic T1 spirit stones and sit again in a meditative pose.

This should be equivalent to 1 T1 spirit stone for me. Seriously though, the image of this fat young master hugging 16 spirit stones at once for cultivating his non-grade Energy cultivation, I bet even my cousin Xiar would be green with envy…never mind let’s focus…

This time, the energy flushed me with great force, I felt it much clearer. It was like a small stream flowing through me. The energy was like something sentient, something ancient something that has infinite potential but at the same time something clear as crystal water. And part of it became part of me.

That felt great.

I planned to continue when I realized the rune on the door to my chamber was flashing yellow.

The Firestone clan, maybe others, had an interesting system to if someone wants to go to seclusion. If someone was cultivating in seclusion like me right now, it was still possible if something happens to let him know by lighting color rune in the door. Green was for not-important things, yellow for important, red for critical and black for dangerous things. The black color was even accompanied by sound…

What is happening? Maybe it is about…

“Lore knowledge, how easy is to for someone to feel that I just absorbed 10 stones at once?” I asked the knowledge in my head

///

Tier2 Veteran could probably feel it if he is nearby, Tier3 even from some distance.

**: recommendation: Cultivate in a chamber made of special natural cavern walls or special materials or it's reinforced by formations.

///

This is bad…wait, I can just tell I had my breakthrough to tier1…

Breakthroughs were often accompanied by strange phenoms, well usually not to tier1. But I can still make something up. I started walking to the door.

Wait a moment…

“Lore knowledge, how easy to feel a large number of spirit stones in one place?”

///

Spirit stones make spirit fluctuation around them, in large quantities like 10+ in can be sensed by Tier 3 expert in a short distance, in around 200+ quantities, it could be a large distance.

**: recommendation: hide via formation, deadwood, spirit jadeite and similar materials .

***: in Nature spirit veins are usually in some insulator ore or mineral, which prevents it from dissipation and detection.

///

Well, there goes my dream.

When I learned about the existence of the spirit stones, one of the first tough was to make cave FULL of them, then meditate in the middle of it and wait if something good happens. It was still possible, just need some spirit insulator.

I sit, quickly absorbed 2 basic spirit stones leaving me one as an exemplar to dupe.

Ok, now I have 19 more fire spirit stones than I need…

I bought 9 in my lap then I sit and tried to absorb them.

It was different. The energy was less, but it was somehow more concentrated, had more purpose and meaning. Felt my fire spirit root resonate with happiness. It was like welcoming long lost family back home. Then the feeling was gone.

Wau, the effect…it's different, no wonder they cost 2-3 more than normal ones. Chmm no side-effects, let's absorb the other 10 fire spirit stones…

When absorbing the second batch I tried to resonate with the energy, to feel that foreign energy inside me. The fire Qi from the stones was like a raging volcano, I could feel the massive unchained energy with unlimited potential. Then then the feeling was gone.

Seriously I need to absorb more of them at the same time, the rate I absorb it is so fast that I can’t even notice anything…ok remaining in my chamber is 1 basic spirit stone and 1 fire spirit stone.

I quickly hid all the haul around in my chamber and walked to the door.

Ok, let’s open the door and pretend to have a breakthrough and look stupid as much as possible…Seriously, Noel, you have a quite useful dupe ability, that can be an easy ticket to having an easy life, don’t squander this opportunity! Must be young body rashness I’m sure of it.

I opened the door. There was my new father Opar.

“Noreall! Guards reported there was strong spirit fluctuation in your chamber!” Opar grabbed my hand and I felt foreign spirit energy checking me

This is quite uncomfortable…

“Your aura is stronger than yesterday, and your spiritual roots are healthy! Did you reach tier1, my son?” Opar was very happy.

This is going rather well…

“You even had some phenomenon during breakthrough! Guards sensed some spirit and I sensed strong fire Qi!” Opar shouted. “Good, good, tell me, my son, what do you wish for this occasion?”

What do I need? Items I can dupe, Power? I must work on it myself...manpower!

“Please father I wish for a personal bodyguard, someone trustworthy, can be young,” I said. “Someone who can keep secrets,” I whispered.

“I will send Horác to you tomorrow, he is good lad” Opar

Good, Horác should be useful…

“And I want to visit Violet Velvet auction shop on a regular base to learn about appraising items!” I said enthusiastically.

Opar frowned “Well you are almost adult now, so it's your time, but your breakthrough with little bit phenomenon showed, that you should have at least some warrior talent… you need to visit martial grounds at least 2 times per week a train diligently.”

That’s what I got from lyin…misdirection. But it’s not like I can tell Opar my secrets. Best secrets are ones that only one knows…

“Yes, father” I agreed.

“I will leave you to consolidate your cultivation, be safe!” said Opar cheerfully and left.

Finally, I had time to check my progress:

Cutlivation[Earth, Fire]

2.175

=>

5.75

Capacity

3

=>

8

Quality

2

=>

4

Purity

0.7

=>

3

Not bad at all. Now I just need to find some secular or secret or shielded place and cultivate like crazy…

It was not like I can seclude myself for a year or two with my dupe ability in some secret cave now. 3 main things helped cultivation. The first thing was resources. Cultivation resources were especially important for body cultivation. Then there was mediation, practice and working out. And the last thing was killing. Yes killing, in the best case a monster with good tier greatly aided in the following cultivation for some unknown reason.

Are we seriously talking about EXP here?

The best way to cultivate was to combine all 3 of them, but in some cases, if you have good talent, you 2 of them is enough to cultivate at great speed.

The progress I had in cultivation with only 38 stones was great, but I had felt, it would not be always this easy…

Well, let’s try it anyway!

I tried to spend the rest of the day making spirit stone and absorbing them 1-2 at the same time maximum…but after another 12+12 basic and fire stones, I felt small destabilization in the energy circulation in my body and had to stop and I spent most of the afternoon and evening stabilizing my circulation.

If I absorb only 1/16 of normal, and I absorbed 62 Tier1 stones, that’s a little bit under 4x tier1 stones. I guess that’s not bad.

After a big dinner with some dupe food as dessert when I was alone I ended my second day.

///

Noel

Human

Body

Ravenous constitution*[weak][starving]

[84/92]

Cultivation

Earth root - 2 branches

[62/80]

Fire root - 1 branch

Mind

[319/500]

Power Priority

Tier 1

29.3125

Mind

Tier 1+ (T2)

50

Lore*

Tier 2+ (T3)

200(218)

Space/Matter

Tier 1

13

Mental resistance

10

Body

9.25

Toughness

10

Mass*

9

Strength

8

Energy Cutlivation[Earth, Fire]

8

Capacity

10

Quality

7

Purity

5

///

---Day 3- Me:---

I was not woken up by servants bringing breakfast, it was Horác knocking on my door. I allowed him in.

“Young master Overall, your guard Horác reporting for duty” Horác resolutely said.

Horác was 39 old middle Tier2 warrior, with a lot of body and earth energy cultivation. His family was in service of Firestone clan for 3 generations and my father was always good to him. Horác has fulfilled his duties exemplary and with great zeal maybe with little too much simplicity. This man was reliable as one can be. I could sense slight dissatisfaction in his eyes with me.

“You will be paid one additional tier1 spirit stone from me by secret at each month on top of your normal guard wage,” I said full of smiles and showed him Tier1 basic stone.

Although the effect of tier1 spirit stones at T2 cultivators was not great, they can still use them to have a boost in their cultivation. Also, they can sell them and buy higher tier stones or better gear. Theoretically, if he would receive a 5-year salary of 60 tier1 spirit stones bonus, that would give him a very solid springboard to attack tier 3. Of course, he could risk going into dungeons or go to different towns, but that would not be a stable job in a low danger area.

Well, a little bit risky to try to buy extra loyalty…Maybe it was a mistake? Well, at worst I will act like afraid of the dead after that dead-like experience….

Horác accepted the spirit stone happily. “Thank you very much, young master Overall, I will use it well” He continued: “I don’t want to interrupt your tough but you are expected in the martial courtyard of mister Radek due to arrangements your father made.

Oh no…Some of the Noreall memories resurfaced. It was full of desperation, starvation, and humiliation.

I don’t want to go all of sudden…

After we arrived in the martial courtyard if was surprisingly empty expect master Radek.

“Hear about your breakthrough, let me show, what you have,” said Radek full of challenge.

Um…nothing?

Maybe because old Noreall didn’t consider weapons very important, there was no memory of them after his death. In my old life, I did some kung-fu and Escrima, but I didn’t think it would hold a candle the stuff they're doing here for the whole life. On top of that…the very big obese body I was not used to even after 2 days…

Think about something quick!

“Master Radek, I realized never fully wanted to achieve martial greatness. Now I realized, how quick it is one to lose his life, and I fully wanted to defend myself. Can we start with a blank state?”

And I still don’t want to achieve that greatness! Lets others do the fighting seriously, I will be the rich guy, who supports from backline at maximum!

Radek was quite surprised with so much boldness from usually meek Noreall and waved me to get ready.

Next two hours was spent by doing several tests like running (or trying to run in my case) around, punching strange runic monolith making runes slowly red glow, making me try to dodge some punches, testing several weapons, where I failed them miserably, at least what I could tell…Some part was funny some exhausting.

I think I would not be able to do it if I hadn’t the clever idea to sneak in the middle of it at the excuse of emptying my bowels then duping my reserve jerky snack multiple times and eating it. Seriously, this body needs to eat a lot!

“Well, at least you grow some backbones and you are trying dodge some blow sideways or slantwise instead of just running from them or froze out of fear.” Frowned Radek. “But why the hell is you trying to do footwork like someone third of you weight…never mind, I promised to your lord father that I will make you at least decent.”

He waved to where were several ironwood staves. “You will begin in two styles, first is our clan most famous style the “Dawn of the meteor”. It was a style created by your founding ancestor Petr Firestone which have both have earth and fire aspect you have “talent” for, although comparing your talent with your ancestor…

Radek began mentioning the first stage of Fire and Earth for Dawn of Meteor style. Although he had only fire root, being of mighty early tier 3 it was no problem showing me first movement even for earth part. The Fire aspect made the staff glow orange radiance and increased acceleration of his blows. The Earth aspect made the staff glow with brownish yellow and made the staff heavier at impact.

Then Radek started explaining connecting these aspects. “At the apex, when mastering full first movement, it would make small flaming meteor on top of the staff and hit your opponent with devastating strength. I don’t expect you to learn it, but maybe you will be lucky to see patriarch using it”

After hour practicing, I had no luck with the fire aspect, but I managed to my staff glow brownish yellow and it was somehow heavier. Radek was quite astonished I managed even something.

“Good, now another style:” Interrupted my honest training Radek “With your weight and massive body and slow speed, even if I give you a massive weapon, you will be to slow to hit something.”

He grabbed a large tower shield or green color “This will be your new best friend expect your ironwood staff, verite shield, very durable and heavy, but it will save your life.” Said Radek with a grin.

He handed me also mace of green color. “With that, there is verite mace, in case if something was that stupid to leave itself open after you manage to block its attack, but you won’t be using mace today, you will be only blocking…”

The next hour was very painful.

Finally, in the early afternoon, I was home. My whole body was sour with bruises and I was totally exhausted. I order a lavish meal. After I finished it, I cast everyone out, duped 5 normal and fire spirit stones and absorbed gradually.

Ah, that’s luxurious recovery medicine, but I’m still hungry…well, a desperate moment needs desperate actions!

I quickly ate another 20 fire salamander livers

I REALLY NEED TO FIND ANOTHER NUTRITIONAL FOOD!! fast!!

I was quite unhappy but very exhausted. Although it was still early afternoon, I went to sleep.

I wake up at the night by the sound something hitting my window.

Then again, another stone was hitting my window.

Dammit, I forgot about Richard!

Spoiler:

Noel full chart at end chapter 5

Noel Human Body Ravenous constitution*[weak][starving] [44/92] Cultivation Earth root - 2 branches [67/80] Fire root - 1 branch Mind [361/500] Power Priority Tier 1 29.44 Mind Tier 1+ (T2) 50 Lore* Tier 2+ (T3) 200(218) Space/Matter Tier 1 13 Mental resistance 10 Body 9.75 Toughness (Tier 1) 11 Mass* 10 Strength 9 Cutlivation[Earth, Fire] 8 Capacity (Tier 1) 11 Quality 7 Purity 5 Spoiler:

Characters in the story so far:

Noreall – my new body, son of the Opar of the Firestone clan. Very obesse 16*-year old.

RIchard - my cousin. Very talented, but hated in the clan. Potencional hero?

Lauren De Tauhal - mighty existence wich granted me reincarnation and my dupe ability

Opar - my father, Treasurer of Firestone clan.

Xiar - my cousin, son of discipline elder of the Firestone clan.

Horác - my new bodyguard, i hope he will be loyal to me. middle Tier 2

Radek - my new martial teacher. Martial master of the firestone clan, strict. Early Tier 3

//will write more detailed one when i will have time :)