Kaden did not wish to mingle with ordinary soldiers so he planned on getting himself more permanent place to stay at least for the time being.

“I had planned on continuing my studies, research and cultivation”, Kaden though to himself as he walked on the streets of Corand. “But since I’m being tossed out of Verdict’s base, I need a new place where I can have some privacy.”

Kaden had already went to look how much contribution points he had. It was large amount. More than he had ever had before. He guessed that once he was able to do missions and things that expected higher cultivation, the points would also go up.

Before getting a place to stay, he wanted to claim himself an access to higher ranked library level. He had until then only had access to the lower ranked ones ever since he met with Cyrun. Even that supposedly lower ranked stuff was priceless information in Kaden’s eyes. Yet, he felt he was lagging behind.

During his time in Sacronan, Kaden had been able to use all sorts of minor formations in combat, but those were useful only against Channel Opening. His knowledge of such basic things was wide. Anything more complicated, that was generally useful for Formation stage, he had quite a bit more narrow understanding. Even when he did use such formations, he would have to stop and carefully build them. Kaden wanted to progress his understanding and skill so his ability to use formations would come along with his cultivation level.

He did have some extra knowledge from the manor where Serin had stayed. Kaden wanted to compare how high ranked that stuff was. It had to be pretty good.

Adding higher understanding and learning to use better materials, Kaden expected to be able to upgrade his gear once again. With the greater understanding of formations he would be able to optimize his internal formation too.

Kaden had a lot of time now to become stronger.

Unlocking that higher ranked library level took quite a chunk out of his contribution points. That stuff was usually reserved for those who specialized in crafting. They would usually be given access simply due to their profession reaching high enough level.

He gave a look at a few random things out of simple curiosity before he left.

Finding a place where he could stay and had all the requirements he needed, such as have a mana forge or that one could be arranged proved to be a bit difficult. Mana forge was did not produce smoke or such things so one could be put inside a house, but to have one already existing was relatively rare. Only crafters and other such special people would arrange them in their own houses.

Kaden wondered, if he would have to have one built.

The problem was eventually solved. He didn’t know how they did it, but as the saying goes, if you pay priest of Stefinos enough, they’ll get you anything.

They were too useful. Despite Kaden’s dislike for gods and their servants, the priests of Stefinos had pretty good services. There was no way around it.

It proved to be a bit more expensive than he had thought it would, but the place was perfect. It was relatively small house at second layer. It was also slightly out of sight, but not in any seedier parts. What Kaden wanted was privacy and that is what he got. It was also quite near the entrance to the third layer, the military layer.

“I guess I’ll be staying here for a relatively long time”, Kaden thought to himself as he walked around his new residence.

He arranged the entire place with formations. Alarms. Sound proofing it and preventing anyone from looking in. Defensive layers. Kaden also put in a self destruction formations just in case.

He was not sure, if he would ever have anything he truly wanted to hide in there, but it was good to have around anyway.

Other than the mana forge on the first floor, the place was completely empty. Kaden had very little need for furniture or other such things.

Kaden made his way down into the cellar where he planned to do everything related to cultivation and research.

“Now what to do”, Kaden muttered to himself as he sat down. “There are people who are trouble and need to die. Erral is in Corand too for the time being. He is hard to get to. I need some time to plan how to kill him.”

Kaden took out some stuff from his bag. He put what remaining Fire Stones he had on the floor and next to them the high beast core from the Sandstorm Hawk. “Then there is my research and cultivation. I will start with that. I must be stronger.”

For a moment he pulled out yet again Vengeance. Serin’s soul was still screaming inside it.

“I wonder how long that lasts”, Kaden thought after listening the scream for a while.

It always made Kaden feel good when he checked it. The blade was yet another thing he had to research. Thats the problem with enchanting. Sometimes you just make stuff you don’t even know what it really does and how it works.

He put the blade away and concentrated on the matter at hand. Cultivation.

Kaden was done looking at the high beast core. It was the reason he had not used it yet. Kaden wasn’t sure, if he had seen anything relevant about it that he could use, but it was always good to increase amount of knowledge.

To achieve maximum effect, Kaden wanted to try something. He was pretty sure, he didn’t have enough materials to progress to mid stages of either Formation stage or High Beast stage, but it had been quite a while since he had evolved so perhaps he could get close.

There was also something about how his core and mana channel’s functioned together. He had not originally noticed it, but only by the time he was coming back to Corand. It seemed the slightly higher grade core was giving slight ‘presure’ to his internal formation.

Kaden was not sure, if he should still prioritize his core. To him it seemed like his internal formation was slowly being condensed and becoming stronger. Perhaps this would continue until there was balance? Or perhaps it would be more efficient to cultivate both at the same time since they were connected?

“If I experiment a bit, I should find the answer”, Kaden thought and decided to go with his original way, the core. “But first, I must prepare my internal formation for all of this. I need to add the seals that refine wind mana. They probably should be tied together with the fire ones. Those two mana types mix together very well. I should take advantage of that.”

He tried adding them in. The thing with fire and wind mana is that they light up pretty well when put together. The mana he tried to refine flared up. It was just a single wind seal among the fire ones, so Kaden was able to contain it and stop the refinement.

“I’ll explode, if I don’t handle this right”, Kaden muttered to himself. “Is this even a good idea? Should I just refine fire and wind mana separately? They’ll mix up at the core anyway? Or do they? From my understanding a core will put mana in separate ordered internal structures. Which is why it can take in chaotic mana. Still, it should all mix when mana is released from it? Is it different mana, once fire and wind mana are mixed?”

Kaden had quite a long pondering on that particular matter. He still eventually decided to try mixing them. He figured the mixture contained greater power and should use up the fire and wind mana more efficiently.

After some amount of trial and error Kaden was able to identify good configuration. That is to say he allowed them to mix bit by bit and not in one go.

It was all still subject to being upgraded, but it was acceptable and would make absorption rate of his hard gained materials higher. Kaden was aware it would be difficult to gain more anytime soon unless he found a way to get large amount of money.

“Its always that”, Kaden thought to himself. “Here in the relative safety and with abundance of resources, I lack money. Out there, in danger, I can just gather resources on my own.”

Even if that was the case, Kaden still felt he would not attempt to leave the city in near future.

Kaden looked at his Fire Stones and the high beast core that he had arranged next to himself. He wouldn’t be getting more anytime soon, but resources were meant to be used.

Kaden picked up the Sandstorm Hawk’s core and started eating it. While he was munching and crunching the fragments in his mouth he also started absorbing the Fire Stones. With this Kaden hoped to increase his gains.

The two different mana did start mixing in Kaden’s body and in large quantities. For a moment it seemed like they would flare up, but due to the changes Kaden had made to his internal formation, he could adjust the rate and slowly mix them. While doing so he expected to get best results.

Kaden was pleased.

The high beast core that he ate, was absorbed very efficiently. This was no surprise. Cores were already well refined mana. The Fire Stones were just condensed mana with no refinement involved. Yet, Kaden had been prepared for this and with his new arrangements in his internal formation, he was able to minimize the leakage even more than before. The fire mana mixed with the refined wind mana which then was able to drag the wilder fire mana along with it.

Even better, a high beast core was pretty dense mana source and with how Kaden had eaten it, there was still some mana coming in. Kaden continued absorbing the Fire Stones. This was the most efficient moment. Once the wind mana ran out, the efficiency would likely drop.

Eventually Kaden was able to absorb one more Fire Stone, but after that the mana from the high beast core was running out.

The rest of the Fire Stones Kaden had to absorb normally. There was still some fire mana leaking out, but the cellar floor was made of stone and there was also Kaden’s defensive layers that prevented anything from being ignited.

Once he was done, Kaden inspected himself. His core was glowing more brightly, but he felt it wasn’t quite at the mid level yet. Close, but not quite.

“This speed is already good enough”, Kaden muttered to himself. “I had access to resources that would otherwise be difficult to get my hands on. The Fire Stones were perfect for me.”

Kaden surmised he was close enough that he should be able to reach mid stage with just ordinary cultivation. His personal mana system was good enough, but he wasn’t sure how much time it would take.

“I better start arranging everything else”, Kaden thought.

It was time for studying and plans now that the immediate concerns were handled.