[Author Note}

Thanks for all the support. You guys are the best!

[End Author Note]

The ‘Tortoise Swallows Dragon’ cultivation method.

Granting both protection and increasing power for its user. In combining barriers, body refining, and stealth, the person who uses it is bound to be a great figure. Using that with the other items guarantees it.

Adding that to its ability to absorb power from attacks means that if you fight a user of this method, you really need to get them the first time. Because what doesn’t kill them makes them stronger.

As the Jade slip had imparted the method to the father, Xing Hu, he automatically knows what steps need to be taken to cultivate. Similar to when he was practicing the breathing method, he remains sitting in a cross-legged position. From here, I can see the qi in his body circulate normally, before congregating first in his lower dantian and then into his middle dantian.

It continues to pool there, until suddenly it shoots out into every Meridian simultaneously, in a way that is reminiscent of a plasma globe. Unlike how I was suspecting, though the key had exploded outwards from the dantian, it was in actuality a tiny amount. Which is still being fed from the main area.

My scan detects minute changes throughout the body and on the surface of his skin. The appearance of his body hasn’t changed, but it's slowly becoming tougher. More resilient.

Body refinement.

Unlike dedicated body refinement methods, this is simply a byproduct, rather than the main goal. I can see what the main one is, as my scan reveals that the specific patterns of toughening going on within his body, which will obscure any spiritual sense that would give away information about him.

Obviously, my scan sees past that.

But this isn’t the most interesting part about how this cultivation method is working.

Xing Hu slowly raises his hands, which then shimmer with the same style of energy projection I that I was seeing inside of his body.

A few centimeters away from his hand, a glimmer of light is shown that slowly grows into a shimmering plaque half a meter wide and long. The thickness is infinitely small.

Slowly it grows in size to around 2 meters of size.

And then it stops.

Sweat grows on his forehead, although he is a previous body cultivator and has been strengthened by the cultivation method earlier.

The barrier, as I’m calling it, gradually begins changing shape and moving closer to his body.

He’s molding it to fit over every part of his skin and body. As it does so, it increases in size to accommodate the insides of his body, protecting even that. From the organs to even his meridians and Dantians, it forms a small layer upon each and within them. The structure and usage of that seems to differ from the ones on the outside. Seeming to be a more automatic and subconscious process than one that can be manipulated.

This becomes by far the longest part of the process, taking two hours to complete. Despite the time, it is extremely interesting to behold the way his meridians and qi interact with the barrier. Giving me countless insights into how the ability works.

While the barrier absorbs Ki from attacks and protects its user, there are several other things that it does.

For the obvious, it allows breathable air in. On the non-obvious side, it filters non-breathable Air. He also filters out any poisons that would enter the body, unless allowed in.

Even more shockingly, this filtering ability applies to several other things, including sound, light, and, from what I can tell, even some illusions.

To be specific, it’s a barrier to what the user wishes it to be. Which is part of the reason it’s able to absorb the Ki from attacks, as it lets that part through and has a built-in process to utilize it.

But these aspects of the barrier aren’t yet at an useable level.

As they train and grow within the method, the usage of those abilities will be taught via the information from the jade slip.

With that said, the potential is still there. Though the method may not teach those abilities at this level, they can still be used but at the sacrifice of the other main aspects.

As an example, instead of defending against hits or being able to filter air, a small protection from illusions could be done. Despite the downsides, being able to have that option will give them much more flexibility and dealing with a variety of situations.

As he merges the methods and goes through the finishing process, I wait to communicate this to him.

Soon after he’s done, his eyes shoot open in excitement, feeling the power it’s granting him as he’s just entered the first level of Qi condensation.

Despite this culture’s aversion to tears, I can see them to pool in his eyes as this is the true sign that there is a way forward for him and his family.

He then looks towards his daughter and wife, excited for them to also experience this. But this is when I stop him, to explain to him how he can use these abilities in the ways I thought of before, to give him more flexibility in fighting.

He quickly understands and as he moves his Qi in different ways and plays with the technique, I guide him through so he can work through every alternate technique.

After we complete it, he clearly wants to say something but is unsure of how to ask it. As it is obvious, it’s about how I would know more than what the jade slip would have. I explained it away by saying I’ve seen multiple methods and had a suspicion on how this could be improved.

His eyes widened, as adjusting an existing cultivation method at this level and improving it is a skill that only wizened masters can typically do and slight changes at that. There’s a difference between adjusting a technique and building one out of the foundational ones.

As the barriers are the base layer of the cultivation method, adjusting it would take deep knowledge of how the method works. If not done correctly, it can ruin the future growth of the method.

Funnily enough, jade slips like the one for this method have an audit for any adjustments that are made to the technique. If something will cause a large amount of harm, such as by adjusting it in a certain way, it will indicate it as such. The changes were suggested did not trigger anything.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a foolproof thing, as it doesn’t allow for improving the method outside of things the creator had tried.

Before this action of mine can grow into something bigger, I quickly direct him to use the orb of unfathomable depths.

Though it was already activated, they haven’t used it yet, since it would be more effective to do after the method was activated.

He takes the bait, being curious himself about what will happen.

The moment his hands lay upon the orb, the room itself darkens ominously. Of course, I immediately activate my scan to see if anything is wrong. My shielded scan shows countless beings and stars within it, swirling faster and faster. The lighting in the room is being affected by what’s happening within the orb.

The spinning continues growing in speed, all until in a flash of magnificent light, they surge up towards him.

His eyes glow with a white light before dimming back to a normal glint.

And then the room returns to its normal luminosity.

I do another scan on him just to confirm that there aren’t any side effects from this, like his body being taken over by one of the spirits or creatures within the orb.

But it truly looks like the entire thing is just meant to increase his cultivation speed. Whoever had created this artifact had carefully made it so that it only accomplishes that.

A small concern rises within me that perhaps this could be used towards other aims if perverted, but that thought is paused by a statement said by the father.

“The last charge of this should go to you… we’ve already taken far too much and wouldn’t have gotten to this point without your help.”

He looks committed.

Both the mother and daughter seem to agree with them.

It won’t be easy to convince them away from this.

It’s so tempting to accept this.

And if I decline this, it will actually engender hard feelings from them, if I’m not willing to accept such a thing.

But I know I can’t. Having them be stronger is only in my favor. And in not malicious way, having them on my side is even more important while making sure they’re strong enough to handle that.

They’re clearly expecting an argument from me and are ready to go to battle on this front.

I change my scan to a conversation one to find the proper way to handle this.

My face darkens, showing both disappointment and a tinge of anger. Despite them being ready for a response, they seem to take a step back at this.

I speak low and ominously, to communicate the seriousness of my words.

“Xing Hu. It appears you did not truly realize what I’m asking of you in return for all this.”

I pause. They’re frozen in place, all looking at the father now.

He may have explained it, but that doesn’t mean they know the specifics.

I clarify.

“I said I wanted a true ally. Someone who I help without strings attached and that would do the same for me. That would truly look out for the interests of the other.

“These are your family heirlooms, that are specifically tailored to help you and your family grow as quickly and as strong as possible. If I took these from you, could I truly say that I was looking out for you or just myself?

“But it’s not only that.”

I look them deep in the eyes to convey how serious this is.

“I have many enemies and future enemies. You’ve already seen a little of what I can do. If I’m needing help against groups like that, imagine yourselves?”

Their faces grow pale from this. Because I’m basically telling them that the reason, I’m letting them have all this is because what they will go against is just that bad.

Without a contract in place, this is pretty perilous for me to state this like this.

But my eyes returned to the daughter in this family. Her inquisitive, yet slightly suspicious look that transformed into a surprised one, seems to harden.

There’s was a spark of something in her eyes that seems a little strange. If felt like she was thinking of something when I said that. Like she knows something that I don’t…

I think there may be more to her than just what this level of scan has told me…

She speaks out, as if talking for her family.

“… We’ll do it. We have a chance in front of us and wouldn’t be worth our name if we backed down from this.”

Her father looks back at her with unsure eyes, but with just a glance, he nods and moves the orb to the mother.

Well.

Her weird reaction aside, this is one less thing to worry about.