Shielding One´s Consciousness

"Urng, what happened." Richter said as he slowly sat up.

"Well, after I flicked your consciousness you were unconscious for half an hour. How are you feeling?" Zestari said as she walked toward Richter.

"Mom, didn't you said it was dangerous and that´s one of the reasons you shouldn't let some enter your mana pool?" Asteria said a few meters behind principal Zestari.

"Ah, what is Asteria here moreover I was knocked out half an hour!" Richter was surprised and abruptly stood up.

"You were and I called my daughter to check her cultivation progress as I waited for you to recover." Zestari placed a finger in her cheek glancing toward the roof.

"For now, please read this cultivation technique and familiarize with it. Once I finish checking my daughter foundation, I will teach you the extraction technique so you can start mana cultivation." Zestari said as she took a cultivation manual from her inventory and hand it to Richter.

[Fulgurite Echidna Spines Technique (Purple)

A mana cultivation technique based on the Fulgurite Echidna Spines to shape elemental mana. Potential is based on the number on attunements and the crystalized elements one absorbs.]

"Un, thank you teacher." Richter said with a faint smile.' How nostalgic receiving a cultivation manual, finally I can began building my strength like the old times.'

Richter took the manual and started reading it happiness building inside him seeing the diagrams of the meridian paths, movements and the martial art associated with the technique.

###

Xol had already read the books of side jobs in the city library. He mainly focused on the side jobs that the academy didn´t have enough information.

'I see, so the Woodchopper and Miner side jobs I read in the academy are side jobs that anybody can learn but need to use special tools repeatedly to gain the side job. Once they acquire the side job, they would gain levels up till a max level before needing to rank up and gain more abilities like other side jobs like blacksmith. Finally, rank up would be the equivalent to class up of the main class.' Xol nodded at what he had learned.

'The Beast Hunter side job that I heard from mister Smith, is also one of this side jobs and need a to collect from the monster with hunting knife equipped. I´ll need to buy one, but as it takes damage and can break from collecting, it would be better if Kingo can craft it. Let's buy one and see if I can find a recipe for Kingo.' Xol thought as he stood up and returned the book he had read.

'Uh, I didn't saw this book previously.' Xol thought as he saw a thin book in the border of the shelf.

'Thiiis!' Xol thought reading the cover and soon started reading, being so thin it didn't take Xol much time.

Xol soon went to find the librarian. The librarian was a old man with a big white beard and was reading some book in his desk, he had a red mage hat with same colored mage robes.

"Excuse me." Xol said in a faint voice gesturing the librarian.

"Yes." The librarian glanced at Xol and replied in a faint voice.

"Is there a guild or other place I can become a Magical Chef?" Xol said pointing at the thin book he carried.

"Magical Chef you said." The wizard rubbed his beard. "There a Magical Chef, staying in the royal palace but I don't think they would let you see him."

Xol mood immediately went down hearing this.

"Don't worry young boy there's another Magical Chef that could teach you in the city, moreover he was the one that trained the chef from the palace. He didn't want to work for them so instead trained him." The librarian quickly added seeing Xol mood.

"Where can I find him?" Xol said recovering his mood.

"He is the main chef of the 'Crimson Coiling Dragon' restaurant and his name Hao Nianfeng. It may be a little complicated to see him, also he doesn't want anyone to become his rival so making him train you might be a little difficult, but as he had already train someone you might have a chance." The librarian said as he draws a map for Xol.

"Good luck, if you want let that book here and I´ll return later" The librarian said as he gave Xol the map.

"Many thanks." Xol nodded and handed the book. Seeing the map Xol soon went to find the place.

Taking a few turns and following what was marked as main street Xol found the restaurant and entered it.

"How may I help you, if you want a table for now you may have to wait some minutes for a table. If you want to bookmar a table in the future please let me know" a staff person said.

"I would like to meet chef Hao Nianfeng and see if it possible to train under him to become a Magical Chef." Xol replied as politely as he could.

"This… " the staff member didn't know how to reply. "Let me contact the kitchen."

Soon a man in a chef attire came by.

[Robert Tri Element Mage LVL 34]

The staff member soon informed the chef and he glanced at Xol.

"Chef Hao, doesn´t take disciples easily, if you really interest you first need to be able to collect the ingredients by yourself, are you a Beast Hunter or even have hunting knife." Robert said with a stern face toward Xol.

"I don't but was planning on getting the side job." Xol replied with a smile, hearing that one of the side job he wanted would be required for the other.

"Then scram if you can't even get your own ingredients don't act in condescending manner!" Robert howled.

Hearing this Xol nodded and soon went to get a hunting knife.

As Robert returned to the kitchen a friend came close asking what the lobby needed.

"Some kid wanting to learn from chef Hao how to be a Magical Chef." Robert replied

"I see I guess you told him chef Hao was busy with his rank up nor interested in training anyone." The chef said.

"I told him to get a hunting knife." Robert replied

"Why?"

"Why? Because we have been trying to learn from him the past six years working here and he doesn't even bother to teach, then a kid come by simply saying he want to learn from him. Don't make laugh I want him to taste some desperation first before refusing him." Robert said with a evil smile.

###

Richter was sitting in a lotus position; he was carrying a lightning core with his left hand and his right hand was placed over the core. Soon he created a mana sphere around the lightning core, as the sphere expanded as he moved his hand the core was floating perfectly in front of his chest´s center.

"Good job extracting the lightning mana Richter." Zestari said seeing Richter had created a ball made of lightning mana.

"Now absorb it unto your mana pool, I will enter and monitor your performance." Zestari continued as she sat down.

Nodding his head Richter followed the technique and directed the mana into his mana pool. Zestari placed her right hand onto Richter chest sending her consciousness onto Richter´s mana pool.

Inside the mana pool Zestari watched as Richter manipulated the mana with less impurities and started creating a mana spring of lightning mana in a similar way Zestari has showed with some difference to improve the mana quality and density.

"Now onto the next part, place this spring a meter to side of the previous spring." Zestari commanded before Richter finished.

Nodding his head Richter moved the almost complete spring near the previous spring.

"Good, now divide your concentration between both springs, slowly siphon the previous spring into the new one. As you do this adapt the mana of the previous spring to your new cultivation technique." Zestari commanded with her right hand.

Richter slowly did what he was asked, he slowly manipulated the previous spring as if a small river was flowing from it toward the new spring. As the mana coursed through it slowly adapted to new cultivation technique and the new mana density. Soon there was only one spring with a radius of 1.5 meters.

"Good job, let me help eliminate some of the impurities with tribulation lightning." Zestari said and started sending small purple sparks to various of the impurities.

"I left some impurities so you can get used to the process of cleansing later on. Before you can advance on to the next steps of the tier 0 lightning attunement creation, I´ll check you have cleansed these impurities from time to time." Zestari said closing her eyes as she made the sparks disappear.

"From now on, you have to create your own lightning mana through mana circulation using your meridians to increase the spring size. You can still extract lightning mana from the lightning beast cores, but as you´re going to be adding unto you spring instead of creating it, the growth of the spring would be lessened. Moreover, the beast core mana could also have some impurities so try to balance this two method. Later on, as you improve your mana purity it would be better to depend solely on the circulation method." Zestari said lecturing Richter.

"I understand." Richter nodded.

"Now before we exit, I'll help you so others can't harm you so easily if they try to enter your mana pool." Zestari said with sweet smile while she raised her hands in front of her head. Closing her eyes, she started reciting incantations and a translucent sphere of mana began forming between her hands.

Richter could see various colored lightning cursing through the sphere with some flames and what he though to be shadows. Soon the principal stopped her incantations and opened her eyes turning her hands slowly, she sent the mana sphere toward Richter. Though her gesture were slow the sphere traveled fast.

Not expecting this, the sphere collided with Richter head. Richter had closed his eyes preparing for the impact, but soon opened his eyes not feeling pain.

"I have shielded your consciousness and mana pool, now those that try to enter your mana pool will have a harder time to achieve this. Though I´m currently level 236 and the strongest individual in the country there are some ways to bypass this shield so don't depend completely on it and always stay on your guard. Do you know why I did this?" Zestari said raising a finger.

"If someone enter my mana pool, just by touching me would make me go unconscious and that person could use the opportunity to harm me, my foundation or even kill me." Richter said with his arms crossed.

"Correct, but that only part of what could happen to you Richter, or should I say Long Yi?" Zestari said closing her left eye with little teasing smile.

"How does teacher know that name!" Richter took a step back with a frighten face hearing his old name.

"When I flicked you last time, I got a glimpse at your memories, this is also one of the dangers of letting someone enter your mana pool as you cultivate. They can pry onto your mind knowing your secrets, skills, and cultivation techniques. As I only flicked with a finger I didn't pry too much, the more ones enter in contact with you, the more information they can see."

"As to why I did this, there various things that didn't make sense for your age and made me feel you were hiding something or trying to steal some secret from the school. Don't worry as I´m now you teacher I will keep your secret and groom you with my best capability as you get used to cultivating here." Zestari smiled

"Uhm can teacher explain what didn't make sense and what gave me away exactly. Otherwise I don't feel I can trust you so easily." Richter said with vigilant look, all his 'body' was in full alert.