Ethan went through the two books containing the single-elemental cultivation methods, each for the elements of Ice and Lightning.
The Ice Qi Nature Cultivation technique was called the [Ice Heart Technique], and the Lightning Qi Nature Cultivation technique was called the [Lightning Circulation Technique].
"As the elder said, all the cultivation techniques are really good and very effective," Ethan muttered as he took a few minutes to go through both cultivation techniques completely.
Cultivation techniques are those that cultivators use to absorb energy from the environment to cultivate.
When it comes to cultivation techniques, each and every one of them is unique in some way, like energy circulation methods, regulation, form, style, requirements, techniques specifically made for a particular cultivator that cannot be used by others, techniques specific to certain races or people possessing specific bloodlines, and techniques specifically designed for a particular element, like the ones Ethan had in his hands.
There is no such thing as a perfect cultivation technique.
What is highly effective for one person can be much less effective for someone else.
Of course, some cultivation techniques can be highly effective regardless of the cultivator, but these types of techniques are very rare and mostly kept secret, passed down by royal and ancient families or other powerful organizations.
There is also a more important aspect to cultivation techniques: the type of energy the cultivator has the attunement to cultivate.
Some cultivation techniques can only be used to cultivate a specific type of energy, like Qi, Mana, Auria, etc.
Of course, it is also possible for a cultivation technique to be used for cultivating more than one type of energy.
Ethan, having experienced many types of cultivation, obviously knew countless cultivation techniques, most of which could probably be used for cultivating Qi as well.
And yet Ethan still went to get a cultivation technique from the Sect.
There was a reason he did it.
He knew countless cultivation techniques, but he couldn't just recklessly use them, even though his techniques could be countless times more efficient and effective, because he still hadn't verified the practical workings of how the energy known as Qi works and how it differs from the other energies he was familiar with.
If he recklessly used his own cultivation to cultivate Qi, he might end up crippling himself beyond repair.
Physical crippling is one thing, but spiritual crippling that destroys one's dantian and meridians is countless times more dangerous.
There was also a reason he asked for two single-Qi nature cultivation techniques instead of one Dual-Qi nature cultivation technique.
Dual-Qi nature cultivation techniques are obviously more advanced than Single-Qi nature cultivation techniques, and advanced techniques develop from less advanced ones.
So if Ethan wanted to completely understand the workings and nature of a cultivation technique for cultivating Qi, the best way would be to understand the workings of a Single-Qi nature cultivation technique first.
To put it simply, think of it like this:
What could have come first, Single-Qi nature cultivation or Dual-Qi nature cultivation?
It's obviously the Single-Qi nature cultivation technique that came first, and then the Dual-Qi nature cultivation technique must have been developed from it.
The Triple-Qi nature cultivation technique must have developed from the Dual-Qi nature cultivation technique.
Therefore, for someone like Ethan, who studies all sorts of supernatural phenomena and their natures deeply, studying the Single-Qi nature cultivation technique was similar to going through the basics.
He had two single-nature Qi techniques at hand to study, and he did so while comparing the knowledge of other cultivation techniques stirred in his mind for around an hour.
"The unique capability of Qi is to adapt and empower anything it's used upon. It's very similar to Auria," Ethan muttered.
Every energy has unique capabilities, and Qi's capability is to adapt and empower.
To put it simply: When Qi is used on something, it not only empowers it but also adopts the nature of the thing it's used upon.
For example, if Qi is used to empower a sword, it transforms into Sword Qi.
If Qi is applied to a spear, it transforms into Spear Qi.
The same concept applies to Qi natures as well.
Ethan's Qi natures were Lightning and Ice.
If Qi entered his body, it would also adapt to his nature and transform into Lightning Qi and Ice Qi.
The energies known as Auria and Mana also possess similar capabilities.
The energy called Auria also has the effect of empowering anything it's applied to, but unlike Qi, it doesn't fully adapt to the thing it's applied to.
Instead, it gains an additional attribute corresponding to the thing it is applied to, not the entire nature.
As for the energy of Mana, it is not only empowering but can also create elements through a process called casting.
The process of casting refers to creating something out of nothing using Mana as fuel, corresponding to the user's comprehension of the thing they are trying to create, like elements.
This cultivation path is called Magic.
Qi, on the other hand, seems to possess the partial capabilities of both Auria and Mana together.
It can empower and adapt to anything it's used on, but unlike Mana, it doesn't create anything new. It becomes what the cultivator is trying to embody.
In simple words, Mana can create elements like Lightning and Ice, but Qi cannot create Lightning and Ice.
Instead, it transforms into Qi that possesses the nature of Lightning and Ice, unlike Auria, which only gains an attribute and not the entire nature.
"There is a reason why Qi cultivation is regarded as one of the most powerful methods of cultivation among all cultivators..." Ethan muttered as he closed the cultivation techniques he was reading and sat up straight in the lotus position.
"If Qi can adapt to the nature of anything, then it's no wonder Qi cultivators are generally stronger than cultivators of different paths with the same level. Of course, if you don't have the talent to wield it properly, even with Qi, the cultivators will lose to others. Then the edge of having access to such powerful energy becomes meaningless," Ethan continued as his fist tightened.
"Time to get a taste of this energy for myself," Ethan smiled widely, ready to use a cultivation technique that was neither the one he just got from the Sect nor the ones he knew from his previous lives.
Ethan didn't just experience different cultivation methods and techniques; he researched, created, and developed them into the most efficient and effective ones that suited him the best.
He had created his cultivation techniques and combat techniques best suited for him in a series of techniques known as the
The [Absolute Authority Arts] include every type of technique, including cultivation techniques.
Every time he takes a different path of cultivation, he uses the knowledge he gains from that cultivation method to update the techniques of his [Absolute Authority Arts].
Every time he updates them, they become more and more effective and efficient.
After going through hundreds of updates, those techniques had been refined to become hundreds of times more effective than when Ethan first created them.
He might not have the most powerful techniques in the universe, but he certainly possesses the most effective techniques suited for him right now.
The cultivation technique that Ethan created for himself, which can only be used by him, was called the [Unending Apotheosis Technique (Version: 136)].
He named the technique [Unending Apotheosis Technique] because it endlessly grows the more Ethan becomes knowledgeable and more effective as he improves it.
He had already refined and improved the technique 136 times, and right now, he was using the information he gained from the two Single-Qi Nature cultivation techniques to improve it once more, this time with a focus on cultivating Qi.
A few minutes passed as he rewrote the [Unending Apotheosis Technique] before creating the [Unending Apotheosis Technique (Version: 137)].
Ethan opened his eyes. "This is good enough for now, but it can be improved further. I just need to acquire more data on Qi cultivation..."
"Now to focus on cultivation..."
No matter what path of cultivation you take, there are two things that are absolutely necessary: meridians and Dantian.
The meridians are directly connected to the energy circuits of the body.
They are responsible for absorbing energy into the body.
The more meridians that are opened, the more energy you can pull in, and the more expanded the meridians, the more energy you can pull in at a time.
Dantian, on the other hand, acts as a spiritual space inside the body where the manifestation of cultivation occurs, except for magic.
Magic is vastly different from other paths of cultivation because magic is cultivated in the heart, not in the Dantian.
...
[A/N: If you liked this chapter, don't forget to donate some POWER STONES and add it to your library. No pressure! Thank you for checking out the novel.]