Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

Liam didn't have many methods to assess the incubus, but given the creature's cultivation efficiency and the physical changes it had undergone since their meeting, he was certain that the incubus was not inferior to the Shadowfiend.

'He must already be at the threshold between the Ancestor and the Sage grade.'

This was superb, but at the same time, it meant more problems and a longer period of evolution.

'I will stay in City Thirteen for a while after my realm ascension. Anything that can stimulate Sage-grade Spirits is usually between the third and fifth realms of cultivation. It will be dangerous to improve after they both reach that quality level. I have to concentrate on improving my soul cultivation and getting my third Spirit before I think about the Sage grade.'

The quality grade was not directly related to cultivation. But beings of higher quality could progress faster, hence it was difficult to find a being of high genetic rank at a low level of cultivation. Such beings were usually in their infancy at the initial levels, and they didn't venture out into the world at that stage of their lives.

Unless one infiltrated the territory of a powerful tribe, or was lucky enough to meet a high-level being in their infancy, it was almost impossible to find something of the Sage grade at low level of cultivation.

Once Liam reached this level with his first two Spirits, he would have a considerable amount of work to do in order to progress within this class. Similar to cultivation levels, the higher one ascends, the more demanding the requirements become for further promotion!

As he thought about this, he looked at the blue star in his soul space and saw the blue symbols and lines around it. He needed to investigate the blue star, but he hadn't started yet.

Before, it had come into play and helped him become stronger and escape death. But even after that, he still didn't risk it.

'I will start looking for it at the third level of the Library. But there's probably nothing about it there.'

His estimation was related to how unbelievable he thought the blue star was. Since the City Thirteen Library was limited to general topics and knowledge for cultivators up to the third realm, he didn't think he would find much there.

However, he would look for it at the third level of the Library, anyway.

'I enter level three a few times before I ascend to the inner area of the sect. If I can get some tips here, it'll be good. There'll be less risk of someone suspecting something.'

He slowly returned his focus to Thal'Korr and meditated for another ten minutes until something happened.

With a bang, Thal'Korr's body was covered in a white mantle of mana that quickly fused with his skin, revealing his Spirit body once again. It then sucked in the mana from the area, enriched by a formation of Liam's, and entered his body, transforming it inside and out.

Thal'Korr's body contours became softer, his horns a little smaller, while his eyes took on a calm he hadn't had before. Meanwhile, as his appearance became less brutal, his muscles, bones, and skin strengthened, and all of his physical features became more powerful. In particular, the claws on his feet and hands became stronger, their structure changing to a more resistant form.

His teeth underwent the same transformation, and his jaw was twice as strong as before. However, his cultivation improved little. When he reached the peak of 9-Star, he stopped there, unable to cross the barrier between the second and third realms.

But that didn't worry Liam. He immediately felt the advancement of each of Thal'Korr's abilities.

The Spirit's physical form had evolved to the point where, when stimulated, blows that had previously left him with minor wounds would no longer penetrate his skin. His aura has changed, transforming into a force capable of inducing hallucinations in susceptible foes.

Thal'Korr's dark regeneration has also improved. Wounds that once caused him to bleed liquid mana would now close amid battle, without him having to stop to rest.

'Perfect. Power Amplification, Camouflage, Shadow Projection, and Vital Drain have all been greatly improved. The way Thal'Korr is now, I could have eliminated that man earlier without using the Guardian Sphere!'

Earlier, Liam had been pushed to his limits. If it weren't for the Third Class items he had, the Guardian Orb, the fact that he had hidden his cultivation, and the {Black Art}, he would have died.

Even with all these advantages, he was near his fall!

Now, with Thal'Korr's evolution gradually infiltrating Liam's body and improving this Spirit Master as well, things would be different in a clash identical to the previous one.

Liam tried not to think about it too much as he smiled contentedly, his aura floating upward as his Thal'Korr-related powers evolved as well.

His Shadowfiend's powers were not on the same level as his Spirit's powers. Even though Liam had a higher level of cultivation, the Spirit Master usually had only a fraction of Spirit's abilities.

Not coincidentally, Spirit Master was a profession for Spirit's commanders, not warriors.

As Liam felt his promotion to the third realm, he could feel two of his abilities improve to a level that he couldn't help but be excited about.

Camouflage had improved to the point that when used it at night, he could become invisible to those up to 100% stronger than him. In other words, he could become invisible to most of the disciples in City Thirteen during the nights.

Vital Drain had evolved and merged with {Black Art}. Now Liam could drain the powers of not only demonic Spirits but also Spirit Masters!

With his evolved power, he could steal his opponent's power and use it to strengthen himself. With only the {Black Art}, he could help Thal'Korr and the incubus evolve qualitatively!

His other abilities had improved a lot, but they were less flashy than these powers. Still, Liam was pleased with the opportunity the man from earlier had given him.

Without that ambush, he wouldn't have been able to raise Thal'Korr's spiritual quality to the next level today, let alone improve his own cultivation!

But at the end of about 30 minutes of meditation, he had consolidated his strength at the beginning of the third realm, becoming a 1-star Spirit Earth cultivator!

His soul space changed from the previous state of a bluish space with two platforms and two mana vortices to a space ten times wider, with a third platform and a new mana vortex.

Silver lines and symbols appeared on the platforms, while his two Spirits glowed differently than before.

Liam looked at the two creatures, still unable to command the incubus, but now able to identify the Spirit's current situation.

The incubus was at the same cultivation level as him, 1-Star of the Spirit Earth Realm, while the demon's quality was about 70% of the High-level of the Ancestor-grade.

Thal'Korr was 1% High-level Ancestor-grade Spirit, with a peak cultivation of 9-Star. It would only take a few more cultivation sessions for him to reach the third realm!

But when he looked up, Liam saw that the star, which had previously looked like a single bright point in the shape of a sphere, had become something new. It now had an oval shape that was about 100% larger than its previous shape.

The lines and special symbols around it became sharper and more numerous, revealing themselves, while 'nerves' seemed to extend from it to the areas of the three platforms in his soul space.

'This... Will this thing try to connect with my Spirits in the future?' He wondered, noting that it wouldn't happen now, but that the direction in which these 'nerves' were growing was very clear.