The Copy Mage

The Golden Flame Method was an Internal Cultivation Method that the Golden Flame Master had stumbled across while searching an empty ruin and with his intelligence and perceptivity, that he was known for, he was able to get past all the traps and tests around the ruin.

The Golden Flame Method was unranked and he was unsure of where it came from or who it previously belonged to, but it allowed him to reach the peak of the continent despite his average talent.

It required the user to have a Pyro Soul Spirit that would form a flame within the dantian, which would then be cultivated through the method.

The stronger the flame became, the more energy it could hold and the more powerful the Pyro Mage or Fighter's Soul Spirit would become.

The Golden Flame Method caused there to be a golden pigment on the Pyro Soul Spirit, that was almost always in the form of a flame.

As Damian began to follow the first steps of the cultivation method he realised how simple yet profound the Golden Flame Method that granted the user great power.

He was initially confused about its application, but from what he had read from the Overview of Cultivation, Damian began to realise what the method's true use was.

The Golden Flame Method merely cultivated the flame and the user internally, and didn't have any apparent effects.

However, it allowed the user to have dense flame energy within them and an enhanced Soul Spirit.

[So this must be the difference between methods that do and don't cultivate the Soul Spirit] thought Damian to himself.

He activated the Maxwell Flame Soul Spirit through Utsusu and began to follow the method and cultivating his Soul Spirit.

Following the instructions of the Golden Flame Method, he streamed large amounts of fire elemental energy from around him into his body and compressed it into the flame he found situated within his dantian.

After the fire energy was compressed into his Soul Spirit, which acted as the centre of his cultivation, Damian then began to use the energy within his dantian to temper his internal organs, meridians and dantian.

The energy absorbed was strengthening him internally and was increasing his capacity to store energy and the purity and density of the energy.

After 6 hours of continuous cultivation, Damian felt massively mentally strained and could no longer continue to cultivate as his body was sweating profusely.

There was a thick stench around Damian and he could see small amounts of black substance on some areas of his skin, that seemed to be excreted from his body through his pores.

[This must be what was described as impurities and they are removed from the body through cultivation] observed Damian as he took off his clothes and took a shower in his personal bathroom.

Having taken the most central and luxurious White Ranked Residence, Damian had the luxury of having his own large bathroom, along with the rest of his friends.

{This host really is amazing, he managed to pass rank 1 in the first day of cultivating} thought Utsusu to himself.

While in the shower, Damian had zoned out and his consciousness had drifted into Utsusu's mindscape.

"Thanks for the compliment," said Damian with a cheeky smile, knowing that Utsusu was talking to himself and not to Damian.

"What are you doing here, weren't you in the shower," asked Utsusu as the floating silver book turned to face Damian.

"I don't know, I just spaced out and ended up here" answered Damian.

"But while I am here, could you explain to me what rank 1 is" asked Damian.

"Rank 1 is the first stage in the Mortal Rank of cultivation and is when the cultivator has completed 10 percent of the first cultivation stage, in other words, surpassed LVL 10. After each increase in rank, which is every 10 percent of the cultivation rank, the cultivator's strength has a larger increase and the body removes some impurities. In your case the impurities that were removed were from your meridians, internal organs and dantian" explained to him Utsusu.

"So I am already a rank 1 Mortal cultivator" exclaimed Damian joyously.

"Well, you already had a large amount of energy within you from when you first used me, which had already taken you to LVL 5. Then after the test that the host had pushed himself in and gaining and cultivating a powerful method, the host was able to break past Mortal rank 1" stated Utsusu.

"You must also be feeling that half the energy was absorbed into the flame and your internal energy storages, while the other half was absorbed into me" added Utsusu.

While Damian cultivated, his gains were split between him and Utsusu, so his talent which would have been measured at E:1 Rank, because of the E:1 Rank Soul Spirit he currently had, his talent was only comparable to an E:5 Ranked talent, which was still good.

"Yes I noticed, but that is a small price to pay for the incredible copy ability you allowed me to have and the infinite Soul Spirits that I will be able to copy and store in the future" stated Damian uncaringly, still overjoyed with his progress and knowing how valuable his Soul Spirit was.

Utsusu felt much better about itself after hearing Damian's words.

"Don't get complacent, get out of here and after you have showered, get some rest. You must continue to cultivate your Soul Spirit and train in the Golden Flame Method" ordered Utsusu encouragingly.

"Yes" exclaimed Damian as he left the mindscape.

After drying his body, he put on a fresh set of clothing and jumped into his bed.

As soon as his head met the pillow, his fatigued body and mind shut down after the long and draining day he had, and he instantly fell asleep.

Waking up, Damian washed his face and scruffed up his white hair, then his stomach began rumbling.

Damian was hungry and hadn't been eating much lately.

[Luxury Meals, that have beast meat, which is very nutritious to the body, can be bought with contribution points, or students can get free meals from the academy canteen that provided food for free. But it was the bare minimum and wasn't as nutritious and tasty as food that was bought with contribution points] recited Damian within his mind, from what he was taught about the academy.

"I guess I have no choice but to eat from the canteen" mumbled Damian as he gathered his friends and headed towards it.