SLEEP CULTIVATION

After a while Azaire's focus returned and he realized he was now looking up at Jared who was looking into the distance and playing with his hair while Chime gave the legs he captured a heavenly massage down to the soles of his feet.

'When did he take off my shoes?'

Azaire was surprised he hadn't noticed and he couldn't help humming his enjoyment at the attention from the two men. This was something he could get used too. He stared up at Jared's face noticing the small smile that dropped there at his outburst from his enjoyment and a strange feeling seemed to burn in his chest. It made Azaire feel weird although he couldn't say why.

Uncomfortable Azaire decided to ask a question to distract from the foreign feeling. "Jared how old are you?" Azaire was genuinely curious as he'd never asked before.

"My age," Jared asked surprised at the question, before thinking it over. "I believe I just made 560 years recently." Jared did some calculations on his hands before answering honestly. Jared let out a sigh thinking of the time that seemed to pass swiftly with every blink of his eye.

"Huh, I thought you'd be older." Azaire was surprised since he knew that although for the first 20 or so years other races normally aged at the same pace as humans, just like giants, he also knew from his various studies that although giant's lives were normally very much longer they still aged at a rate of about 20 years for every one year of human life.

So a 560 year old giant was equivalent to a 28 year old human. However Azaire thought Jared seemed much more mature and responsible then his age. But it had to be known that Azaire's opinion of other beings, human or otherwise, was exceedingly low. So generally speaking anyone under 50 was considered childish and unsuited for responsibility to him, with a few obvious exception's. He had a newfound respect for the young giants reliability and maturity.

"Ah...what? Do I seem like an old man to you?"

Jared was instantly in a sour mood! He was still young okay? He really wasn't some old monk yet. He was still enjoying his youth too. He normally wasn't even allowed to travel alone still, to the giants someone of his age was still viewed like newly adult 16 year old's that humans cater and supervise. Humans may think they would be ready for responsibility but his fellow giants would absolutely disagree.

Chime gave a tinkling laugh at Jared's misfortune but decided to give the grumpy giant an out as he turned his head toward Azaire.

("Hey I'm just wondering how long are you going to leave your cultivation so flawed?)

It was a miracle a full, semi-important sentence without a single indiscernible tinkle! Every bell-like noise came through with an understood meaning. Now if only he could learn to speak actual words instead of bell noises.

Azaire looked toward Chime in surprise before opening his energy vision and staring at the mass of messy life energy criss-crossing his body tied down with his Master's seal before dispersing the vision the small use of it straining the tiny reserves he had left after his master sealed the rest. He sighed deeply in frustration.

"Even if you say that I haven't had the chance yet. Sigh. It's too bad you can't cultivate in your sleep."

Azaire had done deep studies on all things cultivation before, in preparation for his own training in cultivation, and this fact had already disappointed him greatly. Every little moment wasted where he couldn't cultivate seemed like such a waste.

If a certain two companions around him could hear his thoughts they would shake their heads in exasperation for this cultivating maniacs obsessive tenacity. Hey you're still human right? Can you not say such scary things and give your poor body a chance at peaceful rest!

Jared realized where Chime was going with this though and eagerly took the chance to shift the topic and help his silly human at the same time.

"That's not right Azzy, or I should say although you can't cultivate in your sleep there is nothing stopping you from 'practice' cultivating while you sleep. That is to say you can practice the process and it will help you comprehend and develop your cultivation faster!"

Azaire thought about it for a second and realized the two were right. And he had potentially two and at least one senior cultivator here to help him and answer questions too, even though unlike his master they were not human and did not cultivate in the same way. General cultivation questions and issues should still be fine.

"Wow Chime I didn't think you were actually this intelligent!"

Azaire was very happy so he decided to give Chime some well deserved praise but he didn't notice the black look the feral man shot him at his "compliment" and instead recalled the Life Diagram he had already memorized as soon as he was given it, he was afraid his master might change her mind and take it away.

With a building excitement, but a steady mind he summoned a replica of the cultivation manual into his hands and began to read:

Diagram of Life: The Secrets of Life at Your Fingertips

This is a cultivation Manual to cultivate Life Master's, the greatest champions

in manipulating the boundaries of Life and touching the realm of Death. All

Life Master's are identified by the diamond seal on their foreheads. These seals

cannot be permanently hidden or erased but only temporarily concealed through

means magical or mundane, but are often worn as badges of pride by Life Masters.

This guide promises to build an outline of the Life Master Seal after completing the

first level of the first chapter and to form a complete basic Life Master Seal after

completing the first chapter and officially entering the Enlightenment realm. This

manual is arguably the best means of cultivation for Life Masters even up to Peak

Emperor realm...

Azaire paused from reading the cultivation manual to ponder for a bit. He certainly hadn't noticed her seal even after all these years but when he thought about it he was absolutely sure this is the cultivation method she used. She was too intimately familiar with it and somehow he just got a feeling....Even more determined Azaire continued to read the manual getting past the introduction and began reading the actual cultivation method.

The manual divided it's cultivation in chapters and each chapter divided between three focus areas: Body, Mind, and Spirit. The three major attributes that normally determined if one became a martial, magical, or spiritual artist. Each focus area was divided in to seven levels and each level divided into two parts. Although one could begin building their cultivation from any focus area the most proper and most effective way was to start with Body Cultivation. This was the first step in building the cultivation method of the diagram inside one's body but since each developed focus area eventually connected to each other anyway one didn't need to start there but not starting there would bring about future complications....

First level of cultivation in the body were called Building Life in the Body and each part of the body dealt with integrating Chi and Ki in the body respectively.

CHAPTER 1: Pre-Foundation Realm

BODY

Level 1: Building Life in the Body

Part 1: Positive Ki-enforcement

Ki is one of the two greatest physical life energies and is very

efficient to cultivating a body. It is traditionally and most

effectively used in the internal body reinforcement and develop

-ment. In this case to be used in strengthening the bones, joints,

and major organs with Ki. Raising the strength of the inner body

exponentially! For the process of this step of cultivation.....

Azaire read attentively and was happy to see that the cultivation process didn't seem to tough at all. After getting the process he closed his eyes and began to imagine himself cultivating according to the diagram. Circulating the little Ki left in his body and slowly pulling more from the seal and allowing the Ki to soak into his bones and those important joints, and organs...