So-called imperial-class techniques were secret magics created by Ancient Emperors and Imperial Sovereigns from the Revered Ancient of epochs past. Some were entire collections of techniques. Others were individual secret techniques.

Regardless, they were all astonishingly mighty.

And they were so mysterious and powerful that most people found them unimaginable, and of course, incomparably valuable. The fact that imperial-class techniques were extremely rare ensured that they were often kept as reserve powers for huge organizations. That said, the majority actually couldn’t be cultivated, as they had very strict requirements. For example, they might need to be coupled with a bloodline power that was itself exceedingly rare.

In a similar vein, it was generally difficult for one species to cultivate and control a technique designed for another species. There were only a few that didn’t have a bloodline requirement, and those were the most valuable. If a technique like that appeared in the world, people would either go crazy or turn despondent. They would go crazy out of envy, or be despondent because they couldn’t get it.

Once an imperial-class technique formed...