[You follow your instincts and look under a fallen log, seeing a few mushrooms that you identify as spiritual.]

The moment the log was turned over, Lem felt like he was bathing in warmth. He was certain that the mushrooms were far more saturated in spiritual energy than the berry had been.

From his detached position within his body, he still had full control of himself, but he understood why his simulated self grabbed the mushrooms and began eating them immediately.

It was a reflection of what he would do in the situation, however it did not stop him from getting concerned.

One of the rules he remembered from the village was that mushrooms were not always safe to consume.

If they were spiritual, this rule was likely magnified.

At the same time, it was unclear whether he could actually digest such potent mushrooms without exploding.

The spiritual energy was quickly coursing through his body, but he kept eating, empowered by irrational excitement.

As Lem was putting the last of the mushrooms in his mouth, the spiritual energy had already become a flood that completely overpowered his senses.

[You worry that they are poisonous, but excitement overrides your caution and you eat them. A large amount of energy overwhelms your body, and you feel as though you are about to explode. Instinctively, you begin to practice the [Nine Bull Fist] of your village to relieve the excess energy.]

Lem relaxed slightly when he felt his simulated self practicing the [Nine Bull Fist].

It was not clear what would happen next, but it demonstrated that his presence of mind had returned.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

A few minutes later, Lem believed that the tide had been stemmed.

The energy levels were decreasing slightly, movement by movement.

With the primary concern dealt with, he began to worry about the amount of noise that his practicing was making.

A beast could easily be attracted.

At the same time, he knew that his simulated self was far too preoccupied with managing the energy to think about such matters.

Lem worried in silence, as the minutes continued to pass.

Thankfully, no beasts had come yet.

As more time passed, he relaxed slightly.

[After half an hour, the energy is reduced to a manageable level, and you stop practicing…]

Lem watched attentively as his simulated self began walking again.

No beasts.

No beasts.

No beasts.

An hour later, Lem felt as though the danger had passed.

[That night, you have too much energy to fall asleep, but you do not feel safe traveling at night. You wait quietly by a tree, seeing if you can successfully hunt a beast…]

Lem was happy to see that his simulated self had not closed his eyes.

Even if the night was dark, it was much more pleasant than the total darkness that came when he closed his eyes to sleep.

Lem could not help but feel like the current simulation held the most promising developments so far.

The mushrooms were a significant improvement on the berry, granting him a period of reprieve where he could search for other opportunities.

His only worry was that he was approaching the physical limits of spiritual energy saturation for a mortal.

He did not forget the feeling he received from his body, as though he were on the verge of an explosion.

For the first time, he began to think that he should begin looking for immortal techniques.

If his body could not hold any more spiritual energy, then cultivation would be a natural solution.

Even if the pursuit of immortality was an extremely unrealistic goal, he was aware that every step on the path of cultivation was known to improve lifespan, and, importantly, the ability to absorb and integrate spiritual energy.