I almost danced with joy at the sight of so much money!But reality hit me hard as the rock turtles started closing in.Not wanting to get killed, I turned and bolted back toward the waterstream cave.
It took me several hours to reach it, dodging their attacks and evading their relentless chase, but I couldn't contain my excitement when I finally made it back and settled in.Why did it take hours? Well, outrunning rock turtles isn't exactly a walk in the park—it was exhausting!
As I lay on my bed, I started planning. What should I buy first?A gene cap potion was a no-brainer—I needed to raise my strength. Next, skills. And finally, equipment.
Browsing through the potions, I spotted the Extraordinary Potion. It was selling for just 1 gold, so I bought it without hesitation. The next one, the Elite Potion, was priced at a staggering 10 gold. I skipped it.The price tag sucked all the excitement out of me.
I turned my attention to skills—the ones I'd previously only dreamed of owning. This time, I bought them instantly.Spiritual Aura, Spiritual Ascension, Spiritual Lock, Spiritual Mastery (Intermediate), and finally, Spiritual Pressure—all for just 50 silver.After spending 1 gold and 50 silver, I still had 2 gold, 23 silver, and 2 copper left.
Remembering I needed a meditation skill, I started browsing again. The Mortal Meditation skill was affordable, but the Extraordinary version cost a jaw-dropping 10 gold—the same as the Elite gene cap potion!I almost fainted from anger.
Reluctantly, I settled for the mortal version. Honestly, meditating all day already drives me crazy. How do people claim to meditate for an entire week without a break? Lies, I tell you—absolute lies!
Back in the items section, I searched for anything under 1 gold. I wanted to save the 23 silver for emergencies. That’s when I found
Refined Short SwordDescription: Despite some flaws in its crafting, this sword has decent sharpness. Suitable for a beginner.Cost: 40 silver
I bought it, leaving myself with 60 silver for future needs.
Iron Chest PlateDescription: Offers strong defense against piercing and slashing attacks.Cost: 60 silver.
I could only cry in the corner with my new items. Even after spending most of my money, I couldn't fully arm myself.
With a bittersweet smile, I shoved those thoughts aside and took out the Extraordinary Gene Cap Potion. I mentally prepared myself for the worst—just in case I’d have to dash out for a “big emergency.”
Without overthinking, I gulped it down in one go. It wasn’t much different from the lower-grade potions I’d tried before—except for one glaring difference. It was sweet. Sweet to death.
I used to love sweets, but this? This abomination was enough to ruin them for me forever. The taste was so revolting that my tongue went numb.
Soon, the numbness became the least of my problems. It felt like my entire body was on fire. Gasping, I stumbled out of the cave.
----------------------------------------
[Confirmed: Gene Cap Potion (Extraordinary) consumed.][Gene cap raised by 50 points. All existing genes consumed.][Note: Only monster flesh of Extraordinary grade or higher can now raise the user's gene capacity due to potion side effects.]
----------------------------------------
Reading these messages, I wanted to vomit blood. My legs barely held me up as I crawled back into the cave, feeling utterly drained.
It felt like my insides were trying to escape, and I couldn’t help but wonder Will I die if I consume a potion above the Elite level?
Sighing, I tried to get up, but my legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the ground. Exhausted, I dragged my body toward the books.
Did I feel different after consuming the potion? Somewhat. But the effects weren’t as dramatic as I’d hoped. Perhaps the Elite potions—or higher—deliver the real game-changing benefits. After all, these are shortcuts, not ascension.
My guess? My body is storing up these genes, preparing for the moment I ascend to the second Realm. When that time comes, this “hidden storage” will likely unleash, enhancing me beyond what I could achieve naturally.
But there was a more pressing issue. The worst news yet.I’d only bought food of the Mortal grade. Now, with my upgraded genes, I’d have to buy Extraordinary grade food.
Just checking the prices of Extraordinary-grade food almost brought me to tears.Fifty dekagrams cost 1 silver—not even a full kilo! That amount would only give me 2 genes.
For the 200 genes I need, I’d have to spend 2 gold.How am I supposed to collect that much money after spending nearly everything I had?
Even with my newfound strength, I didn’t think I could take on the giant zombie or the crystal turtle I barely escaped before. Sure, the crystal turtle sold for more than 1 gold, but I’d have to hunt down two such monsters to cover my needs.
And if I upgraded to Elite? I shuddered at the thought. Hunting Elite-grade monsters might be an even scarier ordeal, and I didn’t even dare look up the price of their meat. The thought alone might kill me.
Shaking off those discouraging thoughts, I turned my attention to the new skills I’d purchased.First on the list is spiritual Mastery (Intermediate).
As I started reading, I felt an unexpected calm settle over me. My mind grew clear, and I could fully concentrate on the text.
The book detailed methods to channel spiritual energy and use it for basic abilities. It even explained how that rabbit I fought earlier was able to exude such deadly pressure.
Wait… then what about the Spiritual Pressure skill I bought? Did I waste 10 silver on it?No, that’s impossible—the system wouldn’t trick me like that… right?
I brushed aside the nagging doubts and continued reading.
The book also describes how to construct a proper spiritual energy pathway. Out of curiosity, I attempted to follow its prototype, only to discover I already had one.
When did this happen?
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning it must have been back when the cave wall radiated spiritual energy and the system alerted me to it. Not only had it helped me absorb the energy, but it had also created this amazing pathway in my body.
How lucky I am…
I paused.
Wait, scratch that. I’m not lucky at all. If I were, I wouldn’t have gone through so much suffering before now.
I finished reading the book, my mind brimming with newfound knowledge. I needed time to digest it all.
As for the beginner version of Spiritual Mastery? I’d already burned that to make a fire.
Now, with my body synchronized with my heart rate, I channeled my spiritual energy.The goal was to make the process instinctual—to have my subconscious handle it automatically.
If I succeeded, I wouldn’t have to think about it during combat. It would function as seamlessly as breathing a natural, effortless action my body performed without conscious input.
But for now, it was incredibly difficult.
Sadly, I’m not at that level yet. I can’t implement such advanced techniques so easily.
Setting the book aside, I picked up the next one Spiritual Pressure.I was curious to understand how it differed from Spiritual Mastery.
As I read, it became clear just how badly I’d misjudged the two.
What the rabbit had demonstrated back then wasn’t true Spiritual Pressure. It was something weaker—a form of spiritual influence. What it did was amplify my fear, making it overwhelming, and my body reacted instinctively. However, this effect can be resisted by fighting back or with a strong spiritual defense.
Spiritual Pressure, on the other hand, is far more dangerous.
Simply put, it directly attacks an opponent's spiritual energy or mind. Imagine the mind as the engine that generates spiritual energy. Using Spiritual Pressure is like jamming a rock into that engine, causing it to malfunction or even stop entirely.
For those who haven’t awakened their spiritual energy, the effect can be deadly—they could suffocate under the weight of the pressure if they lack the strength to resist.
This raised a question Do zombies have spiritual energy? Or is it the parasites controlling them that possess it?I wouldn’t know until I tested it.
Putting that thought aside, I moved on to the next skill Spiritual Aura.
I won’t lie—I’ve always admired those characters in movies and shows who wield energy-based hands or weapons to fight. I thought this might be my chance to emulate them.
Eagerly, I dove into the book, reading with all my focus. But I quickly realized it wasn’t what I expected.
While Spiritual Aura does use spiritual energy, it isn’t about wrapping energy around your weapon to enhance it permanently. Instead, it described a more efficient method using the weapon as a conduit.
Here’s how it works
Rather than constantly transferring spiritual energy into the weapon, you channel it through your body, holding it in reserve. When it’s time to attack, you release the energy into the weapon at the moment of impact, creating a spiritual slash. This way, you don’t even need to physically strike your opponent—the spiritual energy does the job for you.
On the other hand, wrapping spiritual energy around the weapon continuously enhances its sharpness and durability. However, it consumes a considerable amount of energy over time. Worse, when the weapon encounters resistance, it draws even more energy to maintain its edge.
Reflecting on my past battles, I realized I had been using raw spiritual energy inefficiently. By constantly enveloping my blade, I was draining myself needlessly.
This new method—focusing the energy into short bursts—promised to be far more sustainable. Instead of consuming energy constantly, it would only take a small “chip” each time I attacked.
But the revelations didn’t stop there. As I read further, I began to understand why this technique is called Spiritual Aura.
To enhance its effects, the book explained, you can create spiritual points in your body. These points act as storage hubs for spiritual energy, allowing you to store and release it instantly when needed. This was when I recalled the strange tattoo on my dominant arm—the one left by the rabbit.
That tattoo was a spiritual point, deliberately created by the rabbit.
The book also mentioned that these tattoos could be hidden, though it didn’t explain the meaning behind the symbols. I studied the tattoo closely, and for a moment, I thought I saw a winged snake etched into my skin. But the design was so blurred that I couldn’t tell if it was real or just my imagination.
The text didn’t say anything about these tattoos changing over time, so I dismissed it as a trick in my mind.
As I continued reading, I learned I could create more of these spiritual points in my body. Ideally, they should be placed in key areas each hand, each foot, and the head.
These points are not just decorative; they allow spiritual energy to be stored and released instantly. This eliminates the need to channel energy continuously to specific parts of the body—a process that costs more energy to maintain.
The method to create these points wasn’t complicated. Since I already had one, I simply mimicked its structure on the opposite side of my body. As I did, tattoos appeared briefly on those areas before fading away when I chose to hide them.
So, why is it called Spiritual Aura? The book finally answered this question.
At advanced levels, a person’s spiritual energy becomes so powerful that it manifests visibly around their body. This visible aura is a mark of overwhelming spiritual energy.
I could hardly imagine such a state—having so much energy that it spills into the physical realm. To normal people, it would look like an impenetrable force field. How much spiritual energy must you possess for such a thing to occur?
With this book finished, I moved on to the next one Spiritual Ascension.
The title itself piqued my curiosity. I knew what ascension meant in general, but Spiritual Ascension? What could it involve?
As I read, time seemed to fly by. Despite my initial hesitation, I realized I’d already finished half the books. It’s amazing how quickly time passes when you’re engrossed in something you truly enjoy.
The book explained that Spiritual Ascension is much like regular ascension—it occurs when you rise to a higher plane. However, it requires you to open your mind completely during the process.
There are no shortcuts, no treasures, and not even the system has a tool to aid in this process. It must be done purely through your effort and understanding.
When ascending, the book explained, you must burn your spiritual energy and push yourself to the brink of mental collapse. If anything goes bad you become nothing more than a lifeless body—nothing more.
Whoever created this method must have been utterly insane. Igniting your spiritual energy while ascending? The very essence of your existence is on the line, and you’re expected to fight against it like a crazed beast.
This summed up the process and the philosophy behind it.
One word Madness.
Shaking my head, I picked up the final book Spiritual Lock.
This book delved into unlocking the full potential of the mind’s power.
According to its pages, the mind is constrained by nine locks. These locks are not tied to one’s evolution, meaning even mortal beings can attempt to unlock them.
However, unlocking these locks doesn’t increase the energy your mind can generate. Instead, it makes the energy far more efficient.
The book compared the mind to a rusted machine—capable of great things but bogged down by inefficiencies. Unlocking the locks is like oiling the gears, allowing the machine to operate at full capacity.
The process sounded deceptively simple you must reform your spiritual energy completely.
The key is to increase the density of your spiritual energy. To do this, you must gather all your mental energy into a single, concentrated spot, ensuring none of it escapes. Then, you reintegrate it back into your spiritual mind.
And here’s the kicker you must do this not once, not twice, but eleven times.
Each repetition forces your spiritual energy to condense further, changing its very nature.
Easy, right? Not even close.
The book emphasized the mental strength required to maintain such focus. Gathering large amounts of energy into one point risks catastrophic failure—it can explode within your body if you lose control.
Thankfully, the author offered a precaution to ensure you have a spiritual point established in your body before attempting this. That way, if something goes wrong, you can discharge the excess energy safely.
After digesting all this information, I closed the book. It was time to stop reading.
The only thing left now was to put these lessons into practice.