Soulrise

Robert's chest rose and fell, each breath feeling like fire in his lungs.

As blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, he raised his gaze to the sky, a quiet defiance shining in his eyes.

Just then, the familiar tone of the system echoed in his mind.

[Quest Complete. Reward: 500 System Points Credited.]

A small grin appeared on his face. Despite the soreness in every muscle, he stood tall and resolute.

Victory.

He looked out over the battlefield, where three lifeless bodies lay—Tim, Leo, and Reo.

Robert walked toward them, his expression unreadable. From the folds of their robes and belts, he picked up all the items they were carrying.

Some Lower-Grade Spirit Stones.

Five Healing Pills.

As he finished looting the last body, another system notification rang out, but this time… it was different.

[Optional Action Detected: Absorb Soul Power of Fallen Enemies.]

Proceed? Y/N

His eyes widened. Absorb their soul power?

He hadn't known such a function existed.

But something awakened within him. He didn't hesitate.

"Yes," he said softly.

A soft hum filled the air, and a faint, ghostly light rose from the three corpses—wisps of soul energy pulled from their bodies like mist.

The energy poured into him, cold and warm all at once, passing over his senses.

His body shook.

[Absorption Complete. Soul Power + three. ]

Robert thought, "If anyone sees this… It'll bring more risk than it's worth."

He cast a brief look around, making sure there were no onlookers before he moved forward.

Without wasting another moment, Robert turned and vanished into the surrounding forest, his footsteps light and swift.

The shade of the trees offered cover, and the deeper he went, the more tranquil the surroundings became.

He was surrounded by nothing but the few rustles of leaves and the distant chirping of birds that he couldn't see.

After a little while, he finally spoke up to the system.

"System, what can Soul Power be used for?"

The reply came instantly.

[Soul Power boosts the host's soul foundation, improving mental toughness, enhancing spiritual awareness, and increasing the chances for significant breakthroughs in long-term cultivation. It can also be converted into physical strength or shared to strengthen both body and soul energy.]

Robert's eyes glowed with confidence after listing the system explanation.

"He asked the system, 'Can I split it between my body and soul?"

[Yes, you have the freedom to choose the distribution ratio you prefer.]

Nodding to himself, he pushed forward until he came across a shallow, vine-covered cave hidden behind dense brush.

The entrance was narrow and worn as if forgotten for years.

"Perfect," he murmured.

He stepped inside. Dust adhered to the floor, but the air was dry, and the cave was deep enough to stay hidden and safe.

He was sitting cross-legged right in the middle of the cave, with a soft beam of sunlight sneaking in through the cracks in the stone above.

The system responded, [Confirm Soul Power Distribution: 50% to Soul, 50% to Body?]

"Yes. Begin."

A faint ding echoed in Robert's mind, followed by a second prompt:

[Choose transfer type: Body Transfer Energy or Soul Transfer Energy?]

Without a pause, he answered firmly.

"The body transfers energy."

[Confirmed. Beginning Body Transfer Infusion…]

Immediately, a dense warmth flooded his chest and limbs.

It wasn't just warm energy; it was weight, as if his bones were being reforged from the inside.

The raw power of the absorbed soul's energy began threading through his muscle fibers, washing through his blood like molten iron.

Robert gritted his teeth, his body shaking slightly as he directed the surging energy through his limbs, channeling it with the precision of his cultivation technique,

Partial Dragon Body Cultivation – Level 2: Iron Veins.

His breathing deepened, controlled but strained, as the molten warmth of the body's energy coursed through him.

It rushed like a tide of lava, seeking pathways, pressing against his veins and muscles. But his body didn't break.

Instead, he endured it.

Robert's training continued for four relentless hours.

Within the silence of the cave, only the rhythm of his breath and the occasional crack of shifting stone broke the stillness.

Sweat drenched his back. His muscles burned. But he endured.

Every cycle of the Partial Dragon Body Cultivation pulls more body energy into his limbs, weaving it into muscle, marrow, and veins.

The pain was sharp, sometimes unbearable, but he clenched his jaw, refusing to yield.

His veins hurt, stretched, and strengthened under the pressure.

Then it began.

Crackles of faint red light flashed beneath his skin, following down his arms in glowing threads, vanishing just as quickly as they appeared.

His body shook again, but he didn't falter.

Under the direction of Iron Veins, his blood vessels pulsed, developing harder, more flexible.

The energy engraved new strength into his body, refining every inch of bone, muscle, and tendon like a blacksmith tempering a blade.

His breath hitched as another surge of power hit him like a hammer.

His muscles tightened, and a low groan escaped his throat, but his posture remained firm.

A deep rumble echoed in his chest, not a sound from the cave, but from within him.

A sudden pressure welled up, spreading from his core to the edges of his limbs. He knew this feeling.

"He's come up against a bottleneck," he said quietly, his eyes narrowing.

He pushed forward one last time, letting the booming energy surge through his body.

Then stillness. A steady, calm settled over him.

He exhaled sharply, the pain diminishing.

"I've done it… Iron Veins is mastered."

A soft notification from the system confirmed it.

[Partial Dragon Body Cultivation – Level 2: Iron Veins Mastered.]

[Body Strength Equivalent: Body Tempering Realm – Level 4.]

He stood motionless, letting the moment sink in.

He could feel the difference in his muscles were better, and his reflexes were sharper. 

But he wasn't done yet.

"System", he whispered, "transfer remaining Soul Power."

[Initiating Soul Power Transfer…]

In an instant, a rush of cold, searing energy slammed into his mind.

It wasn't like body cultivation; it was deeper. More delicate, but far more painful.

The pressure wasn't on his bones or flesh but on his very soul and essence.

He clutched his head, teeth grinding as the flood of energy hit through his consciousness.

"Argh… damn it…!"

He didn't stop. He couldn't. Gritting his teeth, Robert sat straighter, forcing his mind to focus inward.

This was soul cultivation, and his first step began now.

He used the Soul Awakening Realm – First Level: Soul Sense Initiation cultivation.

Hour after hour passed.

In the pitch-black silence of the cave, Robert's mind waged war.

He sat in meditation, steering his mind and accepting the discomfort he felt.

Thoughts are blurred. Pain became numbness.

Then he gains clarity.

Something clicked.

His awareness expanded outward like a wave of water.

He could feel the faint presence of the cave walls, the insects scurrying near the entrance, and the gentle hum of energy in the earth below.

His eyes snapped open.

[Soul Sense Initiation Complete.]

[Soul Awakening Realm – Level 1 Achieved.]

He gasped, breath shaky but triumphant. 

He had increased his body cultivation to level 4, and now… his soul had awakened.