Note- when Arthur choose the soul power path, he will realise that his soul is extremely stronger than anyone, it's because the system has not only killed the previous soul of this body but also integrated the soul with himself that's why his soul is stronger.
----
The system chimed again.
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! You have completed your Weekly Mission]
[Mission completed in under 6 hours—Bonus Tier Unlocked]
> Rewards Granted
> 50,000 SP → 100,000 SP
> 1 Random Intermediate Skill (Soul Path)
> Intermediate Meditation Manual (Cultivation)
---
Arthur's eyes widened as the panel flickered, new icons and shimmering scrolls appearing before him.
His jaw slackened, astonished.
"This system… is really generous," he muttered, disbelief giving way to excitement.
Arthur grabbed the skill book
---
Skill: Soul Eyes
Path: Soul Path
Rank: Blue (Intermediate)
Type: Vision / Perception / Passive Aura
Description:
A rare, evolving ocular technique born from ancient soul harmony methods. Soul Eyes grants the user the ability to perceive soul energy signatures, trace emotional disturbances, and uncover lingering soul fragments in the environment. Initially designed for tracking and tactical insight, this technique grows stronger as the user's soul force deepens.
Effects:
>Detect hidden enemies or soul beasts within a 100-meter radius.
>Perceive emotional states, minor illusions, and soul core fluctuations.
>Reveal weaknesses in soul structures during combat.
Passive intimidation aura: Beings with lower soul strength than the host may feel unease, fear, or reverence when making direct eye contact, especially during heightened emotional states.
Growth-type skill: With time and soul force refinement, Soul Eyes can evolve into higher forms such as Spirit Gaze, Wraith Pierce, or All-Seer's Vision.
Suitable For: Strategists, soul beast hunters, dual-path cultivators, or those destined to walk the path of dominance through presence and perception.
---
"This skill is so awesome," Arthur whispered, eyes gleaming with anticipation. He gripped the glowing manual with both hands, heart pounding. The cover pulsed faintly with ethereal light—as if it was breathing.
He sat down cross-legged, took a deep breath, and began to read.
The first page was inscribed with elegant silver glyphs that shimmered like starlight, yet the words were instantly understood as if they were speaking directly to his soul.
"To awaken the Soul Eyes, one must guide soul force to the optic nerves, threading it like silk through the consciousness and spiritual sense.
This process requires immense focus and mental stability—fail, and the backlash may cause blindness or spiritual fatigue."
Arthur's face turned serious. "So this isn't just a passive upgrade—I have to earn it."
He closed his eyes and activated the Whispering Soul Breathing Technique, drawing in traces of soul energy from the ambient air. It moved slowly, like wisps of incense smoke, coiling into his lungs and dispersing through his soul channels.
Once enough soul force accumulated, he shifted it deliberately—first to the back of his neck, then upward along the spine, letting it converge behind his eyes.
A sharp pain shot through his skull. Arthur gritted his teeth.
His consciousness felt like it was splitting in two—his body in the room, his awareness stretching into a dim, translucent plane filled with vague outlines of things he couldn't yet see.
Then came the most delicate part.
He followed the manual's instructions to "weave" the soul energy into the optic nerves, gently wrapping each nerve strand like twine around glass.
His body trembled. Beads of sweat slid down his jaw. If he forced the energy, the manual warned, the soul force might rupture and damage his senses permanently.
Finally—after what felt like an eternity of balancing that shimmering thread between pressure and precision—he reached the final line of the ritual:
"When you feel the pressure behind your eyes tighten and resonate like a pulse—open your eyes."
He obeyed.
The moment his eyelids parted, Arthur gasped.
The world had changed.
The colors around him felt deeper, more alive. Threads of pale blue and green flickered in the air, like invisible currents made visible. His reflection in the nearby window stared back with irises now faintly tinted silver, glowing with a light only those sensitive to soul energy would notice.
More than sight—he could *feel* presences. The chair, the walls, the breeze outside... even the faint trace of a passing bird in the sky above carried a *soul echo*.
A chill ran down his spine when he looked at his own reflection again.
He didn't look intimidating—but something in his stare felt... heavier. Sharper. Predatory.
And he could sense it: anything weaker than him would flinch under this gaze.
> [Skill awakened: Soul Eyes]
> [Current State: Early Manifestation]
> [Passive effect activated: Soul Intimidation Lv.1]
> [Tracking Range: 100 meters | Soul Detection: Basic | Illusion Resistance: Minor]
Arthur let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"So this... is what it means to walk the soul path," he whispered. He was so excited about gaining things too quickly. He was getting more and more curious about this world.
"This is so exciting, i want to see this world. I want to explore this world."
---
Technique: Heavenroot Vital Breathing
Path: Cultivation
Rank: Blue (Intermediate)
Type: Breathing / Qi Cultivation / Body-Mind Integration
Description:
A foundational breathing technique rooted in the ancient harmonics of nature. Heavenroot Vital Breathing allows the practitioner to align their respiratory rhythm with the qi of the natural world—drawing vitality from the elemental phases of existence. It promotes balance between the soul and body, while enhancing energy retention and internal strength. Though simple in form, it is regarded as a sacred technique for grounding early-stage cultivators.
Effects:
> Absorbs ambient life energy (qi) through breath synchronized with seasonal cycles.
> Strengthens physical constitution and stabilizes meridian flow.
> Improves stamina, recovery speed, and energy control.
> Increases resistance to fatigue, cold, toxins, and spiritual exhaustion.
Breath Cycle Components:
> Spring Inhale: Vital energy rises from the earth, filling the lower dantian.
> Summer Flame Hold: Internal furnace ignites, refining absorbed qi.
> Autumn Exhale: Impurities are expelled with each breath.
> Winter Rest: Energy is sealed into the meridians and soul network.
Passive Qi Harmonization:
Prolonged practice generates a subtle aura of natural calm around the user. Beasts and cultivators with unstable energy may feel slight discomfort, hesitance, or dissonance in the user's presence.
---
"Finally, i also have a breathing technique of cultivation path. Now I can focus on building my inner qi as much as i can before i go to hunt the spritual breast for my first soul ring."
Arthur opened the manuel and started reading it and after sometimes he memorized everything in the manuel.
He sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, his back straight but trembling faintly. The sky outside had begun to brighten, bleeding gold and pale blue through the window as dawn fully arrived. In front of him, the **Heavenroot Vital Breathing Manual** hovered, its pages glowing softly with lines of flowing script. He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing in determination.
"Breath controls the gate. Qi controls the tide. Soul stabilizes the sea…" he whispered the mantra to himself.
Then he began.
His breathing slowed. First, he drew in the Spring Inhale—imagining roots stretching from his body into the earth, drawing a cool, pure stream of qi into his lower dantian. The energy entered smoothly, like dew sliding down a leaf.
But then came the Summer Flame Hold.
The moment Arthur tried to hold the gathered energy and ignite it within his core, pain exploded across his chest and stomach. The soul energy already swirling within him, refined from Whispering Soul Breathing, reacted violently to the newly absorbed qi.
It was like trying to trap two storms in a single bottle.
"Gkh—!" Arthur clenched his jaw, his body lurching forward. His veins pulsed. Blue threads of qi surged through his limbs, while pale violet soul energy pushed against it, trying to reassert dominance.
His vision blurred. He felt as if his organs were being pulled in opposite directions.
"If I lose control now… they'll tear me apart."
He forced his breathing to slow, dragging his consciousness into the chaos inside. The soul energy moved like a sentient mist, aggressive but precise. The qi, on the other hand, was raw, elemental—like molten stone.
He guided them, not with brute force, but with intention.
"...Soul stabilizes the sea," he whispered again, blood dripping from the corner of his lips.
Gradually, the war inside began to ease. The two energies, while incompatible, began to flow in parallel—like two rivers kept in check by mental dikes.
> Autumn Exhale.
He expelled breath through his nose, and along with it, thin black wisps of impurity bled from his skin. The burning ache in his abdomen dulled. The twitching in his limbs stilled.
> Winter Rest.
He brought the final breath inward—not to cultivate, but to contain. To seal.
Then, silence. His body slumped slightly, drenched in sweat. But the glow in his veins dimmed to a quiet, steady pulse. And in that moment—he felt it. A flicker of peace. A new foundation had formed.
---
[System Notification]
> You have successfully synchronized Qi and Soul Energy
> +10 strength
> +10 agility
> +10 stamina
> +2 Soul Force
> +10 Qi Flow (New Attribute Unlocked)
> Passive Trait Gained: Dual Source Stability – Minor resistance to internal backlash during dual-path cultivation.
Arthur collapsed backward onto the wooden floor, breathing heavily.
"I nearly died… just breathing," he muttered with a shaky grin.
Then, after a pause, he chuckled.
"But I did it."
Outside, the wind stirred the leaves. And inside, for the first time, Arthur's soul and body breathed in unison.
Arthur rose unsteadily from the floor, his breath ragged, muscles trembling from exhaustion. Sweat clung to his skin, soaking through his shirt and dripping onto the wooden boards beneath him.
"First... let's eat something," he muttered hoarsely, wiping his forehead. "I only ate once yesterday."
Dragging his weary body to the kitchen, he once again resorted to instant noodles. The familiar warmth of the meal brought some strength back to his limbs, though his mind remained focused elsewhere—on what lay ahead.
After finishing, he stepped into a steaming bath, letting the hot water soothe his aching muscles and calm his overstimulated nerves. The tension slowly faded from his shoulders as he closed his eyes, allowing the quiet to settle deep into his bones.
Fresh and dressed, Arthur returned to his room, where the dim afternoon light filtered in through the curtains. He sat cross-legged once again, centering himself on the polished floor. His breathing slowed, his gaze steady.
He could feel it now—more clearly than ever.
A dense, pulsing core had formed within his abdomen, where threads of energy coiled and rotated gently. It was his **Qi Core**, the foundation of internal energy and the cultivation path.
Higher, at the center of his forehead, a second core shimmered faintly with invisible force—his **Soul Core**. It was more elusive, more subtle than the qi within his dantian, but it burned with a clarity that touched the edges of thought and awareness.
"Two cores…" he whispered. "One for qi. One for soul."
The realization sent a wave of anticipation through him. Despite his exhaustion, his resolve only deepened.
"I need to gather as much internal energy and soul force as I can," Arthur murmured, closing his eyes once more.
He focused inward, drawing on the teachings of the Whispering Soul Breathing technique, The room fell silent, save for the sound of his breath—deep, rhythmic, deliberate.
From the world around him, the ambient soul energy began to stir, responding to his presence. Threads of silvery mist drifted toward him, invisible to the naked eye, yet tangible to his awakening soul.
They coiled into his Soul Core, merging with it—growing, spinning, fortifying.
As the cycle continued, the energy within him stirred with increasing vitality. The two forces—Qi and Soul—existed in delicate harmony, separated by discipline and sheer willpower. One misstep could cause imbalance, backlash... or worse.
But Arthur held steady.
He would not falter.
Not when he had come this far.
------
Arthur's progress—
> Name: Arthur Grayrat
> Species: Human
> Occupation: Soul Scholar, cultivatior
> Title: None
> Strength: 20
> Agility: 20
> Stamina: 20
> Senses: 2
> Soul Sensitivity: 5
> Soul Force: 12
> Techniques: Heavenroot Vital Breathing—blue (intermediate), Whispering Soul Breathing—purple, Mirror Vein Channeling—Purple
> Skills: soul eyes
> Talents: None
> Resistance: Illusion (Minor)
> Traits: duel source stability