Ethan took a deep breath. His gaze unconsciously drifted toward the distant Golden Immortal Mountain, but he quickly forced himself to calm down. The thought of exploring the resting place of the Soul God still filled him with hesitation. After all, he had only just entered the world of cultivation. His current strength was pitiful, and he clearly understood his own limitations.
Taking risks without sufficient power was nothing more than courting death.
He had read countless cultivation novels back on Earth. Reckless protagonists often survived because the heavens favored them or because their destinies were written to be extraordinary. But Ethan was not one of them. He was painfully aware that reality did not operate on the same logic as fiction. A single mistake could cost him his life.
Because of this, he temporarily abandoned the idea of exploring the Golden Immortal Mountain.
For now.
He focused his attention on the food in front of him. As he ate, he carefully observed the changes within his body. Although there were no drastic improvements in his Spirit-related attributes, he could still sense a subtle strengthening. The change was extremely faint, but it was undeniably real.
That alone was enough to shock him.
After finishing his meal, Ethan looked at Assane and asked, "Can you give me some seeds to grow these vegetables? I don't need much. I just want to grow them in my own garden so I can eat them every day."
"Sure," Assane replied without hesitation. He readily agreed, but then asked curiously, "But why would you bother growing them yourself? You can come here every day and eat. We don't mind at all."
Ethan shook his head slowly. "I don't think that's possible. I still don't understand how a cultivator like me managed to enter the village in the first place. I also don't know whether I'll be able to enter again. Since this opportunity presented itself, I want to make the most of it."
Assane nodded thoughtfully. He felt that Ethan's reasoning made sense. In truth, he knew nothing about cultivators. Neither he nor the other villagers had ever stepped outside the village. To them, the outside world was filled with danger and uncertainty.
However, after learning that the ancient story they once believed to be nothing more than a myth was actually real, Assane couldn't help but feel that Ethan's caution was justified.
Not long after, Tilly returned with several small packets of vegetable seeds and handed them to Ethan. Ethan accepted them with gratitude.
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
Tilly responded with a bright and cheerful smile, her eyes filled with innocence.
Ethan hesitated for a moment before asking a question that had been on his mind since earlier. "I don't know if it's appropriate for me to ask this, but… where is Tilly's mother?"
He had been curious from the start. Aside from Tilly, he hadn't seen a single woman in the household. Initially, he thought her mother might have gone somewhere nearby. But time had passed, and she still hadn't returned.
Despite feeling that the question might be intrusive, his curiosity eventually got the better of him.
Assane's expression darkened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. "Her mother passed away after giving birth to Tilly," he said quietly. "I named Tilly after her."
"Oh… I'm sorry," Ethan said out of courtesy.
"It's alright," Assane replied. "It's been a long time. Memories fade as time passes."
Ethan fell silent. He didn't press further. After exchanging a few casual words, he stood up, bid them farewell, and left the village.
…
Ethan walked toward the exit of the Blissful Village. Though his feet carried him away, his mind remained fixed on the Golden Immortal Mountain.
Again and again, he found himself wanting to turn back.
Each time, reason pulled him away from the thought. But no matter how much he tried to suppress it, the image of the mountain lingered stubbornly in his mind.
"I'm really just seeking my own death," Ethan muttered to himself.
Yet despite knowing the danger, he still made a decision.
He wanted to see it.
Even if it was just a single glance.
The Soul God was resting there. The thought alone stirred something deep within him. A strange feeling told him that if he missed this opportunity, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
Ideally, he would have waited until he was strong enough. But reality didn't allow such luxury. He didn't know if he would ever be able to enter the village again. Since he was already here, he decided to take advantage of this chance.
After firming his resolve, Ethan turned and walked toward the Golden Immortal Mountain.
As he approached, the true beauty of the mountain gradually revealed itself. From a distance, it appeared to be bathed in a golden hue. But the closer he got, the more he realized how extraordinary it truly was.
To someone like Ethan—a doctor—the mountain was nothing short of a treasure trove.
Medicinal plants and fruits were scattered everywhere. Some of them radiated ancient auras that made his heart tremble. Their ages exceeded a million years.
Ethan inhaled deeply. For a brief moment, greed overwhelmed his reason.
Medicinal herbs aged over a million years were priceless. In the Mortal World, especially on the Grace Continent, even the rarest herbs barely exceeded five hundred years. Even on larger continents, herbs over fifty thousand years were considered legendary.
And yet, here they were.
Right in front of him.
How could he not feel tempted?
For a fleeting moment, he almost rushed forward to snatch them. But he forced himself to calm down. His experiences from reading cultivation novels warned him clearly—greed often led to death.
Moreover, he knew that the greater the treasure, the greater the danger guarding it. With his current cultivation base, his chances of survival were slim at best.
Suppressing his greed, Ethan carefully stepped onto the starting point of the Golden Immortal Mountain.
The moment his foot touched the mountain, a golden light burst forth.
This light did not attack his body.
It attacked his mind.
A sharp, unbearable pain exploded inside his head. Even with his high Spirit level, Ethan couldn't endure it. He immediately pulled his foot back.
As soon as he withdrew, the mental pressure vanished.
"Cough! Cough!"
Ethan spat out a mouthful of blood. Fortunately, his injuries were not severe. After steadying himself, he lifted his head and stared at the mountain with fury burning in his eyes.
He had only wanted to test it.
Yet this was already the second time he had suffered because of it.
His patience snapped.
"You want to play with my mind?" Ethan growled. "Then let's see how long you can remain so arrogant!"
The repeated mental attacks completely enraged him.
"System! Add all my Golden Points to the Soul Attribute!" Ethan commanded.
[User's Command Accepted]
[Adding all Golden Points to Soul]
[Golden Points added successfully]
[Soul Attribute has reached 10.0]
[User has awakened Soul Power]
[Congratulations to the User for awakening Spirit Power, enabling Soul Cultivation Spirit similar to the Soul God]
[Soul Cultivation progress added to the Progress Panel]
Ethan stood frozen in place.
He was completely dumbstruck.
He never imagined that an impulsive decision made in anger would result in such an outcome.