The monster's massive body collapsed onto the ground with a dull thud, completely devoid of life. Its once-intimidating aura vanished without a trace, dispersing into the surrounding air as though it had never existed in the first place.
Ethan, on the other hand, could no longer hold himself up.
The moment the monster fell, all the tension that had been holding his body together disappeared. His legs gave out, and he fell backward, landing heavily on the ground. His chest rose and fell violently as he gasped for breath, every muscle in his body screaming in protest.
He was exhausted.
Utterly, completely exhausted.
His mind felt heavy, his limbs felt numb, and even lifting a finger seemed like an impossible task. At that moment, Ethan did not care about anything else—not rewards, not cultivation levels, not even the long-awaited Soul God's Inheritance hidden within the mansion behind him.
He just wanted to rest.
System notifications began appearing one after another before his eyes, glowing faintly in the air where only he could see them. Under normal circumstances, he would have immediately checked every single one with excitement and anticipation.
But now?
He ignored them entirely.
He lay there, staring blankly at the sky above, allowing his racing heartbeat to slowly calm down. The wind brushed against his face, carrying with it the faint scent of blood and dust. His ears rang slightly, remnants of the violent clash that had nearly taken his life.
Only after several long moments did the flood of notifications finally stop.
[User has killed a monster with a cultivation base of the 3rd Level of the Physique Strengthening Stage]
[Rewards—System EXP: +1300; User EXP: +1300; Skill Points: +150; Attribute Points: +150; Golden Points: +30; System Currency: +4400]
…
[System has leveled up]
[System Level: 7]
…
[User has leveled up]
[Current Cultivation Base: 6th Level of the Elementary Stage]
…
[User has leveled up]
[Current Cultivation Base: 7th Level of the Elementary Stage]
…
Under normal circumstances, Ethan would have jumped up in excitement after seeing such notifications. Killing a third-level Physique Strengthening Stage monster as a mere Elementary Stage cultivator was nothing short of miraculous. The rewards alone were enough to make any cultivator ecstatic.
But Ethan felt none of that—at least, not immediately.
What he did feel, however, was something far more important.
Strength.
The moment the final notification appeared, a warm sensation surged through his body. It started from deep within his core and spread outward, flowing through his limbs, muscles, bones, and even his meridians.
The crushing exhaustion vanished.
The aching pain disappeared.
The weakness that had nearly paralysed him moments ago was wiped away completely.
This was one of the greatest advantages the System provided him.
No matter how close to death he came, as long as he survived and achieved a breakthrough, the System would restore his body to its optimal state.
Earlier, during the battle with the guardian monster, Ethan's attributes had been drained to near zero. His stamina was depleted, his strength was exhausted, and even his agility had dropped to dangerous levels.
Yet now—
He felt as though he had never fought at all.
His breathing steadied, his heartbeat normalised, and his body felt light and responsive once more. There was not a single trace of fatigue left behind.
Ethan slowly pushed himself up from the ground and stood. He clenched his fists, feeling the power coursing through his body, and a smile spread across his face.
"That was close," he muttered under his breath.
If not for the System… if not for the timely breakthroughs… he would have died without question.
The realisation made him shiver.
After stabilising himself, Ethan's excitement finally caught up to him. His eyes gleamed as he spoke aloud, his voice filled with anticipation.
"System! Show me my stats."
[Command Accepted]
[Displaying the User's statistics…]
The System had never failed him.
From the moment he was transmigrated into this cultivation world, it had been his most reliable companion—more dependable than any ally, teacher, or senior. Even now, without hesitation, it responded to his request and displayed his updated status before him.
Ethan focused intently, carefully reading every line.
Name: Ethan Hunt
Daoist Name: Fool
TALENT POOL
Spiritual Roots: General Grade
Physique: King Grade
Spirit: King Grade
SYSTEM
System Level: 7
System EXP: 705 / 800
HEAVEN CULTIVATION
Cultivation Level:
7th Level of the Elementary Stage
Experience: 140 / 800
Cultivation Techniques:
Alpha and Omega Heavenly Sword Arts
(Ordinary Level)
(Next Level: 500 Skill Points)
NATURE CULTIVATION
Cultivation Level:
5th Level of the Elementary Stage
Cultivation Technique: None
Combat Skills:
Heavenly Steps
Nature's Punch
SPIRIT CULTIVATION
Cultivation Level:
4th Level of the Elementary Stage
Cultivation Technique: None
MISCELLANEOUS SKILLS
Disguise Mask
Heavenly Gaze
PHYSIQUE
Heaven's Equality Body
POINTS PANEL
Skill Points: 295
(Credit: 585,185)
Attribute Points: 508
Golden Points: 40
System Currency: 68,220
(Credit: 1,500,000)
ATTRIBUTES
HP: 250 / 250
QP: Locked
Strength: 180 / 180
Stamina: 155 / 155
Endurance: 135 / 135
Speed: 130 / 130
Agility: 127 / 127
Heaven Cultivation Spirit: 5.0
Spirit Cultivation Spirit: 5.0
Luck: 10
SIDE PROFESSIONS
Profession: Doctor
Level: Beginner
EXP: 0 / 100
Skill Level: Beginner
Description:
A Doctor is treated as a god in the world of cultivation.
Skillset:
HOPE: When you place your hand on the head of a patient, they will place their hopes on you and enter a tranquil state.
Profession: Teacher
Level: Beginner
EXP: 0 / 100
Description:
A teacher produces the future greats of the world and is well respected in society.
Skillset:
EYES OF IMMERSION: When activated and eye contact is established with disciples, there is a 5% chance of drawing their concentration, increasing their learning ability by 5%.
Ethan exhaled slowly.
That was… a lot to process.
First of all, his Heaven Cultivation, Spirit Cultivation, and Nature Cultivation had all advanced.
All three.
This had never happened before.
Even when he slaughtered dozens of monsters earlier—when he fought his way through the mountain and even defeated the giant monster—he had never received such a comprehensive boost across all cultivation paths.
"System," Ethan asked, frowning slightly, "why were all three of my cultivation paths boosted this time?"
[The User experienced a near-death battle.]
[As a result, a special reward was granted to the User.]
Ethan's eyes widened slightly in realisation.
"So that's how it is…"
He finally understood.
This battle had pushed him to the absolute brink. His life had hung by a thread, and he had overcome that danger through sheer will, strategy, and determination. Such an experience had tempered all aspects of his cultivation, not just one.
Because he had used Nature's Punch to deliver the final blow, his Nature Cultivation had gained a slightly greater boost than the others. Meanwhile, his Spirit Cultivation, which had been strained and depleted earlier, received the least improvement.
Even so, the overall growth was incredible.
Yet, just as satisfaction began to settle in his heart, his gaze drifted downward.
And then—
He froze.
System Currency: 68,220 (Credit: 1,500,000)
"…What?"
Ethan stared at the number, his brain refusing to process it at first.
Then it hit him.
One point five million.
1,500,000 in System Currency credit.
His face went pale.
His heart skipped a beat.
For a moment, he genuinely thought he was about to suffer a heart attack.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" he shouted aloud, his voice echoing faintly through the surroundings.
He already had over 500,000 Skill Points worth of debt.
And now—
Another 1.5 million System Currency debt had been added on top of that.
Ethan felt as though his heart was bleeding.
He staggered slightly and had to steady himself, taking deep breaths to calm down. It took him more than ten minutes to fully regain his composure.
After calming down, he forced himself to think rationally.
Annoying as the debt was, it was not meaningless.
If not for the System's timely assistance—if not for the restoration potions, the emergency purchases, and the instant recoveries—he would have been dead long ago.
No ordinary cultivator could have survived that battle.
The debt, as painful as it was, had saved his life.
"Debts can be cleared," Ethan muttered. "As long as I keep completing missions, I'll pay it all back eventually."
Still, he could not ignore the problem.
If the debts continued to grow uncontrollably due to unforeseen circumstances, things would become extremely troublesome in the future.
Ethan sighed deeply.
Once again, his thoughts turned toward his side professions.
Doctor.
Teacher.
And potentially others he had yet to unlock.
"These professions… they're not optional anymore," he thought seriously. "If I want to clear my debts and grow safely, I'll need every possible source of income."
But that was a problem for later.
Right now, there was only one thing that mattered.
The Soul God's Inheritance.
That was the entire reason he had come here in the first place.
He had already risked his life, accumulated massive debts, and nearly died multiple times. Turning back now was not an option.
Who knew what dangers still awaited him inside the mansion?
He did not know if he would be as lucky next time.
Taking a deep breath, Ethan steadied his mind and body. After making sure he was fully prepared, he turned toward the massive entrance of the palace.
This time—
No monster stood in his way.
No guardian blocked his path.
With firm steps and unwavering resolve, Ethan crossed the threshold.
He had finally entered the mansion.
And with it—
He stepped closer to the Soul God's Inheritance.