Ethan followed the route devised by the System without hesitation.
Even though the System itself admitted that the path was not guaranteed, Ethan trusted it more than his own instincts. So far, the System had never truly betrayed him—at worst, it had only pushed him into dangerous situations that ultimately strengthened him.
Still, he remained cautious.
Golden Immortal Mountain was no ordinary place. It was a land personally shaped by the Soul God, saturated with Soul Energy far denser than anything found in the Mortal World. If such a place contained treasures, then it would also contain dangers—dangers capable of killing him without warning.
As Ethan advanced, he could clearly feel a change in the atmosphere.
The Soul Energy in the surroundings grew thicker, purer, and heavier. It felt different from the faint traces he had sensed earlier. This time, the Soul Energy was so concentrated that it felt almost tangible, as if it were brushing against his skin with every step he took.
His Soul injury responded immediately.
The dull discomfort lingering deep within him began to ease, little by little. Even without checking the System panel, Ethan could feel that his recovery speed had increased.
This alone confirmed one thing.
He was heading in the right direction.
After moving cautiously for nearly thirty minutes, Ethan finally noticed something unusual ahead.
A faint white mist drifted upward from the ground, swirling gently like slow-moving clouds. At first glance, it appeared harmless—almost beautiful. But as Ethan drew closer, he felt his heart tighten.
The Soul Energy within that mist was unbelievably pure.
Even without touching it, Ethan could feel his Soul trembling slightly, as if instinctively craving whatever lay ahead.
"This must be it…" Ethan muttered under his breath.
As he took another step forward, the System's notification appeared once again.
[Soul Recovery Process: 29%]
Ethan froze.
The increase was immediate and drastic.
Earlier, hours of meditation had only raised his recovery to 9%. Yet now, merely approaching this place had boosted it by twenty percent in an instant.
His breathing quickened.
As he moved closer to the thick white fog, the recovery speed increased even further.
[Soul Recovery Process: 32%]
Ethan could no longer suppress his excitement.
The System's navigation finally came to an end.
[User has reached the destination. Ending navigation.]
"What…?" Ethan frowned slightly.
The destination?
This white fog?
The System had clearly identified this place as the Spirit Pool, but what Ethan saw in front of him was only a dense mist rising from the ground. There was no visible pool—no water surface, no basin, nothing that resembled what he had imagined.
Still, the System had never been wrong when it came to detection.
Ethan took a deep breath and began analysing the situation calmly.
"This fog must be originating from the Spirit Pool," he reasoned. "Which means the actual pool is below it."
Before taking any further steps, Ethan stopped himself.
He had already paid dearly for carelessness before. Rushing blindly into unknown territory was the fastest way to die in this world. The Soul God's resting grounds were not a place where one could afford mistakes.
"System," Ethan commanded, "scan the surroundings. Alert me immediately if there are any traps or hostile formations."
[Command Accepted]
[Scanning surroundings…]
[No traps or hostile formations detected within range.]
Ethan relaxed slightly but did not drop his guard.
He advanced slowly.
As soon as he stepped into the white fog, the sensation intensified. His entire body felt warm, as if immersed in a gentle current. His breathing became smoother, his thoughts clearer.
Then—
He saw it.
Beneath the fog lay a pool of crystal-clear water.
The water was completely colourless, yet it reflected a faint silver glow, as if moonlight itself had been condensed into liquid form. The surface was calm, undisturbed, and unnaturally pure.
Ethan stared at it in silence.
Even without touching it, he could tell—this was no ordinary pool.
This was undoubtedly the Spirit Pool.
The System's confirmation arrived almost instantly.
[Confirmed: Spirit Pool]
At the same time, Ethan noticed his recovery rate skyrocketing.
[Spirit Recovery Process: 61%]
His heart pounded violently.
More than half of his Spirit injury had healed simply by standing near the pool.
Ethan no longer hesitated.
He quickly removed his clothes and stepped into the Spirit Pool.
The moment his body submerged, a sensation beyond words washed over him.
It felt as if his soul itself had been plunged into pure cleansing light.
A deep, numbing tranquillity spread through his mind. Thoughts that once felt cloudy and disordered suddenly became sharp and clear. It was as if layers of invisible fog had been stripped away from his consciousness.
Ethan's mind felt… reborn.
Back on Earth, he had always struggled academically. He found it hard to concentrate, hard to understand lectures, hard to keep up with others. Even Shirley—who often teased him—had once called him slow-minded.
But now?
He felt that if he were to sit in a classroom again, he would comprehend everything instantly. Concepts that once felt complex now seemed laughably simple.
Ethan couldn't help but curse inwardly.
"Why wasn't there something like this on Earth…?"
But the thought faded quickly.
That world was no longer his concern.
He focused entirely on the present.
The Spirit Pool's water continued to seep into his body, entering his meridians, nourishing his Soul, strengthening it from the very core.
Ethan relaxed completely and allowed the process to continue naturally.
As time passed, the System's notifications appeared one after another.
[Soul Recovery Process: 96%]
Ethan opened his eyes slightly, watching the number climb.
Moments later—
[Soul Recovery Process: 100%]
[Congratulations to the User for fully recovering from Spirit injuries.]
Ethan exhaled deeply.
The lingering discomfort that had plagued him since the battle with the giant monster was completely gone. His mind felt light, refreshed, and extraordinarily clear.
Yet something strange happened.
Even after his Spirit had fully recovered, the Spirit Pool's energy continued flowing into his body.
Ethan frowned slightly.
"This isn't stopping…?"
Uncertain but cautious, he immediately issued a command.
"System, monitor my condition. Warn me immediately if I absorb more Soul Energy than my body can handle."
[Command Accepted]
Ethan had read countless stories where greed led to disaster. Overabsorbing energy beyond one's capacity often resulted in crippled cultivation—or death.
He valued his life too much to take such risks.
Yet, despite his caution, nothing bad happened.
Instead, a sudden sensation exploded within his mind.
It wasn't painful.
But it was intense.
A sharp, cracking feeling echoed deep within his consciousness, as if something had broken through an invisible barrier.
Ethan stiffened.
Then he felt it.
A new form of strength—subtle, yet unmistakable—had taken root within him.
Before he could analyse the sensation, the System's notification appeared.
[Congratulations to the User for achieving the first breakthrough in Soul Cultivation]
[Soul Energy has advanced due to the Spirit Pool's effects]
[Soul Cultivation Base: 1st Level of Elementary Stage]
Ethan's eyes widened.
He was speechless.
Without learning a single Soul Cultivation technique…
Without consciously training…
He had broken through.
The Spirit Pool had not only healed him—it had elevated him.
Ethan slowly clenched his fists beneath the shimmering water, his heart pounding with excitement.
This place…
This Soul God's resting ground…
It was far more terrifying—and far more valuable—than he had ever imagined.