The path of the Soul Emperor

Chapter 8

After half a day's travel, Alex arrived near Norviar Town.

Though the town sprawled wide with its lively streets and bustling markets, Alex and Stella decided to remain outside its borders.

Alex stood there, a sword awkwardly strapped at his waist, while Stella watched him with a smirk.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked, catching her expression.

"Just at how bad you are with a sword," Stella chuckled, recalling how he'd almost cut himself a few moments earlier.

Alex frowned, ignoring her teasing as his mind shifted to what lay ahead.

Somewhere within these mountains was a defensive skill described in the subplots of the novel.

He knew it was here, but finding it would be the real challenge. From what he remembered, the entrance was hidden in a narrow crevice within a mountain – but which one?

There were five mountains stretching out in different directions, each veiled by dense forests and rugged paths.

"This is going to be a long day," he sighed. "I just hope I get lucky."

At the moment, Alex wore a cloth tied over his eyes.

The intense insights granted by his powers had overwhelmed him, making even sleep a challenge.

The cloth, infused with Arcane energy, served to dull his vision, giving him a rare moment of relief.

Removing it would allow him to scan the area quickly, but he feared the intensity of his insight too much to risk it.

You might wonder why Alex didn't simply create the skill instead of hunting it down.

The answer lay in his limited energy.

Casting new skills required an energy type that Arcane energy couldn't replace, and using Soul Essence increased the energy demand a hundredfold.

Even if he managed to create the skill, sustaining it with his current energy levels was impossible.

The defense skill hidden here, however, required no energy to activate and could withstand attacks from even the strongest powerhouses.

One by one, Alex searched the mountains.

The first was a dead end, as were the second, third, and fourth.

Dusk settled as he started up the fifth, casting long shadows across the forested slopes.

Stella walked beside him, her tone half-amused, half-annoyed.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" she asked as the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving only the faint light of the half-moon above.

The forest grew denser as they moved further from the town.

Alex gritted his teeth. "Just wait and see."

They finally reached the fifth mountain, where Alex scanned his surroundings intently.

Then, at last, he noticed a narrow crack in the rock face—a hidden entrance just wide enough for someone as slim as him.

He gestured to Stella. "Found it. Can you stay out here and keep watch?"

Stella examined the crevice with raised eyebrows. "Are you sure you can fit in there?"

Alex waved her off. "Just focus on guarding this spot."

"Fine," Stella agreed, glancing around with a wary expression. She had felt the unnerving sensation of being watched ever since they'd arrived. "But don't take too long."

Steeling himself, Alex carefully slipped through the crack, adjusting his muscles to fit through the narrow gap.

At the end of the passage, he found a staircase descending into the depths.

As he moved forward, the walls came alive with flickering flames, illuminating ancient runes etched into the stone.

Alex examined them, understanding their meaning to a degree.

"If I'd forced my way in," he muttered, "the whole structure might have collapsed."

After a few minutes, he arrived in a large hallway glowing with an intense green aura, the air thick with the essence of souls.

He could feel the weight of Soul Essence lingering here, almost like an echo of those who'd lived before.

A thought crossed his mind. 'Could I absorb this to stabilize my cultivation?'

[Warning! The system advises against absorbing the souls of others, as it could corrupt or damage your own soul. Focus on improving your soul naturally, Host.]

"Way to ruin a great idea," Alex sighed, though he showed no sign of disappointment.

Pushing on, he approached a set of doors flanked by two massive statues.

[LV 56] Knight [LV 51] Knight

The statues suddenly moved, their eyes gleaming as they raised swords and lunged at him.

In an instant, Alex was forced to react, barely managing to sidestep. With Soul spears appearing behind him and striking.

When he looked again, both statues had collapsed at his feet, but the encounter left him shaken.

"Too fast," he gasped, his breathing ragged.

"One second later, and I'd be dead." The realization of his own limits struck him hard. "What's the point of having all these skills if I could still die in a split second?"

He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "That's why I need this skill—though it comes with its own challenges. I really should work on my basic stats."

[The system suggests crafting equipment with available Arcane energy. Would you like to proceed?]

"Yes, please," Alex replied, regaining his focus as he approached the doors.

Opening them, he entered a chamber with a single glowing orb suspended at its center.

'How is the fusion progressing?' he asked mentally, observing the orb's shifting colors.

[The success rate is still only 10%, but compatibility between Mana and Arcane energy has reached 70%.]

Alex nodded, reaching out to touch the orb.

[Skill Acquired: Veil of Wind (SS Rank)]

{(SS) Veil of Wind} - This would protect him against almost any attack, even a full-strength strike from an SSS-ranked foe. However, it came with a significant drawback: for the skill to activate, user had to remain completely still, even holding his breath. Once the Veil shattered, it would take time to regenerate.

{Author's Note}

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