Yuan Ren decided to cultivate now since he had already hunted all of the low-level corrupted beasts in the outer area. The Death Forest, where he was located, was part of the outer area and consisted of the lowest level corrupted beasts. However, he knew that there were inner and deeper areas of the forest, which housed more powerful corrupted beasts. Yuan Ren was curious about the Death Forest and its inhabitants, so he asked the system for more information.
"System, tell me about the Death Forest. Who rules over the outer area?" Yuan Ren inquired.
"Ding... The Death Forest is divided into three sectors: outer, inner, and depths. The outer area, where you are currently located, is home to the lowest level corrupted beasts. As for the ruler of the outer area, it is the Silver Wolf King," the system responded.
Yuan Ren was intrigued by this information. The Silver Wolf King held dominion over the outer area, which meant that it was a formidable opponent. However, Yuan Ren was determined to test his strength and challenge the Silver Wolf King. He knew that defeating such a powerful beast would greatly enhance his cultivation.
With newfound motivation, Yuan Ren prepared himself for the upcoming battle. He focused his mind and channeled his qi, trying to reach a state of harmony and balance. However, after a minute of attempting to circulate his qi, he frowned and realized that something was wrong.
"W-whaat? I can't cultivate! Why can't I revolve my qi?" Yuan Ren exclaimed, a sliver of panic and shock evident in his eyes.
"System, what is this? Why can't I cultivate? Am I destined to spend my entire life eating these beast meats just to get stronger?" Yuan Ren asked furiously, seeking answers.
"Ding... The cultivation system in this world differs from your previous world. Here, cultivators harness a force known as 'God force' instead of 'Qi.' To cultivate God force, one must first form a soul core by merging their mind and soul," the system explained.
The revelation left Yuan Ren blinking in surprise. He now understood that he needed to fuse his mind and soul to form a soul core and unlock the power of God force. Determined to overcome this obstacle, Yuan Ren once again sat in a crossed-legged position and delved deep into his soul and mind, attempting to merge them into a harmonious whole.
Time seemed to lose its meaning as Yuan Ren immersed himself in the process of fusing his mind and soul. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into a month, yet he persevered, never giving up on his goal. Finally, after weeks of relentless effort, Yuan Ren reached a critical stage in the fusion process, marked by a deep frown on his face.
Another week passed, and Yuan Ren, with his long white hair and white robe, remained seated with his eyes closed. A dim, multicolored light enveloped him, gradually growing brighter as time went on. The intensifying light signified that Yuan Ren was nearing the peak of fusing his soul core.
Then, after what felt like an eternity, the multicolored light erupted into its brightest radiance. Yuan Ren had successfully formed his soul core. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and a sliver of joy danced within them.
"Ding... Congratulations on successfully forming your soul core. Now, you can embark on true cultivation," the system announced.
Yuan Ren smiled proudly, patting his chest with satisfaction. "Oh ho? What can you say now? I'm excellent, aren't I? Forming my soul core turned out to be a piece of cake!" he exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. If anyone had witnessed his joyous expression, they might have
thought he was slightly mad.
"Ding... You have quite the nerve to boast, considering it took you two whole months to form your soul core. Many prodigies achieve this feat within a week," the system retorted, clearly looking down on Yuan Ren's progress.
Yuan Ren wanted to refute the system's comment, but a sudden wave of hunger interrupted his thoughts. Realizing that he hadn't eaten since he began cultivating, he forcefully suppressed his hunger and scanned his surroundings for food. However, all he could see were piles of bones, remnants of his previous hunts.
With no other choice, Yuan Ren turned to the system for assistance. He asked where he could find food in the Death Forest since he hadn't explored the area thoroughly, spending most of his time sleeping and hunting within a short radius of his location.
"Ding... The Silver Wolf King is the only beast that remains in the outer area of Death Forest. It can be a potential source of food for you," the system replied.
Yuan Ren's hope flickered for a moment as he contemplated the daunting task of confronting the Silver Wolf King, an Awakened God-level beast at its peak, while he himself was only at the Early Awakened God level.
"System, what are the chances of defeating the Silver Wolf King with my current strength?" Yuan Ren inquired, hoping for a glimmer of hope.
"Ding... There is a 20% chance of victory, depending on your skills. The system can provide assistance during the battle," the system responded.
Taking a risk, Yuan Ren decided to face the challenge. He asked the system to guide him to the Silver Wolf King's dwelling. Picking up a stone, he transformed it into a sword and followed the arrow displayed above his head, leading him to a cave adorned with countless strange markings.