The path of the Soul Emperor

Chapter 12

Alex drank some water as Stella rested against a tree behind him, clearly asleep from exhaustion. Lisa had been a good teacher—tough, powerful, and relentless. Though her abilities were formidable, Alex's unique skill to affect souls allowed him to keep up with her.

Later, they all went to bathe, with Alex on one side and the girls on the other. Relaxing in the hot spring, he closed his eyes and looked at the status screen in front of him.

[Swordsmanship Lv20] – Peak Novice Realm

{Further growth requires a manual.}

[Arcane Mana Control Lv32]

His control over arcane energy grew so rapidly that even Lisa was surprised at how well he absorbed everything she taught. Over the two weeks, his stats didn't advance much, but there was still some progress.

[Arcane Energy: 140]

Without delay, he upgraded his meridians.

[Ding!! Meridians Upgraded]

[Arcane Meridians Tier 2 - You can now cultivate 50 Arcane energy per day. 1,000 Arcane energy needed for the next upgrade.]

[Skill Creation…]

{(E+) Fury} – An unknown rage takes hold, boosting all stats by 30% except for Charm. Requires 10 Arcane mana per second. 100 Arcane energy needed for upgrade.

Alex opened his eyes and saw Stella, who had approached the water. Her tall, muscular figure glowed with allure, and her eyes were filled with a hunger he recognized. Without a word, Alex used his Arcane mana to pull her close.

"My beautiful Orc, what brings you here?" he asked, his voice thick with desire. Even he couldn't fully control his own lust as he held her firmly, tracing her strong, warrior-like form with his hands.

"We Orcs have a natural instinct to claim the strongest male for ourselves," Stella replied, climbing on top of him as their bodies pressed close. "What do you think brought me here?"

"Then you'll always be mine," Alex said.

"I always was," Stella murmured.

The night was filled with passion, while Lisa only listened from afar.

Later, Lisa lay on a tree branch, gazing at the starry sky, as Stella slept under a tree, holding Alex close. Alex carefully untangled himself from Stella's embrace, ensuring she stayed asleep. Dual cultivation would intensify their connection by tenfold, merging their very souls, but it came with a high birth rate. If he didn't absorb the essence generated, Stella could become pregnant.

Approaching Lisa, Alex asked, "So, what help do you need?"

"You haven't fully healed my spirit," Lisa complained softly.

Alex smiled, leaning against the tree, and looked up at the beautiful elf perched on the branch above him. "Your spirit saved your life, you know."

He paused before explaining, "The being you faced had the rare ability to affect souls—a nearly unheard-of power. That energy corrupted you from within, and your spirit fused with your soul to act as a shield."

Lisa rested her head on her knees. "What would have happened if you hadn't helped?"

"Your spirit would have either died or been corrupted by that energy, which seemed like Demonic Mana to me. So, what kind of demon did you face that has such an ability?" Alex questioned, wanting to know the full story before stepping into enemy territory.

"It was a demon warrior, but a weakened one. It must have fought a hero and barely survived, leaving it weakened to B- rank. I thought I could kill it, but things didn't go as planned," Lisa admitted.

Alex frowned. "The truth, please."

His tone was commanding, and Lisa felt compelled to comply. Sighing, she continued, "Sometimes, I wish you wouldn't ask questions. This demon had awakened a Demon Lord Seed, and I wanted it."

"So, you're trying to become a Demon Lord? Or is there another reason?" Alex asked.

"I'd rather keep that to myself," Lisa said.

Alex nodded thoughtfully. "A demon with a Demon Lord Seed that can corrupt souls—that's troublesome." He wasn't truly afraid, though, as soul corruption wouldn't work on him, and he could even gain insights from it.

"How far has it recovered its power?" he asked.

"It should still be at B rank, and if it reaches A or higher, we'll retreat," Lisa assured him.

"Alright, then. We have a deal. But I have one more request—let's bring some adventurers with us into the forest."

"For what purpose?" Lisa asked, curious.

Alex smirked, glancing at Stella. "There are some stubborn orcs that need to be dealt with, and their help would be most useful." His eyes flashed with intensity, and Lisa felt the surrounding space briefly twist and distort, a phenomenon only someone with her heightened senses would notice.

"Also, there's a weapon I'm looking for. Before we kill the demon, I want to find it," Alex added, moving back toward Stella.

He carefully returned to Stella's embrace, kissing her forehead. Lisa watched with a faint smile. "What a loving person."