Apocalypse Healer - Path of Death-Chapter 19B1 - Cultivation Replica

David’s fist, glowing with pristine light, smashed into an Infected’s skull, crushing it. The Infected collapsed to the ground, joining several more headless corpses that rested in peace nearby.

[Holy Touch] worked well against the Infected, but how would the pristine light fare against something that wasn’t undead?

For now, [Holy Touch] could coat any part of his body, augmenting it. However, the augmentation behaved differently than expected. When David’s fist, coated in [Holy Touch], struck the Infected, it met little resistance, shattering the skull with ease. [Holy Touch] seemed to weaken the Infected’s defenses, stripping away some of the undead’s characteristics.

David still struggled to grasp the full extent of [Holy Touch], but from what he’d seen, the pristine light seemed to purify the Infected, erasing whatever force had resurrected them. Around the impact area, the Infected’s skin charred as though burned, and at the same time, it seemed to retreat, almost as if it feared the light. How could that be possible? David didn’t know yet, but he had witnessed this phenomenon multiple times.

Why was leveling [Holy Touch] so difficult? It’s a Tier-1 Skill Rune, but still…

The bodies scattered around him barely registered in David’s mind—there were too many, and he couldn’t afford to dwell on them. He left the corpses on the narrow, empty street and returned to his temporary home. Climbing a small wall with practiced ease, he landed lightly in the backyard and continued his way inside

Once upstairs in the second-floor bedroom, David sat on the bed without hesitation and closed his eyes, letting his thoughts swirl.

The Holy Sea is still not locked. But defeating the Infected didn’t replenish the used-up holy power any faster. That means the energy doesn’t come from the monsters.

It hadn’t been long since David noticed [Holy Touch]’s greatest advantage—or at least, what he considered its greatest advantage. Activating [Holy Touch] opened his Holy Sea, channeling holy power into the Skill Rune. This was the case for all his Skill Runes, but with the others, the Holy Sea would ‘close’ as soon as enough power had been drawn to activate them. Not so with [Holy Touch]. The Holy Sea remained open for several minutes even after the skill’s effects faded.

David could always draw holy power from the Holy Sea, but when it was ‘locked,’ accessing it became a frustrating challenge he hadn’t fully figured out. What he couldn’t do with a locked Holy Sea, however, was insert holy power.

The Holy Sea replenished its energy quickly, but David noticed it recovered holy power even faster when he actively used his Skill Runes. Thus, he could recover more holy power whenever the Holy Sea was ‘open.’

The difference between an ‘open’ and a ‘locked’ Holy Sea still eluded him, but when the Holy Sea was open, the pathways connecting it to the rest of his body felt clear and accessible, making it easier to draw power.

Initially, David hadn’t thought much about this, but now he wondered where the energy to refill a Cleric’s Holy Sea or a Mage’s Mana Core came from. Surely it couldn’t generate a specific type of mythical energy out of nothing. That didn’t make sense.

Even if the Holy Sea generated holy power on its own, it must need some kind of input—some source of energy—to transform into holy power.

His first idea had been to fight a few Infected with [Holy Touch] active. Maybe defeating undead or magical creatures was the key, allowing him to absorb their energy.

It had been a good idea at its core, especially since it reminded him of a summer spent gaming. In those games, slaying enemies granted experience points or dropped energy for power-ups. Maybe magical creatures and undead left behind invisible particles of mythical energy his Holy Sea could convert into holy power.

It was a nice theory, but while his Holy Sea recovered power slightly faster during and after [Holy Touch] was active, there weren’t any sudden bursts of energy when he defeated the undead.

That was why David had returned to another idea.

The world hadn’t changed long, but it seemed like some people were changing: adapting: quickly, growing stronger by doing things aligned with their class. David couldn’t rule out the possibility that the world itself had fundamentally changed.

His Holy Sea never stopped producing holy power, meaning it must have access to the necessary ‘resources’ at all times. That thought pushed him to his second idea.

What if he replenished his holy power like cultivators in Xianxia stories restored their Qi? David didn’t know much about cultivation stories, but William and Basti had shown him a few in the past. He hadn’t finished any of them but remembered bits and pieces.

He hadn’t expected to recall so much from those old days, but if those fragments of gaming and cultivation stories could help him now, why not give it a shot?

Cultivators use the energy of Heaven and Earth to recover their dantian. Let’s replace the dantian with the Holy Sea and Qi used by cultivators with holy power to replicate their techniques.

It was unlikely to work, but even failure would provide more insight for future experiments.

The Holy Sea had to stay open to absorb energy—and there had to be energy out there. There was no ‘if’ about it. The energy had to come from somewhere.

But what if there was energy in the air or the ground? He couldn’t see or sense it. How was he supposed to channel it into his Holy Sea?

David thought about it for a moment, then sat cross-legged on the bed, closing his eyes to focus on his surroundings. He visualized the Holy Sea in his mind space but cast it aside with a thought. Taking a deep breath, he worked to clear his mind.

[Holy Touch]!

There was no need to waste time. He activated [Holy Touch] immediately, intending to cover his entire body in pristine light. Holy power drained rapidly from his Holy Sea, but as his intent reached the Skill Rune, something changed. The Rune trembled, and far more power than expected was siphoned from the Holy Sea.

Even then, David could tell he had failed. [Holy Touch]’s warmth engulfed his upper body, filling him with vigor, but the light stopped expanding.

He severed the flow of holy power to the Skill Rune and rubbed his temples, greeting the light headache forming at the back of his head.

It won’t work like this.

David nibbled on his lower lip and activated [Holy Touch] again. This time, however, he only coated his head in pristine light.

His eyes remained tightly shut as the rest of his body tried to perceive the energy in the surroundings. His theory might be wrong, but he believed in it.

Nothing happened at first. Time passed slowly, tormenting David as he focused intently on his desire to find something. It wasn’t until his remaining holy power had been used up that David recognized his mistake. He was too tense, forcing himself into the idea of finding something that was ‘probably’ somewhere around him.

He groaned in pain, his hand reaching up to wipe away the blood dripping from his nose.

“A short break…” he muttered, his voice tinged with exhaustion. “Just a short break. I’ll be ready again.”

He needed to replenish more holy power and wait for the headache to ease up before starting again. As he rested, David noticed something he should have realized much earlier.

“Why did I search for the unknown outside my body? Since the Holy Sea recovers holy power naturally, the resources used to produce holy power must already be inside me. Doesn’t that mean my body has already been absorbing some unknown energy—or whatever is used—to refill the Holy Sea?”

David’s first guess had been that the Holy Sea ‘opened’ and ‘closed’ whenever he activated Skill Runes because it was easier to control holy power during those times. But what if that sensation was related to his body accepting more of the unknown energy around him?

It was nothing more than a theory. Another theory, just like the rest of the thoughts, questions, and ideas forming in his mind. Still, it was worth considering.

Before activating [Holy Touch] again, David shifted his focus to the Holy Sea. This time, instead of looking straight at it, he examined the Holy Sea’s edges. He paid attention to the instances when holy power entered the reservoir, observing how it happened and what it felt like.

Holy power was warm and cozy. It purified, healed, and filled David with vigor. But there was more to it. Holy power was tied to the unknown energy in a way he hadn’t noticed before. They were connected and became part of the same construct only after the energy seeped into the Holy Sea.

As the headache eased, David’s focus sharpened. He spent the next thirty minutes exploring the connection between the Holy Sea and holy power, trying to understand how they interacted.

It seemed holy power wasn’t always warm and cozy. It changed gradually, becoming comfortable, purifying energy after entering the Holy Sea. Before that, it felt cold—but not unpleasant. This was the unknown David had been searching for.

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No wonder it was impossible to sense before… Holy power’s warmth overshadowed this—whatever it is.

David traced the tiny tendrils of energy, following them back to their origins and searching for ways to acquire more. A realization struck him as he observed them closely.

The thickest energy tendrils led to his hand, with the largest connecting to his right hand: the hand he’d used to smash the Infected’s heads.

It took him a while: it was already late at night when David opened his eyes again:, but he learned a great deal about the hundreds of tendrils attached to his Holy Sea. Some tendrils contained no energy, making them incredibly hard to perceive. However, once he knew what to look for, finding them became easier.

It’s far from perfect, but it’s getting better. One step at a time.

The system seemed to agree with his sentiment as an intriguing notification flashed before his eyes.

[The User discovered his body’s Energy Pathways and Aether within 24 hours of the integration!

Congratulations! The process of annexing Aether will come to you naturally for the next 48 hours.]

David’s eyes lit up as a wave of understanding crashed into him in waves. The tendrils connecting his Holy Sea to every part of his body weren’t random—they were Energy Pathways, intricate and essential. And the cold, unknown energy flowing through them? It was Aether—what he’d been searching for all along.

He sensed it with surprising ease—much more than he'd anticipated from the system's boon. That made everything easier. First, he focused on the Aether within him. Now, David understood what Aether was, where it could be found, and how it could be annexed. Annexing Aether felt instinctive, as though his body already understood the process.

Second, he felt a faint tingling sensation sweep across his skin, caressing him as if trying to garner his attention. The tingling grew stronger when unimpeded. Hesitating briefly, David stripped down to his underwear. Stripping in a strange bedwasn’t ideal, but it felt necessary.

Once the tingling sensation engulfed him, David activated [Holy Touch] again. Holy power surged swiftly to the Skill Rune before flowing into the targeted energy pathways. David chose the thickest pathways and channeled [Holy Touch] through them.

Time slowed to a crawl as the pristine light coursed through the pathways. Each moment felt interminable as the Aether within reacted drastically. It spread out, momentarily expanding the energy pathways and threatening to tear them apart. David winced, his concentration wavering as searing pain wracked him. Keeping his eyes closed, he focused on the Aether, watching it slowly stabilize.

As seconds trickled by, he sensed the Aether more intently. It appeared stable now, faintly glowing, but that was only the beginning. The Aether seemed to pull slightly, its temperature rising until it enveloped him in warmth.

The energy was mutating. As it passed through, it connected to [Holy Touch] and changed under its influence. Slowly but steadily, the Aether in the pathway transformed into holy power.

Is this what it means to annex Aether naturally?

David doubted it. The system boon might have made altering Aether inside him easier, but was that truly its purpose?

Sweat trickled down his temple as he reached out to the mutating Aether. It wasn’t as easy to control as holy power—which, for the record, still didn’t come naturally to him—but it was possible. Unlike natural Aether, David could grasp its mutated form.

Without trying anything elaborate, he channeled the mutated Aether closer to the Holy Sea. The Holy Sea pulled it in smoothly, absorbing it.

Interesting.

The Holy Sea seemed to tug on natural Aether, initiating the creation of holy power. Additionally, the mutating Aether reacted more strongly to its pull.

It’s not enough to pull mutated Aether into the Holy Sea instantly. But what would happen if [Holy Touch] were channeled through all the energy pathways or the ones with the largest Aether reserves?

It should be possible to shorten his natural recovery rate that way. His experiment wasn’t finished, but the thought made him grin from ear to ear. If everything worked as intended, he could refill his Holy Sea in an hour, maybe less. Assuming his energy pathways remained filled with Aether, of course.

David needed more than that. Relying solely on the natural Aether in his pathways felt too limiting. What if a fight dragged on and he needed more holy power, only for the pathways to be drained? There had to be a better solution.

He tried controlling [Holy Touch] more precisely, circulating it through multiple pathways instead of letting it coat his hands or other body parts. Sweat poured from his forehead as the same mind-splitting headache returned, and blood streamed from his nose. Yet his plan appeared to work.

The Aether in three of his pathways mutated. His Holy Sea was sucked dry, but the mutated Aether slithered toward it, filling it slowly.

Decent progress—a good start. Let’s keep going like this and—

His mind drifted. The splitting headache overwhelmed his willpower, making him black out.

***

David woke to sunlight spilling over the horizon. He hadn’t realized how exhausted he’d been, or that the headache would force him into a deep slumber.

How long…?

The second day of the Pantheon’s integration had already begun! He must have slept for half a day, maybe longer.

Leaving the house wasn’t an option. Quite the contrary—he only had roughly thirty hours left to experiment with the system’s boon.

“What a waste of time. Was it really necessary to knock me out before I finished the last experiment?!”

He cursed but quickly brightened as a notification blinked into view.

[Proficiency of Holy Touch reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 I → Tier-1 II]

Never mind. The experiment was totally worth it!

Clenching his fists tightly, a victorious smile bloomed on his lips. Controlling [Holy Touch] at his previous level should now be far easier. Any Infected would do well to avoid him!

After regaining his composure, he prepared a simple meal: a bottle of water and a can of tuna. It wasn’t gourmet by any means, but it filled him—after he emptied two cans.

The food will last me a week? Maybe eight days?

He shrugged lightly. There wasn’t any need to panic—yet—and began checking his energy pathways. A few moments later, his lips curled into a thin smile.

His pathways contained enough natural Aether to fill the Holy Sea once, maybe twice. Possibly more, depending on how his next experiments went.

Adjusting his position, he settled cross-legged on the bed, ready to dive back into his experiments. This time, instead of activating [Holy Touch], David circulated holy power manually through his pathways.

Controlling holy power manually proved to be several times harder than using [Holy Touch] to alter Aether. With [Holy Touch], his focus kept the Skill Rune active, and his intent guided the energy through the pathways. Manually channeling holy power demanded far more precision and effort.

Unlike [Holy Touch], this didn’t drain his holy power—a relief, given how quickly the Skill Rune exhausted him.

David circulated holy power through the energy pathways, attempting to alter the natural Aether. The process, however, felt less effective than he had hoped. The mutation progressed sluggishly, and his Holy Sea remained ‘locked,’ preventing the mutated Aether from entering too quickly.

He groaned, frustrated. While his recovery rate was faster than normal, it was nothing compared to [Holy Touch]’s raw efficiency.

“At least I know I can fill the Holy Sea faster than before, even without using [Holy Touch],” he muttered. That realization didn’t mean he would focus on this method, but it was useful knowledge, especially since it helped him refine his control over holy power.

He had to manage the holy power with extreme care, circulating it through his energy pathways without causing tears from the sudden influx of energy, all while monitoring several other factors. It required immense precision and a level of control he did not have yet.

Thus, increasing his mastery of holy power became his primary focus for the next few hours. The effort was mentally draining but less taxing than keeping his Skill Runes active all day—not that such a feat was even possible with his limited holy power.

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David tapped his fingers against the bed, impatience gnawing at him. He hated wasting time or energy. Once his Holy Sea brimmed with energy, he switched back to [Holy Touch], but this time, not to replenish holy power. Instead, David began another experiment.

Eager to test his theories further, he considered his energy pathways. He hadn’t bothered to count them yet but guessed there were at least several dozen—likely hundreds if the less conspicuous pathways were included. Their appearance frustrated him. They resembled atrophied muscles: fragile and prone to breaking when [Holy Touch] passed through them. But David had already accepted the danger. He embraced the thought of enduring unbearable pain for a chance to grow stronger.

The pathways held a strange fascination for him. They had to be activated; otherwise, they wouldn’t absorb or store Aether. Though he was still experimenting, he noticed a pattern: larger, more frequently used pathways seemed to hold more Aether than the rest. He likened them to muscles in need of intense training—destructive training, if necessary.

Tearing and damaging the pathways—within limits—might prove beneficial. Like muscles, minor tears could trigger the body’s natural recovery, strengthening the pathways and spurring growth.

Even if the theory failed, it posed no mortal danger. Being a Cleric, a Healer equipped with reliable Skill Runes, had its advantages.

He sent [Holy Touch] through the empty pathways, even though it wouldn’t replenish holy power immediately. The long-term benefits were the real appeal.

The first few circulations were excruciating, as though needles were threading through his veins. His attempts at channeling [Holy Touch] through the narrow, inactive pathways had been too rough, too rushed. Yet, no lasting damage occurred. Just as David had hoped, [Holy Touch] repaired the damage to the pathways as it happened.

Still, the process was agonizing. Time dragged on, every second stretching endlessly as the pain gnawed at him without mercy.

Now that [Holy Touch] was a higher rank, it was more efficient and potent. Circulating it through his body repeatedly became invigorating, fueling him in ways that felt almost life-altering. His once-atrophied pathways began to ‘activate,’ though his method of doing so still felt clumsy and unrefined. As the pathways awakened, more Aether settled into his body.

David could feel the natural Aether shifting subtly as [Holy Touch] coursed through it. The transformation was slow but noticeable. The mutation drained energy. Traces of [Holy Touch] merged into the natural Aether to initiate the mutation, but some seeped into the energy pathways, gradually nurturing them. While the process worked as intended, it consumed more holy power than David had expected.

Despite the strain, he felt exhilarated. The experience reminded him of the cultivation stories his friends had often raved about. It felt as though he’d been thrown into one of the novels they used to share with him. But this was no story. This was real—far more intense, far more thrilling.

Though he couldn’t expand his Holy Sea using this method, he could replenish his energy faster. For David, that was what mattered most.