The dense canopy of the Forsaken Forest pressed in, muting the already weak sunlight to a perpetual twilight. Luo Feng moved with a practiced caution, each step deliberate on the carpet of fallen leaves and gnarled roots. The air, thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying flora, was also laced with the faint, metallic tang of untamed spiritual energy, a tell-tale sign of the demon beasts that roamed these deeper sections. After reaching the peak of Foundation Building Stage Ten, the system had laid bare the monumental cost of breaking into the Golden Core Realm: a staggering one million spirit coins. Such a sum was beyond anything he could scavenge from the forest’s periphery or earn from low-level herb gathering. He needed a true hunt, targeting beasts potent enough to yield valuable materials, and those beasts resided here, deeper in the perilous woods.\n\nHis current goal was ambitious: several Foundation Building stage demon beasts. Their cores, hides, and unique organs could fetch a hefty price in the market towns far beyond the forest’s edge. His cultivation base, while robust for Foundation Building, was still merely a stepping stone. He wasn't invincible. The 'gentle soul' from Earth still recoiled at the thought of taking life, but the necessity of survival and progression in this brutal realm had begun to harden him, subtly but surely. The memory of his rapid ascent through Foundation Building, fueled by the system's 10x cashback, spurred him onward, a hunger for power now mingling with his innate desire for safety.\n\nA low growl rumbled through the undergrowth, sending a ripple of tension through Luo Feng. His spiritual senses, honed by countless practice sessions, flared, pinpointing the source. A pair of Earth-Rending Grizzlies, their shaggy forms blending seamlessly with the shadows, emerged from behind a cluster of ancient trees. These creatures were notoriously tough, their hides capable of shrugging off most Foundation Building cultivator attacks, and their claws could tear through stone as easily as flesh. This was exactly what he sought – a challenging quarry, and a profitable one. He took a deep breath, drawing on the spiritual energy that pulsed within his meridians, and prepared for battle. \n\nThe fight was a grueling dance of evasion and precise strikes. Luo Feng, utilizing the basic movement techniques he had acquired, darted around the charging Grizzlies, avoiding their crushing paws and snapping jaws. His spiritual energy coalesced into a sharp, piercing attack, targeting the vulnerable points he’d learned about in ancient beast lore scrolls – the eyes, the soft underside of their bellies, the subtle spiritual nodes near their spines. He moved like a shadow, a blur of motion, a stark contrast to the lumbering, brute force of the beasts. One grizzly roared in pain as a concentrated burst of spiritual energy struck its flank, tearing through its thick fur. The creature stumbled, giving Luo Feng an opening. With a focused mental command, he unleashed a torrent of spiritual energy, channeling it into a single, devastating palm strike directly to its chest. The grizzly shuddered, then collapsed, a cloud of dust rising around its massive form. \n\nThe second grizzly, enraged by its companion's demise, lunged with renewed ferocity. Luo Feng met its charge, not with avoidance, but with a calculated risk. He parried a claw swipe with a reinforced arm, the impact jarring him to the bone but holding firm, then retaliated with a flurry of precise, rapid strikes, aiming for the same weak points. Sweat beaded on his brow, his muscles screaming, but the image of that one million coin goal, and the Golden Core Realm beyond, pushed him past the pain. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the second beast, too, fell, its life force draining away into the forest floor.\n\nExhausted but exhilarated, Luo Feng carefully harvested the most valuable parts: the two glistening spirit cores, the durable hides, and several internal organs rich with spiritual essence. The task was messy, grim, and utterly unlike anything he’d ever imagined himself doing, yet a strange sense of accomplishment settled over him. He spent the next few days repeating the process, tracking, fighting, and harvesting. Each encounter was a test, pushing his limits, refining his combat prowess, and slowly, painstakingly, accumulating a trove of precious materials. By the time he decided he had enough, his clothes were torn, his body ached, but his spiritual awareness had sharpened considerably. He had killed eight Foundation Building stage demon beasts, a feat that would make many veteran cultivators pause.\n\nLeaving the perilous depths of the Forsaken Forest, Luo Feng made his way to a bustling market town, a place called Silverstream City, several days' journey away. Here, the raw materials he carried were eagerly sought after by alchemists, artificers, and even other cultivators. He cautiously navigated the crowded stalls, eventually finding a reputable merchant known for fair dealings. The haggling was intense, the merchant, a wizened old man with shrewd eyes, trying to drive down the prices, but Luo Feng, remembering stories of Earthly marketplaces, held his ground. He knew the value of his goods, and after a tense negotiation, the deal was struck. A heavy pouch, clinking with the unmistakable sound of spirit coins, was placed in his hands.\n\nOne million spirit coins. Exactly what he needed. Luo Feng found a secluded inn room, his heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and disbelief. He had done it. He immediately brought up the system interface. \n\n"System, breakthrough to Golden Core Realm!" he commanded, a tremor in his voice. \n\nThe familiar chime sounded. "Confirm expenditure of 1,000,000 Spirit Coins for Golden Core Realm breakthrough?" \n\n"Confirm!" \n\nA golden light enveloped him, warm and invigorating. His spiritual sea, which had felt like a vast ocean at Foundation Building Stage Ten, now began to churn, condensing inward, solidifying. His meridians pulsed with an immense, purified energy, a stark contrast to the more fluid spiritual energy of earlier realms. The process was swift, intense, and utterly transformative. When the light subsided, Luo Feng opened his eyes, feeling an undeniable, profound change. He was no longer merely a Foundation Building cultivator. He was a Golden Core cultivator. The air around him seemed clearer, the spiritual energy of the world more accessible, more vibrant.\n\nThen, another system prompt appeared, entirely unexpected. \n\n"Congratulations, Host! You have achieved your first major realm breakthrough by investing a significant sum. As a reward for reaching the Golden Core Realm, the Supreme Cultivation System has undergone an upgrade! All future spiritual investments will now yield a 100x return!"\n\nLuo Feng stared, his mind struggling to process the words. One hundred times? Not ten, but a hundred? He re-read the notification, his eyes wide. This was… insane. A game-changer of epic proportions. He had barely gotten used to the 10x cashback, and now this? It was almost too good to be true. He quickly checked his current balance. After the Golden Core breakthrough, he had no spirit coins left, but his cultivation points were at 0.\n\nHe had an idea. He had already acquired the initial Golden Core, but to reach higher stages, he would need more cultivation points. The system had just told him *all future spiritual investments*. Did that include investing spirit coins directly into cultivation points? He quickly confirmed this suspicion when he saw the option on his system interface: "Convert Spirit Coins to Cultivation Points (1 Spirit Coin = 1 Cultivation Point)".\n\nWith a surge of excitement, Luo Feng thought, "System, invest 10,000 Spirit Coins into cultivation points!" Even though he didn't have the coins, he wanted to see the prompt.\n\nThe system chimed. "Investment of 10,000 Spirit Coins detected. Due to 100x return feature, you will receive 1,000,000 Cultivation Points." \n\This was it. The ultimate cheat. He had gone from painstakingly accumulating 10x returns to a hundredfold. This meant that every one million spirit coins invested would return one hundred million cultivation points. With the amount he had just spent on his Golden Core breakthrough, he would have ascended dozens of stages within Foundation Building. He looked at the next cultivation stage after Golden Core Stage One. It showed 50,000 cultivation points needed. He could gain that in an instant with a mere 500 spirit coins, which would then refund him 50,000 cultivation points. The potential was boundless.\n\nHe immediately reinvested the system's generated cultivation points into his Golden Core cultivation. \n\n"Invest 50,000 Cultivation Points!" \n"Golden Core Stage One -> Golden Core Stage Two! 100x return: 5,000,000 Cultivation Points generated!" \n"Invest 100,000 Cultivation Points!" \n"Golden Core Stage Two -> Golden Core Stage Three! 100x return: 10,000,000 Cultivation Points generated!"\n\nThe notifications flashed, a blur of progress. His Golden Core pulsed, growing denser, brighter, more powerful with each rapid advancement. The sensation was exhilarating, intoxicating. He felt his spiritual essence surge, his control over his newfound power expanding exponentially. \n\nStage after stage, he ascended, the previous limitations of slow cultivation a distant, laughable memory. The system's 100x return meant he was essentially generating an endless supply of cultivation points as long as he had the initial seed investment. Within moments, what would have taken decades for a genius cultivator, or centuries for an ordinary one, was accomplished. \n\n"Golden Core Stage Ten achieved!" the system announced. \n\nLuo Feng took a shaky breath. His body was alight with power, his Golden Core radiating an almost blinding brilliance within him. He was at the pinnacle of the Golden Core Realm, an apex predator in this stage, ready for the next monumental leap. He checked his cultivation points: tens of millions, accumulated from the reinvestments. He looked at the cost for the Nascent Soul Realm. \n\n"Nascent Soul Realm breakthrough requires 2,000,000 Spirit Coins or 200,000,000 Cultivation Points." \n\nHe smiled, a genuine, wide smile that reached his eyes. He had more than enough cultivation points to bypass the spirit coin cost entirely. With the 100x return, he could easily break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, and likely every subsequent realm up to the Mahayana Realm, provided he could find the initial trigger investment for each. The true cost of his power was becoming clearer: a small, initial outlay of wealth, then the system would handle the rest, transforming that investment into an avalanche of cultivation. The Forsaken Forest, once a source of terror and scarcity, had become the crucible that forged his Golden Core, and now, a gateway to unimaginable power.

Chapter 4: The Golden Path and a Hundredfold Blessing