Free Web NovelChapter 457: Chapter 251: Demon Core Experiment; The Soul Gathering Stele Promotes
Immediately after, the boar’s body began to undergo a visible transformation. Its once-obese frame rapidly slimmed down as it grew taller, muscles bulging beneath its skin. It had the head of a pig, a black face, short bristles, a long snout, and large ears! Its tusks were also lengthening, looking increasingly ferocious.
But what shocked Cheng Zongyang was that its body was mutating, its pig trotters gradually changing into human hands and feet!
Watching the boar grow from 1.4 or 1.5 meters to about two meters tall, a fierce and terrifying pig’s head now attached to a strong, muscular human body, a name surfaced in Cheng Zongyang’s mind—Zhu Ganglie!
"ROAR!!"
Just as Cheng Zongyang was about to appraise its information, the Pig Demon had already charged at him.
’Did it just evolve directly into a Demon?’
Cheng Zongyang muttered unhurriedly. Then, with a thought, a tyrannical wave of Mind Power enveloped the creature, instantly freezing it in place.
Inside the marketplace hut, he was essentially invincible. As long as a target’s strength could be suppressed by the hut, it could not cause any trouble.
Seeing the Pig Demon’s blood-red eyes, trapped in a furious rage but unable to move an inch, Cheng Zongyang knew the creature had lost its mind. He immediately used his appraisal ability on it.
——
[Pig Demon]
Description: An ordinary wild boar that underwent a bloodline Mutation after devouring a Demon Core. Its Soul could not withstand being devoured by the backlash from the demon soul within the Demon Core, and was thus possessed, evolving into a Pig Demon.
Tier: Tier One
Abilities: Frenzy; Copper Skin and Iron Bones; Earth Spike Technique;
——
The simple description was exactly as Cheng Zongyang had expected. It had indeed mutated into a Demon.
He stepped closer. Gazing at the pig’s head, Cheng Zongyang had another thought, and the Soul Gathering Stele on the first floor vanished, reappearing on the fourth.
Without hesitation, Cheng Zongyang swung his Tang Blade. The pig’s head flew into the air, and blood gushed from the neck like a fountain.
Cheng Zongyang retrieved an empty medicinal barrel from the fifth floor and collected all the blood, not wanting to let it go to waste.
Finally, he stared intently at the Soul Gathering Stele, waiting to see if it would absorb the Pig Demon’s Divine Soul.
[You have slain a Tier One Demon Beast. Points +100.]
Hearing the notification about the Points, Cheng Zongyang paused for a moment before understanding. The Pig Demon was now completely dead.
’An ordinary beast is worth one Point, an Exotic Beast is ten, and this Tier One Demon Beast is a hundred. It seems killing higher-Level Demon Beasts will grant even more Points.’
After a brief thought, Cheng Zongyang didn’t dwell on it.
Just then, he saw the information on the Soul Gathering Stele begin to change.
A moment later, new information appeared.
——
Soul Gathering Stele
Tier: Low Grade Magical Artifact
Yin Realm: 5 km
Quantity: 1/10 (Divine Souls)
Function: Bewitching Array Level 1;
Other: At Will;
Controller: Cheng Zongyang
——
Reading the new information on the Soul Gathering Stele, Cheng Zongyang’s eyes grew brighter as he quickly examined the two new functions.
A moment later, he was overjoyed.
The Bewitching Array, now fused with the Yin Realm, was far more powerful than before. It trapped enemies by confusing their senses and perception and also had an Illusion Technique effect that could stun the mind. However, it had lost its Soul Capture effect and no longer amplified a target’s passions and desires.
Its primary functions were now to bewilder and trap! As for its exact power—whether it could even trap an Innate Powerhouse—he would have to find an opportunity to test it. But in his opinion, it was definitely stronger than before.
As for the "At Will" ability, this was a new function that came with becoming an Extraordinary Item. It didn’t mean it could change arbitrarily, but rather that it could grow or shrink in size and be controlled at his will.
Instantly, with a flick of his will, the Soul Gathering Stele on the floor flew up, transforming into a brick-sized stone slab and landing in his hand.
’Heh, a Powerful Flying Brick!’ Cheng Zongyang couldn’t suppress the grin spreading across his face.
Now, he could control a Magical Artifact even without having Extraordinary Cultivation himself. With this, he wouldn’t need any other weapons.
He even pictured a future where a dozen or so of these bricks circled around him, ready to rain down and smash his enemies to a pulp.
’I need to buy more Demon Cores!’
Cheng Zongyang sent the Pig Demon’s corpse and blood to the fifth floor for Zhang Jinquan to use. He then shrank the Soul Gathering Stele to the size of a fingernail and held it in his palm.
Even though it had shrunk, its Weight was unchanged. It had a nice, solid heft to it.
On the first floor, Luo Dingran saw Cheng Zongyang descend with a broad smile and knew the experiment had been a success. He immediately clasped his hands in salute. "Congratulations, my lord, on achieving your goal."
Cheng Zongyang couldn’t hide his grin. "It’s better than I expected. We need to buy more Demon Cores. Also, make a note: add Demon Cores to our list of sought-after items. They can be used to upgrade the Soul Gathering Stele’s Grade, or to cultivate Exotic Beasts and Demon Beasts!"
"Yes, my lord," Luo Dingran replied.
Next, Cheng Zongyang sat on a wooden stool and picked up the book, the *Collection of Heretical Dao*. The title alone told him what kind of knowledge it contained.
Luo Dingran sent the Soul Slave at the door to fetch Zhang Jinquan, then returned to his work.
Cheng Zongyang scanned the table of contents with curiosity. As he began to read, he discovered that the "heretical paths" mentioned here were not simple, crude tricks lacking any real cultivation method. This collection referred to the unorthodox side paths of actual Cultivation.
There weren’t many, only eighteen in total.
He began to flip through it, and soon, he found himself captivated by the contents.
These included: the Furnace and Cauldron Method for Yin Yang Replenishment and Yang Absorption and Yin Compensation; the Enchanting Technique for Enchanting Soul Control; the Puppetry Technique for Corpse Refining and Control; the Witchcraft and Gu Method for Gu Cultivation; the Blood Sacrifice Cultivation Method for Blood Collection and Soul Nourishment; the Paperman Technique for Paper Spirit Capturing, and so on.
While waiting for the consigned items to sell, Cheng Zongyang wasn’t in a hurry. He sat and took his time learning about these eighteen heretical paths, which covered everything from enhancing one’s Cultivation to combat and control.
He found each method to be somewhat cruel, but he was undeniably drawn to their described effects.
There’s a saying: "As the Dao rises one foot, the devil rises ten." Turning to the dark side makes you ten times stronger; becoming a full-fledged demon makes you a hundred times stronger.
While these heretical methods were heinous, cruel, and inhumane, the power they offered was truly astonishing. Of course, they also came with numerous side effects.
Each technique was described in meticulous detail, practically a step-by-step guide.
Finally, Cheng Zongyang’s gaze landed on the Enchanting Technique.
This Secret Technique was excellent for controlling people. He had previously purchased ten Enchanting Talismans for that very purpose.
It was why he no longer feared the Li Family and was confident he could firmly and completely control the County Town. It was just a matter of waiting for the right moment.
Now that he had the even stronger Enchanting Technique, disposable items like the Enchanting Talisman, which only lasted for a year, seemed inferior. Of course, Talismans had their own benefits—namely, a lack of major side effects.
Once the Enchanting Technique was successfully used, the effect was little different from that of a Soul Slave. Of course, the side effect was irreversible damage to the victim’s Soul. With luck, they might only develop a mental illness. Without it, they would be driven completely insane.
’I can try this out when I have time. Now that I have the Soul Gathering Stele, my plan to take sole control of the County Town is even more complete.’
A new plan was already forming in Cheng Zongyang’s mind.
"My lord." Just then, Zhang Jinquan, having just finished refining a furnace of Martial Arts Elixirs, hurried over.
Pulled from his thoughts by Zhang Jinquan’s voice, both Cheng Zongyang and Luo Dingran turned to look at the doorway.
"You’re here," Cheng Zongyang said with a smile. "I have three types of elixirs for you to examine. This one in particular, a Lifespan Extension Pill. See if you can figure out its formula."
As he spoke, he handed a Pill Bottle labeled "Lifespan Extension Pill" to Zhang Jinquan, who accepted it solemnly with both hands.
After appraising the pill and checking its information, Zhang Jinquan took it out of the bottle and activated his Antidote Talent.
A moment later, with beads of sweat on his forehead, Zhang Jinquan clasped his hands toward Cheng Zongyang and said guiltily:
"My lord, I am ashamed. I cannot fully analyze it yet. I have only managed to identify three of the ingredients: a three-hundred-year-old ginseng, a one-hundred-year-old Red Jade Ganoderma, and a one-hundred-year-old Water Spirit Grass. The rest are still beyond my ability to discern."
Hearing this, Cheng Zongyang was actually pleased. "Excellent, excellent. The fact that you can analyze it at all is what matters. You’ve seen how valuable it is, so be careful with it."
Zhang Jinquan placed the Elixir back in the bottle and capped it. "Rest assured, my lord. I have already moved all important elixirs to the fifth floor. In the future, when the space expands, my alchemy workshop and research area will also be moved to the fifth floor. That will provide better protection for the efficacy of various prepared Medicinal Materials, medicinal liquids, and other precious experimental substances."
Cheng Zongyang smiled. "Don’t worry. As soon as I have enough Points, expanding the fifth floor will be my first priority. I’ll make sure you have a better laboratory."
"Thank you, my lord!" Zhang Jinquan said, his voice filled with excitement.
Not many items on the consignment board were left unsold; most of them were sold individually.
Only the Red Blood Pills were selling by the dozens, and they were set to be the first product to sell out completely.
The Red Blood Pills were truly hot-ticket items!
Once his Points surpassed twenty thousand, he bought two more Demon Cores, intending to save them to upgrade his other two Soul Gathering Steles.
Next, he refreshed the marketplace, and nine new items appeared.
