Chapter 131: I’m Terrifyingly Strong Now!
The Tiger Demon slept for a full three days.
Due to the powerful shielding (Heavenly Mechanism) effect inherent to the Shadow Dream Hole, Cicada City failed to track all the way here. Instead, they focused their energy on repairing the Holy Cough Crack, and by the way, began cleaning up the shadows and Holy Light Pollution spreading throughout the city.
Meanwhile, Animal Husbandry Village, which implemented the monarch offline system, continued to operate in an orderly manner… There was no need for Yuan Zhu to micromanage and affect the construction progress.
When the Tiger Demon comfortably opened its eyes, an unprecedented sense of power and expansion surged into its heart together. It had the illusion that it was already invincible in the world!
When reason came back online, it carefully examined the changes in the Boss Template and finally reached a conclusion: itself had truly gotten stronger, and stronger beyond words.
The range of Shadow Manipulation 1 was broader, the controlled Shadow Pollution was more massive, and the mastery was even more precise and meticulous.
The quota for Ghost Companion 2 had exploded once again, and within its own shadow, it could bind and contain more cannon fodder or elite monsters.
The exoskeleton strength, defense, and power amplification brought by Claw 3 had all increased several times. Especially after it refined the Magic Worm into a Tiger Companion, the supernatural information from the Shadow Insect Shell (Unyielding Pride) was gradually absorbed by Claw.
Ghost Companion supernatural ability could absorb Yellow Springs Aura to refine Ghost Companions; Universe Within The Belly could copy the spatial data of Holy Seal. Sanctuary; then Claw (Bone Armor), which had extremely high overlap, could naturally also learn from Insectoid Armor Casting.
Moreover, the Shadow Magic Worm was originally a Ghost Companion, an inseparable part of the Tiger Demon’s sacred whole!
Summon Wind 4 showed no changes, and it still hadn’t refined any wind-type polluting energy to help the innate divine ability upgrade.
Universe Within The Belly 5, with repeated devouring, digestion, and absorption, had its internal volume expanded accordingly, spatial strength improved, and refinement efficiency enhanced.
The final Shadow Domain 6 appeared to have no major changes. Because this innate divine ability had always been in gray (unavailable) state, fully relying on the Shadow Dream Hole to activate it in advance.
Now, this ultimate innate divine ability had finally awakened naturally. The Tiger Demon had formally comprehended that it no longer needed to rely on the Shadow Dream Hole, and could rely on its own strength to refine genuine Human Pillar, construct Shadow Domain, and temper the formula for its private territory.
…
Unfortunately, since the Boss Template was an otherworldly object, not a mature supernatural system like Holy Light, Kunlun, or Yellow Heaven, it lacked a systematic measurement standard, so it also didn’t know exactly how strong it was now.
It could only ask Little Spicy Stick for help: “Snake Snake, compare it to the data of the original Tiger Demon Spiritual Root in the Immortal Scripture, what level am I at now? How much have I enhanced? Give me an estimate.”
Spicy Stick: “Got it! Looking purely at the numbers on paper, Boss, your overall strength has at least quadrupled! Using the Great Desolation Immortal Scripture standard for the Immortal Path Universe, it should be II level. Converted to xianxia novel terms, I think you’re at least a Foundation Establishment Stage great demon. Of course, specific combat power outbreak is far beyond mere quadruple. Even without this sleep evolution, just with Holy Cough Blast, you could still be invincible in the world!”
The Tiger Demon nodded deeply in agreement, expressing approval: “Well said, keep it up in the future!”
On the left and right sides of the Snake Tail, two non-existent shadow little arms grew out, pushing up non-existent goggles, and analyzed: “Due to your Human Stance (Holy Light) not yet having entered the door (Seal Casting + Soul Crystal), I’m lacking accurate magnitude data from Du Ling Star (Seed, Gate), so I can only make a simple guess. If you return and use the current Tiger Demon Stance in the present world, you’ll inevitably face suppression and rejection from Du Ling! You’ll feel intense ‘sinking and collapse (Ascension Impulse)’.”
“Even if you actively give up resisting the world, you might be integrated (trapped) into the Shadow Layer. Within the current Bubble World, your control over the Shadow Domain is stronger and deeper. At the same time, your connection to the Shadow Layer is also tighter.”
Hearing Little Spicy Stick’s physical data, the Tiger Demon also tried calling upon the Shadow Domain.
This time, it chose to shield and break free of the blessing brought by the Shadow Dream Hole, relying solely on the innate divine ability Shadow Domain for manipulation, successfully summoning a ‘interface menu’ in its mind, constructed by the Data Soul Program, mapping the real-world Animal Husbandry Village.
In the new interface, it observed the camp’s ‘virtual map (array diagram)’, the core Shadow Dream Hole, and the peripheral hub Worm Pillars. At the same time, the actions of numerous new residents were also mapped in the virtual map.
This was the true form of the Tiger Demon! Relying entirely on the Shadow Dream Hole invested by the World Will to operate and manage the camp lacked the demeanor of a ruler, and was clearly just a worker/agent.
Now, it directly controlled and managed the Domain via its innate divine ability, even controlling the Shadow Dream Hole, securing dominance.
…
In the Tiger Demon’s perception, the current camp’s Earth Rank employees had broken through to 34, all backbone members. Before its secluded cultivation sleep, there were originally 25. The additional 9 were recruited (recommended) after it fell asleep, each diligently working, installing Tube Worms for the already shadowified Root Network, purifying and releasing polluting spiritual energy.
The number of Human Rank residents had broken through the double-digit mark, reaching 121 people. More than half were dazed, malnourished orphans with awe in their eyes.
They behaved obediently, staying in the ‘breeding room’, receiving guidance from the Little Girl, seriously practicing breathing exercises, refining Insect System true qi. Each had 30 juvenile Mao worms, nurturing the Original Mao Shi Worm and gene-mutated Shadow Yuan Shi Worm varieties in their hands with innate true qi.
The remaining sixty-plus people, of various ages from young to old, each performed their duties.
Some, under Shopkeeper Lu’s guidance, began repairing and constructing camp buildings. In one newly built large warehouse, it was piled full of civilian supplies stolen from the Central Urban Area, containing large amounts of food, basic cultivation resources, insect materials, medicinal herbs, Tube Worms… and other resources.
Just food alone was enough for the entire camp to eat freely for several years. So, the next step could be to recruit people wildly, further expanding the Animal Husbandry Village farming scale.
In addition, other employees were cooking; some were planting common glowing fungi and other food in other sectors… There were also a few technicians from who-knows-where starting to plant and cultivate spirit plants; or in special sealed rooms, refining ‘insect containers (flower pots)’ to prepare for Corpse Seed, which made the Tiger Demon click its tongue in wonder.
“All talents!”
Although it had been completely offline since opening the Domain, now it seemed the camp had gotten on track… slowly developing, thriving and proper.
After briefly browsing the ‘camp’ progress, the Tiger Demon no longer focused on internal Domain changes, but invested its energy in the changes to newly gained abilities following its own growth.
The most obvious point among them was the connection between the Shadow Domain and the Shadow Layer that inevitably existed in every world.
…
The current Bubble World, having experienced a world-destroying catastrophe, had not yet healed and remained in a damaged state.
Therefore, the Shadow Layer had not developed a Shadow World, but instead had its nutrients squeezed dry by the World Will, refined into an outer defensive layer like a mobile phone glass screen protector, to isolate the erosion from the Nightmare Bubble Layer.
So, the Tiger Demon could easily open a Shadow Dream Hole by piercing the Shadow Layer, communicating with the Nightmare Layer.
Now, in the Cicada City catastrophe, the Tiger Demon had eaten pills until full. Now fully digested and absorbed, strength surged, and it discovered it could perform deeper reconstruction on the Shadow Domain, cutting out three layers.
First was the Animal Husbandry Village established in the Underground World, eroding the underground Root Network via 12 Worm Pillars, and connecting the Shadow Dream Hole, constructing an exclusive domain position similar to Insect City’s magic array in the Bubble World. (First Layer)
On this basis, it had the ability to connect to the Shadow Layer, draw more Shadow Power, and open an Inner World dependent on the Domain’s existence. Highly similar to the Shadow Space (rest room/storage room) inherent to the Shadow Dream Hole, just larger scale, immobile, and proportional to the Domain’s strength and size. (Second Layer)
In other words, through its own Shadow Domain, it would reinflate the Shadow Dimension compressed into a phone protective film. Build a limited-area private Shadow Small World to hide valuable possessions, or construct it as a sanctuary for Animal Husbandry Village.
Unfortunately, the Tiger Demon’s strength was still limited. If it could, like Little Xihong Realm – Vajra Temple, open a spring eye connecting to Yellow Springs. It could even cultivate this Shadow Space step by step into a brand new private Hell.
And this… perhaps was also the reason the Bubble World invested in it?
Letting this crippled, dying world gain an extra Private Hell, building a Reincarnation System. For this shattered apocalyptic world, it would also be a good thing, even slowly reviving it from death?
The final layer was naturally the Cockroach Village dreamland – far from the mortal world, born from the linkage of Shadow Dream Hole, Shadow Domain, and Nightmare Layer.
This was a spiritual dimension transcending matter but reliant on the material world. As the number of Animal Husbandry residents increased, everyone’s ‘dreams’ were captured by Cockroach Village, contributing power through sleep, allowing Cockroach Village to slowly expand in scale, with a promising future.
The current Tiger Demon could macro-regulate these three layers, even set some rules and regulations, for convenient management and operation.
This sense of control made its mindset somewhat inflated. It felt the joy unique to a high-ranking ruler.
“Finally got a bit of ‘reserve Demon God’ feel.”
Spicy Stick flattered: “Great King is mighty! Magic power boundless, immortal life eternal.”
However, after strength and forces expanded to this level, it was somewhat lost.
First, Yuan Zhu truly had no enterprise management experience, didn’t know how to be a village chief, do urban planning and construction, and had no ideas for the next step.
Second, it had ambitions to expand the Shadow Domain, even more eager to use the Domain to feedback itself while gathering wealth. Unfortunately, good ideas but no specific execution plan.
Finally, precisely because of the big ticket in Cicada City, it truly felt the pressure from Insect City. Slightly pessimistic about Animal Husbandry Village’s future.
Itself was very strong, but really couldn’t beat the enemies!
…
In Cicada City, the instant it used Holy Cough Self-Destruction to blast open the Nightmare Rift, it had directly faced five Dream Hole-level Heavenly Realm great cultivators.
These five should be the current Underground World’s apparent ‘strength ceiling’, and it had personally felt the threat and pressure they brought.
At the same time, Cicada City was not a lone city, but the main sect city split into three ‘sub-cities’. Four Insect Cities, with Cicada Tribe as the core main lineage, very powerful.
And beyond the numerous Insect Cities, there was the Technician Alliance and Reverse Life Immortal Sect, indicating this world’s map was very large, level cap very high (for Yuan Zhu).
It had now preliminarily redeemed its ‘potential’, strength and forces rapidly expanded, but also hit a limit. Another round of explosive growth like now was impossible.
So the current Shadow Domain + Tiger Demon forces were fundamentally unable to hard confront even one Insect City. Instead, once exposed, there was risk of total annihilation.
After pondering for a long time, the Tiger Demon said lowly: “So… the only remaining path now is the last one!”
Snake Tail curiously asked: “What is it?”
“Summon Mao Mao King to descend! Call the Captain to descend! Inject capital into me, protect my undertaking! From today, all residents and staff in the camp must worship the Anti-Law Great Demon God. Mao Mao King together with me, jointly sacrifice to the great Luxury Children’s Wear God!”
…
Yuan Zhu’s little abacus was ringing loudly, using Animal Husbandry Village as shares to invite the Captain to represent Mao Mao King to descend, conduct commercial signing, become upstream raw material supplier, and gain the big boss’s protection.
It had offended Cicada City, provoked other native forces, no fear! Let the Captain come wipe its ass. Wasn’t it agreed partners share dividends?
Now, it had done it, time for you to fulfill the promise.
Little Spicy Stick nodded fiercely upon hearing: “Very reasonable! So, do it now?”
“No rush, need the Original Mao Shi Worm to spit silk, get the first batch of ‘finished raw materials’, then calling the Captain will have more confidence. Also, help me recall the ritual of that initial Evil God Sacrifice, I plan to classically recreate it, summon the Boss.”
Little Spicy Stick gladly accepted: “No problem, I’ve learned some during this time, mastered a few reliable small rituals, can incorporate them.”
“Right, Spicy Stick. One question, can my current Boss Template continue to grow and upgrade?”
“Of course it can upgrade, just this wave you surged too fast, the next improvements will inevitably be very slow, minimal, needing accumulation over time.”
