Chapter 328: Explosive Talent Overhaul, A Beauty Beyond Compare That Even The Wild God Can’t See Through! Spider Cutter: New Master Turns Into A Fox Demon
Six-Tailed Fox.
A simple promotion had actually leaped directly from an ordinary Four-Tailed Fox to a Six-Tailed Fox that Shangshan Che had never seen before!
You must know, “Six-Tailed Fox” is generally standard equipment for “Ghost Gods.”
Even the “Fox Brother” in the Edo Castle Shrine who was several hundred years old was merely a Five-Tailed Fox.
Shangshan Che exhaled slightly expectantly, his feet instinctively wanting to shift, but he suddenly felt his left foot step into empty space.
Crack…
The crisp cracking sound of the rock wall was very clear, followed by the fall of thumb-sized gravel.
Falling, falling, falling…
After a full dozen seconds, Shangshan Che still didn’t hear the sound of the gravel hitting the ground.
He slowly withdrew his misplaced left foot and looked toward this fissure that had suddenly appeared beside the Kisaragi Station ruins…
No.
This could no longer be called a “fissure.”
Shangshan Che’s pupils contracted slightly, his gaze first dropping into the viscous darkness, then following that darkness all the way to its end thousands of meters away.
—Rift Valley.
This massive rift valley by his toes, thousands of meters long, thousands of meters deep, and dozens of meters wide, could undoubtedly be called a “scar of the earth.”
Shangshan Che looked up again and found that half of the original Kisaragi Station ruins had already been swallowed by this rift valley.
If it had been a bit more offset, he probably would have opened his eyes at the bottom this time.
Moreover, this rift valley had impeccably smooth rock walls everywhere, a “man-made rift valley.”
—Torn open by a single claw?
—Or slashed open by a single sword?
What exactly happened here at the Eternal World’s Kisaragi Station ruins during the time he was away?
Shangshan Che did a quick calculation.
If the damage that caused this rift valley were on the surface, it could easily split all the mountains in front of him in half.
Even multiple Ghost Gods might be swallowed the instant this rift valley formed.
In comparison, the hole he had blasted earlier with the Myriad Spirit Furnace Core was truly nothing.
Shangshan Che scanned the surroundings and sensed no disturbance in spiritual energy or traces of recent life.
But this terrifying rift valley existed solidly and undeniably.
In the Eternal World, great terrors incomprehensible to ordinary people could appear anytime, anywhere.
Existences not seen normally do not mean they do not exist.
Shangshan Che silently noted this point, then looked at the brand-new panel with a calmed mind.
【Demon Incarnation·Six-Tailed Fox】
【Physique: 0】
【Willpower: 0】
【Charm: +15→+20】
【Spiritual Arts: +60→+95】
【Quality: Epic→Epic++】
【Rank: Two-and-a-Half Star→Three-Star】
【Rank Cap: Four-Star】
Huh?
Unlike the White Hannya’s promotion, this simple promotion of the Four-Tailed Fox actually brought two “+” signs.
No wonder he had felt a sudden impulse earlier, a vague premonition.
The rank cap had also increased as a result—not bad.
A relaxed expression appeared on Shangshan Che’s face.
This way, he wouldn’t need to expend extra effort to find ways to raise this extremely important incarnation’s cap to Ghost God level.
Moreover, once the current Six-Tailed Fox incarnation promotes to Ghost God, the rank cap should continue to rise.
However, Shangshan Che predicted it would max out at “Four-and-a-Half Star” at best, unlikely to touch the “Wild God” realm…
But that was a bit far off; no need to overthink it now.
When Shangshan Che looked further down, he couldn’t help but freeze.
【Talent: Thousand Faces Myriad Forms·Extreme, Anger·Extreme, Six Tails】
Where’s my talent?
Where are all my original talents? How did it reduce to just two?
This “Six Tails” talent was probably a complimentary one that all fox demons get after promoting to Six-Tailed Fox.
In other words, this promotion not only didn’t grant new talents but actually reduced them…
【Demon Incarnation·Six-Tailed Fox has evolved the most suitable talent combination for you based on your past usage.】
The long-existing prompt resolved Shangshan Che’s confusion.
I see.
Shangshan Che pondered for a moment and realized it was indeed the case.
Originally, besides “Thousand Faces Myriad Forms” and “Anger,” there were also “Spirit Roaming,” “Soul Seal,” and “Mirage” talents.
But he almost never had occasions to use Spirit Roaming.
Soul Seal could only pry open the mouths of low-level demons, and he generally didn’t need such cheap information; using it on strong foes was time-consuming, laborious, and only achieved temporary control.
Not worth it.
Mirage was useful, but ineffective against noteworthy strong foes, its flaws fully exposed in the seed battle.
For dealing with large numbers of weaklings, Shangshan Che’s current Spirit Control Technique, Five Thunder Technique, plus the Myriad Spirit Furnace Core could fully handle it.
So overall, this was a good thing.
Shangshan Che nodded inwardly.
If counting the new talent that should have appeared from this promotion, it was like using four talents to upgrade the original two.
He hoped the effects would satisfy him.
【Thousand Faces Myriad Forms·Extreme: Consumes minimal spiritual power to shape appearance and height into any form. At the same time, this talent fully conceals one’s own aura and spiritual power fluctuations. Moreover, the disguise cannot be seen through by ordinary Four-Star and below existences.】
Reduced consumption, improved sustainability, complete concealment.
Hmm, pretty… good!
“Cannot be seen through by ordinary Four-Star and below existences, cannot be seen through by Wild Gods?”
Shangshan Che repeated this sentence in his mind and swallowed hard with difficulty.
Jackpot.
This time, huge jackpot.
Exchanging three or four talents that brought no essential change for a strengthening of the core talent “Thousand Faces Myriad Forms”—absolutely profitable!
Because the Four-Tailed Fox… no, Six-Tailed Fox now existed as a “carrier” for other demon incarnations.
Its own combat power wasn’t actually important.
What mattered was masking Shangshan Che’s demon incarnation state in others’ eyes.
After this, Shangshan Che could maintain multi-incarnation stacking states freely in most areas of the Mortal Realm.
Though there were many Ghost Gods in the Mortal Realm, places possibly harboring Wild God-level existences were few?
At most, just the Tokyo Five Person Council, Kyoto Onmyo-ryo Headquarters, Sword Saint’s residence, and the inner clans of the Three Great Families and ancient Onmyoji Families…
The current “Thousand Faces Myriad Forms·Extreme” allowed Shangshan Che to likely maintain multi-incarnation stacking even in such places.
The boost to his baseline combat power couldn’t be measured in numbers!
However, this talent description actually included the word “ordinary.”
Meaning, the gaps between Wild Gods were perhaps even greater than between Ghost Gods!
“No idea what this so-called Wild God really means…”
Completely ignorant of possible classifications among Wild Gods or promotion methods, Shangshan Che stopped thinking about it, just kept it in mind, and continued downward.
【Anger·Extreme: During skill activation, all attributes double, and all added attributes also double simultaneously, all skill cooldowns halve, lasts half an hour. After skill ends, all attributes fixed at 5 for 48 hours.】
Compared to before, Anger’s description only added “and all added attributes also double simultaneously,” and even the duration was halved.
But that was irrelevant.
Because in situations requiring “Anger,” the current Shangshan Che could resolve battles without needing half an hour.
Five minutes, or even one minute could end everything at hand—and if it couldn’t be resolved in that time, then one hour or even twenty-four hours wouldn’t suffice.
Half an hour was plenty.
The key was added attributes doubling—Breathing Technique, Rin Character Technique, Pale Frenzy… all effects from every skill doubled!
For a moment, Shangshan Che even wanted to grab Kaga Kiyomitsu and Spider Cutter right now and head to Edo Castle to chop Fang Xiang Shi.
But rationality told him there might be a chance to win, but no guaranteed or high-probability victory.
If he couldn’t win, he’d be down for 48 hours, unable to farm Soul Ash or cultivate, and might even have to stop the Myriad Spirit Furnace Core’s auto-farming.
That would be a huge loss.
Such gambler’s behavior wasn’t Shangshan Che’s style.
Besides, he had things to handle now and wasn’t in a rush to chop off Fang Xiang Shi’s dog head.
Yeah, let that dog samurai live another week or month—no harm.
Next, the new talent.
【Six Tails: The Six-Tailed Fox bloodline is noble, making it easier to gain favor from all “fox demons” and demons “with fox demon bloodline.”】
Shangshan Che: “…”
What’s the use of this thing? Isn’t it just indirectly boosting charm?
The key was his charm was already very high…
Just looking at the Six-Tailed Fox description made it clear.
【— peerless beauty, vast spiritual power, ever-changing, turns whole body red when angry to scratch people… but otherwise seems useless Six-Tailed Fox disgrace?】
Shangshan Che covered his eyes and looked to the sky, bursting into stifled laughter.
He never imagined “peerless beauty” would one day apply to himself.
Absolutely ridiculous.
But to be fair, if judging this single Six-Tailed Fox incarnation alone, the description was spot-on.
—A Six-Tailed Fox with zero boosts to physique or willpower, absurdly high charm and spiritual arts attributes, relying solely on talents without learning Onmyōdō—didn’t it perfectly match?
After all, most demons just follow their bloodline’s inherited talents to the end; forget actively learning sorcery, even literacy among sub-Ghost God demons was rare genius.
A Six-Tailed Fox with only looks and spiritual power would likely meet a grim fate in the Eternal World.
But he was different.
For Shangshan Che, this was the best evolution direction.
【Due to your Demon Incarnation·Four-Tailed Fox changing to Demon Incarnation·Six-Tailed Fox, special item “Four-Tailed Fox Jade Pendant” has changed to “Six-Tailed Fox Jade Token”!】
【Six-Tailed Fox Jade Token】
【Quality: Epic→Epic++】
【Effect One: Greatly increases wearer’s spiritual power affinity.】
【Effect Two: Increases wearer’s Spiritual Arts attribute by 60% of “Demon Incarnation·Six-Tailed Fox.”】
【Effect Three: Moderately increases power of wearer’s lightning Onmyōdō.】
【Effect Four: During incarnation, Six-Tailed Fox Jade Token does not disappear, but the boosted Spiritual Arts attribute reduces to 30%.】
【—The Four-Tailed Fox once engraved on it has completed bloodline Purification; the noble Six-Tailed Fox leaps vividly upon it, bringing Six-Tailed Fox privileges.】
Shangshan Che toyed with the crystal-clear jade token in his hand, the Six-Tailed Fox on it seeming ready to leap out alive.
If the original Four-Tailed Fox Jade Pendant was a demon item, this one could fetch an unimaginable price even sold as a craftwork.
The jade token’s changes were within Shangshan Che’s expectations.
What was unexpected was the new Effect Four—an effect that added a full 30 points of Spiritual Arts attribute out of thin air!
Four-dimensional attributes get harder and yield greater returns the higher they go!
This thirty points of spiritual power might even double his spiritual power reserves!
Paired with disguise even Wild Gods can’t see through, he could maintain incarnations constantly even in the Eternal World, speeding up cultivation in all aspects.
Win!
Shangshan Che took out the Six-Tailed Fox incarnation card from his Sea of Qi, examining its deep blue border slightly extending and unfolding at the edges to form rows of tiny ancient script.
At the card’s heavy center, the breathtakingly beautiful Six-Tailed Fox lounged lazily with legs crossed, exuding an indescribable nobility.
The card’s background was divided into inter-fusing six colors along its six massive snow-white tails; Shangshan Che even felt, if not careful, that the Six-Tailed Fox on the card was moving.
Comes with live2d if you’re not paying attention, they say.
Without further ado, Shangshan Che transformed into the Six-Tailed Fox incarnation under the gaze of Spider Cutter, which had been silent and deep in thought since entering the Eternal World.
Pat.
With the landing of purple sandalwood wooden clogs, six fluffy tails a size larger than before unfurled smoothly behind Shangshan Che; pink fox ears twitched atop his head, bringing a brand-new auditory experience.
Under the boost from the jade token at his waist, even Shangshan Che’s unconscious normal breathing caused spiritual energy to swarm from several kilometers around.
He glanced at his current attribute panel without wearing the Red Hannya Mask.
【Shangshan Che】（Demon Incarnation·Six-Tailed Fox+Six-Tailed Fox Jade Token+Hundred Eyes for You）
【Physique: 105+5=110】
【Willpower: 73+42=115】
【Charm: 21+20+7=48】
【Spiritual Arts: 87+95+30+5=217】
Hmm… even without the mask, it’d be hard to find anyone or demon under Ghost God with such four-dimensional attributes.
Snap.
After a finger snap, spiritual energy within ten kilometers settled and resumed its original flow.
A smooth water mirror appeared before Shangshan Che, reflecting his current appearance.
He made a V-sign, then realized the crime-inducingly alluring, existentially sinful Six-Tailed Fox Demon up there was really him.
For a moment, Shangshan Che fell silent staring at his six hell-ravaging fluffy tails.
The Six-Tailed Fox he turned into seemed… really…
Kinda pretty.
If before it was a beauty causing calamity, enough with some effort to make resolute warriors lose control.
Now this face could be used as a “hypnosis app.”
Shangshan Che roughly estimated: for those with State of Mind Cultivation below Hundred Refinements or Willpower attribute dozens short, just a beckon and they’d willingly kneel before him.
Even against Ghost Gods, the influence would be significant.
Only those with Clear Sword Heart or Willpower in the high hundreds could remain completely unaffected.
Shangshan Che tugged his soft smooth cheek, sighing helplessly after a “pa” sound: “This face has completely become a big killer weapon and trump card…”
He took a blank karuta card from his storage bag and tucked it into the red-and-white kimono that came with the incarnation.
Having tested the new incarnation, it was about time to head to the Karuta Factory for tonight’s speedrun main course.
By the way, he could also test if this face could snag some hidden rewards from the Fox-faced Woman or Shuten Doji.
Shangshan Che licked his lips.
But before that…
He looked down, meeting the cold blood-red pupils at Spider Cutter’s base quietly watching him, and gave a gentle smile that could drive countless demons mad.
“Little Qing, I bet you have a hundred and eighty thousand questions right now?”
“Lord Shangshan, you are correct.”
At his waist, the deep blue tachi unsheathed itself, severing a few stray hairs, and positioned horizontally before Shangshan Che’s neck.
Shangshan Che gently pressed down the angrily humming Kaga Kiyomitsu at his waist, hearing Qing say,
“If you cannot provide an explanation convincing enough for me, then even at the cost of my own disintegration, I will slay you here.”
