Chapter 254: Inverting The Heavenly Gang, Shadow Rides Holy Light!
After brushing off the two highly anticipated siblings, Yuan Zhu returned alone to his private room in the ‘Second Layer Inner World’. Switching to Tiger Demon Stance, he continued passively absorbing ‘Shadow Essence’, enhancing [Tiger Demon]’s hard strength. (Pulling up all basic stats)
He could feel the mana bar and health bar of the [Boss Template] permanently increasing by a tiny margin.
He couldn’t help but show off: “Snake Snake! What do you think, if my ([Boss Template]) strength keeps growing like this, will I be rejected and forcibly ascended when I return to the present world? I’m still young, haven’t experienced the good life of Du Ling yet, haven’t had time to lord it over others, still have a younger brother to raise, I don’t want to [ascend] just like that!”
He vaguely recalled the situation from his last return to Running. Because the [Universe Within The Belly] carried too many ‘Ghost Companions (Magic Worms)’, it caused [Tiger Demon]’s own pollution quality to exceed the limit.
As soon as he returned to Running, he felt intense collapse and pulling. As if he would fall into [Shadow] at any moment, dropping from the present world into another world, never to return.
Now, his [Tiger Demon Stance (Mutated Spiritual Root)] was stronger than before. With all his skills forcibly boosted to the extreme in the [Shadow Dream Hole + Domain], they had risen with the tide. He already had a bit of the style of the official [Mountain Lord] in the ‘Immortal Path Universe’.
No. More precisely, the original ‘Cultivation World Mountain Lord Tiger Demon’ was far inferior in strength to this ‘Shadow Tiger Demon’ at the same stage and level!
Not to mention that the [Boss Template] was merged from two ‘Mutated Spiritual Roots’ of ‘Tiger Demon and Snake Demon’, innately comprehending two ultimate skills, with deeper heritage than the Tiger Demon.
Even if it was only inheriting the [Tiger Demon Spiritual Root] back then, after Du Ling’s localized ‘(Shadow) pollution modification’, all talents had also received insanely ‘mutation reinforcement’.
The Shadow Tiger Demon’s various supernatural abilities were far more unrestrained than the Mountain Lord Tiger Demon in the cultivation world.
The Snake Tail, always solving problems for the boss, responded: “[Tiger Demon] being strong, what does that have to do with your ‘human form’? As long as you keep the [Boss Template] locked and don’t show it to the outside, and don’t switch forms easily, your [Holy Light cultivation] is far from the ‘ascension’ standard, no need to worry!”
“What’s more, you’ve now opened a personal [Anti-Law]. Once you feel the [Tiger Demon]’s weight (pollution) exceeds the limit, with ‘ascension’ risk, you can completely transfer the excess ‘fat’ to store inside the [Anti-Law]. Let the [Anti-Law] share the pressure for you and resist ascension.”
Speaking of which, the biggest flaw exposed by the [Anti-Law System] is that despite possessing a sea of [Power of Pollution (Capital Pool)] wealth, it can’t directly apply this ‘own power’ to oneself to reinforce oneself. It can only use it indirectly through others (subordinates) in forms like contracts, investments, lending, leasing, etc.
But the benefits are also obvious. The special existence form of [Anti-Law] hangs outside the individual like a [Law]. Therefore, the [Anti-Law Master] themselves has no high-energy reaction and doesn’t need to worry about [ascension] issues.
In Snake Snake’s view, once [Tiger Demon]’s cultivation exceeds the limit and is forced to ascend, it can absorb this ‘pollution’ through the [Anti-Law], reduce weight, and continue staying in the real world.
Then, Snake Snake added: “I have another way! After you return to Running this time, directly use [Worm Pillar] to open [Mountain Lord’s Domain]. No longer depending on others, living in [Disease Garden rental house]. With our new home, we can naturally counteract the [Ascension Impulse].”
When [Tiger Demon] wandered leisurely in the [Disease Garden], it never felt suppression and rejection from the present world, and could freely unleash power. Similarly, once [Shadow Domain] is constructed, it can also be used to bear the [Tiger Demon] at full power.
Yuan Zhu asked doubtfully: “Won’t the [Shadow Domain] also fall from the present world together, forced into ‘House-Raising Ascension’?”
In Earth hometown, the highest realm of [ascension] has never been undergoing tribulation to become an immortal alone, but ‘immortals and chickens and dogs’, even having idiomatic expressions.
Weaker ones, after cultivating successfully, can bring their wife on horseback to shatter the void together. Stronger ones, the cats and dogs at home can also ascend to immortality together. The most outrageous directly uproot the entire mansion from the ground, bringing concubines, maids, and the loquat tree in the courtyard to the Immortal Realm to enjoy blessings.
Considering Earth hometown’s culture deeply influenced ancient Du Ling, leaving massive ancient books and documents. This civilizational heritage was then reinterpreted and manifested by many [Pollution Roots] as ‘concept anchors’ to anchor themselves in modern times (400 years ago).
So since the [ascension] concept exists, [House-Raising Ascension] is too suitable for [Mountain Lord’s Domain].
If strength grows too fast, will the [Domain] also be rejected by the real world together, forced to ascend to the upper realm?
Snake Snake was stumped and unable to answer: “This involves my knowledge blind spot. I think Meng Xiyue, Zhou Chu, Senior Student, these lowly small fries also can’t answer. How about waiting until returning to [Happy Home] to ask the Captain’s opinion?”
Yuan Zhu: “That’s all we can do! As for now, let’s use [Ghost Companion Divine Ability] to refine some evil ‘Holy Light’!”
He had fed the [Holy Seal] with ‘Shadow System Ghost Companion Product’ for so long, single-handedly nurturing [Personal Holy Light] big, providing massive soul embers mixed with his own soul, successfully condensing [Soul Crystal], and charging towards 2 seals. ([Ghost Companion] is part of himself, like nails and dander, inherently carrying soul components. Burning Ghost Companion is burning oneself.)
However, after [Holy Light] ate so many benefits from [Shadow], it never had any idea of reciprocating? Truly disheartening. Today, he would uphold justice, let the weak [Shadow Pollution] reverse the heavens, press [Holy Light] down and rub it, and produce some results.
In the past, even if Yuan Zhu wanted to refine some ‘Holy Light System pollutants’ with the body of [Tiger Demon], he was powerless because it was simply impossible.
Pure ‘Holy Light Pollution’ would rapidly dissipate after release, unable to be captured. Ultimately only leaving an extremely pure ‘attribute-less mummy’ after being drained, often crushed and ground into powder for use in various industries.
Pure ‘Holy Light Energy’, unless special crystals like [Soul Crystal], cannot be preserved for long, let alone refined.
Around Yuan Zhu, besides himself this Holy Cultivator, there was no second ‘Holy Light System entity pollutant’ that could be used as [Ghost Companion Divine Ability] refinement target. Unless…
He sneaks to the Holy Church, quietly kidnaps a ‘Holy Cultivator’. Let Snake Tail swallow the other, refine Ghost Companion in the belly! But this behavior is too cruel! Too evil! He doesn’t even dare think about it.
Because once done, regardless of whether [Tiger Demon] can refine results? Will it attract pursuit from the Holy Church? Even if the criminal is [Tiger Demon], human Yuan Zhu still can’t pass his own inner hurdle.
This would cause the idealistic [Personal Holy Light]’s color shade (quality) to plummet wildly, [Holy Light] attributes to deviate and slide. Directly heading towards [Fall Seal]. Definitely brain-dead behavior that destroys one’s foundation, better not.
But now, everything has changed!
[Great Seduction Cup’s Power] can combine [Holy Light] with ‘Pumpkin Ash’, solidifying, materializing, and sealing the energy. Forming a closed small space, capturing pollution targets with [Demon Seal Wave], refining into a bottle of non-dissipating, non-volatile ‘milky viscous Holy Light’ for long-term preservation!
After swallowing such a ‘Holy Flask’, activating [Ghost Companion Divine Ability] can naturally produce some results.
Snake Snake also got excited, finally her turn to shine: “Boss, what’s your idea?”
Yuan Zhu: “Naturally grouped control experiment. First, I rub out a flask, without sealing any ‘pollutants’, directly refine it. Next, second group, use flask to seal a weak Magic Worm, complete Holy Light Refinement, convert to ‘viscous Holy Cough substance’, feed to Snake Demon. Third group, directly seal a Magic Worm, no Holy Light Refinement, directly feed to Snake Demon. See what comes out of each?”
Snake Snake took over management rights of the [Shadow Dream Hole], starting to mobilize resources inside the [Domain]: “I’ll arrange the sacrifices right away.”
Yuan Zhu reminded: “For the first trial, no need for too strong Magic Worms. Get two low-difficulty weaklings to speed up [Ghost Companion Refinement].”
The stronger the ‘Magic Worm’, not only extremely increased sealing difficulty, but also very slow refinement speed, delaying results for a long time. On the contrary, weakling ‘pollutants’ in the current [seed]-level Yuan Zhu’s hands can be grabbed and refined in an instant!
Soon, Snake Snake contacted the management level in the surface [Animal Husbandry Village], then sent two underdeveloped, looking only the size of large blue trash cans ‘Demonic Giant Insects’.
At the same time, Yuan Zhu took out the remaining ‘Pumpkin Ash’ from the [Soul Space], injected it with [Holy Light, Soul Ember], palm bursting with dazzling white light, temperature continuously rising, suppressed inside the ‘barrier’ by the unfolded [Sanctuary], not dissipating outward.
Soon, Pumpkin Ash began to melt, like glass solution being fired; or like hand-rubbing diamonds in high temperature and pressure ([Sanctuary]) environment.
In no time, three identical ‘sealed flasks’ were hand-refined by Yuan Zhu.
At this moment, he walked straight to the two Demonic Giant Insects in alert postures, roaring and intimidating at Yuan Zhu. One was a mantis with a pair of blade legs removed; one was a grasshopper with ejection hind legs broken.
Candle at this moment held three flasks in one hand, pinched a spell with the other, directly released two ‘Holy Light Barriers’. Immobilizing the two Magic Worms’ bodies, making them unable to counterattack, only stiff in place, futilely twisting limbs, but torsos motionless.
Boom! Boom!
Yuan Zhu stepped forward, without a word, raised his hand and smashed two [Great Holy Light Upright Fists] at the two Magic Worms.
First wrap the fist with ‘Holy Light Barrier’, adding a layer of extremely defensive solid gauntlet, and coat the fist fully with ‘Holy Cough Particles’.
After two fists, dents of fist prints appeared on the chitin shells of the Magic Worms. Massive [Holy Cough] penetrated the shells, infiltrating the flesh, like fire seeds igniting the bug’s flesh from inside.
Next moment, Yuan Zhu switched attack method, aimed at the first Magic Worm, released a blinding [Sealing Light Beam], completely covering that armless mantis.
Immediately [Demon Seal Wave] activated, taking the Magic Worm in the ‘Seal Barrier’ into [Flask No.2]. Then he repeated the trick, smoothly sealing the legless grasshopper into [Flask No.3].
Compared to last time helping the two siblings seal ‘Demonic Giant Cicada’, this time before using ‘Sealing Light Beam’, he directly inserted [Sanctuary] patches. Causing sealing difficulty to halve, sealing strength to double, without consuming much, just like successfully bundling and sealing the two Magic Worms.
After doing all this, he gripped Flask No.2 in his right hand, overlaid and wrapped the flask with [Sanctuary] again, [Soul Crystal]’s Holy Light madly poured into [Holy Seal], and stimulated the flask’s limited refinement ability.
At this moment, the ‘flask’ heavily blessed by overlapping [Holy Seal] was like a lab test tube wildly heated by an alcohol lamp, or a sealed microwave oven + Alchemy Furnace.
Endless light and heat erupted inside the ‘flask’, the shrunken Magic Worm issued desperate screams, struggled madly, trying to smash the flask to escape this ‘Holy Light Red Lotus Hell’, but ant shaking tree was completely futile.
The [Flask] burned by Yuan Zhu, in terms of strength concept, was somewhat like ‘Prince Rupert’s Drop’ formed by molten glass naturally dripping into ice water under gravity.
Attacking the container barrier from inside the ‘flask’ was like the head of Prince Rupert’s Drop, hundreds of times stronger than same material glass products, able to withstand bullet shots without breaking, able to endure 8-ton hydraulic press crushing without shattering.
Only indestructible can the [Holy Flask] seal various Polluted Monsters, not letting them struggle and escape.
But if attacking the [Holy Flask]’s bottle body from outside, or smashing hard onto the ground, then like the slender tadpole tail of ‘Prince Rupert’s Drop’, just a light tap with slight force, the entire glass teardrop would instantly shatter and explode, completely pulverized.
At this time, the Magic Worm sealed in the bottle, no matter how hard it struggled in despair, always failed to break the flask, even burning out its life couldn’t leave a crack.
Instead, Yuan Zhu continuously inputted [Holy Light], pulling [Sanctuary]’s power to the limit, soon under inside-out cooperation with the ‘Holy Cough fist print’ beaten into the Magic Worm’s body, completely igniting it, incinerating flesh, life, and soul, converting into a puddle of viscous yet pure [Holy Cough Particles].
Due to the [Holy Flask]’s unique structure, this mass of [Holy Cough Particles] was preserved, sealed in the bottle, looking extremely holy. That mass of ‘Holy Cough Particles’ emitting milky white holy glow looked just like slowly flowing slime.
Ghostly talented Snake Snake excitedly said: “Wow! Look at this charming glow, and the speechless shape. How about… calling it [Holy Light Phlegm]? After [Holy Cough Sickness] fully infects the patient, tormenting them to death, the pathogen (Holy Cough Particle) devours all life and soul’s ‘product’. The product of [coughing], isn’t it [phlegm]?”
Yuan Zhu was speechless: “Your description is very apt and vivid, but I refuse! You’re so good at naming, don’t name next time!”
After finishing refinement of Flask No.2, Yuan Zhu didn’t act on the grasshopper in Flask No.3, but switched back to [Tiger Demon Stance], fed all three flasks to Snake Tail, letting it activate [Universe Within The Belly] to fully refine the three flasks.
Then like a big cat, curled up, squinted eyes, and started snoring (cultivation).
