Chapter 94: Encountering The Pipe Wrench Sword Immortal Again
Yuan Zhu persisted bitterly in the Disease Garden for 4 hours, endlessly cycling through ‘Holy Light mowing + Refinement Seal Casting + Tiger Demon HP recovery’, until his Spirit was utterly exhausted, and the [Boss Template] gradually depleted its Life Origin.
After Little Spicy Stick decoded it, he also figured out the true nature of this [Boss Template]. It seemed like a Datafied Cultivation cheat, but was actually a genuine [Tiger Demon Spiritual Root (Bloodline)] transplant.
Therefore, his [Boss Template] did not have the unlimited mana and HP regen mechanics from games; everything followed pseudo-equivalent exchange—input was required for output.
Magic Power (Mana Bar) intake was simple: Shadow Spiritual Energy. As long as Tiger Demon Stance was activated, it could passively draw from his own shadow. HP sources came from eating. Digesting and absorbing high-energy food, Blood Food, organic matter, low-level Pollution Sources from the material world… and so on.
The Universe Within The Belly Supernatural Ability was not just for advanced operations like constructing [Inner World], Refinement of Ghost Companions, stacking Power of a Realm; it also had down-to-earth basic functions like overeating, slow digestion and absorption, nutrient intake, and strengthening the Body.
To help Human Stance recover HP quickly, Tiger Demon ordered Little Spicy Stick (Snake Demon) to devour a large amount of ‘Disease System Polluted Crops’. Now they were barely suppressed by [Universe Within The Belly], posing an unprecedented challenge to the digestive system.
“Big Brother, don’t make me eat random garbage anymore. These Disease Pollutants are extremely hard to digest. The [Ghost Companion Refining Mission] progress for 7 Goblins has been greatly delayed, stretched from 24 hours to 1 week!”
“Should I spit it out? Tiger Demon also needs to eat. No matter how bad these Diseased Crops are, they are high-energy (Pollution) crops. How much ordinary Food would it take to recover my consumption?”
His [Boss Template] was far from its peak now. As long as Tiger Demon Stance was activated to passively absorb Shadow Power, it could auto-cultivate, expanding HP and Mana Bar, breaking through to higher realms and stronger forms—this was the aptitude granted by its Bloodline (Spiritual Root).
However, to accommodate Human Stance’s cultivation, every time he entered Tiger Demon Stance, not only did he not cultivate or Get Stronger, but he continuously consumed both HP and mana bars to recover HP for Human Stance, infuse Shadow Pollution into Ghost Companions to suppress Disease Pollution, and had even fallen to eating Diseased Crops to fill his belly.
In other words, the explosive progress of [Holy Light] in Human Stance was entirely built on the Exploitation and Squeeze of [Shadow System Tiger Demon]. He was trading stagnation or even slight damage to Shadow System cultivation for lightning-fast [Holy Seal] casting.
Good news: The [Sanctuary] Holy Seal, forged from continuous Disease Ash, had reached 5 marks. 1st tier cultivation progress was more than halfway done, and Strength was greater.
From what he understood in the Holy Light Manual, ordinary Holy Light Cultivators, after branding Holy Mark, often needed 3-5 years of cultivation to forge their first [Holy Seal] and Promote to 1st tier.
Even some wild Holy Light Cultivators lacking Inheritance, or Holy Church Stewards in remote areas, would burn through their entire lives without knowing what a [Holy Seal] was, dry-burning Holy Light their whole lives, refining its intensity and purity to the extreme, saving many civilians… and then that was it.
Thanks to the sacrifices of these saints who burned everything, [Holy Church] greatly boosted its Reputation and image among the people. Yuan Zhu even suspected that [Holy Church] deliberately only spread [Holy Mark] among the populace without providing [Holy Seal].
…
Little Spicy Stick: “Big Brother, you need to cultivate scientifically; don’t over-exploit Tiger Demon. The ‘Disease Pollution’ danger index is quite high. I’m worried that if [Universe Within The Belly] hoards too much, it won’t digest but will break through the Firewall and instead pollute Tiger Demon’s Mutated Spiritual Root.”
Yuan Zhu pondered for a moment, then had an idea: “Got a way! Feed Tiger Demon a bit more Stomach-Soothing Tablets to accelerate digestion and suppression of ‘Diseased Crops’.”
With that, he took out glass jars one by one from his satchel. Inside were mice with blood-red eyes, violently Coughing Blood.
Unused from the last Goblin capture, Yuan Zhu had been raising them as [Holy Light Batteries]. One dose of [Holy Cough] swallowed into the belly, and their lives were in his hands.
Relying on the suppression of ‘Holy Cough Pollution’ in their bodies, they withstood the Garden’s Disease Erosion. Though Coughing Blood, they were sick but not dead. Even breathing Diseased Air, their flesh rapidly mutated and polluted, bursting with sickly vitality: larger size, more abundant Vitality, stronger Pollution, and Holy Light burned longer and brighter. From then on, killing became protection— a perfect Positive Cycle!
Even the mice could redeem their body’s Pollution Sin through Holy Light incineration and Ascend to Holy Church. (Mouse: I really thank you! Without you, I wouldn’t have been multiply polluted!)
Yuan Zhu now manipulated the Holy Cough Disease in their bodies via [Holy Mark], cranking the intensity to maximum. Strangely, a game scene of detonating C4 with a remote controller flashed in his mind— the déjà vu was too strong!
Suddenly, the mice’s eyes burst with eerie white-in-blood Holy Light, coughing up glowing, hot Filthy Blood, looking ready to transform into ‘Mouse Flesh Holy Light Bombs’ for self-sacrificial Ascension to Holy Church.
Yuan Zhu hurriedly tossed these rapidly surging ‘Holy Light Concentration’ mouse flesh Grenades high into the sky. The next second, he seamlessly switched to Tiger Demon Stance, flicking his Snake Tail behind.
The jade Skeleton Snake drilled into the ground, followed by a pitch-black massive Snake Demon rising straight like a dragon from the shadows under the flower field, swallowing these dozen-plus Holy Light Bombs in one bite.
A gulp, and all were engulfed.
At this moment, inside [Universe Within The Belly], massive Diseased Crops intertwined into an immovable ‘Disease Pollution Source’, launching a counterattack within Universe Within The Belly against compression, decomposition, and digestion, even having spare capacity to reverse-release Pollution and create various out-of-control riots.
Suddenly, ‘Stomach-Soothing Tablets’ with eyes spraying Holy Light and mouths emitting screams fell into [Universe Within The Belly Space]. The next second, Holy Cough exploded, flesh bodies burst, and Holy Light Radiation targeting Disease Pollution illuminated all directions inside the belly, heavily damaging the Disease Pollution while also wrecking [Universe Within The Belly] itself.
Though [Holy Light] and [Shadow] both belonged to Yuan Zhu, they were not harmonious with each other. Now facing off, they were especially hostile. Especially [Holy Light], with its extremely domineering exclusivity—it could not tolerate any Pollution acting arrogant in its presence.
Unfortunately, the mouse bomb power was limited, and it was fighting away from home. When [Holy Cough] burned away everything in the mice, the released Holy Light Radiation failed to shake [Universe Within The Belly] at all, instead dragging Disease Pollution into mutual destruction.
“Burp!”
The Skeleton Snake Tail let out a strange cry, then said: “Effective! I feel much better in the belly, but these ‘Holy Light digestion tablets’ are a bit wasteful to Universe Within The Belly. Maybe next time feeding Tiger Demon garbage, pre-weaken the Diseased Crops with [Holy Light]?”
Yuan Zhu switched back to Human Stance and nodded thoughtfully: “That could work.”
Human Stance grew stronger by sucking Tiger Demon’s blood, so it had the obligation to clean the Food (Deadly Poison) for Tiger Demon before feeding.
Little Spicy Stick: “Big Brother, I have an idea. We could mass-farm super-fertile ‘mice, frogs’, upgrade and reinforce them with Pollution Sources, make premium Food, and feed your [Tiger Demon] for nutrition. If worried about excessive same-attribute Pollution, counter with ‘Holy Light’ and ‘Disease’ at 1:1 ratio, paired eating for richer nutrition.”
Yuan Zhu: “Why not directly use ‘Shadow Pollution’ to process this Food? Or even upgrade Feed recipes and Farming methods, so what’s cultivated isn’t just Food, but Ghost Companion raw materials.”
Everything was back to the starting point; what he was researching now was how to stably mass-produce Ghost Companions.
What Yuan Zhu wanted from the beginning was a method for batch Refinement of Ghost Companions. Didn’t the original Tiger Demon make Ghost Companions just to have them find more Food to feed itself?
If he had a large number of Ghost Companions, he could open a [Shadow Food Factory]. Swarms of Ghost Companions enter the Garden to harvest Feed, farm mice to feed Diseased Crops, suppress with Holy Cough, and marinate with Shadow Pollution for flavor…
Each one not only a top-tier ‘Holy Light Battery’, but also premium Tiger Demon Food, and able to quickly mine the Disease Garden’s Resources.
The Mountain Lord Kings in the Immortal Realm probably lived similar lives? With hordes of Ghost Companions under them, managing and feeding little demons, delivering batches daily for their enjoyment.
“Today’s cultivation is done. Let’s go to the flower and bird Market to buy some small animals to give Tiger Demon a meal boost.”
Yuan Zhu realized that though no Goblins for experiments, he could still use ordinary animals for ‘Shadow, Holy Light, Disease’ Pollution research. Explore their Pollution properties, and after experiments, toss them all into [Universe Within The Belly] to decompose into fertilizer—it was quite fun.
…
Time flew to the afternoon. Yuan Zhu lowballed a batch of unwanted Badgers from some hunters at the flower and bird Market, then bought two cheap deer with broken legs.
In conversation, he learned the Misty Mountains were vast and resource-rich. Hunter teams with Supernatural Powers often entered for Hunting: goats, deer, Gray Wolves, bears… all common Beasts, even Extraordinary Beings appeared.
This World never had ‘no-hunting, no-fishing’ rules. Thus, Hunting was an extremely bloody and stimulating pure-man sport, highly dangerous but popular. It shared the world with [Fishing Dudes].
Hmm, Running area’s river systems were rich, swamps and Ponds everywhere, also hiding crocodiles, piranhas, raging octopuses, Yu Ren… and other dangers. Many Fishing Dudes died unexpectedly, but everyone still rushed in tirelessly.
After processing this batch of game, Yuan Zhu saw time permitted and the trip wasn’t far, so he followed the address left by Lu Rang and found the kill-matted youth cultivating at home.
Upon meeting again, he found Lu Rang’s image and Temperament had changed dramatically—shedding the mortal body and exchanging the bones, refreshingly new.
The original nose ring, lip studs and other braindead accessories on his face were all removed, leaving only a sapphire earring on his left ear, which was quite normal.
Running had been famous for [Gem processing] since its founding. Locals were steeped in it from childhood; men wearing earrings and rings was commonplace, as long as not zero-style.
Besides removing nose ring and lip studs, his eye-catching rainbow chicken crest was gone. For a fresh start, he shaved a buzz cut, sharpening his resolve.
That spiked steel-studded wasteland jacket was discarded, replaced by a crisp white-green sportswear set. Instantly evolving from thug to sporty young jock.
Behind him was a straight black Cloth Bag, wrapping his most important rice bowl: Pipe Wrench Flying Sword!
Thinking this energetic young lad was actually a [Sword Immortal]? Yuan Zhu felt inexplicably weird; the Sword Immortal profession suddenly seemed so low-class.
“Big Brother Yuan! Haven’t seen you in days; didn’t expect you’d come find me— what a surprise. What instructions do you have?”
Lu Rang had high awareness; gaining Supernatural Powers didn’t inflate his ego or disrespect Yuan Zhu. On the contrary, he always remembered his big brother-little brother status, with sincere and upright attitude.
“I saw your message at [Happy Home]; had time today, so came to confirm your address. Here, 20,000 yuan—as compensation for that Bodhisattva arm last time. You left too fast and forgot your share. I’ve already exchanged it, so can only give Cash.”
“Ah?!” Lu Rang was stunned, waving hands to refuse, “No no no, I can’t take it—no merit, no reward; this is too precious!”
Yuan Zhu shrugged indifferently, persuading: “Zhou Chu and Meng Xi took theirs; no need to be shy.”
Lu Rang was instead extra serious: “If I was there then, everyone took a share, I’d naturally take an arm. But since I missed it, forget it. Big Brother Yuan compensating me alone—I’d feel awkward taking it; too weird. Besides, I’m no Mortal now, don’t lack money.”
The other’s performance earned his respect, so Yuan Zhu didn’t push, instead asking curiously: “How have you been lately? You seem much more confident.”
“At first, I stayed home, heads-down ascetic cultivation Sacrificing Sword my Flying Sword. Then accumulated many problems I couldn’t solve. So I used a Coin to enter [Happy Home] to consult Captain. Ended up only meeting a Mechanical Maid. Luckily she knew a lot, resolved many confusions, and gave me two letters: from Zhou Chu and Meng Xiyue.”
“Sister Zhou Chu’s letter urged me to report to Running’s Security Bureau, register. After I did, officials didn’t force my [Sword Cultivator System] origins; after testing, gave me a certificate and invited me as Running ‘Honorary Investigator’.”
You even got a certificate? I’m a grand Holy Light Cultivator—how come no cert or ordination?
Yuan Zhu asked puzzled: “What’s an Honorary Investigator?”
“An optional part-time job. I can pick limited-difficulty Missions, join Investigators on tasks, assist in captures or clearing dangerous Polluted Creatures, Mutated Demonic Creatures. Sharpens me, safe with backup, good Remuneration, contributes to Running’s public security. Entry gives a Gray Wolf dog— super majestic!”
So a self-provided aux cop. Yuan Zhu got it; not interested in Lu Rang’s ‘Gray Wolf dog’ or aux cop work. Working for Security Bureau— how could it beat Entrepreneurship freedom?
His gaze instead focused on Lu Rang’s back Cloth Bag.
Noticing Yuan Zhu’s gaze, Lu Rang proudly puffed his chest, tone eager: “Brother Yuan, what’s up?”
Yuan Zhu narrowed his eyes at the other’s ten Bandage-wrapped fingers— clearly paid a heavy price for Sacrificing Sword.
Imagining him slicing fingers with a Blade, inch-by-inch smearing Blood on the Pipe Wrench— Yuan Zhu’s scalp tingled; felt more perverted than [Holy Light] burning Vitality.
Releasing Holy Light was tragic, but pain was instant; over time even led to Self-Paralysis.
But [Sword Immortal] was different—not necessarily heavy Life consumption, but damn pursued real pain: continuous, intensifying extreme agony— too perverted!
He’d never choose the [Sword Cultivator] path; probably top Sword Immortals all had twisted minds?
Yuan Zhu then said: “You’ve been cultivating a week? How’s Sword Sacrifice? Show a couple moves, let me see your skills.”
This hit Lu Rang’s sweet spot; he eagerly nodded: “Sure! Then I’ll show off?”
Yuan Zhu interrupted: “Wait, find an empty spot; can’t deploy here.”
Lu Rang nodded repeatedly: “I know an abandoned site nearby; let’s go there. Right, Brother Yuan, what System did you choose?”
“Holy Light.”
“Holy Light?! [Holy Church]?” Lu Rang was surprised; he’d heard of [Holy Church]. Though not listing [Big Moth] in his Annual Faith menu, he knew their propaganda—even textbooks mentioned it.
“Yes, Holy Light under [Holy Church] System.”
Lu Rang puzzled: “I heard this System has huge Price, consumes Life? Why’d you choose it?”
Yuan Zhu with a face of sanctity and compassion: “Because [Holy Light] helps the Team most; I want to contribute to our team.”
Lu Rang was instantly moved, inwardly sighing Yuan Zhu was indeed Du Ling’s top Big Brother!
His young heart was deeply shocked. He’d thought such people only in storybooks; unexpectedly actually seeing the real deal!
They arrived at Lu Rang’s mentioned abandoned site: rundown flats with a few kids chasing and playing inside.
They found a quiet spot; Lu Rang eagerly demonstrated.
He made a ‘sword finger’ with his right hand, slashing empty air upper-right. The Cloth Bag-wrapped Pipe Wrench ‘clang!’ shot out.
Straight impacting a nearby Big Tree.
‘Crack…’ Thick branches instantly severed, clanging to the ground. The launched Pipe Wrench, under invisible force control, slowly floated back.
“Good Impact Force, but why a straight line?” Yuan Zhu noted both ‘Pipe Wrench unsheathing’ and return were straight, somewhat clumsy.
Lu Rang scratched head: “Haven’t mastered flexible Flying Sword control yet. Now, I mostly wield Pipe Wrench by hand for swings, adding Sword Qi. That was mainly for surprise.”
Still backward ‘held Sword Immortal’? Not even Flying Sword or sword-riding?
“Come, slash here; let me feel your Sword Qi sharpness!”
A Holy Light barrier floated before Lu Rang, stunning the lad: “Wow! Brother Yuan, what is this? Holy Light? So sacred, so warm! But dunno why, instinct wants to approach, yet heart sends chilling dread?”
“Normal; heard of moth to flame? Holy Light looks sacred, essence is Pollution. It lures you close to burn your Soul and Life. Don’t hesitate— slash it; show me your power!”
“Hah!”
Lu Rang roared, focused, gripped Pipe Wrench with both hands, slashing down.
This time, the seemingly clumsy Pipe Wrench surface wrapped sharp Sword Qi, heavily unleashing an invisible Sword Qi slash. It made the barrier crackle, leaving a mark that soon faded.
“This…” Lu Rang never expected his confident attack to fail breaking the transparent light wall.
“Not bad; don’t slacken or discourage— my Strength exceeds your imagination.” Yuan Zhu patted his shoulder, saying, “C’mon, treat you to dinner.”
