Chapter 201: Li Shi Huo Qi, Subduing The Demons
The water cave was wrapped in chill, with gurgling bubbles surging out.
Chen Shun’an had just approached the water cave.
A gate-guarding monster immediately raised a pair of shrimp claws toward the sky and shouted,
“Humans are here, humans are here, the general is back!”
The lesser demons in the cave heard this and cheered excitedly,
“Someone’s taking over, finally someone’s taking over!”
Chen Shun’an peered intently and saw that this shrimp demon was actually a proper Giant Prawn from the Yellow Sea that had become a spirit.
This kind of prawn was the most delicious, with fat, springy meat; the people of Wuqing County loved to fry it first then cook it, drizzling it with sauce before serving—it was indescribably fragrant!
But judging by its size, this Giant Prawn must weigh dozens of pounds; it was unclear if the meat was tough or even more tender.
It was Chen Shun’an’s first time seeing a Giant Prawn spirit, so he couldn’t help but look a bit longer.
At that glance, the Giant Prawn vaguely detected the greed in Chen Shun’an’s eyes and flew into a rage,
“You vile human, you want to eat me?!”
“Oh oh, force of habit; I truly am seeing one for the first time, so I couldn’t help being curious…”
A calm voice suddenly rang in the Giant Prawn’s mind.
The Giant Prawn’s body stiffened instantly, its shrimp claws suspended in midair, gurgling white bubbles from its mouth.
How could this human speak the language of monsters?
Could he be a human transformed into a monster?!
In that instant of the Giant Prawn’s daze, Chen Shun’an flicked out a strand of Flying Immortal Strength, silently piercing through several feet of water flow and accurately striking the joint of the shrimp demon’s claw.
The next moment, the Giant Prawn grunted dully, feeling its entire shrimp tendon go soft and numb, crashing heavily against the cave wall, splashing mud and water, unable to struggle.
Chen Shun’an swam past it unconcernedly and said,
“Your general is dead; I killed him.”
The Silver Scholar seemed like a guide leading the way ahead, giving the Giant Prawn an indifferent glance.
The shrimp demon glared with its black beady eyes, finally reacting, and bellowed at the top of its voice,
“Humans are here, humans are here, the general isn’t coming back—he’s dead!!”
【Wish+2】
At these words, the water demons still grinding scales in the water cave dropped the pebbles from their mouths in fright and fled in panic,
“The general is dead!”
“The general is dead again!”
“Divide the spoils and flee for your lives!”
The Golden Scaled Perch vaguely sensed a familiar aura approaching, swallowed the waterweed in its mouth in a couple bites, and looked toward the cave entrance with shining eyes.
After being a demon for several days, it had actually gained quite a bit more weight; its belly was round and drum-like a ball.
Then a group of lesser demons was in chaos when Chen Shun’an drew his Precious Sword, treading waves and leaping into the cave, shaking the sword to reveal a faint trace of divinity, its divine might awe-inspiring, and he shouted,
“Shut your fish mouths!”
The water cave immediately fell silent, leaving only the sound of dark surges rising and falling.
A White Flower Snake dropped its weapon and prostrated itself, tears streaming uncontrollably from its cheeks.
【Wish+4】
A Catfish Spirit hid its body in the mud and sand, head buried, silently playing dead.
【Wish+2】
Another monster called out,
“Spare us, spare us, great king, spare us!”
【Wish+1】
These water demons saw that Chen Shun’an was impervious to water, moved naturally, understood the language of monsters, and stood profound and imposing like a mountain, awe-inspiring; they took him for some great demon that had transformed into human form.
“Don’t call me great king; address me as High God!”
“Yes yes yes, High God, spare us!”
Chen Shun’an scanned around; including the Giant Prawn still slumped outside the cave, there were five lesser demons in total, but their origins were lowly, far inferior to the Silver Scholar and Golden Scaled Perch.
After all, the Silver Scholar and Golden Scaled Perch had sensed the divinity on Chen Shun’an and felt their bloodlines instinctively responding, glimpsing a corner of an ancient and vicissitudinous past.
That was the divine might of the Grass Head God.
But these lesser demons were different; they simply feared his might.
However…
Chen Shun’an gave that soft and boneless White Flower Snake an extra look.
This snake had slightly higher intelligence, actually providing 4 points of wish feedback; it was worth cultivating.
He would raise a White Snake.
Chen Shun’an ignored these lesser demons and quickly swam to that Red Scale.
Immediately, Chen Shun’an sensed an extremely pure life primal qi rushing toward him.
The Red Scale was ancient and unadorned overall, though a small portion was slightly smoother from long grinding.
And it was precisely this mirror-smooth part where Chen Shun’an could clearly see strands of misty, smoke-like bright light swimming within the Red Scale.
Violent, scorching, boiling enough to fill the heavens!
It seemed that a slight touch would spark flames!
“How is this somewhat like a certain fire-related ‘Form Qi’?”
Seeing this, Chen Shun’an muttered to himself.
All things in the world are divided into tangible objects and intangible ones.
The qi of tangible objects is called ‘Form Qi’.
And【Divine Might Purple Thunder Cannon】 is forged from ‘Form Qi’.
In other words… this Red Scale before him was some kind of immortal material?
Material for cultivators to forge artifacts or draw talismans?!
Chen Shun’an’s heart shook.
Under Chen Shun’an’s patient guidance, these lesser demons chattered and revealed the origins and all information about this object.
This scale was indeed something General Huang had obtained by chance.
Later, it was discovered that finely grinding the scales to make them smooth could, upon touch, trigger the fire qi inside to burst forth.
Truly indestructible, incinerating all things.
But mishandling this thing could lead to playing with fire and burning oneself.
Even the process of grinding the Red Scale was extremely dangerous.
So General Huang ‘outsourced’ the task, conscripting this group of lesser demons for the hard labor.
General Huang was just a lesser demon who only knew to flaunt its claws and fangs; it knew nothing of sacrificial refining treasures, immortal methods, or wondrous arts, not even a cultivation method for absorbing moonlight essence.
It could only simply grind the Red Scale, planning to wear it on its body and trigger it if vicious humans attacked.
But it died before victory, without even using the Red Scale to stir up trouble; it was sold out by the Silver Scholar.
Benefiting Chen Shun’an.
At this moment, as Chen Shun’an reached out to touch the ancient, unground part of the Red Scale, a piece of information appeared in the corner of his eye.
【Obtained great demon scale, contains ‘Li Shi Huo Qi’; extracting it can supplement Ranyiu Fish Scale】
【Extract?】
Supplementing form with form?!
Finally, he had found a way to supplement the Ranyiu Fish Scale!
Seeing this, Chen Shun’an’s eyes lit up with joy.
That Ran Yi Fish was nearly plucked bald; though 59 scales remained, they probably wouldn’t last even a month.
This was exactly the solution to Chen Shun’an’s… and that Ran Yi Fish’s urgent need.
Moreover… Li Shi Huo Qi?
Chen Shun’an’s eyes showed contemplation.
《The Book of Changes》 states that Li consists of two yang lines sandwiching a yin line, its image is fire, corresponding to the heart and mind.
And ‘room’ in martial arts methods and Daoist scriptures typically refers specifically to certain cultivation acupoints, like the lower dantian, Yellow Court, heart chamber.
Thus, Li Shi Huo Qi is the true yang fire arising from the acupoints.
It has meanings of flowing and generating, not innate but acquired through cultivation!
So Chen Shun’an vaguely guessed that the great demon likely truly mastered a cultivation method, a genuine demon immortal, or rather…
Immortal!
Heterologous monsters seeking the immortal path are called immortals.
Especially Bai Shan Ren from the Changbai black waters region, where Esoteric Buddhism shamanism is the state religion; after entering the pass, weasel immortals and mounted immortals spread to the Central Plains, causing a stir among the folk.
But ordinary people have never seen true mounted immortals, thinking them mere tricks by village fools to scam money.
【No】
Chen the Skinflint thought the Ran Yi Fish could hold out for another month, and now he had a way to supplement the scales, so there was no rush.
He would extract when needed; the Ran Yi Fish could stay bald for now.
Chen Shun’an made his decision, waved his hand, and the millstone-sized Red Scale vanished into thin air, appearing in the Divine Palace.
The Divine Palace was based on the ‘Universe’ status, but currently only had【Xuhuo Mukou】, still quite inconvenient and unable to store everything.
But this Red Scale was something born of weapons and fire, so it could naturally be stored in the Divine Palace.
Thus, there was no worry about carrying it openly and leaking the news.
With the Red Scale stored away, Chen Shun’an turned back to these oddly shaped lesser demons.
His fingertip suddenly flicked out two strands of Flying Immortal Strength; the pale cyan qi pierced the water layer, instantly blasting the heads of two lesser demons with turbid qi, impure essence blood, who had eaten human hearts and livers.
A fishy smell spread in the water; the remaining three lesser demons huddled in fright,
Not that Chen Shun’an was kind-hearted and couldn’t bear to see monsters eat people.
But those who had eaten humans grew ambitions, knew the taste of human flesh, and learned shortcuts to cultivation.
They would be hard to control and affect the team’s morale.
That wouldn’t do.
“Silver Scholar, hear my command!”
Chen Shun’an said sternly.
“Your servant is here!”
The Silver Scholar quickly swam forward, tail slapping the water, eyes full of expectation.
Chen Shun’an said: “From today, you are the first strategist under this god, Silver Prime Minister! Responsible for planning, organizing the subordinate water demons, establishing laws, rites, and government affairs! These water demons are temporarily under your command!”
With that, Chen Shun’an flicked his finger, stuffing a Qi Eating Insect’s excretion into the Silver Scholar’s mouth.
“Understood!” The Silver Scholar excitedly swam about, its body glowing faintly, qi and blood flowing faster.
It was worth all the diligent, uncomplaining hard work; finally, it had gained an official title!
Then, Chen Shun’an looked at the three lesser demons and released a strand of divine might, saying,
“Do you submit?!”
The three demons didn’t hesitate; even the Catfish Spirit immediately burrowed out from the mud and sand, saying,
“We are willing to submit; greetings to Silver Prime Minister!”
Then, three more Qi Eating Insect excretions fell before the three demons.
Smelling the fragrant, round lumps of treasure before them, the three demons swallowed them at once; in just a few breaths, they shuddered all over, feeling warm and cozy, their qi and blood strengthened somewhat.
“Thanks be to High God!”X3
【Wish+2】
【Wish+2】
【Wish+4】
Combining kindness and severity, a stick and a sweet date, was most effective for these low-intelligence lesser demons.
Human believers on the water could receive water dew, harvesting wish.
While underwater monsters could wield life-and-death power, grant positions and transmit scriptures, enlighten intelligence, harvesting wish.
Both hands must grasp, both must be strong!
The Golden Scaled Perch saw all the lesser demons receive rewards from the High God while it got none, and looked at Chen Shun’an feeling rather aggrieved.
Chen Shun’an glanced at its round belly, shook his head, and flicked one over as well.
“Thanks be to High God!” the Golden Scaled Perch said delightedly.
Looking at the group of overjoyed, simple-minded lesser demons.
Chen Shun’an felt a twinge of guilt like a trafficker of minors.
Especially using Qi Eating Insect excretions as rewards—it was too shabby!
Unbefitting the identity of Water Origin Great Emperor!
“But once Grass Talisman reaches perfection and Ran Yi Fish upgrades to four legs, Mud Pill Grows Golden Lotus can enlighten the intelligence of aquatic creatures and cleanse their impure bodies.”
“Then will be the time for Chen Mou to display might in the water, assemble a team, and raise an underwater army!”
At that time, Cloudweaving Lad, Clam Maiden with pearl, Tray Bearer, Whale Lishi, Crab Warrior—wouldn’t they all fall into his trap?
Still, his own cultivated, incense-wish bound loyalists were utterly reliable, with no chance of betrayal!
