Chapter 116: The True Method of Nascent Core Body Tempering

Gale and sudden rain, the cold biting to the bone.

A three-zhang-long mottled tiger body leapt high, madly dashing across the ridges, toppling countless giant trees, shaking the earth along the way.

The instant Tiger Boss was gutted open by that palm, the young tiger demon had fled in the opposite direction without looking back.

It had never imagined it would become the "Biao King" in this manner, becoming the only choice left to its father.

Yet in its heart there was not the slightest joy; instead, it was so cold that its whole body trembled.

Because behind it still followed a ferocious demon — the overwhelming demonic aura meant the other party had at least a thousand-plus more years of cultivation than itself.

"Senior!"

The young tiger demon fled as it let out a long howl: "My father is the Mountain Lord of Xitai Mountain, my godfather is Bai Lu the Deer Demon Lord — for their sake, spare this junior's life!"

Amid the wild howl, a pitch-black ceremonial saber flew at a speed barely visible to the eye, piercing through its hind leg and pinning it to the rocky cliff face.

"Aow!"

With a sharp cry of pain, the young tiger demon's eyes went red and it roared: "My father is right here in Yong'an City!!"

A slender figure stepped out from the curtain of rain, unhurriedly walking to the tiger demon's side.

Shen Yi gripped its massive head, punching down again and again, demonic power scattering as if it cost nothing, battering the tiger demon's skull to fragments; its eyes glazed over, utterly unable to fight back.

Boom— boom—

Soon, the entire tiger face was dyed red with blood.

It did not even notice that the young man's aura was rapidly waning.

Shen Yi could not recall how many fists he had thrown; only when the tiger demon's head beneath his fists could no longer be recognized did the dark-red mist rising in his eyes recede slightly.

【Slain Nascent Core Realm tiger demon, total lifespan 3,820 years, remaining lifespan 1,912 years, absorption complete】

【Remaining demon lifespan: 4,378 years】

Another wisp of a Nascent Core Realm demon's essence blood drilled into the bell.

He walked over, pulled out the ceremonial saber, skillfully slit the belly and extracted the core, then took off a few valuable demon goods and likewise packed them into the bell.

Then his whole person, somewhat drained of strength, lay down atop the tiger demon's corpse.

Shen Yi panted heavily, slowly extending his right hand; his sleeve slid down, revealing a wrist covered in fresh-red patterns.

This was his first time mobilizing the full power of the Heavenly Demon external elixir.

In his eyes, restored to a pitch-black clarity, a trace of wariness flickered.

Although he did not know what a normal Nascent Core Realm looked like, this thing — apart from its appearance — had absolutely nothing to do with an inner core.

Previously, he had only left a single path open for the Heavenly Demon external elixir, allowing him to guide that sliver of demonic power into the blade and slay the Vajra Gate abbot in a single strike.

But if, like now, he directly removed the suppression of the Sun-Melting Precious Furnace—

The raging Demon Lord cultivation within was something Shen Yi could not control at all. For instance, that first palm strike against Tiger Boss — it looked utterly unremarkable, but in fact it directly consumed about one-fifth of his reserves, and in a single blow destroyed all the meridians throughout the other's body.

But the damage to himself was likewise not to be overlooked.

If it were a proper inner core connected to the meridians and acupoints, how could it possibly mobilize so much power in one go?

"Without some body-tempering skill, you really can't use this thing."

Shen Yi's eye twitched twice, and he sank into inner vision.

The Sun-Melting Precious Furnace easily suppressed the external elixir back down again.

Inside, it had originally held about fifty percent of demonic cultivation; now only roughly thirty percent remained.

"……"

Shen Yi sighed, took the external elixir in his hand, then took out the dragon fledgling core Aunt Aqian had given him. This time he did not choose to swallow it, but brought the two together.

The Heavenly Demon Yama external elixir instantly erupted with an overbearing devouring force, as if about to swallow the fledgling core whole.

Its reserves were quickly replenished, returning to about fifty percent — this was the Sun-Melting Precious Furnace's current limit.

Shen Yi snatched it away with a swift hand and returned it to his qi sea.

He then observed the dragon fledgling core in his hand.

Much as he had guessed — one fledgling core could replenish about twenty-five percent. Now the aura within was nearly spent; he had to find a chance to eat it, otherwise once the aura fully dissipated it would become useless.

He lay resting for a while longer.

Shen Yi gradually dispelled the sudden violence from his emotions, then sat upright again.

No matter what, this was the greatest gain since his transmigration.

He summoned the panel, his divine sense stirring slightly.

A thousand years of demon lifespan transformed into a demon treasure crystal.

【Remaining demon lifespan: 3,378 years】

【Nascent Core · Life-Death Zen Body (Upper Scroll): Complete】

Shen Yi was not as nervous as last time — this was the confidence a few thousand years of demon lifespan gave him.

He did not ask for anything grand, as long as it was a complete Nascent Core body-tempering martial art; please, no more tricks like the Heavenly Demon Yama external elixir.

With this thought, he slowly poured the demon treasure crystal in.

……

【Year One — You swallow the demon treasure crystal, attempting to deduce the lower scroll of the Life-Death Zen Body; the grudges of many demons gradually awaken】

【Lifespan extended by twenty years】

【Year Three — The young fox demon is not adept at body-tempering methods and complains that this is something only a brainless martial fool would do, a waste of time】

【Year Five — The ape demon awakens and suggests you simply die once for real, to see if that life force can bring you back; if successful, your comprehension of the martial art would surely improve greatly】

"……"

Shen Yi had not held great expectations for these minor demons to begin with.

The demon treasure crystal could awaken the grudges of those dead demons, but it required time. If he remembered correctly, the last Flood Demon had awakened around the thirty-year mark.

In the twenty-eighth year, the Serpent Demon and the Tiger Demon simultaneously regained a sliver of their divine intellect. Both were creatures favored by Heaven and Earth, their bodies naturally incomparably fierce. The Serpent Demon attempted to study the Profound Bai Guang upon you.

In the forty-sixth year, the Serpent Demon was troubled by the intent of life and death. The Profound Bai Guang seemed like chains binding it. You watched this, gaining a slight realization.

In the one hundred and twenty-seventh year, you attempted to subdue the demonic power with the intent of death, and to take the vitality for your own use... The Serpent Demon described its own feelings to you in detail, helping you refine this conjecture.

In the one hundred and ninety-third year, with the Serpent Demon's help, you finally deduced the rough path. To thank the Serpent Demon, you wished to name it the "Subduing Serpent Arhat Golden Body." Just then, the Crocodile Dragon suddenly reminded you that you also possessed the same transformative talent, asking if it could be blended further.

In the two hundred and ninety-third year, the Crocodile Dragon imitated its former appearance and demonstrated the entire process to you completely. You did not quite understand, and suggested the other party do it again.

"This is..."

Shen Yi had been watching quietly, but now he too could hardly contain his emotions.

Clearly, only one step remained from a complete body-refining method, but looking at the prompt on the panel, he involuntarily clenched his five fingers.

Martial arts of the same realm still have distinctions of grade.

A Crocodile Dragon of the Jade Liquid Realm actually wanted to help him break through this body-refining method even further?

(End of this chapter)