Chapter 518: Ancient Devil's Finger, Danger of Demonic Corruption

In just a few moves, four individuals were instantly incapacitated. This demonstrated Wang Yu's overwhelming dominance in combat at the Nascent Soul stage, leaving only Ancient Beast Lord Luo Tianji and his spirit beast, the Bixie.

Influenced by an unknown force, Luo Tianji charged forward despite knowing he was no match for Wang Yu. With a forceful crack of his Ancient Beast Whip, the Bixie's body suddenly swelled to twice its original size. A black gravity ring instantly landed on Wang Yu, causing his movements to freeze for a moment. In that instant, the Bixie burrowed through the earth and appeared beside Wang Yu.

A colossal rock golem, shaped like a dragon's head, instantly materialized and lunged to bite his head. However... it was useless! Even with gravity intensified a hundredfold, it was as light as a feather against Wang Yu's powerful physique.

His right hand, holding the bow, fiercely slashed towards the rock dragon head. The crimson spiritual light erupting from the Sun-Piercing Demonic Bow instantly reversed its properties. The bow's arm transformed into a black ice blade, and with the dual enhancement of Silver Blood Divine Power and the Force Field, it directly shattered the rock dragon head! Its momentum unchecked, the blade then struck the Bixie's hard skull. Sparks flew as if metal clashed against metal, and the Bixie, disoriented by the blow, flew uncontrollably backward.

Immediately after, Wang Yu's left hand made a pulling motion backward. The Yellow Spring Grand Hand Seal, empowered by Yellow Spring Dharma Intent, instantly appeared, gripping the Bixie's retreating form and forcibly pulling it back. Its extreme corrosive power caused a large amount of the Bixie's mane to fall out. After reducing its defensive capabilities, the Flesh Demonic Sword immediately struck.

—Blood Slaughter Heart Sword!

Under this dual assault on mind and body, the already weakened Bixie was utterly stunned, its massive form plummeting uncontrollably to the ground. With a thunderous crash, it created a crater nearly a thousand meters in diameter, as if the entire ground had caved in.

At that moment, Luo Tianji charged again, manifesting a round pearl-shaped artifact. The pearl, heavy as ten thousand tons, hurtled like a meteor towards Wang Yu's chest. He aimed to buy time for the Bixie, but... it was still useless. Wang Yu merely opened his mouth and exhaled the Ice Chilong Alchemical Flame, still targeting the Bixie!

The sunken ground transformed into a sea of blue fire, with endless ice crystals spreading. When the ten-thousand-ton pearl struck Wang Yu, he remained unfazed, not even batting an eye. With a backhand, he snatched it, and the Yellow Spring Dharma Intent immediately washed over it. In less than two breaths, the artifact no longer belonged to Ancient Beast Lord. While Yellow Spring magic power could destroy artifacts, Yellow Spring Dharma Intent was an excellent means of seizing them. Often, a single pass would cleanse it of the owner's spiritual imprint, instantly making it his own.

The next instant, Wang Yu vanished into a flash of light again, reappearing behind Ancient Beast Lord in an instant. His right hand, swift as lightning, plunged into Luo Tianji's body, deep into his Qi Sea. This move was called the Nascent Soul Seizing Hand! Similar in nature to the Core-Plucking Hand of the Golden Core stage, it was one of the most popular demonic cultivation techniques in the Scarlet Kite sect for that cultivation level, a mandatory skill for everyone. The Ancient Beast's Nascent Soul offered almost no resistance before being seized by Wang Yu and directly tossed into the Glazed Pagoda.

With that, the battle concluded. It ended in Wang Yu's complete victory, and this was even without him exerting his full power. Had he used the Twelve Aspects of Guanghan, these individuals would have long been dead. Xue Yu watched the entire process in stunned amazement. Even though they had spent so much time together and understood each other well, she never imagined Wang Yu's strength could reach such a level. The entire process was incredibly smooth, almost fluid.

“Master... the Longevity Fruit!” Xue Yu, who had been about to say something else, suddenly remembered the treasure here and eagerly urged Wang Yu to retrieve the precious fruit.

“No rush, there’s still one more thing to take care of.” He was, of course, referring to the Bixie. Without its master's enhancement, the Bixie's size had returned to normal, its strength greatly diminished, and it was now sealed within the ice crystals formed by the Ice Chilong Alchemical Flame.

Wang Yu licked his lips as black smoke, formed from Heavenly Devil Malice, seeped from his body, instantly creating the image of a wicked demon lord. The billowing black smoke, unaffected by the ice crystals, directly infused the Bixie's body. Wang Yu then activated his Asura Dharma Intent, repeatedly assaulting the Bixie's mind, until it completely lost consciousness and was controlled by the Heavenly Devil Malice.

“Heavenly Devil Transformation!” He muttered softly, and the Bixie's indestructible body rapidly disintegrated, transforming into streams of pure vital essence that flowed into Wang Yu's body. He, too, wore an intoxicated expression. His muscles rippled, beginning a strange and sinister transformation. The initial transformation was slow, but Wang Yu had successfully stolen the Bixie's bloodline power through his Innate Demonic Embryo Physique.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Wang Yu's form had been replaced by a unique blue-black Bixie, its body suffused with a powerful mixture of ice and earth elemental demonic energy. It radiated monstrous demonic aura! The Bixie, after all, possessed the bloodline of a fierce beast. This transformed state would allow Wang Yu to continue using it even after achieving the Soul Transformation stage, its potential far exceeding artificial weapons like the Extreme Yin Dragon Body. The physical enhancement it provided him was also very significant.

The Heavenly Devil Transformation changed both skin and bone, a remarkably powerful effect. Yet, Wang Yu felt there was still unexploited potential, perhaps indicating that the Innate Demonic Embryo Physique could undergo another evolution. He just hadn't found a way to develop it yet.

After moving around for a moment in the Bixie's form, Wang Yu transformed back into human shape. This was achieved using the shapeshifting abilities of a great demon, so the human form displayed distinct demonic features: a pair of curved dragon horns and a head full of dark blue hair. His abundant hair gave him a somewhat wild demeanor. His facial features, however, remained largely similar to his original appearance. If utilized well, this minor flaw wouldn't be a disadvantage at all.

After he had sorted through his gains, he redirected his attention to the Longevity Fruit. No matter how he looked at it, the fruit seemed too peculiar, making Wang Yu doubt its authenticity. If a genuine Longevity Fruit existed, there was no reason for the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable, hidden within the mystic realm, not to have taken it. Thus, even with Xue Yu's repeated urgings, Wang Yu remained unmoved.

Only after confirming that Yan Ling and Yu Tangtang, who were suppressed by the Ice Prison Demonic Seal, were not in mortal danger did he begin to ponder a way to break the current situation. Regardless of the truth of this place, the environment was definitely some form of illusion. Considering the building's large wooden box-like appearance upon entry, a flash of inspiration struck Wang Yu. He casually pointed a finger, and an ice crystal suddenly sprouted from the ground, steadily extending towards the sky.

Though seemingly unintelligent, this 'clumsy method' proved exceptionally practical. Over the next few minutes, Wang Yu watched as the ice pillar gradually bent. It twisted into indescribable, erratic patterns, as if caught in a kaleidoscope, until he felt something solid.

Wang Yu's eyes lit up. “Now!”

Closing his eyes, he transformed into an aurora and surged along the ice pillar. Within a few breaths, he reached its apex. Without hesitation, Wang Yu delivered a punch. A crisp 'crack' echoed in his ears. The scene of warm sunshine and gentle breezes vanished instantly.

A gloomy, damp environment greeted his eyes. The only light came from mermaid oil lamps, but the ground and surrounding walls were entirely covered in a thick layer of flesh. Nauseating mucus dripped constantly, easily causing physical discomfort.

As for the fruit tree bearing the Longevity Fruit, its true form was actually a low-lying flower bud, its roots entwined around a shriveled finger. Beneath the flower was a greenish fruit, emitting a strange fragrance. This was the pure life force Xue Yu had sensed. Its true nature was a finger from an ancient demon of life, and it was also the core of the Eight Gates Heavenly Evasion Array. The demonized life force was extracted from this very finger. The fact that it remained effective after so many years alone demonstrated the terrifying power of the ancient demon. It was likely no ordinary entity even in the Upper Realm.

After the illusion was dispelled, Wang Yu also discovered the core item of this place: a Mirage Pearl! Among the ancient relics was a creature called the Mirage Dragon, a product of a true dragon mating with a clam spirit. It possessed the innate ability to create realistic illusions, which was why Wang Yu's divine sense couldn't detect any flaws. The illusion generated by activating the mirage pearl was like a personal arrangement by the Mirage Dragon itself. Everything within the illusion provided real-world sensory feedback, enough to deceive anyone!

“Too bad it's just a core, similar to a dragon pearl, rather than an essence body condensed from flesh and blood.” For the Heavenly Devil Transformation to devour something, the prerequisites were quite strict. To devour a living body, one first had to use malicious intent to break its will. To devour flesh and blood essence, it needed to contain approximately 80% of the body's vital blood to successfully acquire the transformation form. Simply put, devouring a complete corpse was the easiest way to succeed. The mirage pearl did not fall into this category, but it could be refined into a suitable artifact. So it wasn't a total loss.

When Wang Yu descended from the 'ceiling' back to the ground, Xue Yu finally snapped out of her daze, murmuring, “It's not a Longevity Fruit... we were tricked~”

Wang Yu tapped her little head and said earnestly, “While your strength has improved rapidly, you lack a lot of common sense and experience from navigating the cultivation world. Luo Tianji has a top-grade Demon-Binding Bracelet in his possession. From now on, you'll stay inside it. Constantly sense the outside world and learn how I make decisions in various situations.”

“Oh~” Xue Yu responded weakly. She had long since 'laid flat' (given up on effort). Forcing her to study diligently was less appealing than cultivating the Human Desire Method a few more times. With that, she retreated back into the spirit beast pouch, not showing her head again.

Wang Yu didn't mind. The Demon-Binding Bracelet was a top-grade Tier 4 artifact, containing five independent spaces for spirit beasts to rest and cultivate by drawing in spiritual energy from the outside world. It wasn't the right time to refine it yet, so he continued to use the spirit beast pouch.

He then focused his attention on the ancient demon's finger. The fruit on the flower bud was merely bait; the true treasure was this finger. Wang Yu had a strong feeling that if he could refine this finger, his body cultivation realm would definitely break through to the fifth tier, becoming a pure body cultivator comparable to a Soul Transformation Venerable!

However, at the same time, he would also have to bear the danger of refining an ancient demon's body. He understood clearly that the ancient demon's level was likely unimaginably high; otherwise, celestials wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to specifically create a prison world and even modify its rules. By all accounts, immense effort was expended. It was precisely because they couldn't execute the enemy that the prison's existence was necessary. To some extent, the ancient demon was an entity that even celestials couldn't slay; they could only separate its spirit from its body.

But this might also be his opportunity! Fully refining it into his own power was out of the question, but he could use its immense life force to achieve a breakthrough. Conveniently, the ancient demon's body and soul were separated, leaving the body with only instinctual reactions. Wang Yu had repeatedly analyzed and calculated the dangers involved. He felt that absorbing an excessive amount of demonized life force could lead to the danger of demonic corruption, and breaking through a realm could not be replaced by the Heavenly Devil Transformation. The Heavenly Devil Transformation was too thorough; everything, including energy forms, would change its nature based on the racial bloodline. Therefore, after Wang Yu transformed into his demonic human form, the immortal spiritual bones within his body would become a special type of spiritual bone corresponding to the demonized physique. While their strength would be consistent, they could not serve as a vessel for breaking through to the fifth tier of body cultivation. For that, he had to use his original body to break through.

After long deliberation, Wang Yu looked at the Prajna Heart Sutra, which had reached the Minor Accomplishment stage in his display panel, as well as the Seven-Heart Treasure Wheel Sacred Tree in his mind lake, and his clear, enlightened Dao Heart, the Glazed Heart Realm. He believed that even if he were to be demonically corrupted and controlled, he could use his extremely powerful mental state to resist such loss of control. In that case, taking some risks would be acceptable.

“The timid starve, the bold feast. Let's do it!” After all, both the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable and the Ice Phoenix Fierce Corpse circling outside the Phoenix Extremity Palace were problems that required Soul Transformation stage strength to handle. Wang Yu would face these challenges sooner or later, so taking risks was inevitable. Moreover, if successful, his gains would be astonishing. If he could use the Heavenly Devil Transformation to devour the Ice Phoenix Fierce Corpse, his strength would immediately skyrocket to a higher realm, giving him a greater chance when confronting the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable. After leaving the Heavenly Palace Mystic Realm, his freedom in the outside world would also change dramatically from his previous situation; even Scarlet Heaven would only be fit to lick his toes!

Fortune favors the bold... The moment this thought popped into his head, Wang Yu shook it off. It was best not to jinx himself at such a crucial moment.

Once he made up his mind, Wang Yu's execution was always swift. He walked directly to the flower bud and pulled it up by its roots. He gripped the shriveled finger and unhesitatingly swallowed it. The Ice Soul Saint Devil Scripture, at the Peak of the Fifth Tier, began to circulate, continuously extracting the immense life force from the ancient demon's finger through refinement. It began to holistically strengthen every minute detail of his limbs and skeletal structure. Concurrently, Wang Yu pushed the divine ability, Undying Spiritual Body, which aided body cultivation, to its limit. The immortal spiritual light radiating from his entire being illuminated the dim environment.

As he absorbed and refined the demonized life force, Wang Yu's body continuously swelled. At times, an arm would sprout from his shoulder, only to be immediately severed and reabsorbed by him. At other times, a tumor would grow on his belly, which he would then completely excise. These were the demonized properties within the life force, which he concentrated in specific parts of his body and expelled by directly cutting them off. And with his control over his physical body, he could make the wounds heal back to a normal human appearance, instead of regrowing another arm or a repulsive tumor.

This cycle of cutting and regrowing, then regrowing and cutting, continued for three days and three nights, until Wang Yu's physical body reached its true critical point. The crucial moment for breakthrough had arrived. Wang Yu's eyes snapped open. His previously clear gaze was rapidly overtaken by crimson, as demonic nature gradually expunged his humanity.

The danger of demonic corruption had descended!