The instant he saw the Azure Donkey, Chen Yan and the other two frowned almost simultaneously, unlike the townsfolk who cried out in amazement and praise. Old Daoist Liu, with his fiery temper, even cursed aloud:
"Damn beast!"
The beast in the old Daoist's mouth naturally was not the Azure Donkey in the cage, but the triangular-eyed Daoist strutting arrogantly atop the platform.
Chen Yan was no longer the ignorant novice he had once been. During this time, he had read quite a few Daoist Canons, including many Daoist spells and arts of unorthodox paths.
Among them was an unorthodox art called the Art of Animal Creation.
Its principle was to use drugs to muddle the minds of women and children, then use demonic arts to transform them into livestock such as donkeys, horses, cattle, and sheep. They would be taken to the streets to perform for money, or hauled off to inns and restaurants to be sold. Street performances were one thing, but if they were sold to restaurants or inns, they would most likely be unable to escape slaughter and end up on diners' tables.
As for why women and children were used, it was simply because their flesh was more tender, with children being the best of all...
This art was exceedingly vicious and cruel. Among the orthodox Daoist sects, the Art of Animal Creation was one of the forbidden arts explicitly prohibited.
Clearly, the triangular-eyed Daoist on the platform had used this forbidden art. The Azure Donkey in the cage was no spiritually endowed donkey at all. In Chen Yan and the others' eyes, it was plainly a living child!
Inside the cage, the Azure Donkey transformed from the child repeatedly rammed the iron bars. Even as its hide split open and blood streamed down, it