Form Transformation

In his previous life, Lin Chan had read a theory.

It was that the reason demons cultivated Form Transformation was not actually to become human, but to transform into a Dao Body resembling that of an Innate being.

Innate beings naturally did not refer to a martial artist's Innate Realm, but beings born at the dawn of creation, existences closest to the Dao—or perhaps the Dao itself.

It was easier to understand through a story.

Nuwa created humans.

Nuwa created humans in her own image, and the human form was the existence closest to a Dao Body.

Thus, what demons transformed into was the Dao, not humans.

Of course, this was merely a theory Lin Chan had encountered in his previous life. After coming to this world, he had not found any relevant texts.

Using this theory as a reference, Lin Chan knew what to tell the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger.

"I fear the problem still lies in eating people."

"So that was it?"

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger agreed, but it could not understand the reason.

"Humans are the beings among all living things closest to a Dao Body, which is why demons must cross the threshold of Form Transformation in their cultivation. Tiger King has been stopped at precisely this point."

Lin Chan spoke slowly.

"Exactly!"

Upon hearing Lin Chan's words, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger suddenly saw the light.

It had entered the Dao as a savage beast, feeling its way across the river by groping for stones with every step. Having cultivated to this point, it only knew that it needed Form Transformation, yet did not know why it had to take human form, and no one had ever told it.

Now that Lin Chan had explained it, it understood at once and admired Lin Chan even more.

"Because humans are close to Dao Bodies, eating humans can supplement a demon's intelligence and enhance its cultivation."

"But humans are the spiritual leaders of all living things, born with the Seven Emotions and six desires, their cause and effect and Karma tangled without end. Once demons begin eating humans, they accumulate Karmic Obstacles. At first, these Karmic Obstacles may not seem like much, but once they build up, they will hinder cultivation and make breakthroughs difficult. They may even trigger a backlash, plunging one into confusion until all intelligence is lost, leaving behind a muddled, witless evil demon that knows only how to eat people."

Hearing this, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger felt as though it had been struck by lightning.

This described its present condition exactly. It also felt that, in recent years, it had indeed become increasingly muddled and increasingly violent.

"Sir! Save me!"

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger repeatedly bowed its head.

"Tiger King, how many people have you eaten over the years?"

Lin Chan asked.

"Several... several hundred. No! In truth, several thousand already."

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger had initially wanted to deceive Lin Chan, but then it realized that if it lied, Lin Chan would not understand its condition and would instead be unable to solve its problem.

Several thousand people—truly terrifying!

Waves rose in Lin Chan's heart as well.

Most of those people probably could not be called evil. Quite a few had been led and tempted by Grief Ghosts sent by the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger; once they revealed malicious intent, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger swallowed them whole.

Though the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger had upheld its agreement with the Old Monk, it had thoroughly strayed from the Old Monk's original intentions.

"Sir! Is there truly no saving me?"

Seeing that Lin Chan did not answer immediately, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger panicked.

For demons that had opened their intelligence, what they feared most was not death, but losing that intelligence.

Once one had possessed something, one feared losing it.

"Buddhism has an old saying: lay down the butcher's knife, and become a Buddha on the spot. Fortunately, Tiger King has not yet reached the point of no return."

Lin Chan spoke softly, soothing the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger's emotions.

Lin Chan himself did not agree with those words, but he had no choice but to say them now.

If he truly pushed it into desperation and it opened its mouth to eat him, that would be a loss outweighing the gain.

Hearing Lin Chan's words, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger was somewhat relieved, but another problem arose.

"Sir! All this time, I have cultivated by eating evil people. If I stop eating humans from now on, I do not know what I should do next. Of course, I now know my error and am willing to turn toward good, to reform and renew myself. I ask that Sir point out the road ahead for me."

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger spoke somewhat awkwardly.

Now it knew that good and evil were difficult to judge, and that what it had done in the past had been utterly absurd.

"This is not difficult. Demons also have proper paths of cultivation: Absorb Moon, Merge Light, Consume Radiance, and Consume Dew. Though these proper paths may progress somewhat more slowly, they will not harm your intelligence and are in harmony with the heavenly Dao."

Lin Chan casually listed several terms he knew.

Among them, he only knew of one Absorb Moon technique: the [Golden Flower Cat Moon Drawing Method].

A big cat was still a cat. Perhaps the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger could cultivate it as well.

It was simply that this method had been passed to A Li by the Orange Cat Immortal of Shu Mountain. Lin Chan did not know whether he should tell the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger about it.

Since the Orange Cat Immortal descended the mountain to pass on the method, he probably would not mind if it were spread freely. Besides, if I persuade the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger to do good, that would not be a bad deed.

Lin Chan reasoned with himself.

Right now, the most important thing was escaping the tiger's jaws, not fretting over trivial details.

"Sir, I understand. In the nearby mountains, there are Spirit Cats Absorbing Moon, Spirit Turtles Merging Light, Spirit Snakes Consuming Radiance, and Spirit Pigs Consuming Dew. I shall go ask them myself!"

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger pressed its palms together and spoke as though it had attained enlightenment.

Its cultivation was already within its body. Switching to another path would not require it to abolish its current cultivation; it was simply that future cultivation would no longer come as easily as before.

"Good!"

Lin Chan nodded. This way, he would not have to reveal the [Golden Flower Cat Moon Drawing Method].

Perhaps the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger would not think much of that cultivation method anyway.

"Sir, I shall forever remember today's kindness. If, in the future, Sir has need of me, simply come find me. I have no name. The Old Monk used to call me Four Eyes, so Sir may address me thus."

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger rose and spoke.

"They were merely a few reckless words, nothing worth mentioning. That Tiger King could gain understanding was entirely Tiger King's own fortune."

As he spoke, Lin Chan quietly used the talent [Spiritual Mark] to place a mark on the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger.

As he marked it, Lin Chan constantly watched for any reaction from the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger, to see whether it noticed.

The spiritual power used by [Spiritual Mark] appeared no different from the spiritual power existing between heaven and earth. Four Eyes noticed nothing unusual.

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger had devoured thousands of people; calling it a great evil would not be excessive.

If Lin Chan's cultivation succeeded in the future and the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger still refused to change its ways, then removing it in passing would make for a fine tale as well.

Lin Chan did not expect a few words from him to reform an evil tiger.

"Oh, right, Sir! Your cat servant is still in my belly. I shall return it at once."

After the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger spoke, it opened its mouth and spat out Little Li, curled into a ball.

Fortunately, its belly contained another world, and it had not immediately refined Little Li.

"Excellent indeed!"

Lin Chan said insincerely.

When he had not seen Little Li return for so long, he had thought the little fellow had sensed the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger and therefore stayed away.

Now it seemed that Little Li had already been inside the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger's stomach.

Lin Chan finally understood. If he had not persuaded the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger today, he would inevitably have gone into its belly as a guest as well.

Perhaps seeing that Lin Chan's two pets were both in poor condition, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger breathed out a mouthful of bloody mist. The mist split into two portions and entered the mouths and noses of Little White and Little Li respectively.

"I have offended you greatly today! Please do not blame me, Sir!"

With that, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger cupped its hands and departed.