Form Transformation

In his past life, Lin Chan had once read a theory.

It held that the reason demon beasts cultivated toward transformation was not to become human, but to take on a form akin to the Dao Body of primordial beings.

Primordial beings, of course, were not the Innate Realm of martial artists, but the creatures born at the dawn of creation—those closest to the Dao, or the Dao itself.

A story makes this easier to understand.

Nuwa created humanity.

Nuwa shaped humans in her own image, and the human form is the closest approximation to a Dao Body.

Thus, demon beasts transform toward the Dao, not toward humanity.

Of course, this was a theory Lin Chan had seen in his past life. Since arriving in this world, he had found no texts to corroborate it.

Using this theory as a reference, Lin Chan knew how to speak with the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger.

"I'm afraid the problem still lies with eating humans."

"So it is, then?"

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger agreed, but it couldn't grasp the reason.

"Among all living things, humans are the closest to a Dao Body. That's why demon beasts must cross the threshold of Form Transformation in their cultivation. Tiger King, you've been blocked right here."

Lin Chan spoke slowly.

"Exactly!"

Hearing Lin Chan's words, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger was struck with sudden clarity.

It had entered the Dao as a wild beast, every step groping forward like crossing a river by feeling for stones. When its cultivation reached this point, it only knew it had to transform, but never why it had to take human form—and no one had ever told it.

Now, hearing Lin Chan's explanation, it understood, and its respect for him deepened.

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

"But humans are the spiritual paragons of all creatures, born with the Seven Emotions and Six Desires, their Karma and Karmic Obstacles endlessly tangled. Once a demon beast begins eating humans, it accumulates Karmic Obstacles. At first, these show no effect, but as they build up, they hinder cultivation, making breakthroughs difficult. Eventually, backlash plunges the beast into confusion, until it loses all intelligence and degenerates into a mindless, man-eating evil demon."

At this, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger felt as if struck by lightning.

This described its current state exactly. It, too, had felt itself growing more and more muddled and violent in recent years.

"Master! Save me!"

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger bowed its head repeatedly.

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

Lin Chan asked.

"A few... a few hundred. Hmm—actually, several thousand."

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger had intended to lie to Lin Chan, but it realized that if it deceived him, he wouldn't know its true condition and couldn't solve its problem.

'Several thousand—truly terrifying!'

Lin Chan's heart stirred with turmoil.

Most of those people, he suspected, could not be called evil. Many had been lured and tempted by the Grief Ghosts the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger sent, and once they showed malice, the tiger devoured them.

Though the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger had kept its pact with the Old Monk from years ago, it had completely strayed from the Old Monk's original intent.

"Master! Is there no hope for me?"

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger panicked when Lin Chan didn't answer immediately.

For a demon beast that had awakened intelligence, the greatest fear was not death, but losing that intelligence.

To have possessed it was to dread losing it.

"There's an old saying in Buddhism: 'Lay down the butcher's knife, and become a Buddha on the spot.' Fortunately, Tiger King, you haven't yet reached the point of no return."

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

Lin Chan himself didn't agree with that saying, but at this moment, he had to say it.

If he pushed the tiger too far, it might open its mouth and eat him—that would be a loss not worth taking.

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

"Master! All along, I've cultivated by eating evil humans. If I stop eating people now, I don't know what to do next. Of course, I know I was wrong, and I'm willing to turn toward good and reform. Please, Master, show me the path forward."

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger spoke with some embarrassment.

Now it understood that good and evil were hard to judge, and that its past actions had been utterly absurd.

"That's not difficult to handle. There are proper paths for demon beast cultivation: Absorb Moon, Merge Light, Consume Radiance, Consume Dew. Though these righteous paths may be slower, they won't harm your intelligence and align with the Heavenly Dao."

Lin Chan rattled off a few terms he knew.

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

A big cat was still a cat—perhaps the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger could practice it too.

But this method had been passed down by the Orange Cat Immortal of Shu Mountain to A Li. Lin Chan wasn't sure if he should tell the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger about it.

"The Orange Cat Immortal descended from the mountain to spread teachings—he probably wouldn't mind if the method got passed around. Besides, if I can persuade the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger to turn to good, that'd be a fine deed."

Lin Chan talked himself into it.

Right now, the most important thing was to escape the tiger's jaws, not to fuss over trivial details.

"Master, I understand now. There are Spirit Cats Absorbing the Moon, Spirit Turtles Merging Light, Spirit Snakes Consuming Radiance, and Spirit Pigs Consuming Dew in the nearby mountains. I'll go ask them myself!"

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger pressed its palms together, speaking as if struck by sudden insight.

Its cultivation was already on its body; switching to another path wouldn't require discarding its current power—it just wouldn't be as easy going forward.

"Good!"

Lin Chan nodded. That way, he wouldn't have to reveal the [Golden Flower Cat Moon Drawing Method].

Maybe the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger didn't even think much of that cultivation method anyway.

"Master, I'll remember this kindness forever. If you ever need me in the future, just come find me. I have no name—the Old Monk used to call me Four Eyes, so you may address me as such."

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger rose and spoke.

"Just a few reckless words, nothing worth mentioning. If the Tiger King has gained insight, it's all your own doing."

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

While marking it, Lin Chan kept a close watch for any sign that the tiger had noticed.

The spiritual power used in [Spiritual Mark] was outwardly no different from the spiritual power floating between heaven and earth, so Four Eyes detected nothing.

The Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger had devoured over a thousand people—calling it a great evil wasn't an exaggeration.

If Lin Chan achieved success in his cultivation later and the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger still hadn't reformed, taking it out in passing would be a fine tale to tell.

Lin Chan didn't expect a few words to truly reform an evil tiger.

"Ah, Master! Your cat is still in my belly—I'll return it right away."

With that, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger opened its mouth and spat out Little Li, who was curled into a tight ball.

Fortunately, its stomach had a separate space, so Little Li hadn't been refined yet.

"Well said!"

Lin Chan replied insincerely.

He'd thought Little Li hadn't come back because it sensed the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger and stayed away.

Now it turned out the little thing had already been inside the tiger's belly.

Lin Chan finally realized—if he hadn't talked the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger around today, he'd probably have ended up as a guest in its stomach too.

Perhaps seeing that both of Lin Chan's pets were in bad shape, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger spat out a puff of blood mist, which split in two and seeped into Little White's and Little Li's noses and mouths.

"My apologies for today! Master, please don't take offense!"

With that, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger bowed and left.

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