Beast-Form Transformation

After Huang Ren entered Wild Dog Cave surrounded by a group of people, he only felt that the Cave Mansion was gloomy and eerie, filled with the stench of blood, with even white bones scattered across the ground.

Not far ahead, a black-furred wild dog with a short tail was lying on the ground, a pair of dark emerald eyes fixed straight on him. Huang Ren could not help shivering.

The black-furred wild dog, which was a full zhang long, suddenly began to ripple all over like water. Then a slit split open along its abdomen, and a person crawled out.

The wild dog hide trembled slightly before transforming into a black cloak that wrapped around the person's body.

The man was tall and powerfully built, with disheveled hair hanging loose around him. He wore a spacious black robe that completely wrapped his thin, emaciated body, revealing only an ugly, gaunt, monstrous face. His pupils were a dark emerald color, and just one glance was enough to send a chill into the depths of one's heart.

"You said you discovered a wild dog that had become a spirit. Where is it?"

By now, Huang Ren already regretted coming to Wild Dog Cave. However, facing this cave master, how could he dare utter a single word of refusal? He stammered, "I saw a white dog in the dining hall. Judging by its appearance, it should have become a spirit..."

His words were vague and unclear. Hearing this, Master of Wild Dog Cave's tone turned slightly cold. "Since you've come here, explain yourself clearly. If you're just making sport of me, you know the consequences."

Huang Ren did not dare raise his head. He could feel the cold, savage aura filling the other man's body, as though it might choose a person to devour at any moment.

Now that things had come to this, he had no choice but to speak in a trembling voice. "It should be a white dog raised by Senior Brother Man Xiong of Qiyun Cave that became a spirit."

"Oh? What was the white dog's appearance like?" Master of Wild Dog Cave asked again.

Once Huang Ren had started speaking, the rest came much more smoothly. "If I'm not mistaken, that white dog should have come from White Dog Stockade, one of the Eighteen Villages beneath the mountain. The white dogs there have always had ears that can hear the wind, nimble limbs, and snow-white fur."

"The white dog I saw was even more outstanding in appearance. Its fur was white, fine, and smooth, gleaming with a lustrous sheen. Its entire body was brimming with vital essence, spiritual radiance shone from the crown of its head, and it was exceptionally attuned to human nature."

Tong Jin, who had originally been standing around watching the excitement, suddenly lit up at these words and hurriedly said, "Father, I want that white dog."

The other disciples were also filled with envy. The disciples on Skull Mountain who cultivated the Hundred Beasts Yin Soul Path would basically cultivate the Form Transformation Curse upon reaching the Form Condensation realm.

The Form Transformation Curse required choosing a spirit creature or demon beast, stripping off its hide and fur, extracting its yin soul, and then using flesh and blood as ink and bones as a brush to refine a Beast Robe.

As long as one wrapped the Beast Robe around oneself, one could transform into the form of a beast. Not only would one's combat strength soar, it would also aid the cultivation of True Qi. Its wondrous uses were many, and it was essentially a required cultivation art for the disciples of Skull Mountain.

The lineage of Wild Dog Cave, for example, chose to transform into wild dogs, and even their subsequent cultivation was closely connected to them.

Wu Xia'er belonged to Fire Crow Cave, which transformed into fire crows, while Qiyun Cave, where Man Xiongmu belonged, transformed into cloud leopards. The other branches were the same; only the spirit creatures they transformed into differed.

If one had abundant time and resources, it was even entirely possible to choose to cultivate several kinds of beast-form transformations. The incantations used by all Thirty-six Caves for their beast-form transformations were actually the same.

It was just that without the coordination of a Qi Circulation Diagram, it was difficult to bring out all their wondrous effects, and one would also be unable to cultivate more profound transformations later on.

The most important point in cultivating this beast-form transformation lay in the choice of spirit creature. If its appearance and qualities were outstanding, one would naturally gain greater benefits.

Ultimately, this beast-form transformation was similar to a Curse Artifact. Moreover, it could continuously advance through later cultivation, so the spirit creature's strength was irrelevant. Its talent and appearance were what mattered.

Hearing that there was such a white dog, Tong Jin was naturally extremely tempted. This beast-form transformation might very well accompany him for the rest of his life, so of course he had to choose the finest and most divine-looking one.

"I know about the dogs in White Dog Stockade as well. In the past, I even tried to cultivate them into spirit creatures, but every attempt failed." Master of Wild Dog Cave shook his head. "I never thought Junior Brother Man Xiong would actually manage to cultivate a white dog into a spirit. How interesting."

"Though, if I remember correctly, he should have been born in White Dog Stockade. It makes sense that the white dog he cultivated would become a spirit."

To the branches of the Thirty-six Caves, spirit creatures compatible with their own lineages were extremely important resources. Just like the fire crows cultivated by Fire Crow Cave, the disciples there did not need to leave the mountain. Once their cultivation reached the required level, they could simply choose a fire crow and begin cultivating a beast-form transformation.

Wild Dog Cave had also tried cultivating hound demons before, searching throughout a thousand-li radius for the most suitable seeds. White Dog Stockade beneath the mountain had naturally been one of their choices.

The white dogs there had ears that could hear the wind and could foresee danger. Their fur was snow-white, and their appearance and qualities were excellent. Unfortunately, their bloodlines were truly inferior, leaving them with no path for advancement. The price required to cultivate them into spirit creatures was far too great and completely not worth it.

Master of Wild Dog Cave also became interested. After pondering briefly, he said, "This news of yours is fairly useful to me. I'll award you fifty Minor Merit."

Huang Ren was instantly overjoyed. This gain had far exceeded his expectations, and he hurriedly bowed in thanks. "Thank you, Master of Wild Dog Cave. Thank you, Master of Wild Dog Cave."

Master of Wild Dog Cave waved his hand. Such minor matters naturally did not require him to handle them personally; his disciples would deal with them on his behalf.

Although Huang Ren was also a fifth-generation disciple, he had not called him Junior Brother even once from beginning to end. It was obvious that he had never taken him seriously.

"All right, come with me!" A female disciple who had been serving in the cave stepped forward. After calling out to Huang Ren, she walked toward the cave entrance.

After Huang Ren left, Tong Jin immediately became unbearably impatient. He went straight to Master of Wild Dog Cave's side, tugged at his sleeve, and said, "Father, Father, I want that white dog. Hurry and help me catch it."

Looking at his son before him, a gentle expression also appeared on Master of Wild Dog Cave's ugly, gloomy face. "Don't worry. Since there is such an outstanding white dog, I'll certainly find it for you."

"Wait while I make some preparations, then I'll go with you to Qiyun Cave. I imagine Junior Brother Man Xiong will give me this much face."

In his view, it was merely a spirit creature. On the mountain, it was hardly anything of consequence. At most, he would pay some Merit points or exchange some spiritual materials for it.

Not to mention that everyone on the mountain knew Wild Dog Cave needed hound demons for cultivation. Even if it were only to give him face, they would agree.

Meanwhile, outside the cave, after the female disciple used the Identity Plaque to credit Huang Ren with Merit points, she did not even glance at him before turning around and returning inside.

Huang Ren's expression turned slightly ugly, because she had credited him with only thirty Merit points—twenty fewer than the fifty Merit points Master of Wild Dog Cave had promised.

He gritted his teeth, not daring to say anything more, and hurriedly turned to leave.

Not long after Huang Ren departed, Master of Wild Dog Cave walked out of the Cave Mansion with Tong Jin. A black wind swept up the two of them and carried them toward Qiyun Cave.