If You Don't Get Stronger, You'll Die

The last time Jiang Yao had such a wonderful feeling was... well, it was when he opened the Xu Yuan Space and was reborn as the master of that space, practicing the Seven Turns of Heaven's End with unstoppable momentum, reaching the fifth turn in just two and a half days.

That time, it was an improvement in his soul and comprehension.

But this time, it felt like an elevation of his entire life level, as if he had become a special life form with extreme affinity for the Origin Law of Fire and the Origin Law of Light.

Generally, in the Primal Universe, laws are not exposed. To perceive the fluctuations of a certain origin law, the most common method is to cultivate a domain; once the domain reaches the eighth or ninth level, it is possible to perceive the fluctuations of the origin law through it.

He didn't even have a domain right now!

And this was just the entry-level of the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God?

"I didn't expect the Supreme Rules to be so generous, actually granting the authority of two laws. I was a bit too conservative."

The Taihuan Token Envoy relaxed at this moment, muttering incessantly: "It makes sense. Bizhang is the Sun Essence and belongs to the Flame Sect; it is only natural for it to possess the Law of Light and the Law of Fire. It's just that the Tianhuang Ancient Continent never categorized things so finely. How do you feel?"

Jiang Yao said, both shocked and delighted: "The fluctuations of the Origin Law of Fire are the clearest, the fluctuations of the Origin Law of Light are slightly secondary, and the fluctuations of the Origin Law of Space and Time are very blurry."

The Law of Fire is a lower-level law of the Law of Space, and Light is a lower-level law of Time.

Coupled with the fact that the descent of Bizhang seemed to have been distorted by the Supreme Rules into a Beast God—and the Beast God is the representative of the path of fusion between lower-level and upper-level laws—it was not strange to sense the fluctuations of both space and time origin laws.

"But... just now..." Jiang Yao felt a lingering fear thinking about it: "What was that all about?"

The Taihuan Token Envoy looked very innocent: "I told you before that practicing the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God is very dangerous."

Jiang Yao wanted to retort, but after thinking about it, he gave up.

Ever since the Xu Yuan Opening, he knew that the secret techniques this pig gave him were all heaven-defying, but they also carried immense danger.

Jiang Yao naturally had mental preparations, and he had already braced for the worst-case scenario of death.

They say there is great terror between life and death, but Jiang Yao had experienced death from a terminal illness in his past life, and he had experienced the process of soul Nirvana and rebirth when he burned his bridges to open the Xu Yuan Space.

Death was not actually that terrifying in his heart; after all, being able to live another life was already a profit.

But the process just now—where his consciousness, will, emotions, and self-perception were being swallowed, eroded, and replaced bit by bit—brought him a terror that far exceeded death!

It made him feel a chill in his heart even just thinking about it.

Seeming to sense Jiang Yao's relief at surviving the ordeal, a sly grin appeared on the pig's face: "You don't think that just because you sealed Bizhang's will, it's a permanent solution, do you?"

Jiang Yao's expression changed. He sank into his sea of consciousness and could clearly perceive that the will suppressed within the Xu Yuan Space was still constantly battering the seal.

The Envoy continued: "This Nine Transformations of the Desolate God is a technique that outer sect disciples of my Taihuan Sect can choose to practice. Inner sect or even true disciple students wouldn't touch this technique. Do you know the reason?"

In terms of rapid success, few can compare to the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God. In terms of combat power, even without the halo of being invincible at the same level, it is still top-tier—at the very least, it remains a standout among disciples below the True God level!

Why did such a powerful early-stage technique fall into a state where even outer sect disciples avoid it like the plague?

Naturally, it is because it has a huge flaw!

That is—the 'Tribulation of Losing Self'!"

"Tribulation of Losing Self?" Jiang Yao repeated these three words, basically understanding what it meant.

A serious expression appeared on the Envoy's face: "The Tribulation of Losing Self is divided into two stages. The first is that after transforming into a Desolate Beast, you cannot change back, and you become a Desolate Beast completely and forever!"

"Just like the first time you transformed into Bizhang, your will couldn't reverse the technique. I had to desperately leak a bit of power from the Taihuan Token to let you reverse from a Desolate Beast back to your original form. But I cannot leave the Taihuan Token, nor can I leak too much power. When your realm gets higher and higher in the future, and your transformation into a Desolate Beast becomes stronger, I won't be able to save you a second time."

"The second stage of this Tribulation of Losing Self is also the most dangerous hurdle. The so-called Nine Transformations of the Desolate God means transforming into a Desolate Beast; you are the Desolate Beast, and the Desolate Beast is you. Naturally, the will of the Desolate Beast is also your will."

"In the words of your world, once you have transformed into a Desolate Beast, the will of the Desolate Beast becomes a part of your consciousness. To put it figuratively, it's a second personality!"

"Therefore, those who practice the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God, even in their daily lives, will be unconsciously influenced by the lurking Desolate Beast will. Their personality, emotions, and self-perception will gradually change."

"For example, becoming increasingly irritable or increasingly sinister."

"And as you practice this technique deeper and can transform into more Desolate Beasts, there will be more and more Desolate Beast wills lurking in your consciousness, influencing you at every moment."

Jiang Yao couldn't help but shudder at the thought of practicing the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God to completion, with nine Desolate Beast wills lurking in his soul.

The Envoy snorted: "It's just that Bizhang is naturally stupid, which is why I chose Bizhang as the first Desolate Beast for your transformation."

"If it were a more cunning Desolate Beast, it wouldn't clash with you head-on at all. It would only influence you bit by bit in your daily life, eroding you, letting your main consciousness be transformed without you realizing it, until one day it completely replaces your personality."

"It can be said that for everyone who practices the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God, the ultimate outcome is to succumb to the 'Tribulation of Losing Self', sooner or later. That is why many sects in the Tianhuang Ancient Continent mock the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God of my Taihuan Sect, saying its only significance is to add offspring to the already near-extinct wild Desolate Beasts and expand their population."

"However—" the Envoy changed his tone: "Fortunately, you have me. You practiced the Xu Yuan Opening early, which allows you to seal the will of the Desolate Beast within it. As long as you don't transform into a Desolate Beast at will, the danger is greatly reduced."

"But—"

The pig's series of dramatic pauses made Jiang Yao's hands itch.

"Hehe, this is not a permanent solution. How high is the essence of a Desolate Beast? An adult is at least at the True God level. Even if you seal its will in the Xu Yuan Space, preventing it from foraging or absorbing external energy at will, its power will continue to grow over time until your Xu Yuan Space can no longer contain it!"

The Envoy looked at Jiang Yao's fluctuating expression through the Taihuan Token and said sternly: "Of course, such danger naturally comes with rewards. You just felt the fluctuations of many origin laws; you might as well take a closer look at your body."

Hearing this, Jiang Yao used his telekinesis to scan his entire body and was surprised to find that his body had undergone an unimaginable transformation without him realizing it. From cells to bones, it seemed to have undergone a strengthening, a leap forward.

Even the essence of his life had significantly improved!

"If we take the gene level of your Lingtong Race as a base, your current gene level is already twice that base."

Jiang Yao was shocked beyond measure. Good heavens, after transforming into a Desolate Beast once, his life gene level doubled?

The Envoy shook his head and said: "Transforming into a Desolate Beast provides the greatest improvement for you. Every time you transform into a Desolate Beast and reverse back to your original form, your body undergoes a small leap. It is almost comprehensive, from will to soul to gene level. This is also the reason for the rapid success of the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God; transforming into a Desolate Beast once is worth hundreds or thousands of years of cultivation for others."

"It's just that at your current realm, it is best not to transform into a Desolate Beast. There is a high probability that you definitely won't be able to change back."

However, there is another way to utilize a Desolate Beast, which is to release the will of the Desolate Beast from the seal of the Xu Yuan Space and let your will clash with its will once again.

During this process, the will of the Desolate Beast will also subtly improve your affinity for perceiving laws, strengthen your body, enhance your genes, and even hone the strength of your will during the process of contending with it.

It is just that the effect is not as strong as manifesting as the Desolate Beast.

Jiang Yao's expression was grim; just thinking about the process of being eroded and swallowed by the will of the Desolate Beast filled him with lingering fear, and he might have to experience such things countless times in the future.

The Messenger laughed and said, "However, you have no way back. This is a path to the heavens, but it is also a path fraught with crises. The will of the Desolate Beast will continuously grow stronger over time, so you must also continuously grow stronger, and you must grow faster than it does in order to keep suppressing it!"

If you do not grow stronger, what awaits you is death.