Where's Your Tail? (Please Read On)

After returning to Eternal Prosperity Gate on Lake Heart Island, Zhuang Hong found that the sect's disciples looked at him with considerable fear.

Those disciples would usually stare at him wide-eyed five or six times before hurrying away, as if they had seen some rare, once-in-a-century flood beast.

They were both curious and afraid!

Zhuang Hong chuckled. "The fact that they still dare to look at me a few times means they have decent nerves."

Before long, Dancer drifted over and approached with graceful steps. She looked relaxed, but Zhuang Hong could sense that she was extremely tense.

Seeing that Dancer's arm, waist, and abdomen were all wrapped in bandages, Zhuang Hong took the initiative to ask, "Are your injuries all right?"

"Minor injuries. They'll heal soon."

As she spoke, Dancer looked Zhuang Hong up and down, seemingly trying to see what exactly was different about him. She even gave his backside several extra looks.

Dancer carefully asked, "Zhuang Hong, may I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Are you human?"

Zhuang Hong's mouth twitched. "Of course I'm human. If not, what would I be?"

Dancer asked, "Where's your tail?"

"I'm human. Why would I have a tail?"

Dancer looked deeply suspicious, as though she very much wanted to pull down Zhuang Hong's pants and inspect him herself.

Zhuang Hong explained, "I told you, my constitution is rather special. It's perfectly normal for me to do things ordinary people can't."

Dancer sighed and gently shook her head. "Before, I was even thinking about having a child with you. Now it seems you were right—we really aren't suitable for each other. If we forced it, who knows what strange thing we might produce."

Zhuang Hong said, "I really am human..."

Dancer continued to herself, "This matter has also made me understand something. I'm just an ordinary person. There's no need to wait bitterly for some special man. Finding an ordinary partner would be quite good too. A man who's too powerful is beyond my grasp."

Zhuang Hong smiled. "It's best that you've come to terms with it. In life, there's no need to demand too much of yourself or others. Being happy is what matters most."

Dancer hesitated, but eventually asked, "Zhuang Hong, do you know what kind of monster that half-human spider was? It suddenly appeared in our Eternal Prosperity Gate, and the answer is extremely important to us. If we can't figure out why, none of us will be able to eat or sleep in peace..."

Dancer had encountered the Spider Monster before and knew that it possessed illusion abilities similar to Zhuang Hong's. She was certain that Zhuang Hong had to know something.

She believed this was surely one of Zhuang Hong's hidden secrets. Though she was curious, she had not wanted to ask too much. However, Sect Leader Senior Brother, the other elders, and many martial artists were all intensely curious about the Spider Monster's sudden appearance and had asked her to question Zhuang Hong.

Thus, Dancer could only come despite her reluctance.

Zhuang Hong could understand Dancer and the others' actions, but these matters were difficult to explain, and he did not want to say too much lest it lead to uncontrollable consequences.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "You must have noticed that the Spider Monster had certain similarities to me. That's right. In some sense, that Spider Monster and I are of the same kind. But we aren't friends—we're mortal enemies.

We feel a powerful attraction toward each other, and both want to kill the other. The kind where we won't stop until one of us is dead."

Dancer frowned tightly, doing her best to process the information in Zhuang Hong's words.

Zhuang Hong continued, "I know what you're worried about. What I can tell you is that you don't need to worry about those monsters. They are exceedingly rare; there may not even be five of them in this world. And those monsters have absolutely no interest in you. As long as you don't provoke them when you encounter them, there won't be any problems."

Dancer asked, "They have no interest in us?"

Zhuang Hong nodded. "That's right. Think of it like the flowers and grass you see while taking a stroll beside a lake. Without some special reason, you wouldn't give them a second glance. In other words, in the monsters' eyes, you don't need to think too highly of yourselves."

Dancer said, "..."

Zhuang Hong's answer was rather unexpected.

What did he mean by not thinking too highly of themselves?

She had to admit that his words had hurt her.

Zhuang Hong added, "I won't say more. I'm not very eloquent and don't know how to explain it to you. Just know that monsters are creatures from a different world than yours."

After thinking for a while, Dancer sighed and shook her head helplessly. "In that case, let us not speak of this anymore. I also came to tell you that word of your Hand of God being a demon rather than a human has spread out of control. Though most people only half believe it, I... I stopped many people who wanted to see you."

Zhuang Hong said indifferently, "It's fine. Whether it's a good reputation or a bad one, I don't care. Even if I were some inhuman demon, so what? As long as I consider myself human, then I am human."

Dancer gave a bitter smile. "It seems that, in your eyes, we are merely flowers and grass by the roadside."

Zhuang Hong corrected her. "That isn't the case. In my eyes, you are living, breathing people. The flowers and grass only represent how the monsters see things. I'm different from them."

Dancer said, "Then I shall relay your exact words to Sect Leader Senior Brother."

Zhuang Hong nodded. He then took sixteen Hiltless Sword Blades from his backpack and handed them to Dancer. "Could you help me find a craftsman to make a suitable Sword Case for these sixteen blades? I want one that's light, easy to carry, and convenient to draw from. Of course, I'll cover the cost."

Dancer curiously examined the blades and readily agreed.

After parting with Dancer, Zhuang Hong returned to the island's Guest Room. He sat cross-legged on the bed and quietly sensed the changes in his body after devouring the Purple Rising Spirit Beast.

After transforming into the 'Second Liberation Form - Tank Form,' the power within his flesh would be consumed at an extremely rapid rate, whether he moved or not. Once he returned to his ordinary human form, he would feel as though his body had been hollowed out.

Yet Zhuang Hong had only devoured the Spider Monster not long ago. The hollowed-out sensation quickly vanished, replaced by a feeling of fullness and rising vigor.

It was like running half a lap around a track. Rather than feeling tired, he could feel his muscles being fully activated and swelling slightly. His body grew faintly warm, as though the power within was about to surge forth, as though he could run ten more laps!

Zhuang Hong knew that this was the power of his flesh rapidly increasing.

And as digestion accelerated, this strengthening was becoming faster and faster.

It was not just the power of his flesh. Ever since Zhuang Hong devoured the Spider Monster, high-quality Source Power had continuously been digested and refined, gathering from all parts of his body into the Source Power Orb. The orb was visibly growing larger, while its blue color became brighter and richer, showing signs of turning sapphire blue.

This was only the beginning. Once the Spider Monster was completely digested, his overall strength would certainly rise by another large margin.

"Ever since I opened the Three Great Secret Treasures, my digestion and absorption ability has increased by at least double. My body is like a black hole that devours Void Spirits. It feels as if no matter how many Void Spirits come, I can swallow them completely and turn them into my power!

Just as Dancer said, opening the secret treasures is like opening the door to 'further physical strengthening.' As long as nutrition keeps up, the flesh can continue to strengthen until it reaches some limit.

This strengthening theory applies to me as well. After all, I'm human too.

And I can sense that my 'further physical strengthening' has only just begun. My limit seems endless, like a bottomless abyss. Perhaps in the future, I won't need to transform into the 'Agile Form' to deal with Purple Rising Spirit Beasts.

As long as..."

"There's an unlimited supply of Void Spirit flesh!"

After understanding the composition of his own power, Zhuang Hong's craving for Void Spirits rose to an even greater level.

Once the Spider Monster was fully digested, he planned to actively seek out Void Spirits and have a proper feast.

After his battle with the Spider Monster, he was finally somewhat reassured. He no longer feared this Infinite Space as much as before.

After all, he had beaten a Purple Spirit Ascension Level Spider Monster to death. Even if he encountered other Purple Rising Spirit Beasts, he would have no need to fear them. If he could not defeat them, he could still run away.

Moreover, the higher-level 'Red True Spirits' were exceedingly rare. According to the Spider Monster, there were only three even in the Dragon Court Mixed Domain, where Void Spirits gathered. Under normal circumstances, they stayed in the Dragon Court Mixed Domain and did not roam around.

So now, Zhuang Hong had nothing much to fear.

Back when he was weak, he either had to hide from Void Spirits or be chased around by them. Now that he had grown stronger, it was finally his turn to actively hunt Void Spirits.

At this moment, this Infinite Space looked very much like a combination of a 'library + buffet' to Zhuang Hong.

On one hand, he could learn extraordinary knowledge from the worlds of various civilizations. On the other, there was an unlimited supply of Void Spirits waiting for him to enjoy.

If he could also sleep soundly, it would undoubtedly be paradise.

Zhuang Hong waited quietly for the Spider Monster to finish digesting while pondering these matters.

"My strength has increased once again!"