Teaching Devour

Lights of every color flowed over Liu Feng's hands, then were slowly drawn into his body. After entering the energy mass of the Devour skill, they gradually seeped out again, entering his sea of qi and merging into one mass with that sealed energy.

At the same time, the Soul Formation realm cultivation method kept circulating, while that little bird's jumble of chaotic consciousness came through from time to time, absorbing this energy into the Crystal Core. But the speed was extremely slow, no longer like the absorption speed of the previous few realms.

Although the Eight Realms of Divine Soul's cultivation method and speed could already be called heaven-defying, that was only compared with the other cultivation methods on the Falan Continent. In truth, after entering the Soul Fusion realm, the time required to cultivate each realm doubled, and especially after entering the Soul Formation realm, breaking through no longer depended solely on cultivation, but even more on talent and the Crystal Core's own grade.

So Liu Feng's cultivation speed in the Soul Formation realm had clearly slowed by a great deal now, but he was not anxious. Cultivation itself was a heaven-defying matter; rushing to success was not that easy.

Looking at the nearly two hundred Gold-Quenching Stones neatly arranged around him, Liu Feng finally let out a slow breath and temporarily stopped absorbing.

Ever since returning from Roger's place, Liu Feng had been in seclusion in his room for a full four days, drawing day and night on the mixed elemental energy inside the Gold-Quenching Stones. Unfortunately, although Liu Feng's Devour skill was powerful, he was still only one person in the end. After four days and nights, he had only just barely managed to produce two hundred usable Gold-Quenching Stones.

Stretching somewhat wearily, Liu Feng stood up, but his brows gradually furrowed.

If these Gold-Quenching Stones were sold without any accidents, that would be a full hundred thousand gold coins, enough for his current uses for the time being. Liu Feng decided not to continue absorbing endlessly like this, because over the past few days he had already discovered that although he could also cultivate the Eight Realms of Divine Soul while absorbing the Gold-Quenching Stones' energy, the speed was far from keeping up with when he cultivated with full focus. In other words, this work was now already clashing with Liu Feng's cultivation.

Although these past few days had passed very peacefully, without any bad news coming in, and although he had the old ancestor, this powerful backing, behind him, the threat of the Zodiac Twelve Palaces still made Liu Feng feel it clearly.

And his own personality was not one that liked relying on others all the time. So in order to face the Twelve Palaces' retaliation in the future, the best method was still to increase his own strength as quickly as possible. Although this Eight Realms of Divine Soul cultivation method was only a fragment, Liu Feng believed that as long as he could break through the Soul Formation realm, and pair it with the old ancestor's terrifyingly powerful Judgment Reincarnation Spear, he would have a certain ability to protect himself.

But now cultivation and making money had clearly come into conflict, leaving Liu Feng a little depressed. Strength and influence were both indispensable things, so making money absolutely could not be put down either. But how could he have the best of both worlds?

Frowning and thinking for a long while, Liu Feng's heart suddenly stirred. The prerequisites for the Eight Realms of Divine Soul cultivation method were far too perverse. Without that so-called holy alchemy artifact and the power of heaven and earth, there was simply no way to perfectly fuse a Crystal Core into a person's body. He could not teach it to others even if he wanted to. Otherwise, Liu Feng really would have liked to find some loyal people and pass this cultivation method on.

That way, although it was only a fragment, the cultivation speed of the Eight Realms of Divine Soul was extremely fast. As long as one could cultivate to the Soul Formation realm, one would possess mid-level strength. Once there were enough people, that would also be a force that could not be underestimated.

Unfortunately, Liu Feng had no idea where he could get a holy alchemy artifact, and as for the power of heaven and earth, that was even less something human strength could accomplish. So he could only give up helplessly.

But Liu Feng thought of the Devour skill. There were no real restrictions on cultivating this method. Although it had no attacking effect, that single, pure devouring ability could help a great deal right now. At the very least, he would no longer need to handle the Gold-Quenching Stones personally.

At this thought, Liu Feng's heart filled with joy. He had Turner stay outside the room to guard these treasures that were practically no different from gold, while he went to find Butler Bard.

Although the Devour skill was not some terrifying cultivation method, at the very least, on the Falan Continent, it was one of a kind. Even if he wanted to teach it to others, Liu Feng had to at least find people worth teaching. And the most important part of being worth it was not talent, but loyalty.

Liu Feng was a very selfish person, not so magnanimous. He did not want this Devour skill to end up bringing him unnecessary trouble.

Truly loyal people were not easy to find, but for nobles, it was not exactly difficult either. Under every noble were groups of people whose interests were closely bound to the family. Aside from clan members, there were also large numbers of servants directly belonging to the nobles.

These servants had basically become the nobles' private property completely. As long as the nobles did not agree to let them leave, then generation after countless generation, their entire line would basically belong to the nobles until this family perished.

What Liu Feng wanted to find were descendants of these directly affiliated servants.

Absorbing the energy of Gold-Quenching Stones was not hard labor. Children could do it too, and compared with adults, children's loyalty was easier to cultivate.

After hearing that Liu Feng wanted to find himself some directly affiliated child servants, Butler Bard smiled slightly and said there was no problem. For the children of nobles, this kind of request was very normal.

Seeing Liu Feng's anxious appearance, Butler Bard did not dare delay either, and immediately brought Liu Feng to the place where the family's directly affiliated servants lived.

Bard had already learned about how this formerly useless young master had displayed his might in York County, killing a mage and a mid-level warrior. Although he was still not too clear about the identity of that noble young master from the Zodiac Twelve Palaces, he was incomparably shocked by the fact that a young master who had originally been unable to cultivate had suddenly gained powerful martial skill, and his attitude toward Liu Feng had clearly changed as well.

After hearing that the eldest young master was preparing to recruit some children to become directly affiliated servants, and even that he might teach them weapons and make them attendants, all the directly affiliated servants were overjoyed. Without another word, they all brought over their own children.

For servants, being able to learn martial skills was an unreachable dream. Although attendants likewise did not have high status, compared with servants like them, it was still the difference between heaven and earth. With such a good thing, which parent would be unwilling?

Looking at the several dozen childish-faced children before him, the oldest only thirteen or fourteen and the youngest only seven or eight, and at their incomparably hopeful gazes, Liu Feng could not help giving a wry smile as he began selecting.

There was no need to doubt these children's loyalty to the family much, and it could also be slowly cultivated. After a series of tests, Liu Feng selected twenty whose physical quality and talent were both quite good. As for the remaining little fellows who had not been chosen and were endlessly distressed, Liu Feng could not neglect them either. In any case, he had money now, so he directly gave each person two gold coins, which made that group of children so happy they practically bounced around.

Bringing these twenty children back to his small courtyard and having someone arrange their lodging, Liu Feng began teaching them the Devour skill.

What Liu Feng and everyone else never imagined was that this act today, done merely to free up his time so he could make money without delaying his cultivation, would in the future create a group of terrifyingly powerful experts...

By the seventh day, Liu Feng had Turner send another thirty Gold-Quenching Stones to Boss Roger, while he himself continued teaching this group of children the Devour skill.

Although this group of children were born merely as household servants, their talent was not bad, and the Devour skill was not too difficult either. In just a few days, there were already some results, making Liu Feng both excited and gratified.

Just as Liu Feng was pondering what reward to give these little fellows, a clear voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.

"Cousin, Master Faraday is here. He says he wants to see you!"

Liu Feng froze, then immediately opened the door. At a glance, he saw that cheap cousin of his, Catherine, standing prettily outside the door. The expression on her pink face was somewhat strange, clearly still a little unaccustomed to this useless cousin's sudden transformation.

Master Faraday had come again? Liu Feng's heart stirred slightly. He nodded and said, "Perfect timing. I've been rather busy lately. How is Jennifer?"

Ever since Liu Feng had undone the seal inside that little girl of the Gema Tribe, she had remained sunk in a deep sleep and still had not woken up even now. During this first stretch, Liu Feng had been busy making money, training, and teaching, and on top of that, although Jennifer was young, she was still a girl, making it inconvenient for him to care for her. So Liu Feng had sent her to Catherine's place.

"She's all right. Everything is normal. She's just still in a deep sleep!" Catherine lowered her head and said softly. For some reason, this originally unruly girl now actually did not quite dare meet Liu Feng's gaze.

Muttering inwardly that there really were quite a few strange things about the Gema Tribe, Liu Feng had no time to say much more to Catherine. After nodding, he headed straight toward the reception hall.

That old man had suddenly run off and vanished after the conflict with the Twelve Palaces last time, and now he had suddenly come again. Vaguely, Liu Feng felt that it definitely was not for anything good.

Sure enough, just as Liu Feng stepped into the reception hall, Master Faraday's somewhat anxious voice rang out.

"Nicholas, this is bad. Something huge has happened this time!"