Demonic Beast: Blackwater Pig-Dragon

Meanwhile, Chang Geng had also discovered the benefits of the Human King Woodcarving.

With the Human King Woodcarving on him, his mind could quickly settle. When comprehending the Twenty-Two Primordial Glyphs, he no longer had so many selfish, distracting thoughts and could instead swiftly enter a focused state.

That was exceedingly rare.

In the past, it took him a long while to overcome those tangled thoughts before he could finally enter a focused state. If a companion called out to him or he was interrupted, he would easily lose patience.

"This thing really is a treasure. No wonder that scruffy-haired bastard was willing to pay such a price for it!"

After withdrawing from his state of comprehension, Chang Geng lovingly stroked the Human King Woodcarving in his hand. Deep down, he had no desire to publicize its benefits. Wouldn't it be better to keep it for himself and secretly improve? Then, he could stun all the young boys in one fell swoop—perhaps he might truly enter Daoist Jinxing's tutelage?

"But Senior Brother gave me this woodcarving because he trusts me. If I forgot righteousness at the sight of profit, wouldn't I ruin my own reputation and make others look down on me?"

He silently pondered.

"Still, the best way to build Senior Brother's reputation is to comprehend the Eight Primordial Glyphs as quickly as possible and obtain Dao citizen status soon!"

With that thought, he settled down once more.

"This Little Vajra Incantation is rather easy to cultivate!"

Elsewhere, within the meditation chamber, a point of golden light rippled out from the depths of Yang Huai's brow. In an instant, it transformed into a layer of golden radiance that enveloped his entire body. Within it, a clear, glasslike light seemed to fill every inch. The dense golden light repelled all heaven-and-earth origin qi, as though vajra armor protected his body.

"This minor technique merely uses some rather profound metal-attribute cloud glyphs to resonate with the golden spirits of heaven and earth, forming multiple protective barriers!"

Sensing the density of the protective barrier, a smile surfaced in Yang Huai's eyes.

As an innate talent of the metal attribute, he was exceptionally compatible with the golden spirits of heaven and earth. Comprehending those profound metal-attribute runes and even cloud glyphs came easily to him.

The information within the Bronze Mirror in the depths of his sea of consciousness also changed accordingly.

Anchored Object:

[Name: Qingli]

[Age: Eleven]

[Primary Fate: Innate Sword Bone (Gold)] (Born with two Innate Sword Bones, one in the right arm and one deep within the Niwan Palace. Those who possess Innate Sword Bones are naturally physically powerful, and cultivating secret arts related to sword-shaped weapons yields twice the result with half the effort!)

Status: Right arm and Niwan Sword Bones fully awakened.

[Innate Spirit-Awakened Sword Body: 4/100] (The Innate Spirit-Awakened Sword Body centers upon an innate sword heart. The soul is naturally resilient and contains a special sensitivity to sword spirits. It possesses over eighty percent compatibility with any sword-shaped weapon, and the cultivation efficiency of secret arts related to sword-shaped weapons is multiplied!)

Innate Divine Ability 1: ?? (Not awakened)

Innate Divine Ability 2: ?? (Not awakened)

[First Realm: Foundation Establishment (Origin Gathering: 29/30)]

[Heavenly Origin Pure Spirit Codex: Heavenly Yang Golden Light Talisman (29/100)]

[Lesser Circulatory Cycle Method: 70/100 (Major Accomplishment)]

[Metal Origin Five Aggregates Diagram: 4/206 (Beginner)]

[Suiren Spirit-Aspect Visualization Diagram: 1/1000 (Beginner)]

[Soul-Calming Spirit-Cleaving Technique: 3/180]

[Heavenly Circuit Spirit-Light Protective Incantation: 20/100]

[Little Vajra Incantation: 3/100]

[Twenty-Two Primordial Glyphs (19/22)]

All he needed to do next was become steadily more proficient with the Little Vajra Incantation. Sooner or later, he would cultivate it to the point where it moved as easily as his own arm.

Then Yang Huai recalled Hou Feng Daoist's guidance. He immediately calmed his mind and immersed himself in the depths of the Heavenly Yang Golden Light Talisman, carefully comprehending the mysteries within it.

An hour later, he opened his eyes. With a lift of his hand, countless streams of golden spirit qi in the void suddenly gathered into a golden spear.

With another wave, the golden spear shot through the air and plunged deep into the ground outside the courtyard.

"So that's how it is!"

Seeing this, Yang Huai's eyes shifted slightly. The Heavenly Yang Golden Light Talisman contained the profound principles of metal, yang, and purity. He could in fact use it to comprehend a few minor spells of those three attributes as supplementary methods of his own.

The next day, Yang Huai's mind awakened once more within Qingping Temple. The pale moon in the sky had already dimmed, while the radiance of the sun star emerged again. The Daoist temple shifted from utter stillness to restless activity. Streams of people entered from the foot of the mountain, and numerous Daoist children either carried water or prepared to sweep the courtyards and receive guests.

Yang Huai made his preparations, then headed for the valley where the Slaughter Hall stood.

This time, he pushed open the stone doors as usual. From afar, he saw a huge strange beast suspended by lines of runic iron chains extending from before the Slaughter Hall. A fierce and vicious light filled the depths of the beast's eyes.

"This is...?"

Yang Huai stared at the enormous strange beast with surprise in his eyes. It was a gigantic pig-dragon, except its entire body was blackish blue, its scales translucent. An immense, bizarre aura radiated from its body, pressing down upon the heart like a crushing weight.

In terms of sheer power, that immense bizarre aura far surpassed that of the many Daoist children Yang Huai had encountered.

"This is a Blackwater Pig-Dragon. It recently devoured quite a few tribal people near the Luo River. The cultivators in our temple spent no small effort capturing this vicious and cunning thing. You must be careful—the demonic beast is far craftier than ordinary creatures!"

The red-robed Daoist's voice came from within the Slaughter Hall. He emerged while carrying a peculiar bone blade.

Yang Huai's expression immediately turned solemn.

Without question, this was an exceptionally formidable strange beast—or perhaps a demonic beast, a ferocious beast?

Demonic beasts and strange beasts were different. Demonic beasts understood human hearts better and loved plundering and devouring even more.

Strange beasts revered the way of nature more. Yet to the countless living beings of the savage wilderness, there was not much difference between the two. Both were powerful races of immense destructive power.

"Roar! Roar!"

As though it had sensed Yang Huai's arrival, the pig-dragon strange beast writhed madly. Yet the runic chains blooming from the ground held it firmly in place.

Rumble!

It struggled with all its might, but to no avail.

The red-robed Daoist approached from afar. Seeing Yang Huai arrive, he casually hurled the bone blade in his hand.

"Catch!"

Yang Huai felt a foul wind rushing toward him and hurriedly caught the blood-stained bone blade with both hands. The moment it landed in his grasp, his hands sank. He nearly failed to hold it.

Yang Huai was somewhat startled. His Heavenly Circuit Method had already reached Major Accomplishment, and cultivating the Metal Origin Five Aggregates Diagram had produced two new Innate Geng Metal Spirit Bones. His strength could be called greater than a thousand jun, yet he could barely catch this peculiar bone blade.

After examining it briefly, his expression turned grave.

He sensed an astonishing texture from it. The bone blade was extremely long, similar to a Tang saber. Its bone edge had been polished bright as snow, with a blood groove running down its center. Its entire body emitted an intense, ominous aura. With his keen spiritual perception, he could sense countless black resentful thoughts churning within the blade, forcibly bound by it. Still, threads of bloody stench followed his innate spiritual sense into his sea of consciousness, stirring a terrifying killing intent in the depths of his soul. His eyes reddened slightly.

Fortunately, in the depths of his sea of consciousness, the newly formed cluster of lotus-petal cloud glyphs appeared and transformed into a faint phantom of the Human King, Sui Ren, dispersing that almost tangible bloody stench.

Seeing that Yang Huai merely swayed slightly before steadying himself, the red-robed Daoist's eyes lit up faintly as he praised, "Very good!"

"Since you can hold this boning blade, I'll leave the slaughter of this strange beast to you this time!"

At those words, Yang Huai's heart skipped a beat. He quickly set down the bone blade and said, "Uncle-Master Flame, this disciple has never experienced killing. I fear I cannot handle this task. It would be better for Uncle-Master to act while this disciple watches from the side!"

He silently complained to himself.

Hou Feng Daoist had clearly said he only needed to observe for half an hour and leave immediately afterward. How had it changed when he came to Flame Daoist, becoming a matter of personally slaughtering it?

And such a formidable demonic beast at that!

He could sense that this demonic beast's aura was far stronger than that Black Tiger demon soul's. It was surely much more powerful as well!

"It doesn't matter. It's only a Blackwater Pig-Dragon. Let it serve as practice for you first!"

"With this poor Daoist watching, nothing can go wrong!"

The red-robed Daoist remained calm, his tone brooking no refusal. Yang Huai had no choice but to pick up the boning blade. His gaze swept over the Blackwater Pig-Dragon. The creature seemed intelligent as well. Its cold eyes stared fixedly at Yang Huai, filled with incomparably intense malice. Yet its limbs and even its jaws were bound by runic chains.

The nearly tangible malice shot from its eyes directly into his soul. Yang Huai vaguely felt immense pressure. He gritted his teeth slightly, and the boning blade in his hand instantly stabbed into the Blackwater Pig-Dragon's windpipe.

Fast, precise, ruthless!

The Blackwater Pig-Dragon's soft throat was covered in a layer of pliant hide, yet the boning blade pierced through it with ease. A torrent of scarlet blood immediately surged toward Yang Huai, but he flashed aside and avoided it.

A jade basin had already appeared on the ground, instantly catching the strange beast's vital blood.

The red-robed Daoist flashed to Yang Huai's side and said with a faint smile, "You're clever enough. You know to strike at an enemy's vital point, but you've never managed a household and don't understand the art of making a living!"

"This Blackwater Pig-Dragon's vital blood is excellent material for refining pills and preparing spirit meals. It cannot be wasted!"

"You should know that this vital blood alone can be exchanged for several Origin-Replenishing Pills!!"

Yang Huai looked at him in surprise.

Origin-Replenishing Pills were pills that strengthened one's foundation and nourished one's origin. They were rather precious to Daoist children. Chang Geng had previously received an Origin-Replenishing Pill from one of the True Masters. Only after his vigor gradually recovered could he manage the onerous chores in the kitchen. Otherwise, the work would have long since crushed his body.

Yang Huai had not expected this vital blood to be worth so much.

After piercing the demonic beast's windpipe, Yang Huai waited for the Blackwater Pig-Dragon's vital blood to drain and for it to lose all strength.

His eyes remained calm. Although he had never killed a strange beast before, he knew that slicing the throat, stabbing the heart, and severing the seventh inch of its body could not go too wrong. If something still went wrong, then break its horns if it had horns, cut off its tail if it had a tail, and if it had many limbs, chop them all off first. That would guarantee absolute safety.

"Roar! Roar!"

Its windpipe severed and vital blood slowly draining away, the Blackwater Pig-Dragon let out miserable howls. Intense ferocity filled its savage eyes as it struggled desperately.

Yang Huai was exceedingly patient and did not step forward.

That vigilance made the red-robed Daoist glance at him anew, and a hint of amusement rose in his heart.

Everything this young Daoist child had displayed satisfied him.

If properly nurtured, the Slaughter Hall would have an excellent successor in the future.

Half an hour later, once the Blackwater Pig-Dragon had completely lost its strength, Yang Huai tightened his grip on the boning blade, preparing to skin and carve the beast.

But just as he approached, the seemingly powerless Blackwater Pig-Dragon suddenly opened its mouth. A streak of black light swept toward Yang Huai like a meteor, carrying incomparable weight and a vast, oceanic stench of blood.

The sudden change made Yang Huai's expression shift. The Little Vajra Incantation burst from his body in an instant, forming circles of golden light before him.

Boom!

A thunderous explosion rang out on the spot!