Swallow Silt to Transform Origin! Let the Whole Village Feast on Demon Meat!

"Nothing."

Yang Xiao glanced at Li Tie, his expression calm.

"This Pig Demon tried to enter the village and abduct people, but I stopped it."

"Before it died, it did beg for mercy. It said it was willing to submit and even wanted to trade the secrets of Three-Demon Mountain for its life."

Li Tie's pupils contracted slightly.

The secrets of Three-Demon Mountain... He forcibly suppressed the panic in his heart, keeping his face impassive.

"Oh? The secrets of Three-Demon Mountain?"

"Yeah." Yang Xiao nodded. "But I ignored it and killed it outright."

Li Tie secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Yang Xiao seemed unaware of his collusion with the Pig Demon. But immediately afterward, deep wariness rose from the bottom of his heart.

Yang Xiao was practically a monster. He had killed a Pig Demon in the Qi Gathering Realm just like that, and judging by his composed appearance, he had not even spent much effort.

If he finds out about my collusion with the demons...

Li Tie did not dare think any further.

"Head Constable Yang did the right thing." He forced out a smile. "A man-eating demon like this must not be left alive."

Yang Xiao nodded indifferently, then turned and called Zhao Tieniu and the others over to help carry the Pig Demon's enormous corpse back.

The other Yamen Runners followed slowly behind, carrying the villagers the Pig Demon had swept away.

Li Tie walked at the rear, his gaze gloomy as he watched Yang Xiao's back.

That Pig Demon was truly useless. A great demon that had lived for over a hundred years could not even handle a mere youngster.

He would still have to explain this to Three-Demon Mountain...

The moment he arrived, the fellow had caused him such a huge problem. Li Tie no longer knew whether calling this boy over to probe his background had been a blessing or a curse.

Moonlight flowed like water, spilling across the bluestone ground.

Yang Xiao remained alone in the courtyard and took the Pig Demon's Inner Core from his robes.

The dark-red Inner Core radiated dense Demonic Qi. It was the size of a fist and still warm to the touch.

[Usable equipment detected: Qi Gathering Demonic Core (single-use)]

[Effect One: Replenishes the spiritual power of three Apertures.]

[Effect Two: Grants trait (green) Purifying Silt to Transform Origin: Can digest filthy impurities and demon flesh, extracting trace spiritual power from them to increase cultivation.]

[Equip "Qi Gathering Demonic Core" in the equipment slot?]

At this moment, both slots in the equipment bar were empty, so Yang Xiao placed it directly into the equipment bar.

A vast demonic force surged from the Inner Core and rushed into his body.

Yang Xiao grunted, every meridian in his body trembling violently.

Perhaps because this Pig Demon was still relatively young, its demonic force was stronger and more ferocious than that of the Dog Demon's Inner Core!

The Origin-Guiding Qi Gathering Art began circulating automatically, guiding the force toward suitable empty Apertures within his body.

The demonic force circulated through his body and was absorbed by the Apertures one after another.

The fifth Aperture... the sixth Aperture... the seventh Aperture... opened!

A powerful aura erupted from Yang Xiao.

Qi Gathering Realm, Seven Apertures!

[Solidification successful!]

[Acquired trait: Purifying Silt to Transform Origin (green): Can digest filthy impurities and demon flesh, extracting trace spiritual power from them to increase cultivation.]

Yang Xiao slowly opened his eyes. Feeling the abundant power within his body, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

With seven Apertures in the Qi Gathering Realm, along with his perfected martial arts and various traits, he was confident he could fight even a martial artist at the seventh or eighth Aperture of the Qi Gathering Realm.

He rose to his feet and looked at the enormous Pig Demon corpse dragged into the courtyard.

Under the moonlight, the Pig Demon's corpse gave off a foul, fishy stench. Its black bristles were caked with blood, and its huge body resembled a small mountain.

A peculiar feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.

This thing...

Could not go to waste.

The next morning.

The villagers of Li Family Hamlet were awakened by a strange fragrance.

The aroma was rich and mellow, like some rare delicacy, making their stomachs rumble with hunger.

"What is that smell?"

"It smells so good..."

"Where is it coming from?"

The villagers pushed open their doors one after another and followed the fragrance.

They saw white fragrant steam drifting at the village entrance, with a huge silhouette faintly visible within it.

The curious villagers approached, and the sight before them left them stunned.

A huge iron pot had been set up at the village entrance. The firewood beneath it burned vigorously, while the broth inside rolled and bubbled, filling the air with an enticing aroma.

Beside the enormous pot, the constable who had arrived yesterday had set up a huge chopping table.

He held a sharp boning knife and was cutting something apart on the table.

"Head... Head Constable Yang?"

A villager asked tentatively.

Yang Xiao raised his head and gave the villagers a slight nod.

"Come over. Have some meat."

The villagers looked at one another, bewildered.

No one dared move first. They only stared blankly as several Yamen Runners bustled about before them.

Zhao Tieniu was crouched beneath the chopping table, adding firewood to the stove. His face was covered in sweat.

Sun Ming stood on a wooden stool beside the enormous pot, stirring the meat broth with a long wooden pole.

The brothers Zhou Qiang and Zhou Gang had gathered bowls and chopsticks from the unoccupied courtyards and arranged them neatly to one side.

"What... what are you doing?"

A middle-aged woman could not help asking.

Yang Xiao set down the boning knife and pointed toward the Pig Demon's corpse nearby.

"This is the man-eating Pig Demon."

"I killed it last night."

The villagers followed his finger and only then noticed the enormous black corpse.

"A demon... a demon!"

"So this is the man-eating demon?"

"Good heavens, it's huge!"

The villagers cried out in alarm, their eyes filled with fear.

Yang Xiao waved his hand.

"It's already dead. Come over. One portion per person."

The villagers froze for a moment, then realized he was telling them to take a share of the meat.

This demon... can be eaten?

"Can it really be eaten?"

"Could it be poisonous?"

Yang Xiao said indifferently, "Whether you eat it is up to you. If you don't, it will only go to waste."

With that, he picked up the boning knife, cut off a piece of meat from the chopping table, and put it into his mouth to chew.

As he felt the warm current in his abdomen extract an extremely tiny portion and turn it into spiritual power, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

This trait is not very efficient. No wonder it's a green trait. It's even slower than circulating the Origin-Guiding Qi Gathering Art.

The villagers looked at one another. After a moment, someone finally could not restrain himself and stepped forward.

"I... I'll have a portion."

It was a young man. A trace of fear and resolve showed in his eyes as he stared at the demon meat.

Yang Xiao ladled meat into a bowl, then added a spoonful of broth. The young man hurriedly accepted it.

Holding the bowl, the young man hesitated before taking a small bite.

His eyes lit up at once.

"Th... this is delicious!"

"The meat is so tender and fragrant!"

Seeing this, the other villagers surged forward.

"I want some too!"

"Give me a portion!"

"Head Constable Yang, I want some too!"

Yang Xiao divided the meat in an orderly fashion as the villagers formed a long line.

"Head Constable Yang, we're out of firewood." Zhao Tieniu crawled out from beneath the chopping table and wiped away his sweat.

"Go get some more." Yang Xiao did not even turn his head, continuing to cut meat on the table.

"Got it!" Zhao Tieniu turned and ran off.

An hour later.

Every scrap of the Pig Demon's flesh had been divided up.

The villagers of Li Family Hamlet held their bowls, squatting or sitting as they ate with relish.

"This meat is so fragrant!"

"I feel warm all over after eating it!"

"Head Constable Yang, you really are our benefactor!"

"That damned beast definitely never imagined it would end up being eaten by us..."

The villagers' gratitude toward Yang Xiao overflowed, and they praised him again and again.

Not far away, Li Tie stepped out of his house and saw the scene at the village entrance. His expression immediately darkened.