Demonic State

As Claude drew closer and closer, Han Shuo opened his mouth with a low cry, bent over, and reached for his ankle, as though checking its injury.

Seeing what Han Shuo was doing, Gar frowned and moved closer, supporting him with one hand as he said, "What's wrong? Did you hurt your ankle? Let me see."

"It's nothing. I just twisted it a little." Han Shuo kept his head lowered and his waist bent as he spoke quietly.

Just then, Claude and several knight students arrived. They had all come later and did not know Han Shuo. There were plenty of people with serious injuries and disabilities here, so Han Shuo's behavior attracted little attention.

Claude glanced at Han Shuo's figure without paying him any mind, then walked past him, chatting and laughing with those beside him.

Han Shuo really had twisted his ankle earlier, and it was now bruised and swollen. Gar looked down and exclaimed softly, "It's swollen so badly! Let me take you back!"

Seeing Claude walking farther and farther away, Han Shuo straightened up, rose onto his toes and rotated his ankle, then smiled at Gar. "It suddenly feels much better. Thank you, Gar, but there's really no need!"

After saying this, Han Shuo quickened his pace and disappeared around the corner ahead without so much as a groan.

Seeing Han Shuo suddenly act as though nothing were wrong, Gar shook his head in bewilderment and said in surprise, "What a strange fellow!"

Dragging his battered body along, Han Shuo returned to the magic academy's necromancy department as darkness approached. Keri and Borg had taken over most of his duties as a handyman in the necromancy department, so he had little to worry about. After collecting his dinner, Han Shuo went straight back to the Supply Storeroom, bolted the door, and immediately began using his Demonic Cultivation Art to temper and repair his body.

His entire body hurt. His flesh, tendons, and bones had all sustained considerable injuries. His demonic essence circulated through his whole body again and again according to the methods of the Demonic Cultivation Art. Each time it completed a circuit, Han Shuo felt his strength gradually returning amid the searing pain.

During this process, the constantly circulating demonic essence seemed to grow stronger bit by bit, bringing Han Shuo a new and pleasant surprise. He reflected that tempering his body apparently also brought a gradual increase in his demonic essence. For some time to come, he would need to keep enduring this kind of injury to train his body.

By the latter half of the night, the pain in Han Shuo's body had eased considerably. He then resumed practicing the Mystic Ice Demon Flame Art, circulating his demonic essence into the fingers and palms of both hands again and again according to its method.

Time flew by, and Han Shuo fell into a strange state of utter unawareness. His mind held no stray thoughts, only persistence and determination in cultivation. He had long since forgotten his injuries and pain, and simply kept circulating his demonic essence according to the Mystic Ice Demon Flame Art.

Previously, Han Shuo had always exercised restraint when cultivating the Demonic Cultivation Art, rousing himself after a certain amount of time. Never before had he been as absorbed as he was now. He seemed utterly immersed, forgetting the passage of time, his own existence, and every mundane distraction.

Bang!

The little door of the Supply Storeroom was suddenly slammed open. Han Shuo jolted awake, frowned, and fixed Jack with eyes like cold lightning.

Han Shuo's gaze made Jack shudder with fright. Only after the cold lightning faded from Han Shuo's eyes did he let out a soft cry and say, "Brian, you really are in the Supply Storeroom! I thought something had happened to you!"

After waking, Han Shuo immediately examined his condition and suddenly discovered that his severely injured body had mostly recovered. The demonic essence circulating inside him had grown somewhat stronger, and his mental energy was exceptionally clear.

"What could have happened to me? I only got up a day late. With Borg and Keri helping me clean, there's nothing much to do anyway!" Han Shuo rolled his stiff neck, producing creaking sounds. When he climbed off the little wooden bed and twisted his body, all his bones crackled, leaving Jack frozen in astonishment.

After a while, when the strange noises inside Han Shuo's body stopped, Jack seemed to snap awake and cried, "Oh, Brian, you're not just a day late! You haven't shown up for six whole days! I knocked for ages, but you didn't respond. I thought something had happened to you!"

Jack's words startled Han Shuo too. Six days? Had I really cultivated for six whole days? Frowning, Han Shuo suddenly remembered that the memories Chu Canglan had left behind mentioned a phenomenon in the Demonic Cultivation Art called the "Demonic State."

Through a chance combination of circumstances, demonic cultivators sometimes entered the "Demonic State." Depending on the circumstances, it came in two forms: active and still. Some underwent a drastic change in temperament after entering the Demonic State and became bloodthirsty. Their bodies felt little pain, and both their Demonic Cultivation Art and physical strength could improve greatly in this state. They could not stop for even a moment, wanting to keep destroying every person or object before them. This was the active form.

The other form was what Han Shuo had just experienced: suddenly entering a demonic state during cultivation, becoming oblivious and unable to perceive it himself. Yet his bodily functions and the circulation of demonic essence operated several times more effectively than during ordinary cultivation. He could not sense his own cultivation progress, but upon suddenly waking, he could discover tremendous changes in his body.

Of these two forms of the demonic state, the first generally occurred after a severe shock disturbed one's mind. Even if the cultivator survived the endless slaughter of that state, his vitality would inevitably suffer greatly; it had side effects. Han Shuo's peaceful form of the demonic state, however, was beneficial. Cultivators generally entered this realm inexplicably during cultivation and often found their strength greatly increased upon waking.

"Oh, that's because I've been a little sleepy lately and slept too deeply. Anyway, what did you come here to see me for?" As Han Shuo spoke, he felt his empty stomach and immediately realized that, after six days without eating, his body badly needed food and nourishment.

Seeing Han Shuo rub his belly, the chubby Jack rummaged through his clothes, took out a large piece of bread, and handed it to him before saying, "I was worried something had happened to you. Also, Teacher Fanny asked me to tell you to visit her laboratory. Oh, right, that little she-devil Lisa asked me about you too. I don't know if she's looking to cause you trouble again."

"I see. Well, I'll go to Teacher Fanny first. Let's go!" Han Shuo spoke as he walked out of the Supply Storeroom, munching on Jack's bread.

Fortunately, Han Shuo had pushed the little skeleton under the bed during this time, so Jack noticed nothing strange when he suddenly burst in. After fixing the door bolt Jack had broken, Han Shuo headed straight for Fanny's laboratory.

Knock, knock, knock.

Standing outside Fanny's laboratory, Han Shuo raised his hand and knocked.

"Come in!" Fanny's gentle, melodious voice came from inside. Hearing it, Han Shuo pushed open the door and entered the laboratory.

Several magic scrolls lay spread out on the round table in the laboratory. Intricate, exquisite magical writing and patterns covered them. Even a novice like Han Shuo, who had only just stepped into the world of magic, could sense their powerful magical fluctuations from far away.

At that moment, Fanny was bent over, chanting a spell. Dipping her slender, beautiful fingers into the brown magic potion beside her, she traced exquisite lines onto a magic scroll. These delicate lines looked chaotic and disordered, yet gave a wonderfully harmonious impression.

After a short while, Fanny finished drawing a scroll. She chanted a spell and infused it with magical elements. An aura of desolation, loneliness, and darkness immediately emanated from the scroll. A dark brown light flashed across it, and it rolled itself up.

Putting away the completed magic scroll, Fanny looked up and gave a light, toothy smile. "Oh, it's you, Brian. How are the injuries on your back?"

"Thank you for your concern, Teacher Fanny. The injuries on my back have all healed." Han Shuo nodded as he answered.

Han Shuo understood that he could not keep pretending to be mad and foolish forever. Although it brought him certain conveniences, it would cause problems sooner or later if he kept it up. Since that was the case, he might as well change himself gradually, allowing everyone to accept a new version of him without noticing. Then, even if he changed, they would not find it abrupt, but would instead think he had suddenly regained his senses after his madness.

Brian, whose body he inhabited, had suffered greatly in the necromancy department. After crawling out of that grave, Han Shuo had decided to avenge him. Now he had taught Kerry Borg, Bark, and Lisa lessons to varying degrees, exacting considerable revenge for Brian. The reason Han Shuo still remained in the necromancy department was to plan for his own future.

Only after learning about this world did Han Shuo understand that, to live well here, he had to keep increasing his strength. Babylon Academy of Magic and Martial Arts was precisely a place where he could continually improve himself. He stayed here to use the academy's resources to develop himself in every respect, including his strength, all kinds of knowledge, and a complete understanding of this world.

Thus, Han Shuo knew he absolutely could not keep acting mad and foolish. He needed to change himself little by little.

"Oh, that's wonderful. We're planning a trip so the students can test their progress in magic in the outside world. Why don't you come with us? You can help them pack and organize their things, and I can check your physical condition along the way. What do you say, Brian?" Fanny put down what she was holding and smiled at Han Shuo.

Taken aback, Han Shuo paused. After thinking it over, he felt this was an opportunity and nodded in agreement. "Sure!"