Kikkkkkkk! The surviving beast shrieked again, its cry slicing through the forest air like a jagged blade, and Lin Jiang felt the warning reverberate inside his chest—a chilling omen of danger about to descend. Brakkkk!! The tree before him split apart and toppled with a deafening crash, scattering leaves and choking dust into the twilight air. From the wreckage emerged a rabbit of monstrous size, its horns ablaze with fire that hissed and spat sparks, painting the shadows of the forest in a furious glow. “Could this be the sovereign of these creatures?” Lin Jiang muttered under his breath, his voice taut with unease, his eyes narrowing against the blaze. The horned rabbit demon advanced, its eyes glowing with a feral brilliance. It spoke in a guttural tongue Lin Jiang could not comprehend, words thick with menace and primal rage. Yet the meaning was unmistakable—the creature’s fury was wholly directed at him. The demon’s gaze fell upon its fallen kin lying motionless on t

For three relentless days, Lin Jiang had roamed the haunted expanse of the Demon Forest, his survival sustained only by the bitter stalks of grass he forced down his throat. Hunger gnawed at him like a merciless predator, hollowing his body yet leaving his spirit unbroken, his will sharpened by deprivation. The forest itself seemed to conspire against him—its air heavy with damp rot, its shadows alive with whispers of unseen creatures.“If memory serves, Master once told me to consume demon flesh,” Lin Jiang muttered, his voice cracked and rasping from thirst. His lips were parched, his throat raw, yet his words carried a stubborn defiance. “But each time I seize a demon pearl, the beast dissolves into ash, leaving nothing for me to devour.”The forest answered not with silence but with a sudden shriek.Ngikkk!The cry tore through the night like a blade, sharp and piercing. From behind him, a demon lunged, its movement swift and predatory, claws slicing the air with a hiss that carri

“Sit down!” Elder Shun’s command rang out, sharp and unyielding, echoing through the dimly lit chamber. The flickering lanterns cast long shadows across the stone walls, their flames trembling as though they sensed the tension in the air. Lin Jiang obeyed without hesitation, lowering himself onto the cold floor before his master. The chill of the stone seeped into his skin, and the silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the faint crackle of fire.“Extend your hand, Lin Jiang,” Elder Shun ordered, his voice carrying the weight of authority.Lin Jiang’s fingers trembled as he lifted his palm, the faint scent of burning incense mingling with the metallic tang of fear that clung to him. Elder So Un, seated nearby, leaned forward, his brows furrowed.“What are you planning, Shun?” So Un asked, suspicion lacing his tone.“Wait and see,” Shun replied, his eyes narrowing. “The dark force has already gathered within his body. You will witness it soon enough.”Shun pressed his hand fir

“Lin Jiang’s dantian has reached perfection. Now his blood must be purified,” Elder Shun declared, his voice echoing through the vast chamber of the mountain palace. The air was heavy with incense, its smoky tendrils curling upward toward the carved ceiling beams, while the faint roar of waves from the sea below whispered against the stone walls.“What of his meridians?” Elder So Un asked, his tone sharp yet contemplative, his eyes narrowing as he studied the boy seated before them.“We will take him to the Valley of Lightning,” Shun replied, his gaze steady. “The Lightning Bath will open every sealed meridian within him. But for now, we must focus on purifying his blood.”“Then let us hunt the demons,” So Un agreed, his voice carrying a grim resolve.Both elders stepped toward Lin Jiang, their robes brushing against the cold stone floor. Shun placed a firm hand upon the boy’s shoulder, his palm radiating warmth.“We will leave for a short while,” Shun said. “During our absence, train

Lin Jiang felt as though every drop of blood within him was being boiled alive, seared by a scorching heat that invaded every vein and pore of his body. The sensation was unbearable—his skin prickled as though flames licked at it from the inside, and his breath came in ragged gasps, heavy with the acrid taste of burning iron.“We can do nothing more here. Let us leave him to endure it,” Elder Shun said gravely, his voice echoing against the stone walls.“Yes,” Elder So Un agreed, his tone reluctant yet resigned.The two masters stepped away, their robes brushing against the floor as they departed, leaving Lin Jiang writhing in agony upon the chamber’s cold surface. His body convulsed, sweat pouring down his temples, his cries reverberating through the vast hall.He did not know that he should have consumed the demon meats one at a time. Instead, he had swallowed them all at once, and now the torment was magnified beyond measure. Each of the three meats carried its own purpose, its own