Chapter 315 - 219: Demon Core in Hand, a Pleasant Surprise
Chapter 315: Chapter 219: Demon Core in Hand, a Pleasant Surprise
Behind the waterfall, within the curtain of water.
The tunnel was long and extremely wide. Its stone walls were slick, covered in dark-green moss that gave off a faint, rank odor.
A closer look revealed irregular marks on the stone walls, gouged by sharp claws and sliced by wind blades.
It seemed the Cyan-striped Tiger had used various methods to widen it.
This was likely done to allow a huge tiger like itself to pass through unimpeded.
After walking a little over two hundred feet, the tunnel opened up into a wider space.
A massive natural cavern appeared before him.
Countless stalactites hung from the cavern’s ceiling. Droplets imbued with pure Water Spiritual Power constantly fell from their tips, gathering in small pools among the stalagmites below.
The air was filled with Spiritual Qi far denser than in the Outer World, and it was unadulterated by any Demon Qi.
Every breath was invigorating.
"This is actually a blessed land?"
Lin Changheng’s pupils constricted. He clearly hadn’t expected to find a place like this inside.
Evidently, the Cyan-striped Tiger was not only powerful but also had excellent taste in lairs.
The place was rich in Water Spirit Qi and exceptionally well-hidden, making it a superb location for Cultivation.
Lin Changheng’s gaze swept past the stalactites and pools without lingering, quickly locking onto the deepest part of the cavern.
A thick layer of dry Spirit Grass was spread out there, forming a crude Beast Nest. Beside the nest lay five scattered ores, each shimmering with a different luster, and some Demon Beast Materials whose Spiritual Light appeared to have been deliberately worn away.
They seemed to be playthings the Cyan-striped Tiger had collected.
But the most eye-catching things were in the center of the Beast Nest: two jade-white, furry balls of flesh.
They were squirming nonstop.
Each was only about the size of an infant’s head. They snuggled together, rising and falling gently with faint breaths, their bodies covered in a layer of soft, downy fur.
As if sensing an unfamiliar presence, the two little bundles of flesh stopped squirming and began to tremble slightly.
Then, two small, delicate, fur-covered tiger ears poked out unsteadily from the top of the bundles. Their tips twitched involuntarily.
With some difficulty, the bundles of flesh turned around to face him:
Two pairs of damp, barely-open, light-blue eyes peered timidly in his direction. Below them were tiny pink noses and little mouths, slightly agape, letting out the faintest "awoo" whimpers.
They were two newborn Demon Tiger cubs!
They had clearly been born only a short time ago. Lacking the strength to even stand, they could only lean clumsily against each other for support, tilting their small heads up at Lin Changheng and letting out utterly harmless, instinctual whimpers.
Looking at them now, the Demon Beast Materials beside the nest, their Spiritual Light all worn away, seemed more like toys left by the mother tiger for her cubs to teethe and play with.
Lin Changheng stopped in his tracks. The predatory gleam in his eyes faded, replaced by a complex look of stunned surprise.
According to his usual, cautious philosophy, one should always pull a weed out by its roots. The same should apply even to Demon Beast cubs.
But as he looked at these two little creatures, his resolve began to waver.
He knew of a special Elixir called the Forget Dust Pill that could erase a Cultivator’s recent memories.
But as a master of the Alchemy Dao, Lin Changheng knew this Pill was also effective on Demon Beasts.
It was especially potent on newborn Demon Beasts, capable of wiping their memories completely, turning them into a blank slate.
After that, he could paint whatever he wished upon that canvas.
’Maybe I should keep them?’
Once the thought occurred to Lin Changheng, it was difficult to suppress.
He had already gotten a taste of the benefits of Beast Taming.
Just a moment ago, he had killed the Tier Two Middle Stage Cyan-striped Tiger without even using much of his own power. With the coordinated efforts of his two Spirit Beasts and Mo Zhaoli, the kill had been easy.
He hadn’t needed to use his Divine Power True Intent, his Body Refining Cultivation, his Talisman Treasure, or any of his other trump cards.
It was worth noting that the power gap between the Early, Middle, and Late Stages of Tier Two was immense, making it extremely difficult to defeat a higher-stage opponent in a one-on-one fight.
But Lin Changheng had basically used the combined might of two Cultivators, two Spirit Beasts, and a Puppet—five Tier Two powers in total—to achieve the kill.
A typical Cultivator at Middle Stage Foundation Establishment would struggle against three at the Early Stage. The same logic applies to Tier Two Demon Beasts, but Lin Changheng had five!
It was tantamount to a human-wave tactic, an easy steamroll.
Of course, the gap between the Foundation Establishment Stage and the Qi Cultivation Stage was on another level entirely; any number of Qi Cultivation opponents would be as easy to cut down as melons and gourds.
...
"This feels amazing!"
Lin Changheng mused.
Generally speaking, a Cultivator who pursued the Hundred Arts would have one major Skill and one or more minor Skills.
Lin Changheng had originally planned to minor in the Array Dao. Its potential was immense, and its effects were outstanding once mastered. However, he lacked the Talent for it, so his progress was slow.
It required a great deal of slow, patient work.
Beast Taming, on the other hand, was also slow to yield results, but it only required spending money and providing Elixirs.
It required very little mental effort in comparison.
With the wealth he generated from the Alchemy Dao, raising three Spirit Beasts wouldn’t be a problem.
Meanwhile, he could continue to slowly hone his skills in the Array Dao on the side. One day, it too would become useful.
Furthermore, Lin Changheng’s Lifespan was far greater than that of his peers. He also had the Celestial Gift of Distracted Mind from the Tenth Layer of his Origin Treasure Seed, which allowed him to Dual Task. He could therefore attempt to dabble in three Skills at once.
...
His mind made up, Lin Changheng walked directly toward the two tiger cubs.
A moment later, however, his attention was drawn to half a stalk of Treasure Medicine nestled in the dry Spirit Grass of the Beast Nest.
It was a cyan, moon-shaped lotus, of which only a little more than half remained.
Its petals were covered in tiny bite marks.
’This must be the Cyan Flower Moon Lotus the Cyan-striped Male Tiger brought back...’