Chapter 104: Marvelous Use of the Silver Rod
Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Marvelous Use of the Silver Rod
’If I’m going to do it, I’ll do it now!’
Zhu Ge immediately began to carefully observe the giant python’s posture.
The giant python tightened its coils, spiraling around Liu Jianjian’s torso, especially her chest where her heart was.
"Jianjian, how are you feeling?" Zhu Ge asked.
"I feel like I’m going to die!" Liu Jianjian cried out in pain. "Master, save me!"
"I’m asking what you feel physically," Zhu Ge said, shaking his head. "What does your body feel? Now that you’re being squeezed?"
"How arrogant!"
Before Liu Jianjian could speak, the giant python hissed, "You little human whelp, how dare you disregard me so completely? Let me tell you, my Entanglement Technique is invincible!"
"I ambush and raid my prey, using their body heat to locate them. Then I strike suddenly, sinking my hooked fangs deep into them so they cannot escape."
"With every breath they exhale, I tighten my invincible coils, so they can breathe out but never in. The pressure just keeps climbing."
The giant python grew more arrogant as it spoke. "Right now, I’m sensing this hedgehog’s heartbeat. I will only loosen my grip when her demon heart stops completely. I won’t let go a moment sooner."
"I see," Zhu Ge said thoughtfully. "In that case, you can die now."
As he spoke, Hua Liusha’s red mist shot out, rushing directly toward the giant python.
Xigui—Soul Bewitchment!
After his earlier fight with the Hua Bao, Zhu Ge had already devised a few strategies for dealing with his enemies.
Hua Liusha was a Xigui, and it was difficult for any normal Demon Beast of the same realm to resist her innate soul-bewitching ability unless they had a Soul Protection Technique.
In a situation like this, it was better to let Hua Liusha handle it than for Zhu Ge to fight the python himself.
WHOOSH—
Hua Liusha’s red mist poured directly into the giant python’s body.
The giant python’s body went rigid, and then it slowly loosened its coils around Liu Jianjian.
"That scared me to death, scared me to death." Once freed, Liu Jianjian reverted to her Zhenren form, patting her chest and gasping for air.
Zhu Ge shook his head, not bothering to scold Liu Jianjian.
Liu Jianjian was naturally tough-skinned and thick-fleshed. The first time they fought, he had battered her repeatedly, and she had been mostly fine.
How could she be on the verge of death just from being constricted?
It seemed his suspicions were correct.
"See? You can’t even beat an opponent of the same realm. If you don’t practice your Martial Arts properly, you’ll end up as prey again," Zhu Ge warned.
Just now, Liu Jianjian had put up basically no resistance. She had been completely waiting for Zhu Ge to come and save her.
’She’s too much of a slacker. I’ll have to whip her into shape.’
"Who even likes to eat hedgehogs?" Liu Jianjian muttered defiantly, but then quickly added, "But Master is right. I need to work harder too! If I can store three Demon Beasts in my quills, I can borrow their abilities to protect myself."
Zhu Ge nodded.
He had, of course, read and familiarized himself with the Cultivation Techniques the True Monarch of the Lantern had bestowed upon Liu Jianjian and Zhu Sisi.
The Cultivation Technique Liu Jianjian had received, the *Demon Hunting Divine Technique*, contained defensive methods.
Unfortunately, the level of these two Cultivation Techniques was too high, placing them beyond Zhu Ge’s ability to learn.
Otherwise, Zhu Ge would have loved to integrate those two Cultivation Techniques into his own Martial Arts.
"I’ve finished eating."
At that moment, Hua Liusha’s red mist poured out of the giant python’s body and flowed back to Zhu Ge.
"Brother, I think I’ve broken through to the Mid-Extraction Realm," Hua Liusha’s voice was filled with joy.
"It’s true! Just as the True Monarch of the Lantern said, by only absorbing the ultimate yin souls of living beings, I can better embody the name ’Extraction Realm’!"
The Second Realm of the Ghost Dao is called "Extraction," which means to seize the essence of all things in the world and fuse it into oneself.
However, following the True Monarch of the Lantern’s warning, for Hua Liusha to advance to higher realms, it was best for her to only absorb Yin Qi, not Yang Qi.
The essence she extracted was not to be taken indiscriminately, but selectively.
If she accepted everything indiscriminately, she would become a "Demon" in the Third Realm, which was known as the Demon Realm.
But if she only absorbed Yin Qi, she would become a "Yin Soul," which was the Yin Soul Realm of the Third Realm.
For most great clans and powerful families, this knowledge was a core, closely guarded secret of their lineage.
The True Monarch of the Lantern had shown Hua Liusha immense kindness by sharing this knowledge with her.
"Breaking through is good," Zhu Ge said with a smile.
"There will be many more opportunities to extract essence in the future. Try to break through to the Yin Soul Realm in one fell swoop."
In ordinary times, it would have been very difficult for Hua Liusha to break through.
Where would she find so many souls to absorb?
But things were different now.
The lands were aflame with war; conflict had arrived.
Now, many years after the Holy Emperor’s death, all manner of unnatural beings—Demons, Ghosts, Spirits, and Monsters—roamed the land.
They were everywhere!
Ordinarily, Zhu Ge would have been worried about facing retaliation for killing a few Demon Beasts.
But now?
The Plague God Sparrow and the Red River Dragon Python had already made their move, intent on slaughtering the entire Human Race in this territory.
That being the case, what did Zhu Ge have to fear?
"Just focus on digesting it," Zhu Ge said. "Jianjian and I will go spar with some Demon Beasts. If we find a suitable one, Jianjian can subdue it. If not, you can devour it, little sister."
"Understood!"
"Okay, Master!"
"Let’s move out! The hunt continues!"
Zhu Ge collected the giant python’s corpse, then led Liu Jianjian onward to continue the hunt.
He had to admit, compared to before when they couldn’t find a single Demon Beast for over a dozen kilometers, this was much better.
There were Demon Beasts everywhere!
They had barely left the valley and had already encountered a Second Realm giant python. Who knew what else lay ahead.
PSHHHT!!!
Just as he was thinking, the earth beneath their feet burst open, and a rat scurried out.
They hadn’t been out of the valley for long, and this was already the second Demon Beast they’d encountered!
"I’ll take this one!"
Zhu Ge shot his hand out.
Great Python’s Constriction!
Zhu Ge had just been observing the Transformed Python’s coiling method, and he immediately put it to use.
His hand shot out and grabbed the Spirit Realm rat, his five fingers slowly tightening around it with a strange, coiling motion.
"SQUEAK!!!" The rat shrieked in alarm, its long teeth biting down on Zhu Ge’s hand.
It didn’t even break the skin.
POP!!!
Not only had its bite failed to break the skin, but Zhu Ge had crushed the rat until it burst.
’This isn’t working. This coiling force is less effective than just crushing it outright,’ Zhu Ge thought with a frown.
The Transformed Python’s ability had clearly tripled the effect of its strength.
He, on the other hand, had used three times the effort for one-third of the effect.
’And my staff... couldn’t it also be developed in this direction?’
Zhu Ge looked at the silver staff in his hand, lost in thought.
The silver staff was made of Star-picking Silver, forged by the True Monarch of the Lantern.
This silver staff could change its length, thickness, and hardness at its owner’s will.
A fine silver staff that could be long or short, thick or thin, hard or soft.
’So, if I’m fighting an enemy with my staff, and mid-fight it suddenly turns into a whip and lashes them a few times... how satisfying would that be?’
Zhu Ge’s eyes lit up.
’A completely unconventional tactic!’
’Everyone blocks a staff by meeting force with force.’
’So what happens if the tip of the staff suddenly goes soft and lashes out like a whip?’
’And it wouldn’t end there. I could even use the Great Python’s Constriction to bind and strangle my enemy!’
’This method could work!’
’This is the perfect chance to test it out and see exactly how the silver staff changes according to my will.’