Chapter 172: Chapter 130 Third Realm Incarnation_2
"He could probably make the top ten," Wang Yixian mused.
In Baojiao County, there were no more than fifteen Fourth Realm experts, and eight of them were members of the ’top ten masters.’
If a Third Realm Jade Skin Realm expert truly became a Blade-Handler, then ranking in the top ten on the Blade-Handler List would be no problem at all.
"I’ve had contact with all of the top ten Blade-Handlers. This Er Lang..." Wang Yixian’s eyes gleamed slightly. "It seems I need to find a way to get closer for a look."
Blade-Handlers were a gray profession; they took heads for money. They were divided into two types: one only captured criminals wanted by the Imperial Court, essentially acting as headhunters for the government. The other type worked for private individuals as assassins.
These assassins, accustomed to working for private clients, were often incredibly bold and would dare to kill anyone for money.
As a government official, it’s best to investigate their backgrounds thoroughly, Wang Yixian thought. Otherwise, there’s no telling when someone might hire such individuals to target government officials or constables.
"How is the investigation of the City God Temple case progressing?" County Lieutenant Ma changed the subject. "It’s already been three days. If there are no results soon, it will be difficult to answer to Lord County Magistrate."
When this case was mentioned, Wang Yixian’s expression turned troubled. He said, "Currently, our only clue is about a ’flying white rat,’ but it can’t be traced to anyone. Furthermore, the white rat flew out of the city, and we’ve lost its trail. I fear this might become a cold case."
"A cold case? That would be rather unfortunate," County Lieutenant Ma said gravely. "No matter what, we must provide the people with an explanation. Otherwise, where would the authority of the Imperial Court stand?"
Wang Yixian’s eyes flickered. "Your subordinate understands."
...
Around the time the Blade-Handler List rankings were changing, something also happened involving Huang Muxia.
With an unpleasant expression, he looked at the beautiful woman who had arrived at his Twin Rivers Guild, and at the people dressed in identical attire behind her. "How would I know where Zhao Chuanzu has gone?" he said. "He took one hundred thousand taels in silver notes from my Twin Rivers Guild and now his whereabouts are unknown. I’m still looking for him! Miss Zhao, what do you mean by asking me this?"
Huang Muxia suppressed his anger.
Many days ago, when he hadn’t seen ’Chen Ku’ on the bounty list, he had already sensed something was amiss. But considering that the Zhao Family of the Ancient Elephant Sect was a prominent family in Qiu Dragon Mansion, he hadn’t believed they would scam him and flee. Yet, after the New Year, Zhao Chuanzu was indeed nowhere to be found.
The fact that the man was missing was one thing. But crucially, this group from Qiu Dragon Mansion, representing the Zhao Family of the Ancient Elephant Sect, had now come to him demanding Zhao Chuanzu.
Huang Muxia directly threw out the IOU.
Zhao Yuyan looked at the IOU, her brow furrowed. "The seal is correct, but this is definitely not Chuanzu’s handwriting," she said. "Shopkeeper Huang, please tell me everything again, in detail, about my younger brother’s disappearance. Don’t leave anything out."
...
「Late at night.」
Chen Ku returned from Medicine King Hall and found the window open, which delighted him. Has the Flower Fox Mink returned?
He had been waiting for the Flower Fox Mink’s Evil Qi to start the new fetus transformation refining shape.
Sure enough, after he pushed open the door and entered, he saw the Flower Fox Mink in its Incarnation coiled up on the bed, wreathed in Flame Qi, sleeping wearily.
Chen Ku noticed that this time the Flower Fox Mink held a Second Realm ’Volcanic Crow’ in its mouth.
"A Second Realm Volcanic Crow!"
Chen Ku was overjoyed. With a Second Realm Volcanic Crow, he could refine Second Realm Fire Evil Qi, allowing his Fire Beak Pot to upgrade into a Second Realm Magical Treasure.
[The Volcanic Crow harbors ill intentions towards the Diagram Master...]
Sensing the Evil Qi, Chen Ku nodded at the Flower Fox Mink.
The Flower Fox Mink opened its mouth, bit the Second Realm Volcanic Crow to death, and swallowed it whole.
[Diagram Master has slain the Volcanic Crow, obtaining a strand of Second Realm Evil Qi.]
When Chen Ku saw the Flower Fox Mink devour the Volcanic Crow, its Demonic Qi seemingly starting to boil, he recalled it into his Heart Sea to let it digest slowly.
Upon recalling it, he also sensed the Fire Evil Qi emanating from the Flower Fox Mink.
[Diagram Master is assaulted by one hundred thirty strands of First Realm Fire Evil Qi; Flame Qi has entered the body and has been entirely refined and quelled by the Fire Beak Pot, obtaining one hundred thirty strands of First Realm Evil Qi...]
[Diagram Master is assaulted by fifty strands of Second Realm Fire Evil Qi; Flame Qi has entered the body. The Fire Beak Pot is struggling to refine it... Estimated one hour to refine the first strand of Second Realm Flame Qi...]
Chen Ku’s heart trembled. The Flower Fox Mink had actually brought back fifty strands of Second Realm Evil Qi! This indicates... it approached the depths of Fire Beak Mountain.
Indeed, within the Flower Fox Mink’s memories, Chen Ku saw images of it braving the scorching Flame Qi to get closer to the magma vent of Fire Beak Mountain.
Despite still being seventy to eighty zhang away from the surface of the magma, it had already been seared by a considerable amount of Second Realm Flame Qi.
It seems the closer one gets to the magma’s surface, the stronger the Fire Evil Qi becomes...
"You’ve suffered," Chen Ku said softly. He summoned the Flower Fox Mink out again and took the Demon Meat of the Third Realm Year Beast from his Storage Bag. "Eat this," he said. "Eat it and grow stronger, so you can continue to venture closer to that place."
Then, while the Flower Fox Mink was eating the Year Beast’s meat, Chen Ku felt the Second Realm Evil Qi inside his body slowly refining, his whole body uncomfortably hot.
With the ability of a First Realm Fire Beak Pot, even with the Volcanic Crow, this refining speed is too slow. In the dead of winter, I feel like I’m being roasted in a furnace. It’s truly unbearable. This was because the First Realm Fire Beak Pot and the Volcanic Crow struggled to quickly digest Second Realm Flame Qi.
Unable to endure the internal fiery torment any longer, Chen Ku looked at the Evil Qi from the recently slain Second Realm Volcanic Crow.
Let’s see if my luck holds. If I can gamble and obtain the ’Second Realm Fire Stomach’ from the Volcanic Crow, I’ll be able to digest this Second Realm Flame Qi!
[Volcanic Crow Transformation!]
[Volcanic Crow Shape Shifting]
[Transformation Part: Feathers (Fire Avoidance)]
Instantly, the burning sensation tormenting Chen Ku’s body vanished.
He exhaled. "Alas," he murmured, "it only spared me the sensation of burning. I still need to refine it slowly."
However, being spared from the pain is already quite good.
With his mind no longer preoccupied by the sensation of being scorched, he had the energy to arrange the fetus transformation refining shape.
Seeing that the Flower Fox Mink had finished eating one-third of the Year Beast’s meat, he retracted it.
Immediately, in his Heart Sea, Chen Ku removed the original four transformations from the Transformation Diagram. He then replaced them with the Little Year Beast, the Swallow-Treading Horse, the Tail Hammer Crocodile, and the Spinning Turtle.
He then used ninety strands of Evil Qi to start increasing the Transformation Level of the Tail Hammer Crocodile and the Spinning Turtle.
[Tail Hammer Crocodile Transformation... Tail Hammer Crocodile Shape Shifting Level... Infusing nine strands of Evil Qi, Tail Hammer Crocodile Transformation has reached the Shape-Shifted Level... Infusing thirty-six strands of Evil Qi, Tail Hammer Crocodile Transformation has reached the Transform Level!]
[Spinning Turtle Transformation... Spinning Turtle Shape Shifting Level... Infusing nine strands of Evil Qi, Spinning Turtle Transformation has reached the Shape-Shifted Level... Infusing thirty-six strands of Evil Qi, Spinning Turtle Transformation has reached the Transform Level!]
All preparations were ready.
"Inject the Third Realm Great Year Beast’s Evil Qi and begin the fetus transformation refining shape for these four transformations!" Chen Ku commanded in his mind.
[Currently deducing this fetus transformation refining shape...]
[Among the four transformations, the Year Beast has the highest quality. This fetus transformation refining shape will primarily be based on the Year Beast transformation...]
[Currently deducing the probability of shape refinement success...]
[Deduction complete. Injecting Third Realm Evil Qi to refine the four transformations, there is an eighty percent chance of refining at least one strand of Evil Qi of common Third Realm Demon quality...]
[Begin refining shape?]
An eighty percent probability, Chen Ku thought. Luckily, my bad luck seems to have faded; otherwise, I really wouldn’t dare risk that twenty percent failure rate.
He commanded, "Begin refining shape!"
Third Realm ordinary quality? Is it because the Demonic Bloodlines of these four transformations aren’t pure or concentrated enough? However, even if it’s only Third Realm ordinary quality, after it’s formed, it would be equivalent to having a Third Realm Demon Incarnation.
Disregarding his own strength and any augmentation he might receive, just a single Great Year Beast of the Third Realm could mobilize fifteen experts from Peace Path. Let alone a new Third Realm Demon Incarnation that could overcome the Year Beast’s inherent flaws.
Releasing this Incarnation alone in Baojiao County would make it a Great Demon in this territory.
[Currently refining shape...]
Just as Chen Ku had previously speculated, the higher the Level and Realm, the slower the refining shape process.
By this estimate, it will likely take until tomorrow to be fully formed.
Then I’ll sleep and check tomorrow.
「A dreamless night.」
「The next morning.」
CRACK!
A roar, like that of a lion or a wolf, came from within the Transformation Diagram.
Chen Ku immediately awoke and looked at the results.
He saw the Third Realm Evil Qi Embryo suddenly split open. From within emerged a Strange Beast resembling a Qilin. It had a single horn, a tail like a hammer, and its body was covered in scale armor. It roared with its mouth open, exhaling a pillar of ice.
[???? (Unnamed)]
[Realm: Third Realm Demon]