C1466 Demonic Transformation!

The semi-translucent, fiery red furnace was a sight to behold, its surface shimmering with a mesmerizing array of colors.

The liquid inside, a kaleidoscope of hues, seemed to brim with mystery, as if imbued with magical powers.

Yet, within its embrace, Zhong Chichen wore an expression of agony.

He appeared trapped in a profound nightmare, struggling desperately to break free, but to no avail—he could not awaken.

The skin exposed outside the liquid matched its vibrant colors, with seven-colored lights seeming to float within him. Upon closer inspection, these lights moved languidly.

Yu Yuan, whose real body had been severed from his Lunar Spirit, was initially unable to associate the colorful liquid with the Seven-Colored Lake.

After a period of observation, realizing that his eyes alone revealed little, he decided to directly question Du Yazi, Tong Rui, and Ye Hen.

"Mr. Zhong mentioned he was afflicted with a terrifying poison that he couldn't neutralize himself. Yet, he was confident that the toxic mists of the Rainbow Ocean could counteract the poison, aiding in its dissolution within him," Yu Yuan inquired.

Du Yazi was the one to respond.

"At his behest, I arrived at the Rainbow Ocean ahead of time to prepare this place. He seemed pleased with it upon his arrival."

"In the subsequent days, he employed a technique I had neither seen nor heard of to purge the poison from his system. He would draw the rainbow miasma and toxic clouds from the air into his body. To me, his method of detoxification resembled a wondrous spell."

"He claimed he was expelling the poison through his cultivation practice, but during this process, he..."

Du Yazi's voice trailed off as he cast a wary glance at Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan's brow furrowed. "Don't stop there!"

"He began to resemble you in your earlier days!"

With a clenched jaw and a resolute gaze, Du Yazi continued, "He became volatile, extremely short-tempered. Yet, often, he would regain his composure quickly. Once calm, he would earnestly apologize to me, attributing his behavior to the spell's side effects."

Tong Rui and Ye Hen chimed in, corroborating Du Yazi's account.

Yu Yuan's expression was dark as he glanced over at Loong Jie.

With a sly chuckle, Loong Jie nodded. "The Rainbow Ocean is unique because it serves as a portal to the Defiled World below. The miasma and clouds carry traces of that world's corrupt power. You're right; since he has absorbed the miasma into his body, he's inevitably become tainted."

"His soul included."

Pausing briefly, Loong Jie continued, "From what I see, his soul is even more severely corrupted. The malicious and vile thoughts that were provoked in him are a hundredfold what you endured. The difference is, he had already embarked on the path of cultivation and is no ordinary cultivator, so he's able to withstand it."

"As for you, you stood no chance, succumbing to corruption in mere moments."

The lecherous dragon laid bare the truth.

Feng Zhong gave a slight nod, sharing Loong Jie's perspective.

"Moreover, due to the Circle of Spectral Rebirth, the shadow energy that flowed in was exceedingly pure. The formation only spawned malevolent thoughts within you, while actually bolstering your three souls of heaven, earth, and man," Loong Jie said with a wide smile. "Your fellow disciple wasn't as fortunate; the impurities he ingested were never cleansed."

"Mr. Hong! You?" Du Yazi gasped, a realization dawning on him. "Is that what happened to you before?"

Yu Yuan responded with a cold snort, offering no reply.

Tong Rui and Ye Hen appeared contemplative, glancing at Zhong Chichen and then recalling the gossip surrounding Yu Yuan. They began to form their own conjectures.

Subsequently, their view of Yu Yuan softened somewhat.

"Go on, keep talking."

Loong Jie, clearly intrigued, prodded Du Yazi to continue. Then, with a flick of his fingers, he conjured several wisps of golden lightning. They resembled delicate golden dragons attempting to weave through the furnace.

Sizzle sizzle!

Flames erupted suddenly, engulfing the furnace and shattering his golden lightning.

The old dragon pursed his lips, ready to gather more strength for another attempt.

"Quiet down for a moment," Yu Yuan demanded, his brow furrowed in annoyance at the disruption, shooting Loong Jie a stern look.

Loong Jie relented and opened his hands in a gesture of innocence. "I was merely trying it out. Relax, I won't harm your esteemed senior brother."

The compliance of the lecherous dragon took Du Yazi, Tong Rui, and Ye Hen by surprise. Once they learned of Loong Jie's identity, they approached him with a newfound respect.

The ancient chieftain of the Nagas, a pure-blooded golden dragon, was renowned throughout the Everlands. Anyone of significance was aware that if not for the cosmic balance, this old dragon would have ascended to a tenth level Dragon God and stood at the pinnacle of the Everlands, on par with the mightiest beings.

His debauchery and profligacy were merely a result of his awareness that the age of the Nagas had yet to arrive, leading him to squander his time.

It was somewhat unexpected that such a dignified being would willingly heed the commands of Yu Yuan.

"Those colorful liquids were produced by Mr. Zhong during his cultivation, refined from the miasma cloud and toxic smog. He claimed that immersing himself in them would prevent his body from being eroded by the internal poison," Du Yazi explained.

"He chose to enter the furnace of his own accord; no one coerced him. However, the longer he practiced, the more his soul suffered. At one point, I couldn't detect the presence of his Lunar Spirit or Solar Spirit; it was as if they had been dissolved by the poison."

"Yet, if he refrained from cultivating for an extended period, his internal organs would indeed decay."

"He became trapped in a vicious and inescapable cycle. Without cultivation, the poison within him would cause his body to decay. While cultivation could counteract the internal poison with the miasma of the Rainbow Ocean, it would disrupt his spiritual wisdom and soul."

"In the beginning, he needed to cultivate just once every six months, and his mental disturbances were brief. Over time, the intervals shortened to two months, then to a fortnight. Eventually, he spent most of his time practicing that technique. When he awoke, his moments of lucidity exceeded those of his soul's disarray."

"After he regained consciousness, he instructed us to seal the furnace. He warned that if he lost control and turned on us, we should either flee or, depending on the situation, end his life."

"…"

Du Yazi let out a heavy sigh.

Tong Rui and Ye Hen, who had been faithfully serving Zhong Chichen, fell silent as well.

It was clear that none of them wanted any harm to come to Zhong Chichen. They were also covertly seeking ways to alter his dire state.

Despite having attempted numerous methods, they saw no improvement and could only watch helplessly as Zhong Chichen's condition deteriorated with each passing day.

"I was at my wit's end, which is why I brought Mr. Hong here. When it comes to poison, Mr. Hong is a true master! Mr. Zhong, on the other hand, falls short in this area." Du Yazi bowed respectfully to Yu Yuan, his smile sycophantic.

Yu Yuan felt a surge of irritation at Du Yazi's obsequious demeanor. "I wasn't spared either!"

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

The lecherous dragon clapped his hands vigorously, his gaze fixed on Zhong Chichen within the furnace, but he addressed Yu Yuan, "Yu Yuan, what extraordinary qualities do you and your brother possess?"

Yu Yuan, taken aback, asked, "What do you mean?"

"One was sought after by the Bloodbrawlers, who went as far as to establish the Circle of Spectral Rebirth and create the Reincarnation Pill to assist in your rebirth as a human," the lecherous dragon's eyes gleamed with excitement. "The other was selected by the Terra Fiend and imparted with the unparalleled dark arts to transform humans into Terra Fiends."

"Hahaha!" Loong Jie let out a sinister laugh, pointing at Zhong Chichen in the furnace, "Do you have any idea what he will ultimately become?"

A jolt ran through Yu Yuan.

"He will transform into a demon!" Loong Jie declared emphatically.

"He will transform into a demon!"

Feng Zhong, Du Yazi, and the others exclaimed in horror, each voice louder than the last.

Loong Jie's laughter ceased, and he adopted a grave demeanor, "Yu Yuan, the cultivators of the Bloodbrawlers are fundamentally human and dependent on human bodies. That's why they needed you to be reborn and join them in human form as part of their sect."

He paused briefly before adding, "The Terra Fiend, however, has no need for a physical form; a strong soul is all that's required."

"Your senior brother was afflicted with a poison. He was advised to counteract it with the toxic smoke from the Rainbow Ocean, using poison to fight poison. What he didn't realize was that, in doing so, he was inadvertently practicing the dark arts. The miasma and toxic smoke he ingested, with its hidden impurities, was gradually transforming his soul into that of a demon!"

"When the transformation of his three souls into a Terra Fiend is complete, the presence or absence of his physical body becomes irrelevant."

"Once he becomes a Terra Fiend, he can fully take over a new body and refine it. He can also assess whether his original body retains any worth to be tempered into a demonform."

"Terra Fiends are able to escape the confines of their physical form. Thus, the transition from human to Terra Fiend often involves the forsaking of one's corporeal body."

"With the destruction of the physical body, the mortal soul is reborn, allowing it to evolve into the soul of a Terra Fiend!"

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