Chapter 196 - 171: 1 Whale Fall, Myriad Things Are Born

Chapter 196: Chapter 171: 1 Whale Fall, Myriad Things Are Born

The reason the "Self-Consumption Method" was so infamous was not just for its incredible, life-saving properties. More importantly, after the locusts devoured the user’s flesh and blood, each one transformed into a miraculous Spirit Pill.

The essence of their flesh and blood would fuse with the locusts, leaving no trace of their soul or consciousness behind.

They didn’t even need to be refined and could be consumed directly.

After this technique was created, any cultivator who knew of it would not deal a killing blow upon encountering a cultivator from the Herder lineage. Instead, they would wait for them to use the "Self-Consumption Method."

And when cultivators of the Herder lineage saw no hope of escape, they would often willingly use the "Self-Consumption Method" to avoid being tortured.

It took but a cup of tea’s time.

Everyone had collected all the surrounding locusts into their bags. They exchanged cheerful glances, then transformed into streaks of light and returned to the Spiritual Land.

「Hundreds of miles away.」

Three calf-sized golden locusts sped through the mountain forest.

"SCREECH..."

Just as the last of the other locusts died, the golden one in the center suddenly let out several ear-piercing shrieks, a human-like look of venomous hatred in its eyes.

It then turned into a streak of light and vanished into the forest.

「Ring Mountain Spiritual Land, Ten Thousand Snake Lake Island.」

A five-colored streak of light shot from the dark side of the island toward the mountaintop. After a few leaps, it appeared in a small courtyard. It glanced at the small, dark-red tree in the yard before darting into the wooden house.

Inside the house, a handsome young man with a Three-leaf Mark on his brow sat in the head seat.

"HISS..."

It let out a hiss and leaped onto the wooden table. A bundle wrapped in dense, root-like threads that had been trailing behind it also landed on the tabletop.

As the fine, root-like threads slowly receded, a severed arm still attached to half a sleeve was revealed.

Streaks of pale golden blood oozed out, and a rich, unusual fragrance instantly filled the air.

"So this is what a cultivator from the Herder lineage is like..." Li Changsheng said, his expression one of surprise.

The severed arm was slender and covered entirely in a layer of fine golden scales. Its joints resembled those of an insect.

Just then, he felt a weight settle in his lap.

A series of whimpering sounds also came from outside the door.

Li Changsheng looked down. Xiaobai’s long, narrow eyes were fixed on the pale golden blood oozing on the table, full of desire.

Outside the door, four heads of varying sizes were squeezed together, their small eyes also staring at the wooden table.

Xiaohai, however, who was on the table, showed no particular desire for the severed arm. To it, the arm seemed no different from ordinary Blood Food.

Li Changsheng looked at the reactions of Xiaobai, Xiaohua, and the others. After a moment’s thought, he gently touched the pale golden blood with his finger.

The blood was slightly cool.

A moment later, a tingling warmth spread from his finger.

Li Changsheng raised his arm, his gaze fixed on the blood.

[Anomalous Blood: Consumption increases Spiritual Power, reduces bottlenecks, and enhances physical strength.]

Li Changsheng’s gaze shifted to the severed arm.

[Anomalous Flesh and Blood: Consumption greatly increases Spiritual Power, purifies Spiritual Power, reduces bottlenecks, and enhances physical strength.]

’No wonder they call it a Great Pill. It’s truly worthy of the name...’

Li Changsheng’s eyes flickered. He shook his head and stared at the cultivation section for Xiaobai in his lap.

[Required for Advancement: Consume Anomalous Flesh and Blood. Chance of an unknown transformation occurring.]

’It replaces the need for a Spirit Flower, and there’s a chance of an unknown transformation...’

Li Changsheng looked at the severed arm and frowned.

He thought about the changes that occurred after the Spirit Binder’s insects consumed the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree Juice.

’If Xiaobai eats this flesh, it won’t mutate into something resembling a locust, will it?’

After hesitating for a moment,

Li Changsheng still took out the Bone-Chopping Knife.

’Spirit Flowers are hard to find. I can’t just let Xiaobai stagnate forever.’

Watching Xiaobai hop back to the second floor with a piece of flesh in its mouth, Li Changsheng stood up, walked to the door, and stared intently.

Little Xiaohua was still a cub whose cultivation had not yet reached its peak, so there was no change for it.

The advancement requirements for Xiaohua and Big Flower had also changed to consuming Anomalous Flesh and Blood, and both now had the "chance of an unknown transformation" note as well.

After some thought, Li Changsheng picked up the Bone-Chopping Knife again.

’Demon bones are incredibly rare. It’s for the best if there’s a substitute.’

As he began to cut, a sudden surprise appeared.

A pale gold storage pouch fell out from the sleeve attached to the severed arm.

It was obvious this was the storage pouch belonging to the cultivator from the Herder lineage.

"Ha... A job well done."

Li Changsheng’s mood instantly improved. He gave Xiaohai a thumbs-up, then sent the eager and impatient creature on its way.

He watched as Xiaohai leaped out of the courtyard.

Li Changsheng didn’t rush to open the storage pouch. He picked up the Bone-Chopping Knife and, with a CHOP, CHOP, cut the anomalous arm into several pieces and placed them in a jade box.

He then carried the tea table, along with the anomalous flesh and blood on it, out of the wooden house.

GRUNT GRUNT...

Watching Xiaohua and Big Flower noisily gnawing on their portions, Li Changsheng frowned, turned around, and went back inside, heading up the stairs.

When he reached the second floor,

Xiaobai was lying on the desk, having fallen into a deep sleep to advance.

Li Changsheng averted his gaze, returned to the third floor, sat cross-legged on the soft couch, and took out the pale gold storage pouch.

But when he channeled his Spiritual Power into it, he felt as if he had hit a wall.

Li Changsheng frowned. "He’s actually not dead..."

A reaction like this from a storage pouch meant its owner was not yet dead, and the spiritual imprint left inside had not dissipated.

Li Changsheng gauged the strength of the imprint, shook his head slightly, and put the storage pouch away.

’At my current cultivation level, it would take at least a month to erase the imprint.’

Li Changsheng flipped his hand over, taking out the nearly depleted Yin Blood Jade and the talisman artifact containing the Earth Fire Evil. He then immersed himself in polishing his Spiritual Power.

「The next morning.」

Li Changsheng reached out and opened the window.

A cool breeze flowed into the room through the opening, carrying away the last of the stuffy air.

He looked ahead.

At the edge of the mountaintop, the once lush green leaves of the great trees had, at some unknown point, been tinged with a hint of yellow.

The gentle breeze rustled through them.

Li Changsheng took a deep breath. The cool air filled his lungs, refreshing him instantly.

After quietly admiring the scenery for a while, he went down the stairs.

Back in the courtyard,

Li Changsheng looked at Xiaohua and Big Flower, who were collapsed on either side of the wooden table. With a mere thought,

BUZZ...

dozens of insects flew out from the surroundings. They landed around the wooden table and, with a collective buzzing of wings, lifted it and slowly flew toward the kitchen.

Li Changsheng stretched his back and began to slowly practice Tai Chi in the courtyard.

He continued until sunlight spilled into the yard.

Smoke gently curled up from the kitchen of the small courtyard.

Just then,

a jade-green streak of light shot across the sky, heading straight for the small courtyard at the center of the mountaintop.

On a large tree at the edge of the summit,

a man in a Profound Robe lazily cupped his hands in a casual salute toward the Escape Light. Watching it land in the central courtyard, he muttered under his breath, "He sure comes here often..."

CHIME CHIME CHIME...

In the courtyard, Little Wooden Head’s branches and leaves swayed, letting out a soft chiming sound.

Inside the kitchen,

Li Changsheng, a look of confusion in his eyes, got up and went out into the courtyard.

Before the spiritual light had even faded, a somewhat smug laugh rang out.

"Hahaha..."

"Junior Brother, I’ve brought you something really good this time! I guarantee you’ve never seen anything like it!"

The spiritual light dissipated to reveal Ma Rong looking at him with a wide smile, an exquisite jade box resting in his hand.

’Something good?’

Li Changsheng looked at the jade box. A thought stirred in his mind, and he asked uncertainly, "Is it Jade Bamboo?"

"Not at all..." Ma Rong said, shaking his head with a smile. His tone was dismissive. "How could Jade Bamboo even compare to this?"

"Oh?"

Seeing Ma Rong’s expression, Li Changsheng’s curiosity was instantly piqued. He made a welcoming gesture and said with a smile, "Well, Senior Brother, with an introduction like that, I’m dying of curiosity. Please, come inside and tell me more."

The two entered the wooden house and sat down.

Ma Rong looked at the empty space beside him where a table should have been and paused. "Junior Brother, where’s your table?"

"Oh, I chopped it up for firewood," Li Changsheng replied casually, his expression unchanging. He then eagerly urged Ma Rong to open the jade box.