Two horse-drawn carriages entered Chen Ku’s grand courtyard, each loaded with small iron buckets.
Within the iron buckets was a type of lustrous mineral that resembled coal chunks, with faint patterns on them that, under the sunlight, emitted a cold light.
This was the Iron Essence.
It was a material even harder than pig iron, a type of rock-forming mineral, and the unequivocal choice for forging top-grade sharp weapons. Any weapon infused with a hundred jin of Iron Essence could have its hardness increased several tis. Like crow sink sand, the Iron Essence was a mineral with extrely high density and mass; hence, 20,000 jin of Iron Essence were delivered by the Firewood Iron Shop using only two carriages.
However, Chen Ku’s attention wasn’t on the Iron Essence but on the horses pulling the carts. With 20,000 jin of Iron Essence split between two carriages, each carried 10,000 jin. What kind of horses are these?
He noticed that these weren’t Swallow-Treading Horses; there were no scales beneath their ribs or on their hooves. Instead, their bodies were short and robust, covered with dragon-like muscles that gave off the impression of explosive strength.
Chen Ku searched his mind for the Demons Manual and recognized them.
These are packhorses, a kind of wild horse specifically for carrying loads. Although they are not fast and possess only the strength of First Realm Demons, they are naturally suited to bearing heavy burdens. Even in the army, when transporting military provisions and forage, these horses are typically used.
Chen Ku thought to himself, Even the most common packhorses can carry 10,000 jin. If one of Second Realm strength could be slain and refined for the Swallow-Treading Horse, wouldn’t it enable the Swallow-Treading Horse to gain another layer of power...?
"Shopkeeper Chen, the goods have been delivered. Once you sign for them, we will take our leave," said the delivery man as he unloaded the 20,000 jin of Iron Essence.
Chen Ku looked at the 20,000 jin of Iron Essence and effortlessly moved 10,000 jin into the house.
All conditions were t. The Fourth Transformation Map could finally be completed.
[Conditions for completing the Fourth Transformation Map fulfilled—10,000 Jin of Iron Essence]
"Sacrifice!"
As Chen Ku’s ntal voice spread over the Transformation Diagram, the 10,000 jin of Iron Essence within the ten iron buckets around him suddenly vanished into thin air.
In Chen Ku’s mind at that mont, he witnessed the final sacrificial power, transford from the Iron Essence, shooting like a teor toward the Fourth Transformation scroll. It seed to be activated.
RUSTLE~~
Instantly, in Chen Ku’s mind, the scroll of the Fourth Transformation Map unfurled slowly, hanging like a blank scroll in the void.
[Fourth Transformation Map completed]
[Diagram Master has completed the Fourth Transformation Map, extending the range of Evil Qi detection to ’Ten Li’]
Chen Ku was overjoyed. This was precisely what he had been anticipating.
With the Fourth Transformation Map complete, he not only gained an additional transformation slot, relieving him of any sense of insufficiency or pressure in his transformations, but Chen Ku, filled with excitent, also imdiately placed the Swallow-Treading Horse transformation onto the fourth map without hesitation.
In that mont, he felt the enhancent of having four different transformations on him. The first diagram was the Flower Fox Mink, the second was the Fire Beak Pot, the third was Zhao Chuanzu, and the fourth was the Swallow-Treading Horse.
With an additional diagram slot, he suddenly felt that the tasks at hand were no longer limited by diagram constraints, and the sense of urgency vanished. Now, he could multitask with ease. He could have the Flower Fox Mink search for treasures in the mountains, the Fire Beak Pot conduct alchemy autonomously, and Zhao Chuanzu deduce Cultivation Techniques...
The abilities of the Swallow-Treading Horse are too few. If I can refine more things into it, like the Year Beast, I could let the Swallow-Treading Horse search for underwater treasures on my behalf. That would be operating on four fronts simultaneously.
Chen Ku observed the four transformation diagrams. If he were to perform refining shape next, it would be ideal to incorporate two more Demon and Monster Strange Beasts in addition to the Swallow-Treading Horse and Year Beast, combining a total of four transformations into one entity. Then, using the Evil Qi of the ’Third Realm Great Year Beast’ as the ’Fetal Form’, there would be a great chance of refining a Third Realm aquatic Strange Beast with various abilities.
Let see what water-based Demonic Evil Qi I have among the First Realm Evil Qi I’ve accumulated in the Butcher Court.
Ever since he could farm First Realm Evil Qi at Fire Beak Mountain—treating it as ’feed’ for his growing transformations—Chen Ku had prudently saved the Evil Qi from demons with various abilities that he slaughtered at the Butcher Court. During the mass migration of demons and beasts the previous year, he had killed several water-based First Realm Demons. One of these was a ’Tail Hamr Crocodile’.
Looking at the shadowy essence of the ’Tail Hamr Crocodile’s’ Evil Qi, it appeared similar to a crocodile with a round club grown on its tail; the tail was its natural weapon. Underwater, facing an enemy, a swing of the crocodile’s tail with the massive hamr could unleash a force of tens of thousands of jin. Basically, with this ’Tail Hamr’, it could be counted as one of the ’large First Realm predators’ underwater.
Chen Ku didn’t choose to transform into the ’Tail Hamr Crocodile’ at that ti, primarily because he already possessed a Crocodile Transformation. Moreover, simply adding a ’Tail Hamr Crocodile’ would not be significantly beneficial for him. That’s why he decided to keep it for later use as a material for refining shape.
There were also two strands of water-related Evil Qi from Demons.
One was from the Spinning Turtle, a creature with virtually no offensive ability. It was said to originate not from Ji Country, but from the strange waters of Yuan Country. Its appearance was similar to that of an ordinary turtle, but it was red and black in color, with the head of a bird and the tail of a venomous snake. Its cry sounded like wood being split apart. dicine King Hall wanted to slaughter this creature because its Tortoise Shell was Impervious to Swords and Spears, and once used in dicine, it could even prevent deafness.
The reason Chen Ku did not choose it was due to its clear disadvantages. That is, the natural disposition of a turtle is to be slow. If he integrated it into himself, although he would acquire the defensive power of the Mysterious Turtle’s shell, it would also slow down his speed...
However, if used for refining shape, there would be no need to worry. Transformations can complent each other, and at the sa ti, it’s possible to eliminate so inferior transformations. By evolving through the refining shape process with the principle of ’survival of the fittest,’ he could create a near-perfect ’creation’ that Chen Ku needed.
It’s a pity; I have to wait. The hundred or so strands of volcanic Evil Qi that the Flower Fox Mink brought back last ti have been used to enhance the Fire Beak Pot, the Swallow-Treading Horse, and the Little Year Beast; more than half are gone...
Currently, the First Realm Evil Qi he had left totaled only thirty-four strands—far from enough to raise both the Spinning Turtle and the ’Tail Hamr Crocodile’ to the Third Transformation Level. Although it wasn’t impossible to force the refining of shape, that would lower the success rate of refining shape, causing his sole strand of ’Third Realm Great Year Beast’ Evil Qi to go to waste.
Just like that, Chen Ku decided to wait for the return of the Flower Fox Mink before proceeding. He then stepped out of his house.
He had finished work on the sixth day and had taken an extra three days off. Today was already the ninth day. The period of bad luck had passed, and he could finally leave the house with peace of mind.
However, after Chen Ku left his house, he did not rush to dicine King Hall to start work, but first went to Grey Clothes Tower. He handed over the heads of the fourteen Peace Path Demon People from New Year’s Eve to Grey Clothes Tower.
"Two at Mystic Barrier Realm, twelve at Inner Qi Realm..." The Grey Clothes Tower’s counter clerk looked at the man with the codena ’Er Lang’ with a slight surprise. "Were these all killed by you alone?"
After transforming, Chen Ku still made sure to lower his Conical Hat and said, "Does it matter if I killed them alone, or if soone helped? Doesn’t Grey Clothes Tower only care about the heads?"
The counter clerk fell silent for a mont and then said, "You’re right. Grey Clothes Tower only cares about the heads."
He checked and verified the fourteen heads; indeed, they were all Peace Path Demon People, beyond doubt, with traces in their minds of the Evil Skills practiced by Peace Path Magicians.
"Among these two at the Mystic Barrier Realm, one was at the First Layer, and the other had the strength of the Second Layer. One is valued at 3,000 taels, the other at 4,000 taels... As for those twelve Inner Qi Realm heads, their strengths also vary; so are at Great Perfection of Inner Qi, and others in the later stages... Altogether, these fourteen heads are valued at a total of 21,800 taels. Grey Clothes Tower will take a commission of 800 taels. Here are silver notes for 21,000 taels. Please count them," said the counter clerk as he took the heads and handed out the silver notes.
Chen Ku took the silver notes, amounting to a little over 20,000 taels, and asked out of curiosity, "I’m actually quite curious, how exactly does Grey Clothes Tower determine the strength of a person through their head?"
The counter clerk lowered his hat brim, a light chuckle escaping as he replied, "Every industry has its trade secrets. Since Grey Clothes Tower is in this business, naturally we have unique thods of verification, which I cannot disclose to you."
Wherever there are people, there are transactions; restaurants sell food and drinks, pharmacies sell pills, and Grey Clothes Tower trades in heads.
Chen Ku, hearing such a response and understanding it touched on business secrets, knew he would not get an answer. So before leaving, he said, "The Bounty List has been updated, right? Give a copy of the new list to check out."
The counter clerk took out a new Bounty List from underneath the desk and handed it to Chen Ku, saying, "Provided free of charge."
Chen Ku casually flipped through it. He noticed that his own bounty of 10,000 taels was still there, but the words ’extrely dangerous’ had been labeled underneath it. It seed after the Blade-Handler who tried to attack him was killed, those who ca after beca wary of him because of his growing strength and reputation.
Further scanning the list, the bounty price for the Peace Path Demon People had not changed; however, Chen Ku suddenly noticed sothing on the Bounty List he hadn’t seen before.
"Nine-Colored Deer? A bounty of 500,000 taels?" Chen Ku raised an eyebrow and looked at the counter clerk, saying, "There’s a Strange Beast like that in Baojiao County?"
The Nine-Colored Deer was recorded in the Demons Manual, ranked ninety-ninth on the Qiu Dragon Strange Beast List. It was said the deer naturally possessed a pair of snow-white antlers that could absorb the essence of heaven and earth; its fur could change into nine different colors depending on nature, and it could understand human speech. If soone could get hold of the Nine-Colored Deer’s snow-white antlers, grind them into powder, and incorporate a certain creature’s heart into a pill, it would allow the user to understand the Beast Language of that creature.
That wasn’t all. The nine-colored fur of the Nine-Colored Deer was a highly valuable fur that could be spun into a kind of ’Treasure Clothing’ after a silk-reeling process, capable of changing colors and shapes at will.
The counter clerk spoke slowly, "Hmm, apparently a rchant saw a Nine-Colored Deer in the forests of Baojiao County. Then a large household offered a bounty: whoever can capture this Nine-Colored Deer will be rewarded with 500,000 taels."
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