The sky gradually darkened.On the official road, the dim afterglow cast long shadows of a horse and the two corpses behind it.
"Giddy up, giddy up!"Jiang Yuechu urged twice, but the horse beneath her only panted heavily, its steps growing slower and slower.
She looked back.The two Demon Boar corpses dragged two deep furrows on the ground, kicking up dust all the way.She had hoped to reach the City before dark.
But now, it seemed unlikely.
"Oh well," Jiang Yuechu sighed, dismounting.
She walked up to the horse and patted its damp neck."You've had a tough time, old friend."
The horse snorted in response.Jiang Yuechu untied the ropes, tossed the two corpses by the roadside, and removed the saddle.
"Go find some grass to eat. We'll rest here tonight." She looked around. Not far from the official road, there was a dilapidated Earth God Temple, half its wall collapsed, and the statue toppled. It would be a good place to shelter from the wind.
She moved her belongings into the ruined temple and sat down against a broken wall.
The night wind blew, carrying the chill of the wilderness.But Jiang Yuechu had no mind for such things.With a thought, the ancient scroll slowly unfurled in her mind.
[Dao Cultivation: One hundred and eighty years]
Looking at this number, she couldn't help but grin.
All this hard work, risking her life, wasn't it all for this?
Now, with one hundred and eighty years of Dao Cultivation in hand, she naturally had to splurge a bit.Her thoughts settled on the two Demon scrolls that had already reached the realm of Vermilion Dye.
Should she continue to enhance Tiger Mountain God, or Green-Faced Gentleman?
Fierce Tiger Quick Blade was her most effective skill at the moment, wide and sweeping, using raw power to overcome many.
Green Cliff Returning Shadow, on the other hand, focused more on movement techniques, being unpredictable and varied.
After much deliberation, it seemed safer to focus on one first. After all, too much at once spoils the broth.
"You're the one, big tiger."Jiang Yuechu made up her mind.
She took a deep breath, her consciousness sinking into the scroll.The next instant, the one hundred and eighty years of Dao Cultivation surged into the painting of the white-browed, striped tiger with a roar, like a flood gate opening!
~Boom~
On the scroll, a blood-red light flared!
The fierce tiger seemed to come alive, every strand of fur, every inch of muscle and bone, undergoing an indescribable transformation.
The Dao Cultivation numbers plummeted rapidly.One hundred and seventy years.One hundred and fifty years.
One hundred years.
Fifty... and finally, it stopped at zero.One hundred and eighty years of Dao Cultivation were completely depleted.
Jiang Yuechu felt a pang of heartache. Before she could finish feeling distressed.On the scroll, a line of new text slowly appeared.
[Consumed one hundred and eighty years of Dao Cultivation, Tiger Mountain God's progress increased]
[Current Scroll: Tiger Mountain God (Dotting the Eyes)]
~Boom~
A loud bang.Jiang Yuechu felt as if her head had exploded.
She suddenly opened her eyes, gasping for breath, her forehead covered in cold sweat.On the scroll, a crimson dot of cinnabar was added to the eyes of the white-browed, striped tiger.It seemed to come alive.
[Successfully Dotted the Eyes of Tiger Mountain God, gained Demon's Gift]
[Unlocked Demonization - Tiger Mountain God (Consumes one's own Qi and blood to briefly semi-Demonize and gain its abilities. This Divine Ability is extremely dangerous, use with caution.)]
"Holy shit..."Jiang Yuechu stared at the lines of new text on the panel, speechless for a long time.Demonization?
Briefly Incarnating as a Tiger Demon?
Jiang Yuechu licked her somewhat chapped lips, her heart pounding uncontrollably.
She slowly raised her right hand, a thought in her mind.Buzz.
An indescribable burning sensation erupted from her heart.The Qi and blood in her body, like ignited lamp oil, rapidly depleted at a terrifying speed.
Jiang Yuechu let out a muffled groan, feeling as if all her bones were groaning under the unbearable strain.In her vision, her right hand was undergoing astonishing changes.The muscles under her skin tightened at an incredible speed, becoming tough as iron, yet without excessive swelling, merely outlining smooth lines full of explosive power.
Her long, black hair, starting from the roots, was rapidly stained with a blood-red color, like burning flames under the cold moonlight.
The most terrifying change occurred in her eyes.The world before her seemed to be stretched and distorted, her pupils instantly transforming into a pair of cold, ruthless golden vertical slits.
An unprecedented sense of power surged out from every limb and bone!
As if she could smash the broken wall beside her with a single punch if she wished.
But along with it came a sharp pain from her heart.Like an invisible black hole, frantically devouring her life force.
Her Qi and blood were draining at an unprecedented rate!
If this continued, she would be completely drained within ten breaths!
Stop!
Jiang Yuechu screamed frantically in her mind.
~Buzz~
The scorching power receded like a tide.
She went limp, collapsing to the ground, her chest heaving violently as she gasped for air.
A strand of hair fell before her eyes, already turned back to black.
She raised a trembling hand, touched her eyes, and then looked at her palm; that explosive power had vanished without a trace.
"Damn it..."Jiang Yuechu uttered a single word, feeling completely drained, almost out of strength even to curse.
This move... it was powerful.
But if she couldn't end the battle within the time limit.She would probably be left to be slaughtered on the spot.
She absolutely couldn't use it again unless it was a last resort.
She struggled to sit up, leaning against the wall.
Just then.
~Roar ~Grumble~
An untimely and unladylike rumble came from her stomach.
Jiang Yuechu clutched her stomach, looking helpless.There was no other way; this was how it was for a Martial Artist. Qi and blood depletion had to be replenished by food.
That brief Demonization had almost completely drained her, and now her stomach was empty, so hungry that her front pressed against her back.
She pulled out the dried meat that Chen Qingyuan had given her from her bosom. It was dry and hard. She broke off a small piece and put it in her mouth, chewing for a long time, finding it tasteless.
Her gaze involuntarily fell upon the two massive corpses outside the ruined temple.
Demon Boars...
"They're still pigs, right?"She licked her lips.
"Who cares, I'm practically starving to death, no time to be picky." She stood up, pulled a fire starter from her satchel, drew her horizontal saber, and strode over to the Demon Boar corpses.
With a flash of the blade, a plump hind leg was cleanly severed.The smell of blood was pungent, but Jiang Yuechu didn't even frown.
Soon, a bonfire was lit in the ruined temple.
The skinned pig leg was propped over the fire, sizzling as it roasted, fat dripping into the flames, creating popping sounds and a peculiar meaty aroma.
Jiang Yuechu tore off a large piece of golden-brown roasted meat. Disregarding the heat, she blew on it twice and stuffed it into her mouth.
The meat was coarse, with an indescribable gamey smell, not particularly delicious but as the flesh went down, a warm current rose from her stomach, rapidly flowing through all her limbs and bones.
The Qi and blood that had been depleted by the Demonization were rapidly replenishing at a visible rate.
Jiang Yuechu's eyes lit up.It truly was a great tonic!She no longer hesitated, grabbing the pig leg and biting into it heartily.
At this moment, she suddenly felt the texts of her fellow transmigrators were right.
"Demons... truly are a good thing when eaten... " Wiping the juices from her mouth with a nearby leaf she begun to voraciously tear into the meat in front of her.