13: Chapter 13 Secret Refining of the Demon Core, Physical Transformation Shakes Heaven and Earth

The aftermath of the slaughter in the core area of the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts gradually subsided. The ground covered in corpses and broken weapons glinted with a chilling, solemn coldness under the sunlight. Lin Zhou slowly put away his explosive sniper bow. Though the Spiritual Qi within him was still abundant, the continuous high-intensity combat had left his spirit with a trace of fatigue.

Qin Yue walked to his side, her gaze sweeping over the mess on the ground, her elegant brows furrowing slightly. "The bodies of these instructors cannot be left here. If the school people find them, it will only cause unnecessary trouble."

Lin Zhou nodded and raised his hand to summon the System panel, tapping it lightly with his fingertip. A pale golden light flashed, and the corpses on the ground dissolved like melting snow, leaving behind only scattered weapons and Storage Rings. This was a hidden function of the Divine-Grade roguelike system—Annihilation, which could silently erase traces to avoid leaving behind future problems.

Su Ye and Liu Yiyi had long been staring dumbfounded, and a flash of surprise also crossed Ye Ying's eyes, though he didn't ask further questions. In this world where the strong are respected, everyone has their own secrets, and the trump cards Lin Zhou held were clearly far more than what they had seen.

"First, collect the spoils," Lin Zhou's voice interrupted everyone's thoughts. "The corpse of the Nine-Life Demon Cat is the highest priority. That is the remains of a Peak King Rank exotic beast, and its value is immeasurable."

Hearing this, everyone began to act. Su Ye shouldered the massive body of the Nine-Life Demon Cat and dragged it to the center of the altar, while Liu Yiyi took out a spiritual cloth she carried and carefully wiped the blood from the altar. Ye Ying set up a warning Formation in the surrounding area to prevent other exotic beasts or humans from intruding.

Lin Zhou walked to the cat's corpse, crouched down, and gently stroked the pitch-black fur. The System's notification sounded in his mind:

[Ding! Peak King Rank exotic beast remains detected. Demonic Core Secret Refining can be performed to extract the beast's Origin power and strengthen the host's Physical Body. Proceed immediately?]

[Demonic Core Secret Refining Risk Warning: During the process, you will endure extremely strong energy impacts. Those with insufficient Physical Body strength may be blown apart by the energy. Proceed with caution!]

A flash of determination crossed Lin Zhou's eyes. Although his current Rank had reached Lv.25, his Physical Body strength was still at the Early Stage of the Great Master Rank. Facing stronger enemies, he would inevitably be at a disadvantage. The Origin power of the Nine-Life Demon Cat was the perfect material for tempering the Physical Body.

"Begin the refinement," Lin Zhou said deeply in his heart.

[Ding! Demonic Core Secret Refining initiated! Host, please sit cross-legged and guide the energy into your body.]

Lin Zhou sat cross-legged by the cat's corpse as instructed, his hands forming a complex seal. The corpse of the Nine-Life Demon Cat slowly floated up, and beneath the pitch-black fur, a faint black light surged. Its fist-sized demon core slowly emerged from its forehead, hovering above Lin Zhou's head, emitting a majestic demonic power.

"This is..." Qin Yue and the others felt the terrifying energy fluctuation, their expressions changing as they hurriedly retreated several steps, watching the changes in the field warily.

Above the demon core, the black light grew more intense, and the phantom of a Nine-Life Demon Cat flickered within the light, letting out a low roar. Immediately after, the demon core burst open, turning into a torrent of black energy that poured down like a waterfall toward the top of Lin Zhou's head.

"Buzz—!"

The moment the energy torrent entered his body, Lin Zhou felt as if his entire being was being scorched by lava, the pain unbearable. His skin turned red at a visible rate, veins bulged, and his bones even made a "creak-creak" sound as if they would shatter at any moment.

"Lin Zhou!" Seeing this, Qin Yue's face turned pale. She wanted to step forward to help but was bounced back by an invisible energy barrier.

"Don't come over!" Lin Zhou gritted his teeth, squeezing out a few words from between them. "This is a necessary part of the refinement process. I can hold on!"

He gritted his teeth tightly, circulating the Spiritual Qi in his body to guide the violent demonic power through his Meridians. The [Boundless Spirit Sea] talent operated at full power, the vast spirit sea acting like a stabilizing anchor, firmly suppressing the rampaging energy to prevent it from overwhelming his Meridians.

Wherever the demonic power passed, the Meridians were torn apart and repaired by Spiritual Qi over and over again. This process was incredibly painful. Lin Zhou's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his consciousness began to blur. But he knew he couldn't give up; once he did, he would end up with both his body and soul destroyed.

Time passed minute by minute, and the air around the altar was distorted by that terrifying energy. Su Ye and the others watched Lin Zhou tensely, their fists clenched and palms full of sweat.

After an unknown amount of time, the sharp pain in Lin Zhou's body gradually eased, replaced by a warm feeling. He could clearly feel that his Physical Body was being reshaped by the demonic power, becoming stronger and stronger.

His skin became tougher, as if covered by a layer of invisible armor; his bones became harder, comparable to refined steel; and his muscle lines became smoother, filled with explosive power.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host, Demonic Core Secret Refining complete!]

[Host's Physical Body strength increased to King Rank Early Stage!]

[Acquired passive skill: Shadow Possession (from the Nine-Life Demon Cat's Origin Legacy)!]

[Shadow Possession: Can integrate part of the demonic power into the Physical Body to increase speed and defense, while also allowing for brief concealment of the figure, merging with the shadows.]

The moment the System notification sounded, Lin Zhou snapped his eyes open, two flashes of black light passing through them. He slowly stood up, feeling the surging power within him. He couldn't help but clench his fist and throw a punch toward the nearby stone wall.

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, the stone wall shattered, and stone fragments flew. In the fist-sized deep crater, not a speck of dust rose, showing the sheer power of this punch.

"So strong!" Su Ye sucked in a breath of cold air, his face written with shock. "The power of this punch is probably several times stronger than my full-strength strike!"

Qin Yue's beautiful eyes also sparkled. She could clearly feel that the aura on Lin Zhou had become steadier and more terrifying. It was a pressure born from the perfect combination of the Physical Body and Spiritual Qi, far stronger than experts of the same Rank.

Lin Zhou moved his limbs, feeling his body filled with power, even the fatigue from the previous battle swept away. He looked down at his hands, a satisfied smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

His Physical Body breaking through to the King Rank Early Stage meant that even without using Spiritual Qi, he could easily crush a Peak Great Master Rank expert with physical strength alone. Combined with the [Shadow Possession] skill, his strength had undoubtedly reached a new level.

"Let's continue exploring the core area," Lin Zhou turned to the group, his voice carrying a hint of excitement. "The place guarded by the Nine-Life Demon Cat certainly has more than just the nine-turn soul resuscitation fruit."

Qin Yue nodded, her gaze falling on the ground of the altar. Where the cat's corpse had disappeared, a bottomless black hole had appeared, emitting an ancient and mysterious aura.

"This is..." A flash of surprise appeared in Qin Yue's eyes. "It looks like an underground passage."

Lin Zhou walked to the black hole and leaned over to look down. The passage was pitch black, and the faint sound of gurgling water could be heard. A dense Spiritual Qi surged from the passage, dozens of times more concentrated than the Spiritual Qi outside.

"The Spiritual Qi inside is so dense!" Liu Yiyi exclaimed. "It's probably even stronger than the school's Spirit Gathering Formation!"

"It seems the true Treasure Trove is inside this underground passage." A sharp light flashed in Lin Zhou's eyes as he turned to the group. "Do you have the courage to go down and explore with me?"

"I do!" Su Ye was the first to raise his hand, his giant axe on his shoulder, his Battle Intent high. "With you here, Lin Zhou, I'd dare to charge through even a mountain of blades or a sea of fire!"

Liu Yiyi also gripped her staff, her face slightly flushed. "I'll go too! My ice magic should be useful."

Ye Ying nodded, his figure flickering as he entered a shadow stealth state. "I'll go down first to scout the path."

Qin Yue looked at everyone, a smile flashing in her cool eyes. Holding her long sword, she was the first to leap toward the black hole. "Let's go. A Secret Realm trial is an adventure after all."

Lin Zhou smiled and followed closely behind.

Inside the underground passage, it was pitch black, with only the night pearls overhead emitting a faint light. The walls of the passage were covered in ancient runes that flickered with a dim light, as if telling a story of a buried history.

The group walked forward cautiously. The stone slabs beneath their feet were as smooth as jade, clearly the result of long-term use.

After walking for about half an hour, a massive stone door appeared at the end of the passage. Carved on the stone door was a lifelike nine-tailed demon fox, its eyes seemingly containing infinite wisdom.

Beside the stone door stood a stone tablet with a line of ancient characters carved on it. Qin Yue stepped forward and identified them carefully, her expression becoming incredibly solemn.

"This is... the Tomb of an Ancient Demon Fox!"

Lin Zhou's pupils shrank suddenly, and his gaze toward the stone door was filled with shock.

An Ancient Demon Fox! That was a legendary existence, something even more powerful than a Peak King Rank!

Just then, the stone door suddenly shook violently, and a pressure several times more terrifying than the Nine-Life Demon Cat's spread from within the door.

"Roar—!"

An earth-shattering roar came from inside the stone door, making the entire passage tremble.

The expressions of Lin Zhou and the others changed drastically. They gripped their weapons tightly, warily watching the stone door.

They knew that an unprecedented crisis was quietly descending.

And this might be the most terrifying challenge in the Secret Realm trial!