Chapter 41 Refining the Demon Core

Chen Mu squatted on the ground, his fingers twisting a few strands of black cat fur, examining them closely under the moonlight.

The fur was coarse, and the tips still retained a faint trace of Demonic Qi, sharing the same origin as the aura on the Cat-Faced Old Woman.

He lowered his head to look at the patch of soil that had clearly been disturbed, where scratch marks from a small animal seemed to remain on the surface.

With a thought, Chen Mu immediately drew his long sword, inserted it into the edge of the soil, and pried it up gently.

"Crack."

A sound of crumbling came from the soil layer. Chen Mu exerted force from his wrist and immediately lifted a palm-sized clod of earth entirely.

Beneath it was not solid earth, but a cleverly concealed, narrow hole, only the size of a bowl, with smooth edges, clearly showing that something frequently entered and exited.

Chen Mu narrowed his eyes, a deduction forming in his mind.

"This is the entrance to the cat demon's lair. It's so narrow that I fear only the cat's physical form can pass through it."

Liu Ziming stared intently at the hole, frowning. "Then let's dig it open and take a look."

Without hesitation, Chen Mu immediately drew his sword to shave away the soil and stones at the edge of the hole, enlarging it slightly.

Seeing this, Liu Ziming quickly endured the pain in his leg and drew his Dao to come and help.

The rustling sound of metal rubbing against soil was exceptionally clear and jarring in the deathly silent Mass Grave.

Finally, the hole was enlarged enough for a person to enter and exit freely. A thick, pungent smell of Demonic Qi mixed with rot surged out from the hole, making one feel nauseated.

Chen Mu took a fire starter from his bosom and blew it to life; the dim, yellowish light immediately illuminated the interior of the cave.

This was not a naturally formed earthen cave; the walls were smooth with distinct claw marks, as if it had been dug out by something.

The cave was not deep, about five feet in diameter. At the deepest part, some dried grass and rags were piled up, forming a crude cat nest. Scattered around the nest were fragments of human bones.

Finger bones, ribs, and also the shattered skull of an infant.

And in the center of the cat nest, a lump of flesh the size of a pigeon egg lay quietly.

Its surface was rough and uneven, generally dark red in color, with faint dark gold patterns flowing across it.

Chen Mu reached out and took it. It was warm to the touch, soft in texture, and held in his hand, he could even faintly feel a slight vibration like a heartbeat.

"This... what is this?"

Chen Mu frowned, full of confusion, turning it over and over to examine it under the moonlight.

A lump of flesh in a demon's nest? It didn't look like a gemstone, and even less like any ordinary object; it contained a pure yet complex fluctuation of demonic power.

Liu Ziming leaned in to look. He was first stunned, then his eyes widened abruptly, his voice filled with unbelievable surprise.

"This... could this be the legendary Demonic Pill?"

"Demonic Pill?"

Chen Mu raised an eyebrow, signaling for Liu Ziming to continue.

"Yes, I've seen a description of this thing in the miscellaneous books of the Demon Suppression Division. It is the essence condensed from the demonic power within a demon after it breaks through its realm and takes human form!"

"But this cat demon only had a hundred years of cultivation; to be able to form a Demonic Pill means it either has extraordinary talent or it obtained some kind of Opportunity!"

An Opportunity?

Chen Mu couldn't help but think of the Beimang Sect mentioned by the cat demon. His brows furrowed slightly, feeling that the situation behind this was complicated, but this Demonic Pill...

"What is it used for?" Chen Mu asked the most critical question directly.

"It has great uses!" Liu Ziming said quickly.

"This Demonic Pill condenses the essence of the demon's lifelong cultivation. If you can ask an Alchemist to refine it into a Medicinal Pill, taking it will not only greatly increase your cultivation but also extend your Lifespan!"

"A Medicinal Pill refined from just this one hundred-year Demonic Pill is worth twenty or thirty years of hard cultivation for a Martial Artist!"

Chen Mu listened quietly, his gaze falling on the warm, pulsating Demonic Pill. Increasing cultivation and extending Lifespan—these two terms deeply touched him.

His remaining Lifespan was a mere eleven years; he was in urgent need of something to extend it. Although his cultivation had already reached the Dao Entry Realm, it was still far from enough to face Yunmeng City or even the wider world.

This Demonic Pill was exactly what he needed.

But... an Alchemist? Not to mention whether he could find a reliable Alchemist, the origin of this Demonic Pill alone would be hard to explain.

Was he supposed to tell others that it was dug out from inside the cat demon of Sangye Village? That would involve too many people and be too widespread.

"Then what if it is consumed directly?" Chen Mu asked.

Liu Ziming immediately shook his head repeatedly.

"No, the demonic power within this Demonic Pill is chaotic. Swallowing it directly would allow you to absorb at most thirty percent of its efficacy, while the rest would be wasted. Worse, you might even be corroded by the demonic power; the loss would outweigh the gain."

"There are several famous Alchemists in Yunmeng City. It would be better to send it to be refined, and then you can take it; only then can you ensure there are no mishaps."

Chen Mu paused slightly and looked directly at him. Seeing that the other's eyes were clear and devoid of any greed, he remained silent for a moment before asking.

"I take it? Don't you want it?"

"I do, how could I not want it?"

Liu Ziming grinned, without any hypocrisy or affectation.

"You found this thing, so it rightfully belongs to you."

"Besides, during our trip to Sangye Village, if it weren't for you, I would have died in my dream long ago."

"You saved my life, so even if I, Liu Ziming, were greedy, I wouldn't be greedy to this extent."

He spoke openly and honestly, without any reluctance, and Chen Mu nodded, no longer declining.

He would remember this favor.

The two spoke no more. Chen Mu searched the cave carefully again, but there was nothing else of value, so he pushed the dug-up soil back to bury the entrance.

"Let's rest here for a while, and you should tend to your leg injury."

Liu Ziming followed his advice, found a relatively clean spot to sit down, and re-checked the branches and cloth strips used to immobilize his leg.

Chen Mu walked to a mulberry tree not far away and sat cross-legged.

He appeared to be circulating his Qi to regulate his breath, but in reality, he had long since submerged his consciousness into his body.

He did not attempt to absorb the Demonic Pill directly; Liu Ziming's warning was still ringing in his ears, but he thought of the System.

Since Lifespan could be plundered, martial arts could be infused, and even those bear paw gloves could be used to infuse and comprehend skills, could it also simulate and accelerate the process of refining the Demonic Pill?

With a thought, Chen Mu summoned the System panel.

[Chen Mu: Seventeen years old, Remaining Lifespan: Eleven years, (Plundered Lifespan): Four hundred years]

[Mastered Martial Arts: Broadsword Technique Perfection! Taibao Horizontal Training Perfection! Sword Drawing Technique Perfection! Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique Perfection! Divine Void Step Perfection!]

[Special Item: bear paw gloves (Flying Bear Dream-Entering Technique: Perfection)]

[Absorbable Item Found: Hundred-Year Cat Demonic Pill (Contains essence of demonic power, can be converted into Lifespan and cultivation)]

[Absorb?]

Sure enough, the System could even handle the Demonic Pill!

Chen Mu chose "Yes" without hesitation.

[Absorbing...]

[Infusing three years of Plundered Lifespan, catalyzing the conversion of the Demonic Pill...]

[First month: You wrapped the Demonic Pill with your Protective Aura. The demonic power counter-attacked your Meridians like needles. You circulated Taibao Horizontal Training, golden light protecting your body, forcibly suppressing it.]

[Sixth month: The Impurities on the surface of the Demonic Pill peeled off, and pure demonic power was injected into your Dantian. You discovered the cat demon's cultivation memories mixed within it. You used Sword Intent to shatter the distracting thoughts, leaving only pure energy.]

[First year: The Demonic Pill shrank by thirty percent. Your Dantian began to expand, your blood energy surged, and your bones hummed.]

[Second year: The core of the Demonic Pill was revealed. The dark gold essence was entangled with the cat demon's resentment. Your Sword Intent, like a waterfall, completely crushed it.]

[Third year: The demonic power was fully absorbed. The flow of True Yuan accelerated, the strength of your Protective Aura increased by fifty percent, your Sword Intent became increasingly sharp, and the afterimages of your Divine Void Step became almost substantial.]

[Conversion Complete! Obtained Lifespan: Thirty years! Cultivation increased: Dao Entry Realm Middle Stage!]