Translator: GodBrandy Editor: Kurisu
Earlier, when it still had the appearance of a stickman, the virtuous lamia had grabbed the two buddhist relics and pressed them against her face, merging with them and transforming them into two beautiful phoenix eyes.
Now, she had grabbed that small portion of the ball of liquid metal, and attached it to her chest… Was she planning to turn this portion of the ball of liquid metal into part of her chest as well?
But was that even possible?
Those two buddhist relics were inanimate objects, and were related to the power of virtue. Therefore, one could accept the fact that they had merged with her body.
But, this ball of liquid metal was very likely a portion of the clone of the ruler of the Netherworld, and even the nucleus in Song Shuhang’s Heart Aperture was unable to digest it. Could the virtuous lamia really merge with it?
Just as he was in deep thought, Song Shuhang discovered that something changed around the chest area of the virtuous lamia.
That ball of liquid metal really fused with her chest… but although it fused with her, it didn’t become one with her body.
Soon afterward, a large amount of ‘power of virtue’ poured inside the body of the virtuous lamia from the ball of liquid metal, just like it’d happened when she fused with those buddhist relics back then.
Still, the power of virtue she absorbed this time was different from the one she’d absorbed from the buddhist relics.
The power of virtue absorbed from the buddhist relics contained the wisdom and compassion of that senior monk, while the power of virtue absorbed from this small portion of the ball of liquid metal contained the power of prestige, order, and punishment.
If the power of virtue of that senior monk was like water, the one of the ball of liquid metal was like ice. Both were a type of ‘power of virtue’, but the way they manifested was completely different.
Around thirty breaths later, all the power of virtue inside that portion of the ball of liquid metal that the virtuous lamia had attached to her chest was sucked dry.
In the next moment, Song Shuhang saw the virtuous lamia open her mouth, with the ball of liquid metal quickly drilling out of it.
Song Shuhang was somewhat disappointed. From the looks of it, even the virtuous lamia had been unable to become one with the ball of liquid metal, and could only extract the power of virtue inside.
The volume of the ball of liquid metal was the same as before—it hadn’t changed.
Still, Song Shuhang, Venerable White, and Ye Si could see that that 10% portion of the ball of liquid metal had now lost some of its luster. It was clearly gloomier than before.
“All the power of virtue inside that thing was absorbed by your materialized lamia,” Venerable White said. Then, he sized up the lamia, and said, “Why is your materialized light of virtue this familiar? Doesn’t she look the same as that fairy maiden with the beauty mark we met in the Jade Lake Realm?”
Song Shuhang replied, “Yes, that’s her. I suspect my light of virtue ultimately assumed her appearance due to me accidentally ferrying her soul back then.”
“This sounds interesting.” Venerable White held his chin, and had a sudden impulse of studying soul ferrying techniques. Venerable White wanted to know if he, too, could materialize such an interesting light of virtue.
Anyway, once it had lost the protection of the power of virtue, rich aura of the Netherworld started to leak from the body of that ball of liquid metal. Soon afterward, an indistinct voice spread from the ball.
“Do you yearn for power?” The voice was emotionless, and it appeared the same as a sound recording.
Venerable White looked at Song Shuhang, and said, “Is it asking you?”
“Probably…” Song Shuhang said. “Does this metallic ball have intelligence?”
Venerable White shook his head. “I can’t tell for sure.”
At this time, that emotionless voice was transmitted from the ball of liquid metal again. “Do you… yearn for power?”
Ye Si said, “Why don’t we try to reply to its question?”
“I think it’s better to leave it alone. I feel that whether we reply yes or no, there will be some trick waiting for us. In addition, while faced with this question, I’m really tempted to reply with ‘I yearn for boobs’,” Song Shuhang said.
This meme was really popular in China around that time. Therefore, when Song Shuhang heard the first half of the sentence, he couldn’t help but think of this reply.
Song Shuhang’s voice had hardly faded that the ball of liquid metal in front of them started to transform.
After a short moment, it transformed into a boob of liquid metal, very lifelike.
“…” Song Shuhang.
“…” Venerable White.
“…” Ye Si.
Then, that emotionless voice echoed again. “Your wish came true. This is the boob you were yearning for.”
“…” Song Shuhang.
Was that thing trying to tell a joke?
“Let go of your thoughts and stretch out your hand, grab me. If you do so, you’ll obtain the boob you yearn for. Become one with me, and you’ll obtain infinite boobs!” the emotionless voice continued.
“…” Song Shuhang.
Ye Si laughed. “Ahahahaha~”
Venerable White said, “The ball of liquid metal is probably acting on instinct. The evil energy of the Netherworld has the innate ability to confuse humans and make them fall. Even if there is no one controlling it, it will automatically try to lure human cultivators.”
Song Shuhang said, “I think that very few people would get attracted by this degree of ‘enticement’.”
But right at this time, Ye Si suddenly said, “Eh? The ❮Writing of the Sage❯ reacted!”
The ❮Writing of the Sage❯ that hadn’t had any reaction while facing that ball of liquid metal earlier was now shining brightly. Then, it started to flutter, and condensed a great deal of righteous energy that went to suppress the ball of liquid metal.
When the overwhelming righteousness suppressed that small portion of the ball of liquid metal, another change happened. The ball of liquid metal transformed into a sharp sword that slashed toward the righteousness that the ❮Writing of the Sage❯ had condensed.
Neither the ❮Writing of the Sage❯ nor the sword-shaped ball of liquid metal had any intelligence. They were acting based on their instincts.
Venerable White said, “I see. Earlier, the ball of liquid metal had the protection of a large amount of power of virtue, which caused the ❮Writing of the Sage❯ to neglect it. But after losing the protection of the power of virtue, it attracted the attention of the ❮Writing of the Sage❯, which then attacked it.”
However, it was impossible to suppress that ball of liquid metal just by relying on the ❮Writing of the Sage❯.
In the end, the sword-shaped metallic ball slowly got the upper hand, and the righteous energy that the ❮Writing of the Sage❯ had condensed weakened bit by bit.
They had to find a way to deal with that ball of liquid metal before the ❮Writing of the Sage❯ got defeated.
After a short moment, Song Shuhang’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Nucleus, is it possible to shift that ball of liquid metal to the main world?”
He remembered that when that black metallic man removed the seal on its body and appeared in the main world, a power similar to the heavenly tribulation destroyed it.
Perhaps this ball of liquid metal would also attract the attention of that heavenly tribulation-like energy if it appeared in the main world now that it had lost the protection of the power of virtue?
The nucleus shook slightly, and in the next moment, that small portion of the ball of liquid metal disappeared from his Inner World.
“…” Song Shuhang.
Wait a moment! I only asked you if you could shift it or not. I didn’t tell you to move it out!
At this time, the seniors of the Nine Provinces Number One Group were having a discussion in the outside world.
If that portion of the ball of liquid metal that had been thrown outside ended up attracting that energy similar to the heavenly tribulation and even involved the seniors of the Nine Provinces Number One Group, the consequences would be tragic.
“Quick, get us out of here!” Song Shuhang quickly added.
“Whizz~”
Song Shuhang, Venerable White, and Ye Si were also moved to the main world, appearing where the seniors of the Nine Provinces Number One Group were previously discussing.
Appearing returning to the main world, Song Shuhang discovered that that small portion of the ball of liquid metal was hovering amidst the crowd of seniors.
At this time, the seniors were vigilantly gazing at the ball of liquid metal. The evil energy of the Netherworld Realm was leaking out of its body, and one needed but a glance to tell that it was nothing good.
At the same time, Song Shuhang noticed that a burst of awe-inspiring energy had appeared in midair. This feeling… there was no mistaking, it was the same energy that had extinguished that black metallic man.
“Seniors, be careful! Quickly disperse!” Song Shuhang shouted after appearing.
“Boom~” In midair, that energy similar to the heavenly tribulation took shape, falling upon the body of that ball of liquid metal.
“Rip~”
That small portion of the ball of liquid metal was turned into ashes with only one blow, disappearing without traces.
Luckily, the volume of the ball of liquid metal was rather small this time.
Therefore, that awe-inspiring heavenly tribulation-like energy didn’t cause too much destruction.
“Was that the heavenly tribulation?” Young Master Phoenix Slayer asked in puzzlement.
“It didn’t seem like the heavenly tribulation. Although the heavenly tribulation is merciless, one will always have a slim chance of survival. But that energy just now only wanted to ‘kill’, it didn’t want to leave any chance of survival to the opposite party,” True Monarch Tyrant Flood Dragon said.
“Little friend Shuhang, what was that thing? And why was it obliterated like that?” Northern River’s Loose Cultivator asked.
“It’s a long story… that thing was very likely a fragment of the clone of the ruler of the Netherworld Realm. As far as I know, the ruler of the Netherworld Realm is unable to enter this world. This was the reason it was obliterated,” Song Shuhang replied.
Song Shuhang seized the opportunity to tell the seniors of the Nine Provinces Number One Group about the ruler of the Netherworld looking for suitable humans or animals it could merge with in order to return to the main world.
Song Shuhang had already sent a message in the Nine Provinces Number One Group and told everyone about the fact that he had met two ordinary people corrupted by the evil energy of the Netherworld Realm in Wenzhou City.
And now, he told them about the information he’d obtained from Senior White Two, as well as the ‘fusion, fusion’ words the black metallic man had shouted toward the sky after coming out of the underground area of the 250th branch.
Song Shuhang was unable to say Senior White Two’s name aloud while in the main world. Therefore, his words were automatically censored each time he mentioned Senior White Two’s name.
However, the fellow daoists of the Nine Provinces Number One Group had already gotten used to it. Everyone knew that Song Shuhang had a special source from where he got all his information. The information that Song Shuhang obtained from this mysterious person during the battle between the White Cloud Academy and the demons of the Netherworld basically changed the outcome of the war.
After Song Shuhang finished with his story, all the seniors of the group became silent.
This information was simply too shocking.
“The person behind all this is unexpectedly the ruler of the Netherworld?” Young Master Phoenix Slayer had no idea what to say.
At first, they’d thought that it was the work of a Ninth Stage Tribulation Transcender… but they didn’t expect that it was actually the work of the final boss!
“How should we handle this situation?” Northern River’s Loose Cultivator said. To be honest, this matter was already beyond the capabilities of the fellow daoists of the Nine Provinces Number One Group.
Venerable White said, “How about this… let’s pass this information to the sect masters of the various major sects. Regardless of how many believe this piece of information, we at least have to give them a warning and let them prepare.”
“In addition, the ruler of the Netherworld Realm is still looking for a way to enter the main world, and has yet to succeed. Such being the case, we have to try our best to destroy its plans. Then, if it really manages to leave the Netherworld Realm and come to the main world in the future… the seniors in the main world that decided to withdraw from the world will surely step forward to face it.”
Just as the various fellow daoists were discussing, Ye Si drilled out of Song Shuhang’s body, and headed toward the place where that ball of liquid metal was obliterated earlier.
The ball of liquid metal was turned into a puff of smoke, but there was still a fingernail-sized piece of metal left on the ground.
“Shuhang, come here and take a look,” Ye Si said. She didn’t dare to touch that piece of metal. After all, it was something derived from the body of that ball of liquid metal.
Song Shuhang arrived next to Ye Si, and looked at the fingernail-sized piece of metal. “That thing isn’t dead yet?”
Its vitality was a little too strong!
“How should we deal with it?” Ye Si asked.
Song Shuhang pondered for a moment, and said, “Ye Si, prepare a healing technique for me.”
After saying this much, he stretched out his hand and took off the glove covering his right hand, pointing his hand toward that piece of metal.
It was a piece of metal left behind after the clone of the ruler of the Netherworld was obliterated. Even if he used the secret appraisal technique, the price to pay shouldn’t be too high.
If he could find a method to get rid of this piece of metal once and for all, it couldn’t be any better.
Song Shuhang activated the secret appraisal technique.
Golden runes that we hadn’t seen in a while flashed through his eyes, and then fell on that piece of metal. Soon afterward, they transformed into a clock, and the hands of the clock turned counterclockwise.
The golden runes ultimately returned to Song Shuhang’s eyes.
At the same time, two superficial wounds appeared on Song Shuhang’s right hand. But before Ye Si could even use her healing technique, the two wounds healed.
After eating the seed of the Sinful Black Lotus, Song Shuhang’s self-recovery ability had become pretty powerful.
At the same time, the information related to that piece of metal resurfaced in his mind.
[Mutated black metal born from the heavenly punishment, a valuable forging material rarely found in the world. A fragment of the will of the ruler of the Netherworld Realm that arrived in the main world as a sacrificial offering. But now, the will within has been completely wiped out, and the black metal underwent a wondrous mutation after experiencing the heavenly punishment.]
The content of the appraisal technique was very simple, and the description of that piece of metal was just a few sentences long.
Song Shuhang revealed a smile.
Mutated black metal born from the heavenly punishment… a valuable forging material that was rarely found in the world. In addition, the will of the ruler of the Netherworld within had been already wiped out.
In other words, this piece of metal was a valuable treasure.
Song Shuhang stretched out his hand, and picked up that piece of black metal.
“Everything okay?” Ye Si asked.
Song Shuhang nodded. “Yes, everything okay. This thing is just a very good forging material right now.”
His luck was pretty good as of late, and he had obtained a lot of good forging materials.
Perhaps he could use these forging materials to manufacture a life-bound magical treasure of his liking after advancing to the Fourth Stage Realm?