One more catty, one more attribute point

After giving instructions to Li Daoxuan, Su Heng returned to the Demon Suppression Tower to continue his cultivation.

Having mastered the Powerful Boulder Technique with all five elements complete, Su Heng had entered the third layer of the demonic form, the Flesh Refinement Realm. This meant that among the remaining five secret techniques in the Overbearing Dragon's Eight Phases Secret Skill, Su Heng could now begin to cultivate them.

But after careful consideration, Su Heng still decided to put them off.

Even with the vast resources of the Demon Suppression Tower as support, the acquisition of attribute points was limited.

Su Heng had to prioritize allocation first.

Among the several cultivation techniques and demonic relics that needed upgrading,

those that could increase the types of attribute points gained were placed first by Su Heng.

Next was the Little Five Elements Fist, a technique with moderate power but one that could provide a complete framework to fully integrate the several true techniques he was currently cultivating into one system.

Then, there was the secret technique previously promised to him by Li Daoxuan.

Su Heng hadn't gone to learn it during this time, but he still remembered it and planned to check it out when he had some free time later.

"So..."

In the seventh floor of the Demon Suppression Tower, back in his study,

Su Heng approached a wall with a huge painting, opened a safe in the corner, and took out a heavy rosewood box.

Click!

He gently triggered the mechanism and the box opened.

Lying among a swath of black feathers was a vine resembling blood vessels and nerves.

This vine was the demonic relic Su Heng had obtained from the brothers Song Ting and Song Yingchun, known as the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine.

It had the special effect of extracting strength from martial artists.

Among demonic relics,

it was considered quite vicious.

Su Heng took it out this time, but he did not intend to fuse with it.

His current physical condition was too strong; purely combat-oriented demonic relics were indeed somewhat superfluous for Su Heng.

Unless it was from Great Demons like the Wolf King whose innate abilities could have some effect on his body.

The Bloodthirsty Demon Vine would be used by Su Heng as a material to strengthen the Tai Sui Fungus Strain.

He integrated the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine into his body.

Focusing his attention, new information that had never appeared before emerged on the pale grey attribute panel.

[Tai Sui Fungus Strain (Can Be Enhanced): Requires the same type and level of demonic relic as materials, along with three hundred attribute points.]

"The remaining attribute points now..."

Glancing down, Su Heng saw that there were sixty attribute points available.

With the Taotie Technique perfected and the assistance of the Water Ghost Poison Sack, Su Heng could gain around forty attribute points a day.

In dedicated cultivation,

six days went by in the blink of an eye, and the attribute points were finally saved up.

"So..."

Su Heng held the demonic relic of the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine and lightly tapped the plus sign next to the Tai Sui Fungus Strain.

The writing above blurred for a moment, and the effects of strengthening the Tai Sui Fungus Strain appeared before Su Heng's eyes.

[Tai Sui Fungus Strain Fierce Level Two Transformation (Special Effects: Mist, Parasitism, Extreme Poison, Flesh)]

"Phew..."

Upon seeing the description above, Su Heng took a long breath.

His fingers, which had been spread open, slowly clenched into a fist, his face adorned with a relaxed and excited expression, "It's indeed as I anticipated."

The newly obtained flesh fungus strain possessed two special effects.

The first effect was to promote the healing of wounds.

The second effect was to transform the host.

From the most basic increase in hormone secretion, to promoting muscle growth, and even to the fusion of several different types of organs – theoretically, the flesh fungus strain could accomplish all of these.

"Shh!"

Su Heng extended his arm and lightly scratched it with the tip of his index finger.

Having deliberately relaxed his muscles, he easily left a narrow, ten-centimeter-long cut on his arm.

Through the wound, the crimson muscles and pale yellow human fat were faintly visible.

There was no sign of pain on Su Heng's face.

The newly obtained flesh fungus strain began to take effect, with a large number of mycelia appearing on the wound, accompanied by a tingling sensation. The wound healed rapidly in a manner visible to the naked eye, and in just two or three breaths, only a light pink scar remained.

He brushed his hand over it lightly.

The red mark disappeared and the exaggerated wound he had just sustained was completely healed.

"Really not bad!" Su Heng clicked his tongue twice, his face showing admiration.

His body's self-healing ability had been quite strong before, but it had never reached such an exaggerated level.

Moreover, the healing power of the flesh fungus strain was not limited to the superficial layers such as muscles and skin; even if internal organs were seriously damaged, the flesh fungus strain could operate rapidly. And for Su Heng, this was the most important aspect. It undoubtedly greatly enhanced his survival ability.

"According to reason, I should also be able to transform myself to a certain extent through the flesh fungus strain." Su Heng stood up.

As he walked towards the door, he looked down and muttered to himself.

"It's a pity, aside from the accelerated healing effect, the flesh fungus strain seems unable to exert other effects within my body. Is it because my fleshly body is too strong, or because it triggered a self-protection mechanism?"

After trying several times and confirming this,

Su Heng felt it was a pity.

Otherwise, by directly controlling the brain's pituitary to secrete growth-promoting hormones, he would have been awash in attribute points.

"Creak!"

Pushing open the door, Su Heng walked towards the stairs leading to the upper floors.

In the somewhat dim corridor, a little potato dressed in a white robe came running towards him.

Bang!

Just before the collision, at that very last moment.

Su Heng reached out and lightly pressed his hand on Elder Bai's high ponytailed head.

"Watch where you're going," Su Heng said, sounding less than pleased.

Elder Bai had been living in the Demon Suppression Tower since her youth and didn't seem to have much contact with people outside; she always appeared a bit absent-minded, like a little girl who had never grown up.

"Ah, Tower Master!" Elder Bai took two steps back, stood on tiptoe, and craned her neck just to see Su Heng's chin.

At the end of the corridor in front of her was a window.

The light from the window was completely blocked by Su Heng, leaving only a faint white glow that spilled out hazy around Su Heng's shoulders.

"Tower Master, it seems like you've grown taller again in just a few days," Elder Bai said, rubbing her head.

"What's that in your hand?" Su Heng crouched down.

"I was just about to come find you," Elder Bai handed over a document she was holding to Su Heng, "Li Daoxuan sent a group of new recruits to the Demon Suppression Tower, and this is their information. I'm supposed to deliver it to you for review, to see if there's any issue."

"Hmm, let's see... Jin Mingxi?" Su Heng's brow furrowed slightly.

"Is there a problem?" Elder Bai asked.

"Are you and Jin Mingxi close?" Su Heng asked with a chuckle.

"We're just so-so..." Elder Bai answered vaguely.

Thwack!

Su Heng lightly tapped on the top of her head with the document, "You can't even tell a lie."

.net

Elder Bai covered her head, looking at him huffily.

"How do you know each other?" Su Heng asked, surprised, "Don't you spend most of your time in the Demon Suppression Tower?"

"Elder Jin and I were disciples who joined the Demon Suppression Bureau in the same group," Elder Bai replied crisply.

"I see..."

Su Heng handed the documents back to her, "Well, that'll do."

"There's a seal in the study's drawer you can use to stamp the documents and then deliver them to Li Daoxuan; that should conclude the matter," Su Heng said as he patted Elder Bai's shoulder and stood up, giving his instructions casually.

After parting ways with Elder Bai, he continued forward to the central training ground of the seventh layer.

Li Xunhao had disappeared somewhere, but Elder Zhao Zongwu remained bare-chested, honing his stance in the corner of the training ground.

In fact, given Zhao Zongwu's age,

it would be difficult to make any progress in the martial arts, even with demonic remains prolonging his life.

He persisted in his monk-like routine daily, more so to combat the mad will lingering within the demonic remains than anything else.

Without disturbing Elder Zhao Zongwu's training,

he ascended the spacious staircase, passing the sixth, the seventh, and finally stopping at the eighth floor.

The structure of the eighth floor of the Demon Suppression Tower was completely different from the previous levels.

The eighth floor didn't have a complicated layout.

Stepping out from the stairwell, one faced a huge and profound circular space.

There were no windows, and the environment was dimly lit. The scarce light originated from several fire basins hanging from the ceiling overhead. The rough, bluestone flooring underfoot shimmered faintly with the unique patterns of mythical beasts under the flickering firelight.

Beyond the circular space,

there were rows of cells sealed with Shining Stone Chains.

Most of them were pitch-black, with only a few radiating powerful demonic presences.

Among these cells was one with an uglily fiery red, volcano-like explosive aura embodied in a hideous monkey; a middle-aged, strong-bodied man covered in black bony armor on one side of his body; a robes-clad, dried up old man who emitted a ghostly aura as cold as skeletons.

Without exception...

All these demons were entwined with layers upon layers of thick Shining Stone Chains,

firmly sealed, unable to move an inch.

"Screech!"

Upon Su Heng's arrival in the eighth floor's main hall,

the fiery red ape closest to the passageway let out a piercing screech, like a wild beast confronted by an intruder.

Even though sealed by the Shining Stone, waves of heat surged through the cell towards Su Heng.

Hiss!

The hem of his black robe fluttered up and down.

For a moment, it was as if he was in the middle of the Death Desert itself, the scenery in front of him slightly distorted.

With each breath, the air turned blisteringly hot, and even someone as tough as Su Heng momentarily felt an unbearable sensation.

"This fellow..."

Su Heng shook his head, his expression turning cold.

Freeing himself from the previous Death Illusion, he raised his hand and swept it forward.

Bang!

The ape appeared to be hit by an invisible cannonball.

Its body instantly recoiled, turning into a blurry shadow. It crashed against the inner wall with the sound of clanking chains, leaving behind a large dent.

The ape instantly quieted, and the few demons in the other cells who had heard the commotion raised their heads.

A series of cold gazes fell on Su Heng, but they quickly turned away.

Su Heng paid them no mind and strode on.

Moving towards the deepest part,

within this pitch-black cell, there was no railing separating it from the outside world.

Inside was a huge, ball-like bizarre creature covered in white cloth, which constantly exuded droplets of blood.

The entire mass pulsated weakly with each breath.

"Wolf King, we meet again," Su Heng spoke softly, reaching out to lift the white cloth.

Under the cloth was a giant flesh ball that had been skinned, with its limbs nowhere in sight. Pierced and suspended midair by iron chains, where its eyes should have been was nothing but darkness. Still, it sensed Su Heng's presence and weakly raised its head.

The toothless Wolf King opened its mouth in an ugly smile, "We meet again, indeed."

"Indeed," Su Heng chuckled as if greeting an old friend, "I apologize if the accommodations are lacking."