The Demon Transformation Pool

Lin Qianshuang nestled in Han Shengyao’s arms, watching the shocked expression on Senior Brother Xia’s face as he left. Unconsciously, her beast ears twitched with joy. Han Shengyao had taken her as a direct disciple, though her motives may not have been pure, at least it brought them closer.

The dense, dark poisonous gas shrouded the red lake where countless demons lurked. From the depths of the water, the eyes of the demon source condensed into numerous golden-purple magic orbs, shimmering with a beautiful radiance.

The Ten Thousand Demon Pool was the place where monsters initiated their spiritual cultivation, and many of them crowded into the red tide of water, vying for the magic orbs that contained abundant demonic energy.

Lin Qianshuang watched from a charred black rock as the lower-level monsters killed and devoured their own kind.

Ugly clumps of flesh, drenched in purple blood, devoured struggling creatures. They squirmed towards the floating magic orbs on the water’s surface, emitting a sizzling sound as their slimy droplets fell.

Having a slight germophobia, Lin Qianshuang couldn’t help but feel repulsed and nauseous at the sight of the bloody and disgusting scene.

“This is the Ten Thousand Demon Pool. Before nightfall, I command you to seize and absorb three magic orbs. If you fail, you will stay here tonight,” spoke Han Shengyao, hovering above the Ten Thousand Demon Pool. She glanced down, her eyes slightly raised, at the small beast hiding behind the rocks, seemingly petrified from fear.

“Shuang’er, are you afraid?” Han Shengyao inquired.

Lin Qianshuang trembled in mock fear, huddling into a ball. Once she saw Han Shengyao, her pupils flickered with silent light. “I’m not afraid,” she replied.

Content with Lin Qianshuang’s response, Han Shengyao looked at her tiny, upright body with satisfaction. Gracefully landing on the thick vines of the rock wall, she laid down on her side, supporting her head with her left hand, gazing lazily at Lin Qianshuang, and said, “Let’s begin.”

Lin Qianshuang cast a disgusted gaze at the repulsive monsters, then glanced at Han Shengyao, who was spectating. She clenched her teeth, closed her eyes, and darted towards the red lake, where monstrous waves crashed, and an endless swarm of creatures awaited.

She was certain that given Han Shengyao’s personality, failure to complete the task would mean staying overnight in this place.

As Lin Qianshuang entered the lake, a hoarde of monsters surrounded her, intent on swallowing her whole. Their green eyes gleamed with hunger and greed, closing in on their prey.

Lin Qianshuang, initially believing that this would be the end of her life, discovered that her limbs possessed an unimaginable strength. With just a gentle swipe, the monsters were sent reeling, momentarily stunned by her powerful blows.

From her dantian, a few strands of light purple demonic energy swirled in her palm—a result of unconsciously utilizing the technique Senior Brother Xia had taught her. Its effectiveness proved to be satisfactory.

Pondering the two fleshy animal claws before her, Lin Qianshuang realized her newfound strength—these simple-minded creatures in the Demon Transformation Pool were no match for her.

But faced with countless simultaneous attacks, her endurance and demonic energy were tested. It was impossible to rely on it indefinitely; she had to act swiftly.

With these thoughts in mind, Lin Qianshuang maneuvered with caution, avoiding the mouths of monsters with her tail and effortlessly tearing apart those that dared to approach. Out of the corner of her eye, she kept a close watch on the nearest magic orb. With a leap, she embraced and absorbed its energy.

In the meantime, Han Shengyao carelessly held the empty cup and poured wine from the suspended jug. Sipping leisurely, she observed Lin Qianshuang bravely fight her way out of the horde, eventually seizing the magic orb.

Despite a small tear on her beast ear and her once pristine white body now smeared with reddish-purple fur, the unwavering determination in her beast eyes shone brightly.

Very good. She liked that look very much. Han Shengyao swirled the fine wine in her cup, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. Her apprentice should be as brave and tenacious as she was when they first met, instead of being timid and fearful.

Lin Qianshuang shook off the demon in front of her with a numb expression. Her body fought instinctively without any awareness. She fought hard to break through the encirclement again and again and obtained the magic orb with great difficulty.

She didn’t know how long it took, but she slowly dragged her overloaded body out of the pool and collapsed towards the shore. The magic energy from the three magic orbs she had absorbed was nourishing her magic core. A refreshing sensation spread from her dantian to her limbs and gathered in the spiritual acupoint on her forehead, forming a magic seal.

“Very well done.”

Struggling to lift her head, Lin Qianshuang faced Han Shengyao, who stood before her with a cold, disinterested expression. The deepness of her eyes revealed reflections of Lin Qianshuang’s unkempt appearance.

Han Shengyao leaned in closer to inspect Lin Qianshuang’s face. Using her fingertips, she lightly lifted her chin and squinted her eyes for a moment. Then, with a smile and casual words, she murmured, “Exquisite and moving, how pitiable you appear. Shuang’er, your appearance is exactly his type. Is it fate that brought you together in the great cycle of life and death?”

Within the depths of her gaze, Lin Qianshuang saw a woman wearing a bewildered expression. Her eyes, of a deep, captivating blue, were filled with allure. Her wild, black hair cascaded down her bare shoulders, while a white fur draped gently over her flawless body.

Had she taken on a human form?

Joy swelled within Lin Qianshuang’s heart, mixed with a tinge of embarrassment. She worried her fur would fall off and only heighten her awkwardness when she stood up.

Struggling to her feet and tugging her fur into place, Lin Qianshuang debated whether or not to ask Han Shengyao for clothing. Suddenly, the demonic energy surrounding her magic core weakened, causing her body to shrink back into a small, silver-white beast.

Huh? What was happening? Why had she reverted back to her original form?

Han Shengyao, coolly touching the magic seal on Lin Qianshuang’s forehead, regulated the chaotic and colliding demonic energy within her body. She explained with a soothing voice, “Forming a magic seal is just the first step in demonic cultivation. It’s natural for the illusory human form to be unstable due to the demonic energy. Once the magic seal fades and disappears, the foundation gradually stabilizes, allowing you to embark on the path of Foundation Establishment. By gradually condensing the demonic energy, a physical body can be sculpted. This process usually takes ten days. If you fail to achieve it within ten days, you will have to start over.”

Demon cultivation proved to be quite troublesome, which explained why many demon cultivators sought out shortcuts. They resorted to various means, including killing and devouring others, to increase their cultivation.

These thoughts swirled in Lin Qianshuang’s mind while she was embraced by Han Shengyao. She had been enveloped by a warm embrace.

Lin Qianshuang’s gaze passed over Han Shengyao’s arm, observing the scenery that flew by at a rapid pace. Her expression was one of fatigue as she finally realized she could leave this place. The smell of blood that clung to her body left her yearning for a bath.

“Tomorrow, you must come again until you have fully established your foundation. Remember, Shuang’er, the demon world respects the strong. Without strength, you will never catch the eye of the Demon Emperor, let alone become the Demon Empress,” Han Shengyao stated.

Lin Qianshuang snorted in dissatisfaction. Who cared about catching the Demon Emperor’s eye? If one possessed the strength of the Demon Emperor, why would they need to become the Demon Empress? They could simply ascend to that position themselves.

Lin Qianshuang shifted her gaze to Han Shengyao’s profile, her eyes filled with complexity. In her heart, the position of the Demon Emperor held great importance. She would need to carefully consider her plan to assassinate the Demon Emperor if she wished to succeed.

Upon returning to the Jiuchong Demon Palace, the senior brothers huddled around Lin Qianshuang with enthusiasm. They settled her into a chair, served tea and water, and filled the table with delicious food. All the while, Han Shengyao sat unnoticed to the side.

Han Shengyao did not mind the actions of her disciples. Instead, she propped her head up, finding amusement in watching Lin Qianshuang eat. Her tiny, fleshy beast paws deftly held a pair of chopsticks, and her cheeks swelled as she chewed. Her adorable beast ears trembled slightly, captivating all who watched.

“Junior sister, why do you have so many wounds on your body?” Chun asked, his expression filled with distress as he looked at the scattered scars covering the little beast.

“They don’t hurt anymore,” replied Lin Qianshuang, feasting on the delicious meal. Her weariness dissipated, and her entire being became clear.

Dong anxiously glanced at the little beast, his tone respectful with a hint of reproach as he spoke to Han Shengyao. “Master, our junior sister has just been born. How could you allow her to enter the Demon Transformation Pool so soon? What if she incurs injuries from the magic core or her demonic energy goes awry?”

Xia pinched Dong’s back and whispered, “Junior brother, have you gone mad? How dare you speak to our master like that.”

Qiu cast a horrified glance at Dong and said, “Do you remember the outer disciple who criticized our master last time? He had his limbs severed and was fed to the spirits in the mountains.”

Terrified by the words of the senior brothers, Dong felt a surge of fear. He was about to apologize to Han Shengyao when he realized her gaze was not focused on him, and there was no trace of anger in her expression.

Han Shengyao glanced at Dong, her tone nonchalant as she said, “Didn’t I tell you before? Shuang’er is your senior sister. Her aptitude far surpasses yours, and my teachings to her are naturally different.”

Dong sighed in relief and turned his attention to Lin Qianshuang, who was still sipping her soup. Bullied by Han Shengyao twice, her spirits had waned, and her mouth pouted with a hint of grievance.

Our little junior sister is truly exceptional. Master values her greatly.

Though the senior brothers looked at Lin Qianshuang with a hint of envy, they were genuinely happy for her. As they held lower positions in the Demon Palace, they often fell victim to bullying. With the junior sister to support them in the future, they too would be able to hold their heads high in the future.

Suddenly, Xia became apprehensive as he spoke, “Master, I have already prepared bathwater, but… our senior sister’s courtyard hasn’t been attended to. I don’t know where to put it.”

Han Shengyao carried Lin Qianshuang on her shoulders and glanced lazily at Xia. “Shuang’er will sleep with me, so there’s no need to attend to the other courtyard. Tomorrow I will take her away,” she declared.