112: Devouring demonic thoughts, Star-devouring evolution

Facing that hideous demonic face that blotted out the sky and carried a terrifying mental shock, Chu He's face showed no trace of fear; instead, a mocking sneer appeared.

"This trick again? Truly no originality at all."

He didn't even bother to take a defensive stance, simply floating quietly in place, allowing that demonic intent—strong enough to shatter the Divine Soul of an ordinary Early Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator—to violently crash into his Sea of Consciousness.

Boom!

Monstrous waves instantly surged within Chu He's Sea of Consciousness.

After the hideous demonic face broke in, it immediately manifested its true form: a terrifying phantom of a Heavenly Demon ten thousand feet tall, holding a bone demon blade. It stood atop the Sea of Consciousness, roaring frantically, attempting to tear apart and devour this seemingly calm golden ocean.

"Primordial Dragon God Bloodline? Hahaha! Heaven is truly helping me! I didn't expect to encounter such top-tier 'divine food' in such a barren world! As long as I swallow you, I can condense a Demonic Fetus and escape this damn Beacon form!"

The Heavenly Demon phantom was ecstatic. It could feel the vast life essence and the supreme Bloodline Origin contained within this Sea of Consciousness; to it, this was an unimaginable tonic.

It raised the bone demon blade high, gathering all its demonic intent, and slashed down fiercely toward the core of the Sea of Consciousness—Chu He's Divine Soul Avatar!

This strike seemed as if it would cleave the entire world in two.

However, at the very moment the blade was about to fall...

Roar—!

A dragon's roar, seemingly from the primordial era and filled with supreme majesty, exploded throughout the Sea of Consciousness without warning!

The overbearing Heavenly Demon phantom's movements suddenly froze.

It looked up in horror, seeing a pair of golden dragon pupils—brighter and larger than the sun, moon, and stars—slowly opening in the deepest depths of the Sea of Consciousness.

A domineering and peerless pressure, originating from the very pinnacle of life tiers, descended like billions of divine mountains!

"This... this is... impossible! This is the true majesty of a Primordial Divine Dragon! How could you possess such a pure Origin imprint?!"

The Heavenly Demon phantom let out an incredulous scream, its voice filled with endless terror.

Before the true Ancient Dragon God, this phantom formed from a mere sliver of demonic intent was as insignificant as dust.

The pressure instantly locked it in place, rendering it unable to move. The bone demon blade in its hand shattered inch by inch, and its ten-thousand-foot demonic body began to tremble violently, as if it would collapse at any moment.

"Devour me?"

Chu He's cold voice echoed through the Sea of Consciousness like a deity's judgment.

"Are you even worthy?"

The moment his voice fell, the Ancient Dragon God phantom lurking in the depths of the Sea of Consciousness suddenly opened its massive maw.

A golden vortex containing endless suction appeared out of thin air above the Heavenly Demon phantom's head.

"No—! Spare me! Have mercy, My Lord! I am willing to submit!"

The Heavenly Demon's mental fragment let out shrill screams and pleas for mercy. All its arrogance and greed vanished into nothingness in the face of absolute mortal terror.

But why would Chu He pay any heed?

Being merciful to an enemy is being cruel to oneself. He understood this principle better than anyone.

The terrifying suction suddenly erupted. The Heavenly Demon phantom couldn't put up even a shred of resistance before being forcibly dragged into the golden vortex, instantly crushed into the purest Soul energy.

Outside, within the Planetary Core.

As the battle within the Sea of Consciousness ended, the light of the diamond-shaped crystal that had been erupting with black light instantly dimmed, as if it had lost all its power.

Chu He looked at this Beacon, a trace of thought flashing in his eyes.

Destroying it directly would be a bit too wasteful.

Although the demonic energy contained in this thing was evil, in essence, it was also an extremely pure form of Soul energy.

"System, if I activate the 'fortune furnace', can I refine this thing?" Chu He asked in his mind.

[Ding! Detected high-concentration foreign Law energy body, containing 'Devouring' and 'Pollution' characteristics.]

[Using 'fortune furnace (Rank 6)' for refining: Estimated success rate is 75%, 15% chance of refinement failure and energy dissipation, and 10% chance of unknown mutation.]

[This refinement requires 5,000 family fortune value. Confirm?]

"Confirm!"

Chu He did not hesitate.

A mere 5,000 points of Luck was nothing compared to his current total of over twenty thousand.

He wanted to see what kind of surprise this so-called "Outer-Realm Heavenly Demon" could bring him.

As he confirmed with his intent, an invisible force surged from his body, instantly enveloping the black diamond-shaped crystal.

Buzz!

The fortune furnace activated. Massive amounts of Family Luck transformed into golden flames, beginning to frantically burn and purify the crystal.

"Aaaah—!"

Inside the crystal, the remaining Origin will of the Heavenly Demon let out a silent, shrill wail.

Under the burning of the golden Luck flames, all its Impurities and evil imprints were stripped away and incinerated bit by bit.

The entire process was extremely violent. The crystal vibrated intensely, sometimes expanding and sometimes contracting, as if it might explode at any moment.

Chu He watched the scene with focused attention, his vast Soul Transformation Stage magic power ready to deal with any emergencies.

Time passed minute by minute.

Finally, after a crisp "crack" sound, all the disturbances stopped.

The black diamond-shaped crystal had completely disappeared.

In its place was a black crystal only the size of a thumb, pitch-black like ink, yet emitting a pure and profound Soul fluctuation.

It looked as if it were condensed from the purest dark matter, and the Soul energy contained within was so vast that it even gave Chu He a shock.

[Ding! Refinement successful!]

[Congratulations Host, you have obtained 'Pure Demonic Soul Crystal Core (Pseudo-Immortal Grade)' *1.]

"Pseudo-Immortal Grade?" Chu He's eyes lit up.

This was the first time he had obtained something of such a high grade from the System.

At that moment, the Star Devourer bracer on his wrist suddenly erupted with an unprecedented feeling of longing.

"Master... this... this energy... I need it!" Star Devourer's voice even carried a hint of trembling. "This is the highest-level Soul supplement! By devouring it, my core damage can be repaired by 10% immediately! I can complete a major evolution!"

"Oh?"

Chu He's heart stirred as he held the black crystal core in his palm.

He had originally planned to study it himself, but since Star Devourer needed it so much, there was no harm in giving it to him.

A more powerful Star Devourer would be far more helpful to him in the future than a crystal core with an unknown use.

"Take it."

Chu He flicked his finger, and the Pure Demonic Soul Crystal Core turned into a streak of light, flying toward the massive wreckage of the Mecha Beast.

The bracer that was Star Devourer instantly detached from Chu He's wrist, reverting to a complex mechanical core form in mid-air, and swallowed the crystal core in one gulp.

Immediately after, it pounced unceremoniously onto the wreckage of its fellow clansman.

Countless energy tentacles extended from its core, sinking deep into the bones of the wreckage, beginning to frantically devour and absorb the last remaining traces of energy and the Divine Gold and Immortal Iron that composed the body.

Rumble!

The entire Planetary Core space began to vibrate violently.

Star Devourer's core erupted with brilliant light, and an aura far more terrifying and powerful than before was gestating and rising within it!