(34) Demonic array — Sacrificial life reformation

Mars's self-directed muttering was ignored by Mangrel, who continued eating the roasted meat monotonously. 

Seeing Mars finish the meat, enjoying the aftertaste, Mangrel spoke assertively: "Didn't I tell you? Many foods are tens of times better than bread." 

Mars nodded his head possessively, "Meat...I didn't know it tasted so good after just roasting it on fire." 

Seeing Mars muttering to himself with regret, Mangrel shook his head, "Don't even think about it. If you were to make a fire deep within the alleyway, you would have been caught by some guards by now." 

"Eh? Right...." Mars looked at him with shock visible in his eyes, Mangrel perfectly saw through his thoughts in an instant.

Putting the plates in one corner of the kitchen, Mangrel turned to Mars. 

Seeing the serious look on Mangrel's face, Mars knew at once that it was time for work. 

"Gather eight nails that are not rusted and a rock your fist size, then bring them to me in the cellar," Mangrel ordered with a natural tone.

Mars moved out immediately, wanting to complete the task stated by Mangrel. In his mind, he was able to eat meat all thanks to Mangrel. He felt it was normal for him to follow his order now. 

It was the same as how giving food to dogs made them more loyal to you. 

'It's easy to brainwash someone younger. They don't have a fully matured mind so I can put any ideal I want within it.' Mangrel walked back to the cellar. 

Mangrel was never worried about controlling Mars, as he was aware of his mindset like the back of his hand. 

The chances of him betraying Mangrel were minimum.

'Leaving all that aside, why do I have this strange feeling...? Will something happen once I become a cultivator?' Mangrel thought to himself. 

For unknown reasons, he instinctually felt that something bad would happen once he became a cultivator. 

'Well, whether it is bad or good is doubtful, but something is surely going to happen. Did I leave something in the overall situation?' 

Mangrel began racking his brain rapidly, many scenarios flew through his mind. 

'Wait, what if Jwarlen already set a meeting with the beggar organization? It would mean cultivators would visit this place soon. If someone strong were to come...' This possibility made cold sweat form all over his body. 

'If I take Jwarlen's personality into account, he would try to get Belvan's corpse out of his hands as soon as possible. So that no one else tries to rob it from him, information can spread from anywhere after all.'

Mangrel had not gotten time to think of this, with his mind occupied with thinking of a perfect plan to kill Jwarlen and his subordinate. 

With that in mind, what would Jwarlen have done first?

It was to gather all of his forces into his house. They could act like a meat shield in case the cultivator tries something fishy. That would be the most rational decision in this situation. 

'I have no choice but to move away from this house, whether the conjecture I came up with is true or not. I wanted to carve loyalty into Jwarlen's subordinates using strength and use them, but it is not possible anymore.' Mangrel didn't wallow on this subject anymore. 

What occupied his mind was where to move from here.

Hiding in the houses around here was not an option, as they would be found in no time when the proper investigation was carried out. 

And the biggest threat of cultivators coming behind him was also present. The moment they find out about the death of Jwarlen, the cultivator would not let the matter slide easily. 

If people were allowed to harm them without any backlash, other organizations would look down upon them. It was the normal structure of an organization, without any safety guarantee many would hesitate to join. 

Gazing at the wooden box blankly, Mangrel sighed. 

'I have no choice. I will have to try to get out of sector five. I originally wanted to join the beggar guild, but I can't take such a risk. Killing some mortals can be pardoned easily if I am a cultivator. But it would be different if the life force physique was added along with it.' 

The beggar organization was looking for life force physiques everywhere, because of the array. They would not immediately think of the life force physique being used, thinking that the enemy still had it in his hand would be logical. 

'But before that, I have to become a cultivator so that I can carry the materials in these boxes and bags.' Mangrel resolutely moved forward and opened the box, in which he stored all the origin stones. 

Their weight was not something that Mangrel could carry to the surface. Therefore, he began setting up the array right in the middle of the cellar. 

Pulling Belvan's corpse in the middle, Mangrel placed the origin stones around it in a roundish pattern. Only after putting 28 of the origin stones around the corpse, did he stop and look at it for any mistakes. 

Thud! 

Mars got down the ladder and looked at Mangrel, who looked back at him. 

"I brought all the eight nails and rock." Mars showed both of his fists, containing iron nails and a rock. 

 "Alright, wait for a second." Mangrel took out the dagger hidden in his clothes. 

He cut Belvan's wrists, neck, and ankles, letting blood flow out slowly. Thanks to the concrete floor, no blood sank into the ground and flowed onto the rough floor. 

Sitting beside Belvan's corpse, Mangrel touched one of the bloodied origin stones. At once, his spiritual energy flowed out and came in contact with it. 

An image was formed before Mangrel's soul, slowly turning red. 

In response to it, suddenly the origin stone shone in a red light, causing another coordinated effect. All the blood on the floor suddenly parted, connecting with all the origin stones on the floor. 

Mars, who looked at the magical scene, froze in his place.

The whole array shone in blood-red light, giving out a death aura that could make any living being threatened. 

A demonic array — Sacrificial life reformation. 

An array that could be used to steal life force and the origin essence stored in one's body. 

However, if a life force physique were to be used, special effects would take place. Life force physique contains the crystallization of life, it could be used to purify a part of the impurity in the body. 

In other words, increasing the potential by a certain degree.