Chapter 23 - Absorbing The Demonic Heart

At this moment within the night screeches and screams could be heard in the distance of the cave of feasting demons.

The gems positioned on the walls shone like a dull moonlight as they illuminated the cavern tunnels.

Time flowed slowly as Xiao LingYue sank deeper into a meditative state; the night growing colder as he immersed himself in his cultivation.

Xiao LingYue solemnly took out the Demonic Heart of Zhu Yan as he sat crossed legged adjusting himself to his peak state.

His hands slowly came before his as he began to follow the Moon Lotus Mantra as he began to strike out hand seal after hand seal, his hands slowly becoming faster as he got more familiar.

As the seals stuck out towards the Demonic Heart, Blood Qi soon surged out before slowly making its way to Xiao LingYue's body.

As the Blood Qi made its way out, an ink-like smoke soon billowed out of the heart as it too made its way to LingYue.

This ink-like smoke was like the deepest night, radiating an aura of pure blood lust and mania. This smoke-like Qi was the Demonic Heart Qi, which was used not only to temper the heart but to also temper the body of those practising the Demonic Heart Transformation Art.

The Demonic Heart Qi billowed around his body as it swirled and intertwined with the vigorous Blood Qi.

Xiao LingYue who was currently meditating while making the seals suddenly trembled as the two forms of Qi surged into his body.

Like a torrent that found an outlet, they rushed towards him, his body like a sponge as it absorbed whatever entered.

Soon his body began to contract and expand as all his flesh and blood began to thump like a heartbeat.

His body emitted crackling sounds as his bones began to grow, and his blood vessels emerged from beneath his flesh as they pushed against his skin like trapped dragons.

It was a sight to behold as his body continued to be refined while a beastial but majestic aura began to emerge with every thump of his heart as it slowly spread to his surroundings.

With every beat of his heart, the lump of golden blood became more concentrated as more drops of this blood formed within his blood vessels.

Soon it felt like his chest was on fire as his heart began to change, a dark ink-like blood soon began to manifest within him as it continuously absorbed the Demonic Qi.

The heart was refined by both the Demonic Qi as well as the Golden Blood Qi as sweat began to form on his body, and his clothes stuck to him as they too were soon drenched.

The inky blood as well as the golden blood soon intermingled as they continuously swirled within him bringing wave after wave of pain but with every beat of his heart, the power and aura his body exuded raised by a step.

As the power grew more concentrated, a shadow of a fox tail manifested behind him while it swung gracefully in the air as the absorption of Spiritual Qi increased by a fold.

The large influx of Spiritual Qi, Blood Qi and Demonic Qi quickly surpassed what he could have handled, his will was strong but it still couldn't stop him from slightly panicking; his heart was filled with trepidation.

If any ordinary disciple had to suddenly receive such an influx of Qi, they would have long been blasted to bits.

Time continued to pass like floating clouds while Xiao LingYue struggled to keep his life. The blood vessels protruded more from beneath his skin, as his body began to crack, inch by inch his body was like cracked porcelain as dark old blood began to slowly flow out.

The pressure continued to climb as his body seemed like it was ready to shatter, his face full of sweat as his hair stuck to his forehead; his teeth ground against each other as he painfully bore the feeling of his body being torn apart.

He soon felt he could no longer hold on as his body began to slowly expand, his robes tore and split as his body increased by a fold.

His claw-like fingernails sunk into his knees as he held his meditative position while sweat and blood fell from his pores.

He looked like a blood devil; his body was covered in foul darkened blood as his now huge body trembled, his bottom lip bitten as he desperately held on.

His body began to break down one portion at a time as his flesh withered while others grew, his body seemed unbalanced as his focus wavered.

It was like trying to stop a sinking canoe by plugging multiple holes with only your hands...

Soon a portion of Blood Qi was directed towards his almost completely destroyed flesh.

It was like a desolate and dry desert watered with the spring of life, his semi-destroyed flesh sprang back to life as it rapidly repaired his wounds.

This breath respite felt like finding an oasis within the desert after 40 days and 40 nights.

His body became more refined, from his head to his chest to his legs, his body felt an unprecedented amount of pleasure and relaxation only to once again be subjected to a sheer ungodly amount of pain.

His bones shattered, and his flesh withered and crumbled as his skin cracked and fell to the floor like clay, due to the lapse in his will due to the unprecedented comfort he felt, his body was almost at its breaking point.

His body fell forward to the floor as his bones could no longer hold him upright, as his body shot eyes opened as he struggled to keep his body intact.

Blood flowed from his lips as he bit into them, using anything to keep himself afloat within this sea of perpetual misery.

Another strand of Blood Qi soon separated as it went into his flesh, repairing what damage had been done, but this time he didn't lose himself in this pleasure as he calmly and silently waited for the other shoe to fall, his body tensed as the familiar pain came once again with a vengeance. . .

As this cycle continued, his body became more refined as his blood became purer and purer, globs of golden and black blood continued to make their way to his heart which was self-immolating due to the influx of Qi.

His heart soon adopted the golden and black swirl of colours as a tiny pearl-like object formed within. . .