Stronger with Crimson Modifier

One Frog Spirit’s webbed palm was still clutching tightly to a half-eaten Moon Shell.

Only a few of the Great Demons who had reached the Dao Foundation Realm held up small coral stalks, or strange, glowing medicinal herbs.

A faint Spiritual Energy coiled around them, showing they were no ordinary items, but Treasures of Heaven and Earth.

Hu Qi was also mixed in with this group of the Demon Race.

At this moment, he had transformed into a member of the Demon Race with the strength of the Dao Foundation Third Layer, a mottled body, and the head of a snake on a human torso.

He blended in with the crowd of aquatic Demon Race members, heading toward the Water Mansion ahead.

As they drew near, his gaze fell upon the Water Mansion in the center.

To one side stood a stone stele.

Three large, blood-red words were written on it.

Water Ape Mansion.

The blue curtain of light emanating from the Water Mansion’s surface gave him a familiar feeling.

’Runes.’

’The power of the same kind of Runes found inside the Evolvers from the last world.’

’But there are some differences.’

This wasn’t Hu Qi’s first encounter with something like this.

The Talismans on the pockmarked old Daoist priest from before were this sort of thing.

’If I have time, I should look into this further.’

Hu Qi’s eyes glinted.

Thinking of this, he turned his gaze to the Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals lining both sides of the passage.

The Shrimp Soldiers were clad in translucent armor that glinted coldly in the shimmering water.

They had slender bodies, and their antennae, like lively threads, swayed gently in the water.

With arched backs and large pincers held high, they watched ahead warily. Their pairs of small, beady black eyes seemed capable of detecting the slightest disturbance.

The Crab Generals, by contrast, were more burly and robust, clad in heavy shells.

Their thick claws made crisp sounds as they opened and closed.

Their eight legs were planted firmly in the ground, as steady as mountains.

A faint Demon Energy lingered around their bodies, mingling with the eerie light pervading the Water Mansion, adding to their imposing presence.

However, this wasn’t what concerned Hu Qi.

It was something else entirely.

These Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals looked formidable.

But in reality, only a few of them had reached the Dao Foundation Realm; the rest were just ordinary Spirit Monsters.

But what he found strange was that those Spirit Monsters had already taken on a partially human form.

They were able to walk upright.

It was just that having shrimp and crab heads on top looked a bit jarring.

One must understand that only those with strength at the Dao Foundation Realm could achieve partial Transformation.

Spirit Monsters were incapable of this.

With this in mind, he reached out and patted a nearby demon on the shoulder.

He voiced the question on his mind.

The one Hu Qi had disturbed was a Toad Spirit with a bloated body, rough skin covered in bumps of various sizes, and a toad’s head.

It was initially displeased, thinking, ’Which fool dares to disturb me?’

But after seeing Hu Qi and sensing the Dao Foundation Realm Great Demon aura emanating from him, the displeasure on its face immediately vanished.

Hearing what Hu Qi said, its already large toad mouth nearly split to its ears.

"Friend, you must be the type who spends all year in secluded cultivation. To think you don’t even know about this."

It paused for a moment, then began to explain.

"This is all the work of the great Vortex Demon King. As long as you are bestowed with his secret Spirit Medicine, you can undergo Transformation after consuming it. It can even increase your own Cultivation to a certain extent."

"Oh? So many benefits! Surely there must be some drawbacks?"

Hu Qi’s eyes twitched slightly.

Hearing this, the Toad Spirit gave a sly chuckle.

But it lowered its voice.

There was a hint of pity in its tone.

"How could there be no drawbacks? Although you can achieve Transformation and increase your strength to some extent this way, once you use this method, your future potential is completely exhausted. The absolute limit you can reach in this lifetime is the First or Second Layer of the Dao Foundation Realm."

"Advancing any further is practically impossible."

"What’s more, after eating it, your mind weakens. Your intelligence declines, and you become loyal only to the great Vortex Demon Ki—"

At this point, it seemed to realize what it had done. It lightly slapped its own mouth, annoyed with itself for having said so much to this stranger.

Hu Qi, of course, offered no explanation.

This had happened because he had just used a trace of Spiritual Induction.

After awakening his Will Sword Divine Techniques, his Soul Power had been significantly enhanced.

Combined with his understanding of Soul Power, using a degree of linguistic suggestion on a mere Dao Foundation First Layer Toad Spirit was all too easy.

Just as he was about to say something more, a clamor arose.

At the same time, Hu Qi felt a powerful Demon Energy emerge.

He followed the crowd’s gaze and looked up.

A man in red robes had appeared before the Water Mansion.

He was tall and straight, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His skin had a warm, bronze hue, and he was exceptionally hairy.

Considering the name of the Water Mansion, it wasn’t difficult to deduce that this Vortex Demon King’s true form was likely a Water Ape.

After appearing, the vertical yellow pupils within his amber eyes swept across the crowd.

The once noisy crowd of demons immediately fell silent.

The man didn’t let his gaze linger on the demons for long, instead looking off into the distance.

The water there rippled.

In the lead, six shuttle-shaped gurnards with large mouths and pointed snouts swam toward them.

Ropes were tied to their bodies, pulling a red palanquin behind them.

Soon, the palanquin came to a stop.

Seeing this, the man strode forward quickly.

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