The Steward Demonic Emperor Chapter 3, Demon Transformation Art

Terrified, the guard watched as Zhuo Fan placed a palm atop his head and activated his sinister cultivation technique.

Dark streams of energy emerged from his palm, twisting like serpents before boring into the guard’s flesh. As soon as they penetrated, the guard’s expression twisted violently.

His face, already pale from blood loss, darkened with agony. Within moments, the man’s skin began to char as if scorched by fire. In the shadows of the night, no observer would have mistaken him for a living human being.

Zhuo Fan observed the spectacle with immense intrigue and anticipation.

The Demon Transformation Art allowed one to assimilate the cultivation of others, but extracting Yuan Qi was never a simple matter. Even if successful, the force might typically reject the host. Zhuo Fan needed to exercise extreme caution, particularly while his foundation remained fragile.

Therefore, Zhuo Fan opted to corrupt the energy thoroughly before absorbing it.

Drawing a deep breath to suppress his excitement, he tightened his grip, and the black essence flowed back into his body, leaving the guard to wither away before his very eyes.

An hour later, Zhuo Fan pulled his hand back and sat cross-legged, beginning to refine the newly acquired Yuan Qi.

The guard collapsed, his body crumbling into fine gray ash. It was as if an ancient corpse had been disturbed, turning to dust at the slightest touch.

The creation of the Nine Serenities Emperor did not merely plunder one's cultivation; it consumed their very essence.

The dark power flooded his meridians. Zhuo Fan focused his concentration, urging the energy through his body to slowly broaden his constricted channels.

A flood of power from a Qi Condensation expert surged through his untrained vessel. The pressure threatened to rupture his meridians, causing sweat to erupt across his forehead.

Yet, he persevered, knowing this surge of power would forge an unprecedented foundation—a stable base that would ensure a smoother, effortless journey in his future cultivation.

Time drifted by for two grueling hours. Zhuo Fan gritted his teeth, his sweat drenching him like a relentless downpour.

Only at the sixth hour did he finally relax his jaw, as the black energy, having circulated through his body hundreds of times, gathered in his Dantian to form a stagnant black lake.

He slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long, steady breath. On the horizon, the darkness faded, and the wildlife retreated deep into the forest.

"It is already dawn? Ha-ha-ha, I never imagined that reaching the 2nd layer of Qi Condensation would consume an entire night."

Zhuo Fan shook his head slightly and assessed his physical state.

Bang!

A sharp crack echoed as the rock beneath Zhuo Fan’s fist crumbled into dust.

Zhuo Fan nodded in approval. The refinement from the Qi Condensation expert’s essence had greatly improved his physique. Even without using Qi, his raw strength was now comparable to that of a Qi Condensation expert.

Next, he examined his internal progress.

He had been composed earlier, but the result shocked him deeply.

Not only had he jumped to the 5th layer of Foundation Establishment, but the Yuan Qi permeating his Dantian was that of a Qi Condensation expert rather than a standard Foundation Establishment stage.

"Truly, this Demon Transformation Art is magnificent." Zhuo Fan smacked his lips, masking his inner delight.

Generally, even the most gifted geniuses of the Sacred Domain required at least a year to attain the 5th layer of Foundation Establishment. Yet, he had achieved in a single night what would take others years to master.

"It shall not be long before I return to the Sacred Domain. He-he-he..." Zhuo Fan snickered.

Just as he lost himself in thoughts of his inevitable return, his focus was broken by the sound of shouting.

Frowning, he navigated cautiously toward the noise. He understood his limitations; despite reaching the 5th layer of Foundation Establishment, he lacked the martial skills to survive a direct confrontation if he encountered a true expert.

Prudence was his highest priority. After all, he was currently far from the all-powerful Demonic Emperor he once was.

Moving as silently as a prowling cat, he approached the edge of a thicket. Peering through the leaves, he saw two factions at a standoff.

One group consisted of over a dozen Luo clan guards surrounding an eighteen-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy.

The second group, comprised of twenty men in black, was led by an elderly man whom Zhuo Fan recognized; the man had been a steward at the Luo clan. Consequently, the pair protected by the guards had to be the young master of the Luo clan, Luo Yunhai, and the young miss, Luo Yunchang.

"Humph, it is no wonder the mountain bandits breached the Luo clan’s tight security; there was a traitor within our ranks."

Zhuo Fan sneered inwardly. Recalling his own treacherous disciple, he clenched his fists.

In his past life, he was betrayed by those he trusted, and the body he now possessed had suffered a similar fate. He felt a strange kinship with the vessel he inhabited.

He shook his head, sighing before turning to leave.

With his current strength, intervention was impossible. Moreover, he bore no ties to the Luo clan. Sacrificing his life for them held no value.

However, he had barely taken two steps when a sharp, searing pain tore through his heart. His third step remained frozen in the air.