Moonlight shone upon the mountains of the Qingqiu Immortal Realm, and Lin Xi's soul became distorted.
Bathed in moonlight, Lin Xi's body naturally began to absorb demonic energy, and his appearance became more and more foxlike.
Ren Qing discovered that although demon cultivators could digest aberrant demonic energy, without the moonlight of the Crescent Moon Layer, their bodies could not withstand it at all.
Even with moonlight aiding in the absorption of demonic energy, it was not without drawbacks, the soul was clearly being distorted and thrown into chaos by the blood moon.
No wonder Lin Xi's temperament had changed so drastically.
The newly grown fox fur on Lin Xi's body was smoother and glossier, but the demonic aura emanating from him grew even stronger.
He did not stop, continuously peeling off his own fur, and his cultivation rose rapidly from the Qi Refining Stage to the Foundation Establishment Stage.
After the female corpse was covered in fox skin, it died again, as if its sole purpose was to bear the skin.
The blood moon above was in a gibbous phase, and at the missing crescent, one could faintly see half of the giant Rabbit-Toad's face exposed.
It seemed to be secretly watching Jingzhou, chilling the heart.
Ren Qing realized that demon cultivators were highly dependent on the light of the blood moon. Once their cultivation deepened, they would likely have to enter even deeper into the Blood Moon Layer.
The New Moon Layer was where ordinary mortals resided, the Crescent Moon Layer housed all kinds of cultivators, and the Gibbous Moon Layer was inhabited by aberrations resembling demons and monsters.
Lin Xi's eyes were bloodshot, and his flaying hands trembled slightly.
Wen Yu's expression carried a hint of fanaticism, and strange croaking sounds came from his throat. The pallbearers nearby shuddered and hid in the corners.
Ren Qing was filled with curiosity toward the aberration techniques, examining Lin Xi from head to toe.
He soon discovered the secret of demon cultivation, no wonder no techniques had ever been passed down, for this method of inheritance was extremely unique.
In truth, the aberration arts were more accurately called the Demon Aberration Method.
The Demon Aberration Method worked on the same principle as the Heavenly Insect Method, cultivators were like ticks parasitizing aberrations, growing stronger by feeding on the host's essence.
However, the key difference was that the Demon Aberration Method required moonlight as a "catalyst."
Moreover, Ren Qing felt that the Heavenly Dao Worm and the cultivators of the Heavenly Insect Method shared a mutually beneficial relationship, but the Demon Aberration Method was purely one-sided exploitation.
As for how demon cultivators absorbed demonic energy, it likely related to the aberrations' "taboos."
In a sense, demon cultivators were using those taboos to steal demonic energy.
Qingqiu cultivators donned fox skins, imitating the aura of the fox demon offspring, then peeled off their own fox skin to make the aberrations willingly bestow demonic energy upon them.
Previously, when Ren Qing had encountered Tu Di cultivators, they had gained divine abilities by eating human hearts, which showed that the Tu Di aberration's taboo was related to "the human heart."
A bold thought arose in his mind.
If he could learn how aberrations were formed, could he perhaps transform the Jailers within the Prison Within the Abdomen into aberrations and use them to nourish demon cultivators?
But mere theft was not enough, they also needed to enter the Gibbous Moon Layer and bathe in the moonlight to fully digest the demonic energy.
Ren Qing recalled that the Wuwei Monastery's texts once recorded something called "Imperial Essence."
This substance was not some heaven-and-earth treasure; it was said to dwell within the moonlight, like countless golden threads hanging down from the firmament to the edge of the sea.
When plants and beasts of the mortal world absorbed the Imperial Essence within moonlight, they could become demons.
Ordinary living beings possess nature but not destiny; Imperial Essence has nature and can bestow destiny.
When nature and destiny are joined, one can attain the Dao.
Lin Xi was now filled with greed. Even though the demonic energy had reached the limits of what his body and soul could bear, he still had no intention of stopping.
It made sense, if one could continuously shed fox skin and have their cultivation rise endlessly, who could resist such temptation?
The role of the flayed female corpse was similar to that of the Tombstone Furnace of the Wuwei Monastery, it ensured that the fox skins remained alive and vital.
Under the moonlight, Lin Xi's soul had completely fallen out of control.
Zhou Wei could not bear to watch and wanted to stop him, but Wen Yu blocked her: "Do you want to die? Junior Brother Lin Xi is ascending the Great Dao."
"How interesting..."
Wen Yu's voice was full of greed, his eyes fixed expectantly on Lin Xi, occasionally glancing at the unmoved Ren Qing.
Lin Xi's cultivation soon approached the Core Formation Stage, but his appearance became increasingly grotesque, useless limbs sprouted all over his body.
He spread his arms and roared almost madly: "If I hear the Dao in the morning, I can die in the evening!"
Then Lin Xi looked toward Wen Yu in the distance, killing intent in his eyes. "Senior Brother, you led me into the Dao, but I still feel I'm a little short of forming my Demon Core."
"But Junior Brother, you've become too conspicuous. One cannot be so obvious in the Qingqiu Immortal Realm."
Wen Yu looked at the surging demonic energy Lin Xi radiated, then pointed toward the sky.
Behind the gibbous moon, the giant Rabbit-Toad's face appeared, extending its long arms toward Lin Xi.
As the arm descended, it gradually shrank until, near the ground, it was only a dozen meters in length.
"Senior Brother, save me!"
Lin Xi froze for a few breaths before reacting, but it was too late to escape, he was caught between its fingers and carried into the blood moon.
The giant Rabbit-Toad savored Lin Xi's flesh as though it were a delicacy.
Ren Qing's muscles tensed; the oppressive aura from the giant Rabbit-Toad made it hard for him to breathe, as if he would suffocate at any moment.
To avoid being drawn deeper within, he could only lower his head and refrain from looking at the blood moon.
Ren Qing narrowed his eyes.
Fortunately, he had not revealed his aura, otherwise he would surely have attracted the giant Rabbit-Toad's attention.
Clearly, the deeper one went into the Blood Moon Layer, the higher the chance of drawing its gaze.
Several strong men in the courtyard couldn't resist looking up, and their bodies immediately began to mutate hideously, then burst apart into bloody pulp.
Wen Yu had expected this, or perhaps this had been his intention all along, to feed Lin Xi to the giant Rabbit-Toad. Now he was beginning to wrap things up.
Zhou Wei couldn't help but retreat several steps, sensing danger from Wen Yu.
But before she could escape the courtyard, pain bloomed in her chest, a hand had pierced through her ribs, her strength fading rapidly.
Wen Yu pulled out her heart and examined it in his palm as though it were a precious gem.
"The Taiyin Star Lord is already satisfied. Only one sacrifice was needed."
"Oh, that's right."
He turned toward Ren Qing and spoke threateningly: "Fellow Daoist, I see that you have good aptitude, you are a Dao seed suited for cultivating Qingqiu's immortal arts. Why not join our Qingqiu lineage?"
Wen Yu was clearly just finding an excuse; the killing intent in his heart could no longer be suppressed, he wanted to eliminate Ren Qing as a hidden threat.
Otherwise, he never would have allowed Ren Qing to remain while he performed his skin-flaying cultivation.
Ren Qing shook his head in refusal.
"Fellow Daoist, why not gaze at the blood moon of your own will? You might attain enlightenment and transcendence."
Wen Yu rambled on endlessly. Though his face appeared calm, he was clearly wary of Ren Qing and resorted to threats.
"You really do talk too much. You've been running your mouth since the start. Haven't you ever heard that trouble comes from the tongue?"
Ren Qing's eyes opened wide, a faint smile on his face, showing not the slightest fear.
As the two faced off, the rogue cultivators could no longer hold back, they rushed toward the bridal sedan, their target naturally the fox-skin female corpse.
They peeled off their own human skins and, enduring the agony, put on the fox skins.
Faint demonic energy spread from them, it was clear that demon cultivation was transmitted through an organ-transplant-like process, which explained why no written techniques existed.
The pallbearers, after a brief daze, began shoving each other to reach the sedan, for the number of fox skins was limited.
Wen Yu could no longer suppress the beastly nature in his heart. He knew his time was short and could not afford to drag the fight out with Ren Qing.
"Obstruct my path to the Dao, and no matter who you are, you seek death."
His body visibly swelled, soon reaching four to five meters in height. Demonic energy surged and condensed; his body's strength increased significantly.
Wen Yu should now be at the peak of the Demon Core Stage.
Because demon cultivators merged with demonic energy, their physiques gradually approached those of aberrations.
Wen Yu did not dare unleash demonic energy but instead propelled himself forward, his sharp claws slashing for Ren Qing's throat.
If they struck, Ren Qing's head would fall.
He only wanted a quick battle, for he could not remain long in the Qingqiu Immortal Realm.
Wen Yu thought Ren Qing would not have time to dodge, his gaze full of cruelty, but unexpectedly, Ren Qing raised his arm to block his neck.
The claws struck human skin, but to Wen Yu it felt like hitting unyielding stone, no matter how much force he used, he couldn't reach the bone.
Ren Qing glanced at the wound, it was barely half a finger deep.
The Scapegoat Skin, though still only at the Ghost Envoy Realm level, had grown far more potent through its connection with his main technique.
The two tangled together in fierce combat.
Though Wen Yu's powerful demon body was fully displayed, he still fell into disadvantage.
The more they fought, the more uneasy Wen Yu became. He deliberately exposed a flaw, letting Ren Qing's fist land on him, and used the impact to fly several meters back, widening the distance.
"What... what kind of demon are you?"
Wen Yu's face was filled with doubt and fear. He had thought Ren Qing's limited mutations meant a weak body, yet the opposite was true.
Panting heavily, he stood up again, abandoning all thoughts of cultivation, he only wanted to eliminate this terrifying foe.
In truth, Wen Yu had never seen such a demon cultivator, retaining a human body yet possessing monstrous strength, it was inconceivable.
But he did not realize that Ren Qing's mind was not focused on him at all.
Ren Qing subtly glanced toward the blood moon.
He felt that although he couldn't use techniques, the Jailer in the Prison Within the Abdomen should still be fine, after all, the Supernatural Remnant's possession mainly strengthened the body.
He released the Ghost Wolf while observing the blood moon's reaction.
If anything strange occurred, Ren Qing would immediately cancel the technique and leave the Gibbous Moon Layer for the New Moon Layer.
Under Wen Yu's gaze, Ren Qing's Daoist robe bulged as silver-white wolf fur sprouted all over his body. His joints and face were encased in fearsome bone armor.
The pressure of the Ghost Wolf Transformation was immense.
But those competing for the Qingqiu orthodoxy had long gone mad, fighting and killing one another, even after wearing fox skins, others still tried to tear them off.
The scene was like a human purgatory. The blood moon's light seemed to amplify the desires within their hearts, driving the chaos further.
Ren Qing flicked his bone tail. Perhaps because the Ghost Wolf had never once undergone aberration, or because it had been unused for long, the increase in strength did not feel very significant.
"You... your demon form seems to be a Charging Wolf?"
Through gritted teeth, Wen Yu uttered, "A Charging Wolf demon cultivator from Bingxing Mountain... our Qingqiu line has always stayed out of their affairs..."
Before he could finish, Ren Qing reverted from his demon form, returning to human shape. Wen Yu couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"When I visit Bingxing Mountain, I will offer a hundred pairs of virgin boys and girls."
"That won't be necessary. I merely changed to another demon form."
The wind rose, sand swirling.