Night had deepened. The pale moon rested quietly in the sky.
Jiang Chen sat cross-legged inside the dark cave. His breath was long and even, yet his mind churned like a boiling cauldron.
The Flesh Devouring God Scripture had overturned all his former expectations.
In the past, he had resolved to accumulate spirit stones then trade them for higher grade techniques and slowly improve his mastery over the techniques he already knew. Once his strength improved, he would take on higher level missions and plunder where necessary. From there, spirit stones would flow and push his cultivation forward.
For cultivators with decent aptitude and backing, it was wise to balance cultivation progress, technique mastery, and resources.
But Jiang Chen had no chance at such luxury. With his inferior spiritual roots, there was not much time. He had to become stronger first. Then steal more. Then grow again.
But that approach was irrelevant now.
'The Flesh Devouring God Scripture… this is the only path worth investing in.'
He focused on the requirements outlined in the early chapters of the scripture.
There were three aspects to this body cultivation scripture.
Bone, Flesh, and Blood.
Normally, a body refinement method would temper the bones, flesh, and blood as one. The cultivator would train the entire body like forging a single blade, seeking harmony and unity.
But the Flesh Devouring God Scripture did not follow this path. It split the body into three aspects, treating each as a separate entity.
To seize the bones of beasts was to steal their strength and toughness. The hardness of their skeletons, the swiftness contained in their limbs, all could be refined into one's bone marrow.
As for the flesh, it had to be tempered in boiling beast essence. The muscles would stretch and tighten under pressure, the organs would grow firm, and the skin would take on the resilience of beastly creatures. Through this, they could gain endurance, regenerative might, and even the ability to shift flesh to mimic forms.
Finally, blood refinement required extracting the beast's blood essence and merging it with one's own. This would enable the individual to tap into the beast's bloodline powers.
Strength, defense, bloodline powers. If all three aspects were cultivated to their peak, the body would be no different from a godly artifact of unmatched might.
Jiang Chen opened his eyes. Sharp light flickered within them.
'Spirit stones are not enough. I need a lot more. I need beast corpses, spiritual herbs, formation materials. I also need a secluded area to perform the refinement, away from prying eyes. If word of this heaven defying scripture leaks, I will surely die a dogs death.'
As Jiang Chen continued his exploration of the scripture, his brows suddenly furrowed.
There was a limitation in this technique!
"If I were to refine tiger bones, I gain the tiger's strength. But if I refine the bones of a bear afterward, the tiger's imprint will be erased. Only one imprint at a time..."
The same rule applied to the path of flesh and blood. Even if he devoured the essence of many beasts, only the latest refinement would remain. It was not possible to stack different beasts' traits under a single path.
Jiang Chen's eyes showed a trace of disappointment.
However, as he read the remaining part of the scripture, the disappointment he felt was washed away.
If he refined all three aspects of the same beast, a complete imprint would be formed within the body. This imprint was called a totem.
Each totem held the complete essence of a single beast, allowing the cultivator to switch between different totems as needed. So long as the three aspects came from the same source, the scripture would allow the formation of a totem seal, preserving its traits for future use.
He stroked his chin, imagining the possibilities.
"Many beasts, many totems. A thousand transformations, a thousand strengths. That is the true path of the Flesh Devouring God Scripture!"
Jiang Chen's lips curled slightly.
In the future, when others cultivate divine arts and techniques, he shall cultivate divine beasts.
Now that he had grasped the essence of the Flesh Devouring God Scripture, the next decision weighed heavily.
Which beast to kill. Which trait to seize. Or should he aim to devour all three aspects and establish a totem.
Jiang Chen fell into silence.
There were simply too many choices!
This world was vast, and so were the beasts living in it. Beasts of all kinds lurked across mountains, rivers, plains, and hidden realms. Some had scales harder than black iron. Others could vanish without a sound. There even existed beasts that walked through fire or swam through rock.
He had to choose.
And choose wisely.
If Jiang Chen picked poorly, the resources spent on it would be wasted.
'There is no merit in selecting blindly. The trick is not in finding a powerful beast, but in finding the one that fits my current needs.'
'The technique I cultivate is the Heavenly Tiger Fist, a Yellow Rank High-Grade art. It specializes in explosive and brutal strikes. I already have the means to kill if I can get close enough.'
His fingers tapped lightly against his knee.
'The real gap in my ability is defense and movement. If I can't withstand a blow, or move fast enough to dodge one, then it doesn't matter how hard I strike. Even the fiercest tiger is slain if it cannot guard its own neck.'
He turned his thoughts toward beasts known for these traits. Fanged Apes with steel skin. Ghost Crabs that swam through water and stone. Star Horned Boars that charged like war machines.
He thought of a hundred creatures, then discarded them one by one.
Jiang Chen considered many suitable beasts, but they were either too difficult to hunt, too expensive to buy, or not native to the area around the sect.
He silently took out a faintly glowing spirit stone from his pouch and placed it between his palms. A faint suction force emerged. Threads of spiritual energy flowed from the stone and into his dantian, nourishing it.
Compared to absorbing the spiritual energy scattered through the atmosphere, this was ten times more efficient. With each passing second, the spiritual sea within him stirred.
Cultivating late into the night, he did not stop until the spirit stone turned gray in his palm.
By then, the moon had set.
Only the cold wind remained.
He rose, adjusted his robes, and stepped out of the cave without making a sound.
Jiang Chen had made his decision.