Chapter 170: Assimilation

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As soon as the process began, the inert body of the giant trembled, and a dark red mist started to seep out of its form.

Seeing this sudden change, Bai Yu became alert as she felt a negative sensation emanating from the mist. Just as she was about to make a move, Ethan's voice resonated. S~eaʀᴄh the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Wait,"

She looked at him with a questioning gaze, seeking answers, to which he nodded as if signaling her to hold on.

A few seconds after the mist had emerged, the screen in front of Ethan finally changed.

DING!

[The analysis of the energy source has been completed.]

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[---------------------------

Energy Source: Demonic Qi

Description:

This is a special type of Qi produced by refining negative spiritual energy.

NOTE: This energy is incompatible with most existing species.

If any of them come into contact with it, they risk being corrupted and transformed by it.

It is advised that the host does not interact with this energy.

----------------------------]

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Reading the information on the screen, Ethan confirmed what he already knew about negative Qi.

Essentially, the details provided matched what Bai Yu had told him in the past about demons and demonic Qi.

Just as he wondered if that was all, another system screen popped up in front of him.

DING!

[The Heavenly Body of the Sacred Flames is reacting to the energy source.]

[Warning, the Heavenly Body of the Sacred Flames is attempting to absorb the energy source.]

[Do you wish to allow your physique to absorb the energy source?]

[Y/N]

Seeing this message, Ethan didn't know what to think.

'Wait, why does my special physique want to absorb the demonic Qi?'

he thought as he felt something tingling within his body.

He couldn't quite describe the sensation, but it felt like an invisible pull towards the blackish-red mist that was escaping the giant's body.

Though the sensation was persistent, it wasn't overwhelming, so he managed to control himself to a degree, but this only confused him further.

From what Bai Yu had told him, his had one of the rarest and most mysterious physiques ever, with little information known about it.

According to the limited knowledge he had, this physique allowed him to wield more than one rare flame, a feat particularly difficult to achieve, especially as it involved not just one additional flame, but as many as nine.

Ethan had also experienced other effects of this physique, such as heightened defense, resilience, and flexibility, which had only increased after absorbing Bai Yu's blood essence.

He thought this was more or less the limit of what his physique could do, but now he wasn't so sure.

He was hesitant about the idea of allowing demonic Qi to enter his body.

It was exactly as the system had stated.

Most beings were incompatible with this energy, so if they absorbed it, they ended up becoming half-demon, who, while retaining part of their sanity, were far from what they once were.

Ethan knew he was different from an average human, and even from a typical dragon due to several factors, but that wasn't enough to reassure him about absorbing a negative energy as if it were nothing.

He also knew there were still aspects of his special physique he hadn't yet understood, and that there was likely a reason why it was reacting to the demonic Qi, so he was indecisive about what to do.

In the end, he took a deep breath and calmed his mind.

He focused on the sensation this energy was creating in his body and, based on that, made his decision.

The blackish-red mist began to twist and accumulate over the giant's body.

Within seconds, it finished leaving the giant's body, which no longer looked sickly.

Even the color of its skin changed, taking on a natural and healthy tone.

Seeing this series of changes, Bai Yu furrowed her brow further, and just as she was about to ask Ethan if he knew what was happening, the sphere of demonic Qi that had gathered over the giant's body moved.

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It shot in Ethan's direction and, in an instant, struck him, entering his body without resistance.

At this sight, Bai Yu froze for a second, then quickly turned her gaze to Ethan as she appeared next to him in a flash, placing a hand on him.

"Wait, no, don't absorb it,"

She wasn't sure what had just happened, but she knew demonic Qi wasn't good for either of them, especially not for Ethan, and seeing him absorb the condensed sphere of demonic Qi put her on high alert.

She immediately tried to expel it from his body.

Just as she channeled her energy into his body to locate and attempt to expel the demonic Qi, Ethan, caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, spoke:

"Wait, don't."

He gently removed her hand from his chest.

"What do you mean by stopping me?

Don't you know how dangerous it is to absorb demonic Qi?" she said, still a bit agitated.

After all, the more time passed, the harder it would be to do anything about it.

Already, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to expel the demonic Qi; it was her first time dealing with it.

Losing more time would only make it more impossible to prevent it from infecting Ethan's body.

"Don't worry, it's all under control," he said, and just as he was about to explain, he froze.

Bai Yu, noticing this, realized that the demonic Qi had probably begun to take effect.

"No, it's too late."

Ethan felt his body suddenly tense up, as his skin tone shifted from its natural color to a slightly more intense shade, as if it were heating up.

In a short time, his temperature increased significantly, surpassing 100 degrees Celsius.

For a cultivator at the body-refining stage, such a temperature was no different from an ordinary fever, which, as long as treated, wouldn't cause any internal damage.

For Ethan, it was bearable, but it didn't stop there.

200

300

...

1000

At this point, his body reached extremely high levels, far beyond what any ordinary being with low fire affinity could withstand.

But for him, this too was tolerable.

This was because his resistance to fire, as well as all other elements, was significantly higher than other cultivators, not only due to his cultivation base, which was at the pinnacle of the mortal realm, but also because of his dragon blood essence and special physique.

As his temperature rose, other changes also occurred.

The color of his skin, which had turned a deep red, began to shift, and blackish veins appeared across his body.

From his feet to his arms, and even on his face.

Clearly, the demonic Qi had begun to spread within him, reaching every possible place.

From his blood vessels to every organ, the Qi invaded his entire body, finally reaching his brain.

Instantly, Ethan felt a sharp pain in his head as a loud scream escaped him.

He dropped to his knees, clutching his head tightly.

"It hurts... .

Someone, stop this pain."

He felt his entire being wracked with pain, which managed to bring even someone of his level to his knees.

He'd had his fair share of painful experiences during his secluded cultivation, and he thought there were very few things left that could still make him feel this way, but it seemed he had just found another one for his list.

Bai Yu, who was witnessing all this, considered for a moment putting an end to his suffering to spare him from undergoing the full transformation and the pain, but as much as she tried, she couldn't muster the courage to do it.

For a moment, she thought it might be because she was still bound to him through the artifact, but then she realized that wasn't the whole reason.

She didn't know why, but for some reason, she felt that he might somehow be able to withstand the corruption of the demonic Qi, so she held back and waited anxiously.

She might not admit it, but she had grown somewhat attached to this human, who, in a way, had saved her from her captivity in the Amphora of the Seven Sages.

She didn't fully trust him at first, and she could tell that he didn't fully trust her either.

Which was natural, after all, when two strangers meet for the first time, it's unlikely they won't have some doubts or caution towards each other.

Even more so when one is a dragon sealed inside a strange artifact, and the other is an unusual human compared to others.

Over time, however, this mistrust waned, and in those 25 years inside the cauldron, an invisible bond formed between the two.

Perhaps it was because they spent so much time in the same place together, or maybe because, in a way, they were in the same boat.

But, in fact, they both developed a certain affinity for one another, a bond you might only see between family, longtime friends, and so on...

She wasn't sure what would happen if he ended up corrupted, or worse, dead.

Though she had gained a certain degree of freedom, she was still bound to him through the artifact.

What if she were to be completely sealed again, as before?

Or even worse, what if she died as a result of that connection?

Many thoughts whirled through her mind, but for now, she only hoped that Ethan would be able to suppress the spread of the demonic Qi.

As if someone had heard her prayers, Ethan's body, now collapsed on the ground, stopped convulsing and began to return to its former state.

His temperature visibly started to drop, and even the dark veins across his body began to recede, disappearing within seconds.

Just as she moved to appear beside him and examine his condition, Ethan's semi-conscious mind managed to hear the system's sound.

DING!

[Congratulations, your special physique has successfully assimilated the energy source,]

[The demonic Qi has been successfully assimilated,]

[You have gained +57 STR]

[You have gained +10 AGI]

[You have gained ...]