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*****
As he spoke, a pearl appeared in Su Wen's palm, pitch-black as ink and shimmering with a tri-colored radiance of azure, blue, and silver.
When the Dark Devouring God Pearl resided within Su Wen's spiritual sea, it was a sphere surrounded by gray energy—a manifestation of the Evil Power being refined within. Now, having been brought out into the physical world, the Evil Power became introverted, revealing the jet-black core of the pearl. The surrounding worldly essence was influenced by its presence, transforming into a halo of azure, blue, and silver light.
The moment the pearl appeared, Zhou Shuiniu's breath hitched.
His face changed instantly. Staring at the pearl in Su Wen's hand, his pupils contracted, and his Heavenly Energy circulated instinctively, shifting him into a defensive posture.
What terrifying energy fluctuations!
And such an aura of pure evil!
The first impression the pearl gave was one of profound wickedness. But beyond that, the number of elemental attributes attached to it was staggering.
"Wind, Lightning, Darkness..."
The presence of so many distinct attributes left Zhou Shuiniu shaken to the core. Is this a Heavenly Beast's inner dan? But what kind of beast possesses such immense power and such a vast array of attributes?
Zhou Shuiniu didn't recognize the powers of Time or Space, but he could tell there were other elements present beyond the Wind, Lightning, and Darkness he had identified.
"What level of Heavenly Beast did this come from...?" Zhou Shuiniu murmured, the question directed at Su Wen.
Su Wen considered for a moment before making a judgment. "Heavenly King? Or perhaps Heavenly Emperor?"
In any case, it was likely below the Heavenly God level.
On the Boundless Mainland, Heavenly Jewel Masters were ranked by the number of pairs of jewels they possessed: ten pairs defined a Heavenly King, eleven pairs a Heavenly Emperor, and twelve pairs a Heavenly God. If one could reach thirteen pairs, they would achieve godhood—a state known as the "Heavenly Change" stage.
Comparing this to the Douluo Continent, a High-Level Heavenly Zong with nine pairs of jewels might rival a standard Title Douluo. A Heavenly King would be equivalent to a Rank 95 or 96 Super Douluo, while a Heavenly Emperor would match a Rank 97 or 98. A Heavenly God would correspond to a Limit Douluo.
Of course, as a newcomer, Su Wen hadn't yet felt the true power of this world's elite, so he couldn't be certain his judgment was flawless. He could only offer a rough estimation.
The Dark Devouring God Tiger was not a 100,000-year soul beast, but its combat strength reached that level, putting it on par with a standard Title Douluo—or a High-Level Heavenly Zong here. However, that tiger was essentially a "cub." Due to its environment, it hadn't reached its true peak. The presence of the Evil Power gave it a high-level essence; on the Boundless Mainland, it could be considered the offspring of a Heavenly Change-level beast.
Thus, when describing its origin, Su Wen elevated the status of the tiger slightly but kept it within the realm of possibility, calling it Heavenly King or Emperor level.
To Zhou Shuiniu, this level represented a peerless powerhouse, yet it wasn't so far-fetched as to be treated as a mere legend. After all, Zhou Shuiniu would soon be a Middle-Level Heavenly Zong, and he hoped to reach High-Level in his lifetime. A Heavenly King was, technically, only one step away. Even if that step represented a world of difference, it meant he could at least begin to comprehend that level of existence.
And yet, here he was as a Lower-Level Heavenly Zong, encountering a Heavenly King-level existence prematurely. No, not a living King, but the inner dan of such a beast.
Wait—what level was Su Wen himself, then?
Zhou Shuiniu took a deep breath and looked deeply at Su Wen, but he didn't voice the question. Anyone who could produce a Heavenly King-level inner dan either was a King themselves or had a King or Emperor standing behind them. Even if Su Wen wasn't at that level, he had to be at least a High-Level Heavenly Zong.
By producing a treasure of such immense value, Su Wen had proven his sincerity. This was no longer a trivial matter.
But—
"Senior, this beast's inner dan..." Zhou Shuiniu hesitated, looking at the pearl. The words died in his throat.
It's too evil!
Change my son's foundation and rebuild his meridians by having him absorb something so wicked?
Su Wen understood the concern. "Marshal Zhou, if I'm not mistaken, your Elemental Jewels possess the Darkness attribute, correct?"
"That is correct."
"Though Weiqing cannot cultivate due to his meridians, he has inherited your Darkness attribute. Furthermore, his constitution has mutated in a way that makes him perfectly compatible with this pearl."
This was the conclusion Su Wen had reached after sensing the boy's internal state. His talent for the Darkness attribute was clearly exceptional. Without the meridian issue, he would have undoubtedly awakened Darkness-attribute Elemental Jewels. Upon bringing out the pearl, Su Wen felt that the boy's latent Darkness attribute shared a subtle resonance with it.
"This..."
Su Wen's explanation was logical, and Zhou Shuiniu couldn't find a way to refute it. Still, could using a beast's dan to reshape a human's meridians truly work?
"Dad, I want to try!" Zhou Weiqing's eyes were firm as he looked at his father.
Everything Su Wen said made sense. Zhou Shuiniu's conflict was more about Su Wen's motives and the sheer danger involved. Theoretically, it could succeed, but it was like walking a tightrope. One slip and Zhou Weiqing would be crippled—or dead.
However, Zhou Weiqing had found a glimmer of hope. He refused to be a "trash" forever, watching his father and godfather face ridicule because of his failure. If there was a chance to cultivate, he would fight for it.
He wasn't acting blindly, either. When Su Wen produced the Technique of Immortality—which the boy had buried in the Star Forest—Zhou Weiqing was shaken. He had thought finding that manual was a coincidence, but for Su Wen to find it after he hid it and then bring it to him as a cure? That was no coincidence.
That was fate.
Zhou Weiqing knew that if his condition never improved, there would come a day when he would inevitably go back to the Star Forest and dig that manual up himself. Eventually, out of desperation, he would have tried to cultivate it anyway. Su Wen was simply moving up the timeline and providing a powerful artifact to assist him.
At this point, Zhou Weiqing decided to gamble. He was already a "useless" person in the eyes of society.
If he gambled and won, he would no longer be a failure; instead, by cultivating this divine technique, he might become a powerhouse among Heavenly Jewel Masters. If he lost... well, he didn't have much to lose to begin with.
Take the risk—turn the bicycle into a motorcycle.
(End of Chapter)