Demonic Cultivator: Immune To Common Side Effects - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: System’s New Ability – The Starry Vault of the Gu Cave!

One Main Shadow and eight Sub Shadows coalesced into nine ten-zhang-tall Golden Body Dharma Idols.

Deep within the Gu Cave, Li Yan relentlessly bombarded the swarming Human Pig Insect Gu. In his left hand, he held a lamp; his right hand formed hand seals.

The immense pressure of multitasking forced him to push his physical limits.

His entire body’s Blood Qi surged, continuously pouring into the shadows beneath his feet. This process granted him an increasingly vivid awareness of the flow of blood through his veins.

The threshold… I’ve touched it!

Just as he felt his energy about to be completely exhausted, a flash of inspiration struck him.

Blood Shadow Immortal Art – Great Perfection!

The eight Sub Shadows doubled to sixteen, doubling again.

As the number of shadows increased, so did the Blood Qi expenditure.

Yet Li Yan could clearly sense his meridians being forcefully widened.

Tearing, healing, tearing again, and healing once more.

Like steel being tempered by a smith’s hammer, his meridian channels were forged stronger, wider, and more resilient.

“Sixteen Golden Bodies, arise!”

As Li Yan uttered these words, the newly formed eight Sub Shadows rose from the ground, transforming into Golden Body Dharma Idols.

The sixteen Sub Shadow Golden Body Dharma Idols formed a golden rampart deep within the cave, staunchly blocking the endless surge of Human Pig Insect Gu emerging from below.

Gazing upon this multitude of Golden Body Dharma Idols, Li Yan felt a profound sense of security.

With this arrangement, the sixteen Sub Shadows, plus Li Yan’s own Golden Body Dharma Idol, formed a total of seventeen, capable of instantly creating a small fortress wherever they stood.

Just as Li Yan was admiring his Sub Shadows, a system notification appeared before him:

The host has, for the first time, cultivated an Ancient Cultivation Technique, the Blood Shadow Immortal Art, to the Great Perfection Realm.

New system ability unlocked: Side Effect Suppression.

“Hmm?”

Li Yan was puzzled by this new ability. “Side Effect Suppression? What’s the point of that?”

He already possessed the Side Effect Reversal function, which granted him complete immunity to side effects, even allowing him to absorb them. This new ability seemed rather pointless, like tasteless food.

Li Yan reached out and tapped the virtual screen floating in the air—visible only to him. When he opened the new ability’s details, sudden enlightenment dawned:

Side Effect Suppression: Allows normal use of items with side effects, such as Spells, Potions, and Cultivation Manuals, by suppressing those side effects.

“Suppression, not reversal.”

“In other words…”

An idea struck Li Yan. He silently commanded, “Blood Shadow Immortal Art, activate Side Effect Suppression.”

The host has modified the Blood Shadow Immortal Art from: Reversal → Suppression.

The Blood Shadow Immortal Art has lost its Side Effect Reversal effect and now grants Side Effect Suppression.

All side effects of this ancient evil technique have been suppressed within safe limits.

In an instant, Li Yan’s seventeen Golden Body Dharma Idols began to gradually transform into dark crimson figures.

The Golden Body Dharma Idols had originally radiated a majestic, righteous aura capable of shaking the heavens and earth.

But after their abilities shifted, the Golden Body Dharma Idols slowly morphed into Bloodline Demon Shadows!

Their bronze-colored bodies twisted into grotesque demonic visages, their fangs bared, their eyes bulging with fury.

The seventeen Dharma Idols now resembled crimson ghost rakshasas from the depths of the Nine Netherworlds.

“This is the original Blood Shadow Immortal Art…”

“Suppressing the side effects prevents the evil technique from corrupting my mind, yet allows me to wield its forbidden power. How intriguing!”

Li Yan’s eyes lit up as he gazed upon the seventeen Bloodline Demon Shadows before him.

In this Immortal Cultivation World where everyone seemed to embrace demonic practices, his Golden Body Dharma Idols had stood out like a sore thumb.

But now, with Side Effect Suppression activated, he could openly use his spells without raising eyebrows.

“Splendid, truly splendid.”

Staring at the seventeen ferocious demonic images, Li Yan inwardly marveled at how much he had gained from this practical exercise.

However, the Bloodline Demon Shadows proved less effective against malevolent spirits than expected.

If the Golden Body Dharma Idol represented immortal arts, the Bloodshadow Demonic Images were pure, bone-crushing brutality.

Smash!

The demonic figures slammed their fists into the ground, pulverizing the Human Pig Insect Gu into a bloody pulp. Occasionally, they muttered something unintelligible.

Li Yan experienced firsthand the meaning of “demonic sound assaulting the ears.” The Bloodline Demon Shadows chanted curses filled with resentment, their demonic voices stirring chaos in the heart and soul, eroding one’s very being.

He silently intoned, “Blood Shadow Immortal Art: Side Effect Reversal.”

In the blink of an eye, the ferocious Bloodline Demon Shadows transformed into Golden Body Dharma Idols radiating holy light.

The same spell could seamlessly switch between these diametrically opposed forms.

Divine and Demonic in a single thought—the sensation was visceral and immediate.

Beside Li Yan, the Corpse Puppet Su Mo parted her pink lips slightly, her eyes wide with awe and disbelief.

“Master… Immortal… Demon… so powerful…”

Her small mind struggled to find more words to express her astonishment.

Yet even a child like Su Mo, with her limited intellect, could grasp the sheer mastery involved in shifting between the Golden Body Dharma Idol and the Bloodline Demon Shadow.

Li Yan, his fingers weaving magical hand seals, smirked. “Truly, I’m having my cake and eating it too. The same spell, two entirely different effects.”

As Li Yan delved into his newfound abilities, he noticed the number of Human Pig Insect Gu steadily dwindling. The slaughter rate of his sixteen Golden Body Dharma Idols had more than doubled. The Human Pig Insect Gu crawling up from the depths were clearly insufficient to satisfy their voracious appetite. By the end, only a scattered few remained, with no reserves in sight.

Li Yan mused, “After a Cultivation Technique reaches Great Perfection, it undergoes a Qualitative Transformation.”

“I’ve finally touched the threshold of this transformation… and it’s already ending?”

With ample magical power, Li Yan yearned to continue honing his understanding through practical combat. Only real battle could trigger a Qualitative Transformation in his Blood Shadow Immortal Art, and he desperately needed to slay more malevolent spirits.

“Go deeper into the cavern.”

“Daoist Tranquil Void wouldn’t have unleashed so many Insect Gu here without hiding something valuable at the bottom.”

Having made up his mind, Li Yan resolved to explore further downward.

For now, his Storage Ring was brimming with venom, enough to replenish his magical power. Sixteen Sub Shadows served as scouts, while the Main Shadow guarded his back, ensuring his safety.

“Ten Sub Shadows to clear the path, six to cover the rear. Move out!”

The cautious Li Yan naturally valued his life above all else.

After making these preparations, Li Yan finally began his descent into the depths of the Gu Cave.

The path ahead was littered with crawling tracks.

Li Yan raised the Blood Glazed Lotus Lamp, illuminating the surroundings.

The stone-paved path beneath his feet and the surrounding rock walls were stained crimson by years of accumulated blood and corruption.

Everywhere he looked, he saw withered bones, cracked skulls, and severed limbs carelessly piled in corners, left to rot.

Li Yan sent ten Shadows ahead to clear the way while he observed the cave’s environment.

“Have I already wiped out all the Human Pig Insect Gu?” he wondered, staring down the seemingly bottomless staircase where no new malevolent spirits crawled forth.

It appeared Daoist Tranquil Void had invested immense resources in constructing this ten-thousand-step ladder that plunged straight into the earth’s depths.

Clutching the Lotus Lamp, Li Yan counted each step as he descended.

When he reached the final step—the nine thousand nine hundred ninety-ninth—he looked up and was stunned by the starry sky overhead.

“Why is there a celestial dome beneath the earth?!” he exclaimed.