Volume Two, Chapter Twenty-One: Innate Magical Artifact

Yu Mu searched for a long while but still couldn’t find it. “Brother Meng, I don’t see it! Is there something special about the demon core?”

Meng Fang prompted him, “The demon core is the source of power for all cultivators. Try searching along those lines.”

This time, Yu Mu simply closed his eyes and searched carefully.

Before long, he opened his eyes, and a peach pit appeared in his hand. The pit was small, no different from a normal one, but it was wrapped in a layer of rosy spiritual energy.

Seeing this peach pit, Meng Fang was surprised. “Wow, so that’s what your inner core looks like! Fascinating.”

The spiritual energy of Yu Mu’s demon core was clearly much weaker than Meng Fang’s, but Yu Mu sensed another mysterious aura within it—like golden threads, faint and elusive.

“Brother Meng, do you see anything unusual about my inner core?” he said, handing the peach pit toward Meng Fang.

But Meng Fang didn’t take it, instead cautioning him, “Brother, the demon core is the source of our life. You must protect it carefully and never show it so lightly.”

“Oh, I understand,” Yu Mu nodded, accepting the advice.

Only after Yu Mu agreed did Meng Fang look closely at the peach pit in his hand.

After a while, Meng Fang shook his head. “Brother, I don’t see anything unusual. Do you sense something off?”

Yu Mu described the golden aura to Meng Fang, who looked again, but still saw nothing. “Brother, I truly don’t see any golden energy. I’ve never encountered something like this. I only know that golden spiritual energy appears in human cultivators.”

“Human cultivators?” Yu Mu’s heart stirred.

“Yes, when human cultivators reach the Golden Core stage, their inner core turns golden—that’s why it’s called the Golden Core stage. But it’s said that at that point, the core becomes entirely golden. I’ve never heard of only a single golden thread.”

Hearing this, Yu Mu decided not to pursue the matter further and changed the topic. “Oh, so this is the difference between humans and demons—the distinction between forming a core and the Golden Core stage?”

“Exactly. When we monsters reach this realm, our inner core doesn’t turn golden. After this stage, the names for our realms match those of humans.”

“Oh, so that’s how it is.”

“Well, the sun’s up. Let’s get moving and talk as we go.”

Yu Mu looked to the mouth of the cave and realized dawn had come; somehow, the night had passed. This night was momentous for Yu Mu—he gained tremendous insight and found a kindred friend.

In a single night, both had recovered their energy, and Yu Mu’s wounds were nearly healed. The two left the mountain cave and pressed onward.

Now deep within the forest, the two women they worried about had not pursued them. Yu Mu transformed into a pig—partly to train, partly to keep pace with Meng Fang.

For now, this skill’s only advantage for Yu Mu was speed, faster than his human form.

Meng Fang looked at the rotund, adorable white pig and couldn’t help but laugh. “Brother Gada, what’s your innate ability? Those two girls chased you all the way—why didn’t you fight back?”

“Innate skill… I haven’t discovered one,” Yu Mu thought for a moment and replied.

But his answer was vague. Speaking of innate skills, he immediately recalled the mist he expelled in a panic. He wasn’t sure if it counted as an innate skill, but even if it was, as it was known as an aphrodisiac, he couldn’t bring himself to mention it.

“That’s impossible. When we demons transform, at least one innate skill emerges. Maybe you haven’t noticed it yet since you just transformed.”

“At least one? Brother Meng, do you mean there could be several innate skills?”

“Of course, some have a dozen or more.” Meng Fang raised his hands, and a pair of giant axes appeared. “See, these are another of my innate skills—a gifted spiritual weapon.”

“Brother Meng, these axes are an innate skill?”

Yu Mu had always wondered where Meng Fang conjured his giant axes from and where he kept them. But he hesitated to ask, fearing it might touch on privacy. Now that Meng Fang brought it up, Yu Mu seized the chance.

“Haha, these weapons are transformed from my horns. They’re not just axes—I can change them into any shape I like. I favor axes in combat, so I keep them in this form.”

“Horns? No wonder!” Yu Mu asked, “Brother Meng, what exactly is a gifted spiritual weapon?”

“To understand gifted spiritual weapons, you first need to know what magical tools are. There are three types: Dao tools, spirit tools, and sacred tools.”

“Oh, so magical tools are classified like that,” Yu Mu nodded.

“Magical tools are divided into three types, and each type has four grades,” Meng Fang continued. “Dao tools are the most common, like those things used by the two girls. But spirit tools are different—only tools forged from materials with innate spiritual energy can be called spirit tools. Spirit tools are not only more powerful than Dao tools, but must possess at least one unique ability, and most importantly, they must be able to grow.”

“Grow?”

Meng Fang waved his axes. “Like my horns—they’re naturally formed and come with three innate abilities: transformation, gravity, and shockwave. My horns grow along with me, so these can be considered mid-grade spirit tools.”

Yu Mu looked on, captivated. “How enviable! Brother Meng, you have such a remarkable divine treasure.”

Meng Fang laughed heartily. “Brother Gada, you overestimate me. The abilities of innate magical tools are actually quite common—the quality varies greatly. I am just fortunate. When I first attained the Dao, my horns only had transformation and gravity. The shockwave was added when I advanced to the Core Forming stage.”

“That’s what you mean by growth?”

“Exactly. Ha ha ha ha!”

Although Yu Mu didn’t fully understand Meng Fang’s explanations, seeing Meng Fang’s pride, he knew these weapons were extraordinary.

Yu Mu couldn’t help but envy him and began searching himself. Having done it once before, he was much more adept this time. Soon, he made a discovery.

Under Meng Fang’s amazed gaze, a staff appeared in Yu Mu’s hand—eyebrow-length, as thick as an arm, entirely emerald green, smooth on the surface, with faint rosy hues within. When Yu Mu looked inward, he saw threads of golden light within the staff.

“This… Brother Meng, do you think this is an innate magical tool?”