New concept of the mysterious way to ascend to immortality

Chapter 322 The Son-in-Law Devours His Master, the Beastman's Rebellious Spirit

After emptying out the entire first floor of the haunted house, the Tiger Demon did not continue to ruthlessly drain and devour the second floor. Instead, after herding the three eggplant-headed ghosts into the cave space connected by the door, it decisively severed and closed it.

"call--!"

After letting out a soft breath, Tiger Demon looked at the circular hatch floating in front of him and sighed, "The distance is too far, this consumption is a bit exaggerated."

Its opening of the [door] was no different from the orthodox exploration of the space-time behind the [door]. The only difference was that the 'shadow dimension' at coordinate [1] was replaced with a 'private cave space' created and entrusted by the [Yinshan Law Domain].

Even so, maintaining the 'time portal' still consumes a huge amount of resources. It both squeezes energy from the haunted house and empties out the 'shadow assets' accumulated in the haunted house.

Therefore, the "haunted house" – this "power bank" – experienced a rapid decline in its energy reserves. After emptying half of its assets, a paradox arose: it could no longer sustain itself and had to empty the other half (the second floor).

This time, I have no choice but to regretfully give up!
...

"仏仏仏!"

Having witnessed his three brothers ascend to the 'Upper Realm' (the 'Gate Space'), the last eggplant-headed ghost, who was the only one who missed it, rushed forward eagerly, yet dared not use too much force, gently tugging at the tiger demon's fur.

It's just like a monkey trying to curry favor with the king of beasts by picking lice off the king of beasts—anxious yet restrained.

The tiger demon ignored it, merely glancing at it before its mind stirred. The shadow beneath it instantly came to life, baring its fangs and claws as it pounced from the ground, transforming into a gaping maw that swallowed the bewildered eggplant-headed ghost into its "Universe Within the Belly," and the cougar returned to its rightful place.

Eggplant-headed ghost disappeared, and a '+1' message appeared on Tiger Demon's [Changgui Divine Power] account.

With the Tiger Demon successfully forming the [Gate], both its strength and realm have risen to a new level. The capacity of the [Chang Gui Divine Power] and the mass of the Chang Gui it carries have both expanded significantly.

At this moment, the Tiger Demon compared the strength of the Eggplant-Headed Ghost with that of the Chang Ghost Divine Power. It felt no burden or pressure; it could carry hundreds of such creatures with it!
Even if replaced with the more powerful [Shadow Demon Insects], one can now carry 50-60 of them, resulting in a significant boost to overall strength.

...

After breaking through to the [Gate] level, not only did the [Chang Gui Divine Power] expand wildly, but even the previously increasingly prominent [Ascension Impulse] quickly subsided.

This phenomenon greatly surprised it.

In theory, the stronger one's power and the more polluted one is, the more likely one is to be rejected by the real world and to have a strong urge to ascend.

According to his investigation (or rather, his casual inquiries), many ability users, in the mid-to-late stages of the [Species] level, could no longer withstand the attraction and summoning from the [Spirit Realm], and were even less able to adapt to the scarce polluted energy of the present world, so they all chose to (passively) ascend to heaven in broad daylight.

With the birth of the [Gate of Shadows], the 'impulse to ascend' that Tiger Demon had been constantly experiencing miraculously vanished?!

The feeling that once the [Tiger Demon Stance] was activated, excessive use of shadow power would cause one to sink into the mud and fall into the [Shadow Layer] is completely gone.

This situation is highly counterintuitive and unreasonable.

Snake spoke softly, "Could it be... that you have actually already ascended? The 'Gate' is the ascension passage."

Tiger Demon: "Huh?! How did I already ascend to immortality?"

Snake explained, “The extraordinary knowledge you entered clearly states that anyone can achieve ‘ascension’ if they have the will. On the contrary, those extraordinary individuals who are forcibly ascended (rejected) into the ‘Spirit Realm’ at the ‘Species’ level will have their accounts cancelled by the Spirit Star (the main world), gradually losing their ‘Pale Species’ status and becoming polluted life forms in the ‘Spirit Realm’, registering new (Spirit Realm) accounts.”

"These 'ascended beings,' once they ascend to the upper realm, immediately lose their original home and can never return to Duling Star. The stronger they are, the higher their pollution index, and the greater the rejection they face from the human world (Duling Star). Only those who completely resist the 'ascendancy impulse' and successfully open a 'door' in the less polluted present world are qualified to anchor themselves on Duling Star through the 'door,' retain their residency, and then, within the 'Spirit Realm Layer,' resist the repulsive force from the main world and forcibly return to the human world."

"In ancient mythology, this act is called 'descending to the mortal realm'! As the saying goes: ascending to immortality is easy, descending to the mortal realm is difficult. Of the 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals in the Heavenly Court, very few can freely descend to the mortal realm. The 'Gate' is a comprehensive symbol of 'strength, rank, and realm.' Only those who, before being passively ascended, withstand the repulsive force of the spirit and actively condense the 'Gate,' anchoring it to a genius in the mortal world, can pass through the 'Gate,' communicate with the spirit star, withstand the pressure, and return to the mortal realm."

Tiger Demon: "There's such a thing? That's why my situation is really strange! According to you, most ability users are forced to ascend to the Spirit Realm before they can open the [Door], and can only open the [Door] in a higher-energy environment, right?"

Snake: "That's what the information says."

"Alright, after opening the [door] in the Spirit Realm, where does the [door] lead?"

Snake: "Well... let me guess, it should lead to the spacetime where the 'root' of its own [contamination system] is located."

Tiger Demon: "Although I have condensed a [Gate], I haven't felt any pressure or repulsion. According to you, someone with the ability to create a [Gate] like me should at most retain my status as a Spirit, and still be rejected into the other side of the [Gate] due to excessive pollution. To return to the Spirit realm, one should have to endure immense pressure, open the gate in reverse, and constantly withstand the rejection of the Spirit Star. But what I feel now is that opening the [Gate] is extremely difficult, with immense pressure and risks on the other side, requiring all my strength to push it open. On the contrary, when I was in the Spirit realm, it was easy and stress-free. It's the opposite of what I expected!"

Snake: "I'm also puzzled. Our current situation is completely inconsistent with what's recorded in the data. So I boldly speculate that this is the fault of the [Mountain Lord's Domain]. You didn't open the [door] through your own strength under normal circumstances; instead, you were given this [door] by virtue of your high status of [Domain Opening] + [Land Deed]."

"The Mountain Lord's Domain can be seen as a larger shell of the Tiger Demon. Its essence (the Cave Heaven Space) has been sunk into another dimension due to excessive pollution, thus completing its ascension. In contrast, the Tiger Demon's true form is just a drop in the ocean compared to the Domain. You move freely in the real world because the Domain and Cave Heaven Space are carrying the burden for you."

...

After listening to the snake tail's analysis, the tiger demon raised its paw again and touched the [door] in front of it. It felt the heavy, solid metal texture under its fingertips.

Then, a miraculous scene unfolded. Many guesses and questions arose in the Tiger Demon's mind, all of which received answers from the [Door]. This thing (the Door) was like a 'program' without emotions or consciousness, capable of drawing upon the host's knowledge reserves to answer certain questions.

The "door" is not just a "spatial door" that leads to different worlds, but also a symbol of a certain status, somewhat like a "god" in a fantasy world.

Without involving the [Mountain Lord's Domain], the [Gate] itself can draw a large amount of 'Shadow Spiritual Energy' to help the host cultivate quickly.

Secondly, the [Gate] can record the host's 'extraordinary system' and gradually evolve into exclusive 'private rules,' transforming and sublimating towards the [root of pollution]. This aspect is truly 'divine'.

Furthermore, its sturdy structure can also be used as a 'shield' for defense. However, its intuition tells it that if it wastes its resources by using the 'door' as a 'shield,' it will pay an unbearable price if it is damaged.

Finally, as the snake said, the appearance of this "door" helped the Tiger Demon resist a considerable portion of the "Ascension Repulsion." It acted like a protective umbrella, allowing the Tiger Demon to draw upon more power in reality without fear of being forced to ascend.

However, this function is closely related to the existence of the [Law Domain], and is not a function of an ordinary [Gate].

If the [Mountain Lord's Domain (Yinshan Cluster + Cold Pool)] is a piece of real estate existing on [Duling Star (Present World)], then the [Cave Heaven Space] is an asset opened in another dimension. Therefore, the [Gate] is the Tiger Demon's account.

The existence of the [Law Domain] provides a guarantee for the Tiger Demon's activities in the human world. However, this 'guarantee' is not long-lasting. As the Tiger Demon's strength rapidly increases, the [Ascension Impulse] will reappear until it is driven away.

……

Shaking his head to stop thinking about the "door," Yuan Zhu switched back to human form and made his way to the top floor attic.

After entering the [Garden of Disease] through the mirror, you will see Yuan Tiao training a hybrid orc and a goblin worker.

At this moment, two of the five orc brothers were engaged in fierce combat. Their martial arts techniques were not particularly sophisticated, but their movements were swift and powerful, carrying a primal and ferocious wildness, making for a very exciting fight.

The three orcs watching from a distance exuded a completely different aura than before. They seemed to possess an added confidence, and upon noticing Yuan Zhu's gaze, they even felt a surge of courage to meet his eyes directly.

They actually looked right at me without even flinching?!

Yuan Zhu was greatly surprised. What was going on? The dark-skinned orcs who were always timid and shifty-eyed, and who had been brutally beaten by his younger brother Jun, had somehow undergone a complete transformation? He could even see a hint of arrogance in their eyes? Could it be that the 'Black Fate Noble Blood' had awakened?

Yuan Zhu approached A-Tiao, who was intently watching the match and occasionally offering pointers, and asked the question that had been bothering him.

The younger brother, who was also the coach, noticed the changes in the hybrid beastmen and figured out the cause of their transformation. He reported in a low voice, "They have been undergoing this change since the last fighting competition."

Yuan Zhu: "Is it because of the competition? You won, so you became more confident?"

Snake secretly analyzed, "It probably bravely raised its fist against human tyranny. Not only did it win the competition, but it also received cheers from the entire audience on the stage. As a result, its values ​​were shattered and then rebuilt, overcoming the inferiority and fear in its heart, and under the erosion of 'polluted energy,' it developed a mysterious confidence and quickly became unable to distinguish right from wrong."

Yuan Zhu suddenly realized: "I understand."

It seems the crux of the problem lies in the mental pollution caused by the "frog-type modification." Coupled with being raised and enslaved by humans from a young age, the sudden transformation into a powerful figure who rebelled and beat up humans, leading to a rapid change in his mentality. He's become arrogant!
At this moment, Yuan Zhu used the [Anti-Law] to perceive and read the psychological changes of the five orc brothers.

Just as Snake had said, they'd become confident. The hybrid beastmen's intelligence wasn't much lower than humans'; last night, during the arena competition, they overheard Little Sister haggling with the organizers about her appearance fee.

Then, they personally stepped onto the arena, experiencing unprecedented public attention and cheers; then, in front of many humans, they easily defeated and beat them to vent their anger; and finally, they earned a considerable appearance fee... The orc brothers also realized their value.

Last night, while resting, they huddled together and discussed the matter. They then unanimously concluded that, for Yuan Zhu, they were no longer just roadside plants that could be easily discarded.

Although Yuan Zhu treated them poorly and looked down on them, he invested a great deal in them. He specifically signed a [Counter-Law] to obtain a complete [Power System Modification], hired a professional martial arts instructor (Yuan Tiao), provided them with abundant and nutritious food, medicine, and injections, and constantly used the [Brain Eggplant CPU] to download and update intelligent martial arts... He spared no expense, which was far beyond the treatment of ordinary mixed-blood orc laborers.

Finally, Yuan Zhu revealed his ambition in this 'underground fight': to train the five brothers to fight for him and make money! And they lived up to expectations, easily defeating their opponents, winning victory and glory, and making money for their master.

After some discussion, the orc brothers unanimously agreed that their value far exceeded their current treatment. They should muster their courage, look their boss in the eye, and bravely communicate to fight for the superior treatment similar to that of other anti-law contractors (Nie Yin, Yuan Tang, etc.). They were not discriminated-against mixed-race, dark-skinned trash orcs, but rather the noble core members and prospective cadres of the [Yuan Clan]!
Therefore, the orcs today are exceptionally confident, and their eyes have become arrogant.

"???"

After understanding the mixed-blood beastmen's thoughts, Yuan Zhu was completely dumbfounded. Did these illiterate people truly not understand the real meaning of the "anti-law" he had signed?
The greater the cost they invest, the more reckless they become; rather, the greater the "debt" bound to their souls, the harder it is to repay. Even if he is a "benevolent god," if the orcs die prematurely before repaying their debts, their souls will still be used to settle the debt.

"Fine, let them continue to be arrogant! Arrange a few more matches tonight, let them build confidence and become unruly. I want to see if this positive mental state can accelerate the progress of the [Transcendent Transformation] and solidify their martial will?"

Snake: "Even if we make money from this kind of competition that we arranged ourselves, it's because we leveraged our connections to run it. The profits should be considered our due compensation, not part of their repayment of the [Anti-Law Loan], right?"

Yuan Zhu nodded: "Indeed, 60% of the appearance fees they earn from the competition are our labor remuneration. The remaining 40% has to be converted into their food expenses, medical expenses, and [body tempering fluid], and it's not even enough. Strictly speaking, they haven't repaid a single cent of their [anti-law debt]... on the contrary, they owe more and more. However, their strength is getting stronger with each battle, so they are not at a disadvantage."

Snake: "Isn't this a bad thing? We're nurturing them through the [Anti-Law] without asking for anything in return. I can't bear to see you suffer such a huge loss!"

Yuan Zhu comforted him, "With a little more training, we can send you to the [Dark Fighting World] to really make big money. Or, after you've honed your skills enough, we can throw you behind the [Door] to perform exploration missions to pay off your debts. Hmm, that does sound a bit like [King Mao Mao] giving us missions."

(End of this chapter)