Luo Houyuan was scared that Qi Nilin’s neck might suddenly snap. However, Qi Nilin already struggled for survival for so many years here, so how could he let his neck be cut at this type of critical moment?

“Devil Transformation will always be the most powerful aspect of devil cultivators, no matter past or present.”

His eyes were weak like a candle flame in the wind as he looked at Luo Houyuan. He said with a smile, “Devil Transformation is also the source of Purgatory Mountain Patriarch and all of the past devil cultivators. Almost all of their powerful cultivation methods are built on top of Devil Transformation.”

Luo Houyuan didn’t have to think too much on his side, because this Qi Nilin who finally had the opportunity to turn things around after holding on for so long already continued to speak.

“The bodies of those who cultivate Devil Transformation will be completely changed by medication. Then, their constitution itself will also change, many functions growing stronger. Only then could they use some special methods, for example, Purgatory Mountain Patriarch’s Hellflame.”

“The Devil Transformation Zhang Ping obtained from Sky Devil Prison Plains is more powerful than the previous Purgatory Mountain Patriarch’s.” Luo Houyuan felt like he had to make this point clear, interrupting here.

“Of course I know that.” But Qi Nilin still gave Luo Houyuan a disapproving look. “I’ve seen the records. The bodies of devil cultivators from the Immortal Devil Age are all tougher than the finest steel. Also, Devil Transformation isn’t supposed to be very risky at all, it’s nothing like Purgatory Mountain’s mess of a technique, so there’s obviously no way a shoddy imitation can possibly be the complete Devil Transformation. However, the basic reasoning is still the same. Moreover, if the current ruler of Purgatory Mountain is already someone who has grasped the true Devil Transformation, then there’s even less of a chance of me being wrong.”

Luo Houyuan said quietly, “That is why the achilles’ heel you speak of lies precisely in Devil Transformation itself?”

“Your Green Luan Academy is all-embracing. You have the greatest craftsmen and the greatest medicine masters. Old friend, I reckon even you’ve dabbled a bit in the arts of medicine.” Qi Nilin said with a smile. “In medicinal theory, the energy of all food, even any spiritual medicines we ingest, respectively nurtures our five viscera. Completely altering the body through medicinal theory is practically impossible. The methods of devil cultivators are far beyond that of our wildest imagination. They managed to create the Devil Transformation method, as well as a corresponding soul force cultivation method that can greatly strengthen the body’s functions. However, making this medicinal force fully harmonized within all five inner viscera is still impossible. The liver thus takes on the important responsibility of eliminating poison.”

Luo Houyuan knew that Qi Nilin had already reached the most important crux. That was why even though his heart carried more and more questions, he only remained quiet.

“When flames flourish, so does blood. When one’s energies and blood surge, the medicinal force will act out even more powerfully. That is why the very first thing those devil cultivators from the past age needed to do was precisely learn to control their anger.” Qi Nilin looked at Luo Houyuan with a mysterious expression of subtlety. “The true achilles’ heel of the devil king lies in Devil Transformation, the true achilles’ heel of Devil Transformation is the liver. The more angry they become, the more enraged they become, the greater the damage the liver will suffer. That is why the ancient devil cultivators usually cut off all of their desires and emotions, pursuing a completely cold and detached state. They don’t do this out of pretentiousness, but rather because once rage truly attacks the heart, their internal organs will suffer a vicious blow. Their bodies will consequently suffer severe damage. The more times they get angry, the greater the damage they accumulate will become. Those who are fortunate might be unable to endure Devil Transformation’s side effects, unable to carry out Devil Transformation, while the more severe cases will lead straight to death.”[1]

Luo Houyuan took a deep breath, and then he slowly exhaled. “That is why the achilles heel of the devil king lies in anger. If we want to deal with the devil king, the most effective method is to make him feel true anger?”

The skin on Qi Nilin’s face began to rustle like dried leaves. His face revealed an unimaginable expression. “I’ve already confirmed this, and almost even succeeded… I reckon that after my arms were hacked off, many meridians snapped, during these years that my body was left here to rot in this mine, Purgatory Mountain Patriarch rarely displayed anger. He definitely remained dignified and cold.”

Luo Houyuan picked up a certain piece of key information from Qi Nilin’s words. He looked at Qi Nilin and asked, “What did you do to infuriate Purgatory Mountain Patriarch back then?”

“He had a female disciple. I cannot say for certain if there was anything deeper between the two of them, but what I am sure of is that he cared a lot about this female disciple. He was completely devoted to making this female disciple the new Purgatory Mountain Patriarch.” Qi Nilin looked at Luo Houyuan. “However, after paying a huge price, I captured that most beloved female disciple and sent her to the lowest level whorehouse. In the end, she even bore the son of a filthy man who even I found disgusting. I sent that entire family to Purgatory Mountain, bringing them in front of Purgatory Mountain Patriarch.”

Luo Houyuan’s complexion became a bit unpleasant. “No wonder he didn’t immediately kill you back then and threw you here to live this life where you’d wish you were dead rather than alive, made you suffer for so many years in a living hell… What is most infuriating isn’t to completely destroy something one truly cares about and loves, but rather to change that most beloved thing into something beyond their recognition, perhaps into something that even he feels great loathing for.”

“It was just a pity that the Devil Transformation he cultivated wasn’t powerful enough, so this type of rage wasn’t enough for him to immediately die. Moreover, that female disciple was just too important to him, so there wasn’t anything else I could find that could make him angry… After completing that affair, I already didn’t have any other methods to anger him.” Qi Nilin said with a sigh of regret. “That is why I ended up here, while he sat in that throne for so long.”

Luo Houyuan didn’t have any time to ponder over Qi Nilin’s sentiments. He sensed that his arrival had also shattered a balance that held Qi Nilin together. Even if he brought him out, he might die the instant he made contact with the outside sunlight or fresh air.

That was why after he thought for a bit, he immediately asked, “Were you aware of the single-wheeled puppets and Flame Titans in Sky Devil Prison Plains?”

“In the records, both the immortal dao cultivators in the north and the devil cultivators of the south created many powerful metal puppets. In that age where research into runes and materials was already extremely deep, creating a sacred level metal puppet was far easier than nurturing a sacred level cultivator for those cultivation lands. That was why during those battles, there were many cultivators who brought large amounts of metal puppets or fiend beasts with them.” Qi Nilin had a somewhat doubtful expression. “Your northern ancient cultivators’ main metal puppets were the Cauldron Fiends and Sword Immortals, while one of the puppets used under the devil king was precisely a flame releasing one. The Flame Titans should also be one of the fiend beasts controlled by the past devil cultivators. But this really is unexpected. Even these things have appeared?”

Luo Houyuan nodded. “At the very least, these two types have currently shown themselves. Moreover, Zhang Ping already has the creation method for the metal puppets.”

“Seems like this truly is an age of the devil king’s descent. Those ordinary metal puppets from the past are now supreme sacred level beings.” Qi Nilin looked at Luo Houyuan with an expression full of shock. “Are there already a lot of metal puppets?”

Luo Houyuan didn’t understand what he was trying to say. However, he still calmly shook his head. “There aren’t that many.”

“The core component of the single-wheeled metal puppet is actually a crystal inside.” Qi Nilin began to search through his memories, and then he said slowly, “This type of crystal can continuously absorb the natural energies of the world through the runes on its surface. This crystal is called Origin Crystal. If there still aren’t many single-wheeled puppets, then that means all of the new single-wheeled metal puppets were created from scrapped ones, the stones transplanted into new bodies.”

Luo Houyuan nodded, expressing that he already understood this. Then, he continued to ask, “Then how does he control the metal puppets? And what about those Flame Titans?”

Qi Nilin shook his head. “The single-wheeled metal puppets only rely on some special energy targeting through their runes. Once activated, they will continue fighting until either they run out of energy or until its master personally interferes. As for the Flame Titans, I believe they should be like most fiend beasts, tamed through some special type of food.”

“The death of Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, endless people have broken into Purgatory Mountain… The descent of a true devil king, a war between this devil king and the cultivators of the modern age… What a dazzling time we are in! What a pity it is that I won’t be able to see it.”

A certain type of divine radiance appeared on Qi Nilin’s face, but his gaze instead faded away like a will-o’-the-wisp.

Luo Houyuan knew that his arrival destroyed an equilibrium Qi Nilin was in. Qi Nilin already reached the end of his life, no one could change this.

Even though he couldn’t ask any more questions, the things Qi Nilin told him today were already of tremendous help to Green Luan Academy. That was why Luo Houyuan bowed slightly, seeing off this past enemy.

1. The inflammation of the liver in traditional chinese medicine is linked to irascibility and irritability