Cultivation Through Artifacts

[Found Beast Core: Do you wish to transform it into Power Core?]

Upon hearing those words in his head Khal's eyes in his humungous serpent state widened and felt slightly taken aback.

Exactly when was the last time when he forged metal and turned it into a Power Core to boost his already ridiculously powerful strength? When was the last time he acquired a Beast Core and transformed it into a Power Core?

It had been an extremely long time ago and Khal realized that he had been neglecting his power for far too long, a power that was the whole reason why he was where he was today!

He was so focused on getting back to the First Realm and in increasing his Cultivation Base that he completely forgot that his bracelet was a heaven-defying item, an object that could allow him to obtain several abilities from the cores of the artifacts!

'Once everything had been done here I need to start forging again and increase my number of Power Cores.' Khal took a mental note and without hesitation allowed Nova to transform the Beast Core he consumed into a Power Core.

Although he had no guess how much Body Essence will it require to increase the number of slots on his bracelets, Khal was not nervous at all. Currently, his amount of Body Essence was around 200,000 units, 203,783 units to be exact!

Thus, fearing he will be sucked dry by his bracelet like he was during his first few tries was simply useless worry and why Khal even closed his eyes, enjoying the warm sensation that spread through his body as the Beast Core inside him gradually changed into a Power Core.

[Fusion and Forming Process completed!]

[Hidden potentials have been unlocked!]

['Ascender Stage: Toxic Bite' had been successfully transformed into 'Ascender Stage: Toxic Nail'!]

'Only 20,000 Body Essence was depleted?' Khal thought in his heart as he checked his status and ignoring his newly acquired Power Core he quickly shifted his massive frame and as he did with the first beast, he quickly gulped down the second one too!

"Urgh... This one had an even worse taste." Khal mumbled with a sour expression and slowly turned back into his human form, now his bracelet holding a small green pebble next to the rest.

After opening and closing his mouth in a repeated manner as to make the sour taste in his mouth vanish, Khal raised his head and was ready to speak when suddenly watched as all the creatures before him stood motionlessly, their gazes looking at him as if he was a ghost.

"What? Have you guys never seen a shapeshifting ability?" Khal frowned deeply, not understanding why everyone was so shocked and stupified.

According to his knowledge shapeshifting abilities were rather common and well-used in the Second Realm and even in the Higher Realms while there was even a race called Skin Stealers which were able to mimic anyone's appearance with their Legacy!

Yes, maybe his shapeshifting was sudden and his form was humungous, but it should not astound everyone to such extents, right? Right?

"Khal... you..." Senior Lin stared at Khal with widened eyes, trying to find words she wished to say but only failed in the end. And it was not only her but everyone else, including Darla and Astro. 

As for Senior Du and Vern, from their extremely pale complexions, one could easily guess what they were currently thinking and even see as they were thanking the gods in the heavens inside their heart that they didn't try to fight Khal previously.

Astro stared at the young boy in front of him with widened eyes before a shocked gasp left his mouth as he recalled what Khal said back on the first floor.

'It seems Lord Roice will be more than surprised once he hears the story I will tell him.' a small, almost imperceptible smile appeared on Astro's face before he clapped his hands together, snapping everyone out of their daze in a blink.

"Okay everyone, let's go. If we waste time here any longer even more beasts will appear."

Upon hearing Astro's words every creature came back to their senses and after giving one final glance at Khal which held a mixture of emotions such as fear, worry, curiosity, and respect, each of them turned around and began to follow Astro toward the pillar in the distance.

"Are you sure you are a human and not a monster?" once they began to walk again, Senior Lin walked closer to Khal, examining him from top to bottom several times to make sure he was not a beast in human skin.

Even Darla examined him from the other side with a similar gaze, but this time her previously cold gaze which was always there whenever she talked with him or looked at him was nowhere to be seen, only pure admiration and curiosity.

"I am a human so quit looking at me like I am not one," Khal said calmly as he looked at the Sect Master of the Moon Sect, and couldn't help but feel amused how she was acting like a little child who just found something interesting.

The group walked through the swamp while fighting and killing beasts one after another. However, during those battles Khal didn't do anything but watched everything from the rear, even looking somewhat bored. Naturally, every creature noticed how bored he was, but remembering what he did previously none of them dared to complain.

After killing three more beasts the group finally reached the pillar at the center of the swamp and ascended onto the fifth floor from where they proceeded on killing beasts they were crossing paths with.

Of course, the amount of time they needed to kill each beast and rest afterward became longer and longer the more beasts they met, but even then Khal did nothing but watched, only helping the group when they were on the verge of getting killed.

"L-Let's go back... We can't go on like this." Senior Du whose wrist was cleanly cut off and was full of wounds that showed his bones mumbled with an exhausted complexion, his eyes looking at Astro whose body was also full of injuries but was doing slightly better.

"The beasts are not only getting stronger but their numbers are also increasing the higher we go.. Going any further than this is literally suicide!" Vern nodded in agreement, holding his right shoulder with his left, obviously holding it in place as it was broken.