Cultivation Through Artifacts

After the voice appeared in Khal's head, the Beast Essence inside his body moved, and started to flow toward his heart.

When that happened, Khal looked quite confused and even tried to stop it, but found out that shockingly he was unable to do so.

It was like some kind of strange power engulfed his body locking him in one place, while the Beast Essence inside him flowed toward his heart like a raging river.

"Well, if I can't control it, then let's watch what will happen." thought Khal and waited patiently to see what will occur.

Inside his body, through the tiny vein-like channels that created a complex and vast web-like system, the Beast Essence finally arrived at Khal's heart and started to swirl around it.

"Let's see wh-, argh!"

*BA-THUMP!*

Like stabbing a sharp iron sword right into his chest, Khal felt himself almost fainting just from the sudden pain in his chest.

"The... Hell is happening with me?" thought Khal with clenched teeth as huge drops of sweat started to flow down his face.

Right now, he felt like his whole being had been thrown and closed into a coffin full of hair-thin, but razor-sharp spikes. His skin, muscles, and bones, every part of his whole body felt indescribable pain.

Yet, alongside this unbearable and almost bone-breaking pain, Khal felt a strange, but somewhat pleasant feeling too.

It felt like while his body underwent hell-like torture, his soul did the exact opposite, experienced heavenly bliss.

The two sensations swirling together inside him felt just as nice as terrible.

While suffering from these mixed sensations, Khal was able to detect as the yellowish Essence entered his heart and slowly, turned into a dim blue color.

"That... is Body Essence?" guessed Khal with surprise as he watched the Beast Essence inside his body transform into Body Essence.

"So this 'Transformation' process is all about this? Transforming Beast Essence into Body Essence?" thought Khal with confusion, trying to guess the reason behind all of this.

However, Logan's face didn't show confusion nor surprise. No, his expression was way beyond those emotions, and he currently looked like some kind of idiot.

He was always smiling or acting calm, but this time, he looked completely stupified.

Right now, he was looking at something that not even those on the Final Cultivation Stage were able to do. Something that was as dangerous as playing with Russian roulette!

"Essence Transfiguration!"

Essence Transfiguration was an extremely powerful Secret Art that only a very minimal amount of cultivators could perform.

Its concept was to transform one's Essence from the body into Beast Essence and by that, cultivate one's Talent.

But because the Secret Art needed one's blood to make the skill work properly, one needed to prepare to lose one life. That was why even the strongest experts in the First Realm didn't dare to try this kind of Secret Art, no matter what.

Nothing was as precious as one's life!

Yet, right before Logan, a cultivator who wasn't even on the Second Cultivation Stage performed such a dangerous Secret Art, and what's more, he used it in an entirely opposite way!

He used the skill to transform the Beast Essence inside his body into his very own Essence, which was never heard of before! This was shocking and frightening at the same time!

"Just what is he trying to do?" thought Logan suddenly, but this time shock was no longer on his face, but sheer seriousness.

Knowing what consequences there could be if Khal fails to transform the Beast Essence, made Logan to feel a bit anxious. That's why, if he noticed anything out of the ordinary, he will act instantly, doing everything in his power to save his disciple's life.

However, what Logan didn't know that Khal was neither using any kind of Secret Art nor could the process be halted.

Because the process was done entirely by the bracelet, until one does not take the armlet off from his wrist or cuts his hand off, then the process won't be stopped no matter what.

Khal knew this too, because he has tried to stop the technique several times, but it was like the bracelet didn't want to listen to him at all. It just continued to pump the Beast Essence into his heart, transforming it into Body Essence while causing him to experience hell and heaven from time to time.

But strangely, except that, Khal felt nothing. He didn't feel like his life would be in danger, which was quite confusing. Instead, he felt like if he could endure the pain even a bit more, the prize he would get will be well worth it. As for from where did he get such a feeling, he didn't have a clue at all.

Time ticked by slowly, and while Logan was on the side ready to act at any given moment, suddenly a strange aura erupted out of Khal's body.

*Bam!*

Logan on the side seeing this wanted to act, but before he had the chance, Khal opened his eyes.

['Transformation' successful!]

[Your 'Body Essence' has grown from 100 units to 150 units!]

Instantly as that sounded in his head, the pain all over Khal's body vanished and what appeared was indefinite comfort. Even his hunger has vanished like it didn't even exist in the first place which was quite surprising.

"So the Transformation process can convert Beast Essence into Body Essence. I'm curious if it can do the opposite?"

And just like it waited for this question, the voice appeared in his head instantly and replied.

[Notify! Do you want to transform 50 'Body Essence' into 'Beast Essence'?]

"Huh? How much Beast Essence does that mean?"

[Notify! 50 units of 'Body Essence' can be transformed into 5 units of 'Beast Essence'!]

"Damn! Can't I just convert all of my Essence into Beast Essence then? Naturally, I would leave some to avoid Exhaustion." asked Khal curiously, waiting for a reply.

[Notify! 100 units of 'Body Essence' must remain if 'Owner' desires to use 'Transformation'!]

"I see... Then I guess I don't want to. I still don't know what's the real use of obtaining more Body Essence could be." said Khal and closed his eyes once again.

"Instead, let's proceed on with my cultivation." thought Khal and instantly, the second closest Beast Essence to him moved.

But luckily, when this time the yellowish substance melted into his body, the Transformation process didn't occur, but simply flowed into his bracelet without any further ado.

After a small while later, when all the amount of Beast Essence vanished into the Power Core, a well-known sentence popped up in his head.

[Notify! 'Power Core' Heaven's Eyes has consumed 3 Beast Essence!]

"3? It seems my luck today isn't that bad." thought Khal with a grin and proceeded onto the next Beast Essence.

Because he knew that the amount of Essence he could get from First Stage Beasts was 5, 3 on his first attempt could be said was quite good.

"Next one!" thought Khal excitedly, knowing that reaching the Second Cultivation Stage with the amount of Beast Essence around him was only a matter of time.

Logan on the side seeing as everything turned back to normal sighed deeply, and sat down.

"Now then, the only thing I need to do is wait and see if he will be able to surpass his current Stage." said Logan with a slight smile while around his palm, a gentle blacklight vanished away slowly.

Time passed by in silence once again, and close to an hour later that felt a single second for Khal, he finally opened his eyes and stood up.

Deactivating his Talent, Khal moved his arms and legs around and smiled happily with a huge grin.

[Notify! 'Power Core' Heaven's Eye has reached the Second Cultivation Stage!]

"Ahhh... What a great feeling! I successfully broke into the Second Cultivation Stage!" said Khal and glanced to the side.

There, what he could see was Logan's sleeping figure, with drool slowly flowing out of the corner of his mouth.

"This guy..." thought Khal helplessly, but just as he took a step forward his whole body froze up.

Like shoving him right into freezing water, cold sweat covered Khal's whole body in an instant.

Right at that moment, for some reason, he felt like if he moved even an inch forward, he will die no matter what he would try.

"..."

Glancing at Logan before him who was still sleeping on the ground as soundlessly as a newborn baby, Khal wanted to ask for help but feared to speak.

"Just what is happening?" thought Khal as a chill ran down his spine, and decided to activate his Talent to scan his proximity.

However, even before he could have had the chance, a flash appeared from the shadows, targeting his head from the side with insane speed.

"!"

"Need to defend!"

Because the attack was way too fast for him to dodge, the only thing Khal could do was to raise his weapon in the form of a fan, and hope it was durable enough to deflect the attack.

But who would have thought that the moment the assault got into contact with his weapon, it cut it apart like hot knife tofu, and continued his approach toward his neck without any sign of stopping.

"I am dead!" was the only thing Khal could think of, when suddenly a voice sounded in his head.

[Notify! Vessel shattered! 'Ember Core' has been detected!]

[Utilizing 'Magnetism'!]

*BOOM!*

Like bullet fired from a gun inches away from his face, a shining pebble burst out from the weapon's debris and with a black flash, exploded into Khal's forehead.

"!"

The impact was so great, that Khal's head exploded backward unwittingly, exposing his bare neck to his enemy's assault completely.

However, Khal couldn't care about it even in the slightest, because suddenly a freezing sensation swept through his whole body, while a foreign sentence appeared in his head.

[Notify! 'Ember Core' Devil Fangs obtained!]