Just as the spikes were about to pierce Demon Pu's sea of consciousness, a sudden burst of Buddhist light erupted from his body. Immediately after, a smooth, round pearl rose from the back of his head.
The Buddhist light emanating from the pearl seemed to exert a powerful resistance against the air, effectively blocking the spikes and preventing them from advancing any further.
"Mid-grade Heavenly Tier Spirit Weapon, the Kalan Pearl!" Blood Demon exclaimed in shock. "You actually possess a Buddhist treasure!"
Demon Pu smiled confidently, his tone assured. "Without thorough preparation, how could I dare to betray you so easily? Your soul carries a trace of divine intent, something I would never dare to challenge. That's why I rely on this Kalan Pearl, specifically designed to defend against soul attacks. Although the Kalan Pearl is a Mid-grade Heavenly Tier Spirit Weapon, it can only hold out against that trace of divine intent for the duration of an incense stick's burning. But that's all the time I need to completely devour the power within your body. So, Blood Demon, it's your choice now. Will you flee while I'm immobilized, or will you stay and risk everything?"
Blood Demon's expression instantly turned grim. His heart was filled with rage and regret, making this one of the most emotionally turbulent days of his life.
First, he thought his plan had failed and that Gu Qingfeng had died, plunging him into despair. Then, Gu Qingfeng came to join him, lifting his spirits. But soon after, Gu Qingfeng's erratic behavior soured his mood again.
Just as he was about to seize the Devouring Demon Body, his spirits soared, only to crash again when Demon Pu betrayed him, leaving him in a dire situation.
If he were an ordinary person, his heart would have given out long ago.
Reason told Blood Demon that the situation was already decided. The best choice now was to flee. Otherwise, once Demon Pu completed his devouring and reached the peak of the Dragon Transformation Realm, he would be doomed.
But Blood Demon couldn't bear to give up. The hope of godhood was right before his eyes, and he couldn't bring himself to abandon it.
As Blood Demon hesitated, Gu Qingfeng suddenly erupted in curses. "Demon Pu! You bastard! Didn't you say you only had one Heavenly Tier Spirit Weapon? What's with this Kalan Pearl? You liar! No wonder you so readily gave me the Qiankun Ring—all the good stuff wasn't even in it!"
Demon Pu's confident smile stiffened once more. He realized that no matter how composed he tried to be, Gu Qingfeng always managed to shatter his composure. This man was utterly infuriating, his focus always on the most irrelevant things.
Was now really the time to be concerned about Heavenly Tier Spirit Weapons? Didn't Gu Qingfeng realize that once Demon Pu completed his devouring, both he and Blood Demon would be dead?
"Gu Qingfeng! Just you wait! Once I finish devouring him, I'll kill you first and take your Devouring Demon Body!" Demon Pu, forgetting all pretense of dignity, began to curse back.
"Come at me! If I so much as flinch, I'll call you dad!" Gu Qingfeng retorted without backing down.
At that moment, Blood Demon finally made his move. Transforming into a streak of light, he charged straight at Gu Qingfeng.
He had decided to flee, but not without first seizing Gu Qingfeng's body. The Devouring Demon Body was his ticket to making a comeback.
Demon Pu wasn't surprised by Blood Demon's actions. Instead, he sneered inwardly. What a greedy fool.
If Blood Demon had fled with just his soul, Demon Pu would have had a hard time catching him. But by choosing to possess Gu Qingfeng's body, Blood Demon had doomed himself. While Gu Qingfeng's body was strong, it was nothing in the eyes of someone at the Dragon Transformation Realm. Once bound to a physical form, Blood Demon's speed would be greatly reduced.
Blood Demon understood this, but he couldn't help himself. Having lost his own body, he couldn't bear to lose the Devouring Demon Body as well. The blow would be too great.
So, he had to possess it!
With a soul imbued with divine intent and the Devouring Demon Body, he could lie low for a few years and eventually return to his peak, seeking vengeance against Demon Pu.
Whoosh!
Blood Demon's soul entered Gu Qingfeng's sea of consciousness once more.
Inside the sea of consciousness, Gu Qingfeng smiled when he saw the towering, divine figure of Blood Demon appear before him.
Finally... finally... I can get beaten up!
Blood Demon glanced at Gu Qingfeng's soul, which was squeezed into a corner, and without wasting any words, he reached out with a massive hand, grabbed Gu Qingfeng, and tossed him into his mouth, beginning to digest his soul.
Ding!
The familiar sound of the system rang out, and Gu Qingfeng, now inside Blood Demon's stomach, felt tears welling up in his eyes.
Damn it!
Getting beaten up is so hard! Those two put on a whole act of deception, and my legs are sore from standing around. Finally, I'm getting what I wanted!
Host has been attacked by Blood Demon.
Soul Power +10000 +10000 +10000 +......
An immense surge of soul power flooded into Gu Qingfeng's soul, and he felt his soul strength skyrocketing at an astonishing rate.
His soul power, originally comparable to that of a peak innate master, began to climb rapidly. Peak master! Dragon Transformation Realm, first level, second level, third level...
Meanwhile, Blood Demon's expression changed drastically. He felt an infinite, overwhelming force dissolving his body.
"How can this be!? What is this power!? My soul... my soul is dissolving..."
Gu Qingfeng found Blood Demon's words oddly familiar, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. He was too absorbed in the exhilarating sensation of his soul growing stronger.
Dragon Transformation Realm, seventh level, eighth level, ninth level, peak... beyond peak!
Ding!
Host's soul has reached its limit. Congratulations, host has acquired the soul trait [Indestructible Before Gods].
With that, Blood Demon's soul completely dissipated, replaced by a towering, divine figure—Gu Qingfeng's soul.
Watching Blood Demon turn to ashes, Gu Qingfeng suddenly understood the true nature of the system.
The system was essentially a converter. Its sole ability was to grow stronger when attacked by demons and monsters. In essence, it converted the attacks of demons and monsters into the host's own power.
Blood Demon had attacked him with his soul, so all of Blood Demon's soul power had been absorbed by the system and transferred to Gu Qingfeng.
But what did "Indestructible Before Gods" mean?
His soul power had surpassed the Dragon Transformation Realm but hadn't reached the Divine Realm. Instead, he had gained the trait of being "Indestructible Before Gods."
Earlier, Demon Pu had mentioned that Blood Demon's soul carried a trace of divine intent. Was that trace related to this trait?
Never mind, no time to think about it now. He needed to process the inheritance information first.
Instantly, the knowledge of "Indestructible Before Gods" flooded his mind.
Gu Qingfeng quickly grasped its meaning. "Indestructible Before Gods" was a transitional state between the Dragon Transformation Realm and the Divine Realm, much like how the Grandmaster Realm was a transition between the Master Realm and the Dragon Transformation Realm.
"Indestructible Before Gods" meant exactly what it said—a soul that could face gods without being destroyed.
Because gods could not be directly observed. Those who looked upon gods would have their souls crumble. Only a soul with the trait of "Indestructible Before Gods" could remain unharmed.