I Pick Up Talents on the Interstellar Battlefield

Chapter 393: Chapter 346: Demon Energy Body Refining, Demon Butcher_2

The demonic energy outside the cave continued to flow in, forming a visible black vortex that enveloped him entirely.

Blaze hovered by the side, a look of intense astonishment flashing in his golden pupils. He found it increasingly difficult to understand this human, Qin Tian, clearly only had the strength of Tier Five—far weaker than his previous users—but the abilities and strategies Qin Tian displayed were beyond imagination.

Strengthened weaponry, space teleportation, healing green light, ever-changing techniques; even more shocking was that this human could actually absorb demonic energy.

“Truly a strange human.”

Blaze muttered to himself, then retreated into the bracelet.

It was unclear how much time had passed.

“Roar——”

Qin Tian let out an involuntary low growl, not intentionally mimicking a Flame Demon, but as an effortless release when the energy within him brimmed to the extreme. The sound wave caused the cave to shake, and the golden turtle patterns on his skin finally ceased to spread, retracting inward and eventually hiding beneath his scales.

Qin Tian opened his eyes, black energy swirling in his eyes, but it soon receded.

“Not bad, my physique has grown stronger once again.”

Qin Tian nodded in satisfaction, the effect of the first session of Demon Energy Body Refining had been the best. Even his formidable physique was significantly enhanced after the process.

Additionally, as the number of golden turtle patterns increased, the Reflective Damage effect would also improve. After the recent tempering, the Reflective Damage value on the system panel had increased from 35% to 40%, and the temporary defense boost had risen from 60% to 70%, making the effect quite remarkable.

The first round of body refining came to a temporary conclusion, and Qin Tian slowly retracted his aura. The black vortex of demonic energy surrounding him dispersed like a receding tide, and the golden turtle patterns barely visible on his body retracted beneath the scales, leaving only the crimson scales glinting coldly in the firelight.

He did not continue absorbing demonic energy; refining the body was a gradual process, akin to repeatedly tempering steel, and being overly eager would backfire.

Since this Demon Source was here, he could return anytime. What was more important now was to understand the full scope of Flame Mountain and find a way to completely destroy the Demon Source.

Qin Tian stepped out of the cave, his crimson feet quietly treading on the scorching rocky ground.

He continued to explore deeper along the winding mountain paths, where Tier Six demons were sprawled along the way—some crouched by magma pools, gulping down black demonic energy, surrounded by heat waves that almost ignited the air; others curled in the shadows of rocky cliffs, their scales exuding a malicious aura.

As he passed, these high-tier demons simultaneously opened their eyes, scarlet or ghostly blue pupils uniformly locking onto him, their fierce gazes like tangible blade edges, and several hidden aura strands coiled around him like venomous snakes, with an unabashed warning—this was their domain and not to be trespassed.

Qin Tian’s gaze swept past them, landing on the tumultuous black fog at the very center of the Demon Source, where the demonic energy was so dense it nearly solidified, imbuing an intense sense of pressure.

He did not linger, nor did he release his aura to confront them, merely discreetly changing his direction, and slowly exited this core area densely inhabited by high-tier demons.

If the interior of Flame Mountain was a sanctuary for the cultivation of high-tier demons, then its periphery was indisputably a bloody battleground.

Low-level demons tore and slaughtered among the magma and craggy terrain, the crisp sound of claws tearing flesh and the muffled noise of cracking bones echoed continuously. For the sake of claiming a crevice with slightly denser demonic energy, two Tier Three Flame Demons were biting each other with fangs, their boiling blood splattering on the ground, instantly turning to white mist; not far away, a Tier Four Fire Salamander was whipping its tail at a group of Little Flame Demons, driving them into more perilous areas to assert its territory.

All demons were fighting for survival, battling for richer demonic energy, and baring their fangs to gather more followers.

This mountain range shrouded in flame and demonic energy obeyed the most primal law of the jungle from inside out—survival of the fittest, the victor becomes the king.

Among them was Qin Tian transformed as a Flame Demon, his crimson scales inconspicuous in the firelight.

He mimicked the posture of high-tier demons as he advanced slowly, simultaneously extending his spiritual sense to its maximum, imprinting the terrain, demon distribution, and the demonic energy nodes hidden in the cracks and caves along the way in his mind.

“An excellent hunting ground indeed.”

A sudden fierce red gleam appeared in Qin Tian’s Flame Demon-transformed eyes. The outer ring of Flame Mountain was teeming with demons, and fighting each other was just commonplace; even if thousands were slaughtered, it would only be seen as a result of territorial disputes, without raising any suspicions.

Moreover, the demon density here far exceeded that outside the defense line, which could significantly enhance his killing efficiency.

“If that’s the case, then let’s kill to our heart’s content.”

Qin Tian slowly turned his head, sweeping his spiritual sense radar-like around the vicinity, instantly locking onto a group of demons in the northwest.

It was a black stone terrace encircled by magma, with a crack a yard wide in its center, where pure demonic energy surged like a fountain, condensing into a black mist in mid-air.

Hundreds of demons stood around the fissure, greedily inhaling the diffusing demonic energy.

In the very center of the obsidian platform stood a nearly four-meter-tall Tier Five Flame Demon, sitting cross-legged with closed eyes. Its scales had turned a dark golden hue, each trembling slightly under the wash of demonic energy, occasionally ejecting fine sparks from the gaps between scales.

Its aura rose and fell like a tide, sometimes as violent as a volcanic eruption, and at other times as restrained as a deep pool, seemingly striving to break through the Tier Six barrier, while the surrounding demons remained cautious, fearing to make any disturbance.

Qin Tian transformed into a crimson shadow, stepping onto the black stone terrace in just a few strides. The boiling magma surged at his feet, and the splattered sparks bounced off his scales instantly.

“Roar——!”

The Tier Five Flame Demon abruptly opened its eyes, its golden vertical pupils fixed fiercely on the intruder, and a deafening roar erupted from its throat. It could clearly sense the dangerous aura from the opponent, though in the same Flame Demon form, yet more ferocious than itself.

The Flame Demon raised its bone-spurred arm, pointing to the edge of the terrace, obviously warning Qin Tian to leave its territory.

The Flame Demon that was Qin Tian transformed suddenly grinned, revealing two rows of sharp fangs, a cruel curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.

The next second, he raised his hand, and black flames in his palm burst forth in an instant!

“Boom——!”

Pure Soul Devouring Flames swept across like a black tsunami, burning the air so intensely it crackled. The low-level demons didn’t even have time to scream before being engulfed by the black flames.

Their proud Flame Resistance was futile against the Soul Devouring Flames—this fire incinerated souls, its dark flames penetrating through their orifices, instantly igniting their soul essence.

“Zzz—!”

A Tier Three Lava Hound rolled frantically within the black flames, but its body rapidly shriveled at a pace visible to the naked eye, ultimately turning into a flickering soul flame, absorbed by the black flames in Qin Tian’s palm.

A Tier Four Red Flame Demon Soldier swung its bone blade at the flames, only to have the black flames spread over its entire body through the weapon, its soul emitting silent wails of torment as its form collapsed, swiftly disintegrating into ashes within the fire.

Terror flashed in the eyes of the Tier Five Flame Demon, which spewed out a mass of crimson demonic flame in an attempt to ward off the black flames.

However, at the moment the two flames collided, the crimson demonic flame melted away like ice under the sun, while the Soul Devouring Flames clung to its body like a ravenous parasite.

“Roar——!!”

The Tier Five Flame Demon let out a horrific scream, its dark golden scales flaking off bit by bit in the black flames, the soul-searing pain made it thrash wildly, yet it could only watch helplessly as its consciousness gradually faded into darkness.

Within merely two minutes, the hundreds of demons on the black stone terrace had all become soulless husks, which then, along with their corporeal forms, were consumed entirely within the Soul Devouring Flames, leaving behind only a ground covered in faintly shimmering ashes.

Qin Tian raised his hand, retracting the black flames, the fire in his palm licking at his fingertips, seemingly savoring the taste of souls. He glanced at the demonic energy fissure, feeling the rapidly soaring Evolution Points on the system panel, the smile on his lips deepening.