Zhang Chu carefully studied the two booklets.
*The Myriad Demons Register* was like a genealogical record for the Demon Race, documenting the origins of many demons, or even ordinary animals.
For example, it had a record of rabbit demons.
During the Honghuang Era, there was once a special rabbit named the Taiyin Jade Rabbit.
That rabbit had followed a powerful woman, a woman who had even presided over the legendary Moon Palace. It was the strongest progenitor of the rabbit lineage.
Nearly all rabbits possessed a trace of the Taiyin Jade Rabbit's bloodline.
Many other species could also be linked to certain terrifying beings from the Honghuang Era.
The Honghuang Era referred to the previous age, which was ten thousand years ago.
This current era was called the Chunqiu Era.
Zhang Chu felt that *The Myriad Demons Register* was probably useless to the small village.
But to the Demon Race, it seemed very important. The rabbit demon had kept it close, sealed in a pouch of golden thread, and it looked very precious.
There was another booklet called *The Great Demon Technique*. The name was ordinary, but inside were the secret cultivation methods of the Demon Race.
Zhang Chu took this technique very seriously; he had already studied it three times in the past few days.
Zhang Chu believed that the physical strength of the village's young men was already nearing its limit. If they wanted to get stronger, they would need to embark on the path of cultivation.
"I wonder if humans can practice a Demon Race technique. It's time to make a decision," Zhang Chu thought to himself.
That day, after taking another bowl of Yaoning Paste, Tong Qingshan went to find Zhang Chu.
"Sir, I feel like my physical strength has reached its limit. Taking more Yaoning Paste is no longer effective," Tong Qingshan said.
Zhang Chu nodded. "I understand. Gather everyone today. We're having a meeting."
Soon, everyone in the small village had gathered before the Old Jujube Tree.
This time, the Old Village Chief was very solemn. He took out some of his treasured monkey wine and offered it to the Old Jujube Tree.
Zhang Chu and the Old Village Chief sat in the center, with the villagers gathered around them.
The Old Village Chief then said, "Recently, both the hunting party and the children have undergone earth-shattering changes."
"It's all thanks to the wonderful Yaoning Paste Sir gave us!" someone hurriedly said.
"That's right, thank goodness for Sir!"
This wasn't flattery, but heartfelt gratitude.
The Old Village Chief nodded slightly. "But this matter must be kept secret. Whether it's the Yaoning Paste or the affair with those three Great Demons, you must take it to your graves. No matter who asks, you cannot say a word."
"Otherwise, outsiders might bring disaster upon us."
Just as the Old Village Chief finished speaking, a boy of fourteen or fifteen shouted, "What's there to be afraid of? If any bad guys come again, our Jujube Tree God can strike them dead with a single blow!"
A few other children nodded excitedly. After witnessing the Old Jujube Tree's power, many of them had come to see it as an invincible god and paid no mind to outsiders.
But the Old Village Chief shook his head. "We can't rely on the Jujube Tree God for everything. In the Yaoxu, Guardian Deities have rules they must follow." You are reading on novelping dot com, the official source.
"If outsiders try to kill us without harming the Guardian Deity, the Guardian Deity cannot intervene."
"The Jujube Tree God acted this time because those three female demons were arrogant and foolish enough to try and attack it. But if their sect comes seeking revenge, we'll be in trouble."
Hearing this, everyone suddenly felt a little panicked.
They also recalled that when the three female demons entered the village, the Jujube Tree God hadn't attacked them, even though their words had been quite offensive.
In other words, it was very likely that the Jujube Tree God truly wouldn't interfere in a conflict between villagers and demons.
At this moment, the Old Village Chief continued to lecture, "So, you must remember, these things cannot be spoken of outside. Otherwise, it will bring great disaster."
Everyone nodded hastily.
Next, the Old Village Chief looked at Zhang Chu and gave him a nod.
Zhang Chu then stood up and began to speak. "If we want to survive better in the Yaoxu, keeping secrets is ultimately a poor strategy. If we had the power to protect ourselves, would we even need to keep secrets?"
At that moment, everyone fell silent. They held their breath, their eyes wide with excitement.
This was because Zhang Chu's recent study of the booklets was no secret to the villagers.
They had long been whispering amongst themselves that Zhang Chu might teach them a cultivation technique.
To the villagers, cultivation techniques meant becoming gods or immortals, gaining even greater combat strength!
With such an opportunity, who wouldn't be moved?
Sure enough, Zhang Chu then said, "In fact, the booklet I have is indeed a cultivation technique, but it is a method for the Demon Race."
"The Demon Race is different from us humans. We can only draw inspiration from their cultivation methods, but whether we can actually practice them is hard to say."
At this, Tong Qingshan hurriedly said, "Whether it works or not, we'll practice it!"
The other villagers around him also nodded vigorously, their eyes filled with excitement.
Zhang Chu then began to impart the method. "According to this booklet, the first step for the Demon Race to cultivate is to form a Demon Core."
"A Demon Core is the same kind of thing as the pig treasures, ox treasures, or Tiger Treasures we've eaten before."
"Only after forming a Demon Core can one follow the methods in this booklet to carve the Demon Core and cultivate step by step."
Hearing this, the crowd was instantly confused.
"Sir, we're human. Can we form a Demon Core?"
"Yeah, Sir! Since it's a Demon Core, surely only demons or animals can form one, right?"
Zhang Chu shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure about that. But I think that demons, humans, and animals might not be so different. Perhaps all of us can form a Demon Core."
Tong Qingshan asked directly, "Sir, then how do we form a Demon Core?"
Zhang Chu explained, "According to the technique, whether or not one can form a Demon Core is entirely up to fate. There is no specific method."
"Many wild animals might form a Demon Core after accidentally eating some treasure, absorbing some spiritual energy from the world, or comprehending some mysterious law."
"But whether you can form one or not depends entirely on your own luck."
"There's no specific method?" Tong Qingshan frowned.
Zhang Chu nodded. "Indeed, there isn't one. For Demon Race sects, the threshold for accepting disciples is that they must have already formed a Demon Core."
It was recorded in *The Great Demon Technique* that only beings who naturally formed a Demon Core could embark on the path of cultivation.
Those who couldn't even form a Demon Core were destined to be food for other races, the lowest of all beings.
Generally speaking, only one in a hundred thousand living beings could form a Demon Core.
And the higher a predator was on the food chain, the more likely it was to form a core.
Some powerful races were even born with Demon Cores.
As for some weaker races, like rats or most insects, it might be difficult for even one in tens or hundreds of thousands to form a Demon Core.
Of course, none of this was relevant to the small village. What everyone needed to consider now was how to form a core.
At this point, Zhang Chu said, "Although we don't have a method to form a Demon Core, I think the general idea is simply to strengthen our bodies and consume more heavenly treasures."
"Once our physical strength reaches its peak, success will come naturally."
After Zhang Chu said this, Tong Qingshan immediately nodded. "That's right! If even stupid wild boars can form a Demon Core, we definitely can too!"
*Rumble!* Outside, another series of earth-shaking tremors began.
The people in the small village looked outside again, only to see streaks of light shooting into the sky and hear terrifying sounds, as if beings with great power were fighting.
Even the distant mountains trembled, and peaks exploded one after another, as if the apocalypse had arrived.
Giant boulders even flew through the air, hurtling toward the small village.
But at the critical moment, the Jujube Tree God glowed faintly, and a halo of light enveloped the small village. All the tremors and flying boulders were stopped by the halo.
Under the protection of the Jujube Tree God, the small village remained as tranquil as a paradise.
Just then, Little grapes said, "Wow, that old Daoist is so powerful! He's riding a golden-maned lion, and the lion has wings!"
"His opponent is powerful too! It's a big snake with feet and a white horn on its head."
However, the others couldn't see clearly.
Zhang Chu's heart pounded. If what Little grapes said was true, didn't that mean someone was fighting a Flood Dragon?
"Do not leave the village, no matter what. A great storm is coming..." the Old Village Chief said.
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