Chapter 30: Tempering Demonic Qi and Practicing the Art of Projection

At this moment, Mo Fan was bathed in a mysterious silver radiance—or rather, moonlight.

Glancing to the side, he noticed that Zhazha, the sparrow perched on his shoulder, was surrounded by thin, wispy threads of moonlight. The other small demons nearby, such as Dali, Laifu, and Red-Eye, were similarly affected.

Looking further ahead, the moonlight surrounding the demon lieutenant, Heizi, was much more intense. His entire body seemed submerged in the silver glow, making him look less like a demon and more like a figure of mystery and sanctity.

"Good grief, to think I’d see something so divine in a demon..."

Mo Fan shook his head and cast his gaze further into the distance. He realized that almost all the demons on the mountaintop were experiencing the same phenomenon. Some of the more powerful ones could even be seen drawing fine, flowing streams of moonlight into their nostrils and mouths.

The scene at the summit was even more startling. The three demon generals were practically glowing silver, their bodies thick with concentrated lunar energy. As for the Black Wind Mountain Demon King, he was even more formidable; a massive vortex had formed above his head, and a pillar of silver light descended from the heavens, completely enveloping him. This pillar was, in fact, pure lunar energy, made visible only by its overwhelming density.

Mo Fan watched with envy for a while before pulling himself together and beginning to absorb the moonlight drifting around him. As he breathed, tiny specks of silver light seeped into his nose and mouth. Soon, he sensed a special power forming within him—this was the power of the moon.

The moment the lunar energy entered his body, it intertwined with his internal spiritual energy without needing any conscious guidance. The two forces merged, gradually evolving into an entirely new energy. This power was more robust than spiritual energy and more volatile than pure lunar light. It left Mo Fan feeling refreshed and exhilarated, as if every pore on his skin had opened up; it felt like soaking in a spring on a scorching summer day or enjoying a sauna in the freezing depths of winter.

Mo Fan couldn't even find the words to describe the sensation, only that his mind felt remarkably clear. He looked within and discovered that this new energy was black, swirling in his dantian, with thin threads drifting toward his mind.

"Is this... demonic energy?"

"It may be black, but it feels incredible!"

Mo Fan thought to himself. Then, he noticed something unexpected. The wisps of demonic energy drifting into his mind were immediately drawn toward the gold coin, which became completely immersed in the dark aura, making it appear even more mysterious. Mo Fan had no idea if this was a good thing or a bad thing, so he could only watch helplessly.

***

When he realized that the demonic energy didn't seem to have any negative effect on the gold coin, he stopped worrying and focused on his breathing. He began actively guiding his spiritual energy to intertwine with the moonlight, accelerating the creation of demonic energy.

After a long night, Mo Fan was pleasantly surprised to find that all the spiritual energy in his body had converted into demonic energy. This energy then began to fuse with the newly absorbed moonlight, undergoing a second round of refinement. Once refined, the previously thin demonic energy became much denser.

He pushed himself to continue the refinement, noticing that this energy didn't just drift toward his mind; it also flowed into his arms, making them feel significantly more powerful. Mo Fan became completely lost in the process.

"The sun is about to rise! Everyone, wake up!"

He didn't know how much time had passed, but a thunderous roar from the summit jolted Mo Fan out of his ethereal state, abruptly ending his cultivation. He felt a surge of dissatisfaction, but when he opened his eyes, he saw that the moonlight had vanished.

He looked up to see the moon hiding behind the clouds. In the east, a patch of fiery red clouds appeared—a sign that the sun was about to emerge.

"Little ones, the cultivation assembly for today is over. Return to your caves!" The Black Wind Mountain Demon King stood up at the summit. After a few perfunctory remarks, he rode the clouds away, leaving all the small demons below filled with envy.

Once the King departed, the three demon generals left, followed by the demon lieutenants. Only the small demons remained, chatting and boasting as they made their way down the mountain.

"Hey! Laibao, don't be discouraged. It's like this for everyone's first time. It's perfectly normal not to sense the lunar energy," the sparrow Zhazha said, trying to comfort Mo Fan when he noticed his silence.

"Exactly! Why, even this little sparrow on your shoulder took a full two years to truly start his cultivation journey. No need to rush. After all, not every demon has the talent I do, being able to sense lunar energy in just a few months!" Laifu added with a grin. While he claimed to be comforting him, it was clearly just showing off.

"That’s enough, you damn bastards! Shut your mouths—do you still want to eat poached fish in the future?" Dali scolded them away. He leaned his massive head toward Mo Fan and said in a muffled voice, "Laibao, don't take it to heart. Even though those two don't say things nicely, it's the truth... don't let it bother you."

"Uh... I'm not bothered. I already refined demonic energy," Mo Fan blinked.

"Right, don't take it to heart..." Dali nodded, feeling relieved, but then he froze. He widened his eyes and stared at Mo Fan. "Wait, what did you just say?"

"I said, I've already refined demonic energy," Mo Fan replied honestly.

***

"Wh-what? You already refined demonic energy?!"

Dali’s eyes went wide, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. It wasn't just him; Laifu, Zhazha, and Red-Eye were all equally stunned.

Seeing their reaction, Mo Fan sighed helplessly. He opened his mouth and breathed out a wisp of demonic energy, guiding it with his own aura to circle around him before swallowing it back down. He hadn't wanted to reveal his ability to refine demonic energy so quickly, but he knew he couldn't hide it from the scorpion demon forever. It was better to be honest and perhaps earn some goodwill.

Mo Fan also discovered that he could easily control this demonic energy, though only within a limited range. For now, he could only make it circle his body within a distance of about a yard. Any further, and the energy would lose its connection to his aura and dissipate into the air.

Seeing that Mo Fan had truly refined demonic energy, the four small demons finally believed him.

"Tsk, tsk... I never would have guessed! Your cultivation speed is incredible, Laibao!"

"Seriously! This is the first time I've ever seen a demon sense the moon and refine demonic energy in just one night!"

"It's not just the first time I've seen it, it's the first time I've ever heard of it!"

The group of small demons exclaimed in amazement. Even Dali nodded repeatedly before laughing, "If you can keep up this blistering pace, Laibao, you might be a newly promoted lieutenant of Black Wind Mountain in less than twenty years!"

"You flatter me, brother. I'm just a toad demon; I don't have that kind of talent!" Mo Fan chuckled, though he thought to himself, *With the dragon loaches in the spring to help me, my progress will be leaps and bounds. Why would I need twenty years?!*

Compared to refining the energy, Mo Fan cared far more about the dragon loaches in the spring—they were the key to his future.

Thinking of this, he felt an urge to return and check on them. Before parting ways with the other demons, he asked Dali to teach him the "Body-Release Technique." It was a simple minor spell, and since he already possessed demonic energy, it was easy to learn. He mastered it in no time.

He was then struck by curiosity and asked why the King had woken everyone up. If they could absorb lunar energy, couldn't they also absorb the essence of the sun?

Dali gave him a very serious look and warned, "Demons cultivate the power of the moon. If you try to absorb the sun's essence, you'll be burned to death by the True Fire of the Sun. Never, ever attempt to breathe in the sunlight, or you won't even know how you died."