Chapter 118: Advancement in the Path of Faith

After leaving Wang Shenyu, Salaso went on to seek other targets.

Wu You had originally thought it would look for people with intense emotional conflicts or tragic backgrounds—those who had suffered drastic changes in their families, or had been framed and lost everything, seeking revenge, or individuals with deeply twisted and dark psyches. These types of people, according to folklore and novels, were supposedly the easiest to tempt.

But Salaso did not seek out such individuals, and it wasn’t because they were hard to find.

In its own words, it wasn’t interested in finding madmen to perish alongside others.

Instead, it targeted those who appeared to have normal families and careers but were silently struggling with their own internal pressures—people facing severe midlife crises, for example.

These individuals maintained a facade of normalcy but were inwardly anxious and lacked a spiritual anchor.

Their common trait was a yearning for change, a desperate desire to break free from their existing physical and psychological constraints.

Some among them sought salvation on their own but made little progress.

When Salaso appeared, these carefully selected targets couldn’t resist temptation and chose to accept the “dark power” it offered.

Yet the greater reason behind their subsequent success in career and life wasn’t simply the so-called “devil’s gift.”

Salaso did indeed sharpen their minds and amplify their strength, but overcoming adversity and achieving success required more than just these enhancements.

It depended largely on breaking free from mental shackles, cultivating self-trust, and then benefiting from the added boost of “dark power.”

These were not hopeless cases to begin with; combined with newfound confidence and composure, even if they couldn’t immediately escape their troubles, significant improvement was inevitable.

A change in mindset alone could alter many things—especially when they truly gained “power,” whether spiritually or physically.

Over time, Wu You witnessed the growing number of “Devil’s Sect” followers.

Among these devotees, there were inevitably close friends or people deeply cared for, and if Salaso approved, it wouldn’t hesitate to appear and bestow power upon them.

As Salaso’s master, Wu You understood that these ritualistic power grants were not as harmful as myths suggested.

They did not extract souls; rather, they resembled a form of mutual benefit.

The only concern was that as the devil worship deepened, these people increasingly revered Salaso as a divine figure to believe in.

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At this moment, the primordial demon was in Kuaiji.

It had just stepped out of a shop selling incense, yellow paper, spirit money, funeral wreaths, and paper ingots for rituals.

Outside, a sign bluntly read “Superstition Supplies Store.”

Its crude honesty almost made Wu You, who had just switched to observation mode to take a look, nearly spit out his tea.

In the Kuaiji and Xiaoshan regions, many older generations who practiced Buddhism and Taoism actually called their faith “superstition,” a word they did not consider derogatory.

Inside was Salaso’s final target for this “faith hunt,” already subdued.

Stretching lazily, Salaso headed back toward Xugou Village.

In recent days, Wu You had occasionally entered observation mode to witness the myriad facets of human life through Salaso’s vision, exemplifying how reality could sometimes be even more absurd and melodramatic than television dramas.

When Salaso’s taxi reached the roadside near the mountains, it got out and headed deeper into the woods.

The system still rated it as ordinary high bronze level, but from observation mode, Wu You could feel Salaso’s body nearing a threshold of transformation.

The mountain’s natural canopy of trees stretched wider, and for Wu You and his alchemical lifeform, entering Shiniu Mountain was essentially entering a “safe zone.”

Salaso discarded its disguise and, in its tall and imposing demon form, flew deep into the mountains.

It began to emit tones from deep within its throat and started singing.

At the same time, the “followers” seemed to receive a call from their hearts through the song and began quietly humming the same tune.

In Salaso’s psychic perception, invisible strands of willpower emerged faintly from the nearby void and coiled around its body.

By the time the demon’s song ended, these imperceptible strands had wrapped fully around Salaso.

With a long, drawn inhalation, it drew all the strands into its mouth.

A surge of exhilaration and pleasure radiated through its body and mind—an intense sensation so powerful that Wu You forced himself to exit observation mode, fearing addiction.

Although he had never experienced addictive drugs or poisons, the intensity of this feeling far surpassed any artificial substance.

It was worth noting that, given Wu You and Salaso’s physical constitution, ordinary drugs or poisons would hardly affect them.

A guttural roar came from Salaso’s mouth, and the strong waves of consciousness signaled to Wu You that the critical moment had arrived.

He re-entered observation mode.

Salaso’s muscles and bones crackled, reminiscent of the internal growth phase when materials were first injected into an alchemical canvas.

An excitement lingered constantly in its body as it clenched its hand, feeling its strength steadily increase.

After several tens of seconds, the sounds from its body began to fade.

System notification: Alchemical lifeform rating upgraded.

Alchemical Lifeform: Primordial Demon, Name: Salaso

Talents: Extraordinary Strength, Seduction and Corruption, Power Bestowal, Shadow Sanctuary

Abilities: Rending, Flight, Taunt, Intimidation

Base Rating: High Bronze (Critical)

System Description: A supernatural lifeform on the verge of transcending mortality.

Upon hearing this, Wu You swiftly confined Salaso in the beast pen to avoid drawing excessive attention, although it was unlikely the demon would cause another catastrophic event akin to a tsunami.

Soon after, Wu You reappeared in Beast Mountain and then teleported to Tianyun Mountain in the Eastern Realm World.

He summoned: Primordial Demon Salaso.

As Salaso’s figure materialized, the system promptly displayed a notification:

Alert: Critical Exotic Beast, Primordial Demon Salaso, about to transcend mortality, initiating natural energy absorption and refinement.

Meanwhile, Wu You had already teleported back to his private residence from Beast Mountain.

The sky was calm—no thunder, no strong winds, no earthquakes, and certainly no tsunamis.

Just as Wu You pondered what kind of natural energy Salaso’s transformation would attract, Salaso opened its mouth and roared loudly.

“Wuh-huh… wuh-huh…”

A vast number of birds in the mountains took flight, converging toward Salaso’s location.

The flocks grew denser and denser, numbering in the tens of thousands, blanketing a large section of the sky.

Other animals in the forest also made noises—the sounds of terrestrial creatures moving about.

Confused, Wu You watched as the first birds to approach Salaso began to fall in groups.

Upon close observation, each bird exhibited a wave of mental fluctuation just before falling, as if losing something and then plummeting from the sky.

These birds were not dead; upon hitting the ground, they twitched and convulsed.

Yet eerily, not a single one cried out.

The terrestrial animals shared the same fate, with an even more immediate reaction.

After a burst of psychic disturbance, they collapsed onto the ground, their rising and falling bellies signaling they were still alive.

Wu You was utterly baffled in his study. What on earth was happening?