Chapter 437: The First Demon in the World
Deep within the ice cavern, the Snow Empress sat cross legged atop the icy platform, her expression serene. The ancient, unyielding cold that had always radiated from her body was now subtly changing as her demon energy grew stronger and her very genetic structure was altered.
This transformation was invisible and internal imperceptible unless observed closely.
At this moment, demon energy already accounted for about one percent of the total energy within her body. With this shift, her bloodline had also begun to change.
For soul beasts, soul power was inherently tied to bloodline.
The stronger a soul beast's bloodline, the faster it could absorb external energy and refine it into a higher quality soul power with unique attributes. These inherent traits came entirely from the bloodline itself.
Thus, altering soul power meant altering one's bloodline!
Under normal circumstances, for the Snow Empress to reach even one percent demon energy through regular cultivation, she would need at least one to two thousand years, perhaps even longer.
Ye Cheng's manipulation of the Flying Rainbow Sword Fragment didn't just suppress the activity of her soul power it also enhanced the growth of her fledgling demon energy. Without this intervention, even if her soul power did not resist, her demon energy would have never grown so quickly. Energy conversion required a process, and it wasn't something that could happen in an instant.
With Ye Cheng's assistance, the Snow Empress was achieving in mere moments what should have taken thousands, if not tens of thousands, of years. She was rapidly ascending beyond the limitations of her species!
Her demon energy continued to expand.
One percent… two percent… eight percent… seventeen percent… twenty eight percent… thirty six percent…
As the total demon energy within her body increased, the rate of conversion accelerated the more demon energy she had, the faster it could consume and transform her remaining soul power.
This transformation was most difficult at the beginning. The initial thread of demon energy had been so fragile, trying to survive amidst the vast ocean of her soul power. A single mistake could have wiped it out completely, forcing her to start from scratch.
And cultivating that first thread of demon energy had not been easy. If it were lost, she would not only suffer immense internal damage, but she would have to endure the pain of rebuilding it all over again.
In fact, if the Snow Empress had been a mere ten year old soul beast, rather than one with nearly seven hundred thousand years of cultivation, this transformation would have been far simpler due to her lower energy reserves.
Of course, the difficulty of converting soul power into demon energy wasn't just about quantity it was also determined by bloodline. The stronger the bloodline, the harder the transformation.
For example, if a Snow Maiden required a thousand years to fully convert, an Iceworm might need only one or two years.
As the strongest of the Snow Maidens, the Snow Empress's bloodline was extraordinarily high level. Transforming her race was an undertaking of unimaginable difficulty.
Thus, once her demon energy reached fifty percent, the process slowed dramatically.
The act of absorbing soul power and converting it into demon energy was merely the surface level transformation. The true difficulty lay in the fundamental restructuring of her species. The closer she got to completion, the harder the process became she was now touching the core of her genetic makeup.
This was no longer simple energy conversion this was a microscopic genetic modification.
Throughout this process, the Snow Empress wasn't just focusing on maintaining her energy balance she was constantly adjusting and harmonizing her own genetic structure. Every step was like walking on a tightrope. A single misstep could result in genetic collapse, leading to instant death.
…
Outside the Ice Cavern.
The Ice Empress watched nervously.
She couldn't see the intricate changes occurring at the genetic level, but she could sense them through the shifting aura emanating from the Snow Empress.
She knew that the Snow Empress was undergoing an earth shattering transformation one far more intricate than shattering and reconstructing one's bones.
If not for the detailed genetic modification process laid out in Demonic Cultivation, even the greatest scientists of the human world wouldn't have been able to comprehend what was happening.
…
Time passed.
Though the Snow Empress's exterior remained calm, inside, she had narrowly avoided genetic collapse multiple times.
This was the consequence of rushing the process. If she had taken the long road, the risks would have been much lower.
Thankfully, the Flying Rainbow Sword Fragment hovering above her had continuously released stabilizing energy, preventing her genes from collapsing and allowing the transformation to proceed.
…
Two more months passed.
At this point, the Snow Empress's demon energy had reached 99.9%.
She was just one step away from completing her transformation from soul beast to demon.
But this final step was also the most difficult.
It represented the last resistance of her original bloodline the final line of defense before complete transformation.
This was also the most dangerous moment.
If she lost control now, it wouldn't just mean starting over.
It could lead to total genetic collapse.
Or worse her genes could mutate, turning her into a monstrous abomination.
Even Ye Cheng grew cautious at this stage, personally guiding her through the final step to ensure absolute success.
…
Fortunately, fate smiled upon the Snow Empress.
Or rather, with Ye Cheng's intervention, failure was simply not an option.
With the power of the Abyssal Sovereign, Ye Cheng could resurrect the dead with ease and even create entire demonic lifeforms from nothing. Helping someone safely complete a racial transformation was child's play in comparison.
Finally, the last trace of soul power within her was completely consumed by demon energy.
"WOOOOM!!!"
At that moment, the Snow Empress's soul trembled, an indescribable sensation washing over her.
Deep within her body, bloodline, and genetic structure, an unfathomable wave of emotion erupted.
It was as if a cicada larva had broken free from its old shell.
She had finally spread her wings!
For the first time, the pressure of the heavens, the feeling of being constantly suppressed and hunted by the world itself, completely vanished.
The hostility of the world which had always sought to destroy her was gone.
In its place was acceptance.
The world, which had always been like a cruel stepmother, now felt like a gentle, loving mother, cradling her warmly.
The Snow Empress slowly opened her eyes.
Her once icy blue gaze, which had always carried a frosty chill, now radiated gentle warmth.
The intense cold aura that had always surrounded her had vanished or rather, it had been transformed into something deeper, more refined.
Her species remained the Ice and Snow Maiden.
But she was no longer a soul beast Ice and Snow Maiden.
She was now a demonic Ice and Snow Maiden!
A single word difference, but an unbridgeable chasm separated the two.
At this moment, the first demon in history
was born!
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