Chapter 424: The Sacred Demon Body
Gray remembered the information surrounding the physique.
The Sacred Demon Body was not simply a powerful body.
It was a Divine Physique.
One of the rarest physiques in existence.
And what made it so terrifying?
It allowed its owner to cultivate two completely different energies at the same time.
Mana.
And Demonic Energy.
Normally, those two energies were natural enemies.
Mana was the energy used by humans, elves, beastfolk, and most other civilized races.
It was refined through the body’s mana circuits and gathered into the Mana Core, allowing a cultivator to strengthen their body, cast spells, and increase their overall power.
Demonic Energy was completely different.
It was an energy born from the Underworld, originating from demons, monsters, and certain forbidden cultivation methods.
While Mana was stable and orderly, Demonic Energy was wild, aggressive, and destructive.
Trying to cultivate both inside the same body was practically suicide.
’The moment Mana and Demonic Energy collide inside an ordinary body, the result is internal destruction.’
Gray’s expression became serious.
A normal cultivator had only one energy system.
Their body was built around it.
Their meridians, Mana Core, soul, and even their cultivation techniques were designed to circulate a single type of energy.
If someone tried to force Demonic Energy into their Mana Core, the two energies would immediately begin fighting.
The result could range from severe internal injuries to complete destruction of one’s cultivation.
And if the person was unlucky...
Death.
’That’s why nobody normally does it.’
But the Sacred Demon Body was different.
Its entire structure was designed around the coexistence of both energies.
The physique possessed two separate energy pathways within the body.
One was designed to circulate Mana.
The other was designed to circulate Demonic Energy.
Neither side would directly interfere with the other.
Instead, both energies would flow through separate channels before eventually reaching the deepest part of the body.
The Sacred Demon Core.
A special core unique to the Sacred Demon Body.
This core was the reason the physique was so terrifying.
It could refine both Mana and Demonic Energy simultaneously, allowing the cultivator to possess the advantages of two completely different cultivation systems.
’In other words...’
Gray’s lips slowly curled upward.
’Two cultivation paths at once.’
He almost laughed.
Most people spent their entire lives trying to perfect one cultivation path.
A swordsman focused on Sword Qi.
A mage focused on Mana.
A demon focused on Demonic Energy.
A body cultivator focused on strengthening their physical body.
Of course, there were a few cases like Gloria, who cultivated both body and mana.
But someone with the Sacred Demon Body?
They could cultivate two energies that practically nullify each other.
And the benefits did not stop there.
Mana could strengthen Demonic Energy.
Demonic Energy could strengthen Mana.
When cultivated properly, the two energies would gradually become more compatible with each other, allowing the cultivator to create a unique energy that possessed characteristics of both.
Sacred Demon Energy.
An energy far more powerful than ordinary Mana or Demonic Energy.
’And that’s only the beginning.’
Gray remembered one of the most frightening parts of the original story.
The Sacred Demon Body possessed an innate ability called Dual Refinement.
It allowed the owner to refine Mana and Demonic Energy at the same time.
While an ordinary cultivator needed to spend hours circulating their energy through their meridians, someone with the Sacred Demon Body could cultivate both energies together.
Their cultivation speed was already ridiculous.
But the real advantage came during battle.
A normal mage could eventually run out of Mana.
A demon could eventually exhaust their Demonic Energy.
But a Sacred Demon Body cultivator had two separate energy reserves.
If one side became exhausted, the other could continue fighting.
’Basically...’
Gray scratched his chin.
’It’s like having two fuel tanks.’
He paused.
’Except both tanks can also be used to refill each other.’
A small smile appeared on his face.
This was precisely why the Sacred Demon Body was considered one of the strongest Divine Physiques in the entire novel.
It wasn’t because the physique instantly made someone invincible.
It was because the potential was absurd.
The longer the owner cultivated, the more terrifying the difference became.
At the beginning, the advantage was small.
A little more energy.
A stronger body.
Better recovery.
Higher resistance.
But as the cultivation realm increased, the gap became wider and wider.
By the Monarch Realm, the difference was already monstrous.
And once the owner reached the higher realms...
The Sacred Demon Body became something completely unreasonable.
’There was a reason even the Ancient Gods fought over this physique.’
Gray’s eyes narrowed.
The Sacred Demon Body had appeared only a handful of times throughout recorded history.
Every single person who possessed it had become a terrifying existence.
Some became Demon Emperors.
Some became Saint Kings.
And one of them had even challenged the Heavenly Emperor himself.
’Of course...’
Gray sighed inwardly.
’Getting the physique isn’t exactly easy.’
There was a reason he had never tried obtaining it until now.
The Sacred Demon Body wasn’t something a person could simply awaken through normal cultivation.
It required a special inheritance.
A Divine Bloodline.
A Sacred Demon Core.
And most importantly...
A body capable of surviving the transformation.
If an ordinary human tried to forcefully acquire the physique without proper preparation, their body would collapse.
Their meridians would be torn apart.
Their Mana Core would shatter.
Their soul would be consumed.
And their body would eventually become nothing more than a pile of ashes.
’But I have something they didn’t.’
Gray’s eyes slowly brightened.
[Nullification].
His Unique Talent.
The ability to reject and erase foreign powers.
More importantly...
His body had already been transformed by the various powers he had obtained.
His physical foundation was no longer ordinary.
His cultivation was no longer ordinary.
And his soul...
Gray’s smile became wider.
’If I combine the Sacred Demon Body with Nullification...’
A sudden shiver ran down his spine.
Gray’s eyes widened slightly.
"...Fuck."
He stopped walking for a moment.
The thought had finally reached its natural conclusion.
He had been thinking about the Sacred Demon Body as if it were simply another powerful physique, something that would give him access to Demonic Energy and allow him to cultivate both systems at once.
But then he remembered what his Nullification actually did.
It didn’t simply block attacks.
It rejected foreign powers.
It erased effects.
It destroyed energies that entered his body without his permission.
And if the Sacred Demon Body gave him complete control over two completely different energy systems...
Then Nullification would remove one of the greatest weaknesses such a physique possessed.
’Wait...’
Gray’s breathing became slightly heavier.
’If I use Demonic Energy to strengthen my Mana...’
’And then use Mana to strengthen my Demonic Energy...’
’While Nullification prevents either energy from harming my body...’
His fingers slowly curled.
A chill ran through his entire body.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Gray’s pupils trembled.
For the first time in a long while, he felt something close to genuine excitement.
’This isn’t simply two cultivation paths.’
His smile slowly widened.
’This is two cultivation paths feeding into each other... while I possess a talent specifically designed to erase the weaknesses between them.’
The more he thought about it, the more frightening the result became.
Mana had incredible versatility.
Spells.
Barriers.
Healing.
Elemental manipulation.
Movement techniques.
Weapon enhancement.
Demonic Energy had completely different strengths.
Raw destructive force.
Physical enhancement.
Regeneration.
Soul attacks.
Corruption.
Blood techniques.
Forbidden arts.
And if both were cultivated together...
Gray swallowed.
’What happens when someone has access to all of that at the same time?’
He suddenly felt another shiver.
’What happens when that person reaches the Saint Realm?’
His smile disappeared.
’The Divine Realm?’
His eyes became increasingly serious.
’The Upper Planes?’
For a moment, Gray imagined himself standing among the strongest beings of the Upper Planes.
Ancient Saints.
Divine Kings.
True Gods.
Existences who had cultivated for thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of years.
Normally, Gray would need an absurd amount of time to catch up to monsters like them.
But the Sacred Demon Body changed the equation entirely.
And Nullification changed it even further.
’If my assumptions are correct...’
Gray’s lips slowly curled upward.
’Then even in the Upper Planes, this combination would still be considered a monstrous cheat.’
His body trembled slightly.
"Ah..."
A quiet laugh escaped his mouth.
"Fuck..."
He whispered.
"I’m starting to look forward to this."
Just then...
[We arrived, Gray.]
Jasmine’s voice suddenly echoed beside him.
Gray blinked.
"Hm?"
His thoughts instantly returned to the present.
He looked forward, and his expression changed.
In front of him stood a beautiful, dark-colored silhouette.
A massive portal hovered in the air, surrounded by black mist that slowly twisted around its edges.
At the center of the portal was a huge crimson energy core.
Thump.
Thump.
THUMP.
The crimson core pulsed like a gigantic beating heart.
Every pulse released a wave of Demonic Energy that made the surrounding air tremble.
Gray stared at it for several seconds.
"So this is it... The official portal to the Underworld."
Gray’s gaze moved around the surroundings.
They were standing deep beneath the Imperial Palace.
Far below the grand banquet halls, beneath layers upon layers of stone and ancient formations, there was an enormous underground chamber.
Nobody would have guessed something like this existed beneath the palace.
Especially not the current Emperor.
Well...
Perhaps someone knew.
Gray’s eyes narrowed.
’The Church.’
Traitors.
He remembered the original story.
The Church had always presented itself as the greatest enemy of demons.
Holy warriors.
Priests.
Paladins.
Saintesses.
People who claimed to fight against the darkness and protect humanity from the creatures of the Underworld.
Yet behind the scenes...
The Church had its own secrets.
Some of its higher-ranking members had secretly worshipped demons.
Some had even made deals with Underworld factions.
And this portal?
It was one of those secrets.
’The Church knew about this place.’
Gray looked at the crimson core.
’They knew there was an official passage directly into the Underworld beneath the Imperial Palace, yet they never told the Emperor.’
There was a reason.
The portal would eventually become one of the most important pieces of the entire Underworld invasion.
In the original story, the demons would use this exact portal to launch their attack against the Empire.
The Emperor would be caught completely off guard.
The Imperial Palace would become one of the first major battlefields.
And after the demons successfully entered through this portal...
The location would become a closely guarded secret.
Nobody outside a handful of people would know where the portal was.
But Gray knew.
Because he had read the story.
’Well...’
He smiled.
’Knowing the future has its advantages.’
Three weeks had already passed since the royal banquet.
During those three weeks, he had already said his goodbyes to the people he considered important.
He had handled everything he needed to handle.
There was nothing left tying him to this place.
Gray took one final look at the crimson portal.
The dark mist surrounding it slowly twisted.
Hummmmmm...
A deep vibration spread through the chamber.
Demonic Energy.
Pure, concentrated Demonic Energy.
Even standing several meters away from the portal, Gray could feel the energy pressing against his skin.
Instead of feeling uncomfortable...
He felt excited.