Volume 10, Chapter 648 – Gaining the Power of Assimilation

“You want me to assimilate you? But why? Don’t you know that assimilators are rejected by the Heavenly Dao? When the time comes, forget the Immortal Realm, even if you escape to the myriad worlds, you’ll still face endless pursuit and slaughter.”

The girl was visibly shocked. In the Immortal Realm, people avoided assimilation at all costs because, once tainted, they would be hunted endlessly by the Heavenly Dao’s enforcers.

“No comment. You fulfill my request, and you can leave immediately.”

Lu Yao shook her head as she spoke.

“All right, but I can only give you the power of assimilation. I can’t tell you how to use it!”

The girl agreed without hesitation. As one of the so-called “hounds”, she likely had no freedom in her life anyway.

“Why?”

Lu Yao’s expression darkened slightly.

“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but the method to use the assimilation power can only be passed down through the bloodline of the ‘Assimilation Heavenly Dao’. Only her direct descendants know how to wield it. I was merely assimilated by this power; I was never born with it, so naturally, I don’t know the method.”

The girl explained patiently, her longing for freedom evident in her voice.

Lu Yao fell silent, pondering her words for a moment before asking, “And why should I believe you? If you pretend not to know but secretly use ‘Advanced Assimilation’ while assimilating me, wouldn’t I be doomed forever?”

Qi Huang thought carefully and quickly understood. Advanced Assimilation could enslave one’s mind and spirit. If this girl secretly used it to bind Lu Yao, such a powerful malevolent entity, as her servant, it would elevate her status to unimaginable heights. That was an enormous temptation few could resist.

“I swear everything I’ve said is true. If you don’t believe me, I can’t help that.”

The girl sounded helpless.

Lu Yao’s frown deepened. She wasn’t a fool. How could she blindly trust an oath?

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Qi Huang grew worried as well. Accepting assimilation under these circumstances carried the risk of falling into a trap. But rejecting it would mean relying on sheer luck to find the “Assimilation Heavenly Dao’s” power elsewhere, wasting an enormous amount of time.

After a moment of thought, Lu Yao finally said, “Actually, even if we make this deal, with your current strength, you won’t survive long. After all, the Immortal Alliance’s leader has already ordered your death.”

“Hehe… What can I do? Living one more day is better than none.”

The girl gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“I don’t like owing anyone favors. If you give me the power of assimilation, I should at least offer you something in return.”

Lu Yao took the opportunity to speak.

“Something in return?”

The girl looked stunned but quickly grew curious, thinking that only a fool would refuse a free benefit. “Then what kind of reward are you offering me?”

“I can grant you strength equivalent to the Earth Immortal Realm. That way, you’ll have the power to protect yourself. The price is… you’ll become a zombie. Are you willing?”

Lu Yao asked in a negotiating tone.

“What? Strength at the Earth Immortal Realm?”

The girl gaped in disbelief, then quickly burst out, “Yes! Yes, of course! Becoming a zombie is far better than dying completely!”

A faint smile curved Lu Yao’s lips. In the next instant, her figure vanished, reappearing ghost-like beside the girl. Without warning, she leaned forward and sank her sharp fangs into the girl’s delicate neck, injecting heart’s-blood infused with corpse poison into her veins, the method to create zombie progeny.

“Ugh…”

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The girl trembled violently, grabbing onto Lu Yao and struggling frantically, shouting in panic, “What are you doing?!”

Lu Yao withdrew immediately, returning to her original spot.

“What… what did you just do to me?” the girl asked, clutching her neck, still shaken.

“You wanted power, didn’t you? I’m giving it to you.”

Lu Yao’s tone was flat.

The girl opened her mouth to reply but suddenly froze as an intense, tearing pain coursed through her entire body, as though thousands of blades were shredding her flesh. She collapsed, writhing on the ground, while thick waves of Yin energy began seeping out beneath her skin.

Before long, her struggles ceased. Her skin grew mottled with corpse spots, her nails elongated into sharp talons, and fangs emerged from the corners of her lips.

As the Yin energy nourished her, the corpse spots gradually shifted in color and then faded entirely. Finally, she opened her eyes, revealing a pair of crimson irises radiating resentment and ferocity.

“What… what happened to me?” she asked blankly. Upon seeing Lu Yao, she instinctively stood and bowed deeply. “Master!”

“Good. You’ve become a zombie now and possess strength comparable to the peak of the Earth Immortal Realm. Protecting yourself won’t be a problem. Living like this is still better than dying outright.”

Lu Yao explained calmly.

“Thank you, Master!”

The girl bowed respectfully.

“What’s your name?” Lu Yao asked.

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“Replying to Master, my name is An Xuan,” the girl answered obediently.

“Now tell me, are you truly certain you don’t know how to use this assimilation power?”

Lu Yao pressed her again, knowing that a zombie servant was absolutely loyal, and she could sense her thoughts as well.

“Yes, Master. I’ve already explained why I don’t know,” An Xuan said carefully.

Qi Huang sighed softly, slightly disappointed. It seemed they would still have to wait to uncover the method of using assimilation power.

“Fine. Then go ahead and assimilate me.”

Lu Yao finally gave her consent.

An Xuan nodded and stepped forward, grasping Lu Yao’s hand. “The first stage of assimilation is simple. I just need to inject enough Assimilation Qi into your body, and once your body has fully transformed, it will be complete. However, since this Assimilation Qi surpasses the Five Elements Spiritual Energy in rank, only cultivators at the Human Immortal Realm can sense it. For you, Master, that won’t be a problem.”

“I see.”

Qi Huang finally understood why she couldn’t sense assimilation power before, it was because her cultivation was insufficient.

“I’ve heard this assimilation power can conceal you from the Heavenly Dao, correct?” Lu Yao asked as she felt her body undergoing transformation.

“Yes, Master. Its effect is even stronger than Heaven-Deceiving Water. Heaven-Deceiving Water can only fool Celestials, but those assimilated by this power can evade the Heavenly Dao’s detection entirely. That’s one of the main reasons the Heavenly Dao refuses to tolerate us.”

An Xuan confirmed.

“So the Tianjizi was right… If I possess this power, I won’t need Heaven-Deceiving Water anymore,” Lu Yao murmured to herself.

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Before long, Lu Yao’s transformation was complete. Every inch of her flesh and blood underwent an earth-shaking change, faintly glowing with a soft pink radiance.

Focusing inward, she saw thin streams of pale pink energy flowing gently through her body. It neither merged with her Yin energy nor clashed against it, as though the two existed on separate planes. This was undoubtedly the Assimilation Qi she had longed for.

Lu Yao willed it to move, and the energy obediently flowed through her meridians under her control.

‘Success!’

A rare smile crossed Lu Yao’s face. Now that she could sense this power, she could finally search for more.

After basking in triumph for a moment, she turned to An Xuan and asked, “What do you plan to do from now on?”

“Master, may I stay by your side?” An Xuan asked timidly. She wasn’t foolish; following a powerful master like Lu Yao was far safer than wandering the cosmos alone.

“Of course. You’re my progeny now.”

Lu Yao agreed without hesitation.

From then on, master and servant roamed the vast expanse of the cosmos, searching for both ghost tomatoes and remnants of the “Assimilation Heavenly Dao’s” power. Since the fragments in the Immortal Realm had long been destroyed, they pinned their hopes on other worlds. However, since doors from higher realms couldn’t open into lower ones, they had to seek spatial rifts left behind by cultivators ascending from other worlds into the Immortal Realm. Unfortunately, such opportunities were exceedingly rare. After all, ascending to immortality was extraordinarily difficult no matter the world.

One day, while the two were traversing the boundless void, they suddenly discovered a region ahead littered with countless spatial rifts. So many they couldn’t possibly count them.

“This is amazing! Master, we’ve finally found spatial rifts!” An Xuan cried out, her excitement overflowing.

Lu Yao said nothing, immediately flying straight toward the rifts.

Soon, the pair reached them and peered inside. What they saw made their bodies tremble violently, even Lu Yao’s expression changed.