Transformation Diagram: Starting as a Skinny Dog-Chapter 399 - 263: Eighth Transformation Map

The somewhat sultry night kept the Prefecture Mansion bustling.

Li Tiansheng left the mansion with a grim expression, filled with resentment towards the Liang Mountain Contest Killing God:

"What kind of fools are in Liang Mountain? Such a simple task and they managed to make such a mess of it."

He simply couldn’t understand,

how a Seventh Realm expert could inexplicably encounter such a situation right when success was within reach.

"Could it be that the old man set up some protective measures in his precious son’s room, or that little guy has some prohibited item on him, making even Cheng Qingniu, the Seventh Realm Gang Control expert, fall victim?"

He speculated internally.

Thinking it was not impossible, since the old man cherished his youngest as if afraid he would melt if held in the mouth or break if held in the hand.

Leaving some protective measures on such a precious child wasn’t out of the question.

"Luckily, I acted promptly, or today’s act might have entangled me too."

Li Tiansheng breathed a small sigh of relief.

He headed back towards Hongwu Meeting.

Unaware that above him, Chen Ku, in the form of a tiny mustard-seed insect, was trailing him at a distance.

Having gained experience from his dealings with Cheng Qingniu,

Chen Ku now understood the terrifying power of Seventh Realm experts, realizing why they mark a significant watershed; just their Protective Gang Qi inside and out, impervious to swords and spears, resistant to water and fire, surpassed any worldly famous armors.

"This method of burrowing into others’ bodies only causes Seventh Realm experts unbearable pain but cannot claim their lives."

Chen Ku quietly summarized his experience.

Soon, he followed Li Tiansheng to Hongwu Meeting.

Inside Hongwu Meeting’s hall.

Purple Gold Elder, draped in a luxurious white robe, his body hunched weakly as if halfway to the grave, held a book. Noticing Li Tiansheng’s abnormal demeanor, he slowly turned, leisurely asking:

"What’s wrong?"

"The plan ran into issues. Cheng Qingniu not only failed to take the little one but seemed to be hexed, shouting and hollering in the Prefecture Mansion, ultimately chased down and cut by Bai Zhan. It was fortunate I reacted quickly, supplying a Heart Pushing Palm, or he’d nearly expose me." Even back at Hongwu Meeting, discussing the recent events left Li Tiansheng visibly with lingering fear.

"How could this happen?"

Purple Gold Elder’s drooping white eyebrows slightly rose, his brows knitting in low murmur:

"Does the Prefecture have such protective measures?"

"Father, enough. Liang Mountain’s bunch is totally unreliable, only making things worse, untrustworthy; I advise not engaging with them hereafter."

Li Tiansheng sighed and said:

"Tonight, the plan not only failed but also cost us fifty thousand pure gold for nothing."

Purple Gold Elder, upon hearing this,

pondered for a moment.

Finally, he sighed towards the heavens and said:

"You have a point; Black Martial Arts always involves such people, never put all your eggs in one basket. If Hongwu Meeting is to replace Qiu Dragon Martial Meeting, we must rely on ourselves."

"Father, what’s next?" Li Tiansheng asked.

"First, deliver that fifty thousand pure gold to your father. Since tonight you didn’t expose any trace, continue to leverage your father’s power, and we’ll proceed step by step from there."

Purple Gold Elder exhaled and said:

"I also need to rethink."

"That seems the only way."

Thus, Li Tiansheng arranged for the gold from the warehouse, and Chen Ku followed them into their inner treasury, distinguishing it from the Firewood Iron Shop’s vault.

In Hongwu Meeting’s inner treasury, boxes of gold and silver, weapons, pill porcelain bottles, all emitted strange waves of Demonic Qi.

There were many white sealing tapes.

Each of these white sealing tapes had eyes and full facial features.

Upon seeing intruders, they opened their mouths, revealing tongues.

Until the person carrying the box revealed a token with the character ’Permit,’ did the yellow paper sealing tape close its mouth.

"Hmm, these yellow paper sealing tapes are Sealing Tape Spirits!"

Chen Ku’s heart sank as he silently mused:

"Indeed, the inner treasury of a big city is different from the small workshops of Baojiao County, even the sealing tapes have come to life, serving as alarm systems."

Before arriving at Qiu Dragon Mansion, he had discussed with Jiang Shaoyou how besides Demons, many Spirit Monsters existed, such as stones, lanterns, candles coming to life, gaining life through odd encounters.

Recently, Chen Ku witnessed several others.

Especially the ’door locks’ at Hero King Realm’s Treasure Hall entrances, locks that had matured and gained spirit, recognizing owners and sounding alarms, akin to ’Artifact Spirits.’

Now, in Hongwu Meeting’s inner treasury, there were these similar ’anti-theft’ spirits.

Clearly,

This use of ’spiritual spirit monsters’ for household guarding seemed prevalent since Daji Dynasty and prior dynasties, a favorite choice for powerful families and forces to guard their treasures.

Chen Ku eyed the numerous sealing tape spirits inside the inner treasury.

He dared not approach rashly.

Otherwise, if these spirits started clamoring, sounding alarms, his size-changing abilities would be meaningless if trapped inside.

"Alas, Great Saint once thieved peaches and pills, renowned as the Three Realms’ greatest thief, unmatched in stealing; now, despite having similar transformations, I’m thwarted by some sealing tapes."

Chen Ku lamented his incomplete skillset, pondering:

"It seems the ’Forbidden Technique Finger’ from Destruction Tower is necessary; otherwise, even if infiltrating an enemy’s home, unable to crack prohibited locks and defenses, what’s the point?"

Swiftly,

His eyes turned to the dozen or so boxes being moved out.

"The vast treasure in the inner treasury, I dare not touch, but now they’ve carried out fifty thousand pure gold; outside, quick action might still seize it."

Consequently, Chen Ku stealthily followed these men through Hongwu Meeting’s side door.

Fifty thousand pure gold.

The escort wasn’t some ordinary person but a Sixth Realm expert tasked with transporting it to the Prefecture Mansion.

Under the night sky.

When several horse-drawn carriages left the Hongwu Meeting.

Reached the main street.

Chen Ku immediately began to employ a new technique, flying into the air without hesitation, and aimed a mental command at the expert responsible for escorting the pure gold, shouting in his heart, "Freeze."

With his current Sixth Realm physique, the divine soul he has nurtured can almost immobilize any expert of the Sixth Realm in an instant.

Thus,

In this very moment.

The Sixth Realm expert of the Hongwu Meeting, riding at the front, suddenly had a moment of mental disarray.

The accompanying coachmen all saw a flash before their eyes, seemingly feeling a burst of black smoke and electric light passing by...

Whoa~

Chen Ku’s Electric Light Divine Walk matched with the Black Smoke Beast’s speed, was so fast that within a breath or two, he swept away all the pure gold boxes on these carriages into the Hero King Realm.

Then, he glanced back towards the direction of the Hongwu Meeting with a slight smile:

"Purple Gold Elder, Li Tiansheng, these pieces of gold shall be a token of respect from you to me for now. Just wait, in no time I will personally take your dog heads."

The joint scheme of Hongwu Meeting and Liang Mountain against him was cunning to the extreme.

If it weren’t for his Transformation Diagram alerting him of ill intentions, once trapped, not only would his family perish, but he himself would be forced onto Liang Mountain as a bandit leader.

Whoosh~~

After sweeping away the pure gold boxes and disappearing from the street.

Those Hongwu Meeting subordinates dazed for a few seconds by Chen Ku’s spiritual means, including the Sixth Realm expert, all slowly regained their senses.

Soon, he heard a terrifying shout from behind:

"Master Zhang, something’s wrong, the boxes... All the pure gold boxes on the carriage are gone!"

The gold is extremely heavy, fifty thousand taels of pure gold, even divided into twenty boxes, each box weighs twenty-five thousand taels, amounting to about two thousand pounds.

The sudden absence of such weight, how could the coachmen not notice?

"What?"

...

When the news returned to the Hongwu Meeting.

Li Tiansheng couldn’t believe it, then flew into rage:

"You mean? Just in the blink of an eye on the main street, fifty thousand taels of pure gold vanished into thin air?!!"

Fifty thousand taels of pure gold, worth ten million taels of silver!

It’s equivalent to half a year’s revenue for the Hongwu Meeting.

And it disappeared like that?

The principal responsible for escorting the pure gold was also ashen-faced, despair showing in his eyes, for fifty thousand taels of pure gold, even ten deaths could not make up for such a loss.

"Fifty thousand taels of pure gold vanished into thin air? What kind of grand thief is this?"

Purple Gold Elder also came out upon hearing the news, incredulously saying:

"How could so many strange things happen tonight?"

"Godfather, let’s not talk about this now, what should we do? The fifty thousand taels of pure gold were promised to the old man, now stolen on the way, how do we explain to him?" Li Tiansheng frowned, "Should we report it truthfully? I’m afraid he wouldn’t believe it at all."

"Not believe? Isn’t the theft of fifty thousand taels of pure gold a major case?"

Purple Gold Elder responded in a deep voice:

"This money was meant for him, now he has to handle it. Such a major case, should it not be investigated by Lord Prefect himself?"

...

After taking away the pure gold, Chen Ku paid no attention to the situation at the Hongwu Meeting.

He merely returned to his home, shrunk himself, and entered the Hero King Realm, looking at the dozen boxes placed before the Mountain Lifting Hall.

A faint smile hung on his face, as he walked over.

At that moment, the dozens of sealing tape spirits on the boxes, as if their tails had been stepped on, let out a sharp scream:

"Catch the thief! Catch the thief! Catch the thief!"

Chen Ku reached out to tear the sealing tape,

Unexpectedly, these tapes opened wide and tried to bite him.

[Sealing tape spirits have harmful intentions towards the lord, kill them for a reward of First Realm Evil Qi]

Chen Ku didn’t pay attention to these little spirits, casually blew a few flames, burning away the tapes.

[Diagram Master killed forty sealing tape spirits, obtained forty strands of First Realm Evil Qi]

He felt a slight movement in his heart, "Although not very useful, it seems I’ve gained an option to become a ’sealing tape spirit.’"

With a casual wave, he opened all twenty boxes.

Instantly, radiant pure golden light shot forth from the boxes, upon closer inspection, inside were small reddish gold bars.

[Within three meters of the Diagram Master, there’s something meeting the Eighth Transformation Map cultivation conditions: two hundred thousand taels of pure gold]

[Sacrifice?]

"Sacrifice!"

Chen Ku watched the vast boxes of pure gold disappear right under his eyes.

Immediately, the Eighth Transformation Map in his mind expanded further.

[The Diagram Master currently satisfies the Eighth Transformation Map cultivation conditions 5/6]

[Still need one hundred thousand catties of Gold Silk Jade to complete the Eighth Transformation Map]

Chen Ku looked at the final condition.

"Gold Silk Jade, one hundred thousand catties..."

It’s a type of precious metal, an ore containing gold.

But Chen Ku glanced at the remaining three hundred thousand taels of pure gold, and couldn’t help but smile:

"With so much money, is there fear of not being able to buy it?"