A scroll slowly unfurled in Chen Ku's mind.
It made him stand before this scroll, as insignificant as a grain of rice.
On the scroll, myriad images of various things flickered faintly—animals, plants, lightning, flint sparks, as well as humans, utensils, water…
Encompassing all things.
This is…
Chen Ku's spirit seemed to be consumed by this grand scroll, completely mesmerized.
[Transformation Diagram]
[Draw Evil Qi from the world, transform myriad things]
[What is Evil Qi? That which is detrimental to the master is called Evil Qi. Suppress it, eliminate it, and it can be harnessed for one's own use, transforming endlessly.]
[First Transformation Chart slot activation condition: one strand of Evil Qi, one hundred Copper Coins]
…
[The Diagram Master today encountered a white-haired Skinny Dog intending harm to the master, already bearing Evil Qi. Fortunately, the Diagram Master struck it down with a sickle blade, capturing one strand of white-haired Skinny Dog Evil Qi.]
[Would you like to use one hundred Copper Coins and one strand of white-haired Skinny Dog Evil Qi to awaken the first transformation type in the Transformation Diagram?]
(Note: Once the First Transformation Chart is awakened, the First Transformation is permanently awakened.)
(Note: A Transformation Diagram can only be imbued with the attributes of one transformation type.)
(Note: The transformation type in the diagram can be changed with subsequent types of Evil Qi, replacing the attributes. However, the previously imbued attributes will be removed unless additional slots are opened. This allows the attributes of multiple transformation types to be stacked.)
Chen Ku was stunned for a long while.
Then he slowly processed the information.
A Transformation Diagram?
Could it really be related to the True Lord?
But…
Why does the setup of this Transformation Diagram resemble an inventory system so much?
He understood now.
A Transformation Diagram was like an inventory slot; whatever you put in, you gained the corresponding skills and passive abilities.
Remove it, and they would disappear.
The more inventory slots one had, the more passive abilities and skill effects could be stacked.
Has the True Lord also kept up with the times?
Chen Ku had completely grasped how to use his golden finger.
In layman's terms, whoever wanted to harm him could provide him with Evil Qi. Be it people, matters, or objects, anything he suppressed or killed could be absorbed into the Transformation Diagram, transformed accordingly, and imbued with the same attributes and skills…
The Transformation Diagram needed to be upgraded continuously to accommodate more transformation entities.
For now, only the First Transformation met the awakening conditions.
But among those conditions…
One hundred Copper Coins?
Could the True Lord possibly know exactly how much I have on me?
Chen Ku was indeed left with only ten wen. However, he could earn about one hundred and fifty wen after selling those herbal medicines.
While he was pondering, "Brother Chen," Zhao Bocai said, shaking him awake.
"How are you? Is the wound on your chest serious?"
Chen Ku opened his eyes and instinctively looked at his chest, only then grimacing from the pain.
The clothes on his chest were torn to shreds, revealing eight claw marks.
PHEW.
Bearing the pain, Chen Ku let out a long breath and said, "It's a superficial wound. Go and see how Xiao Bao is doing."
"Xiao Bao is fine." Zhao Bocai's eyes were slightly red as he said, "It's you, Brother Chen, who saved our family's only child. You're our family's great benefactor. Big Brother Zhao is forever grateful. Please allow me to bow to you."
With that, he was about to kneel.
Chen Ku hurriedly stopped him, his complexion slightly pale. "I just happened to be looking for you, Big Brother Zhao, and coincidentally came across this beast trying to snatch the child. Anyone would have intervened. You're the one who has helped our family a great deal. There's no need for such formalities."
"Enough about that. Come inside. I'll find some medicine for you to bandage the wound."
Saying this, he pulled Chen Ku into the house, also picking up the corpse of the Skinny Dog.
Inside the house, Zhao Bocai's wife hugged her child, crying in distress, but still, she rose to thank Chen Ku with a bow.
"Quickly fetch the medicine to treat Brother Chen's injuries. And while you're at it, bring out a set of my clothes for him."
Zhao Bocai instructed his wife, then looked down at the corpse of the Skinny Dog.
"This beast must have come down from the mountains to snatch chickens and ducks. Normally, it wouldn't attack humans unless… it had eaten humans before!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Ku was also slightly startled.
He looked again at the Skinny Dog.
Eaten people?
"Most likely." Zhao Bocai gazed at its body and said, "Otherwise, its fur wouldn't be this glossy. Only eating human flesh could give it such a sheen. This hide could probably sell for three hundred wen in the city. It could make a good dog fur coat or a dog fur mat. But the flesh, that must not be eaten; it's unclean. It must be burnt, or else it will cause illness."
Three hundred wen? Chen Ku was astonished.
He had picked a Snake Bone Herb, and that was only worth a little over two hundred wen.
Then he thought about how this beast had also helped him awaken the Transformation Diagram.
For a moment, he wasn't sure whether it had come to repay a debt of gratitude or to cause him harm.
Chen Ku pondered for a moment, then turned to whisper to Zhao Bocai, "Big Brother Zhao, I know you're a hunter and more familiar with selling furs than I am. Do you think you could perhaps…"
Zhao Bocai immediately understood Chen Ku's intention.
Chen Ku was a small-timer; whatever he tried to sell would have half its value deducted as tax. Three hundred large wen would ultimately net him only one hundred and fifty wen.
He hesitated for a moment, then looked at his child.
Helping a small-timer evade taxes, if discovered, required paying double the due amount. In severe cases, it could even lead to incarceration. However, when compared to the debt of saving a life, the risk of paying an additional six hundred wen was nothing.
Zhao Bocai looked up at him and said, "Brother Chen Ku, what are you saying? You got injured saving my little treasure. By rights, I should compensate you for your medical expenses. Let's not talk about it anymore. I'll give you four hundred wen right now for your treatment. As for this dog hide, since your family is already registered under mine as long-term workers, how about we consider it a gift from you to me?"
Chen Ku felt warmed by Zhao Bocai's words, understanding that the other man was finding a face-saving solution for both of them.
Clutching his chest, he said, "Then thank you very much, Big Brother Zhao."
Before long, Chen Ku left Zhao Bocai's house with a new set of clothes. Zhao Bocai had treated his wounds and directly offered him four hundred wen.
In the end, Chen Ku only took three hundred wen, repeatedly declining the rest. He mentioned his mother's illness and that he wouldn't be able to come help for a few days.
Zhao Bocai did not insist further. When Chen Ku left, Zhao Bocai even gave him some cough-suppressing herbal medicine, telling him to have Mother Chen rest more. He added that there was no hurry, and she needn't come for the next few days.
Actually, many villagers are just like Big Brother Zhao: simple and shrewd. I must repay them if I ever get the chance, Chen Ku thought to himself.
Having left Zhao Bocai's home, Chen Ku did not head straight back to his own.
Instead, he went a good distance away from the village to a dilapidated cave. Once he was sure no one had followed or discovered him, he whispered softly,
"Awaken the First Transformation Chart."
JINGLE! JINGLE! JINGLE!
It sounded like coins falling into a money box.
The three hundred Copper Coins he carried instantly decreased by one hundred…
But Chen Ku had no mind for that detail anymore.
His consciousness was pulled before the massive scroll. He watched as, with the sacrifice of one hundred wen, a white dog shadow, like a shooting star, struck the scroll from the void.
In a flash, it lit up the First Transformation Chart, and a dog seemed to come back to life from within it.
[Diagram Master: Chen Ku]
[Charts Awakened: 1]
[Transformations Available: 1 (Skinny Dog Evil Qi)]
[Proceed with Skinny Dog Transformation?]
(After the Skinny Dog Transformation, it will occupy the unique chart slot. It can be removed.)
Seeing this, a thought flashed through Chen Ku's mind, and he uttered,
"Transform!"