Chapter 202: Chapter 180 Huang Yaoshi_2
"An unbelievably exquisite structure, this must be a type of hidden weapon, right? If this bronze pellet were filled with flint and gunpowder, the power of its explosion in a sealed environment might rival that of a crossbow."
After taking out a bullet and sniffing it at the tip of his nose, the Pharmacist\'s face revealed a look of shock.
What shocked him was not the technique, for by disassembling it, he understood the principle quite well; he was shocked by the craftsmanship of all the parts, including the bronze pellet!
"Even if I were to make it myself, I fear I couldn\'t replicate it. However, the craftsmanship is too pronounced; this shouldn\'t be..."
Holding the pistol and puzzled, the Pharmacist then asked Tao Yu,
"May I fire one to try it out? I can offer you some compensation afterward."
"Senior, please feel free to take it. This thing isn\'t valuable where I come from. It\'s produced by machinery, not the work of a grandmaster."
Tao Yu, having a rough understanding of the Pharmacist\'s temperament from the original work, didn\'t make any demands.
"Good lad, I can\'t be taking advantage of the younger generation."
The Pharmacist chuckled lightly, then took aim at a peach tree with the pistol and pulled the trigger.
Bang~
After firing, the Pharmacist\'s expression changed subtly, and then he leaped to the peach tree, touching the bullet hole with an earnest look.
"What kind of gunpowder is this? Its power is even greater than I estimated."
He then picked up the cartridge case and sniffed it at the tip of his nose,
"Saltpeter as the main ingredient? Has such great power? There\'s no smell of sulfur..."
Seeing this, Tao Yu also felt somewhat bewildered; isn\'t gunpowder all the same? How would I know? As long as it works, that\'s all that matters.
Clutching the cartridge in his hand, the Pharmacist seemed to fall silent for a moment before turning back to Tao Yu and said,
"Young friend, was your earlier detection of me due to some sort of clever trick?"
With both Perception and such immense power, just this hidden weapon alone could pose a significant threat to most of the martial artists.
"Uh, not exactly, I do have some confidence in my own strength."
Tao Yu gave it some thought and decided to reveal a bit of his foundation.
Strength is what earns respect!
No matter how bizarre the Pharmacist\'s personality might be, if one\'s strength reached a level he acknowledged, it could definitely be beneficial.
"Oh? You seem to lack a foundation in Inner Strength."
The Pharmacist was quite surprised, but then his eyes lit up,
"Could there be another path?"
Seeing the look of avid curiosity and eagerness in the Pharmacist\'s eyes, Tao Yu felt a shiver inside, having been warned by his Spirit Perception that this individual indeed posed a real threat.
Still, he nodded and said,
"Indeed, there are ways such as enhancing the spirit and the flesh, body modifications, and even implanting foreign objects—all methods for improvement. I mainly focus on the flesh side of things. Would the senior like to experience a demonstration?"
Tao Yu knew the Pharmacist might be too proud to ask, so he took the initiative, hoping to flatter him and perhaps gain some valuable insights later on.
"That would be good. In addition to your previous hidden weapon, afterwards, I could teach you an ability that interests you. My knowledge is quite extensive; there is bound to be something to your liking."
The Pharmacist typically disliked owing favors. Tao Yu\'s offer to give the pistol and now volunteering a demonstration coaxed him into making a direct promise.
This brought a slight twinkle to Tao Yu\'s eyes, revealing a hint of a smile.
Such a prideful elder was easy to please, truly a treasure of a man!
But he didn\'t immediately set forth his conditions, opting to satisfy the other party first.
"Excellent. The system I\'ve studied is called Myriad Streams Five Forms and is an extraordinary power hailing from another world. It nurtures the flesh and refines the Qi-Blood, which, in turn, spurs strength. From this strength, Gang Qi is condensed.
When cultivated to the ultimate level, it can split metal and break stone with remarkable power," Tao Yu clasped his hands together, briefly describing the progression of the system. He understood from his interactions with the curator elder brother that beyond Gang Qi, there seemed to be further paths to follow.
However, the pinnacle of the Myriad Streams Five Forms still revolved within the realm of strength. The Myriad Streams Breathing Technique held the potential for Gang Qi, but required at least thirty-two forms to be mastered.
"Interesting."
"Moreover, junior also knows a method of Demonization and a Willpower Impact. Elder, please be cautious."
Now, Tao Yu was excited about the hunt, eager to test his own conventional limits by directly challenging against the Five Unmatched without the element of surprise!
With Inherent Time Control and the abilities of the shadow series as his backup, he wasn\'t afraid of overdoing it.
"Demonization?"
Pharmacist Huang was slightly taken aback.
If Tao Yu were facing Hong Qigong, he certainly wouldn\'t bring up such a troublesome ability; a simple exchange of strengths would suffice.
But since his opponent was Huang the Eccentric, it was natural to fully leverage what he could!
"Yes, just like this."
With his palm slightly showing the effects of Demonization, it drew a visibly moved expression on Pharmacist Huang\'s face.
Cheng Lixue and Zhang Hao exclaimed in low voices, astonished.
They had never suspected that Brother Tao, who had been with them for so long, was actually a demon!
However, as he had been good company along the way and was openly revealing his nature now without hiding anything, they felt rather reassured. It almost gave them a sense of being trusted.
Cheng Lixue\'s cheeks turned even redder, her lips quivering slightly as if she thought of something.
Pharmacist Huang then said with a sly smile,
"Young man, aren\'t you afraid I\'ll slay demons and vanquish evil?"
"Till now, I believe elder is not one to be confined by conventional moral conduct, and besides, this is merely an ability. I am, without a doubt, human," Tao Yu retorted, accurately capturing the elder\'s persona.
This outworldly demon had discerned after a few encounters that he was not one to be bound by formalities. Huang the Eccentric couldn\'t help feeling joy in his heart, quite pleased with this realization.
That\'s just the kind of man I am!
"Alright then, let\'s see how capable you are, young man. Whether this Demonization can take a beating."
Pharmacist Huang took a light leap backwards, landing on the railing of the gazebo with a chuckle,
"Come on, if you can force me off this railing, consider it my loss."
Seeing how confident Pharmacist Huang was, Tao Yu also looked amused.
If it were an up-front confrontation without any sneak attacks, he knew he was outclassed. But since you\'ve set your own limitations, don\'t blame me for picking on an elder.
"Elder, be careful, for my strength is considerable."
Tao Yu clasped his hands again, while Cheng Lixue and Zhang Hao quickly retreated to the side to avoid getting splattered with blood.
The seemingly immortal elder who could drift away and the young man who could turn into a demon were actually squaring off, leaving others somewhat unable to react.
Especially Cheng Lixue, recalling how Tao Yu\'s palm transformed into that demonic keratinous layer, she imagined God knows what, her complexion paling yet also flushed with an unnatural rosiness, as her legs squeezed together noticeably...