Chapter 24 Part 1 of 3 (Patreon)

Erik was in one of the clinically clean body cultivation testing rooms again.

“Nice display,” Erik looked at the table where there were eleven monster cores lined up. There were assistants preparing testing equipment while scribes prepared their various pencils.

“Lesser mortal Monster cores all the way to a Lesser Sky grade monster core,” Melissa Bouchard said.

Erik let out a low whistle.

“In the name of science.”

“Yes, expensive science,” Melissa indicated to the reclined chair next to the table.

Erik laid back and an assistant came up with a formation covered band nervously.

“I don’t bite,” Erik smiled and lifted his arm to make it easier.

“You are the city and dungeon lord Erik. I was scared to meet you the first time.” Melissa checked her always present clipboard.

“And turned me into a guinea pig,” Erik looked at the assistant as she finished putting the band around his arm.

“Don’t trust the researchers.”

She smiled, and tried to bite down on it, moving away.

“So what you got me doing today?” Erik asked Bouchard.

“You want to increased the power of your bloodline. To purify it, so we’re going to test and see what these do,” She waved at the different monster cores.

“Never seen them all lined up like that, they get bigger and less murky in size.”

“Yes in the higher level cores the elements separate out, past the mortal grade of monster cores, variants are much more likely.”

“Because the beasts are only taking in one kind of element?”

“That is the running hypothesis.”

Erik had more testing gear added to him and four medics were using organic scan on him.

“We are ready,” Melissa looked at Erik.

Erik took the lesser mortal monster core and quickly consumed it.

The built up elements entered his body, flowing through into the core at the center of his chest.

Medics were talking to the scribes beside them, describing what they were seeing, information was recorded from the formation masters. Melissa moved around the room, checking the influx of information.

It quietened down after a few moments.

“Next.”

Erik picked up the next monster core.

==========

Monster Core

==========

Do you wish to absorb this Common Mortal Grade monster core?

YES/NO

You will gain 10,000 EXP

==========

Erik consumed it.

“What are you feeling?”

“The elements enter my body, then with my elemental tempering I can control the elements, drawing them through my body and into my core. It is like mana gathering, just with elements and I’m using monster cores instead of mana stones. Though the density of the elements in the common and lesser is like a drop of water compared to the elements I had stored in my body through tempering.”

“Hmm, so do you think that the tempering while it increases the body’s abilities it is also training you to refine your bloodline?”

“Sure, that’s a possibility.”

The different people in the room started to go quiet as they finished recording their information.

“Next core then.”

So it went on as Erik consumed monster core after monster core. Until he reached the Grand Earth Grade Monster core.

“Something is not quite right,” Erik said as he shifted around. “Feels like I have an itch. When I consumed the wood element then it stung like hell through my body.”

Erik drew in his mana and elements before forcing them back through his body. It felt as if needles had been stuck in his skin and then were violently expelled from his body in one moment making him feel relaxed.

Another person started recording information.

“Spike in the ambient elements. What did you just do?” Melissa noted.

“I just forced out the itch, basically flexed my mana and element system it feels a lot better. I think that if I try and take in elements my body isn’t tempered with it is like poison. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing.”

Melissa pulled out a monster core.

“This is a water variant, mortal monster core, could you try to consume it?”

Erik took the core and used it.

The water element entered his skin, sinking through his muscles, his veins and tendons down into his bones.

Erik tried to draw it into his elemental core, like Earth, Fire and metal. It didn’t move at all.

“I don’t get the sense that it will harm me. It sinks right into my bones and starts to temper them. With enough of these variant cores I could temper my body I think.”

“We have found information that talks about monster cores being used in body cultivation. The newer information always talks about concoctions as they are stronger but also gentler on the body. There are less complications and it is harder for someone to die or be crippled.”

“If we can use the cores in combination with the tempering instruments that we have already it could assist. The more we know,” Erik shrugged.

“Exactly. Okay, shall we move on?”

Erik continued to consume the monster cores, moving through all of the Earth grades and into the Sky grades.

His experience increased at a massive rate as his own core increased in scaled.

“Well congratulations you have reached the Variant Earth grade monster core. Some of the energy is lost so consuming a grand monster core doesn’t mean that yours will be the same grade. You have a three attribute core. Once your elemental core reached the earth grade you started to passively draw in more of the water element and you increased the amount of fire, metal and wood you draw in as well.”

“I though it was easier to pull them in I though that the water mana was just from the cores.” Erik stretched in the chair.

“Feel tired even with my high stamina stat.”

Erik pulled up his experience.

==========

226,356,128/344,700,000 EXP till you reach Level 66

==========

“Are you ready for the last one?” Melissa handed the core over.

==========

Monster Core

==========

Do you wish to absorb this Lesser Sky Grade monster core?

YES/NO

You will gain 450,000,000 EXP

==========

“Levele sixty-six here I come.”

Erik consumed the monster core.

All of his pores opened, feeling the heat of the fire element, the electrifying chill of the metal, the deep calming energy of the earth. The elements were dragged into his body. His bones itched as he gritted his teeth, drawing in the water element that scoured through his body.

His elemental core was a starved scavenger that had found scraps to eat.

The elements had nowhere to flee as the air shifted in the room. Erik’s body glowed with elemental power.

His muscles bulged and his veins popped, the mana a meter around him stilled, the mana beyond created a storm. The formations within the room flickered as the elemental power of their formations was drawn into Erik’s body.

Paper and equipment was torn free and sent flying around the room. They looked at the demon within the room, their bodies shook, their own cultivation feeling pressured.

The wind disappeared and the dimmed formations brightened again as Erik opened his eyes oblivious to what had happened.

“Uhh, crap,” he scratched his head looking at the room.