Waiting for the sandstorm to pass, Thomas decided to assimilate all the new knowledge he just received.
1 hour later.
Inside the cave, a single man stood calm as his fingers danced, with each move several threads of energy formed several straight lines in the air. Those energy lines were called spirit threats, they were the base and primary requirement to become an Formation Master.
Differently from his demon energy, Spirit Threads didn't have any color. Through the old man's memories, it's said anyone with a sensitive mind and strong spirit can form Spirit Threads.
One, two, three, four... when he drew over forty lines, they all joined together to form a total of ten runes.
'This is much better than the time I was training in the Adamantine Seals' Thomas nodded to himself content with the result when he started repassing everything in his mind.
In that old man's world, formation masters were a highly soughed profession. Having a division of nine grades, an Formation King of the ninth level could crush an entire demon planet in a blink.
Right now, his limits were ten runes, barely enough to be qualified to become an Grade 1 formation master.
Just like the masters, the formations were also divided into 9 levels:
Rune Formation: 1 to 3
Rune Array: 4 to 6
Array Formation: 7 to 9
Rune Formations are similar to arrays but for more compact solutions such as enchanting an armaments, creating talismans.
Arrays are a highly complex runes formation composed of a minimum of 50 runes for level 1 arrays and they usually covered a larger scale like a whole building or terrain, at its higher level it can even cover cities.
Lastly the Array Formations: the most powerful and complex of them all. Only the most talented grandmasters of formations would dare deploy this level of firepower. An array formation would use around 10 Arrays to form it. At its peak, this kind of formation would cover and protect an entire continent or destroy it.
Right now, his limit was a level 1 Rune Formation called Reinforce. A formation with the ability to double an object's durability. Most important, it also be used preserve food which is why he chose to learn it first.
.....
Some time later when the sandstorm had died down, Thomas packed up his belongings and headed out once more.
Spreading his sense across the desert, he noticed the air had more traces of moisture coming from a particular direction.
"South it is then." Thomas speeded up down south. It was fortunate his physique had resistance against heat, otherwise his journey here won't last more than one minute. Another thing that caught his attention, isn't his own demonic energy way more potent than before?
Three weeks later, man in tattered clothes knelt on the ground when he saw a small lake circled by patches of red grass and a forest right behind
"Water! Aha,I finally did it! I really thought I would die this time..." Running over to the lake in a breath, he approached with a black gauntlet to run scan the water.
'Good, it's doesn't seem to contain anything toxic. Strange, there isn't any oxygen in the air but there is in the water? The other weird element is present here as well...' Maybe it is because his body couldn't be counted as a pure human anymore, but he was easily able to drink the water of the lake without feeling anything wrong.
In fact, once the water flowed down his throat, his whole body shook in excitement, even the thin demon peal within his body.
A unusual feeling indeed, with a few drops all his exhaustion vanished just like that. Once he cleaned his face with a bit of water, he was stunned to the face that should belong to himself.
'What the hell...'
Ears long and pointy, two small horns had grown noticeably compared to before. Due to these fast few weeks, his hair was falling onto his back.
The most shocking that came was his eyes that went from the amber to bloody red. In his heart, he felt his own emotions getting out of hand as a killing intent integrated deep into his bones.
The baleful aura was overflowing across his veins, seeking to take over.
"Fuck, this again." Trying his best to fight back his own inner instincts, Thomas noticed it wasn't working. His own demonic physique was integrating with his blood vessels, replacing all the human blood for a demons.
'Oh no, it if goes like this, won't I end up losing my humanity.' Feeling the sudden crisis, Thomas looked at the sky and screamed.
Shiiiiing!
From the depths of his soul, a familiar presence awoke radiating with pure multi-colored light. With its appearance, the baleful aura swiftly shrunk back, frightened by this presence.
Seconds passed and immediately the transformation dispersed his own looks reverted to normal.
In mere instants his body began to reverted. Without the influencing of his demonic blood, all negative feeling rising deep in his mind had no way to go as they dispersed.
'Oh, the heavens must be playing with me...' Thomas lamented his luck right before he fell down by the lake, unconscious.....
After a unknown amount of time, voices resounded in the proximity of the lake.
"Third Young Miss, we have already collated the herbs in this place as masters, should we leave now?"
"Alright, hope these level 4 herbs must be enough. Wait, I smelling something... It stinks but it also seems to be living." The female voice responded before driving deeper into the forest before reaching a lonely lake.
Swooosh*
A small yellow lioness walked in the lake only to find a body lying next to this lake. It was a large body with two furless arms, two legs, an strange-looking face full of hair similar to a monkey.
The clothes on the human figure were tattered and fresh blood covered his body. His breathing was extremely weak, as if it would stop at any moment.
If not for the weak breathing and his chest rising and falling, it was likely that she would have mistaken it for a dead body.
Immediately, three adult lions arrived and gave a quick examination at the unknown body, then turned to the red cub and knelt down. "Strange, I have never seen a monkey species of beast look like this. Is it a mutant."
"Monkey?!" The little female cub was particularly surprised than she pressed her paws on her neck, thinking. "Well, he does look a little like a monkey except for his hairless chest and arms... However, he's kind of cute, much better looking than the monkey beasts. See, he also doesn't have a tail."
"Interesting, there is some weird aura around him similar to second elder sis thought he doesn't seem to have the same illness. Still, just could could he get in here since there's an level 4 defensive array protecting the sacred ground."
"It doesn't look like the array has been penetrated. The only other way to come here is through the deadlands, but its a miracle to survive even five minutes in there. So young miss, what should we do with him?"
The little cub entered deep thought before deciding. "Fine, one of you should go first to inform daddy about this. Find him some space in one of our carriages, we are taking him to the city."
"Yes Milady."