Eddie had just given the Iron Claw Wolf a beating of its lifetime. The creature was left spitting blood, barely clinging to life.
Yet, surprisingly, it wasn't dead. In fact, it seemed almost exhilarated, as if it was a masochistic wolf that thrived on being thrashed. Eddie paused, puzzled by this oddity.
He leaned over to investigate. Using his qi, Eddie probed and discovered the wolf's bizarre physiology.
Normally, Iron Claw Wolves were creatures of the earth element, but this one was different. It was a rare mutation with attributes of fire, metal, and darkness.
In theory, lower creatures rarely possessed multiple or conflicting elements. Beings with more than one attribute were usually high-ranking mutants, like the Ice-Fire Chimera. Yet here was a mere level two Iron Claw Wolf, hosting a trio of elements within its ordinary frame.
Eddie realized that its fire and dark elements granted it a certain resistance to demonic auras. Its metal element made it incredibly resilient, almost indestructible like a lupine version of a cockroach.
But what really made the wolf's punishment enjoyable for Eddie wasn't its toughness. It was because his attacks contained a hint of pure, innate qi.
The wolf, corrupted by the evil demonic aura of the Demon King Hasin, found relief from Eddie's blows. The harder Eddie hit, the more it purified the malicious demonic energy within, turning pain into a perverse pleasure.
Each of Eddie's powerful strikes, causing internal bleeding and shattering bones, ironically helped the wolf. The overwhelming evil energy, with nowhere to go, was rapidly assimilated into its body, healing and transforming its flesh and bones in a grotesque cycle of destruction and rebirth.
In essence, Eddie's assault was inadvertently a process of cleansing and transforming the wolf. Beating it was, paradoxically, a form of rebirth for the creature.
Upon realizing this, Eddie's anger surged like a wildfire. He grabbed a massive stone, intending to crush the wolf once and for all, to let it experience the 'death by boulder' it seemed to crave.
The Iron Claw Wolf's eyes shimmered with fear and pity. As Eddie gazed into its eyes, a flicker of empathy stirred within him.
Eddie couldn't help but see a reflection of himself in the lone wolf, abandoned by its pack and stranded in a strange world, just like he was.
Alone and unsupported. But he realized he was luckier. He had Mother Grace and the little girl. Since his arrival in this world, replacing the tragic figure of the original man, he had inherited everything that man had, including the love and affection Mother Grace's family had for him. Though he wasn't her real son, he was treated as such.
Killing the Iron Claw Wolf with a stone would serve him no purpose. Why not use it for an experiment instead? If demonic blood and aura could enhance and transform the physical strength of a creature, could this method be used to cultivate other, more powerful battle beasts?
Tossing aside the stone, Eddie pondered briefly. He excavated the arm of Demon King Hasin, channeling all the evil demonic energy into the wolf. This was much easier than releasing it into the air.
First, the physical contact made the expulsion straightforward;
second, the demonic energy from Hasin's arm clung stubbornly to living flesh, making the living wolf an ideal vessel;
and third, the wolf's severely injured body was desperate for any form of energy, whether evil or pure.
The energy from Hasin's severed arm was immense but impure, filled with demonic energy that Spikeflower did not need.
Spikeflower could absorb the arm's strengthening demonic power, hellfire energy, and dark blood energy, beneficial for its metamorphosis into a 'human' form, especially the dark blood energy vital for crafting a perfect human body. However, the evil demonic energy was the opposite; it would only deform the creature into something ugly and terrifying.
Eddie did not want his painstakingly nurtured Spikeflower witch to become a monstrosity, so he firmly rejected the evil demonic energy. The wolf's belly swelled like a balloon, ready to burst at any moment. Its body expanded, eyes bulging, filled with demonic energy, making it resemble a 'wolf-shaped balloon'.
It might have been in extreme pain, but Eddie had no time to consider that. He directed all the demonic energy into the wolf before stuffing Demon King Hasin's arm into the gaping maw of the golden Spikeflower.
Unlike usual, the Golden Spikeflower didn't swallow the arm of Demon King Hasin in one gulp. Instead, it held it in its mouth, slowly digesting it.
Eddie guessed that swallowing it whole could have been catastrophic, likely causing an explosion that would tear the creature to pieces.
Concerned about a possible explosion, he periodically infused the Spikeflower with his qi to aid its digestion.
Still, the Spikeflower's stems and leaves were engulfed in hellfire, trembling and swaying in evident agony. As for the wolf, now resembling a swollen ball at his feet, Eddie didn't share the same concern. It was, after all, just a test subject; its death wouldn't be a loss.
Eddie's treatment of the wolf was purely practical. If he was pleased with Spikeflower's progress, he might give the wolf a thorough thrashing, which paradoxically benefited the creature. If he was frustrated, perhaps because the Spikeflower struggled with the demonic arm and needed urgent qi assistance, he would vent his irritation on the wolf with a vicious beating.
The disparity in his treatment was stark: the Spikeflower was nurtured with qi and care, while the wolf endured a relentless barrage of kicks and curses.
It took an entire day for the Golden Spikeflower to fully swallow Demon King Hasin's arm. Eddie estimated it would need at least two months to completely digest it and perhaps three months to perfectly transform into a humanoid 'Spikeflower Witch'.
Meanwhile, the wolf's evolution was remarkably faster. Despite being flattened, having its skull shattered, neck broken, spine smashed, and legs fractured multiple times by Eddie, it had fully recovered.
It was almost unbelievable for Eddie to witness such resilience in a creature he had seen so grievously wounded. Not only had it fully recovered, but it had also evolved.
In just one day, it went from a common level two Iron Claw Wolf to a level three Bronze Ridge Demon Wolf.
This rapid evolution was nothing short of miraculous in the annals of lupine evolution. Now equivalent in strength to a level four Iron Claw Wolf King, its combat prowess had skyrocketed, especially with its newfound demonic strength. Challenging a level four Wolf King seemed trivial for it now.
Eddie realized this indomitable wolf still possessed significant potential for further evolution.
The reason the Iron Ridge Demon Wolf hadn't reached its full potential was that it hadn't completely exhausted the demonic energy infused within it.
As the energy gradually merged with its body, Eddie anticipated that this resilient wolf, currently a Bronze Level 3, might even evolve to Bronze Level 4 or 5 in time.
Upon closer inspection, Eddie realized that his innate qi had played a crucial role in the wolf's evolution, acting as the final brushstroke in a masterpiece.
Without his qi, the wolf would have exploded from the overwhelming demonic energy. His attacks, though brutal, were essentially purifying and transforming the creature. Otherwise, a mere Iron Claw Wolf couldn't have withstood the corrupting influence of Demon King Hasin's demonic energy.
Eddie couldn't help but see a resemblance between himself and the wolf - both fortunate in their misfortune, though he didn't need a beating to progress, unlike the wolf.
After the Golden Spikeflower swallowed the demonic arm, Eddie stored it in his summoning book to allow it time to digest and evolve into the Spikeflower Witch. With the Spikeflower safe, he could focus on his next task - reaching the Heaven-Reaching Tower to safely bring back little Sophia to Mother Grace.
As Eddie set off, the indestructible Iron Ridge Demon Wolf, now named Grey, followed loyally.
Despite Eddie's bad temper and frequent kicks, which sent Grey flying meters away, the wolf quickly got up and followed him without complaint. It even tried to win Eddie's favor by catching rabbits or pheasants for meals, but Eddie remained indifferent, citing a clash of personalities - they were both males, and Grey's appearance just seemed too beatable.
After two days and nights of trying unsuccessfully to shake off Grey, Eddie resignedly allowed the wolf to follow and even named it Grey. He had no intention of forming a contract with a male Iron Ridge Demon Wolf.
Arriving at the teleportation circle in White-Cloud City, Eddie was irritated to learn that transporting a non-contracted beast would cost extra.
His frustration boiled over, and he kicked Grey away, scolding it for being a nuisance and wasting his money. The teleportation official, witnessing the scene, was almost in tears.
"Please stop! That's a Bronze Level 3 Iron Ridge Demon Wolf! I've been here for half a year and have never seen such a tame, intelligent bronze-tiered beast. It's heartbreaking to see you treat it like this. If it's about the money, I'll pay for you, okay?"