Chapter Twelve: Learning the Art of Demons

Because of the inherent properties of diamond, obtaining large single-crystal diamonds has always been a challenge. In Xu Wenshan’s previous life, synthetic diamonds remained minuscule, at best used to scratch glass. He never imagined that diamonds, used as weapons, could produce such a powerful effect.

Lu Ze found Xu Wenshan’s invention exhilarating. He kept muttering “Diamond Stardust Fist,” his eyes filled with fascination. After Xu Wenshan dispelled his spell, the diamond reverted to a transparent crystal. With the impurities removed, its color became clear.

To be precise, what Xu Wenshan held in his hand was a diamond.

If this were Earth, such a large diamond would have caused a global sensation. But in this world, diamonds were not revered, so when Lu Ze cautiously received the diamond, she simply thought it beautiful, without the frenzy one might expect from a woman.

“Xu Wenshan, if this were used to make stone armor, wouldn’t it be indestructible?” Lu Ze asked.

Xu Wenshan shook his head. “Impossible. It’s extremely hard, but also brittle. For now, it can only be used as a weapon.”

Diamond’s hardness was indeed remarkable, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be shattered with a hammer. In truth, if enough force was applied, there was nothing in the world a hammer couldn’t break. If something could withstand the hammer, then make the hammer from that material.

So, for now, improving the Stone Skin Technique was out of reach.

Suddenly, Xu Wenshan recalled something. “Earlier, you fed me an insect. What was that?”

The memory of that terrifying night still lingered with him.

Lu Ze replied, “That was a wine bug, a rare treasure. It’s a high-level yellow-ranked monster that resides in the human stomach. It cultivates by drinking alcohol. Whoever consumes it will become lucky, often finding good wine, and their tolerance will increase—they’ll never get drunk again. I was told the wine bug can test whether someone is suited to cultivate monsters—the quicker it settles in, the more potential the host has.”

Xu Wenshan had read about wine bugs in “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio”—a fascinating short story. In short, the wine bug granted limitless capacity for alcohol and brought fortune.

He thought to himself, it truly was a valuable thing. He asked Lu Ze, “If I make it my subordinate, wouldn’t drinking be the same as cultivating?”

Lu Ze nodded. “Though it’s just a yellow-ranked monster, there’s no harm in accumulating its benefits. It’s fine to keep it.”

Lu Ze began teaching Xu Wenshan the master-subordinate technique. This spell had two parts: the “Recognition Spell” and the “Summoning Spell.” Monsters used the recognition spell to accept a master, but Xu Wenshan only needed to learn the summoning spell.

To cast the summoning spell, he had to communicate with the monster and gain its approval. There were two ways: forcibly restraining the monster and extracting its true blood as leverage, or earning its trust through personal charisma, so the monster willingly became his subordinate.

Forcing the true blood could damage the monster and affect their future relationship. With a rare and fragile creature like the wine bug, it was best not to coerce it.

Xu Wenshan patted his stomach. “Wine bug, would you like to be my subordinate?”

Of course, he received no answer. But Lu Ze pressed her ear to his belly, listening intently, and nodded repeatedly.

Xu Wenshan was puzzled. “What’s it saying?”

Lu Ze, still listening, replied, “It says it’s been here for days, but only tasted poor mountain spring water, never any wine. If not for my sake, it would have left long ago.”

They had been in the mountains for several days, eating wild game and drinking from springs—no chance for wine.

Xu Wenshan cursed, “Just a mere insect, yet so temperamental!”

Lu Ze listened a while longer. “It says it’s tried its best to use its powers, but still hasn’t gotten any wine. That shows your abilities are lacking. Unless you satisfy it with good wine, it won’t accept you as its master.”

Xu Wenshan shook his head. “Where’s the luck it promised? I’ve been unconscious for days, and now I’m a monster cultivator, loathed by righteous people. If discovered, I’ll be eradicated—where’s the good fortune?”

After a moment, Xu Wenshan added, “But wine is just wine. I’ve already decided—within a month, I’ll let it taste the best wine this world has ever seen.”

By “wine,” Xu Wenshan meant distilled spirits. From his observation, the alternate world’s winemaking technology was still limited to fermentation, without any distilled liquor.

To make distilled spirits, he needed a distillation apparatus—an area outside his expertise. So his bold words were more bravado than reality.

He and Lu Ze agreed on their cover story: Xu Wenshan had made a quick trip to Windstone Village, where he found a pitiful little girl. He purchased her from a trafficker to serve as a maid.