"Who are you? How are you able to control the cave spirit?" A female voice rang out from the azure Kirin's mouth. Even though the voice was filled with rage, it was still quite pleasant to the ears.
It was none other than Xian Xian's voice.
Before this, she had entered the true spirit cave, yet before she had a chance to find what she wanted, the silver-armored man suddenly appeared. Immediately thereafter, the cave spirit that was supposed to be in a deep slumber abruptly transformed before swallowing her whole.
If it weren't for the fact that she had made ample preparations beforehand and immediately taken a special pill she'd refined in advance, then allowed the azure Kirin to possess her and transform her into this massive projection, she most likely would've been devoured by the cave spirit.
"I don't who or what you are; all I want to know is where is the true Kirin essence within the true spirit cave!" the silver-armored man said in a cold voice.
"Hehe, you don't know what I am? You expect me to believe that even though you came all the way here to this true spirit cave?" the giant face chuckled coldly, and its voice was slightly muffled and indistinct, but was still quite harrowing to listen to.
The small part of its body that had exploded instantly healed amid a flash of black light, as if the damage it had sustained earlier was completely inconsequential.
Both the silver-armored man and the azure Kirin's expressions changed upon hearing this.
The Kirin projection turned to the silver-armored man and drew a sharp breath. "What? So that means you're also… Indeed, aside from beings like us, no one else knows of this true spirit cave."
"Hmph, don't compare me to trash like you. You failed to possess even a weak little Crystal being, whereas I possessed this silver wyrm to perfection," the silver-armored man scoffed with a derisive roll of his eyes.
A hint of fury flashed through the Kirin projection's eyes upon hearing this, but its voice remained calm as it countered, "Successful possession or not hinges entirely on luck. Back then, we were each a hundred-thousandths of the Kirin's spiritual sense, so there's no difference between us. I don't think it's a bad thing that I'm co-existing along with my host. As long as this Crystal woman can ascend to a higher realm, I'll also be able to recover my true Kirin body and all of my powers."
"You think she can ascend? What a joke! A mere Crystal being is dreaming of ascension?" the silver-armored man scoffed in a derisive manner.
"How is that not possible? As long as one can obtain the true Kirin essence within the true spirit cave, there's always a chance that they'll be able to ascend to the True Immortal Realm, even if they're just a plank of wood," the azure Kirin countered in a calm manner.
The silver-armored man didn't refute the Kirin's words, but his eyes were still filled with disdain. "Giving a Crystal being true spirit essence of this caliber is a massive waste. In contrast, I possess the body of a silver wyrm. If I were to consume the essence, I'll be sure to evolve and attain a true dragon body in the future."
"Are you saying this so I can hand over the true Kirin essence to you? We were once both part of the same being, but after so many years, we've already grown apart. Besides, even if I'm willing to back down, that thing's not going to just let you have your way. Back when we were inside the true spirit cave, it fully intended to devour both of us." The Kirin's expression darkened slightly before it cast its gaze toward the massive monster down below with a cold smile on its face.
The silver-armored man could tell that the azure Kirin was merely trying to provoke both himself and the massive face being down below, but he still turned to the giant monster as he said in a cold voice, "I don't care how you managed to possess the cave spirit or what intentions you may have; hand over the true spirit essence, and I'll leave right away. Otherwise, you're going to regret it."
"If you want to obtain the true Kirin essence, that's quite easy. All you have to do is enter my stomach and become one with me, and you'll be able to obtain it then," the giant face cackled in response.
"What? You've already devoured it? Wait, no, only actual beings with physical bodies can absorb the true spirit essence; how were you able to accomplish this with the cave spirit's body?" The silver-armored man was unconvinced.
The massive face was silent for a moment before replying in a dark voice, "Who told you that I possess the cave spirit's body? Do you two really think that you're the first beings to have come to this place?"
"What do you mean by that?" The azure light around the Kirin projection's body flashed with bewilderment.
"I've already devoured three or four beings like you, and if I were to devour the two of you along with so much true spirit blood, I'll be able to attain a true spirit body soon. As for the true Kirin essence, it's naturally inside my body. That's enough chit-chat; if you want to know more, then allow yourselves to be consumed by me, and you'll know everything when you become a part of me." The giant monster seemed to be unwilling to speak any further on the matter, and black light flashed around its body as two arcs of black lightning shot forth amid a loud thunderclap.
From a distance, it appeared as if two huge black spears were about to puncture the Kirin projection and the silver-armored man's bodies.
After hearing the monstrous face's words, the silver-armored man's expression had darkened significantly, and his fury was even further exacerbated now that the monster was attacking him. As such, he also did away with his words as his body swayed, and he suddenly transformed into three identical beings.
One of them raised a hand, and a silver flying sword short forth, transforming into a streak of silver sword Qi that was over 100 feet in length before vanquishing the oncoming arc of lightning in a flash.
Meanwhile, the azure Kirin projection opened its cavernous mouth, and its head suddenly expanded several times in size. After that, it simply swallowed the bolt of black lightning that was hurtling toward it.
The silver-armored man's eyes flashed upon seeing this, and he suddenly said, "So you've mastered the Great Engulfment Technique already! With your powers, you're worthy of joining forces with me on this occasion. Let's kill this thing together and split the true Kirin essence evenly among ourselves. True spirit essence is not something that can be completely refined by a being like this, even if it has devoured the essence."
The azure Kirin pondered this proposal for a moment before immediately agreeing, "Alright, you have yourself a deal."
At present, it was a combination between Xian Xian and a wisp of the true spirit Kirin's spiritual sense, but it was still filled with yearning toward the true Kirin Essence. Even though it was war quite wary of the silver-armored man, it had no choice but to team up with him to vanquish their common enemy.
Thus, azure light flashed from the Kirin projection's body, and it swelled to over 1,000 feet in size again as an astonishing aura erupted into the heavens.
The silver-armored man's three avatars swayed in unison upon seeing this, and silver light flashed above one of them as a massive sword projection that was over 100 feet in length appeared again. Another one of the avatars made a hand seal, and balls of crimson flames suddenly appeared out of thin air around its body.
Meanwhile, the final avatar's body blurred before it transformed into a silver wyrm.
In the face of such a strange opponent, both Xian Xian and the silver-armored being were taking the situation very seriously.
At this moment, the monstrous face down below suddenly cackled, "You dare to try and oppose me? Good! I won't have to chase after you if you don't run away. However, before taking care of you two, I should address the other unwelcome guests present."
As soon as its voice fell, a loud thunderclap suddenly erupted from the dozen or so thickest bolts of black lighting sprouting from its body, and they abruptly sprang forth without any premonition.
Before the arcs of lightning had even struck their target, an enormous burst of spiritual pressure swept downward in the form of fierce winds.
A silver shadow suddenly flashed from that direction, following which a slender humanoid figure appeared out of thin air, then immediately tried to flee the scene as a streak of silver light.
However, right at this moment, a resounding thunderclap rang out, causing the entire space nearby to vibrate audibly. The dozen or so thick arcs of lightning then converged to form a massive black sword that was over 1,000 feet in length. The silver streak of light had been slowed as a result of booming thunderclap that had just erupted, and it was destroyed by the giant sword before the humanoid figure within the silver light even had a chance to cry out.
This humanoid figure was naturally none other than the high-grade devilish beast, Jiu Ye, who had followed Han Li all the way here using her profound concealment abilities.
This woman possessed a mid-Spatial Tempering Stage cultivation base, but she was unable to offer up any resistance in the face of this massive black sword.
Both the silver-armored man and the azure Kirin were quite stunned by the power of the gigantic sword, and grim expressions appeared on both of their faces.
However, after slaying that silver humanoid figure, the sword didn't immediately return or switch targets to the two of them. Instead, it hurtled toward the ground nearby as a massive streak of black light.
Both the silver-armored man and the azure Kirin naturally faltered upon seeing this.
The black streak of light descended with devastating might, as if it were threatening to part the entire earth. All of a sudden, a crisp ringing sound erupted from underground, following which azure light flashed as 72 small azure swords suddenly emerged from down below.
These flying swords were only several inches in length each, but they suddenly converged to form a massive azure sword that was several tens of feet long. At the same time, a rumbling thunderclap rang out, and dazzling golden lightning erupted to strike the giant black sword in a violent manner.
Black and golden arcs of lighting intertwined with one another amid an earth-shattering boom, following which the two giant swords became stuck in an impasse.
The giant black sword was astonishingly massive, but the azure sword below it seemed to be extremely destructive, and the golden lightning erupting from it was also immensely powerful, thereby allowing it to hold its own during this clash.
A hint of surprise flashed past the giant white face, but it then harrumphed coldly as black light flashed from its body. Several tens of arcs of black lightning then rose up all around it, as if they were also going to be launched through the air at any moment.
However, right in this instant, a streak of azure light erupted from the ground beneath the azure flying sword.
Almost at the exact same moment, the gigantic black sword suddenly lit up, and another streak of black sword Qi appeared as if it were a shadow of the black sword. The sword Qi then appeared above the streak of azure light in a flash before crashing down with ferocious might.
A crisp clang rang out, and the azure light faded to reveal a strange crystalline light barrier. The streak of sword Qi struck the light barrier, only to be refracted off to the side.
Meanwhile, a humanoid figure stood within the light barrier with his hands clasped behind his back; it was none other than Han Li, who'd been buried under a tomb of giant rocks.
He cast his gaze toward the giant face, then at the silver-armored man and the Kirin projection, before waving a hand through the air.
A fist-sized ball golden flower instantly flew out of the ground nearby before flying toward him in a flash.
