Chapter 2474: Ink Kirin's Remnant Soul

Upon closer inspection, many scales had fallen off the Azure Nether Python. Where the scales were missing, its flesh was a bloody mess, indicating it was severely injured.

He tried to see further, but a mysterious force blocked his view. The Twin-Eyed Rat's eyes could only perceive the Azure Nether Python.

Wang Changsheng frowned and fully extended his spiritual sense, scanning the surroundings for thousands of miles. After several sweeps, he found no abnormalities anywhere except for the true spirit's lair, whose specific condition remained unknown. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Monk Yuanxiao raised his right hand, and eighteen shimmering golden talismans flew out, hovering in mid-air. Each talisman was covered with grain-sized golden runes, vaguely forming a profound pattern.

"Activate!"

With a soft cry from Monk Yuanxiao, the eighteen golden talismans spread out in all directions. They flew over a hundred miles before stopping, then burst into golden light and vanished into the ground.

"Sixth-tier formation talismans!" Wang Ruyan exclaimed. "Master Yuanxiao's mastery of talismans is truly impressive! Using talismans to set up a formation." To refine formation talismans, one needs to be proficient in both talisman crafting and formations. Wang Ruyan herself only had a basic understanding of formations, far from mastery.

"Hehe, compared to my master, this humble monk is still far behind," Monk Yuanxiao chuckled, a proud expression on his face as he mentioned his master.

After Monk Yuanxiao set up the formation, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan walked to its center. Wisps of blue mist began to emerge in the air. As Wang Ruyan was about to play her instrument, the Twin-Eyed Rat on Wang Changsheng's shoulder immediately let out a piercing squeak. It burrowed back into Wang Changsheng's arms, its body trembling and continuously squeaking, as if it had encountered something terrifying.

"Oh no, the Azure Nether Python has discovered us!" Wang Changsheng's face turned pale as he exclaimed.

"I was undergoing my grand heavenly tribulation earlier and didn't bother with you. But you dared to bring people here? Perfect, I'll consume you for replenishment and recover even faster." A chilling female voice suddenly echoed.

No sooner had the voice faded than a green light flared in the air, revealing a colossal serpent, entirely green and covered in wounds. It was indeed the Azure Nether Python.

The moment it appeared, it opened its gaping maw and spewed a beam of green light. The light soared into the sky, transforming into a green cloud a thousand miles wide, and the sky abruptly darkened.

After the green cloud churned violently, large, pea-sized green raindrops poured down.

Around Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, the air surged with vast amounts of blue mist, which coalesced into a vast expanse of azure seawater. The seawater churned furiously, forming a massive water-wave tornado that shot directly towards the green cloud.

Wang Changsheng flicked two fingers, and a white light shot out, merging into the water-wave tornado. The tornado instantly froze, transforming into a massive white ice spear that thrust towards the green cloud.

As the green raindrops landed on the white ice spear, a plume of green smoke immediately rose, and the white ice spear corroded at a visible rate.

Green raindrops that hit the ground immediately corroded large holes, and those that landed on plants caused them to wither and die instantly.

Monk Yuanxiao conjured a palm-sized, shimmering golden wooden fish drum. He gently tapped it with a small mallet. As Buddhist chants resonated, rings of shimmering golden light expanded outwards. When the green raindrops touched these golden rings, they instantly dispersed.

Hundreds of hilltops were corroded by the dense green raindrops. Vast amounts of vegetation rapidly withered and then were completely annihilated by the relentless green rain.

Numerous low-tier demonic beasts fled their lairs, but they couldn't escape far. The dense green raindrops fell upon them, rapidly corroding their bodies until they disintegrated into dust.

The Azure Nether Python spewed a beam of emerald green light. Before it could touch Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, they vanished. Within a hundred-mile radius, vast amounts of blue mist appeared, forming dozens of identical figures of Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan.

The dense green raindrops continuously fell upon these illusory figures, causing wisps of green smoke to rise from them before they disappeared.

Just as the Azure Nether Python was about to employ other tactics, a whooshing sound came from behind it, and a black long-arc streaked towards it.

As the Azure Nether Python attempted to evade, a man's thunderous roar, echoing through heaven and earth, resounded. It was already weakened from undergoing the grand heavenly tribulation, so its reactions and defenses were far worse than before. Hearing the roar, the Azure Nether Python's body trembled slightly, and the black long-arc struck it, instantly vanishing into its body.

It was a Soul-Slaying Arrow, specifically designed to harm the soul. While it wouldn't kill the demon, it was enough to severely injure it.

The Azure Nether Python let out a painful shriek, as a shimmering golden talisman descended from the sky, suddenly exploding. Countless Buddhist runes flew out, forming a colossal golden bell that trapped the Azure Nether Python inside. On the surface of the golden bell, a majestic Buddha image was visible, constantly flickering with spiritual light.

Eighteen golden lights shot skyward, transforming into eighteen thick golden pillars. These golden pillars, covered in profound Buddhist runes, abruptly formed a massive cage that enveloped the Azure Nether Python. As if that wasn't enough, a shimmering blue alms bowl materialized high in the sky. It spewed a beam of blue light that enveloped both the golden cage and the golden bell.

With a seventh-tier talisman, a set of sixth-tier formation talismans, and a low-grade spiritual treasure, Monk Yuanxiao clearly held the Azure Nether Python in high regard. Had the Azure Nether Python been at its peak, it naturally wouldn't have been so easily trapped. However, it had just undergone the grand heavenly tribulation and was injured by the Soul-Slaying Arrow, greatly diminishing its strength.

Seizing this opportune moment, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan transformed into two streaks of light and flew towards the true spirit's lair.

Before long, they arrived at a cavern spanning over a hundred acres. The cave walls were rough and uneven, vaguely reflecting a bloody glow. In the lower-left corner was a pond over a hundred zhang wide, and on the upper-right stone wall grew a small flower, vibrant like blood, with nine leaves.

A blue light shot out from within the stone wall, abruptly transforming into a colossal black Ink Qilin phantom. Vast amounts of water vapor converged, and the surrounding space tightened. The Ink Qilin phantom let out a mighty roar, opening its mouth to spew ten thousand beams of blue light, enveloping Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan.

Blue chains suddenly appeared around Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan's limbs. These blue chains were misty with water vapor and not solid. The Ink Qilin was a natural water-attribute true spirit, skilled in water manipulation techniques.

A bright blue light erupted from Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan's bodies. Wang Changsheng's aura surged, elevating him to the late Void Refinement stage. He struggled vigorously, and the blue chains completely disintegrated. With a movement of his arms, dense blue fist-shadows shot forth, shattering the incoming blue light.

The Ink Qilin phantom blurred and abruptly vanished. Wang Changsheng seemed to realize something, inwardly crying out, "Not good!" His aura rapidly weakened, while Wang Ruyan's aura surged.

With a powerful shout from Wang Ruyan, the void vibrated and distorted. The Ink Qilin phantom suddenly appeared before her, its front paw striking towards Wang Ruyan's crown. The Ink Qilin phantom before them was merely a wisp of the Ink Qilin's remnant soul. Even so, it was not something an ordinary Void Refinement cultivator could withstand.

Countless blue musical notes emerged from Wang Ruyan's body, suddenly forming a thick blue sound barrier that enveloped her. The Ink Qilin phantom's front paw struck the blue sound barrier, which shattered instantly like paper.

Wang Ruyan flicked her sleeve, and a shimmering golden talisman shot out, emitting astonishing spiritual energy fluctuations. It was a seventh-tier talisman, the Nine-Yang Demon Vanquishing Talisman, an offensive talisman that countered ghostly entities. This talisman, obtained from Jin Shuo, the young clan leader of the Golden Roc tribe, had come in handy.