Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

Xuanbao stood atop Nidhogg's dragon head, his gaze piercing as he surveyed the perilous land below, known as the "Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons." This abyss was bottomless, perpetually shrouded in thick, inky demonic clouds, from which countless twisted demonic shadows appeared and disappeared, emitting chilling shrieks. Deeper within, a vast, chaotic, and destructive pulse of life could be faintly felt, clearly indicating the presence of an extremely ancient and powerful being.

However, when Xuanbao's divine sense swept over, it caught a trace of residual aura that was even more ancient and violent than pure demonic energy—fierce, chaotic, and filled with hatred for all orderly existence.

"Ferocious beasts..." Xuanbao's eyes narrowed slightly. The Western Lands were indeed not only the main battlefield of the demonic struggle, but also, due to the damage to the earth's veins and the decline of its spiritual energy, an ideal hiding place for certain ferocious beasts that survived the Great Calamity of Ferocious Beasts or mutated and bred from its influence. These chaotic remnants, knowing only destruction and annihilation, mixed with acquired demonic energy, malevolent energy, and resentment, produced unpredictable mutations, making them perhaps even more dangerous than ordinary demonic creatures.

Nidhogg seemed to sense the chaotic aura below that both disgusted and secretly excited it. With a low roar, it flapped its wings, its speed suddenly increasing, and plunged into the churning demonic clouds. The three thousand Holy Spirit Warriors followed without hesitation, their holy light forming a single, blazing sword that pierced the darkness.

Within the demonic cloud, visibility was extremely low, and the viscous demonic energy possessed a powerful corrosive and soul-destroying force. An ordinary Golden Immortal would likely succumb to mental breakdown and physical decay within a short time. But for Xuanbao, this demonic barrier was like a gentle breeze. The aura of destruction surrounding Nidhogg automatically pushed aside the demonic cloud, and the holy light emanating from the Holy Spirit Warriors acted like a furnace, purifying and evaporating the approaching demonic energy with a hissing sound.

"roar--!"

From the depths of the demonic clouds, several enormous black shadows rushed in, accompanied by a foul stench. These were several monstrous, demonic beasts resembling giant lizards, strangely shaped, covered in dark red scales, and dripping with corrosive saliva! Their eyes were bloodshot, filled only with the most primal bloodlust, and their aura had clearly reached the level of a Taiyi Golden Immortal!

Without waiting for Xuanbao's command, the Holy Spirit Clan warriors had already taken action. Michael, at the head, had wings that shone brightly behind him, and a blazing white spear of light materialized in his hand. He roared, "Purify!" The spear transformed into a white lightning bolt, instantly piercing the head of a demonic beast charging at the front. The beast's massive body stiffened abruptly, then burst forth with brilliant holy light from its wound, incinerating it from the inside out.

"Holy Light Judgment!"

"Divine Wrath!"

Gabriel, Raphael, and other Holy Spirit leaders unleashed their supernatural powers, their holy light transforming into chains, greatswords, and a rain of arrows, weaving together a destructive holy storm. Three thousand Holy Spirit warriors formed ranks, their holy light linked, amplifying their power. The ferocious demonic beasts, often unable to even get close, were reduced to ashes under the baptism of holy light, leaving only the purest chaotic and malevolent energy, which Nidhogg inhaled and absorbed, transforming it into nourishing power.

However, the unusual activity here had clearly alerted an even more terrifying being in the abyss.

"Boom!"

The earth trembled violently, and the demonic clouds swirled wildly. A colossal creature, covered in a thick, dark blue-black shell and bearing nine ferocious heads, slowly rose from the depths of the abyss. Each head resembled a dragon's head, yet was far more twisted and hideous, spewing forth breaths of various colors—poison, fire, ice, and lightning—while its eighteen crimson eyes were fixed intently on the black dragon and the Holy Spirit Legion in the sky. Its aura was so powerful that it faintly touched the threshold of Quasi-Saint, carrying with it a chaotic and ferocious might originating from the very beginning of creation!

"A nine-headed evil dragon... no, it's a monster corrupted by the remnants of the chaotic will of a ferocious beast and mutated by combining with demonic energy." Xuanbao knew the origin of this behemoth in an instant with just one glance.

The strength of a mid-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal is not that of a pure-blooded ferocious beast, but rather the remains and remnants of a powerful dragon, perhaps the remains of a fallen dragon warrior, nurtured over countless years by the residual chaotic aura of the ferocious beast and the demonic energy of this place, ultimately giving birth to a twisted being. It possesses the formidable physical body of a dragon, the chaotic destructive power of a ferocious beast, and the eerie evil energy of the demonic path, making it extremely difficult to deal with.

"Father God, please allow us to rid our Lord of this scourge!" Michael stepped forward, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. Although the Holy Spirit Clan could subdue evil, the chaotic power of the ferocious beast entangled within this nine-headed monster was of an extremely high level, posing a threat to them as well.

Xuanbao waved his hand, his gaze falling on the other battlefields below. The Ancestral Witch Dijiang was locked in a fierce battle with a descendant of the ferocious beast "Qiongqi," shaped like a mountain and covered in bone spurs, causing the earth to shake. On Duobao Daoist's side, a torrent of magical artifacts trapped a group of "Nightmare Beasts," existing between reality and illusion, capable of devouring the light of primordial spirits. Guangchengzi's sword light crisscrossed as he clashed fiercely with a remnant of the "Taowu," which possessed a portion of the laws of destruction… On each battlefield, powerful mutated demonic creatures related to the ferocious beasts had appeared. Clearly, this "great cleansing" sweeping across the west had thoroughly disturbed the lingering poison of the ferocious beasts that had been hidden deep underground for countless years.

"It seems the 'chronic illness' of this western land is even more severe than anticipated," Xuanbao thought to himself. The remnants of the ferocious beasts certainly increased the risks, but they also meant that if they could be completely eliminated, the merit gained would likely be greater than simply purifying demonic energy. After all, the ferocious beasts were remnants of the creation calamity, one of the "tumors" that the primordial world itself wanted to eradicate.

"Little Black," Xuanbao gently patted Nidhogg's head, "This thing is partially compatible with your attributes, and the chaotic and malevolent energy within it is a tonic for you. Go, swallow it, and refine its essence. Holy Spirit Legion, protect Nidhogg, purify the dissipated demonic energy and malevolent energy, and prevent its contamination from spreading."

"Yes, Father (Master)!" Nidhogg's eyes blazed with dark green flames. As for being called Little Black, he didn't care at all. His master could call him whatever he wanted. What difference would it make if he was called a dog?

However, upon seeing the nine-headed monster before him, Nidhogg's eyes turned bloodshot, and he let out an excited roar. As a Western dragon symbolizing destruction and rebirth, it had a natural thirst for devouring and absorbing such chaotic and powerful energy.

The massive body of the black dragon Nidhogg suddenly sank, carrying a rolling aura of destruction, and charged towards the nine-headed monster like a meteor! It neither dodged nor evaded, but directly and brutally rammed its dragon head, covered with thick bone armor, into one of the heads that was spewing poisonous flames!

"boom--!"

A dull, resounding crash echoed through the abyss, the violent shockwave instantly clearing away the demonic clouds within a hundred miles! The nine-headed monster let out a painful roar; the scales of the head that had been struck shattered, spraying poisonous blood like a waterfall. But the other eight heads had already bitten down fiercely, fangs, ice spikes, lightning spears, demonic fire… a barrage of attacks rained down on Nidhogg.

Nidhogg paid no heed. Its jet-black scales, resembling ancient tree bark, glowed eerily, absorbing and deflecting most of the attacks. Simultaneously, it opened its massive maw, not to exhale breath, but to unleash a terrifying devouring force, firmly gripping a lightning-spitting head and frantically absorbing its flesh, blood, energy, and the chaotic, malevolent energy it contained! Its grotesque bone spikes stood upright, piercing the monster's body, also devouring it.

This was the most primal and bloodiest battle of devouring and slaughter! Two colossal beasts tumbled and wrestled above the abyss, each collision cracking the earth and trembling the space. The nine-headed monster, though powerful, was mentally chaotic and relied more on instinct; Nidhogg, though only at the early stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, displayed a more ferocious and efficient fighting style. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit Clan continuously weakened and purified the monster's protective demonic energy and regenerative abilities with holy light from the outside, and the scales of victory began to slowly tip.

Xuanbao did not intervene in this battle of giant beasts. His divine sense was like the most sophisticated radar, scanning the entire "Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons" and the earth veins and energy flow of a wider area.

Meanwhile, under the command of leaders like Michael, the three thousand Holy Spirit Warriors swiftly formed a massive Holy Purification Array. They hovered around the outer edge of the battle circle, wings outstretched, their holy chants blending into a magnificent symphony. Countless pale golden runes emerged from their bodies, weaving into a vast net of light that covered the sky. The net of light slowly descended, not directly attacking the nine-headed monster, but acting like an invisible purifying furnace, enveloping, refining, and purifying all the chaotic energy, blood and flesh fragments, and demonic aura scattered from the battle between the two giant beasts.

The malevolent demonic energy that was capable of polluting thousands of miles of land and giving rise to countless evil spirits was quickly decomposed and purified under the protection of the holy light array, as if it had encountered its nemesis. It emitted a "hissing" sound and was quickly decomposed and purified.

Seeing the Holy Spirit Clan's performance, Xuanbao was very satisfied. "They truly are worthy of my careful creation. What the Holy Spirit Clan lacks now is spiritual treasures. It seems I need to find an opportunity to refine more spiritual treasures. Letting them keep forging light swords by hand is beneath my dignity as the Great Emperor of Fengdu..."

Meanwhile, Nidhogg's battle with the nine-headed monster had reached a fever pitch. The black dragon was also wounded in several places; several of its hardest scales had been torn off, revealing the writhing, metallic-looking black flesh beneath. However, no blood flowed from the wounds; instead, chaotic energy rose from them, rapidly healing them. Nidhogg's attacks grew increasingly ferocious, a purely defensive tactic of trading blows, frantically tearing and devouring its opponent's flesh and power. Although the nine-headed monster was fierce, its regenerative abilities were greatly reduced by the continuous suppression of the holy light. Furthermore, it was steadily defeated by Nidhogg's destructive and devouring power, which originated from the same source but was at a higher level. Half of its nine heads drooped, and its aura was clearly weakening.

Whenever the poisonous fire, frost, and demonic lightning spewed by the nine-headed monsters attempted to spread, or whenever the malevolent demonic energy contained in the blood and flesh scattered during Nidhogg's battle with them tried to corrode the surrounding environment, the dome of light would glow slightly, showering down streams of purifying light. This silently dissolved and purified the escaping corrupting energy, ensuring that the aftershocks of the battle would not further pollute the already fragile ley lines, and preventing any potential explosions or spread of demonic energy from the monsters' dying counterattacks. The Holy Spirits, focused and perfectly synchronized, firmly controlled the battlefield within the purification zone, demonstrating an exceptionally high level of teamwork.

In the abyss, the battle between the two colossal beasts had reached a fever pitch. Dozens more deep, bone-revealing wounds appeared on Nidhogg's body, dripping with black dragon blood that hissed under the purification of holy light, yet the eerie green flames in its eyes burned ever more fiercely. It had already torn apart and devoured three of the nine-headed monster's heads; with each head devoured, its aura surged. The wounds, interwoven with the power of destruction and rebirth, visibly healed, the newly grown scales appearing thicker and the bone spikes even more menacing.

In contrast, the remaining six heads of the nine-headed monster roared madly, its attacks already showing signs of disarray. The chaotic will originating from the ferocious beast's chaos within its body constantly clashed with its acquired demonic instincts. Facing an opponent like Nidhogg, who could both overcome skill with brute force and devour its own essence, as well as the sacred domain surrounding it that it instinctively loathed and that constantly weakened its power, it was already in a desperate situation.

"Roar—!" Nidhogg seized an opening, its thick dragon tail sweeping across like a divine whip, lashing the monster's massive body in the middle, causing its protective magical energy to vibrate violently and its carapace to shatter. At the same time, the spiral horn on its forehead suddenly glowed with a deep, eerie light, and a beam of destructive energy, condensed to its maximum, shot out, instantly piercing the monster's weakest point—an old wound!

"Pfft!"

The terrifying energy contained in the beam of destruction exploded within the monster's body, churning its internal organs in turmoil. The nine-headed monster let out a deafening scream, its massive body convulsing violently, and the remaining heads simultaneously spewing out a stench of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs.

"Now!" Nidhogg's eyes flashed with ferocity. It suddenly opened its blood-red maw, unleashing a devouring power ten times stronger than before. It transformed into a deep black vortex, enveloping and sucking up the heavily injured and dying nine-headed monster along with its primordial blood essence and the dissipating chaotic and ferocious energy!

The monster's remaining will roared in defiance, struggling desperately, but beset by internal and external troubles and with its very essence suppressed, it was ultimately powerless to reverse the tide. Its massive body rapidly deflated and shrank like a punctured balloon, eventually transforming into a turbid torrent of violent energy, which Nidhogg swallowed whole!

"Gulp..." As if swallowing a mountain, Nidhogg's throat bobbed, its abdomen visibly swelling before slowly calming down. It snorted contentedly, exhaling two plumes of smoke mixed with black and red aura from its nostrils. Its wounds healed rapidly, and its aura surged at an astonishing speed, showing faint signs of breaking through the threshold of the mid-stage of the Great Luo realm! The destructive aura swirling around it now possessed a more ancient and chaotic charm, and the luster on its scales grew even deeper and more restrained.

"Well done." Xuanbao stood on the dragon's head, nodding slightly. Nidhogg had devoured this mutated beast, greatly increasing his strength and replenishing his essence, making his future potential even greater. His gaze swept over the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons, which had been purified by the Holy Spirit Legion, leaving its demonic energy thin and its ferocity largely dissipated. The greatest threat here had been eliminated; what remained were merely some insignificant wandering demons, which the Holy Spirit warriors would deal with.

In this way, Xuanbao rode the black dragon and led the Holy Spirits, like the most efficient cleaner, galloping across the vast western land, sweeping away all evil spirits wherever he went.

On this day, Xuanbao followed a faint yet exceptionally pure trace of malevolent energy within the earth's veins, arriving at a place called "Burial Hill of Souls." From the outside, it appeared to be nothing more than a desolate hill typical of the west, jagged rocks, barren of vegetation, and even the demonic energy seemed thin. However, by using the Earth Book to sense the earth's veins, Xuanbao could "hear" the slow, heart-like pulse deep underground, drawing upon the earth's energy and wandering souls from the surrounding millions of miles.

"They know how to hide," Xuanbao sneered, signaling Nidhogg to land. The black dragon folded its wings, its four feet stomping on the ground without stirring up much dust, demonstrating its exquisite control over its power. The three thousand holy spirits silently dispersed, forming an array that subtly surrounded the hills, their holy light restrained, ready to unleash its power.

Xuanbao didn't launch a direct attack. Instead, he extended his right hand, fingers spread, and gently pressed it against the ground. A yellowish-brown light flowed from his palm, silently seeping into the earth. The power of the Earth Book was activated, and the earth's veins became clearly visible to him. He "saw" a massive, hollowed-out cavern, reinforced with an evil array, a thousand feet underground. At the center of the cavern was a nine-story altar entirely constructed of living skulls. At the top of the altar floated a constantly pulsating, dark red "heart," emanating the pure, sinister energy. Countless faint, twisted soul shadows, as if drawn by invisible chains, were drawn from the fissures in the earth's veins and the air, wailing as they were sucked into the "heart," providing it with nourishment.

Beneath the altar sat a figure. He wore a filthy, gray-black cloak that seemed to be stitched together from countless broken souls, obscuring his face; only two eerie green flames flickered in the shadows of the hood. His aura was obscure and profound, blending seamlessly with the underground cave, the altar, the "heart," and even the entire terrain of the Burial Mound of Souls. Had it not been for Xuanbao's direct exploration of the earth's veins using the Earth Book, ordinary divine sense would easily have overlooked it as a "dead land."

"A mid-stage Quasi-Saint... a long-standing demon who specializes in evil soul cultivation techniques, using the devouring of living souls and the melting of earth veins' yin energy as resources for his practice." Xuanbao instantly discerned the other party's background. This kind of evil cultivator is the most troublesome, not only because of their profound cultivation, but also because of their cunning and venomous nature.

Seemingly sensing the abnormal fluctuations in the earth's veins, the old demon in the cave suddenly opened his "eyes," and the two points of green fire suddenly blazed brightly, piercing through the thousand-foot-high rock layer and colliding with Xuanbao's "gaze" from a distance!

"Who dares disturb my peaceful cultivation?" A dry, hoarse voice, as if countless voices overlapped, traveled up the earth's ley lines, carrying a deep sense of surprise and hostility. He had cultivated here for countless eons, taking advantage of the damaged western ley lines and the lingering vengeful spirits after the Dao-Demon War to rapidly advance his cultivation. He had also deeply integrated his soul with the terrain of this "Soul Burial Mound" and the rare treasure he had accidentally obtained. He was confident that even a fellow Quasi-Saint would find it difficult to locate him, let alone break his foundation. Today, his lair had been directly exposed. How could he not be shocked?

Xuanbao did not answer, but simply lifted his foot and stomped it lightly.

"Thump—!"

A deafening roar, as if striking the very heart of the primordial earth, reverberated from the spot where the Xuanbao had landed! There was no earth-shaking, no flying sand or stones, but a powerful, irresistible force of the earth, like an invisible tide, instantly seeped into the ground thousands of feet deep, precisely targeting the underground walls and array nodes reinforced with evil magic!

"Click, click—!"

A sickening cracking sound came from the depths of the underground. The underground defenses that the old demon had built up over countless years and thought were impregnable, became as fragile as an eggshell under the foot of this earth book containing its authority, instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks! The altar also shook violently, and the beating "heart" at the top suddenly stopped, interrupting the process of extracting souls.

"Pfft—!" The old demon in the cave was struck as if by a heavy blow. The soul cloak on his body fluctuated violently and fell to the ground, emitting countless sharp howls. His main body also groaned. Obviously, the formation and the cave had been forcibly broken, causing him to suffer a heavy backlash.

"How dare you! You've ruined my foundation! Today I will extract your soul and refine it into my puppet."

Ah!

Just as the old demon's black robe fell off, Xuanbao saw something familiar.

A low-grade innate spiritual treasure.

If Xuanbao is not mistaken, this spiritual treasure is the one he gave away in Xikunlun back then, but how did this spiritual treasure end up on him!

Could it be!