The radiance of Yao Cancan poured down like liquid mercury, transforming streams of ghastly gray specters and surging evil shadows into ash beneath the dazzling starlight.

The mournful cries of the specters gradually faded, and the first wave of demon ghosts shattered and died in vast swathes.

In the center of Xuanyuan Valley, experts from all factions were gathered. Their expressions were solemn as they gazed upward at the surging tide of demon ghosts gathering from every direction. These individuals had been consumed by deep worry, fearing the specters would shatter the starlight defense in an instant and destroy Xuanyuan Valley.

Seeing the starlight overflow and cause specters to dissolve into nothingness, their expressions shifted to joy, and a surge of hope bloomed in their hearts.

Mu Luo stood respectfully beside Ji Changkong, frowning as he watched the continuous slaughter of the demon ghosts. He murmured softly, "The Star Sea has only just formed and cannot exert its full power. If the Demon King were to arrive, I fear the Star Sea might not hold."

"No matter," Ji Changkong smiled. "Without a sky full of demon ghosts, even if a single Demon King managed to rush into Xuanyuan Valley, it couldn't stir up much trouble."

Whoosh!

A sound of tearing air arrived, and a vast, hazy phantom slowly materialized in the starry sky above the ancient Star Sea Formation. Dense, gray mist swirled and spread, looking like two enormous, ceaselessly flapping wings.

A chilling, deathly cold radiated from the colossal phantom. Everyone standing in Xuanyuan Valley immediately felt a bone-deep chill.

Gradually, the figure and appearance of the Demon King became clearer. The massive silhouette hovered above Xuanyuan Valley, looking down upon the multitude of experts below. Suddenly, he threw his head back and unleashed a piercing, high-pitched howl toward the heavens.

With the cry, even more demon ghosts converged from all directions, charging toward Xuanyuan Valley without regard for their lives.

The sky filled with specters, resembling countless bats, blotting out the sun and pressing down with an almost suffocating weight.

Some weaker individuals within the valley trembled under this heavy pressure. Younger cultivators who had only reached the Two-Yin Heaven Realm could barely remain standing; their knees involuntarily bent, and they were on the verge of collapsing to the ground.

"Stand up!" Xiao Poshan roared with the force of shattering mountains and splitting heavens, his voice echoing through the clouds.

The oppressive aura pressing down from above was suddenly torn open, and the crushing weight instantly diminished. Those who were about to kneel felt a jolt of spirit, and they immediately straightened their backs.

"Xuanyuan Valley! Xuanyuan! Today, you perish!" The ice-cold voice of the Demon King resonated endlessly within Xuanyuan Valley.

Hoo! Hoo-hoo-hoo!

The dense swarm of demon ghosts suddenly converged onto the Demon King. His massive phantom was stacked high with hundreds upon hundreds of specters, instantly forming an unimaginably gigantic entity. This behemoth exuded a killing aura capable of extinguishing all living beings in the world; destruction and hatred seemed to be the most fundamental aspects of its soul.

The Demon King, having absorbed hundreds and thousands of specters into his body, experienced an explosive surge in his already formidable power!

Not good! Ji Changkong thought, shouting immediately, "Everyone, attack him with everything you have!"

He flicked his Dragon Radiance Saber, and thick waves of blood abruptly materialized. In an instant, Xuanyuan Valley transformed into a vast sea of blood, the thick, coppery stench overwhelming the air.

A blood dragon roared toward the sky, churning within the bloody expanse. Dripping with gore, its aura of tyrannical dominance intensified.

Hooowl!

Amidst the deafening roar, the blood dragon churned the surging crimson tide and slammed violently toward the Demon King suspended motionlessly in the void! Simultaneously, the Star Sea blazed with brilliant starlight, shooting out streaks that targeted the Demon King as well.

The experts from the major sects and families in Xuanyuan Valley did not hesitate; they unleashed the full extent of their power at the same time. Brilliant streams of light soared heavenward, stabbing toward the Demon King like luminous swords and spears.

Boom-boom-boom!

The Demon King, condensed with specters, thrashed wildly in the sky, brutally colliding with the incoming attacks and shattering every blast of light directed at him.

Even the blood dragon, which had just struck, was forced into a hasty retreat under the Demon King's heavy blows and was violently blasted back into Xuanyuan Valley.

Formidable!

Ji Changkong's expression shifted. He took a deep breath, his soul constantly transforming, slowly spreading out until it merged with Xuanyuan Valley itself.

At that moment, a wondrous sensation washed over him—the feeling that I am the master of Xuanyuan Valley, the spirit of all life here. Faintly, he sensed a vibrant, marvelous energy emanating from deep beneath the valley floor. This energy blended seamlessly with his own spirit, granting him an exquisitely peculiar sensation.

Infinite, inexhaustible power—that was the feeling!

In an instant, the primordial energy swirling throughout Xuanyuan Valley seemed drawn by some unseen force, slowly beginning to condense until it formed an immensely massive Azure Dragon illusion.

An ancient, desolate, and profound aura suddenly enveloped Xuanyuan Valley. This primal energy of the continent suddenly saturated the very center of the valley.

The enormous Azure Dragon illusion, colored deep cyan, hovered behind Ji Changkong.

The Demon King, who was just preparing to dive down and slaughter, suddenly displayed an expression of utter terror. His icy gaze lingered on the Azure Dragon phantom for only a few seconds before he abruptly turned and fled at top speed.

In the time it took for a single breath, all the surrounding demon ghosts vanished, following the Demon King's retreat in haste.

Once the Demon King was gone, the colossal Azure Dragon phantom gradually grew faint, slowly dimming until it disappeared entirely.

Everyone stared with mouths agape at the specter hovering behind Ji Changkong, filled with confusion.

"The Sacred Beast Azure Dragon! It is the Azure Dragon, one of the Four Sacred Beasts!" Gui Rong exclaimed in delight. "It seems our speculation was correct; the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon truly lies dormant beneath Xuanyuan Valley! A mere illusion was enough to scare away the Demon King—the power of the Four Sacred Beasts is indeed terrifying!"

Xiao Poshan and the others nodded in agreement. They could see clearly that the Demon King had fled in blind panic the moment the image of the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon appeared, clearly terrified of it.

Xiao Poshan and the others breathed a sigh of relief, unaware that a wisp of a spirit quietly mingled with the aura of the Azure Dragon phantom, gradually sinking deep beneath the earth.

When merging his being with Xuanyuan Valley using the profound mysteries of the Tai Xu Secret Record, Ji Changkong suddenly felt he could command the spiritual energy of the entire valley, using it to expel the Demon King.

However, just as he prepared to act, he was startled to find the Demon King had already vanished without a trace.

When the massive illusion of the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon materialized in the void, Ji Changkong suddenly felt a sense of kinship. Then, his own spirit felt light and drifting, uncontrollably flying toward the colossal phantom. At that moment, even the Xuanyuan bloodline within him violently stirred, as if urging him to draw closer to the illusion of the Sacred Beast.

Soon, his spirit merged entirely with the gigantic Azure Dragon phantom. As the phantom descended into the earth, it dragged his soul down with it into the depths.

Approaching the ground, Ji Changkong's spirit became increasingly aware of the profound, surging vitality deep below. The most ancient creature, hidden beneath Xuanyuan Valley, seemed to be waiting for him, as if it had waited for a very, very long time.

His spirit trembled violently. Unsure how deep he had fallen, Ji Changkong suddenly found himself within an unseen, dense thicket of vegetation. His soul could sense the vibrant life force emanating from those plants.

This was a fluctuation of vitality far stronger than that of ordinary humans!

"My child, you have finally arrived," an ancient voice sounded directly within his spirit. "I have waited for you here for many years. Today, you have finally come."

"Are you the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon?" Ji Changkong inquired, his spirit trembling.

In the darkness, a pinprick of light suddenly flared. The light grew larger, slowly transforming into an old man with a head of white hair. His face was etched with wrinkles; one look confirmed he had lived for an incredibly long time.

The old man was also in soul form, appearing human, and he watched Ji Changkong's spirit calmly, smiling, "That is what the world calls me."

Although he had psychologically prepared for this, seeing the old man admit it so plainly still made Ji Changkong uncontrollably excited, his spirit shaking violently.

The Sacred Beast Azure Dragon, the most ancient life form on this continent, was right here before his soul, conversing with him. The mere thought made Ji Changkong unable to suppress his elation.

"Did you scare away that Demon King just now?" After a while, Ji Changkong managed to control his emotions and asked.

The Sacred Beast Azure Dragon nodded slightly and sighed softly. "His formation has something to do with me. He fears me, fears that I will seize the life essence within him, which is why he fled immediately."

"What? The formation of the Demon King is connected to you? How is that possible?" Ji Changkong was stunned, never expecting the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon to utter such words.

"The Netherworld Ghost Domain connects to the deep core of the earth where I reside. The wood essence radiating from me filled the Ghost Domain with the power of life. For generations, they relied on my power to cultivate there, which is why their spirits could be nearly immortal. Now their vitality is so strong that they can never dissipate."

"Why? Why did you help them?"

"I did not help them. At that time, I was in a dormant phase. Even knowing they might borrow my power and transform into some evil, terrifying creature, I was powerless. Now, although I am awake, my original body suffered a severe injury and has yet to recover. Furthermore, they have grown powerful enough that unless they enter the depths of the earth, I cannot reclaim their life essence."

The Sacred Beast Azure Dragon sighed.

"If even you cannot eliminate them, then is there truly no one in this world who can control them?"

"There is still you. You can destroy them!" The Azure Dragon smiled faintly, looking deeply at him. "Within your body flows the blood of our kind. What others cannot achieve, you can."

"You all?!" Ji Changkong exclaimed in shock. "What do you mean, 'you all'? How many are there?"