The God Transformation-stage Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine grew rampantly within the cavern, its blood-red thorns desperately sinking into the flesh and blood of the Abyss Monstrosity, gnawing away at the rich sustenance bit by bit, having lost interest in the dozens of surviving Nascent Soul late-stage cultivators nearby.

As long as they did not provoke it, it would temporarily not bother attacking them.

Qingqiu Li glanced at the sealed passage and the Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine already wedged within it; without hesitation, she followed Ye Qin and the other two. She had managed to secure a portion of Spirit Paste amidst the chaos earlier, but what mattered most to her remained the grey egg Ye Qin possessed.

The Nascent Soul cultivators who had survived the chaotic, bloody battle shivered as they looked upon the thirteenth-rank, God Transformation-stage Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine dominating the center of the cavern.

"Will this demon vine swallow the entire Abyss Monstrosity? And then end up eating us?"

"Who knows! Come on, let's find somewhere safer!" After Ye Qin and his group left, the Nascent Soul cultivators split into several factions and fled deeper into the stone cavern.

Although the situation deep within the Abyss Monstrosity's gut was unknown, it offered a greater chance of survival than remaining there to face the terrifying Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine.

As for who held the remaining two portions of Spirit Paste, and whether the other Nascent Soul cultivators would continue to fight over them, that remained to be seen.

Ye Qin sprinted through the cavern, his brow tightly furrowed.

The Abyss Monstrosity was a fifteenth-rank Demonic Beast Great Lord, immense in size, its strength likely reaching an absolute peak.

However, the Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine, a plant hailing from the Demon Realm, was not to be trifled with either.

The Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine grew madly inside the Abyss Monstrosity's body, its growth unstoppable by anyone.

The Demon Vine had already surpassed the thirteenth rank of the God Transformation stage, and nourished by the massive amounts of flesh and blood from the Abyss Monstrosity, it would only continue to grow larger, and its consumption rate would accelerate. Sooner or later, it would devour the entire Abyss Monstrosity, evolving into an unimaginably terrifying fifteenth-rank demon vine against which even God Transformation experts would likely have no match.

Thinking of this, Ye Qin couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration.

But the event had already transpired; regret was useless. It was better to focus on finding a way to escape their current predicament.

"Husband..." Huangfu Bing'er swayed her delicate frame, saying with some dejection, "It's a shame the Void-Breaking Flash teleportation cannot pass through obstacles. Otherwise, I could have brought you out."

"If teleportation spells could move freely in and out of the bodies of Demonic Beast Great Lords, these colossal beast lords would likely have been extinct long ago," Ye Qin chuckled wryly, gently comforting Huangfu Bing'er.

His mind raced rapidly, searching for anything that might resolve their dilemma.

"I recall that when dealing with the Ghost Master, the Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine showed no power at all; in fact, it was easily incinerated by the Netherflame. Ghost-type abilities seem to easily counter this demon vine. God Transformation-stage Netherflame should be able to burn the thirteenth-rank Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine to death, or at least force it to retreat in self-preservation. Alternatively, we could use the Netherflame to burn a path through the flesh wall and escape, though that would likely require a massive amount of Netherflame. Moreover, using the Netherflame would certainly incite the Abyss Monstrosity's rage, leading to unpredictable consequences—we might even burn ourselves."

"Husband, you have Netherflame?" Huangfu Bing'er exclaimed with surprise.

"Yes," Ye Qin replied. "When fighting the Ghost Master, I collected a few wisps of Netherflame and have kept them stored in my Purple Mansion."

Saying this, Ye Qin couldn't help but shake his head with a bitter smile. "However, I don't possess a Ghost Body like the Ghost Master, so I can't control the Netherflame directly. And to forcibly try controlling it... one would need at least a cultivation base above the God Transformation stage to have any slight chance..."

Huangfu Bing'er's heart stirred upon hearing this, and she couldn't help but remark, "Husband, we have already obtained the main ingredient, the Spirit Paste, needed for refining the God Transformation Pill... we are just missing the God Transformation Pill formula!"

"The formula isn't strictly necessary. Take that Vermilion Fruit, for example; eating it raw can drastically boost vital energy. Refining the fruit into numerous Vitality Pills merely concentrates its essence. Refining other spirit herbs into elixirs is mostly the same: either impurities are removed, or the medicinal powers of several herbs are harmonized. The Spirit Paste and the God Transformation Pill are essentially the same; the difference lies only in the presence of impurities and the resulting probability of achieving God Transformation success. As an Alchemy Divine Master, I am intimately familiar with medicinal properties and can easily distinguish impurities."

Ye Qin pondered for a moment, then concluded, "Even if we had the formula, the Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine is growing too fast; we probably wouldn't have time to refine the elixir."

"Since that is the case, then Husband, consume the Spirit Paste and force a breakthrough to the God Transformation stage! If one portion isn't enough, I have another. If that still fails, we will seize the remaining three portions from the other cultivators!"

As she spoke, Huangfu Bing'er's eyes lit up, revealing a determined expression. "In any case, it's better than sitting here waiting to die. Moreover, if you attempt the God Transformation Great Tribulation while inside the Abyss Monstrosity, the heavenly might striking the beast might actually make us safer. Once Husband breaks through to God Transformation, whether it's slaying the God Transformation-stage Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine or blasting a path out of the Abyss Monstrosity’s belly, everything will be much easier! This might be the only way, and it certainly cannot be worse than passively awaiting death."

"Yes."

Ye Qin weighed the options in his mind for a moment, then nodded, making his decision.

He glanced back at the dark, receding passage behind them and said calmly, "Qingqiu Li, you've followed us long enough. Come out!"

"Ye Qin, give me back my grey egg! Return the grey egg to me, and all past grievances will be settled."

A captivating, alluring red shadow materialized, hovering several hundred feet away, laced with undeniable anger.

"How terrifying the Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine is, you, a Demon Saint from the Demon Realm, should know best. Even if you reclaim the grey egg, what good will it do? If you cannot comprehend it, how much aid can it offer you? When the Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine finishes consuming the entire Abyss Monstrosity, it will be our turn, the little cultivators, and you too will perish without a burial place. You gain the grey egg only to be buried inside this Abyss Monstrosity—is this what you desire?" Ye Qin said dismissively.

Qingqiu Li frowned slightly, falling into deep thought, and did not forcefully demand the grey egg again. Besides, she was no match for the two of them, and her cunning schemes would be useless.

"The grey egg is still with me; it won't vanish. You will have time to figure things out later. I intend to attempt breaking through to God Transformation here. After succeeding, perhaps the few of us might still have a chance to leave alive! Until then, I hope you do not interfere with my breakthrough." Ye Qin stated.

"Fine, if you manage to get out... you must take me with you!" Qingqiu Li's delicate face showed annoyance, yet she was helpless.

Over these days, Ye Qin had come to deeply understand Qingqiu Li's nature: she was intelligent and resourceful, but she would compromise if someone possessed sufficient strength. She would not put herself in mortal danger.

Inside the Abyss Monstrosity, countless branching paths existed.

Ye Qin and the others erased their tracks as carefully as possible, traversing numerous forks before finally stopping at the end of a narrow side passage. It was unlikely others would find this spot.

No one knew how much time they had left.

Huangfu Bing'er set up concealed defensive arrays and restrictions in the passage.

Qingqiu Li watched from a distance, contemplating whether she, too, should attempt breaking through to God Transformation.

Ye Qin settled down at the dead end, calmed his mind and spirit, and consumed one portion of the supremely vital Beast Spirit Paste, which exuded spiritual energy.

The vital energy contained within the Spirit Paste was exceptionally potent. Upon entering his mouth, the paste instantly dissolved, transforming into an incomparably sweet and fragrant stream that flowed directly into his Dantian.

"Boom!"

Ye Qin felt a thunderous roar in his mind, followed by an explosion-like sensation. Surging vital energy instantly spread out, filling every limb and bone in his body.

Ye Qin noticed his Nascent Soul beginning to absorb this vital energy with all its might, swelling rapidly. Simultaneously, his pores widened, inhaling and exhaling the excessive spiritual energy, forming an energy cycle both inside and outside his body.

Gradually, Ye Qin was astonished to see his Nascent Soul radiating a five-colored halo, seeming ready to depart from his body at any moment. His divine sense and magic power surged along with it.

Ye Qin was suddenly alarmed, forcing his mind to steady. He stopped focusing on the changes within and outside his body, concentrating entirely on forcing a breakthrough to the God Transformation cultivation level.

Huangfu Bing'er guarded him from the side. Seeing Ye Qin's vital energy increase explosively—even to the point where a spiritual energy vortex began to form around him, stabilizing only after the cyclone settled—she finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.

However, Ye Qin was forcefully attempting the God Transformation using the Spirit Paste; the difficulty was imaginable. But besides Ye Qin himself, no one could truly help. Although Huangfu Bing'er was worried, all she could do was secure the area and act as his protector.

Outside.

The Abyss Monstrosity was locked in a fierce battle with the assembled God Transformation cultivators.

The Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine was still relatively small, only a few hundred feet long, far smaller than the Abyss Monstrosity's nearly thousand-mile-long body. The beast had not yet perceived the vine as a threat; to it, the several dozen God Transformation cultivators outside posed a greater danger.

The combined strength of the dozens of God Transformation cultivators from the Southern Demon Continent was truly world-shattering. However, they were constrained, hesitant to severely injure the Abyss Monstrosity. An adult, fifteenth-rank Abyss Monstrosity could continuously generate Spirit Paste for the cultivators of the Southern Demon Continent to use. Injuring this beast would result in a loss that might last for a thousand years.

They were merely attempting to force the Abyss Monstrosity back into the Demonic Abyss.

But the Abyss Monstrosity, this terrifying Demonic Beast Great Lord, was not so easily subdued!

After several dozen days, the combined assault of the God Transformation cultivators yielded little effect. Under the Abyss Monstrosity's counterattacks, several God Transformation cultivators were actually injured.

Hundreds of thousands of Nascent Soul cultivators stayed far away, watching this rare grand battle in stunned silence.

If the Abyss Monstrosity’s sheer size hadn't made its reactions somewhat slow, the God Transformation cultivators would have suffered more than just physical injuries.

As time passed, the Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine grew stronger, breaking through to the fourteenth and then the fifteenth rank successively, and the amount of flesh and blood it consumed became noticeably more significant.

The Abyss Monstrosity fell into panic and rage.

Concerned with the fleeting glimpse of the peerless spiritual treasure and simultaneously fighting the God Transformation cultivators, the Abyss Monstrosity failed to notice the ominous signs within its own body.

Although the Abyss Monstrosity was a Demonic Beast Great Lord, it was still flesh and blood, being consumed directly inside its body by an aberration from the Demon Realm like the God Transformation-stage Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine.

Furthermore, all its divine abilities were completely useless against the Demon Vine residing in its abdomen.

The Abyss Monstrosity grew terrified and enraged, attacking the God Transformation cultivators with frenzied violence.

The usually lofty God Transformation cultivators were forced into a desperate, ragged state.

"What is wrong with this Abyss Monstrosity? Why is its behavior so abnormal?"

"Its vital energy seems to be continuously draining away!"

"Fellow Daoists, press on! Drive it back into the Abyss!"

After an unknown period, high in the sky thousands of feet up, the wind and clouds suddenly began to churn, accompanied by rolling muffled thunder.

Thunderclouds gathered directly above the Abyss Monstrosity.

Lightning and thunder flashed within the clouds, gradually forming a thundercloud storm hundreds of miles wide, with massive dark lightning pillars leaping between the masses of cloud.

The Abyss Monstrosity appeared even more uneasy, attempting to flee from this tribulation cloud.

Yet, wherever it flew, the thundercloud followed.

"This is the tribulation cloud for the God Transformation stage!"

"The Abyss Monstrosity is a fifteenth-rank Demonic Beast Great Lord; it passed this God Transformation Great Tribulation long ago! Why is this tribulation cloud following the Abyss Monstrosity?"

The assembled God Transformation cultivators discussed among themselves.

The middle-aged man in the dark green shirt's expression shifted. His divine sense swept across the entire range of the tribulation cloud, finally resting on the Abyss Monstrosity. With disbelief, he muttered, "Could someone be attempting to break through to God Transformation inside the Abyss Monstrosity?"