Wusiko and only Xin glanced at each other with worried faces. They patted their chests and said with a wry smile, "A month at most!"

Gu Xiechen nodded, pointed a finger, and the Giant Spirit God immediately lumbered over, swinging his massive axe toward them.

A purple light flashed, and the peerlessly beautiful Mao E stepped out of the glow, a smile on her face. Gu Xiechen let out a cold snort. The Haotian Mirror, trailing wisps of black and yellow energy, erupted from above his head, slowly transforming into a small mirror barely a foot in diameter, hovering before Mao E. As the Haotian Mirror appeared, the churning air currents instantly fell silent, and the oppressive heat of the void rapidly receded. Even the surging magma below calmed down.

Casually shoving the Haotian Mirror into Mao E’s hand, Gu Xiechen’s face was grim as he sneered, "Give me three months, simultaneously."

Mao E clutched the Haotian Mirror tightly and nodded fiercely. "Exalted One, rest assured." She stroked the mirror with overwhelming delight, the surge of confidence palpable even to Rasko and the others standing nearby. Seeing Mao E so full of certainty, Rasko and the others knew instinctively that the Haotian Mirror must be an extraordinary magical artifact. They immediately fell silent and stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of Gu Xiechen. Wisps of white light simultaneously erupted from the foreheads of Baxin and the others, and the Sheli Zi (relics) they had painstakingly refined burst forth, trailing streaks of white rainbows across the void.

The Giant Spirit God brandished his enormous battle axe, glaring viciously at the Jueyang Bone Demon while muttering incomprehensibly to himself.

Mao E, ever the picture of grace, merely offered the Jueyang Bone Demon a slight, gentle smile, the Haotian Mirror in her hand occasionally flashing with a mysterious cyan light.

Gu Xiechen took a deep breath, pointed his finger, and the colossal Tiangong Hall soared into the sky amid a roar, transforming into a cavernous estate spanning hundreds of miles, settling heavily upon the vast sea of magma. With a deathly pale and utterly grim expression, Gu Xiechen spat out a mouthful of blood, shot a furious glare at the distant Jueyang Bone Demon, then turned back into the Tiangong Hall. He activated all the defensive formations within and simultaneously transmitted a message to Mao E and the others, detailing the entry and exit method for a gateway he had intentionally left accessible—a temporary refuge should they fail to hold back the Jueyang Bone Demon. Having suffered a grievous injury to his Innate Primordial Spirit, Gu Xiechen’s cultivation realm was unsteady, and his mind was in utter chaos. At such a time, not only was contending with the Jueyang Bone Demon impossible, but even maneuvering his escape light was out of the question. Thus, Gu Xiechen needed Mao E and the others to buy him three months—time to mend his injuries and restore his combat strength, but more critically, time to recast his natal magical artifact. Fearing Mao E and the others might not withstand the fiercely imposing Jueyang Bone Demon, Gu Xiechen had no choice but to deploy the Tiangong Hall.

All great ancient powerful beings understood the profound taboos surrounding natal magical artifacts. Although Gu Xiechen had inherited numerous ancient supreme treasures and cultivation techniques, he had never truly received guidance from an ancient cultivator. Instead, following the habits of the cultivation world on Earth, he had rashly refined several natal artifacts and shamelessly used them in battle. He was ignorant of how vital natal artifacts were, realizing only now that they were not meant for casual deployment.

Being severely wounded by the Jueyang Bone Demon this time, though painful, was fortunate for Gu Xiechen. If he had encountered an even stronger foe in the future and deployed his natal artifact only to have an opponent find its fatal weakness and instantly destroy it, he would have been half-dead even if he survived. This, truly, was the arrival of his tribulation.

Arriving at the core hall of the Tiangong Hall, he retrieved the two ‘Three Purity White Bud Pills’ gifted by the Kunlun Dao Sect—pills renowned for reviving the dead and specializing in repairing the Primordial Spirit. After swallowing them, Gu Xiechen slowly guided the medicinal power to repair his Innate Primordial Spirit, continuously drawing upon the Primordial Chaos-Yellow Qi to stabilize his realm and his mind, which was agitated from the sudden, severe trauma.

Healing took Gu Xiechen half a month. The Three Purity White Bud Pills were ancient elixirs passed down through generations by the founders of the Kunlun Dao Sect, possessing immensely powerful medicinal effects. After two pills entered his system, they not only completely healed his injuries but also propelled the cultivation of his Innate Primordial Spirit to a higher level. The Innate Primordial Spirit seated in his Sea of Consciousness was now nearly two feet tall, radiating brilliant golden light with the Five Qi swirling around it—truly majestic and far from ordinary in appearance.

Having cured his injuries, Gu Xiechen retrieved his natal magical artifacts. Gritting his teeth, he expended the ‘Revert to Origin and Reverse Creation Technique’ recorded in the Celestial Artifact Compendium to forcibly extract the vital blood and scattered consciousness integrated into these artifacts. Having fused with the artifacts for so long, this vital blood and scattered consciousness had acquired a subtle aura unique to the artifacts, an aura unsuited for the living body. Annoyed, Gu Xiechen decided to be ruthless: he fed all the extracted vital blood and scattered consciousness to the Fire Crow perched on his shoulder, significantly boosting its sentience.

Looking at the natal artifacts he had forged using vast quantities of materials and countless hours of effort, Gu Xiechen shook his head and casually tossed them into the sea of magma beneath the core hall of the Tiangong Hall, utilizing the essence of the Earth Fire within to re-smelt them into a single mass of chaotic liquid.

Since these artifacts were originally refined by Gu Xiechen, using the unique Revert to Origin and Reverse Creation Technique from the Celestial Artifact Compendium allowed the several artifacts to merge effortlessly into one—a colossal, seven-colored liquid mass emitting enormous spiritual energy. Over the years, Gu Xiechen had invested countless materials into nurturing his natal artifacts. Now, remelted into liquid form, the volume was equivalent to thousands of Mount Everests, every drop concentrated essence of heaven and earth.

With a sigh of vexation, Gu Xiechen poured the True Magnetic Primal Light separated from the True Magnetic Primal Splitting Sword after it was destroyed by the Five Elements Reversal Annihilation True Light into this liquid mass, ensuring complete fusion. Then, he stood with his arms crossed, staring blankly at the immense liquid mass, his mind beginning to drift.

From the experience Mao E transmitted to him, Gu Xiechen discovered, with a mixture of shock and anger, that since he already possessed supreme treasures like the Grand Yin Profound Pearl, the Grand Yang Profound Pearl, the Haotian Pagoda, and the Haotian Mirror, why bother refining his own natal artifacts? He should simply use his Primordial Spirit to refine these four supreme treasures into his natal artifacts—it was the most convenient and appropriate path. Furthermore, considering the grade of these four artifacts, they were sufficient not only to serve as natal artifacts but also as future tools for Thought Projection and even for severing the Three Corpses. Who else in the world could amass such a set of supreme treasures?

Recall how formidable the True Monarch of Grand Yin was—yet he possessed only a single Grand Yin Profound Pearl!

For his daily needs, a Qilin Seal was gradually being refined into the Seal of All Sentience. Coupled with the Mysterious Yellow Indestructible Body Divine Art, the power of the Seal of All Sentience would be immense—sufficient for combat. With his offensive means secured, he only needed a protective artifact. Therefore, Gu Xiechen decided to revert all his original natal artifact raw materials to their origin and use them to forge a personal protective artifact.

But what kind of artifact required such a massive quantity of precious materials, all of which were Innate in origin and simultaneously possessed both Yin and Yang essence attributes? Staring at the unimaginably massive sphere of seven-colored liquid, Gu Xiechen frowned and flipped through the Celestial Artifact Compendium again and again. However, even the refining techniques of the Great Clumsy Daoist never envisioned utilizing such a colossal volume of material just to forge one artifact. Gu Xiechen’s idea was truly fanciful, bordering on the inconceivable.

Looking distressedly at the giant liquid mass before him, Gu Xiechen suddenly let out a long sigh, about to rise.

Never mind these materials for now; let them be tempered by the essence of the Earth Fire here. He needed to go out first and deal with that Jueyang Bone Demon. Someday, he would conceive an idea for a massive artifact, and then he could use these supremely rare materials. With reluctance, he cast one last look at the colossal liquid sphere and turned to leave the Tiangong Hall.

Just then, the Haotian Pagoda trembled faintly, and a subtle thread of spiritual consciousness gently brushed against Gu Xiechen.

Trembling slightly, a bell-shaped halo about the size of a fist floated out of the Haotian Pagoda, suspending quietly before Gu Xiechen’s Innate Primordial Spirit. This bell possessed an ancient, peculiar shape: the upper half was a trapezoidal tier, and the lower half was rounded. Square above, round below, implying some wonderful inherent rhythm. The bell’s color was chaotic, sometimes black, sometimes white, sometimes a turbulent tangle of both. Occasionally, flashes of intense light would reveal countless marvelous talismans flickering within the bell body. Yet, Gu Xiechen recognized none of the talismans.

They were products of an entirely different rule system, utterly distinct from the Ancient Divine Scripts, such as the Divine Scripts of the Materials and the Divine Scripts of the Earthworms, with which Gu Xiechen was familiar.

This was the Bell Spirit of the ‘Chaos Bell’—a spirit whose entire consciousness had been erased, leaving only a core of primordial spiritual essence. This Chaos Bell originated from that new universe, occupying a status equivalent to the Hongmeng Bell (the legendary Eastern Emperor Bell) in this universe—a supreme treasure capable of suppressing the Three Realms.

However, during the ancient war, the various Sages of this universe fought fiercely against the powerful beings of that new universe. Ultimately, the ancient Sages of this universe lured their pursuers in, where Daoist Hongjun personally acted, using the laws of heaven and earth to turn all the extra-cosmic Sages who chased them into ashes. The Saint of Innate Nature, who held the Chaos Bell in his right hand, was heavily wounded and subsequently executed by the Supreme Emperor of Heaven. The Chaos Bell itself was shattered by the rules of this universe, leaving behind only a Bell Spirit imprinted with all the profound mysteries of the Chaos Bell, which the Haotian Pagoda hid away. However, the Haotian Pagoda itself was severely damaged and for many years could not absorb this Bell Spirit. Today, as Gu Xiechen worried about what personal artifact to refine, the Haotian Pagoda, full of spiritual awareness, expelled this Heavenly Bell Spirit and offered it to Gu Xiechen.

Gazing upon this Bell Spirit, Gu Xiechen erupted in wild ecstasy. He immediately burst into loud laughter, doubled over in delight.

“Magnificent!”

With a great shout to the heavens, Gu Xiechen’s Innate Primordial Spirit rapidly differentiated, completely subduing the Bell Spirit. Then, he flicked his hand, casting the Bell Spirit into the enormous mass of liquid before him.

With a soft ’weng’ sound, it felt as if the entire Tiangong Hall vibrated. Under the control of the Chaos Bell Spirit, the liquid mass required no guidance from Gu Xiechen; it naturally coalesced into the shape of the Chaos Bell. That massive volume of liquid eventually compressed into a tiny little bell barely the size of a thumbnail—or, perhaps, describing it as a bell-shaped lock would be more appropriate. Judging by the size of this Chaos Bell, it could indeed only be described as a lock.

Immediately, countless talismans and streams of fiery, colorful light flashed rapidly across the Chaos Bell. Innumerable layers of restrictions were released from the Bell Spirit and successively reinforced upon the bell body. All the divine powers contained within the Bell Spirit returned to the newborn Chaos Bell. However, the grade of this Chaos Bell was extremely high; the restrictive laws and Great Dao rules were countless. The process of layering these prohibitions and laws took a full two months.

When everything was finished, Gu Xiechen stared at the Chaos Bell, now as small as a speck of dust, and was utterly speechless.

All the materials he considered vast and immensely voluminous, after integrating with the Chaos Bell Spirit, resulted in a newborn Chaos Bell only the size of dust. If not for Gu Xiechen’s astonishing eyesight, other cultivators would likely need a scanning electron microscope to discern the actual appearance of this Chaos Bell.

Its smallness was indescribable; it was so minuscule that it left Gu Xiechen utterly speechless.

With a long sigh, Gu Xiechen blew a breath of spiritual energy toward the Chaos Bell, causing it to transform into a lock the size of a fist. Taking out a strand of Snow Saint Silk, he threaded it through the Chaos Bell and hung it from his belt. Gu Xiechen patted the newborn Chaos Bell helplessly and ambled out of the Tiangong Hall. The Chaos Bell swung excitedly along with Gu Xiechen, emitting a crisp, pleasant chime that pierced directly into the soul.

The Chaos Bell had reformed its body; enhancing its power would be simple. The chaotic laws contained within it differed greatly from the spacetime of this universe. As long as various substances were continuously filled into it, it would naturally expand its body and gradually recover its original might. All manner of rare materials, all forms of energy, and all physical entities—such as dust, stones, trees, flowers, and grass—from as small as dust motes to as large as nebulae—could be swallowed by it to restore itself, provided Gu Xiechen had the capacity to feed it. If physical entities were unavailable, purely spiritual existence like mental power, divine sense, intent power, and faith power could also meet its needs.

This Chaos Bell Spirit came from another universe. It was an entity blacker than a black hole. The more objects it devoured, the greater its power. If Gu Xiechen had the capacity now, feeding it a few black holes would allow it to unleash terrifying power comparable to a black hole.

Unfortunately, the Chaos Bell’s current power relied too heavily on automatically absorbed energy. Once it recovered to a certain extent, it would automatically devour the existences of heaven and earth to replenish itself, thus promoting continuous evolution. Before it gained the ability to devour autonomously, Gu Xiechen still needed to nourish it.

Flicking the Chaos Bell lightly, Gu Xiechen smiled with satisfaction.

Walking slowly out of the Tiangong Hall, Gu Xiechen suddenly froze—the scene outside was quite chaotic.

The Jueyang Bone Demon hovered high in the sky, haphazardly spitting out fireballs of varying sizes at random targets. The thirty-eight clansmen of the Flame Family were all gathered there, struggling to defend against the attacks of hundreds of thousands of skeletal monsters by forming a bizarre grand formation. These skeletal monsters ranged in height from about five meters to over two hundred meters, and all used axes as their weapons. Axes of all sizes flew through the air, and the great skeletal monsters, over two hundred meters tall, swung battle-axes the size of small mountains downward, causing Rasko and the others’ bodies to flash with golden light, their bodies battered until fire erupted from their seven orifices.

The Giant Spirit God stood steadfastly beside Mao E, holding his long-handled Xuanhua Great Axe. Two shorter great axes spun rapidly around him, creating a cold glare the size of wagon wheels. Hordes of skeletal monsters charged toward Mao E with eerie howls. The Giant Spirit God casually cleaved these monsters into firewood with a single sweep, then kicked them into the magma below. Occasionally, when too many skeletons surged forward simultaneously, the two short axes beside the Giant Spirit God would suddenly dart forward, slicing through everything around them in an arc. Bones would fly everywhere; often, a single strike destroyed thousands of skeletons.

Mao E chatted softly and laughed with the Giant Spirit God while focusing all her attention on locking onto the figure of the Jueyang Bone Demon.

Suddenly, the Jueyang Bone Demon flashed, and the crimson jewel above its head spewed out a vast sheet of Five Elements Reversal Annihilation True Light toward Rasko and the others below. Mao E immediately gestured with the Haotian Mirror, which ejected a great expanse of cyan haze to meet the multicolored divine light. With several chi sounds, the Annihilation True Light was entirely swallowed by the Haotian Mirror’s cyan haze. Immediately after, wisps of five-colored radiance shot out from the mirror surface, shooting toward the Jueyang Bone Demon from all directions.

Mao E wielded the Haotian Mirror’s divine ability—to swallow, absorb, reflect, and simulate various attacks—with consummate skill.

Whenever the Annihilation True Light approached, the Jueyang Bone Demon shrieked in terror and fled frantically into the distance. The surroundings were lava, rich in fire attribute spiritual energy. As an elemental spirit of fire, the Jueyang Bone Demon moved like a phantom while flying here, making it impossible for Mao E to discern its exact location.

The scene was thus locked in a stalemate. The Giant Spirit God and Mao E could not harm the Jueyang Bone Demon, but protected by the Haotian Mirror, they suffered no damage from it either. Although the fighting against the skeletal monsters was fierce with earth-shaking roars, in reality, both sides were expending useless effort. The Jueyang Bone Demon sustained no injury, yet the skeletal monsters poured out ceaselessly—it was a pure standoff.

Chuckling a few times, Gu Xiechen flashed to Mao E’s side and retracted the Tiangong Hall in one motion. Mao E hastily bowed deeply to Gu Xiechen and respectfully presented the Haotian Mirror.

Taking the Haotian Mirror, Gu Xiechen sprayed a mouthful of five-colored energy onto the surface. The mirror instantly expanded to the size of three zhang (about ten meters). The mirror surface, entwined with cyan haze and misty vapor, was aimed precisely at the Jueyang Bone Demon hovering motionlessly hundreds of miles away in the void. With a finger point, Gu Xiechen ejected a streak of blood that splattered onto the Haotian Mirror. The mirror frame emitted true silk purple light, and the mirror surface rippled like water. The image of the Jueyang Bone Demon within the mirror suddenly became crystal clear, as if it were right before Gu Xiechen.

The Jueyang Bone Demon let out several screams of terror. Once his shadow was captured and locked by the Haotian Mirror, he discovered he could not move an inch. Not only was his body utterly immobile, but even the magic power within him was frozen. An invisible force of constraint, originating from an unknown source, shackled the Jueyang Bone Demon’s body tightly.

Glancing coldly at the Jueyang Bone Demon, Gu Xiechen let out a sharp whistle. The Grand Yin Profound Pearl floated up from above his head, and with flashes of white light, hundreds of ghostly maidens holding longbows emerged from within the pearl. Gu Xiechen glanced at Mao E, and a clear divine thought entered her mind. Mao E roared several commands, and the maidens skillfully formed ranks, drew their bows, aimed at the shadow of the Jueyang Bone Demon reflected in the mirror, and shot arrows fiercely.

Hundreds of grayish-white cold lights pierced into the Haotian Mirror, causing ripples on its surface. Hundreds of miles away, the Jueyang Bone Demon shrieked, having been struck by hundreds of Netherworld Arrows, each equivalent to the full-strength attack of a Third-Rank Celestial Immortal. The piercing cold seeped through the Bone Demon’s body; patches of white frost appeared on its crimson skeleton, which was rapidly enveloped in a layer of grayish-white cold energy.

Then, that crimson jewel suddenly erupted with immense firelight, enveloping the Jueyang Bone Demon in a sea of red flames. The cold energy clinging to the Bone Demon’s skeleton was instantly swept away by the fire, and the previously dimmed and injured Jueyang Bone Demon regained its vitality. The Haotian Mirror suddenly emanated vast, dazzling cyan light. The clear image of the Jueyang Bone Demon in the mirror gradually blurred, until only wisps of fire energy swirled within it. The crimson jewel had severed the Haotian Mirror’s lock on the Jueyang Bone Demon.

Gu Xiechen’s body trembled slightly; the breaking of the Haotian Mirror’s divine ability had caused him to suffer a slight backlash.

Then came a sharp screech from the Jueyang Bone Demon. A bright, glistening, ruby-red fire energy erupted from its small mouth, transforming into a long rainbow that shot far into the distance in an instant.

Gu Xiechen was unsure of the Jueyang Bone Demon’s intention in suddenly spewing its natal essence, but he casually snatched up the Chaos Bell. He sprayed a stream of five-colored energy onto it, causing the Chaos Bell’s form to expand infinitesimally. After exhausting almost all his strength—nearly using every ounce of energy he had—the Chaos Bell finally deigned to oblige Gu Xiechen by expanding to an area of one foot in circumference. "You rascal," Gu Xiechen muttered, rolling his eyes at the sight of this miniature bell. According to the Chaos Bell Spirit’s memory, when it manifested to its largest size, its volume could only be described as ‘filling heaven and earth.’ During the fierce battle between the otherworldly Saint holding the Chaos Bell and the Three Pure Sages, the Chaos Bell once expanded to swallow hundreds of great nebulae in a single gulp. It then reverted those nebulae to their origin and refined them into chaotic spiritual energy, transforming into countless chaotic destructive forces to attack the Three Pure Sages.

Imagine the Primordial Supreme Treasure that once swallowed hundreds of vast nebulae, now painfully constrained to the size of a mere foot square—how could Gu Yechen not be enraged?

The Chaos Bell let out a few gentle chimes, and a wave of aggrieved divine sense washed into Gu Yechen’s Sea of Consciousness. The artifact was complaining, expressing that this diminished size was all it could manage with its current power.

With no other choice, Gu Yechen soared into the air, stepping swiftly across the water-clouds toward the Absolute Sun Bone Demon. When he was less than a hundred miles away, Gu Yechen suspended the Chaos Bell before him and sharply flicked the bell's body with his finger. A crisp resonance, "Om," gradually spread from within the Chaos Bell. At the sound’s arrival, the magma sea beneath them, spanning tens of thousands of miles, instantly vanished into nothingness, and countless rolling crimson spiritual energies rushed into the Chaos Bell. Eighty percent of the energy within these crimson spiritual essences was instantly devoured by the Chaos Bell’s main body, causing the light on the bell to seem slightly smoother, while the remaining twenty percent was compressed into a small, sharp, red sword. This sword suddenly erupted with terrifying sword energy stretching for a hundred miles, howling as it swept toward the Absolute Sun Bone Demon.

With that single strike from the Chaos Bell, the magma sea, tens of thousands of miles wide and hundreds of miles deep, was entirely annihilated. All fire-attributed energy was completely drawn away by the Chaos Bell. Though the resulting sword energy was condensed from only twenty percent of that total energy, its power was astonishing. While still dozens of miles from the Absolute Sun Bone Demon, the sharp sword Qi caused the crimson jewel atop the demon’s head to tremble incessantly.

A large mass of black, blazing beads spewed forth, and the Absolute Sun Bone Demon opened its maw to inhale all of them. Its mandibles snapped shut, releasing a blinding red light that shot out to meet the incoming sword Qi.

With a deafening crash, both Gu Yechen and the Absolute Sun Bone Demon were violently thrown backward. Gu Yechen spat blood from the corner of his mouth, while the Absolute Sun Bone Demon retreated wildly, flapping its wings like a drenched chicken. The shockwave generated by the collision of the sword Qi and the red light pulverized all the skeleton monsters into dust, sending countless broken bone fragments flying everywhere, filling the world with the despairing shrieks of the fallen monsters.

The Chaos Bell let out an excited, light chime, and a stream of chaotic energy jetted out from its mouth. All the bone fragments were drawn into its interior, instantly annihilated into the most fundamental fire-attributed energy.

Gu Yechen staggered backward dozens of miles before finally steadying himself. He shouted fiercely, "Now is the chance! Attack!"

Rasco and the others reacted a moment too slowly, but the Giant Spirit God, a seasoned Heavenly Court warrior who had endured countless battles, surged forward the instant Gu Yechen retreated. This fellow possessed astonishing brute force, and his running speed was unmatched. Before Gu Yechen had even finished his shout, the Giant Spirit God had reached the Absolute Sun Bone Demon and unleashed all his strength, bringing his axe down fiercely upon the demon’s skull.

"Clang!" A colossal sound erupted, and a fist-sized chip was visibly cleaved from the blade of the Giant Spirit God’s great axe. The Giant Spirit God awkwardly retreated several hundred paces, gripping his damaged axe, before plopping down onto the ground. The impact shook the earth, causing the stratum near him to violently sink more than ten fathoms deep.

The Absolute Sun Bone Demon let out a wail and was sent nearly a hundred miles reeling back by the Giant Spirit God’s axe blow. It took considerable effort for the demon to regain stability. It stared at the Giant Spirit God in horror and roared, "You dare strike my Supreme Demon Body? You—your strength! My demonic body, which I’ve refined for so many years, was actually—actually wounded by you!"

Gu Yechen’s eyes were sharp; he clearly saw a hairline crack, no wider than a thread, split open on the Absolute Sun Bone Demon’s skull, from which threads of fire were escaping.

At that precise moment, thirty-eight white rainbows, each stretching for a thousand feet, ripped across the void and struck the Absolute Sun Bone Demon in succession. "Clang, clang, clang," thirty-eight consecutive, thunderous sounds followed as the demon’s body was battered, sparking intensely and retreating repeatedly. These thirty-eight beams of white light were the Buddhist sarira condensed from the thirty-eight individuals, including Rasco, who catalyzed them using secret demon-subduing methods to manifest as Demon-Subduing Rainbow Light to attack the Absolute Sun Bone Demon. Each strike carried a force heavier than Mount Tai; an ordinary immortal struck by these white rainbows would have been utterly smashed, spirit and all.

But that skeletal frame of the Absolute Sun Bone Demon, built from some unknown material, endured the assault. Such attacks of immense force only managed to drive it backward without inflicting any substantial injury. Only the sarira imbued with the power of Basin was exceptionally potent, managing to cleave four small marks across the chest bones of the Absolute Sun Bone Demon.

While the Absolute Sun Bone Demon was not critically injured, Rasco and the others all vomited blood and collapsed onto the ground. An extremely tyrannical and terrifying power surged from within the Absolute Sun Bone Demon, recoiling against their sarira and inflicting deep, hidden injuries. Since the sarira were condensed from the divine thoughts of Rasco and the others, they were the source of their Buddhist divine abilities and the core of their Demon-Subduing Golden Body. With the sarira damaged, they were instantly severely wounded and fell.

Gu Yechen looked at Rasco and the others with a mixture of shock and fury; this Absolute Sun Bone Demon was simply too monstrously powerful.

However, Mao E had already flown over early. She took out a greenish-jade branch, seven feet long, and swept it over Rasco and the others. Dots of greenish osmanthus flowers, enveloped in a faint, dark-green halo, slowly drifted down from the lush branches and gradually merged into the bodies of Rasco and the rest. Those severely wounded felt a fragrant aroma entering their bodies, replacing the burning pain with a wave of coolness. Their bodies, which had become somewhat stiff and inflexible due to improper cultivation of the Demon-Subduing Golden Body, felt as if they had been coated with lubricant, becoming remarkably agile and supple. Gu Yechen glanced quickly at the branch and inwardly praised it; the Osmanthus Tree of the Moon Palace was indeed profoundly mysterious. The osmanthus flowers sprinkled from this branch, though merely energy projections, possessed a potent ability to restore vitality and heal injuries. Moreover, within that elegant osmanthus fragrance, he detected a faint, elusive medicinal scent. Recalling the Jade Rabbit pounding medicine beneath the Osmanthus Tree of the Moon Palace, Gu Yechen vaguely grasped the profound secret behind this branch.

A large swath of green light enveloped Rasco and the others. While Mao E diligently catalyzed the osmanthus branch, sweating profusely to heal everyone, Rasco and the others sat cross-legged, linking their hands into a circular ring. Vast, surging Buddhist Zen energy churned within their bodies, working in concert with Mao E to swiftly repair their damaged bodies and sarira.

Gu Yechen took a deep breath. He roared at the bewildered Giant Spirit God, who was sitting dazedly on the ground, "Attack!" then raised the Chaos Bell and charged toward the Absolute Sun Bone Demon.

A stream of black and yellow energy rolled above Gu Yechen’s head, within which the refining Samsara Seal vaguely took shape. Large quantities of black and yellow energy continuously poured into the seal body, gradually being absorbed by the Samsara Seal. Gu Yechen’s eyes were locked tightly on the Absolute Sun Bone Demon; he slightly curled his fingers, ready to strike the Chaos Bell again against the demon.

The Giant Spirit God also roared and swung his great axe, closely following Gu Yechen’s charge. Veins as thick as fists burst forth beneath the Giant Spirit God’s skin. The blood surging within him flowed wildly, creating a fierce "whoosh" sound like a storm. A scorching aura radiated around the Giant Spirit God, and his gaze became somewhat fixed. All his vitality, spirit, and focus were poured into the great axe in his hands; he intended to use every ounce of his strength to launch a fatal blow against the Absolute Sun Bone Demon.

"Roar! Roar!" With a pair of roars, Gu Yechen and the Giant Spirit God reached the front of the Absolute Sun Bone Demon and were about to launch a fierce assault when a loud bang suddenly erupted beside them. A section of the earth stratum, spanning a hundred miles, violently cracked open, and a monstrous arm shot up from underground, trailing a dazzling red light, slamming down viciously toward the Giant Spirit God.

This arm was frighteningly enormous; the palm alone was nearly a mile wide. The Giant Spirit God, who had leaped up to deliver a heavy axe blow to the Absolute Sun Bone Demon, was struck sideways by this immense palm. He was sent flying like an insect hit by a flyswatter; half his body collapsed inward, spewing blood as he was hurled back hundreds of miles, finally crashing into a towering, cloud-piercing mountain.

"Honored Lord, your unworthy general cannot serve you again!" The Giant Spirit God, nearly shattered by that single blow, cried out miserably, transformed into a purple light, and quickly retreated back into Gu Yechen’s Sea of Consciousness.

Gu Yechen was greatly alarmed. He violently flung the Chaos Bell toward the void. A continuous, rope-thick stream of chaotic energy shot out from the bell, forming a protective canopy several feet in diameter that firmly enveloped Gu Yechen. The colossal hand swung ferociously and slapped down upon Gu Yechen. A pure physical force slammed into the chaotic energy stream, causing the stream to violently shake.

"Buzz!" The Chaos Bell emitted a weak, multicolored shimmer. The attacking force from the giant palm was drawn away by seventy percent. Gu Yechen felt a flash of green light above his head; the Haotian Mirror aimed at the giant arm and shot out a beam of green light, its surface instantly capturing the shadow of that arm.

"Crack!" With a sharp sound, the remaining thirty percent of the giant arm’s force twisted violently backward, redirecting the force back onto the arm itself. The massive, elongated arm violently veered toward the ground and smashed down heavily, obliterating the earth stratum across a hundred-mile radius into dust.

"Aooo!" A furious roar echoed, and a head as large as a mountain emerged from the massive pit. The earth rumbled loudly, and the surrounding ground vibrated chaotically as a magnificent body, tens of miles high, slowly rose from beneath the ground, manifesting before them with an overwhelming killing intent.

This body was generally similar in structure to a human, but it possessed twelve large eyes on its cheeks and a massive mouth. It had no nostrils or ears, and a long tail trailed behind its hips. The entire body was a greenish-bronze color, devoid of any living energy, exuding only a sky-shattering killing intent and a thick miasma of corpse energy that permeated the surroundings.

The Absolute Sun Bone Demon arrogantly flew up and settled upon the head of this colossal body, looking down upon Gu Yechen with smug satisfaction. It stated, "To force me to deploy my true form, you lot actually possess some capability. Few of the Celestial Immortals from the Thirty-Three Heavens who opposed us back then could push me to such a desperate state."

With a long sigh, the Absolute Sun Bone Demon shook its head. "However, this is because my strength has waned too much. If I hadn't fortunately obtained the bones of this fallen Solar Golden Crow, I fear my soul would have dispersed long ago. It took me so many years to seize control of this bone armor, and so many more to refine my true body into a flying corpse."

With a dry chuckle, the Absolute Sun Bone Demon boasted proudly, "Do you know where I obtained the method for refining flying corpses? I personally slew several Celestial Masters serving the Thirty-Three Heaven Court. They hailed from a sect called the Maoshan School. Ah, all their cultivation methods, naturally, came to me!"

Gu Yechen slowly nodded, looking at the Absolute Sun Bone Demon, and sneered coldly, "So that’s how it is. You are not a creature from our realm?"

The Absolute Sun Bone Demon flapped its wings, its three talons lightly gripping the hair on the magnificent body beneath its feet, and let out a soft sigh.

Gu Yechen sneered, stroking the countless raised patterns on the Chaos Bell’s surface, and said lightly, "A member of the Strength God Clan?"

The Absolute Sun Bone Demon let out a booming laugh, tilting its head back proudly. "Yes, I am a glorious and great member of the Strength God Clan!"

Suddenly, the Absolute Sun Bone Demon let out a terrified shriek. It flapped its wings and roared almost hysterically at Gu Yechen, "How do you know my origin? You—you...?"

Its crimson eyes locked onto the Chaos Bell, and the Absolute Sun Bone Demon suddenly cried out in alarm, "The Chaos Bell? What is going on? How is it in your hands? Where is the Supreme Lord of Taihuang?"

Flicking the Chaos Bell lightly, Gu Yechen smiled as he looked at the Absolute Sun Bone Demon.

He sighed softly. "Members of the Strength God Clan, hmm, your clan possesses boundless divine power, unparalleled physical might, and extremely powerful divine abilities, but your nascent souls are extremely weak. You possess only one soul and one spirit, and the strength of that one soul and one spirit is..."

"Hahahaha," Gu Yechen laughed heartily, pointing at the panicked Absolute Sun Bone Demon. "You occupied the body of this Solar Golden Crow and seized its immense innate divine sense for your own use. Because the Solar Golden Crow's divine sense was so vast, none of us ever considered directly attacking your nascent soul. We all assumed your nascent soul was that powerful!"

Taking a deep breath, Gu Yechen shook his head. "But you shouldn't have exposed your true body. The Chaos Bell told me your origin."

He pointed a finger, and the Samsara Seal shot out like a black and yellow rainbow toward the Absolute Sun Bone Demon. The demon tried to flee, but the Haotian Mirror flashed its green light again, locking onto its form.

"Smack!" The Samsara Seal struck the crown of the Absolute Sun Bone Demon’s head. The Samsara Seal does not harm divine sense or spiritual consciousness; it specializes in damaging the nascent soul and the root of the soul. This strike instantly annihilated the Absolute Sun Bone Demon's weak single soul and single spirit, blasting its soul into ashes.

The Fire Crow perched on Gu Yechen’s shoulder flew up excitedly, diving toward the demon’s dazzling red bone frame. With a sharp cry, the Fire Crow transformed into a ball of red light enveloping the skeleton. A feeling of extreme delight and elation surged into Gu Yechen’s heart; the Fire Crow was violently fusing with the Solar Golden Crow's skeleton. The Fire Crow and the Solar Golden Crow shared the same origin and lineage, making the fusion incredibly fast. In just fifteen minutes, the Fire Crow had completely absorbed the Solar Golden Crow's remains. Rolling waves of heat constantly surged from the skeleton into the Fire Crow's body, and large plumes of Solar Blazing Flames suddenly erupted from it.

Seeing the Fire Crow’s joyous state, Gu Yechen smiled. Just as he was about to summon the Solar Profound Pearl to integrate the crimson jewel left by the Absolute Sun Bone Demon, the Fire Crow opened its mouth and swallowed the crimson jewel whole. Immediately afterward, the Fire Crow erupted with Solar Blazing Flames several feet high, and the feathers on its body turned a deep black.

A wisp of divine sense flowed toward Gu Yechen. That crimson jewel was the original inner core of the Solar Golden Crow, containing immense power. Unfortunately, the Absolute Sun Bone Demon had wasted a significant portion of it over the years, even releasing its energy to transform the planet beneath them into a "Mars" covered in volcanic magma. Thus, the energy contained within the inner core was not much, barely equivalent to the total energy contained within a Sixth Grade Celestial Immortal.

Merely Sixth Grade Celestial Immortal energy! Gu Yechen shook his head slightly, somewhat dissatisfied. An ancient Solar Golden Crow should have been at least a Great Overarching Golden Immortal level existence, yet now it was merely a Sixth Grade Celestial Immortal!

However, the inner core contained a massive amount of Reverse Five Elements God-Slaying True Light, which greatly pleased Gu Yechen. This was a supreme treasure capable of stealthily neutralizing others, destroying their nascent souls, and wrecking their magic treasures!

He recalled the Fire Crow with a flip of his hand and looked at the immense body before him. He also thought of the Giant Spirit God, who had just retreated in severe injury to his Sea of Consciousness to recuperate.

The members of the Strength God Clan were famous for their boundless power capable of disrupting the sea of stars!

If the bones of this Strength God Clan member were implanted into the Giant Spirit God's body, how many years of arduous effort could it save the Giant Spirit God in his recovery?

With a strange smile, Gu Yechen tossed the Giant Spirit God out of his Sea of Consciousness and bared his teeth at the confused deity in an odd display.

The Giant Spirit God looked at Gu Yechen in terror, suddenly feeling a chilling sensation rise from the soles of his feet.