Prime Kirin's pupils contracted slightly. He naturally couldn't see through Li Xuan's cultivation level, even with the Thirty-Six Grade Creation Green Lotus Platform's protection.
But that lotus platform, radiating profound light, was clearly an exceptionally precious treasure!
He wanted it!
It was just that this living being before him... seemed... incredibly powerful!
His laughter gradually faded. With an inscrutable expression, Li Xuan spoke slowly. "Kirin Fellow Daoist, the Four Great Fierce Beasts have run rampant across the Primordial Wilderness. You, Dragon Fellow Daoist, and Phoenix Fellow Daoist upheld the Heavenly Mandate and slew them. That was truly a great merit, a great blessing, and a great boon. But the Heavenly Dao has decreed that Qiongqi must die by my hand today, so I can't give you the corpse."
Prime Kirin's brows furrowed slightly at that.
The hand Li Xuan had resting on his knee trembled a little...
The living being before him had taken on a more perfect human form than he had.
After all, even Prime Kirin still had some parts of his body in Kirin form after transforming.
And he was certain he'd never seen this being before.
Yet this being knew Ancestor Dragon, knew Yuanfeng, and understood the fate ordained by the Heavenly Dao...
He was probably an Innate Great Power who lived in seclusion...
But that corpse of Qiongqi's... He'd pursued it for over a thousand years. Now that he had to give it up, he found it hard to let go...
If he could devour Qiongqi's corpse, his cultivation would surely increase greatly!
Why not fight this being and see how it went?
Or... should he just let it go?
The Kirin, flames burning in his eyes, looked at Li Xuan and pondered silently.
Should he fight or leave?
Li Xuan still wore a faint smile, but his palm was already sweating...
He couldn't show weakness! Absolutely not!
He had to keep up the act!
Otherwise, even if he gave up Qiongqi's corpse, Prime Kirin would immediately realize he was only putting on a brave face.
Prime Kirin would probably pounce on him the next moment, kill him, and seize his lotus platform and Gourd Vine!
When Prime Kirin remained silent, the atmosphere around them gradually grew tense.
Li Xuan suddenly burst into laughter. "Kirin Fellow Daoist, what are you thinking about? If you have nothing else to do, why not come down and have a seat? Care for a cup of tea?"
Prime Kirin's pupils immediately contracted, and he couldn't help taking several steps back.
The thick fog churning around them seemed ready to rush at him at any moment!
Squinting, Prime Kirin looked at the figure seated on the Thirty-Six Grade Green Lotus Platform. His wariness grew.
This being...
Was unfathomable!
And he was asking him to come down for tea? Did he think he was stupid!?
"Forget it... I can do without eating Qiongqi's corpse. This being is probably not someone to mess with. Besides, if I fight him and get injured, I'll probably fall behind Yuanfeng and Ancestor Dragon..."
After considering this, Prime Kirin said coolly, "I have other matters to attend to, so I won't discuss the Dao with you today. When I have time another day, I'll come visit!"
After speaking, he gave Li Xuan one last deep look.
Then he shook himself and transformed back into a colossal beast ten thousand zhang tall. Bringing a flood of flames, fiery clouds, and fire rain with him, he headed west.
"Phew..."
Only when Prime Kirin disappeared beyond the western horizon did Li Xuan finally let out the breath he'd been holding in his lungs.
That was terrifying...
If Prime Kirin had really charged down without a care, Li Xuan would have been doomed.
He put the Gourd Vine back where it belonged and shook out his aching hand. Who could stand holding it up like that?
Only then did he wipe the sweat from his forehead. "Good, good... I bluffed him..."
"Ding."
"Host's choice to help Prime Kirin slay the fierce beast Qiongqi is complete. Reward: Divine Ability—Five Elements True Fire. Divine Ability—Cloning Technique. Innate Spiritual Treasure—Jade Pure Bottle."
Li Xuan was terrified, but that didn't stop the system from notifying him.
In an instant, wave after wave of understanding about the techniques flooded his mind.
At the same time, a white jade bottle appeared before him.
"Cloning Technique, Five Elements True Fire."
After closing his eyes to absorb the knowledge of the two immortal arts, Li Xuan muttered to himself. Then he suddenly waved his hand and shouted, "Five Elements True Fire!"
With a sizzling sound, a fiery chain more than three zhang long burst through the air. It burned there for a short while before gradually vanishing.
Before, Li Xuan would certainly have been grinning smugly and shouting, "Awesome!"
The Five Elements True Fire was much stronger than the Lightning Summoning Technique.
Unfortunately, he'd just seen the boundless Qilin True Fire that had blotted out half the sky...
His standards had risen!
So he clicked his tongue, curled his lip, and lowered his hand. Then he brought two fingers together and muttered, "Clone!"
The spiritual energy around him immediately gathered, condensing into a human figure in the blink of an eye.
It looked exactly like Li Xuan, except its eyes were dull and its whole body was stiff. It looked no different from a dummy.
"I know the person created by the Cloning Technique is obviously fake... but this is ridiculously fake!"
Looking at the dummy in front of him, Li Xuan was utterly speechless.
He threw a single uppercut, and the dummy turned into spiritual energy that scattered in every direction.
Waving his hand, Li Xuan turned his attention to the Jade Pure Bottle.
"Is this the one Guanyin has?"
Muttering to himself, Li Xuan picked up the Jade Pure Bottle.
With a little probing of his thoughts, he learned what the bottle could do.
The bottle could capture enemies, and it had an enormous capacity—enough to hold mountains or contain seas. It could also nurture elixirs and miraculous medicines, making it a rather good Innate Spiritual Treasure.
It really did seem to be Guanyin's Jade Pure Bottle.
"Now that I have this bottle... what will she carry in her hands later?"
Li Xuan played with the bottle, idly imagining how Guanyin would look carrying a gourd, a bowl, or something else.
"Heh..."
With an awkward laugh, Li Xuan dismissed those wild thoughts.
After all, this was the remote past, just after the world had first opened.
The Investiture of the Gods era, when Daoist Cihang would reincarnate and cultivate anew before becoming Bodhisattva Guanyin, was still millions of years away...
As he muttered to himself, the cold sweat on his body finally dried. Only then did Li Xuan truly grow excited and turn his gaze toward the foot of the mountain.
In the valley below lay a corpse ten thousand zhang in size.
It was the corpse of Qiongqi, one of the Four Great Fierce Beasts of antiquity!
This one corpse was hardly inferior to an Innate Supreme Treasure.
"Roast meat... chitterlings... tenderloin..."
Li Xuan's eyes lit up. A whole spread of delicious dishes was already spinning through his mind. Without another word, he moved and leaped down.
"What a beautiful day today..."
That night, cheerful singing drifted from the mountaintop.
A hundred-zhang-tall tree served as a spit, with enormous pieces of Qiongqi meat skewered on it and roasting over a great bonfire.
The mouthwatering aroma spread for hundreds, even thousands of li.
From time to time, Li Xuan cast a spell to keep the flames from going out.
"So fragrant!"
Qiongqi's meat held the essence of heaven and earth. It was a rare and precious delicacy.
Though it was best sliced thin and eaten raw, that way none of its spiritual energy would be lost.
But once roasted, it was delicious beyond compare—firm to the bite, with a lingering flavor.
More importantly, Li Xuan couldn't stomach raw meat.
His cheeks bulged as he ate, grease coating his mouth. One huge piece of roasted Qiongqi after another disappeared into his belly.
The roasted meat filled his belly not only with fragrance and happiness.
It also released a vast amount of spiritual energy and essence!
Before you continue