Fragrant

Prime Kirin's pupils contracted slightly—naturally, he could not see through Li Xuan's cultivation level under the enhancement of the Thirty-Six Grade Creation Green Lotus Platform.

But that lotus platform, radiating a mysterious light, was clearly an extremely fine treasure!

He wanted it!

Only... this creature before him seemed... very powerful!

As the laughter faded, Li Xuan wore an inscrutable expression and said slowly, "Dragon Fellow Daoist, the Four Great Fierce Beasts are ravaging the Primordial World. You, Phoenix Fellow Daoist, and Dragon Fellow Daoist uphold the Heavenly Mandate by destroying them—this is truly great merit, great fortune, great creation. But the Heavenly Dao wills it: Qiongqi was fated to die by This Poor Daoist's hand today. Therefore, this corpse cannot be given to you, Fellow Daoist."

Prime Kirin's brow furrowed slightly upon hearing this.

Li Xuan's hand, resting on his leg, trembled just a little...

This creature before him—his transformed form was even more perfect than his own.

After all, even when he himself transformed, part of his body still remained in the shape of a kirin.

Moreover, he was certain he had never seen this creature before.

Yet it knew Ancestor Dragon, recognized Primordial Phoenix, and understood the Heavenly Dao's fate...

It must be a reclusive Innate Great Power...

But that Qiongqi corpse... he had hunted it for over a thousand years, and now to give it up was truly hard to part with!

If he could devour Qiongqi's corpse, his cultivation would surely soar!

Should he try fighting this creature?

Or... just let it go?

With flames blazing in his eyes, the kirin stared at Li Xuan, pondering inwardly.

Fight or flee?

Li Xuan still wore a faint smile, but his palms were starting to sweat...

He must not show weakness! Absolutely not!

He had to keep up the act!

Otherwise, even if he handed over Qiongqi's corpse, Prime Kirin would immediately realize he was nothing but bluster.

The next moment, he would likely pounce and kill him, seizing his lotus platform and Gourd Vine!

Seeing Prime Kirin remain silent, the atmosphere around them grew tense.

Suddenly, Li Xuan let out a loud laugh and said, "Dragon Fellow Daoist, what are you thinking? If you have nothing to do, why not come down and sit for a while, share a cup of tea?"

Prime Kirin's pupils shrank sharply, and he couldn't help but step back a few paces.

The roiling thick mist around him seemed ready to surge toward him at any moment!

Squinting his eyes, Prime Kirin stared at the figure seated on the Thirty-Six Grade Green Lotus Platform, his wariness growing.

This creature...

Unfathomable!

And he wants me to go down for tea? Do you think I'm stupid!?

"Forget it, forget it... I'll pass on eating this Qiongqi corpse. This creature is probably not to be trifled with. Besides, if I get injured fighting him, I'll fall behind Primordial Phoenix and Ancestor Dragon..."

With that thought, Prime Kirin said coolly, "I have other matters to attend to, so I won't discuss the Dao with you, Fellow Daoist. Another day, when I have time, I shall come to visit!"

With that, he cast one last deep glance at Li Xuan.

Then, his form shook, and he transformed back into a ten-thousand-zhang giant beast, carrying towering flames, fiery clouds, and burning rain as he headed west.

"Phew..."

Watching Prime Kirin vanish into the western horizon, Li Xuan finally let out the long breath he had been holding in his lungs.

That was terrifying...

If Prime Kirin had truly charged down recklessly, Li Xuan would have had only one path—death.

He put the Gourd Vine back in place and shook his sore hand. Holding it up like that—who could stand it?

Then he wiped the sweat from his brow. "Close call... I managed to bluff him..."

"Ding."

"Host has completed the task of helping Prime Kirin slay the fierce beast Qiongqi. Reward: Divine Ability—Five Elements True Fire, Divine Ability—Cloning Technique, Innate Spiritual Treasure—Jade Pure Bottle."

Li Xuan was panicking, but the system's prompt was unaffected.

In an instant, waves of understanding about spells flooded his mind.

At the same time, a white-jade pure bottle appeared before him.

"Cloning Technique, Five Elements True Fire."

Li Xuan closed his eyes to digest the two immortal arts, then muttered to himself. Suddenly, he waved his hand and shouted, "Five Elements True Fire!"

With a crackling sound, a three-zhang-long chain of fire shot through the air, burning for a moment before slowly fading.

If this had been before, Li Xuan would have been smugly shouting, "Awesome!"

This Five Elements True Fire was far stronger than the Lightning Summoning Technique.

Unfortunately, he had just witnessed the endless Qilin True Fire that pressed down half the sky...

His standards had risen!

Thus, with a scoff, he curled his lip and withdrew his hand, then pressed two fingers together and muttered, "Clone!"

Spiritual energy from the surroundings instantly converged, coalescing into a human form in the blink of an eye.

Its appearance was identical to Li Xuan's, but its eyes were dull, its body stiff—it looked no different from a dummy.

"Even though I know a clone conjured by the Cloning Technique is bound to be fake... this is just too ridiculously fake!..."

Staring at the dummy before him, Li Xuan was utterly speechless.

He threw a straight uppercut, smashing the dummy into scattered spiritual energy that dissipated into the air.

Waving his hand, Li Xuan turned his gaze to the Jade Pure Bottle.

"Is this Guanyin's?"

Muttering to himself, Li Xuan grabbed the Jade Pure Bottle.

With a slight probe of his mind, he understood the bottle's functions.

This bottle could capture enemies, held an immense capacity capable of holding mountains and seas, and also had the effect of nurturing spiritual pills and medicines—a fairly decent Innate Spiritual Treasure.

It seemed it really was Guanyin's Jade Pure Bottle.

"Now that this bottle is with me... what will she hold in her hand from now on?"

Li Xuan toyed with the bottle, a mischievous thought crossing his mind—what would it look like if Guanyin held a gourd, a bowl, or something else in her hand instead...

"Heh heh..."

With a dry chuckle, Li Xuan shook off those random thoughts.

After all, this was the ancient primordial era, just after heaven and earth had first split open.

It was millions of years before the Investiture of the Gods period, when Daoist Cihang would reincarnate and transform into the Bodhisattva Guanyin...

As he muttered, the cold sweat on his body had dried. Only then did Li Xuan, truly excited, cast his gaze down 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!

Even this single corpse was no worse than an Innate Supreme Treasure.

"Barbecue... intestines... tenderloin..."

Li Xuan's eyes gleamed, and various delicacies already swirled in his mind. Without a second word, he moved and leaped down.

"What a fine day today..."

That night, cheerful singing echoed from the mountain peak.

A hundred-zhang tree served as a stand, skewering massive chunks of Qiongqi meat, roasting continuously over a great bonfire.

The fragrant scent spread for hundreds of miles without end.

Li Xuan occasionally cast a spell to keep the flames of the fire from dying out.

"So fragrant!"

Qiongqi meat gathered the essence of heaven and earth, a rare treasure in the world.

Though slicing it raw and eating it fresh was best, ensuring not a shred of spiritual energy was lost.

But roasted to perfection, it was utterly delicious—chewy on the palate, with an endless aftertaste.

And most importantly, Li Xuan couldn't stomach raw meat.

Right now, his cheeks bulged as he ate, grease dripping from his mouth, as chunk after chunk of roasted Qiongqi meat disappeared into his stomach.

The meat entering his belly brought not only fragrance and a full sense of happiness.

But also a torrent of spiritual energy and essence bursting forth!