"Bang!"
Not long after Lin Langtian entered the cave, the Black Light Cluster suddenly began to expand violently.
Along with it, the enormous silhouette of the dragon ape within also expanded.
The Ancient Dragon Ape seemed to sense that someone harbored ill intentions toward it. It immediately roared madly, and streams of deep black light continuously shot from the cluster, attacking Lin Langtian.
Lin Langtian was startled. Then, Yuan Power swiftly circulated within his body and gathered in his hand, forming a massive Yuan Power palm.
Carrying terrifying force, the giant Yuan Power palm collided head-on with the black light.
"Boom!"
Under that confrontation, the residual energy shook the entire cave, causing it to tremble as shattered stones continuously fell from the ceiling.
"As expected of a Nirvana Realm Demonic Beast. Even though this adult Ancient Dragon Ape has become a demonic spirit, its strength is not much weaker than that juvenile Ancient Dragon Ape's—perhaps even stronger..."
Feeling the destructive power of the black light, Lin Langtian retreated dozens of steps before stabilizing himself. His expression turned solemn as he spoke in a low voice.
He had originally thought capturing the Ancient Dragon Ape's demonic spirit would be a sure thing, but he had not expected it to be so troublesome.
With his current strength, if he carelessly let it escape, losing a Nirvana Realm demonic spirit would be a terrible waste.
"Little fellow, you have done very well. Leave the rest to me!"
As Lin Langtian's expression kept shifting, the Nine Nether Flame Sparrow's voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
"Cry!"
At the same time, a clear cry suddenly sounded from within Lin Langtian's body.
Upon hearing that cry, terror abruptly surged into the Ancient Dragon Ape's enormous eyes in the distance.
"Whoosh!"
Black Flame suddenly ignited in Lin Langtian's eyes. With a sharp whistle, it transformed into two Black Flame beams no more than several feet long, piercing straight through the air.
"Chi!"
The Ancient Dragon Ape's demonic spirit only saw a flash of black light before it felt extreme pain.
The beams burning with Black Flame directly shattered the deep-black light cluster.
"Roar!"
As the deep-black light cluster burst apart, the Ancient Dragon Ape let out an angry roar, and powerful energy fluctuation spread in all directions.
"Hiss!"
As the light cluster exploded, the demonic spirit hidden within was revealed. It was a giant ape more than a dozen zhang tall, though its body was now rather illusory—the defining feature of a demonic spirit's form.
"Boom!"
The moment the Ancient Dragon Ape's demonic spirit appeared, it clenched both fists. Terrifying black light condensed around them before it smashed toward Lin Langtian.
The force of this punch was actually three parts stronger than the juvenile Ancient Dragon Ape's!
"You stubborn beast! The noble Nine Nether Flame Sparrow intends to devour your demonic spirit, yet you still dare resist? Courting death!"
The Ancient Dragon Ape's desperate struggle had clearly made the Nine Nether Flame Sparrow somewhat impatient. With a thought, dense Black Flame surged violently from Within Lin Langtian's Body.
Then, the Black Flame condensed above Lin Langtian into a colossal creature!
With Black Flame swirling around it, Lin Langtian could only make out a few vague parts. Yet he could still tell that it was unmistakably a Nine Nether Flame Sparrow magnified countless times over!
"Cry!"
The instant the colossal creature took shape, it let out a cry toward the Ancient Dragon Ape.
The cry was filled with incomparably terrifying pressure. Under its roar, the Ancient Dragon Ape, which possessed dragon bloodline, began to tremble, fear flooding its ape-like eyes.
"Get in here!"
The massive creature formed from Black Flame suddenly extended its sharp claws and viciously slammed them onto the Ancient Dragon Ape's demonic spirit.
After suffering such a heavy blow, the demonic spirit let out a miserable shriek. It then transformed into a streak of black light and was swallowed whole by the enormous Nine Nether Flame Sparrow.
"Puff!"
Just as the Ancient Dragon Ape's demonic spirit was swallowed, the Nine Nether Flame Sparrow phantom above Lin Langtian completely collapsed.
"Did it succeed?"
Seeing the battle end so quickly, Lin Langtian was startled. With a thought, his consciousness entered his Dantian.
Within his Dantian, Spirit Aunt, who shared a Bloodline Link with him, had completely awakened. She opened her eyes, and there was now a little more warmth in the way she looked at Lin Langtian.
"Whether in bloodline or strength, this Ancient Dragon Ape is fairly decent for such a remote backwater. It seems you truly have not been slacking off during this time. Consider this a personal favor I owe you," said the Nine Nether Flame Sparrow.
Lin Langtian was taken aback. It seemed this Nine Nether Flame Sparrow was rather reasonable after all. She had not become arrogant and overbearing merely because he was too weak, so his hard work over these past days had not been in vain.
Thinking this, Lin Langtian felt a little more at ease. He then chuckled. "Spirit Aunt, you are too polite. Now that you and I are linked by bloodline and share one body, your affairs are my affairs. There is no need for courtesy."
"Mm..." The Nine Nether Flame Sparrow clearly did not wish to discuss the Bloodline Link too much. She neither confirmed nor denied it, merely nodding before speaking.
"The will within this Ancient Dragon Ape demonic spirit has already been erased. Next, we will refine it together. However, most of its energy must belong to me. Besides, you cannot withstand such immense energy."
"Hehe, naturally," Lin Langtian readily agreed.
After all, this adult Ancient Dragon Ape was comparable to a human Nirvana Realm Expert. Its energy was incomparably formidable.
Even if most of the energy was refined by the Nine Nether Flame Sparrow, Lin Langtian would still benefit enormously by getting a mere share. If he were truly allowed to take it all alone, would he not burst from the excess?
"Buzz buzz!"
As Lin Langtian's words fell, his Dantian faintly began to boil. Under Spirit Aunt's control, the Ancient Dragon Ape's energy began to pour out without end.
Seeing this, Lin Langtian formed a hand seal with both hands and absorbed every stream of energy that emerged.
The dark Yuan Core floated within his Dantian, slowly rotating at an unhurried pace. As it spun, the vast energy in his Dantian was continuously absorbed into it!
"Boom!"
As time passed, at a certain moment, an extremely deep sound suddenly erupted within Lin Langtian's body.
Inside the cave, his tightly shut eyes suddenly flew open. Black Flame surged within them, sharp and domineering.
"Bang!"
An invisible wave of force erupted from Lin Langtian's body. The surrounding rubble instantly exploded into powder, and even the cave walls were shaken open with cracks as thick as an arm.
"Hoo..."
Lin Langtian swept his gaze around as an extremely powerful aura slowly spread from his body. Compared to before, this aura was countless times stronger!
"Qi Shaping Realm, greater mastery!"
Within the Dantian, sensing Lin Langtian's breakthrough, the Nine Nether Flame Sparrow remained calm and indifferent.
However, when she shifted her gaze and caught sight of the golden mirror floating in the corner of the Dantian, her expression abruptly froze.
As she examined it carefully, surprise suddenly appeared in Spirit Aunt's eyes—eyes that had always been calm as a mirror, like a deep pool.
"This thing... wasn't it destroyed? How could it be here!?"
Before you continue