Upon hearing the artifact spirit's words, Qin Ming fell into contemplation.

In an instant.

The atmosphere in the air also solidified.

"How can you prove you have the 'Celestial Demon Refining Form Strategy'?"

After pondering for a long time, Qin Ming suddenly looked up and asked the Golden Toad Ancestor.

Upon hearing this, the Golden Toad Ancestor was also taken aback and immediately said:

"A hundred years ago, a Cyan Flood Dragon Demon Beast came here. Back then, it was only at the early-stage Tier Three. I once granted it part of the 'Celestial Demon Refining Form Strategy.'

"By this calculation, that Cyan Flood Dragon should have reached the late-stage Tier Three, right?"

This statement made not only Qin Ming but even the Heaven-Devouring Rat beside them freeze.

This suggests the Golden Toad Ancestor's words aren't entirely untrustworthy.

"Master, unexpectedly the Cyan-faced Poison Flood Dragon's strength surged, and this is the reason."

"No wonder it could break through to the late-stage Tier Three."

The Heaven-Devouring Rat couldn't help but secretly transmit this message.

"Hmm, but... what that artifact spirit said is also correct; we cannot release it."

"Given the Golden Toad Ancestor's cultivation strength, even if it were to fall to the early-stage Tier Three, we would likely stand no chance against it."

Qin Ming secretly transmitted this message.

At that moment.

Suddenly.

A voice abruptly sounded in Qin Ming's mind.

"'Celestial Demon Refining Form Strategy' isn't with the Golden Toad; with its bloodline, it has no qualification to cultivate it."

"The cultivation technique of that Poisonous Flood Dragon wasn't given by the Golden Toad, but by me."

"If you want the 'Celestial Demon Refining Form Strategy,' you can trade with me once you're outside."

The artifact spirit of the Hook Jade Golden Light Mirror said calmly to Qin Ming.

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming's eyes flickered continuously, and for a moment, he didn't know whom to trust.

However, he quickly made up his mind.

"Since you say so, how can you prove the 'Celestial Demon Refining Form Strategy' is with you?" Qin Ming asked the artifact spirit.

"The beast hide is indeed not with me, but I can show you a small portion of the cultivation technique's content."

With that, the artifact spirit displayed a segment of text in Qin Ming's mind.

Qin Ming inspected it with divine thought.

In his mind, the characters were exactly the same as those in the beast hide scripture, and the opening section of the scripture was the 'Qi Blood Embrace Pill' and the introduction to condensing the True Core from the Golden Core Chapter of the 'Celestial Demon Refining Form Strategy.'

After reviewing it, Qin Ming felt excited, but outwardly he remained unperturbed.

"Then, as you said, we'll discuss it further once we leave this place." Qin Ming had already come to believe most of what the artifact spirit said.

From this, it's clear.

The opposite Golden Toad Ancestor had not spoken a word of truth, likely intending to use him to escape the predicament.

Once freed, the outcome could be easily imagined.

The Golden Toad Ancestor inside the black hole also seemed to sense something was wrong. It clearly saw that the Human Race kid was about to agree but seemed to change his mind within brief moments.

With its shrewd and cunning mind, it instantly figured out what was happening with just a slight thought.

The elderly Golden Toad Ancestor immediately enlarged its body, returning to its original terrifying Demon Beast form.

It roared, smashing its giant claws against the black iron pillar, angrily shouting:

"Golden Spirit! How dare you ruin my plans!"

"Despicable! I shall tear you to pieces!"

"Ah ah ah!"

The Golden Toad Ancestor was hopping mad but was blocked by the black iron pillar, unable to do anything to Qin Ming.

Upon seeing the Golden Toad Ancestor's extreme emotional upheaval, Qin Ming was further convinced that the artifact spirit's words were most likely true.

He then asked the artifact spirit, "Do you have a way to get out of here?"

"No, the restrictions here are quite special; you'll have to figure out how to get out on your own," the artifact spirit candidly replied.

Qin Ming: "..."

He thought for a moment and asked the Heaven-Devouring Rat, "Can you manage it? If you can escape this time, I'll credit you greatly once we're out!"

Upon hearing this, the Heaven-Devouring Rat got a sudden burst of energy and said eagerly, "Master, rest assured. If nothing else, when it comes to burrowing, I'm quite confident."

With that, the Heaven-Devouring Rat turned around and approached the invisible barrier, using its innate divine technique Forbidden Profound Light to break the restriction.

Black profound light continuously spewed from the Heaven-Devouring Rat's mouth, landing on the barrier.

An hour later.

The Heaven-Devouring Rat was exhausted and weakly said:

"Damn it, Master, the grade of this barrier is quite high, probably reaching the Tier Three Peak."

"Although my divine technique has some effect, it will take time to break it completely."

Qin Ming nodded upon hearing this, "Given the current situation, there's no other way. It will be hard on you."

With that, he took out a Spirit-Transforming Demon Fruit, allowing the Heaven-Devouring Rat to recover.

As the Heaven-Devouring Rat received the Demon Fruit, it instantly transformed from a near-dead state to become vigorous and lively.

After consuming the Spirit-Transforming Demon Fruit, it tirelessly began its work, continuously burrowing at the barrier.

It wasn't until its Demonic Power was exhausted that it sat down to recover for a while.

In this ongoing cycle, the invisible barrier in that canyon gradually revealed a small opening due to the persistent efforts of the Heaven-Devouring Rat.

What started as the size of a needle's eye expanded to the size of a fist.

The Golden Toad Ancestor inside the black hole saw that Qin Ming truly had a way to escape this ghostly place.

Instantly, he was even more infuriated and blew his top.

Continuously bombarding the iron pillar, "Damn ants!"

Half a month later.

The Heaven-Devouring Rat finally opened the canyon barrier wide enough for a person to pass through.

"Oh my gracious, nearly exhausted this great lord!" the Heaven-Devouring Rat collapsed directly onto the ground.

"Well done!"

Excited, Qin Ming patted the head of the Heaven-Devouring Rat.

"No more delays, let's hurry up and leave."

After speaking, Qin Ming fed the Heaven-Devouring Rat a Recovery Pill and put the three Spirit Pets into the Spirit Beast Bag.

He glanced back at the Golden Toad Ancestor inside the black hole, full of venomous anger, then crawled out through the hole the Heaven-Devouring Rat had dug.

Without looking back, he left this troubled place.

After Qin Ming emerged from the canyon, he activated a Mana Shield and swam directly out from the bottom of Tai Lake.

Half an hour later.

Fresh air filled Qin Ming's nostrils once again.

"Phew~"

"Finally out!"

Qin Ming took a deep breath of the outside air, feeling a sense of exhilaration.

Although there were some mishaps during this expedition, it went relatively smoothly, and he successfully obtained the Artifact Spirit of the Hook Jade Golden Light Mirror.

Moreover, he had an unexpected gain: the subsequent Cultivation Technique of the Celestial Demon Refining Form Strategy was actually in the hands of the Artifact Spirit!

This Demon Race Scripture that Qin Ming had longed for finally found its resting place.

The moment Qin Ming emerged from the lake surface, several fishermen around the lake area were fishing.

Upon seeing someone suddenly emerge from the lake bottom, everyone was shocked, thinking it might be some kind of lake demon appearing.

"Not good, need to leave here promptly."

While Qin Ming was contemplating, the Artifact Spirit, Golden Spirit, suddenly spoke from the storage pouch.

During the half month in the canyon, Qin Ming learned the name of the Artifact Spirit, which turned out to be 'Golden Spirit'.

"Oh? Why is that?"

Qin Ming heard the serious tone of the Artifact Spirit and asked in bewilderment.

"You all broke the barrier of the White Bone King's Hall, and shortly thereafter... the highest entity inside might resurrect again…"

With a sense of melancholy, the Artifact Spirit continued, speaking:

"No... to be precise, it should be said that it is my master, the previous owner of the Hook Jade Golden Light Mirror - Master White Bone."

As soon as the Artifact Spirit finished speaking.

Woo woo woo~

Boom!

At this moment, the lake surface beneath Qin Ming suddenly roiled, and sounds akin to ghostly wails erupted from the bottom of Tai Lake, causing waves dozens of feet high to rise into the sky!

Qin Ming swiftly flew away from the lake surface, looking upon the spectacle before him with astonishment.

As the lake surface exploded, dense Yin Evil Qi surged like tides, as a beam of death-filled white light shot straight from the canyon depths at the bottom of the lake to the sky.

Above the celestial vault of Tai Lake, a spiral of dark clouds formed, surrounded by evil thunder, flickering and unstable, exuding a soul-piercing might.

The white light emerging from the lake surface connected with the dark clouds in the sky, stirring the abyss deep within the lake.

The cries of countless ghostly howls were incessant, and the cultivators who came here for fishing or hunting were caught off guard.

Before they could escape, they were swept into the swirling wind formed by the evil Qi, instantly torn to pieces.

The Cultivation Clans surrounding Tai Lake and loose cultivators who came to hunt demons and seek treasures saw this earth-shattering scene from afar.

They all flew into the sky, eyes wide open, witnessing the incredible transformations above Tai Lake.

"My heavens! With such heavenly phenomena occurring, what on earth happened?"

"Look! It seems like something is emerging from the bottom of Tai Lake!"

"Something's not right! Such dense Yin Evil Qi, things might not be quite right."

"I've lived around Tai Lake for over a hundred years, and it's the first time witnessing such an abnormal phenomenon."

"Quickly relay the message to the Sect, report this earth-shaking anomaly occurring within Jingzhou Tai Lake territory!"

Qin Ming gazed upon such drastic changes, unable to restrain a sigh; even if he hadn't descended into the relic, those cultivators enticed by the Golden Toad Ancestor would eventually open this place.

He merely watched for a brief moment before turning away without hesitation and leaving.

...

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