Whoosh!
With the release of the most supreme talisman art in the "Shangyuan Spirit Suppression Talisman"—the "Great Rain Dispelling Incantation"—the continuous black rain that had covered an area of over ten li above Li Hai abruptly ceased without any warning.
At the same moment, Chiqiu Chonglong was once again smashed into a bloody mess by Li Hai's body, which coiled with myriad thunderous punches.
This time, Piaolong's Rebirth speed was noticeably slower, and its Soul body was also somewhat hazy after recovering.
Evidently, without the black rain drenching its body, it could no longer lock its health bar.
"Under the power of this incantation, your black rain won't fall a single drop for a full half an hour."
Looking at the revived Chiqiu Piaolong, Li Hai's Yang God smiled coldly, "Let's see how you'll play with me this time."
After speaking, he once again transformed into a giant Chonglong, its ghostly mouth wide open, roaring as it charged towards the Chiqiu Piaolong, who had just undergone Rebirth and was once again being brutally beaten and suppressed by Li Hai's body.
This time, Li Hai intended to devour it alive, making it utterly perish within his stomach.
Meanwhile, at the temporary base of the Demon Slayer Division in the distance, the Demon Slayer Commandants, who had almost entirely watched this abyss battle through the Shadow Talisman Array, barely managed to extricate themselves from their continuous state of shock.
"Truly—truly unbelievable."
Zeng Ying stared wide-eyed at the screen, watching the scene where Li Hai, on one side, used his body to remotely exert pressure and hold down the Chiqiu Piaolong, and on the other, his Yang God, transformed into a Chonglong, gnawed and devoured the opponent in large gulps. He murmured dreamily, "Brother Li—he's not a Grandmaster at all—he's—he's a Heavenly God, isn't he? Otherwise, how could he possess so many—so many mysterious abilities?!"
In fact, facing Li Hai's various mystical and strange arts, Zeng Ying's reaction, though somewhat inadequate, was still commendable for being able to voice his doubts.
As for Pi Shangzhi and Quan Xiangxun beside him, they were completely dumbfounded throughout, unable to utter a single word.
Clearly, both of them had been utterly stunned by the battle between Li Hai and Chonglong.
Gong Lianhong, who was relatively calmer, was able to suppress her shock and continuously ask Commander Gai various questions:
"Commander Gai, the thunder that Brother Li just used seemed somewhat similar to your 'Thunder Fire Overlord Seal.'
Also, the 'Great Rain Dispelling Incantation'—isn't that only found in the Complete Manual of Shangyuan Talismans? Why can Brother Li also use it? And lastly, why was Brother Li able to transform into a ghost that was identical to that Chiqiu Piaolong?"
Facing Gong Shuo Hong's various questions, Gai Fu, who was equally shocked by Li Hai's battle, also let out a long sigh before giving his own explanation, or rather, his thoughts:
"The power of thunder that Lieutenant Li used indeed bears some resemblance to my Thunder Fire Overlord Seal, but its power is much greater, and its blast range is also much larger. So, I speculate that this should be a similar Cultivation Technique.
As for the Rain Dispelling Incantation... hmm, this is indeed difficult to explain. After all, the Complete Manual of Talismans is generally only permitted for Lieutenant who have been promoted to the Dragon rank, so I'm not entirely sure where Lieutenant Li learned it from.
Lastly, regarding Lieutenant Li's ghost transformation Divine Ability, I boldly speculate that the ghosts he can transform into might not be just one type as we imagine.
Or rather, the essence of this ghost transformation ability is very likely to be ghost simulation, meaning that after encountering or coming into contact with a certain ghost, Lieutenant Li can transform into its appearance and even possess a portion of its abilities."
Hiss~
As soon as Gai Fu uttered these words, all the Demon Slayer Commandants present collectively gasped.
To be able to simulate a ghost's appearance and even possess a portion of its abilities upon encountering it—this was a bit too much.
If such a Heaven-Defying Divine Ability truly existed, what would be the meaning of others painstakingly Cultivating?
Cultivate? Cultivate my ass!
"If such a Divine Ability truly exists—" Zeng Ying hissed with unconcealed horror, "What grade would it be? High Grade?"
"High Grade isn't enough."
Gai Fu frowned in thought, sighed, and said, "This unheard-of Divine Ability must be at least of the King grade."
The legendary King-grade Divine Ability?!
The Commandants looked at each other.
Then, recalling Li Hai's eighteen years of age and his Grandmaster-level Cultivation, they all sighed helplessly, completely deflated, and at the same time, silently cursed in their hearts:
"What a—monster."
At the bottom of Yupan Abyss.
After a truly brutal devouring, the Chiqiu Chonglong was forcibly swallowed section by section into the stomach of the ghost transformed from Li Hai's Yang God, despite its struggles and wails, turning into nourishment for his growth.
"Burp~"
After a violent, burp that caused bursts of sonic booms, Li Hai, in his Piaolong form, extended a slender claw into his wide-open mouth, rummaging around until he pulled out a long, pitch-black spine.
That's right, this spine-like object was the Soul Remains of Chiqiu Chonglong.
Unlike ghosts of the levels of wandering spirits, malevolent specters, and corporeal ghosts, once they entered the Yin Soldier level, ghosts were no longer just ghosts.
Or, to be more precise, ghosts of the Yin Soldier level should be called Yin Spirits.
This was precisely the core reason why Chonglong's essential skill was named "Yin Spirit Soul Remains" and not "Ghost Body Soul Remains."
Buzz! The Heavenly God portal opened. Li Hai, whose Soul had returned to his Physical Body, casually tossed the Soul Remains into it, then shot into the sky, speeding towards the top of the abyss.
After eliminating Chiqiu Chonglong, he now wanted to find Zheng Dashan's family.
In fact, even before flying into this Yupan Abyss.
On the way there, Li Hai had already meticulously calculated using a certain divination talisman art from the Shangyuan Talisman.
He calculated that the last traces of Zheng Dashan's family did not seem to be within the abyss, but rather elsewhere in this Yellow Springs Domain.
This place might be the site of Niujiao Town.
It was precisely because of this that Li Hai had been so uninhibited when slaughtering successive waves of invading ghosts after entering the abyss earlier.
"But why were the last traces of Zheng Dashan's family in Niujiao Town?"
Li Hai, flying rapidly through layers of mist, was filled with doubt, "Weren't they always in the Yupan Mountain Cave?"
Carrying this question, Li Hai, moving at a thousand zhang per second, quickly cut through the dark sky, traversed a great distance, and descended upon Niujiao Town.
And only after descending did Li Hai discover that this once bustling and prosperous small town should more appropriately be called a Yellow Springs Lake.
Because at this moment, there was only the gurgling sound of vast expanses of dark yellow turbid water, piles of ruins floating in the turbid water, and equally dead, silent dried corpses floating on the surface of the Yellow Springs Lake.
Everything was so desolate and sorrowful.
"Sigh—"
Gazing at the desolate and tragic scene around him, Li Hai sighed deeply, then intended to cast another spell to find the remains of Zheng Dashan's family and give them a proper burial.
But just then, an extremely faint and hoarse cry came from a ruin a hundred zhang behind Li Hai:
"Li Hai? Is—is that you?!"