"What is this thing?" Li Xiu scrutinized the object that had fallen out of the dried corpse's mouth.

It was a black cylindrical object, about two to three centimeters in diameter and around ten centimeters long. It was as dark as ink jade, and its surface was not smooth, resembling the cratered surface of the moon.

"Why would someone, even in death, hold such a thing in their mouth?" Li Xiu had thought that whatever was in the person's mouth might be some valuable item like a high-level demon core or a super spirit gemstone, but it turned out to be this thing instead.

Since it wasn't a demon core or gemstone-like object, there was a high chance it was a contract, but Li Xiu couldn't discern what type of contract it might be.

He tore a piece of cloth from nearby and picked it up. Li Xiu noticed that the ends of this object were smooth and polished, completely different from the uneven tube body, and more crystal-like, like meticulously crafted black crystal.

A tube like ink jade with ends like crystal, yet there was no visible seam connecting the two, making it seem as if they were naturally grown together, possessing a touch of divine craftsmanship. It was unclear whether it was man-made or naturally formed.

Li Xiu shook the object vigorously; there was no sound from within, and it felt heavy in hand, seemingly not hollow.

"Is this a contract?" Li Xiu was uncertain. It didn't appear to be damaged, at least apart from those uneven crannies on the surface, there were no other damages.

Li Xiu directly tried a blood contract, letting a drop of blood fall on the object. It simply rolled off like raindrops on a lotus leaf, showing no sign of absorption.

"Isn't it a contract? Then what is this thing? Something from the Demon Kingdom?" Li Xiu pondered over the object for a while to no avail, so he put it away and continued to search the dried corpse's clothing.

The garment was quite complex in construction. After examining it for a while, just as he unbuttoned one side of the jacket, a sound resembling a cow's bellow suddenly echoed.

"Where could a cow come from in this place?" Li Xiu noticed that golden light suddenly illuminated the surroundings, sending an alarm through him. Looking up, he saw the golden bird angrily diving from the heights, its entire body blazing with a radiance more intense than the sun.

Li Xiu would not give it a chance to dive in and quickly summoned the Jedi Knight.

The Jedi Knight entered the super spirit state, transforming into a warrior resembling a fierce ghost, wielding dual blades as it directly leaped into the air to confront the descending threat.

The golden light clashed with the red light in the sky, producing a tremendous noise. The shockwave swept downward from the sky, causing the cloud sea to churn and scatter.

The strange tree on the mountain wall shook violently, nearly tossing Li Xiu off.

Not good!

Li Xiu observed that after a single strike with the Jedi Knight, the large bird turned its attention towards him, evidently having no intention of a death match with the Jedi Knight. Instead, it had marked him as its primary target.

The Jedi Knight unleashed arcs of blood-colored blade energy, trying to block the bird.

But the bird's form shifted with eerie fluidity, dodging all of the Jedi Knight's attacks midair, hardly faltering as it continued its charge towards Li Xiu.

The Jedi Knight tried to pursue it but couldn't keep up. In just an instant, the bird was already above Li Xiu, its talons shining with a golden hue descending directly towards his head.

If it were to grab him, his head would likely explode on the spot.

Without hesitation, Li Xiu summoned the Dragon Vein Spirit. The Dragon Vein Spirit's massive body appeared on the strange tree, coiling around the trunk, its mouth spewing white Demonic Light, clashing with the golden radiance of the bird's talons.

Li Xiu quickly darted to the center of the Dragon Vein Spirit's coiled body, using its form to block the shockwaves and scattered Demonic Light shrapnel caused by the energy clash.

With his current level and physical condition, even the shockwaves alone could kill him. And even if they didn't, being knocked off the tree from such a height would certainly be fatal.

Entwined on the strange tree, the Dragon Vein Spirit battled the great bird. Demonic Light repeatedly collided, with their bodies and talons constantly engaging.

Li Xiu was horrified to find that even in its super spirit state, the Dragon Vein Spirit's scales were being torn open by the bird's talons.

The Dragon Vein Spirit couldn't keep pace with the bird's speed, only managing to strike at the bird's fading afterimages.

The Jedi Knight arrived late to the battle, flanking the bird alongside the Dragon Vein Spirit.

Blade lights slashed wildly, while Demonic Light shot from Dragon Vein Spirit's eyes in a continual barrage. Despite being outnumbered, the bird managed to dodge every attack from the two super spirits.

It moved like a phantom in the sky, its wings fluttering like a dancing butterfly, leaving behind a trail of spectral shadows.

The Dragon Vein Spirit and Jedi Knight's attacks couldn't touch even a feather of it. Conversely, the bird's wings slashed through the air like blades, accompanied by malevolent, sword-like Demonic Light, putting the Jedi Knight and Dragon Vein Spirit through no small amount of suffering.

"This creature's speed is too fast!" Li Xiu knew that continuing like this was not a viable solution.

The sky was naturally the creature's domain. With its incredible speed, the equally ranked Dragon Vein Spirit and Jedi Knight could not harm it at all.

Throughout the battle, the bird kept its gaze locked on Li Xiu, always seeking an opportunity to pounce on him.

Fortunately, the Dragon Vein Spirit possessed a certain-hit-slash ability, several times using its body to shield Li Xiu from attacks, its scales shredded by the Demonic Light on multiple occasions.

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