The Myriad Transformations of Spirits was a robust ability. Jiang Chen was quite familiar with its potency.

The knowledge he had of it from his previous life marked it as rather troublesome. However, it was only mimicry at the end of the day. Compared to a genuine survivor of the ancient era, it lacked the terrifying might of the chosen spirit’s bloodline.

Jiang Chen considered Lightford for a few moments with a pensive stare before smiling deliberately. “Other than this... transformation of his, does he have any other trump cards up his sleeve?”

Divine Kasyapa blinked. What did the young man mean? Was this ability not strong enough to present a threat?

“Jiang Chen, do you have a way to disable his method?”

Jiang Chen grinned with perfect ease. “There’s nothing under the sun that can’t be countered. It’s all relative to the strength of the countering force.”

“Oh? But Old Lightford is far stronger than any one of us.” Kasyapa sounded perplexed.

“Yes, but his grasp of that method is rudimentary at best,” Jiang Chen declared with confidence. “Even if that weren’t the case, we have nothing to fear. No matter how hard he tries to imitate a primordial creature, how can he possibly rival our four genuine sacred beasts? To put it bluntly, he’s at a disadvantage in this field.”

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Saying this, the young man looked with interest at the Vermilion Bird and the Black Tortoise. “Old Man Lightford is attempting to show off the strength of a primordial beast. As sacred beasts in the flesh, are you interested in taking him on?”

The Vermilion Bird chuckled. “A primordial beast is nothing before us four of the sacred beasts. Daoist Black, dare you take part in this combat?”

The Black Tortoise was more of a passive beast. It was difficult to get it to actively demand a fight, but the Vermilion Bird’s invitation was one it couldn’t refuse. Its young master wanted the same thing, after all.

It couldn’t seem too cowardly after joining its current team. Otherwise, how was it ever going to mix in with the others? Yes, the tortoise had already expressed its loyalty, but it also desired the approval of its companions.

“Since Daoist Vermilion is in the mood, I shall deign to take to the field. With the combined strength of us two sacred beasts, what can a puny primordial image do to us?”

Amid this conversation, both bird and reptile were already out of the formation on wings of light.

Old Lightford was still charging his aura. He wanted to use the primordial creature’s dominance at its zenith to outright crush the Eternal Sacred Land’s defensive formation.

Surprisingly, his opposition was making the first pass.

The two sacred beasts were hardly going to hold back since they’d decided to take the field. They reverted to their true forms.

The Vermilion Bird glowed pure crimson, seething like a volcano on the brink of eruption. It glared and blazed with the energy of the midday sun.

The Black Tortoise resembled a cross between a turtle and a serpent. It moved on robust, forceful limbs that were as durable as the hardest metal. The oval shell upon its back radiated an explosive vigor.

“Are you the animal responsible for all this?!” Lightford’s lantern eyes glared at the Black Tortoise.

A sacred beast being called a mere animal! The tortoise was furious. It stomped its feet, then called out, “Daoist Vermilion, get him!”

When a Black Tortoise’s temper flared up, it was a force to be reckoned with. It smashed its forearms into empty air, causing the fabric of space to fissure and ripple toward Old Man Lightford.

The Vermilion Bird chuckled. It spun faster and faster, conjuring a storm of fiery meteors that rained down upon its enemy.

A simultaneous assault of two sacred beasts shook heaven and earth in its sublimity.

Even Lightford dared not underestimate it. He roared at the sky, ramming his gigantic horns toward the Black Tortoise’s spatial ripples.

Boom!

The tortoise’s attack bounced outward from the impact in a flurry of chaotic currents. However, the Vermilion Bird’s flames were already upon Lightford.

The spirit Lightford had transformed into was instantly covered by a layer of red. Devouring embers piled up upon his skin.

Old Lightford roared strangely into the air once more. His spirit form’s own radiance was forced closer and closer into himself, condensed by the Vermilion Bird’s carmine wind.

“Daoist Black, keep him still. His transformation won’t last in my blistering flames!” messaged the Vermilion Bird.

Yes, Lightford did seem to be losing – though he wasn’t the type of person that would surrender to fate. His ox form began to lengthen into an ancient serpent.

The reptilian spirit shrieked, coiling and spinning to produce a warding vortex that shunted the Vermilion Bird’s flames aside. The assailing embers were forced to recede for a time.

In the next moment, the serpent made a vicious swipe at the Black Tortoise. Its claw was at the tortoise’s face in a single instant.

The Black Tortoise reacted with perfect poise. It drew its head back and turned its shell toward the attack.

Clang!

Ochre ripples and runes radiated from the tortoise’s back, signaling the absence of any damage aside from the slightest of scratches.

Old Lightford had thought his last attack was assured to be effective. Despite the intensity with which he’d struck – his bones hurt like they were about to break – he hadn’t managed to injure his target a bit.

This accursed monster has an unbelievably strong defense!

Suddenly, a particular kind of ancient creature flickered across Lightford’s mind. His heart skipped a beat in spite of himself.

He gazed at the Black Tortoise with renewed bewilderment, clearly having guessed its identity. At the same time, he cursed internally to himself. What kind of luck did the Eternal Sacred Land have?

The Vermilion Bird and the true dragon were one thing, but where had this Black Tortoise come from?

Was it also a helper that Jiang Chen had invited? Or perhaps the young lord’s partner?