Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

As soon as Ao Pan finished speaking, two azure dragon horns suddenly appeared on his forehead, as delicate and exquisite as jade.

Its eyes transformed into golden dragon pupils, and its demonic aura surged, filling the bamboo forest with a powerful dragon's might.

He raised his sleeve and flicked it, and suddenly withered yellow leaves appeared in the sky. The size of the bamboo forest was as vast as the withered leaves, boundless and covering the sky.

Each straight, green bamboo stalk is greeted by a withered leaf, light as a feather yet seemingly heavy as a thousand pounds. With a slight tremor, the bamboo completely disintegrates.

But that inconspicuous, withered yellow leaf revealed a hint of green, gathering on its veins and radiating a touch of life.

As the withered leaves fell, the emerald bamboo disintegrated at an astonishing speed, leaving only wisps of emerald green sword energy in its place.

Before long, the entire bamboo forest disappeared, and the surrounding scenery changed drastically.

The two returned to the Wanyan Mountains, where Zhou Muyun, Chu Weicai, and the human and demon races were locked in a fierce battle.

Ao Pan and Han Xuan were in a sword formation. Thirty-six green bamboo flying swords emerged from the void and were scattered in all directions, their positions mysterious and well-arranged.

Those emerald bamboo stalks were formed from the wisps of sword energy spewed from the flying sword.

But now, all these sword energies have revealed their true forms and can no longer hide their presence.

Han Xuan's eyes narrowed. The sword formation he had set up, which had transformed into a bamboo forest, contained many mysteries, but before he could use them, Ao Pan broke through it with ease.

The sword energy, which should have been full of spirituality, was now showing signs of dissipation, listless and as if it were dead.

The wood elemental energy that accompanied the sword energy suddenly vanished without a trace, leaving only its sharpness.

Han Xuan dared not let the withered leaves fall any further. He changed the hand seals and coldly said, "The sword formation I have set up is not merely a matter of illusion. Slash!"

Ten thousand strands of sword energy rose up, transforming into ten thousand illusory flying swords that slashed towards the falling leaves.

Han Xuan's cultivation method is unique, but he is also a sword cultivator, a sword cultivator who can break through all techniques with a single sword strike.

No matter how strange Ao Pan's supernatural powers are, his sword energy can cut through anything it touches!

The withered yellow leaves, like the bamboo leaves that had just fallen, were extremely fragile and would crumble at the slightest touch.

But after the withered leaves broke apart, the wisp of green that had gathered in the veins of the leaves dodged the sharp sword energy and turned into a tiny, almost invisible speck of blue dust, which flew back to Ao Pan's side.

Ao Pan raised his right hand, and thousands of blue dust particles, like thousands of fireflies, gathered in his palm, condensing into a green leaf, lush and vibrant with life.

Han Xuan naturally wouldn't stand idly by while Ao Pan used his supernatural powers. He changed his hand seals again, and the thirty-six green bamboo flying swords that formed the foundation of the sword formation finally moved.

Twelve green bamboo flying swords shot out, splitting into thousands of sword shadows, which then condensed into thousands of green threads, weaving a large net that enveloped Ao Pan from all directions.

This is one of the supernatural abilities of sword cultivators: turning the sword into silk.

Within this net of sword threads, there is only sharp sword energy, and no more wood-elemental spiritual energy.

Han Xuan had killed countless enemies throughout his life, possessed rich experience in combat, and was extremely quick to react.

Ao Pan was able to extract wood elemental energy, but Han Xuan would not give him a second chance.

The net of sword threads moved extremely fast, seemingly slow but actually swift, but Ao Pan remained calm and composed, pinching a green leaf in his hand, placing it to his lips, and gently blowing on it.

The green leaves flashed with light, becoming even more verdant, as if they had just been picked from the dense forest shrouded in the misty morning air.

Ao Pan looked up at Han Xuan, smiled slightly, tossed out a green leaf, and disappeared.

The next moment, green leaves appeared above Han Xuan's head. With a gentle sway, they also multiplied into countless shapes and drifted down.

At this moment, the large net of sword silk had arrived in front of Ao Pan. He calmly took out a tree seed, blew out a breath, and then threw it out.

The tree seed flashed with light, took root in the void, and grew branches.

In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a towering tree, its gnarled branches intertwined and green vines hanging down, forming a dense, protective barrier that sheltered Ao Pan within.

The net of sword threads was incredibly sharp, easily cutting through the barrier formed by the green vines, with only slight hindrance.

But the vines growing from the towering tree seemed endless, layer upon layer, preventing the net of sword threads from advancing an inch, let alone getting close to Ao Pan's body.

Despite being a demon general with the bloodline of the Azure Dragon, Ao Pan remained spotless under the protection of the branches and leaves.

Han Xuan frowned; he wasn't surprised that the net of sword threads had no effect.

It would be a joke if a descendant of a true dragon couldn't even stop a sword from turning into silk.

However, Ao Pan effortlessly deflected the net of sword threads, which still greatly surprised Han Xuan.

But he had to temporarily halt his attack, as the green leaf had already landed on his head.

This green leaf may not seem impressive or remarkable, but Han Xuan would not underestimate the methods Ao Pan employed.

He raised his hand and summoned back twelve green bamboo flying swords, using offense as defense, and slashed at the small fallen leaf.

Sword cultivators only cultivate flying swords, and Han Xuan is no exception, except that he has made more flying swords compared to other sword cultivators.

Just as the green bamboo flying sword was about to strike the fallen leaf, a gentle breeze seemed to blow by, and the fallen leaf suddenly swayed to the side, avoiding the flying sword.

Six flying swords were dodged by Green Leaf at the last second, leaving them completely unharmed.

Han Xuan narrowed his eyes, and his hand seals changed again. The remaining six flying swords paused for a moment, splitting into light and shadow, then turning into threads, weaving a net of sword threads that enveloped the green leaves without leaving any gaps.

This time, the green leaves could no longer avoid it; the net of sword threads swept past and they were chopped into powder.

But as the green leaves shattered, a sliver of blue light flew out, containing intense vitality, and merged into the net of sword threads.

The next moment, the net of sword threads suddenly collapsed, transforming back into six green bamboo flying swords.

These six flying swords, which were originally full of spirituality, were now stained with a withered yellow, exuding a sense of deathly stillness.

Han Xuan's aura suddenly weakened, and a strand of black hair on his forehead turned snow-white, broke off at the root, and slowly fell down.

Han Xuan examined himself internally and found no injuries, but the primordial spirit in his dantian had dimmed, and his original energy had dissipated somewhat. A deep sense of fatigue welled up from the bottom of his heart.

He was greatly alarmed, for for human cultivators, the primordial energy was related to their vitality and lifespan.

This seemingly insignificant fallen leaf cost him twenty years of his lifespan!
Han Xuan withdrew his divine sense, and his gaze toward Ao Pan was filled with solemnity and apprehension.

For a Nascent Soul cultivator with a lifespan of five thousand years, twenty years seems insignificant.

Han Xuan's progress was even more rapid, and his lifespan was abundant.

However, cultivators are essentially racing against time to extend their lifespan, and all longevity-extending spiritual items are rare treasures of heaven and earth, making each year of lifespan crucial.

This twenty-year lifespan might allow him to break through a bottleneck and continue his path at the brink of death.

If he loses these twenty years of lifespan, he may be stuck at a bottleneck and die in despair.

Moreover, it seems that Ao Pan condensed this green leaf effortlessly. How many more green leaves can he condense?
Damage to one's fundamental nature will not only shorten one's lifespan, but also reduce one's strength.

No matter how strong a person may appear, if their inner strength is depleted, they are no better than a scholar who cannot even kill a chicken.

Han Xuan could bear the loss of twenty years of lifespan, but if it were any more, he wouldn't be able to handle it.

However, he was caught off guard and suffered this loss in silence.

If Ao Pan wanted to use this kind of supernatural power against him again, it wouldn't be so easy.

A murderous glint flashed in Han Xuan's eyes. He summoned back the six flying swords, raised his hand, and wiped away the withered yellow hue.

This supernatural power is extremely strange, but it seems to only target his life force and lifespan. The Green Bamboo Flying Sword is only slightly damaged in its spirituality and is not seriously harmed.

Han Xuan's hand seals changed continuously, and twelve green bamboo flying swords that could shatter green leaves emerged, splitting into thousands of sword shadows that merged into the net of sword threads surrounding Ao Pan, becoming much tighter and overwhelming the ever-repairing Senluo Barrier in one fell swoop.

The last twelve flying swords trembled slightly, emitting clear chimes, like the roar of dragons and the cry of phoenixes, their sword energy soaring into the sky, ready to be unleashed.

With the illusion array broken, he could no longer use many of his techniques and lost many of his variations.

Since Ao Pan can extract wood elemental energy, Han Xuan cannot give him the chance to condense that strange green leaf and deprive him of his lifespan.

He simply used his sword cultivation techniques to continue his encirclement with a net of sword threads, waiting for Ao Pan to reveal an opening before unleashing a thunderous strike.

Although Han Xuan was a sword cultivator and practiced wood-element techniques, his flying sword was his true foundation.

Twenty-four green bamboo flying swords were unleashed simultaneously, forming a net of sword threads that was several times sharper than the vanguard's.

The towering tree that the tree seed transformed into could not hold on any longer, leaving only a thin barrier that was about to be completely broken through.

Ao Pan frowned. Han Xuan was more troublesome than he had expected. A single fallen leaf had only taken away twenty years of his lifespan.

This sword formation isn't so easy to break; it seems we'll need to use some more methods.

Ao Pan's eyes flashed with fierceness. He let the Senluo Barrier be cut through by the net of sword threads and put away the wooden sword in his hand.

His body suddenly swelled to more than two times its original size, tearing his long robe, and revealing patches of blue dragon scales on his fair skin.

His hands transformed into two dragon claws, and a dragon tail extended from his back. His aura surged once again, bringing him infinitely close to that of a Void Refining Demon King.

After Ao Pan broke the illusion array, the surrounding people, while fighting, also paid attention to the battle between the two.

Everyone knew that the outcome of this battle depended on Ao Pan and Han Xuan.

Zhou Muyun and Zhuang Buhui were evenly matched in cultivation, and after many years of entanglement, it was difficult to determine who was superior.

The cultivators of the Tai Xuan Sect had a slight advantage over the demon general, but the demon race also had Elder Ying Mo's assistance, making them more numerous and powerful, so they were evenly matched.

Only when Ao Pan and Han Xuan determine a winner can the outcome of this battle be decided.

The dragon people of Yingmo were all greatly surprised to see Ao Pan transformed into this form.

This is clearly a dragon transformation technique unique to dragon people, so why can Ao Pan also use it?

The Tai Xuan Sect cultivators, however, were not surprised at all, and Zhou Muyun and Zhuang Buhui even revealed envy in their eyes.

They have already transformed into dragons, and have mastered the art of dragon transformation to the highest degree.

However, their current dragon transformation technique is not as close to that of Ao Pan as it is to that of a true dragon.

The dragon people use the technique of transforming into dragons simply by relying on dragon energy.

However, Ao Pan, with his true dragon bloodline, was born with the ability to transform into a dragon.

As the net of sword threads attacked, Ao Pan swung his dragon claw, which was covered with a layer of hazy blue light.

It landed on the sharp sword threads that cut through everything, tinged with a withered yellow, and broke off on its own.

Taking advantage of the situation, Ao Pan broke free of the net of sword threads and headed straight for Han Xuan. After all, he was not a human cultivator; even if he possessed many profound supernatural abilities, his greatest strength lay in physical combat.

Ao Pan was fierce and unstoppable, while Han Xuan was the first to be hit, like a small boat on a stormy sea, which could capsize at any moment.

But he showed no sign of panic. His hand gestures changed rapidly, and finally the twelve green bamboo flying swords trembled slightly, shattered together, and turned into specks of green light that disappeared.

The net of sword threads that Ao Pan had broken through also quietly disintegrated, transforming back into twenty-four green bamboo flying swords, which shattered into streams of green light and disappeared without a trace.

The next moment, all these cyan streams of light appeared in front of Han Xuan, and the sword formation disintegrated.

All the azure light merged into one, transforming into a giant azure sword three zhang long. Its entire body was clear, as thin as a cicada's wing, crystal clear, like azure glass, which would shatter at the slightest touch.

At this moment, Ao Pan was only a hundred feet away from Han Xuan, which was practically within arm's reach for both the demon general and the Nascent Soul cultivator.

Han Xuan's expression was cold and stern, his body motionless, his eyes unblinking. His true essence surged forth, and he pointed his finger, shouting, "Slay!"

The giant glass sword rang out and suddenly disappeared from its original spot, reappearing above Ao Pan's head, and slashed down!

The sword energy flowed like a waterfall, containing boundless killing intent, firmly locking onto Ao Pan's soul, leaving him no way to dodge.

Ao Pan's pupils contracted, and a chill inexplicably rose from the bottom of his heart.

He sensed a long-lost threat emanating from this seemingly fragile glass giant sword.

But he didn't have time to transform into his true form. The dragon horns on his forehead glowed with a blue light, looking like jade and glass. A faint blue dragon phantom appeared behind him, but it was extremely blurry and indistinct.

This is the Azure Dragon Dharma Form, which should only be formed by a demon saint.

However, Ao Pan's Azure Dragon bloodline was extremely pure, allowing him to condense a vague Azure Dragon Dharma Image before advancing to the Demon King level, and thus be able to draw upon some of the Dharma Image's power.

Ao Pan held up his two dragon claws in front of him, and countless strands of blue light surged from his body, weaving into a set of ancient battle armor, which was yellowish-brown all over.

The giant glass sword struck the withered yellow armor, its momentum greatly reduced, but it still pierced through it and landed on Ao Pan's huge dragon-shaped arm, nearly severing his left hand.

A flicker of pain flashed in Ao Pan's eyes as he reached for the giant glass sword with his right hand.

Han Xuan would not give him such an opportunity. He changed his hand seals, and the giant glass sword suddenly shattered, turning into specks of blue light, which the dragon claw passed through.

The azure light flew back to Han Xuan and transformed back into thirty-six green bamboo flying swords, their light much dimmer than before.

Ao Pan glanced at his almost severed left arm, his expression turning quite grim.

The wound still retained sharp sword energy, and blood gushed out, seeping into the withered yellow armor, turning into a verdant green that gradually spread.

Ao Pan ran his right dragon claw across the wound, a flash of blue light appeared, the sword energy disappeared, and his left arm was fully restored.

The armor, now half green and half yellow, detached itself, transforming into fallen leaves—half vibrant green and half withered yellow—appearing above Han Xuan's head and drifting down.

Han Xuan's expression changed. That single fallen leaf had cost him twenty years of his lifespan, but now there were dozens of them, and they were even more bizarre.

If all of this were to fall on him, wouldn't he lose hundreds of years of his lifespan?
Han Xuan retreated rapidly, but the fallen leaves followed him closely, seemingly slowly but actually quickly, falling on him.

This area was also locked by layers of sealing power, making it impossible to use teleportation to escape.

Han Xuan's expression turned solemn as he changed his hand seals and his true essence surged forth from his body.

Thirty-six green bamboo flying swords scattered, forming a miniature sword array around him, only a few feet in diameter.

Endless sword energy surged forth, swirling and crisscrossing around Han Xuan, forming a deadly wasteland.

The sword energy spewed out by the Green Bamboo Flying Sword was naturally green, but now it turned grayish-white, filled with a murderous intent.

The fallen leaves drifted into the sword formation, yet remained unharmed despite being swept away by the endless gray-white sword energy.

Instead, it became even greener and more vibrant, absorbing the wood elemental energy and killing intent contained within the sword energy.

Han Xuan sneered, and the sword energy spewed out by the Green Bamboo Flying Sword became more and more concentrated, continuously slashing at the fallen leaves.

This is the power of the law that Han Xuan comprehended, and it is also his greatest reliance in competing for a place as a disciple of the Dao Seed.

Green bamboo is resilient and unyielding, strong and upright, which is exactly what sword cultivators do.

The green bamboo flying sword that Han Xuan forged may seem fragile, but it is actually the most resilient. The same is true of its sword energy, which is endless and will not cease until death!

The fallen leaves were only a few feet away from Han Xuan. They absorbed the murderous intent from the endless sword energy and quickly turned into a verdant green, far surpassing the previous fallen leaf.

If all of it were to fall on Han Xuan, who knows how much of his lifespan would be cut off.

But the surging sword energy did not stop. The vitality absorbed by the fallen leaves from the sword energy became more and more intense, until even the fallen leaves themselves could not withstand it and exploded with a bang.

Han Xuan's energy waned, and a single black hair on his forehead turned snow-white, broke off cleanly at the root, and slowly drifted down.

He was still affected by that strange power and lost more than twenty years of his lifespan.

But compared to losing hundreds or thousands of years of lifespan, these minor damages are nothing.

Han Xuan changed his hand seals, and the sword formation calmed down. The thirty-six green bamboo flying swords dispersed, but did not attack Ao Pan again.

Ao Pan did not rush up. He maintained his half-human, half-dragon form, looking Han Xuan up and down with a rather solemn expression.

That strange supernatural power that could shorten one's lifespan was a law power obtained from the Azure Dragon's bloodline, and he could not use it at will.

He risked taking a sword strike from Han Xuan, hoping to finish the job in one fell swoop, but unexpectedly, Han Xuan broke through his defense.

The endless, ever-flowing sword energy made Ao Pan realize that Han Xuan had also touched upon the power of the laws.

The sword formation he created with his thirty-six green bamboo flying swords was ever-changing, and the resulting giant glass sword was incredibly sharp.

Ao Pan could easily kill ordinary demon generals and Nascent Soul cultivators.

However, Han Xuan had already comprehended the power of the laws. Although his cultivation level was somewhat lacking, his thirty-six green bamboo flying swords and sharp sword cultivation techniques could completely make up for it. He was already one of the most outstanding beings below the Void Refinement level.

If Ao Pan were to transform into his true form, he would be confident of victory, but killing him would not be easy.

If Han Xuan doesn't die, he won't be able to keep the other human cultivators.

Chen Yuan hasn't shown himself yet, and the other cultivators from the Spirit Realm haven't arrived at the Myriad Flame Mountains. Now is not the time to use our trump cards...

A hint of hesitation flashed in Ao Pan's eyes. His aura suddenly subsided, and his body returned to human form. He took out a new set of blue robes and put them on.

He said, "Your skill is impressive. I have killed many sword cultivators, but I have never seen such a sharp sword formation. It will be difficult for you and me to determine a winner."

Han Xuan was quite surprised to see Ao Pan voluntarily dispel his supernatural powers, and his wariness intensified, though he did not show it.

He said calmly, "Your supernatural powers are the most I have ever seen in my life, surpassing all the demons who have died at my hands. You truly deserve to be a descendant of a true spirit."

Ao Pan, not wanting to engage in a verbal dispute with Han Xuan, changed the subject: "We all entered the Xuanli Realm for the True Dragon Cave."

"The great formation of the True Dragon Cave has not yet been broken, and we don't even know what treasures are inside or whether any treasures exist at all."

"If we risk our lives here first, wouldn't that be like the snipe and the clam fighting while the fisherman benefits?"

Han Xuan's heart stirred: "Does Your Excellency wish to withdraw?"

Ao Pan nodded: "That's right, you and I are bound to have a battle, but not now."

"Since you know my name, you must have also heard of Ao Xuan and Zhong Ding."

“My demon race is not a monolithic entity. Although I do not know how many human cultivators have entered the Xuanli Realm, even if we are from the same clan or sect, you should not want to hand over the True Dragon’s treasure to others.”

"Why not call a truce for now, rather than let others benefit from it? What do you say?"

Han Xuan pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly: "Then we shall do as you say."

After saying that, he changed the hand seals, put away the Green Bamboo Flying Sword, slowly retreated, and transmitted his voice to Zhou Muyun and Yuan Shuheng.

Ao Pan also slowly retreated, causing the demon general and the dragon people of Yingmo tribe to stop fighting.

Although the fight between Han Xuan and Ao Pan was intense, it didn't last long, less than a quarter of an hour.

Both of them were exceptionally powerful, and they could easily deal with cultivators of the same level. Often, they could determine the winner in just a few rounds.

This time, neither of them held back. Seeing that it was difficult to determine a winner, they decisively stopped fighting, while the others were still locked in combat.

After they parted ways, they remained where they were, the atmosphere still extremely heavy.

Ao Pan gave Han Xuan a deep look and said calmly, "We'll meet again next time, to determine who is better and who is worse, and to decide life and death."

After saying that, he turned and flew away from the Wanyan Mountains.

The others hurriedly followed, but Zhuang Buhui frowned and secretly asked in a voice transmission, "If we leave now and let them enter the Fire Realm, and they break through the True Dragon Cave Formation, wouldn't we lose the initiative?"

Ao Pan said calmly, "Even if I and the senior joined forces, we couldn't break the Fire Realm Formation. With Han Xuan's strength, we were also helpless."

Zhuang Buhui was relieved and said no more.

Amidst the fiery poisonous mist, everyone watched Ao Pan and the others depart, and the tense atmosphere finally eased.

Yuan Shuheng asked, "Senior Brother Han, why did you let these demons leave?"

"My senior brother almost severed Ao Pan's arm. He must have known he was no match for him, so he stopped on his own."

“Ao Pan is just bluffing. Let’s take advantage of this and keep him here. With two of the three true spirit descendants of the demon race gone, he’s no longer a threat.”

Han Xuan looked in the direction where Ao Pan and the others had left and shook his head slightly: "This Ao Pan is not simple. The supernatural powers he uses are extremely strange and can reduce a person's vitality and lifespan."

"And he didn't even reveal his true form, nor did he use his full strength."

“Ao Xuan has the crimson scales bestowed upon him by the Flame Cloud Demon Saint to protect his body. Ao Pan must also have methods bestowed upon him by the Demon Saint. He should not be underestimated.”

"I'm not confident I can keep him here, so let him go for now. The best course of action is to wait until Junior Brother Chen arrives, then inform Jiang Wangchen and Lin Yuanzi so they can join forces to take his life."

Zhou Muyun was startled: "This person has such methods? Young friend Han is right. This concerns the True Dragon Cave, so we should proceed with caution."

His lifespan is nearing its end, and what he fears most is this kind of supernatural power.

Upon hearing this, everyone showed expressions of fear.

They had never heard of a supernatural power that could directly shorten a person's lifespan.

Yuan Shuheng said somewhat unwillingly, "There is no other way. To break through this Fire Realm Formation, we still need to rely on the power of Jade Sword Peak and Moon-Embracing Peak."

Han Xuan flipped his hand and took out a conch shell with the same sound, put it to his lips, whispered a few words, and then put it away.

He turned around and said, "Let's go to the Fire Realm to investigate first, just in case Ao Pan left behind any tricks, and then send a message to Jiang Wangchen and Lin Yuanzi." (End of this chapter)