In its scarlet eyes, madness, greed, pain, and ferocity intertwined, even turning sharply once more to look at Xu Ping, revealing a strong desire to devour.

Signs of backlash, appear again!

Xu Ping was prepared, snorting coldly, and the ocean-like Power of Divine Sense erupted with a roar, pressing down like an invisible shackle.

At the same time, his hands moved rapidly, sending waves of enhanced "Thousand Mechanisms Forbidden God Spell" runes into the core of the main soul like a storm.

"Roar! Howl!"

The ghost let out an unwilling howl, the soul body struggled violently, and the newly devoured snake soul power crazily impacted the Restriction.

For a moment, demonic wails echoed throughout the cave, energy surged, and if not for the Restriction, the outside world would have been alerted long ago.

Xu Ping focused his Divine Sense, carefully guiding and reconciling the rampant energy within the main soul’s body, helping it to refine the Essence Soul Pill, which while greatly beneficial, also posed great risks.

This process was slow and dangerous.

A year and a half passed silently amidst this silent contest and refinement.

Finally, on this day, the violent, conflicting energy within the main soul gradually calmed and eventually fully merged.

Its soul body no longer expanded, instead collapsing inward, becoming more solid and profound.

The entirely pitch-black soul body was faintly covered by a thin yet extremely resilient virtual shadow of snake scales.

The pressure it emitted advanced a step further than before.

"It’s done!"

Xu Ping slowly withdrew his Divine Sense, looking slightly fatigued, but his lips curled into a satisfied smile.

The process was dangerous, but the rewards were huge.

The power of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner increased by three tenths.

However, Xu Ping did not relax at all in his heart at this moment.

He had no hesitation, not even considering the considerable consumption of his Divine Sense just now.

Xu Ping performed a Spell, his Power of Divine Sense mixed with essence blood, sketching out numerous complex gray-white Restriction runes more so than before, imprinting them deeply into the main soul’s origin like an inescapable net.

"Awuu...."

The ghost let out a desolate wail filled with despair, its soul body trembling violently, unable to resist, and could only passively endure the excruciating pain as the Restriction was reinforced.

Feeling the Restriction’s power that was almost entirely entwined with the main soul’s origin, only then did Xu Ping slowly exhale.

This ghost, as it grew stronger through constant devouring, also simultaneously increased its intelligence and rebelliousness, becoming increasingly cunning.

In the future, it must be driven with greater caution and no negligence whatsoever.

Suppressing his thoughts, Xu Ping began to meditate to restore his Mana and Divine Sense from the soul refining.

The cave returned to silence.

Only the suspended Ten Thousand Souls Banner quietly emitted an increasingly unsettling dark glow.

Devouring the Mystic Nether Snake Essence Soul Pill greatly elevated this ghost, but with risk.

If it were to devour a stronger True Dragon Essence Pill, the danger would probably escalate.

"It seems the next time, when devouring the True Dragon Essence Pill, I’ll need the help of the Wood Spirit Avatar," Xu Ping thought to himself.

Otherwise, by himself, he might really have trouble suppressing this ghost.

Meanwhile, Xu Ping also worried whether he could control it if the Ten Thousand Souls Banner truly became a supreme treasure.

After pondering for a moment, he felt it would be difficult.

Unless his Divine Sense and Divine Techniques could improve further.

"Forget it, first get the resources to elevate the Ten Thousand Souls Banner!"

"Anyway, Hongyi probably won’t return to hunt Demon Beasts in the outer sea for some time."

Then, Xu Ping again resumed meditating to restore Mana and Divine Sense.

....

Time flew by, and another two years passed.

In the underground cave,

Xu Ping sat cross-legged on the Cold Jade Platform, eyes closed, with vast ocean-like waves of Divine Sense radiating from him, enveloping the ghost.

The main soul of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner floated mid-air, its size having swollen several times, its entire body boiling with Demonic Qi like cooking oil, with beams of dazzling golden dragon light constantly shooting from within the previously pitch-black soul body.

The Fourth Rank Upper Grade True Dragon Essence Pill was being refined within it madly.

No one knew how much time had passed.

Suddenly.

"Roar!"

A cry, unprecedented, mixed with dragon roars and demonic howls, exploded from the main soul’s mouth, shaking the heavens!

Its massive soul body abruptly contracted! All the boiling Demonic Qi and clashing golden light converged like rivers returning to the sea, collapsing and condensing inward.

The next moment, an intimidating aura far superior to before descended fiercely.

The main soul’s form became more distinct and solid.

The once phantom-like soul body now appeared as if it had gained the heavy texture of real flesh.

The entire body exhibited a bizarre color of dark gold entwined with pitch black, its head even fiercer with a horn on its forehead, fangs bared, and its dragon-like eyes burned with dark red ghostly flames.

Its emitted aura surged intensely to an astonishing level, seemingly reaching the pinnacle of its latter-stage level.

"It’s done!"

Xu Ping’s eyes flashed with brilliance, though he did not relax in his mind.

Indeed.

Just as the main soul completed its transformation, an even purer and more terrifying sinister deathly Qi burst forth from its body like a bursting dam, sweeping through the entire underground cave in an instant. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The protective Restriction carved on the cave walls let out overburdened groans, and the protective light screen flickered violently.

Amidst that Evil Qi hid an unruly, untamed will, attempting to break free of all constraints and turn against its master.

Like a runaway ancient fierce beast, it intended to devour its master.

The giant eyes of the main soul, ablaze with ghostly dragon fire, locked onto Xu Ping abruptly, devoid of any hint of "obedience," leaving only pure, icy, predator-like savagery and greed.