Rong Jiaojiao's heart tightened, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "Uncle-Master, is there any way to forcibly remove it?"
Leng Muya shook her head: "The demonic spirit Lingmei is already entangled with Ziling's soul. If we forcibly separate them, Ziling's soul will also be scattered!"
Zi Ling's body suddenly convulsed violently, and a shrill cry unlike that of a beast emanated from her throat. As the black energy surged, a hideous ghost face faintly appeared, grinning at Rong Jiaojiao: "A mere spirit sable dares to dream of refining me?"
"Insolence!" Leng Muya shouted angrily, slashing the copper coin sword through the air. The golden light pierced the black mist, but the ghost face cunningly shrank back into Zi Ling's body, causing it to struggle even more painfully.
Rong Jiaojiao's eyes reddened, and she hugged Ziling tightly, whispering, "Ziling, listen to me, guard your mind! You are a spirit beast, naturally able to restrain evil spirits, it can't do anything to you!"
Zi Ling whimpered in pain, but upon hearing its master's voice, it struggled to raise its head, a hint of stubbornness flashing in its eyes.
"Master... I won't let it succeed..."
It suddenly closed its eyes, and its body shone with a bright purple light. It seemed as if something was fiercely fighting inside its body. The black energy and purple light intertwined, constantly colliding and tearing!
"It's actively refining the demonic spirit!" Zhang Zekai exclaimed in surprise.
Leng Muya said in a deep voice, "Jiaojiao, continue to use the Soul Purification Talisman to help it. I will set up an array to protect it!"
She quickly took out seven copper coins and set up a demon-suppressing array in the shape of the Big Dipper. As the golden light flowed, it enveloped Zi Ling and suppressed the counterattack of the demonic energy.
Rong Jiaojiao dared not be negligent. Her fingertips shimmered with spiritual light as she affixed one Soul Purification Talisman after another to Zi Ling's body. The pure spiritual power continuously cleansed its soul, helping it resist the erosion of the demonic spirit.
Zi Ling's body sometimes expanded and sometimes contracted, as if two forces were fiercely fighting within her.
Its fur stood on end, it let out a low growl, and its claws unconsciously scratched the ground, leaving deep marks.
Time passed second by second, and Zi Ling's condition became more and more unstable. Several times, the black energy almost gained the upper hand, but each time, it gritted its teeth and held on, forcefully suppressing the demonic energy back.
Finally, as the seventh Soul Purification Talisman fell, Zi Ling suddenly raised her head and let out a long howl. Her body shone with a great purple light, and the black energy receded like a tide, forced to the center of her brow, where it condensed into a pitch-black bead!
"It's a success!" Zhang Zekai exclaimed in delight.
However, before everyone could breathe a sigh of relief, the black bead suddenly trembled violently, and a demonic roar exploded in everyone's minds: "You will never be able to refine me...!"
"Oh no! It's trying to escape!" Leng Muya's expression changed drastically.
At the critical moment, Zi Ling suddenly opened her mouth and swallowed the black bead in one gulp!
"Zi Ling!" Rong Jiaojiao exclaimed.
Zi Ling's body stiffened instantly, and its pupils turned completely blood red. But the next second, it suddenly closed its eyes, and the purple-gold patterns all over its body suddenly lit up, like burning flames, burning away the black energy bit by bit!
"It's...refining it!" Chen Pengfei exclaimed in shock.
Zi Ling's body floated in mid-air, purple light and black energy intertwined. In the end, the black energy completely dissolved, turning into wisps of black smoke and dissipating.
Zi Ling's fur was even more dazzling than before, with the purple-gold patterns becoming clearer and even faintly glowing with spiritual fire!
"Boom—" A powerful spiritual pressure erupted from its body, and everyone involuntarily took a half step back.
Zi Ling slowly opened her eyes. Her pupils were no longer pure purple, but deep as the starry sky, with faint golden light shimmering within.
It landed lightly on Rong Jiaojiao's shoulder, nuzzled her cheek affectionately, and its voice was even clearer than before:
"Master, I succeeded."
Rong Jiaojiao's eyes welled up with tears. She gently stroked its fur, feeling the surging spiritual energy within it, and exclaimed in surprise, "Ziling, your cultivation level..."
Zi Ling nodded, a hint of pride flashing in her eyes: "The power of the demonic spirit has been completely refined by me. Now my spiritual body has reached a higher level, and I am currently at the peak of the second tier. It won't be long before I break through to the third tier. Even..."
It raised its paw and gently waved it, causing a faint purple spiritual flame to appear in the air!
"Spiritual fire?!" Zhang Zekai's eyes widened. "That's an ability only high-level spirit beasts possess!"
Leng Muya smiled with satisfaction: "What a fine Zi Ling! Not only did she withstand the erosion of the demonic spirit, but she also refined it and enhanced herself!"
Zi Ling looked into the distance, a sharp glint in her eyes: "Master, I can now easily tell who has been planted with the Soul-Devouring Demon Seed. I must devour them all."
Rong Jiaojiao stroked Zi Ling's soft fur with delight, feeling the surging spiritual energy within it, and turned to the crowd, saying, "After refining the demonic spirit Ling Mei, Zi Ling not only greatly increased its cultivation level, but also awakened new abilities!"
Zhang Zekai leaned closer curiously, his eyes full of anticipation: "What ability?"
Zi Ling raised her little head, her eyes gleaming with golden light, and her clear voice, carrying a hint of murderous intent, reached everyone's minds: "I can sense the aura of the Soul-Devouring Demon Seed. No matter how deeply it hides, it cannot escape my eyes."
Chen Pengfei asked in surprise, "So, you can directly tell who has been infected with the demonic seed?"
Zi Ling nodded slightly, and with a gentle wave of her claws, a wisp of purple spiritual fire appeared in the air.
A distorted black shadow was faintly reflected in the flames—it was the form of the Soul-Eating Demon Seed.
“Not only that,” it continued, a hint of confidence in its voice, “the Soul-Devouring Demon Seed is no longer a threat to me, but rather… nourishment.”
A hint of appreciation flashed in Leng Muya's eyes: "Good! This way, we can accurately target the problem and avoid inadequate prevention measures that could harm innocent civilians."
Rong Jiaojiao ruffled Ziling's hair and laughed, "It seems that from now on, Ziling will be our 'Soul-Devouring Demon Seed Detector'!"
Zi Ling squinted, enjoying her master's caress. Leng Muya said, "Alright, two days have passed. Everyone is tired. Let's go back and rest for a day, and then we'll proceed tomorrow."
Upon hearing Leng Muya's words, Zi Ling realized that it had taken her two days to refine the demonic spirit Ling Mei.
Its golden eyes widened slightly, then revealed a hint of guilt.
It leaped lightly from Rong Jiaojiao's shoulder, landed on the ground, crossed its front paws, and solemnly bowed its head to the crowd, its voice soft yet sincere:
"Thank you all for protecting me for so long... If it weren't for your help, I might have already been devoured by the demons."
Its little ears twitched slightly, and its purplish-gold fur shimmered softly in the sunlight, making it look both docile and endearing.
Zhang Zekai couldn't help but squat down and gently rub its little head: "What nonsense are you talking about? We're on the same team!"
Chen Pengfei laughed and chimed in, "That's right, you little guy have done a great job. We'll be counting on you to catch the demon seeds in the future."
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