The so-called Demon-Communing, Treasure-Refining was in truth an unorthodox side-art the Xu family had scavenged from somewhere.

It studied the means by which demons refined treasures from their own bodies, and attempted to wrest away control of them.

Presumably not even the cultivator who'd created the art had ever dared entertain the wild notion of using it on the Dark-Tail Demon Emperor's tailbone.

Shen Yi, though, couldn't care less — he had demon lifespan to spare in any case, and so long as there was a usable method, he could simply steamroll straight through with it.

【Year One — you attempt first to subdue the instinctive consciousness of the Dark-Tail Spear...】

The straight length of the spear suddenly came alive, trembling all over, giving off a droning hum, as though on the verge of leaping up.

Just then, four dazzling beams of light shone down from the top of the grotto, wrapping the long spear entirely within them.

A presence upright and domineering pressed down upon it, making it tremble all the more violently.

Shen Yi struck while it was down — his body sat unmoving as a mountain, but his two palms suddenly slammed out, batting the long spear flying several zhang away.

Hummmm—

The pitch-black spear, as if it truly were a flood dragon, instantly reversed course and stabbed straight at Shen Yi.

A thrust that looked all crushing force and heavy momentum — but before it could even bring its power to bear, it was struck down once more by the beams the Four Symbols cast down!

Shen Yi didn't stand on ceremony either, landing another fist on the spear shaft.

The long spear smashed against the stone wall with a bang, then furiously pointed itself at the grotto's ceiling, and then jabbed toward Shen Yi, as if aggrieved to the utmost.

They were both mobilizing demonic force — so why was it the only one being suppressed?

"..."

Shen Yi raised an eyebrow, indulging it not at all — it dared come at him, and it got a fist.

Meanwhile, as the demon lifespan drained away,…