Chapter 862: Extra Chapter 4: 99

That stone monument, as soon as it appeared, had the force of splitting bamboo, unstoppable.

Faintly, on the stone monument, a dragon's head appeared — it was the primordial spirit of that ancient great demon.

He indeed managed to borrow the power of faith from the common folk and all living beings.

Xiao Jiu silently broke into a sweat for Xiao Lao San.

At that moment, a strong gust of gale wind swept by; immediately, Xiao Jiu saw on the stone monument a golden tortoise-shell pattern appear, instantly covering the monument like an unbreakable great net that enveloped the primordial spirit of the ancient great demon.

At the same time, a black shadow heavily pressed down onto the continually rising top of the stone monument.

Bang!

The fourth loud boom came, like a heavy hammer, smashing heavily onto the top of the stone monument.

The stone monument, which had been continually rising just moments ago, suddenly stopped moving.

The monument trembled; the ancient great demon's primordial spirit on it struggled; the ground at the monument's base, under immense pressure, cracked open, and thick fissures like fists spread out in all directions……

And this immense pressure came from the black shadow atop the monument…… it was a pagoda.

Xiao Jiu raised her head, squinting her eyes to look at that pagoda.

Just a glance, she recognized it — it was the nine-layer pagoda on Xiao Lao San's back, inside which dense earthfiend qi was still surging.

But Xiao Jiu did not see Xiao Lao San.

The nine-layer pagoda grows on Xiao Lao San's turtle back; theoretically, at this moment Xiao Lao San should be lying atop the monument, so how could the pagoda appear by itself?

The cracks on the ground grew more numerous and larger, and the monument was being pressed down inch by inch by the nine-layer pagoda.

The golden light that had originally coiled around the monument's surface now gradually faded, while the ancient great demon's primordial spirit could never break free of the tortoise‑shell pattern's formation, descending together with the monument……

This process took some time, making Xiao Jiu break out in a cold sweat on the tip of her nose.

Liu Junyan's hand gripped Xiao Jiu's waist side, unconsciously tightening, inadvertently bruising Xiao Jiu's waist, yet neither of them noticed.

When the monument that had shot up from the ground was almost pressed back underground, Liu Junyan and Xiao Jiu finally saw the full appearance of the nine-layer pagoda.

The earthfiend qi inside the nine-layer pagoda was continuously compressing from the top downward; the feeling…… was as if an invisible hand pressed on the pagoda's top, using the earthfiend qi to deliver the most lethal blow to that ancient great demon.

Xiao Jiu seemed to understand: "Xiao Lao San can not only use the nine-layer pagoda to absorb and imprison earthfiend qi, but also control that qi for his own use; more importantly, although he now has victory in hand, he does not intend to truly shatter that ancient great demon's primordial spirit — he…… wants to subdue that ancient great demon, right?"

That idea seemed somewhat crazy to Xiao Jiu.

After all, Xiao Lao San had just emerged from seclusion; such strategic planning was completely beyond her expectations.

Liu Junyan was no less shocked.

Even though he had previously guessed, he did not think Xiao Lao San could actually accomplish it.

But looking at it now, it might indeed be possible!

A thunderous boom sounded.

At the moment the nine-layer pagoda's base steadied on the ground, the monument completely merged into the earth below, and the cracks around the ground had already connected to the water, with currents rushing toward the pagoda and scouring it.

The water surface rose rapidly, higher and higher.

Xiao Jiu felt that the little mountain pagoda beneath her feet seemed to be rising along with the water surface.

She glanced suspiciously at Liu Junyan, only to see him staring at the water below with a solemn expression, unknown what he was thinking.

Xiao Jiu also looked down into the water, faintly seeming to see something.

Splash!

A familiar large dragon head emerged from beneath the water surface — who else could it be but Xiao Lao San?

He lifted his head and glanced at them, his big tail swaying, as if expressing something.

Liu Junyan instantly received the signal; he exerted force with his hand, lifting Xiao Jiu directly into the air; Xiao Jiu let out a startled cry, and the two hovered mid‑air just as Xiao Lao San swept his great tail, shattering the little mountain pagoda with a crash.

This little mountain pagoda was procured by Liu Junyan to suppress the true form of the ancient great demon; he had also been continually reinforcing his mana, never daring to relax even for a moment before.

But now, the little mountain pagoda was actually shattered by Xiao Lao San's own hand, which means he intends to release the true form of that ancient great demon!

Such a bold approach truly forced Xiao Jiu to reassess her son.

This kid really pulls off big deeds in silence!

After the little mountain pagoda was shattered, the water surface continued to rise, with large gurgling bubbles rolling up from below; soon enough, the true form of the ancient great demon indeed appeared.

He had originally been sleeping in the underground palace beneath the water; now that he has awakened, it shows his primordial spirit has returned to its place.

Of course, his primordial spirit being able to return is also thanks to Xiao Lao San letting go; otherwise, just moments ago beneath the nine-layer pagoda, his primordial spirit would already have been shattered.

Xiao Jiu thought she would next witness a thrilling battle, but she never imagined that Xiao Lao San merely lifted his head and let out a dragon's roar; immediately, the nine-layer pagoda by the water's edge shot up from the ground, instant‑transported onto the ancient great demon's back, and pressed down directly upon it.

Xiao Jiu let out a "Huh?": "How can the ancient great demon show not a trace of resistance?"

"Because his primordial spirit had already been tamed by our Xiao Lao San beneath the nine-layer pagoda just now." Liu Junyan said, "Xiao Lao San released the ancient great demon's primordial spirit, which is its original, innate spirit; the spirit he had later devoured has already been stripped away by Xiao Lao San, collected into the nine-layer pagoda, and used to suppress the earthfiend qi."

So that's how it is.

Xiao Jiu still found it hard to believe: "Just…… like that, subdued?"

"What if he doesn't submit?" Liu Junyan said, "Do we really have to shatter his primordial spirit forever, preventing his rebirth?"

And what about the ancient great demon?

After all, he is merely a demon.

Although he has the body of a dragon‑turtle, the turtle aspect dominates; after years of cultivation, his tail remains that of a turtle, and in terms of bloodline stature he falls far short of Xiao Lao San.

Not to mention his innate cultivation talent and the external assistance he has received afterward.

In every way he falls short of Xiao Lao San.

Now even the stone monument on his back has been crushed by Xiao Lao San using the nine-layer pagoda; what does he have left to stir up wind and rain?

Furthermore, having been suppressed all these years and having committed so many misdeeds, he is inherently intolerable to heavenly principle.

Thus came Xiao Lao San's sudden rise to prominence.

Xiao Lao San was born to be his nemesis.

Of course, the victor becomes king, the vanquished becomes bandit; since Xiao Lao San won, Liu Junyan now has the confidence to think this way.

Xiao Jiu didn't even need to look; she could feel the pride radiating from Liu Junyan's whole being at this moment.

This is my son! He inherited my excellent bloodline! He's the best!

Xiao Jiu could imagine how Liu Junyan would show off to the Big Family after returning from Suedi.

Even though victory was assured, Xiao Jiu still felt uneasy: 'Xiao Lao San subdued that primeval great demon, suppressing him with the Nine-story Pagoda—what then?'

Does Xiao Lao San no longer need that Nine-story Pagoda?

Is he currently in juvenile form or sub-adult form?

When will he be able to transform into human form?

More importantly, is Xiao Lao San supposed to guard the waters of Suedi?