The persistent calls of the original Wraith, echoing in Shi Yan’s mind, were like great stones hurled into a previously calm lake, churning up massive waves and spreading ripples outward.

This was a critical juncture for his breakthrough, and the Wraith’s summons directly caused Shi Yan to become distracted, unable to focus all his energy on the precipice of advancement.

Ji Feng, Lei Dong, and Hamon watched him, their expressions exceedingly grave, yet they found no way to intervene.

“What do we do?” Ji Feng’s eyes were shadowed. “When the state of mind falters, outsiders simply cannot step in to help; interference only makes things worse. What is to be done?”

“If he perishes here in the Lei Xiao Star Domain, our region will surely face the wrath of the Bloodthirsty lineage. I fear it will be no better than living under the rule of the Divine Clan,” Hamon offered a wry smile, thinking further and deeper than the others.

Shi Yan, as the new Sovereign Lord of the Bloodthirsty, was currently the most dazzling new star in the starry sea, having unexpectedly become the central figure in the resistance against the Divine Clan.

If he were tragically killed in the Lei Xiao Star Domain, all the martial artists in that domain might suffer the inundation of Xuan He’s, Ming Hao’s, and Fei Liete’s fury.

The Lei Xiao Star Domain could no longer bear any more upheaval. The very reason Lei Dong, Ji Feng, and Hamon had cast everything aside to come here was to secure a sliver of hope for the domain. They certainly did not wish their rash actions to bring utter despair instead.

“Calm yourselves!”

Lei Dong looked toward Ji Feng and Hamon, letting out a soft reprimand, then stated calmly, “He is the new Bloodthirsty Sovereign Lord, the successor to that legendary figure. If he were someone who would perish from Qi deviation during a breakthrough, I doubt… he would be so reckless as to choose this very location to advance himself.”

At these words, Ji Feng and Hamon paused, their expressions briefly stunned, before realizing the logic held true, and their anxiety eased slightly.

Indeed, if Shi Yan lacked confidence, why would he immediately attempt a breakthrough right after striking down Laitek and the others, without even notifying them? If he were not supremely confident, how would he dare to be so abrupt and impetuous?

Once they grasped this, Ji Feng and Hamon took deep breaths, settling their minds, and continued to guard him silently, observing Shi Yan closely.

What they did not know was that at this moment, within Shi Yan’s Sea of Consciousness, he was simultaneously resisting the Wraith’s interference while commanding the transformation of his physical Divine Power Tree. Nor did they know that Shi Yan himself had not anticipated that the Wraith could actually breach Ming Hao’s blockade at such a crucial moment to influence his soul consciousness.

Shi Yan heard the Wraith’s continuous calls clearly, but he consciously chose to ignore everything the Wraith said.

He understood perfectly that if the Wraith held any goodwill, it would never disturb him at such a time. The Wraith, just as Ming Hao had warned, must have harbored ill intentions toward him long ago. Perhaps now was the moment it intended to seize control of his soul and possess his physical body. If he were the Wraith, he too would choose this moment; no opportunity could be better.

During a breakthrough, the mind must be absolutely focused; even the slightest disturbance could lead to catastrophic changes in the soul, potentially causing it to shatter instantly.

Although Lei Dong, Ji Feng, and Hamon were nearby, they could offer no assistance, primarily because the three of them were completely unaware of the Wraith’s existence, attributing Shi Yan’s current bodily anomaly solely to the breakthrough process. In their view, Shi Yan’s problems could only be solved by himself.

“Master, help me break the seal, and I will serve you wholeheartedly. I will enable you to execute that person!”

The Wraith constantly coaxed him with persuasive cries, each sound drilling deep into his soul, hoping to sow a seed of doubt, prompting him to think… If he diverted even a tiny fraction of his attention, he would be unable to concentrate on completing the Divine Body’s metamorphosis. This would result in his own power backlashing, dragging him down until he burst apart and died.

His breathing grew ragged, his body trembled violently, and the divine power within him surged—he was in an extremely perilous state.

At this critical juncture, the Wraith’s calls grew increasingly urgent and rapid, as if catching a glimpse of success…

“Self-Freeze!”

At the vital moment, Shi Yan’s primary soul projected a sliver of thought, traversing the void barrier, straight toward the Divine Grace Star.

Deep within the core of the Divine Grace Star, the massive crystal abruptly emitted a blinding, wondrous light. A beam of icy flame shot forth. As this flame moved, numerous glaciers across the Divine Grace Continent rapidly melted, as if their terrifying, profound cold energy had been instantly siphoned away.

The icy flame crossed the immense distance of the void and suddenly materialized within Shi Yan’s mind. An bone-chilling cold instantly spread outward.

Kacha!

In an instant, Shi Yan’s entire body was encased in thick layers of ice rock. A chilling aura permeated the air, swirling white mist seeping outward. The Lei Xiao Heavenly Pool was immediately affected; as the cold white mist spread, it froze over at a visible rate. Within mere seconds, the entire Lei Xiao Heavenly Pool and the surrounding palace grounds became a scene of stark white, enveloped in severe, penetrating cold.

Even Lei Dong, Ji Feng, and Hamon were turned into three ice statues, their bodily functions frozen solid. Their expressions remained frozen in shock; they could not move an inch and could only communicate through their souls.

“What formidable cold power! This current of frost can likely only be unleashed by those who have reached the Third Heaven of the Origin God realm and cultivated ice-cold power diligently!” Ji Feng commented.

“But he doesn’t cultivate extreme cold power—what is happening?” Hamon cried out soul-to-soul.

“This extreme cold power comes from the Heavenly Fire; he is the Integrator of the Origin, the master of the Ancient Continent. This chilling force originates from the depths of that continent. Let us not struggle; as long as our soul altars are not frozen, we should observe. This cold energy is not directed at us, so we can endure it,” Lei Dong explained.

“Then who is it aimed at?” Ji Feng asked, startled.

“Himself,” Lei Dong replied.

“Why?” Ji Feng and Hamon questioned in unison through their souls.

“I don’t know either. I only know his breakthrough has encountered trouble. What kind of trouble, I cannot discern. I believe he can manage it. All we can do is not disturb him,” Lei Dong clarified again.

Ji Feng and Hamon were utterly confused, but knowing Lei Dong’s insight was usually profound, they chose to trust him. They dared not release power to shatter the ice, remaining constrained, waiting silently.

Shi Yan was encased in heavy blocks of ice, suppressed and sealed as if by a glacier. His divine body, vital essence, soul, and Sea of Consciousness were all suspended in stillness. The ring etched with mysterious, intricate blood patterns was, naturally, also frozen. Due to the pervasive infiltration of the extreme cold force, the Wraith could no longer transmit a single breath or reveal any thought, as Shi Yan’s altar, Sea of Consciousness, and soul were all in a state of self-imposed freezing.

Time flowed on.

They did not know how long it had been. Shi Yan remained deathly still. Gradually, Ji Feng, Hamon, and Lei Dong could no longer bear the intrusion, as the extreme cold power began to seep toward their souls. They were forced to activate their altars and exert their strength, blasting away the ice encasing them and emerging from the frozen state.

“Three days have passed,” Ji Feng frowned. “He hasn’t shown any reaction. His soul activity is stagnant, devoid of thought or presence—what can we do now?”

“Watch, observe, and simply do not act rashly,” Lei Dong instructed.

Ji Feng and Hamon exchanged helpless glances before continuing their vigil, looking at Shi Yan, who resembled an ancient, mile-high iceberg.

In the dim, dark sea of stars, scattered points of light twinkled. Starlight seeped down, illuminating the frozen Lei Xiao Heavenly Pool. The faint starlight, like the glow of fireflies, flickered within the frozen ice, seemingly drawn by some magnetic force, slowly drifting toward the icy peak where Shi Yan was situated.

This entire realm was a glacial landscape; the frozen pool and Shi Yan merged into a vast cold zone, and the starlight moved within the ice, painstakingly slow.

The first point of starlight, after a long, slow journey, merged into Shi Yan’s frozen body.

Like the spark igniting a source of fire, the acupoints across Shi Yan’s body suddenly shone like brilliant drills, bursting forth with dazzling crystalline light.

In that instant, countless streams of starlight within the Heavenly Pool converged into torrents, rushing toward Shi Yan’s body and disappearing within his flesh.

It was then that Ji Feng, Hamon, and Lei Dong were violently jolted awake, witnessing this miraculous sight, all revealing expressions of astonishment.

“The Lei Xiao Heavenly Pool is formed by the convergence of mysterious stellar rivers. That pool contains electrical energy as well as stellar energy, and that energy is now entirely flowing into him!” Lei Dong’s eyes widened in shock and awe. “He must have encountered trouble before, but now, I believe he has found the solution.”

He let out a sigh of relief.

Ji Feng and Hamon also showed joy, looking with wonder as the stellar streams poured into Shi Yan, causing his aura to surge dramatically. They closed their eyes and sensed deeply for a while, nodding secretly. They were amazed to find that Shi Yan’s soul had quietly stabilized; he must have weathered the most difficult phase.

They knew that the remaining time would be spent on the compression and refinement of divine power, the cleansing of the altar, and the sublimation of the soul.

The most grueling moment had passed; Shi Yan would proceed smoothly from here. When he awoke, he would have ascended to the Second Heaven of the Origin God realm.

“I knew he would be fine,” Lei Dong smiled. “We can take a rest now and check if our subordinates below have finished eliminating all the remaining remnants of the Divine Clan.”

The three took out their sound stones, inquiring about the details from their subordinates, and all wore expressions of satisfaction.

…

In a corner of the star domain, near the connected mining area.

The members of the Chen family were gathered nearby, each frowning deeply, waiting in silence.

“Why hasn’t that person arrived yet? Did he deceive us?” Chen Rong muttered, lowering his voice, showing reverence as he spoke, glancing furtively at the lone figure in white robes in the distance.

Ouyang Luoshuang cast a cold glance in their direction from afar, slightly furrowing her delicate brows.

“He won’t. He will definitely come. There must be something here he needs,” Chen Lei said softly.

The Chen family lived in an extremely remote area of the Lei Xiao Star Domain, isolated from the outside world. They were still unaware of the immense changes sweeping the domain, living in constant fear that the Divine Clan might return for vengeance. They had been terrified by the Divine Clan’s past actions, their hearts filled with apprehension every day.

“We have wagered everything, hoping to win this bet and leave some legacy for the family,” Chen Rong sighed softly with a wry smile.

“Don’t worry. Our Chen family will not be wiped out like this. We will live well. I believe in him; he can give us a new future,” Chen Lei comforted them.

All members of the Chen family were gathered here, awaiting the arrival of that person, awaiting hope.

… To Be Continued .RT