The group led by Tu Qi, initially full of ambition, had planned to head to the Shadowless Sect in Yangshuo, but upon reaching the entrance, they were startled to find that Yu Ziling and Ji Changkong had vanished. These four were not profoundly powerful themselves; without Yu Ziling leading the charge, they dared not risk trying their luck at Yangshuo Mountain. Thus, they reverted to their old trade: hunting down Heavenly Masters weaker than themselves.

Yi Jia and Yi Rou happened to become the targets of these four. This was precisely why Yi Jia was willing to offer three hundred high-grade Primordial Stones to seek assistance from Ji Changkong.

Yi Jia was struck by Tu Qi, her lips stained crimson with blood, her face pale, her bright eyes devoid of strength.

Yi Rou helped Yi Jia up, her own eyes welling with tears as she looked toward Ji Changkong, who had turned around. Unlike her previous hopeful gaze, this time Yi Rou’s eyes were filled with terror!

She never imagined that the four menacing figures secretly watching them were actually allied with Ji Changkong.

“I never thought… I never thought you were all working together,” Yi Rou felt as if she had fallen into a bottomless black pit, utterly powerless.

“Brother Chou, these two lasses look like they carry some valuable loot. A short sword, a silver whip—not bad. They probably have some cultivation treasures on them too. I doubt Brother Chou would care for them, hehe. Let’s not be polite then,” Xie Mazi smiled brilliantly, walking unhurriedly toward Yi Jia and Yi Rou.

“Xie Mazi, I’ll take a smaller cut, just let me have one of the girls to play with,” Tu Qi chuckled slyly, letting his eyes linger lecherously over Yi Jia and Yi Rou.

The Yi sisters were delicate and beautiful, appearing barely in their twenties, radiating vibrant youth. It was natural for Tu Qi’s malice to stir.

“These two were my initial targets. I was delayed by an unexpected matter midway, which let you all jump the gun,” Ji Changkong huffed, frowning in displeasure.

At these words, Tu Qi and the other three looked utterly dumbfounded, staring blankly at Ji Changkong.

“Oh, so they were Brother Chou’s targets! Really, if we had known Brother Chou had his eye on them, we naturally wouldn’t have wasted our time,” Xie Mazi chuckled coquettishly, her tone shifting as she lowered her voice: “Brother Chou, while these two wenches are decent, surely you aren’t considering touching them, neglecting Sister Chou?”

“My affairs are none of your business!” With a cold snort, Ji Changkong suddenly walked toward the Yi sisters.

Upon hearing this, Tu Qi and Xie Mazi’s group managed forced smiles and nods, not daring to say another word. When Yu Ziling had associated with them, her overwhelming power had kept them completely subservient. Later, Ji Changkong’s sudden appearance had also demonstrated formidable capability.

In the eyes of Tu Qi’s four, Ji Changkong, just like Yu Ziling, was a **Heavenly Master, and a **Heavenly Master was clearly beyond their capacity to handle. Therefore, even though Ji Changkong’s attitude was unfriendly, they didn't dare protest.

“You—what do you want to do?” Yi Rou suddenly jumped up, pointing her silver whip at Ji Changkong, trembling all over.

Trouble. With the four of Tu Qi watching, if he couldn't subdue Yi Rou immediately, they would certainly begin to doubt his true strength. Not one of these men was harmless; only overwhelming power could awe them. Their current deference stemmed entirely from the power he had accidentally revealed previously, which had misled them into thinking he was incredibly strong.

Yi Rou’s reaction clearly indicated she was prepared to risk everything, even death, to protect her elder sister, Yi Jia.

If Ji Changkong didn't employ the power of his Silver Pupils, his true cultivation level would be instantly exposed once he engaged Yi Rou. If Tu Qi discovered he was only at the Four Symbols Heaven realm, they probably wouldn't remain so respectful.

Tu Qi’s four watched intently as he approached Yi Rou step by step. Though they had seen him fight a few days prior, the distance had prevented them from seeing clearly. Seeing him prepare to strike personally now, their eyes narrowed.

“Don’t come any closer! If you take another step, I won’t hold back!” Yi Rou brandished her silver whip, her voice sharp yet hollow.

Crack!

With a flick of the whip, serpentine shadows of silver lashed out straight toward the approaching Ji Changkong.

His eyes narrowed. Ji Changkong, having just reached the Four Symbols Heaven realm, could clearly perceive the trajectory and speed of the incoming whip.

His eyes suddenly flashed, and in the instant the whip arrived, Ji Changkong struck.

His right hand pierced through the layers of whip shadows, seizing the whip with absolute precision. A surge of profound Yuan Force erupted, and with a powerful jerk, Yi Rou, terrified, lost her footing, staggering violently as she let out a sharp scream.

His figure blurring, Ji Changkong suddenly appeared beside Yi Rou and delivered a palm strike to the back of her neck, knocking her instantly unconscious.

“Vicious fiend, how dare you!” Yi Jia’s eyes blazed with fury, and she let out a piercing shriek, scrambling up from the ground as if possessed, ignoring her own injuries.

Bang!

Another palm strike followed, and Yi Jia was also knocked out.

Holding one in each arm, Ji Changkong cast a cold glance at Tu Qi’s group and said in a raspy voice, “I’m taking these two young women. Any objections?”

“N-No, of course not,” Tu Qi managed a nervous chuckle. “Brother Chou, where is Sister Chou? Are we still going ahead with the Yangshuo Mountain matter?”

“I don’t know where that wicked woman ran off to,” Ji Changkong grunted impatiently, clutching Yi Jia and Yi Rou, and strode away.

In knocking out the Yi sisters, he had not displayed any fancy Heavenly Master secret techniques, nor had he revealed his Yuan Force. Because of this, Tu Qi and the others couldn't gauge Ji Changkong's true depth, and when he impatiently carried the two women away, they dared not say more.

He reached a pool of water and, without hesitation, unceremoniously tossed the two women he was holding into it.

The disturbance in the water roused the unconscious Yi Jia and Yi Rou. The pool wasn't deep, only reaching their waists. As soon as they woke, they began shouting hysterically.

“Are you two alright?” Ji Changkong asked from the rocks beside the pool, frowning with neither warmth nor coldness.

“You—it’s you! What have you done to us?” Yi Jia’s eyes seemed ready to spit fire. Bending over in the pool, she clutched Yi Rou’s small hand, screaming curses at Ji Changkong: “Ugly monster, you damned ugly monster! What have you done to us sisters?”

Yi Rou was already weeping, believing her purity had been ruined by Ji Changkong. Recalling that hideous, ugly face, Yi Rou felt that life held no meaning anymore.

Listening to the two sisters crying and pointing at him from the pool, Ji Changkong felt helpless. He said impatiently, “I’m not with them, and I haven’t done anything to you. That’s how it is. Make as much fuss as you want. Goodbye.”

“Stop right there!” Yi Jia’s face was ashen as she shrieked hysterically, “You defiled us, and you think you can just walk away like this?”

“Crazy woman!” he muttered under his breath, too annoyed to bother with them further, and Ji Changkong turned to leave.

Behind him, the heartbroken sobs of Yi Jia and Yi Rou carried on the air.

The Tianwu Kingdom comprised five major cities: Shengwu, Chiyang, Heishi, Xichui, and Bianjiao. These five main cities were vast, each capable of housing a million people. Beyond the five cities lay numerous counties and towns; the combined population of these smaller settlements rivaled the total of one major city, amounting perhaps to five or six million people overall.

Heishi City lay on the southern border of the Tianwu Kingdom, separated from Gaoyang City by endless ranges of mountains and lakes. The Three Central Kingdoms, needing to guard against powerful external enemies, had always maintained friendly relations, and no major wars had occurred for many years.

The Water Cloud Country faced threats from the Southern Barbarians; the Tianwu Kingdom had to defend against the armies from the Western Regions; and the Great Chu Kingdom constantly needed to bolster its forces against the harsh northern nomads. It was precisely because the Western Regions, Southern Barbarians, and Northern Tribes were ever-watchful that the Three Central Kingdoms lived in harmony, maintaining peace for years.

Outside Heishi City was a small town called "Heiyun" (Black Cloud), which was quite famous.

Heiyun Town earned its name because it was perpetually covered by a blanket of black clouds. Strangely, although the town was constantly overshadowed, it rarely rained; the climate was dry, even somewhat hot.

Beside Heiyun Town stood a small volcano. Over the last few hundred years, the volcano had erupted several times, bringing catastrophic disaster to the town each time. However, after every eruption, the volcano spewed out massive quantities of fire-red crystals mixed within the lava, pulsing with intense Yuan Force fluctuations.

After the first eruption, a Heavenly Master happened to be in the town and managed to retrieve a fiery red crystal from the searing magma, recognizing it as the precious Fire Crystal Stone. In the years that followed, many Fire Element cultivators often frequented Heiyun Town, going to that small volcano to try their luck, hoping to obtain Fire Crystal Stones to enhance their cultivation.

Upon arriving at Heiyun Town, Ji Changkong quickly learned the various rumors surrounding the small volcano and the precious Fire Crystal Stones it contained.

At night, he meditated quietly in the town's only inn.

After prolonged contemplation, Ji Changkong finally decided to primarily cultivate the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon. As the Azure Dragon controlled the Divine Thunder of the Nine Heavens, communicating with it would allow him to truly utilize the Sky Thunder Roar, Sky Thunder Burst, and Sky Thunder Transformation techniques of the Sky Thunder Strength—a fierce and wild power he felt suited him better.

His decision firm, he began attempting to communicate with the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon. Releasing his spiritual consciousness and facing east, his heart as tranquil as still water, he immediately sensed a faint life fluctuation emanating from the distant East.

The Sacred Beast Azure Dragon resided in the East.

“Hmm?”

Just as he entered this state, he suddenly detected a rather strange fluctuation originating from the small volcano. This fluctuation was intensely hot, and his spiritual sense felt warm, even affecting his soul.

Only someone as sensitive to the ambient elemental energy as he was could detect such subtle changes in the surrounding environment. He sensed it again, and his confusion deepened. He felt an inexplicable sense that the small volcano was highly unusual.

“What is happening?” His doubts made it hard to remain calm. He focused his senses once more, feeling that the fluctuation above the volcano was exceedingly peculiar, stirring within him an urge to investigate.

Hesitating for a moment, Ji Changkong stood up, opened the inn room door, and walked alone toward the small volcano.