A surge of delight filled Ji Changkong as he suddenly realized his divine soul possessed considerable offensive power. When a charging Tian Shi was struck down by his soul attack, his courage instantly swelled. While borrowing the power of the Tian Yuan Plant, he began using his divine soul to deal with the incoming Tian Shi. Even with just the soul power of a Fourth Heaven Realm cultivator, under his manipulation, it was somehow able to disrupt the souls of opponents a level higher than him. He watched as incoming foes either staggered away, dizzy and disoriented, or blinked around in confusion, while Ji Changkong grinned, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Combined with the surging power erupting from the Tian Yuan Plant, he suddenly felt an urge that needed immediate release.

With a sharp roar, Ji Changkong suddenly strode out from amidst the Gan Three Brothers, unleashing the Jing Tao Jue (Raging Waves Technique), sending seven continuous, heavy waves surging toward the opposing formation. Amidst the splashing and roaring of the water, his body was enveloped in a dazzling radiance. As this explosive power manifested, the three Mani Cult leaders—Greed, Lust, and Fear—didn't even have time to get close to him.

Blasted away by the surging force of the seven waves, those flying out were sent careening backward. A-yi Gu Li, who was clinging to his side, froze, blinking her eyes in stunned disbelief at this critical moment. She could hardly believe that the one who had rushed out and repelled the three leaders was actually Ji Changkong!

The Gan Three Brothers cried out in alarm, completely stunned, their faces etched with shock.

The sisters Yi Jia and Yi Rou were equally dumbfounded. Their eyes widened, fixed rigidly on Ji Changkong, unable to comprehend why this person, who had always been protected, had suddenly transformed into someone else.

Only Tuo Dianlie, who had witnessed Ji Changkong's prior marvels, grinned and chuckled endlessly.

The Sacred Beasts—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—suddenly manifested behind Ji Changkong. Formed from divine soul and Yuan power, the four sacred beasts floated realistically behind him. As he charged out, the pure essence of the four beasts was instantly released, impacting outward from four different angles. Bolstered by the blood within and the power of the Tian Yuan Plant, he unleashed a terrifying strength once more, just like when he was at the Du Family compound. Fierce and tiger-like, he charged into the ranks of the Children of Darkness. The Tian Lei Jin (Heavenly Thunder Force) stirred, and the Azure Dragon swooped in with bared fangs and claws, seemingly merging with the Heavenly Thunder Force. Deafening thunder roared as if descending from the Ninth Heaven. Everywhere Ji Changkong passed, thunderous explosions erupted within a ten-meter radius. Low-level Mani Cultists were torn to shreds under the bombardment of the Ninth Heaven Divine Thunder. Only those Tian Shi at the peak of the Eighth Heaven Realm, like the Children of Darkness, could withstand the assault of the Divine Thunder. Whether it was the Divine Thunder that summoned the Azure Dragon or the Azure Dragon that drove the Divine Thunder, under the blazing midday sun, the sound of cracking lightning was incessant. Flower Street exploded continuously, and nearby buildings disintegrated, sending gravel flying, while yellow dust choked the sky. Ji Changkong felt utterly exhilarated!

Although he wasn't using his inherent power, the feeling of commanding such strength in this moment was profoundly satisfying. Watching the experts, whom he usually dared not challenge, scatter and flee under the impact of his Jing Tao Jue and Tian Lei Jin, he felt confirmed in his pursuit of power. The Tai Xu Mi Lu (Great Void Secret Record) allowed him to maintain clarity of mind amidst the swirling dust, accurately locating his adversaries in the chaos of flying debris and rolling smoke, then blasting them with Tian Lei Jin and Jing Tao Jue. He condensed his divine soul and unleashed a powerful soul attack, often eliciting loud screams. Before they could react, he struck again without mercy. In a short time, dozens of Tian Shi surrounding him, all of superior strength, were driven into a pathetic rout by him alone. The Gan Three Brothers, who were supposed to be protecting him, were utterly dumbfounded. After a long pause, they snapped out of it and, along with Tuo Dianlie and A-yi Gu Li, joined the fray, pooling their strength against the attackers. Beside Ji Changkong, stone fragments and dust swirled violently; ordinary people couldn't see the situation clearly.

When the Gan Three Brothers approached him, they initially worried he might indiscriminately attack friend and foe, but as they drew near, they realized Ji Changkong was completely unaffected by the surroundings. On the contrary, in this incredibly chaotic area, he moved as if in water. Every strike he delivered bypassed layers of obstruction to hit an enemy directly, completely unhindered by the dust and smoke, astonishing the Gan Three Brothers. Above them, Li Hentian, wielding the Sun Wheel, engaged the King of Darkness and the Ram Cult Leader alone. The ferocity of the Demon Wolf Li Hentian was undoubtedly on full display. Both being at the Eighth Heaven Realm, Li Hentian showed no signs of defeat against the combined assault of the King of Darkness and the Ram Cult Leader, and he even managed to occasionally force the two back. Mu Luo fought against the beautiful woman named Yao Lian. As the renowned Butcher of the Ouroboros Cult, Mu Luo held the upper hand. The beautiful woman Yao Lian was completely enveloped in a cluster of seductive, demonic lotus blossoms, maintaining an enchanting smile on her lips as she desperately resisted Mu Luo’s frenzied attacks. The secret techniques of the Ouroboros Cult were indeed peculiar. Mu Luo moved like a phantom, drifting unpredictably around Yao Lian, conjuring numerous illusory images. As the battle wore on, the phantoms created by Mu Luo increased until nearly a hundred copies surrounded Yao Lian.

Each phantom generated by Mu Luo moved differently. They darted rapidly around Yao Lian, and each carried a faint ripple of life force. Even Ji Changkong found it difficult to distinguish the real from the illusion. Yao Lian could only defend her small patch of ground, never taking the initiative to attack from the beginning. She must have recognized Mu Luo’s power. Huge, demonic, man-eating lotus flowers, condensed purely from Yuan power, bloomed around her, trapping her in a sea of blossoms, firmly blocking Mu Luo’s advances. As soon as the fighting began, it immediately became brutal and intense. Among the crowd, the most conspicuous figures were not Li Hentian, nor the besieged Yao Lian, but Mu Luo, who was initially only defending. It was Ji Changkong, who had not suffered heavy injuries at the start, borrowing the power of the blood within him and the Tian Yuan Plant. Despite being only at the Fourth Heaven Realm, he suddenly displayed a terrifying power completely inconsistent with his actual strength, attracting everyone's gaze. Amidst the roar of thunder, he treated the surrounding attackers as nothing, striking within their midst, forcing the Mani Cultists to retreat in panic. “Little brat, you are the Child of Darkness? Heh heh, let me see how capable you truly are!” Unexpectedly, Ji Changkong appeared beside the Child of Darkness, and a surge of dark-cyan lightning suddenly flooded toward the Child of Darkness. Within the dark, heavy surge were specks of cyan light flashing, the movement faintly taking the form of the Azure Dragon with bared fangs and claws. Wind and thunder howled within it.

The despondency on the young boy’s face had long vanished, replaced by a gravity unbefitting his youthful features as he watched Ji Changkong’s attack approach. His body transformed into a source of darkness.

He suddenly began to devour the surrounding light mist. Instantly, the previously illuminated area dimmed little by little. In just a moment, the area where the boy stood became a zone of absolute darkness, where not a single glimmer of light could be seen. Any source of light that entered was immediately swallowed by the darkness. The surge formed by the transformation of the Tian Lei Jin—Heavenly Thunder Transformation—was drawn into that region of endless darkness, vanishing without a trace.

A barely audible thunderous rumble sounded a few times from the pitch-black zone. Traces of lightning flickered like fireworks, then vanished. A muffled groan rose from the darkness. The absolute darkness gradually dissipated, and the Child of Darkness, a faint trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, glared resentfully at Ji Changkong: “I will kill you sooner or later! The Ouroboros Cult will be utterly destroyed in my hands!”

With those words, the Child of Darkness retreated, melting back into the infinite dark, vanishing from Ji Changkong’s divine sense perception.

BOOM!

An earth-shattering explosion erupted from the side where Mu Luo and Yao Lian fought, scattering petals of vibrant, beautiful flowers across the sky, a sight so beautiful it made one’s heart ache.

The dense sea of flowers surrounding Yao Lian suddenly withered rapidly. The smile vanished from Yao Lian’s face as she stumbled backward toward the street corner, shouting something in a Western Regions dialect before instantly disappearing. The King of Darkness and the Ram Cult Leader, who had been fighting Li Hentian, both changed expressions slightly upon hearing Yao Lian’s cry. They exchanged a glance, suddenly simultaneously halting their attacks and withdrawing. “Li Hentian, we spare you for today. The next time we meet will be your death day!” the King of Darkness hissed. He and the Ram Cult Leader retreated. In a short while, all the Mani Cultists on the street fled. The soldiers of Sunlit City stared in terror at Ji Changkong’s group and also scrambled to escape.

Li Hentian and Mu Luo both walked to Ji Changkong’s side. Mu Luo looked at him with wide astonishment: “Cult Master, you… you actually possess such terrifying power! How is this possible?”

“Let’s leave this place quickly. We can discuss matters when we return to the Central Lands,” Li Hentian, who had remained composed facing so many experts, urged them to move quickly now that everyone was repelled. “Old Li, what’s the rush? Relax. Those fellows have all been frightened away.” Tuo Dianlie grinned widely. “The King of Darkness retreating means he will surely summon Youlan. Once Youlan appears, no one in the Western Regions can stand against her.” Li Hentian frowned and said gravely, “Once those words were spoken, Mu Luo’s face also darkened, and he nodded quickly. “Indeed. With the King of Darkness defeated, even if Youlan is reluctant to bother, she must step forward to protect the Mani Cult’s reputation. Brother Li is absolutely right; we must leave the Western Regions as soon as possible, or once Youlan sees us, none of us will escape.”

Li Hentian and Mu Luo reached a consensus, and the others offered no further argument. The group hastily left Sunlit City and headed in the direction of the Tianwu Garden.