The primal energy gathering around his sternum, ribs, and abdomen slowly flowed towards his ugly legs, tracing the delicate path of his inner thighs before arching upward. In that instant, his lower body blurred, as if his legs were draped in a faint, gossamer veil, giving an impression of ethereality and unreality. With every step he took, his movement was impossibly light; he even experienced the strange illusion of having a body made of floating mist. For this fleeting moment, he seemed to be a wandering specter in the mortal world, utterly weightless, drifting aimlessly through existence.

He no longer slammed straight into tree trunks as before, nor did his movements lack balance, causing him to tumble into a flower patch. Except for a speed that couldn't match Mu Luo’s lightning quickness, the appearance of his lower body truly carried a trace of Mu Luo’s spirit—shadowy, indistinct, and faintly ephemeral. "Thousand Ghosts Shadow Flicker" possessed various manifestations. The most fundamental variation involved transmuting the internal primal energy through every pore, mixing it with turbid air to escape the body. Once this basic transformation was mastered, the entire person became like a restless spirit, able to roam swiftly and evasively without leaving a trace, creating an inscrutable sensation for any observer.

Initially, "Thousand Ghosts Shadow Flicker" offered no offensive capability. Only after truly grasping the foundational shift—the ability to freely release the primal energy mixed with turbid air from the body, thereby forming one's own phantom shadow—could one proceed to cultivate later variations, imbuing the "Shadow" with astonishing offensive power. His lower body grew increasingly indistinct, gradually fostering the illusion of something non-human, yet his speed increased relentlessly. As his feet touched the overgrown weeds, sound vanished completely.

From a distance, Mu Luo and the others, who had just been debating whether he could master "Thousand Ghosts Shadow Flicker," were rendered speechless by the sight of him transformed in this manner.

After a long, long pause, Mu Luo let out a soft sigh towards Ji Changkong. "The Cult Master is indeed an unparalleled genius. Without even fully cultivating the Aura God's Grace Complete Art, he has not only grasped the energy manipulation techniques of 'Thousand Ghosts Shadow Flicker' but has also managed to condition his body toward the 'Shadow Form' so rapidly. Truly, the resurgence of my Aura God Sect is now in sight."

The three Tagan brothers nodded in unison. These three experts of the Seven Star Heaven Realm of the Aura God Sect now looked upon Ji Changkong with genuine reverence in their eyes.

"Ayiguli," Mu Luo glanced at her, asking plainly, "when I taught you 'Thousand Ghosts Shadow Flicker,' how long did it take you to achieve the body-shadowing transformation?"

Ayiguli’s enchanting face suddenly flushed crimson, like blood seeping through, showing a mixture of helplessness and shame. It was only at this moment that Ayiguli was forced to admit that she was inferior to Ji Changkong. Under the ironclad fact, she suddenly realized she was not the most outstanding youth in the Aura God Sect. Someone else existed who was vastly superior to her! This realization deeply dejected her, as she had always considered herself the foremost young master of the Aura God Sect. The reason the people of the Western Regions called her the "Flower of the Moon" was not just because her beauty rivaled the flowers, but primarily because she was the recognized leader of the new generation within the Aura God Sect. However, Ji Changkong, who was even younger than her, had now appeared, descending upon the Sacred Land radiating dazzling brilliance. Though only at the Four Symbols Heaven Realm, he displayed a transcendent natural quality that surpassed expectations at every turn, instantly shattering the proud status Ayiguli had maintained for years.

"Teacher, I... I am not his equal," Ayiguli responded in a voice as faint as an insect's buzz.

Mu Luo nodded thoughtfully. "Of course you are not his equal. The Heavenly Origin Pearl has chosen him as its master, and as your teacher, I see it is not merely due to his heaven-defying luck." At this, Mu Luo ceased speaking, for Ji Changkong was already approaching with a smile.

"Mu Luo, I still have a few questions I need to ask you. I just tried it out, and I discovered—" Before Ji Changkong reached Mu Luo’s side, he eagerly posed his question, his face alight with joyous excitement, showing not a hint of the Cult Master's airs.

Mu Luo and the three Tagan men maintained deferential expressions, bowing respectfully to greet him. Ayiguli hesitated for a moment, and for the first time, she sincerely bent her slender waist. Though reluctant, she inwardly acknowledged his identity as the Cult Master.

Further away, the two young girls, Yi Jia and Yi Rou, seeing him begin to discuss the profound secrets and mysteries of the Aura God Sect with Mu Luo, stopped their advance. They had been preparing to approach him for a chat but now consciously retreated. In the minds of these two girls, Ji Changkong, who resided at the Four Symbols Heaven Realm yet could contend with the Seven Star Heaven Masters, was already shrouded in a mystical veil. That he could master "Thousand Ghosts Shadow Flicker" in such a short time seemed natural to them. They, not being members of the Aura God Sect, did not grasp the secret intricacies and the sheer difficulty involved.

For the rest of the journey, whenever they were in deserted wildernesses, Ji Changkong silently practiced "Thousand Ghosts Shadow Flicker" almost constantly. Only when he encountered an unsolvable problem would he summon Mu Luo to inquire until everything was made clear. With Mu Luo, a master who had spent many years refining "Thousand Ghosts Shadow Flicker," guiding him, his progress accelerated rapidly. By the time they reached Heavenly Water City, he was already capable of slowly releasing the mingled primal energy and turbid air through the pores all over his body.

Heavenly Water City, the imperial capital of the Water Cloud Kingdom. The last time he was in Heavenly Water City, he accompanied Bai Qingya to witness the Grand Spiritual Treasure Assembly held by the Chen family. The holy artifact of the Aura God Sect, the Heavenly Origin Pearl, was obtained at that very assembly. The incredible treasures on the Thousand-Year Purple Gold Toad also yielded him a pleasing amount of spirit stones at the assembly. He held a special affection for both the Spiritual Treasure Assembly and the Chen family.

Before parting ways with Li Hentian in the Serene Valley, Li Hentian had instructed him to stop by the Chen family when passing by Blood Rain Mountain to explain the origins and background of the 'Fanged Venom Powder.' According to Li Hentian, the Chen family’s treasures would not suffer any harm from the ferocious spider venom.

Upon entering Heavenly Water City, he noticed that the bounties issued for him were completely gone. The Du family had previously offered an exorbitant price to have every Heaven Master in the realm capture him. However, once Li Hentian appeared, the Water Cloud Kingdom swiftly dispatched men to retract all announcements and severely punished the military officers who had allowed the notices to be posted.

Within the borders of the Heavenly Martial Kingdom, Li Hentian was undeniably a notorious fiend, having massacred entire sects and families near the Hidden Dragon Abyss, leaving rivers of blood. But to the common people of the Water Cloud Kingdom, Li Hentian was not a fiend but a hero, possessing an extraordinary status there. Years ago, when the Southern Barbarian Heaven Masters caused unrest on the Water Cloud Kingdom's borders, Gu Tao went alone to Heavenly Wolf Mountain to confront Chi Yao, while Li Hentian led the experts from Tianshan to Blood Rain Mountain, leaving the Southern Barbarian Heaven Masters slain in heaps, forcing them to retreat from the Water Cloud Kingdom and saving the Heaven Master sects and civilians near Blood Rain Mountain.

Although Li Hentian had committed great slaughter in the Heavenly Martial Kingdom, he had not wantonly killed innocents in the Water Cloud Kingdom. If not for the Cloud-Returning Sect, one of the two great Sacred Lands, blaming him as a fiend, and if not for his defection from the Universe Sect, the Heaven Master families of the Water Cloud Kingdom might have openly supported him against the Du family.

It had to be said that the Chen family's guards possessed the bearing of a prominent lineage. When Ji Changkong arrived with Mu Luo and his entourage at the Chen family gates, the guards immediately recognized the veiled Mu Luo and the others as visitors from the Western Regions. Though a hint of anger was visible on their faces, they still treated them with full propriety, refraining from immediate verbal abuse.

"My name is Ji Changkong. Please inform your Third Master that I wish to see him," Ji Changkong announced his identity at the Chen family entrance.

Some of the Chen family guards had seen him before, but they were unaware of his connection to the Chen family. Even so, these guards did not refuse; one hurried inside to report.

Soon, the reporting guard rushed back, his expression much more respectful. "Please come in!"

Without ceremony, Ji Changkong followed the guard, leading Mu Luo's group directly into the Chen residence.

The guard escorted their party to the elegant reception hall in the back courtyard and respectfully informed Ji Changkong, "Our Third Master will be here shortly."

No sooner had his words fallen than Chen Yihui swept in, her face wreathed in smiles. "Changkong, what brings you to visit my Chen family?"

Chen Yihui spoke with a smile, yet her gaze remained fixed on the veiled Mu Luo and his companions. It hadn't been long since the Spiritual Treasure Assembly, where the manic Mani Sect envoys had stirred up bloodshed, seizing many spiritual treasures. This had significantly damaged the reputation of the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion. During this period, Chen Yihui felt ill whenever she saw anyone from the Western Regions. Had it not been for the fact that Mu Luo and the others had arrived with Ji Changkong, Chen Yihui would not only have refused them entry but might have even mobilized the Chen family's experts to surround them first.

The auras emanating from Mu Luo, Ayiguli, and the Tagan brothers were distant and uncanny—clearly masters who had deeply cultivated the Way of the Heaven Master. Chen Yihui already viewed these individuals as major threats. Even while speaking to Ji Changkong, she maintained a wary posture. Outside the hall, numerous Chen family experts quietly gathered, preparing for any contingency.

"Sister Hui, don't be tense; they are not members of the Mani Sect." Having been active for some time and tempered by experience alongside Li Hentian and Tuoba Lie, Ji Changkong's perception was now acute. He instantly recognized Chen Yihui's apprehension, calling her "Sister Hui" with a slight smile.

The address "Sister Hui" instantly melted Chen Yihui’s sternness. She giggled and lightly chided, "Don't be so familiar! I'm nearly as old as your aunt, yet you call me Sister Hui, you sweet-talking rogue!" Glancing sideways at Mu Luo, Chen Yihui gestured for Ji Changkong to quickly clarify the identities of Mu Luo and his group.

Nodding, Ji Changkong smiled and explained, "These esteemed individuals are indeed from the Western Regions and are master Heaven Masters there. However, Sister Hui need not be nervous; they are not your enemies—in fact, they should be your friends." Seeing Chen Yihui’s questioning gaze, he continued, "The ones causing trouble at the last Spiritual Treasure Assembly were from the Western Region's Mani Sect. The Dark King and the Dark Son even appeared in our Water Cloud Kingdom with the goal of seizing the Heavenly Cloud Pearl. But Mu Luo and his group hail from the Aura God Sect. You must have heard of the history between the Aura God Sect and the Mani Sect, haven't you?"

As one of the Seven Great Families, and with the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion being a renowned spiritual treasure emporium, the Chen family naturally possessed knowledge of the major sects across the land. The hatred between the Western Regions' two largest Heaven Master sects, the Aura God Sect and the Mani Sect, was known even to a formidable figure like Tuoba Lie, so Chen Yihui could not possibly be ignorant.

Indeed, upon hearing Ji Changkong's explanation, Chen Yihui immediately broke into a smile, bowing slightly. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend, hehe. I apologize if I was presumptuous. I hope you gentlemen will not take offense." After saying this, Chen Yihui loudly called out, "All of you, withdraw!" The Chen family experts gathered outside the hall heard her command and silently dispersed. Chen Yihui performing this action in front of Mu Luo and the others was not irritating; rather, it portrayed her as open-minded and possessing great poise.

Mu Luo removed the veil covering his face, his expression serious. "Miss Chen need say no more; we certainly understand."

Once Mu Luo removed his veil, Ayiguli and the thirty Tagan brothers followed suit, taking off their face coverings. When Ayiguli revealed her mesmerizing beauty, Chen Yihui was momentarily stunned, murmuring softly, "Ah, the Flower of the Moon of the Western Regions... you have revealed your identities. I mistakenly thought you were the new Saintess of the Mani Sect..."

Ayiguli offered a low chuckle without saying much. She was, after all, the primary candidate for the Mani Sect's Saintess. Had Mu Luo not rescued her midway, and after the Mani Sect's indoctrination, she would a hundred percent have replaced the current Saintess, becoming the new face of the Mani Sect.

"Sister Hui, the Heavenly Origin Pearl is on me," Ji Changkong said with a light laugh, tossing out the topic potent enough to capture her attention, given her momentary distraction.

"What? The Heavenly Origin Pearl? It's with you?" Chen Yihui was momentarily stunned, then looked at him with an expression of profound astonishment.

"Yes. The Heavenly Origin Pearl is the holy artifact of the Aura God Sect. Old Li and I only learned this fact after visiting the Aura God Sect." Under Chen Yihui’s look of shock, he recounted the entire sequence of events, from how he unintentionally obtained the Heavenly Origin Pearl at the Spiritual Treasure Assembly, to his accidental entry into the strange realm and the Aura God Sect's Holy Land, where he was honored as the new Cult Master, including the meeting with the core cadres of the Aura God Sect in Sunflare City, right up to the end of the great battle in Flower Orchid Street.

This narrative was what Li Hentian had instructed him to convey. After all, the Heavenly Origin Pearl had originally been acquired by the Chen family; if he didn't explain the situation clearly, the Chen family might harbor lingering doubts. Mu Luo and the others knew nothing of his experiences immediately preceding his arrival before the Grand Divine Hall. Hearing the story from the beginning, they all displayed significant interest, listening intently to his account.

Yi Jia and Yi Rou had been standing nearby, looking at Chen Yihui with undisguised admiration for the formidable woman who managed the vast enterprise of the Chen family. It was only when Ji Changkong began speaking about his experiences at the Spiritual Treasure Assembly that their gaze finally returned to him.

When he finished speaking, Mu Luo and the others wore expressions of deep contemplation, while Yi Jia and Yi Rou were wide-eyed with surprise, murmuring in awe. Chen Yihui remained silent for a good while before breaking into a radiant smile. "I never imagined Old Li would drop everything to accompany you on a trip to the Western Regions. Hehe. Since the Heavenly Origin Pearl is the holy artifact of the Aura God Sect, and it has now fallen into your hands, it is yours. My Chen family owes Old Li too much to quibble over the Heavenly Origin Pearl with you."

"Thank you very much, Sister Hui," Ji Changkong said hastily in thanks.

"Changkong, you are too polite. Since you call me Sister Hui, stop treating me like an outsider." Chen Yihui smiled warmly, accepting his earlier address. She glanced sideways at Yi Jia and Yi Rou, then suddenly paused, asking with slight bewilderment, "I feel like I've seen these two little girls somewhere before?"

Yi Jia and Yi Rou both smiled. Yi Jia narrowed her eyes and said cheerfully, "I'm Little Jia, and this is Little Rou. Aunt Hui, you even gave me a jade pendant the last time you visited our Yi family."

As Yi Jia finished speaking, she shot a sharp glance at Ji Changkong. She addressed Chen Yihui as "Aunt Hui," while Ji Changkong called her "Sister Hui." This immediately placed her in a junior position relative to Ji Changkong, causing her some displeasure.

"Oh my, it’s you two little girls! It's been a few years, and you’ve grown so tall," Chen Yihui exclaimed, clearly delighted. She stepped forward, taking the hands of the two girls to ask tenderly after them, chatting about everyday things.

With a slight cough, seeing Chen Yihui look toward him, Ji Changkong smiled and said, "Sister Hui, Old Li asked me to speak with you alone when I arrived."

Chen Yihui nodded and said to Yi Jia and Yi Rou, "You two girls, don't rush off. Since you've made the trip, you must stay a few more days and chat with me!" As she spoke, Chen Yihui let go of Yi Jia and Yi Rou's hands and gracefully walked towards a long corridor, telling Ji Changkong, "Changkong, follow me."

Seeing Ji Changkong follow Chen Yihui into the secluded inner chambers, the two young girls, Yi Jia and Yi Rou, pouted in dissatisfaction. It was unclear whether they were upset that Chen Yihui was neglecting them or bothered by something else entirely.

An hour later, a smiling Ji Changkong and a Chen Yihui with an inscrutable expression emerged from the inner room. Ji Changkong gave Mu Luo's group a meaningful look and immediately headed outward. Mu Luo and the others quickly rose to follow, covering their faces with their veils once more on the way.

The sisters Yi Jia and Yi Rou just stood up, preparing to leave with Ji Changkong, when Chen Yihui quickly caught up, grasping both their arms with an expression of intense enthusiasm. "Little Jia, Little Rou, it's rare for you to visit! You absolutely cannot leave; you must stay a few more days and keep me company!"

Seeing Ji Changkong’s party already outside the door, Yi Jia grew anxious. "Aunt Hui, Little Rou and I have been away from home too long; we can’t delay any longer. We are heading the same way as Ji Changkong, so please let us return with him."

"No, absolutely not! You must stay and keep Aunt Hui company!" Chen Yihui held Yi Jia and Yi Rou tightly, refusing to let the two little girls break free.

After walking out of the Chen residence, Mu Luo glanced back. Seeing that the two burdensome little girls, Yi Jia and Yi Rou, had not followed, he quietly inquired, "Cult Master, did you have that woman from the Chen family detain those two girls?"

Ji Changkong smiled faintly and nodded. "Indeed. Some of the things we are about to do are somewhat illicit, and the two young girls cannot know about them."

Mu Luo paused, then quickly nodded. "Whatever the Cult Master commands, we will do."

"Excellent," Ji Changkong laughed heartily, the sound carrying a hint of wickedness.