The juniors of the Star Stone Sect whispered conspiratorially right in front of him, frequently mentioning the Toad Brilliance Mother Clan, thinking Ji Changkong, ten zhang away, wouldn't hear them.

Having cultivated the Taixu Secret Record for so long, his senses were always far keener than the average person's. The hushed words of those few people fell into his ears without missing a syllable, and in a short while, he had grasped the entire scheme.

The Sect Master of the "Violet Ray Rain," Yu Luan, in order to benefit his sect, had quietly gifted a pair of bracelets to the masters of these young men, hoping their master would speak favorably of the "Violet Ray Rain" during the Sect Gathering. The Star Stone Sect had accepted Yu Luan's gifts and already promised to lend him some assistance.

The families competing with Yu Luan were all minor ones, powers that didn't rank high within the Blood Rain Alliance. As one of the three major forces in the Blood Rain Alliance, if the Star Stone Sect genuinely intended to secretly aid Yu Luan, he would truly achieve his ambition.

Few among the many small families possessed strong backing. The Ji family, having only recently arrived at Blood Rain Mountain, might lack strength, but they maintained a close relationship with the He family. Yu Luan was apprehensive, so when presenting the jade bracelets, he made the relationship between the Ji and He families clear, seeking the Star Stone Sect's help.

The beautiful maiden, who was being protected like a darling by a throng of admirers, was Baili Xiu, the daughter of Baili Ke, who had received the green jade bracelets. The green jade bracelets were still adorning Baili Xiu's wrists.

Taking payment to avert trouble, these few youths, upon hearing Ji Changkong hailed from the Ji family, immediately assumed he was there to discuss the Blood Rain Mountain Sect Gathering with the He family. The group didn't want him to meet any He family members, so they conspired not only to detain him but also to temporarily keep his whereabouts secret from the Ji family.

Their plan was to release him only after the Sect Gathering concluded. This way, the vital connection between the Ji and He families would be severed. A disappearance would cause the Ji family to become cautious, perhaps leading them to outright abandon participation in this Sect Gathering.

Baili Xiu wore a pair of green jade bracelets that aided her cultivation. Although she knew the suggestions of those fawning around her were improper, she offered no objection, merely stating that she didn't concern herself with these messy affairs and they could handle things as they saw fit.

It wasn't until Ji Changkong uttered, "Do you take me for deaf?" that this group of Star Stone Sect youths realized that Ji Changkong, standing nearby, had an acute sense of hearing and had absorbed their entire conversation.

"You... You barged into the Hundred Herbs Garden! Detaining you is hardly wrong on our part!"

Baili Xiu's face flushed, yet she didn't admit they were deliberately plotting against him. Finding an excuse, Baili Xiu’s courage swelled, and she puffed out her chest proudly, exclaiming sharply.

"There’s nothing much to see, even if you puff out your chest, it’s still flat." Ji Changkong pursed his lips, wearing an unimpressed expression.

Baili Xiu didn't react at first, being rather dense in such matters. However, when she realized Ji Changkong was mocking her chest for being insufficiently full, Baili Xiu’s delicate body trembled with rage, her face turning crimson. Gritting her teeth, she shrieked sweetly, "Seize him! Senior Brother, seize this bastard!"

The young men surrounding Baili Xiu in the center shared a look of collective outrage, rushing toward Ji Changkong together.

"You bring this upon yourselves!"

Smiling and shaking his head, Ji Changkong waited until the group was almost upon him before elegantly making his move. Amidst a splashing sound, the Jingtao Jue erupted instantly, the fourfold wave ripple sweeping toward them, pushing them all backward until they were sprawled on the ground, one by one.

None of this group possessed cultivation at the Five Elements Heaven Realm; in his eyes, they were utterly inconsequential, possessing no fighting strength whatsoever. He defeated them all with effortless grace.

He had held back when striking, as the Star Stone Sect was, after all, the celestial-tier sect of Blood Rain Mountain. He didn't intend to escalate the matter over something so minor. Although Baili Ke had accepted gifts, he hadn't yet moved against the Ji family, so Ji Changkong didn't push things too far.

"You... Who exactly are you?" The burly, short-bearded youth was the first to rise, pointing at him with a voice that was more bluster than threat.

Baili Xiu froze. After being verbally humiliated by Ji Changkong, she had expected her senior brothers to avenge her humiliation. She never imagined that these usual protectors, who swaggered through the Blood Rain Alliance, would suddenly prove useless, being taken down by a single strike.

Baili Xiu's blush spread to her neck. She first glared hatefully at Ji Changkong, then stamped her foot in annoyance, muttering, "Useless things, can't even deal with someone from a minor family!" She then stalked away toward the front of the Hundred Herbs Garden.

"Remember, next time you plot against someone, don't do it right in front of them," Ji Changkong taunted loudly. He reoriented himself and headed toward another corner of Blood Rain Mountain.

"Ji family, hmph. We'll see about you during the Sect Gathering!" Baili Xiu stopped, her eyes fixed on the retreating Ji Changkong, murmuring hatefully.

This time, he was not distracted and soon arrived at the He family's gates.

The He family residence was situated near the peak of Blood Rain Mountain, enclosed by a cluster of small buildings about ten zhang high. These buildings were constructed from dark red mountain stone, appearing sturdy and solid. In the center of these buildings lay several rectangular training grounds, each spanning dozens of square meters.

Many He family youths and servants were practicing secret techniques in these training grounds. Millstone-sized rocks spun through the air, flying from one training ground to another. These He family sons displayed solemn expressions, concentrating intently on their cultivation; none paid attention to Ji Changkong, who stood watching silently from the side.

A heroic and beautiful woman, clad in a tight-fitting scarlet martial robe that vividly revealed her perfect figure, was shouting commands while wielding a sinew whip, occasionally cracking it down mercilessly on someone.

The beauty was tall with a stern face, acting like the drill instructor of the training grounds. Wherever she passed, the He family youths swallowed nervously while striving to perform well, as if attempting to prove their superiority through their efforts.

The He family disciples in the training grounds ranged between fifteen and thirty years old, all brimming with vigor, as if possessing inexhaustible energy. Most of them were between the Two Forms Heaven and Four Symbols Heaven realms—a crucial time for building a solid foundation. Having such a strict mentor treating them with such intensity was highly beneficial for their future progress.

He Li’yi cracked her sinew whip in the air, the sound snapping sharply right in front of Ji Changkong. The heroic He Li’yi stood proudly before him, her head held high, scrutinizing him with a frown. "Who are you? What are you doing at our He family grounds? You’ve been watching from the side for a while; what do you want?"

"Heh heh, just taking a look around; I don't want anything," Ji Changkong replied with a smile, his manners impeccable. "My name is Ji Changkong. I've come specifically to request an audience with the He family Master."

"Ji Changkong? The one who can command the fierce beasts of the Poison Dragon Pool!" one person in the training grounds exclaimed in surprise, then scrutinized him from head to toe with an astonished expression, muttering strangely, "Why does he look like that..."

"If he doesn't look like this, what should he look like?" Ji Changkong was amused, smiling slyly.

At his remark, He Li’yi seemed to recall something, and a blush appeared on her serious face, indicating a degree of embarrassment.

"Ji Changkong! The one who can command the fierce beasts of the Poison Dragon Pool!" someone in the training ground exclaimed softly, his face full of wonder.

More He family youths from the training grounds turned their attention to him. These youngsters looked excited, momentarily setting aside their drills, and clustered toward him, staring with burning gazes.

"I heard he gained massive benefits at the Spirit Treasure Convention in the Spirit Treasure Pavilion and even killed the darling treasure of the Du family Old Matriarch! How can such a formidable character come to our He family?"

"It’s precisely because he offended the Du family Old Matriarch that the Yan family moved from Azure Rock Mountain to Blood Rain Mountain. Didn't you know? The Ji family is still a member of our Blood Rain Alliance now."

"Ji Changkong? Isn't the Du family searching everywhere for him? They even said he would be crushed under the Du family's might. I didn't expect him to still be alive. Heh heh, interesting, interesting!" These youths from the He family training grounds gathered around Ji Changkong, chattering noisily with intense curiosity.

After leaving Azure Rock Mountain, Ji Changkong had indeed done some things. His renown had already spread significantly in the Cloud Dream Marsh for controlling the beasts of the Poison Dragon Pool, and his fame soared even higher after eliminating Du Shaofeng at the Spirit Treasure Convention. More and more people recognized him.

"Please announce my visit. I seek an audience with the He family Master!" The noise around him was incessant; those people surrounded him, talking endlessly. The beautiful woman with the whip, however, wore a thoughtful expression, seeming to have forgotten to reply. He had to raise his voice to remind her again.

"I heard you! Hmph," He Li’yi said coldly. After a moment of hesitation, she suddenly cupped her hands. "Brother Ji, might I ask if I could spar with you?" "Great! We get to see a good show!"

"Sister, you are in the Five Elements Heaven Realm; you shouldn't be inferior to him! Fight him! Let us see what extraordinary talents this recently famous prodigy possesses!"

"Ji Changkong, spar with our Sister!"

The surrounding He family youths cheered excitedly, hoping for chaos, shouting loudly. In the He family, two youths were particularly famous: one was He Zhizhang, renowned as one of the Three Great Young Celestial Talent Prodigies of Shuiyun Country.

Besides He Zhizhang, there was another person equally famous in the He family; in some aspects, her fame even surpassed He Zhizhang's! That was He Li’yi!

Slightly younger than He Zhizhang, she had broken through to the Five Elements Heaven Realm a month prior. The reason He Li’yi wasn't widely known outside was that she belonged to a collateral branch of the He family, and furthermore, she was a woman! In many major families, "collateral branch" and "woman" often signified being overlooked, and the He family was no exception.

Thus, despite having cultivation talent not inferior to He Zhizhang's, He Li’yi, though known within Blood Rain Mountain, was unknown to Celestial Masters outside, who were unaware the He family possessed another cultivation prodigy besides He Zhizhang.

"Sister, didn't you say you wanted to marry him? Why do you want to fight him now?" The round-headed He Yan tugged at his older sister's sleeve, a mischievous grin on his face.

"He Man! Shut your mouth!" He Li’yi became furious, glaring fiercely at He Man. Her demeanor suddenly turned slightly unnatural, as she dared not look at Ji Changkong, turning her head with a reddened neck as she said, "Ji Changkong, stop dilly-dallying. Let's just spar!"

"Brother Changkong, last time people from the Star Stone Sect came to propose marriage, my sister said she liked brave young heroes like you and flatly rejected them! Heh heh, Brother Changkong, you decide what to do." He Man shrank back, darting into the crowd before He Li’yi could catch him.

He Li’yi couldn't catch him and stamped her foot in annoyance. Her whip cracked sharply, scattering the laughing youths nearby, who fled helter-skelter. While hitting them, He Li’yi shouted, "You bastards, all of you, move aside! Don't crowd around here!"

Ji Changkong smiled too. He had never met He Li’yi before, but hearing He Man’s words, he immediately understood that He Li’yi must have used him as an excuse to reject the Star Stone Sect’s proposal. He Li’yi probably didn't have any genuine admiration for him.

However, with He Man exposing the matter in front of so many people, even the fierce He Li’yi couldn't handle it. In her agitation, she lashed out, using the fight as a cover for her panic and annoyance.

"Why are you smiling!" He Li’yi grew even angrier, cracking her whip sharply in the air, sparks momentarily flashing in the void.

"Ji Changkong, my brother was just talking nonsense just now. I would never fancy you!" He Li’yi took up a fighting stance, blocking Ji Changkong, and yelled, "Hit me then! As long as you can get past me, I'll report to the family master immediately."

Ji Changkong was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, wondering what kind of predicament this was. He hadn't provoked her; she had used him as a shield, and now, being exposed by her own brother, she was forcing trouble onto him out of face. He really was suffering an undeserved calamity.

"I won't fight you. Just let me pass." Ji Changkong shrugged, adopting the posture of a gentleman who wouldn't fight a woman.

"No! No fight, no passage!" For some reason, He Li’yi’s attitude suddenly hardened. "If you don't fight, I swear I won't let you through!"

"Fight her! It's natural for a man to discipline his wife!" someone in the crowd shouted, hoping to stir up more trouble, then quickly ducked back.

At that remark, everyone burst into loud laughter, their excitement heightened. They shouted and urged Ji Changkong to make a move quickly.

"He Hong, I see you! I'll settle scores with you later!" He Li’yi’s eyes were sharp, and she spotted the instigator trying to hide. She could only threaten him through gritted teeth.

"Haha, to see such a spectacle, it’s worth being beaten up by you!" He Hong, seeing his position exposed, decided to step out openly and laughed loudly, "The wife is beating the husband! The wife is beating the husband!"

"The wife is beating the husband! The wife is beating the husband!" the others chimed in.

When these people yelled those words, Ji Changkong, who had been about to strike, hesitated, unwilling to confirm the implication of "beating his wife."

Seeing he refused to fight, He Li’yi finally grew anxious. "If you won't fight, I will!" She swung her sinew whip high, and suddenly, fierce flames ignited, the whip turning into a fire snake that lashed down toward Ji Changkong's head. He Li’yi had only recently broken through to the Five Elements Heaven Realm, cultivating Fire Elemental Force. Without the Fire Phoenix Bone, her mastery of the Fire Elemental Force was not yet refined; the fire snake formed by the whip still had scattering firelight, clearly indicating insufficient condensation of the elemental force.

"Ah! Unbelievable! The wife is hitting the man! The wife is hitting the man!"

"Haha! What a fierce woman, daring to hit her own man! Interesting, very interesting!"

... As soon as He Li’yi attacked, the expectant young men's enthusiasm ignited, and they cheered wildly, their voices exceptionally loud. Several cultivation elders deep within the He family were startled, and many emerged frowning, looking toward the training ground curiously.

A burly man with a flushed face flashed through the crowd, his expression a mixture of exasperation and amusement. He seemed afraid of being discovered, keeping to the corner of a building, watching the crowded training ground from afar.

Once He Li’yi made her move, the smile on Ji Changkong's face deepened. Now he couldn't remain passive. Chased by the fire snake formed by the sinew whip, and unwilling to injure his peace, he could only dodge everywhere.

After cultivating the Qianyou Lueying, he felt his body benefited immensely. Within the training ground of a few dozen zhang across, he drifted like a feather in the wind. His body seemed utterly weightless, leaving no discernible trace, yet he effortlessly evaded He Li’yi's whip every time.

Being in the same Five Elements Heaven Realm, he surpassed He Li’yi in every aspect: deeper elemental force, solid foundation, exceptional Celestial Master secret methods and techniques, and the aid of a spirit treasure. With all these advantages piled upon him, it would be truly strange if he lost.

No matter how hard He Li’yi tried, or how bizarre the fire snake formed by her whip was, she couldn't land even a single spark of fire on him. In that small training ground, he drifted lightly, appearing relaxed, clearly not exerting his full power.

From the moment he began moving evasively, the shouts from the sidelines quieted down. The He family sons were dedicated to cultivation; the idle onlookers suddenly stopped jeering and began watching the strangely moving figure of Ji Changkong intently, trying to grasp the trajectory of his movements.

There were many spectators, yet neither they nor the few He family elders could predict his next move!

He Li’yi, the rising star of the He family, chased him with her sinew whip. Later, her whip shadows became dense, and He Li’yi herself joined the fray with flames on her hands. Even so, she couldn't land a single spark on Ji Changkong, nor could she effectively connect her attacks to him.

By this time, everyone could see that He Li’yi was far from Ji Changkong's match. Ji Changkong, who had only achieved elemental force three years ago, had already surpassed this He family prodigy!

"Ji Changkong, just take one palm strike from me! Can you do it?" He Li’yi was panting heavily after chasing him for a while, her face flushed. Under everyone's gaze, He Li’yi knew she had made a fool of herself today. However, since things had come this far, she couldn't just give up without landing a single blow on Ji Changkong. Finally, she cried out almost pleadingly.

With the situation at this point, Ji Changkong knew he couldn't just keep dodging. He smiled, nodded, and suddenly struck like lightning, seizing the airborne "fire snake" with precise accuracy. He grabbed and pulled, and a surge of elemental force flooded along the "fire snake" toward He Li’yi.

He Li’yi, who was pursuing him closely, shuddered, suddenly recoiling sharply, and stopped dead in her tracks.

"I concede. You are not living up to your reputation!" He Li’yi admitted frankly, her face red, acknowledging her inferior skill. She then turned to leave, apparently intending to summon He Haoran for Ji Changkong.

"Oh? What a lively gathering!" He Haoran's hearty voice suddenly came from the corner of a building deep within the He family. Laughing heartily, he strode over the crowd to He Li’yi and asked loudly, "Little Yi, what's going on here?"

"Changkong! Haha, why are you here?" As if discovering a new continent, He Haoran shouted enthusiastically. "Come, come, come inside and we'll chat properly. Didn't Tuoba Lie follow you?"

"Uncle He arrived just in time," Ji Changkong grinned strangely, then walked to He Li’yi. He pulled out a section of Fire Phoenix Bone from his spatial pouch and sincerely handed it to her. "This is a piece of Fire Phoenix Bone I acquired by chance. You cultivate Fire Elemental Force; this bone will greatly benefit your cultivation!" "Fire Phoenix Bone!" Someone nearby gasped in shock. For the current 'Big Sister' [He Li'yi], nothing could be more precious! "Heavens! Didn't everyone say the Ji family was dirt poor? How can he casually produce such a great treasure!"

The He family youths erupted into excitement again, staring at him in astonishment and chattering amongst themselves.

He Haoran's expression also shifted slightly. He stared blankly at the object. "Changkong, you are also in the Five Elements Heaven Realm. I noticed you were using Fire Elemental Force just now. Keep this Fire Phoenix Bone for yourself." "I don't want your things!" He Li’yi quickly waved her hand, adopting a cold distance.

"Uncle He, I have quite a few pieces of Fire Phoenix Bone; it's no big deal," Ji Changkong smiled, then added sincerely, "Uncle He, you worked so hard to gather medicinal herbs for the Fire Dragon Burn. I never had the chance to thank you properly."

He Haoran paused, then grinned wryly and chuckled. He commanded He Li’yi, "Little Yi, I order you in the name of the family master: accept the Fire Phoenix Bone!" "Uncle!" He Li’yi protested reluctantly.

"Accept it!" He Haoran’s face turned stern, and he repeated the command with a sharp tone.

"Yes," He Liying sighed, snatching the Fire Phoenix Bone from Ji Changkong's grasp. She muttered under her breath, "Uncle He insisted I take this. I don't want your things!"

"You youngsters are nothing but trouble-makers! All of you, get back to your cultivation!" He Haoran barked. The young men of the He family scattered like startled birds, hurriedly resuming their practice of the Celestial Master Secret Arts, only daring to steal glances at Ji Changkong.

"Changfeng, follow me," seeing that they had returned to their training, He Haoran nodded toward Ji Changkong and led the way toward the rear courtyard of the He residence.

"That was from Uncle He, not me. You don't owe me anything," Ji Changkong said softly, standing beside He Liyi, shaking his head with a faint smile, finding the stubbornness of He Liyi rather amusing.