This time, Ji Changkong offered no further explanation, merely shaking his head and smiling, patting the side of the Nine-Headed Bird lightly as he quietly commanded, "You go back first. I will be at the Venomous Dragon Pool soon enough."

The Nine-Headed Bird, possessing a keen spirit, seemed to understand his words. It gracefully twisted its enormous body and vanished into the dense forest canopy.

Over there, Zhou Qiangwei was still gazing at him intently, as if awaiting his answer.

"I am extremely familiar with the Cloud Dream Marsh, and I know a thing or two about the ferocious beasts here. However, the beasts gathered nearby previously were not under my command. Among all those beasts just now, I was only acquainted with the Nine-Headed Bird. I do not command the power of the savage beasts, but it does possess that power..." Ji Changkong walked toward Zhou Qiangwei with a smile, saying lightly, "Let's go. Now that we are deep in the Cloud Dream Marsh, we shouldn't be bothered by any more beasts, but we must be even more careful and cautious."

Zhou Qiangwei looked deeply into Ji Changkong's eyes, which shone brighter and brighter. "I heard that the Ji family used to reside near Azure Rock Mountain. I would assume the Ji family is very familiar with the Cloud Dream Marsh. I also heard that someone from the Ji family has become outstanding in recent years, a new generation Xuanyuan..." Zhou Qiangwei left her sentence unfinished.

Smiling, Ji Changkong understood that Zhou Qiangwei had guessed his identity. He neither denied nor confirmed it, instead smiling back at Zhou Qiangwei and casually asking, "Why are you named Zhou Qiangwei, and not Ye Qiangwei?"

Ji Changkong had long known that Ye Hongru and Zhou Miaoshan had a son named Ye Tao. Back when he was attacked by Ye Tian of the Ye family, he had inquired about the younger generation experts of the Ye family afterward, learning that although Ye Tian was the eldest son of the third generation, his abilities were unfortunately limited, far inferior to Ye Lie and Ye Tao.

It was said that Yi Jia and Yi Rou had traveled thousands of miles to the Ye family hoping to meet the young talents Ye Lie and Ye Tao. Ji Changkong knew Zhou Miaoshan had a son named Ye Tao, but he did not know she also had a daughter, which piqued his curiosity.

As soon as Ji Changkong asked, Zhou Qiangwei's face fell, and she sighed with a soft huff. "My maternal grandfather only had one daughter, my mother. But the Ye family is filled with sons and grandsons. My brother Ye Tao is male, so he carries the Ye surname. As a daughter, I was dispensable to the Ye family, so I took my mother's surname."

A trace of bitterness touched the corner of Zhou Qiangwei's mouth. "Precisely because my mother is surnamed Zhou, and I am also surnamed Zhou, I must come to dangerous places like Southern Yi. Those surnamed Ye generally do not personally venture into danger; they just need to manage the overall situation within the Ye family. It is also because my mother and I share the Zhou surname that we must work harder; otherwise, we will have no standing in the Ye family..."

So-called great families always have their rules and constraints, and the Ye family, being the head of the Seven Great Families, clearly possessed even more archaic regulations.

Hearing Zhou Qiangwei recount these matters with a touch of self-mockery, Ji Changkong gently nodded. "Those men of the Ye family truly have no conscience, letting women expose themselves to the elements. I understand now; no wonder you insisted on this journey to Southern Yi despite knowing it is fraught with peril."

"Not bearing the Ye surname, life within the Ye family is naturally difficult..." Zhou Qiangwei sighed softly.

They walked on while talking, and soon arrived where Zhou Miaoshan was waiting. Zhou Miaoshan looked at Ji Changkong and Zhou Qiangwei walking side-by-side with surprise. She glanced around and found that the savage beasts lurking in the shadows had vanished without a trace. Zhou Miaoshan was quite astonished, not expecting that Ji Changkong's brief excursion would actually eliminate the threat of the savage beasts.

Zhou Qiangwei did not mention how Ji Changkong had driven away the beast horde. Upon arriving, she said gravely, "There are no lurking beasts around. Perhaps those Southern Yi people will take this opportunity to approach. We must not let our guard down."

All the Ye family servants nodded in agreement.

The group continued deeper into the Cloud Dream Marsh. After walking for a day, Ji Changkong suddenly changed direction.

Zhou Miaoshan and the others were stunned, as the path Ji Changkong took was not their intended destination.

"I told you I need to stop by a place first. Follow me; it won't delay you for long," Ji Changkong explained. Zhou Miaoshan and the others nodded. At this moment, they could only rely on Ji Changkong, so they said nothing.

"This, this is heading towards the Venomous Dragon Pool, isn't it?" Half a day later, Ye Youshan suddenly couldn't help but murmur softly.

The expressions of the surrounding Ye family members changed, and a look of dread and terror suddenly appeared on their faces. They had clearly also heard of the fearsomeness of the Venomous Dragon Pool.

"Correct, we are indeed going to the Venomous Dragon Pool. But you need not worry. Those who enter the Venomous Dragon Pool are certain to die, but I will be fine. Following me will also pose no danger to you," Ji Changkong made no attempt to hide his destination.

"Don't worry, we'll just follow along," Zhou Miaoshan, having already guessed Ji Changkong's identity, spoke words of comfort.

With her saying that, none of the Ye family members objected. They followed in silence, though their expressions were more cautious than ever before.

Two days later, Ji Changkong finally led the Ye family contingent to a distance from the Venomous Dragon Pool.

However, upon merely glancing in the direction of the Venomous Dragon Pool, Ji Changkong's expression changed drastically. He saw ancient, towering trees broken near the pool, the earth collapsed, and the ground emitting a stench of black, putrid flesh that assaulted the nose. Some of the chunks of flesh belonged to savage beasts, while others were wrapped in pieces of clothing, clearly belonging to Heaven Masters who knew how to conceal themselves.

Evidently, the area around the Venomous Dragon Pool had been the scene of several major battles.

"This place saw fierce fighting, and not just one battle! No wonder as soon as we approached this area, savage beasts swarmed us, all with eyes full of hatred. It looks like some Heaven Masters caused trouble here previously," Zhou Qiangwei seemed to deduce the recent events at the Venomous Dragon Pool with just a glance, drawing a firm conclusion.

The Three-Eyed Dragon Python, the Flying Blood Serpent, the Eight-Horned Giant Orb... many venomous and ferocious beasts from the Dragon Pool gradually emerged. Dense swarms of green-eyed venomous scorpions also peeked out from the side, all fixing their gaze on Ji Changkong, this uninvited guest.

The Ye family members turned pale with terror and instinctively backed away. Faced with so many powerful beasts, they knew there was no possibility of resisting them with their current strength. The thought of being torn apart by these beasts sent a shiver of chilling fear down their spines.

Ji Changkong laughed and rushed out, suddenly plunging into the midst of the surging beasts, laughing loudly, "I'm back, I'm back."

The most spiritual of the beasts rushed forward, surrounding Ji Changkong in their center.

Ye Youshan displayed an expression of unbearable pity, then hastily looked at Zhou Miaoshan. "Madam, go quickly! The beasts are merciless; if we linger, none of us will escape."

Zhou Miaoshan knew that since Ji Changkong dared to come to the Dragon Pool, he must have had means to rely on. Her expression remained calm. "No need to rush."

"Take a look behind you," Zhou Qiangwei said to Ye Youshan with a faint smile.

Ye Youshan was momentarily startled, then spun around violently. He saw Ji Changkong, surrounded by the horde of beasts in the center, completely unharmed and instead playing among the ferocious creatures.

Ye Youshan's face was blank with confusion. "What... what is going on here?"

"The saliva of the Thousand-Year Purple Gold Toad that I purchased from him when I first met him should have come from here. The Thousand-Year Purple Gold Toad rarely inhabits many places, and the Venomous Dragon Pool is one of them. The fact that he obtained its saliva proves he must have been to the Venomous Dragon Pool long ago," Zhou Miaoshan stated calmly.

"To be able to enter and leave the Venomous Dragon Pool freely without being attacked by the beasts—Uncle Youshan, don't you still know who he is?" Zhou Qiangwei smiled sweetly.

Ye Youshan paused, and a flash of realization illuminated his mind. He exclaimed, "It's him! It's really him! I finally remember! No wonder! Only he could command the beasts of the Venomous Dragon Pool. I should have guessed his identity long ago."

"Who?" Some of the other Ye family servants, unaware of Ji Changkong's identity, asked doubtfully.

"The new generation Xuanyuan of the Ji family, Ji Changkong!" Ye Youshan exclaimed, and his gaze toward Ji Changkong suddenly filled with a measure of awe. "It is rumored that the new generation Xuanyuan of the Ji family can all cultivate to the Peak Realm. Looking at this now, the rumors are not false..."

Hearing him say this, the surrounding Ye family servants gasped in shock and let out a cry of alarm.

"Strangers are approaching!" Suddenly, Ji Changkong, encircled by the beasts, let out a cold snort, then immediately commanded Zhou Miaoshan and the others, "You Ye family members come over first. Do not be afraid. With me here, the beast horde will not harm you. Hmph, I want to see just who it is that is dealing with the beasts of the Venomous Dragon Pool."

A world-shaking roar echoed from the nearby Venomous Dragon Pool. The massive body of the Sky Turtle Wyvern emerged, its broad, fleshy wings beating the air, kicking up swirling sand and dust, and it arrived beside Ji Changkong in an instant. Its eyes, the size of fists, focused intently on Ji Changkong.

The Sky Turtle Wyvern had many fissures across its body, but because its hide was tough and thick, no blood flowed out. Yet, with just one look, Ji Changkong knew the Sky Turtle Wyvern had engaged in combat with someone; the person capable of inflicting such gashes must be an exceptionally rare master.

"Who injured you?" Ji Changkong's expression instantly grew somber. He moved beside the Sky Turtle Wyvern, running his hand over the fissures on its body, a fierce killing intent surging within him.

He had spent several years in the Cloud Dream Marsh, and the deep affection he held for the Sky Turtle Wyvern was hard for outsiders to comprehend. Seeing it injured now, he wished to slaughter everyone who had fought against it.

The Sky Turtle Wyvern's fist-sized eyes shone with a cruel, bloodthirsty light. It threw back its head and let out a heaven-shaking roar that made the leaves on the remaining nearby trees flutter away.

The group of beasts that had been surrounding Ji Changkong suddenly dispersed, their bloodthirsty eyes fixed on the distance, seemingly awaiting the arrival of their enemies.

When the Ye family members saw the beast horde scatter, with some beasts only a few steps away, their faces turned deathly pale, not daring to move an inch. Strangely, the beasts seemed to recognize that the Ye family members had come with Ji Changkong and meant no harm. Though they stood extremely close to the Ye family, the beasts did not attack them.

Zhou Miaoshan, Zhou Qiangwei, and the other Ye family members breathed a collective sigh of relief. Their gazes toward Ji Changkong grew even more astonished, but they remained silent. The beast horde seemed to understand his intentions, even sparing them, making Ji Changkong appear ever more mysterious.

Ji Changkong looked up at his surroundings, nodded indifferently, and stated coldly, "That's right. They should appear soon. Whoever they are, I will face them alongside you."