In the vast Yunmeng Marsh, Ji Changkong and the Ye family group, including Wei, proceeded at an unhurried pace toward... (unclear action).

Along the way, the Ye family members, such as Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei, were extremely cautious, their expressions guarded. The closer they got to the Poison Dragon Pool, the more tense they became. The surrounding savage and bloody fierce beasts gradually grew more numerous. Due to their large size and imposing strength, these beasts were not overly intimidated by Zhou Miaoshan and her group. They would occasionally appear dimly in the distance, sometimes even gazing greedily at the humans with wide, ferocious, bloodthirsty eyes.

To the fierce beasts of the Yunmeng Marsh, all humans who entered were prey, but they understood which prey was delicious and which was merely a nuisance. The fierce beasts deep within the marsh possessed considerable sentience and had always favored hunting cultivators of extraordinary realms.

For those who followed the Dao of Cultivation, their flesh and blood contained immense primordial energy. If consumed by fierce beasts, it was not only delicious but could also enhance their strength. Therefore, cultivators were far more valuable to them than ordinary people.

Of course, the relationship between prey and predator was relative. While fierce beasts enjoyed hunting cultivators, high-realm cultivators harbored the same greed toward them. The hide, flesh, and bones of fierce beasts were often rare materials for forging divine weapons, and the flesh of some beasts could even be consumed directly by cultivators, granting them a specific type of primordial energy. Kenshu, for a comfortable reading experience.

The fierce beasts on the periphery of the Yunmeng Marsh instinctively feared high-realm cultivators. However, the beasts that had resided deep within the marsh for centuries were inherently savage and bloodthirsty. Their hides were often as hard as iron, or they possessed potent poisons, meaning they did not fear cultivators of considerable power.

Fierce beasts and the cultivators who ventured deep into the marsh had always been incompatible; the clashes between them had never ceased. Cultivators sought the beasts' tendons and bones to forge divine weapons and increase their cultivation, while the beasts viewed the flesh of cultivators, rich in primordial energy, as the most delectable meal. An irreconcilable conflict existed between the two.

Naturally, the fiercest and most powerful fierce beasts in the deep Yunmeng Marsh were those near the Poison Dragon Pool. Nevertheless, there were solitary beasts of extraordinary power as well. These beasts were currently appearing near Zhou Miaoshan and her group, seemingly regarding them as prey.

However, they had clearly sensed an unusual power emanating from Ji Changkong's party. Thus, although they observed secretly from a distance, they had not yet rushed forward in an all-out assault.

They were still observing slowly.

With fierce beasts lurking all around, their savage, bloodthirsty eyes coldly watching through the gaps in the dense foliage, the Ye family members looked deeply uncomfortable, their hearts uneasy, worried that the beasts might suddenly go berserk and tear them apart.

Zhou Qiangwei, however, maintained her delicate composure. In such a situation, she showed no signs of panic, as if she were completely unaware of the beasts hidden in the shadows. For the past two days, she and her mother, Zhou Miaoshan, had been constantly probing Ji Changkong with questions, attempting to ascertain his true identity.

Unfortunately, Ji Changkong intentionally or unintentionally evaded the mother and daughter, keeping his mouth tightly shut. After questioning him for a long time, the two were unable to extract any clear answers, which only made them feel that Ji Changkong was exceedingly mysterious.

"That..." Zhou Miaoshan called out softly.

Ji Changkong, deliberately walking at the very front of the group, glanced back indifferently. It wasn't coldness, but he certainly wasn't overly enthusiastic as he asked, "What is it?"

"Fierce beasts are prowling nearby, and it looks like they'll make a move soon. What should we do? If these beasts surround and attack us, we will all become their delicacies, leaving no bones behind!" Zhou Miaoshan frowned as she questioned Ji Changkong.

Upon hearing the possibility of becoming food for fierce beasts, the Ye family servants grew fearful. Sometimes death itself wasn't terrifying, but being ripped apart by beasts was too cruel for them to contemplate.

"We'll deal with them when they come. If the fierce beasts dare to attack, I will naturally make them retreat," Ji Changkong smiled, appearing completely unconcerned about the beasts.

The Ye family servants were half-believing, half-doubting his guarantee. They secretly thought that if he couldn't defend against them, he would retreat safely by himself, caring nothing for their fate. Zhou Qiangwei gazed at Ji Changkong with her beautiful eyes, remaining silent.

"Rustle... rustle..."

From the shadows beneath the nearby trees came the sound of beast footsteps again. Judging by the sound, they were clearly right beside them, and it was obvious there were more than just one or two beasts.

A few timid Ye family servants looked horrified, involuntarily clutching their clothes tighter, as if they felt a chill.

With a nearly imperceptible twitch of his lips, Ji Changkong's cold gaze swept across the lurking spots of the circling fierce beasts. He thought to himself that when he was in the Yunmeng Marsh in those years, running rampant with the Tianyuan Wyvern, he had seen every kind of fierce beast. Back then, he relied on the Tianyuan Wyvern for his dominance. Kenshu, comprehensive and steadily updating!

Today, without needing anyone's assistance, he could still dominate the Yunmeng Marsh as he pleased!

"Since you are afraid, I will drive them away right now," Ji Changkong murmured thoughtfully. "Having this pack of beasts lurking in the shadows would at least intimidate—"

Bage Jiu cursed Changkong inwardly as insidious. He was unaware that Changkong, in his capacity as the head (????) of the group, did not fear the poisonous smoke he deployed. He only thought that Ji Changkong had calculated things long ago, feigning poisoning and falling to find an opportunity to slaughter the experts of the Quyi tribe beside him.

As Bage Jiu charged toward Ji Changkong, the screams of his dying subordinates constantly echoed in his ears. Every expert of the Quyi tribe that Ji Changkong approached failed to escape the bombardment of heavenly lightning, almost always ending up utterly annihilated.

Celestial Masters below the Eight Trigram Heaven Realm had almost no chance to fight back against the current Ji Changkong.

As Ji Changkong began slaughtering the celestial masters of the Quyi tribe, the Tianyuan Wyvern also descended among the experts of the Huangyi tribe. The Tianyuan Wyvern reared its head and roared, spewing thick, ink-like venom from its gaping maw. The poison descended like a fine drizzle upon the Huangyi experts.

As soon as the Huangyi experts were touched by the venom, their flesh and skin rapidly melted away. Several celestial masters completely drenched in poison emitted thick white smoke. When the white smoke dissipated, carrying a strong smell of blood, those individuals were reduced to skeletal remains, all their flesh dissolved.

Celestial masters contaminated by the Tianyuan Wyvern's venom could only avoid the horrifying fate of dissolution by immediately cutting away the affected flesh.

The Tianyuan Wyvern circled above the Huangyi tribe, its poisonous rain descending, forcing the Huangyi experts to flee in disarray. They could no longer launch spears to attack the fierce beasts charging toward them.

At this moment, Bage Jiu finally intercepted the roaming Ji Changkong, blocking his path to prevent him from continuing his slaughter of the Quyi celestial masters nearby.

"Despicable, shameless!" Bage Jiu's sinister voice echoed in the air. His entire form pierced through the gaps between the leaves like a night owl, instantly appearing beside Ji Changkong. His skeletal frame seemed weightless. Before he even reached Ji Changkong, wisps of green light emerged from his bony claws, coiling toward Ji Changkong like venomous snakes.

A silver-white dagger suddenly materialized in Ji Changkong's palm. A dazzling silver light flashed and vanished in the void, tracing an arc as it fiercely slashed toward Bage Jiu's extended bone claw.

Simultaneously, a massive cyan heavenly lightning bolt abruptly formed in his palm.

The cyan heavenly lightning, the size of a head, flickered with electric energy. Following the silver-white dagger, it tumbled toward Bage Jiu.

Clasping his hands together, the power of the Five Elements mixed between them, and a gigantic five-colored light barrier quickly formed, covering Bage Jiu from a distance.

Bage Jiu, who had intended to bind Ji Changkong with the green silk threads from his bone claws, suddenly changed expression. The silver-white dagger, the cyan heavenly lightning, and the seven-colored light circle—the power contained within this triple attack made Bage Jiu's spirit tremble. At this moment, Bage Jiu finally realized that this young man, despite his apparent age, actually possessed terrifying power comparable to an Eight Trigram Celestial Master.

His expression immediately became solemn. The contempt in Bage Jiu's eyes vanished in an instant. Strands of green smoke emerged from his bone claws, transforming into striking vipers that instantly formed a hundred writhing vipers, hissing and winding directly toward Ji Changkong.

Condensing energy into matter was not an extremely profound technique.

However, the emerald green vipers emerging from Bage Jiu's reach hissed ominously, and their bodies shimmered with a strange green light. There were clear life fluctuations trembling within them—this was absolutely not ordinary energy condensation!

The silver-white dagger descended from above. Bage Jiu flicked it with a finger, and a burst of white light struck the silver dagger, sending it flying far away.

The head-sized cyan heavenly lightning fell into the midst of the hundred emerald green vipers and exploded with a roar. The vipers affected by the lightning were blasted far away, but once they stabilized themselves, they shook their heads and continued to coil toward Ji Changkong.

They were unafraid of the cyan heavenly lightning!

Moreover, the five-colored light barrier, capable of causing immense disturbance to the spirit, could not make the emerald green vipers retreat either. It seemed nothing could impede them as they zipped toward Ji Changkong relentlessly, accelerating with every moment.

Ji Changkong's expression shifted slightly. He finally understood that these vipers were not manifested from nothingness through energy condensation. These vipers were likely linked to Bage Jiu’s very life force. They possessed flesh and blood, and within their flesh and blood was Bage Jiu's innate essence blood, refined through a special secret technique.

These vipers were actually anomalies existing between dead matter and living things, perhaps best described as a bizarre type of divine weapon!

With a beckoning gesture, the silver-white dagger that had been knocked away instantly returned to his palm. With a solemn expression, Ji Changkong coldly watched the incoming torrent of vipers, preparing to physically grapple and shred these strange entities.

Just then!

Buzz, buzz, buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz!

A sharp shriek erupted from the Wugui Worms within Ji Changkong’s spatial ring. In an instant, the Wugui Worms, which had long been dormant in the ring, flew out one by one. Though only the size of broad beans, as soon as they left the ring, they emitted deafening, piercing cries, like ten thousand ghosts wailing together.

Ten Wugui Worms whistled through the air, flashing lightning-fast into the mouths of the vipers, burrowing deep into their bodies. The vipers whose bodies were penetrated by the Wugui Worms rapidly shriveled. In a very short time, only the snake skin remained, their flesh and blood entirely devoured by the Wugui Worms.

These Wugui Worms were inherently malevolent and savage anomalies. For years, nourished by the miraculous Xuanyuan blood within him, their ferocity had only grown. The vipers refined by Bage Jiu using his innate essence blood were clearly no match for the ten Wugui Worms.

In just that short time, twenty vipers became twenty dried snake skins, drifting down in the wind like falling leaves.

"Ah!"

From a distance, Bage Jiu clutched his chest, letting out a painful howl with bloodshot eyes. Following the howl, Bage Jiu emitted a "hissing" sound similar to the vipers.

All the vipers charging toward Ji Changkong suddenly retreated, moving back toward Bage Jiu's palms at a speed even faster than when they advanced.

These vipers contained Bage Jiu's innate essence blood and were connected to his spirit. When the vipers died, Bage Jiu also suffered damage. Seeing the dire situation, he hurriedly summoned these life-linked anomalies, fearing they would all be swallowed up by the Wugui Worms.

The Wugui Worms did not return to the ring. Smelling the blood, they became immensely excited, swooping toward Bage Jiu like fireflies.

Each Wugui Worm had consumed two vipers, but they were far from satisfied. It was truly unknown how creatures the size of broad beans could devour the entire substance of two vipers!!