The moment those life-bound, unconventional divine weapons vanished, Bage Jiu’s ashen complexion regained a slight flush; it seemed releasing so many venomous serpents at once was quite taxing even for him.

Twenty snakes reduced to mere skins was not an unacceptable loss when facing a hundred opponents. Thus, although twenty serpents were devoured by the Wugui Insects, their demise did not undermine Bage Jiu’s foundation; he still possessed the strength and energy to deal with Ji Changkong.

As the soybeans-sized Wugui Insects swarmed in, bloodthirsty and frenzied, Bage Jiu remained unruffled, a flash of cold jealousy and hatred glinting in his eyes; he appeared to possess a method specifically targeted at these insects.

Ji Changkong was exceptionally perceptive of moods and expressions. With just a single glance from afar, he immediately grasped the meaning behind Bage Jiu’s eyes.

With a stirring of his heart, Ji Changkong used his divine soul to summon the ten soybean-sized Wugui Insects, directing them to cease their relentless pursuit of Bage Jiu.

These Wugui Insects, which fed upon his vital essence, already bore the indelible brand of his soul. At the slightest impulse of his mind, the insects abruptly froze mid-air, then one by one, they turned and flew back toward the thumb ring held in his hand.

Having consumed twenty venomous snakes, each Wugui Insect’s carapace gleamed, and their vital energy fluctuations were noticeably stronger; those twenty serpents were practically elixirs to them, boosting their strength by a substantial degree.

Bage Jiu gathered his power, preparing to unleash his Southern Barbarian technique—a specialized poison meant for savage beasts and venomous creatures—once the Wugui Insects approached within a few yards. He had not anticipated the ten insects suddenly turning back, causing his eagerly anticipated move to die stillborn, leaving him extremely frustrated.

Piercing shrieks rose and fell in succession.

In that brief interval, the savage beasts from the Poison Dragon Mire had already broken through the barriers erected by the Quan Yi and Huang Yi clans, mingling with the Southern Yi celestial soldiers. The Sky Turtle Pterodactyl hovered restlessly overhead, forcing the high-ranking Huang Yi experts into a continuous retreat. Once the Nine-Headed Bird and other beasts closed in on the Southern Yi celestial soldiers, they immediately gained the upper hand.

During the last incursion, Bage Jiu, possessing the strength of the Bagua Heaven Realm, had intercepted the Sky Turtle Pterodactyl while the Quan Yi experts continuously loosed arrows from afar against the beasts, which resulted in heavy losses for the savage creatures.

This time, however, the presence of Ji Changkong introduced an unforeseen variable. His sudden proximity threw the Quan Yi experts into chaos, resulting in the immediate deaths of over ten of them, causing the Quan Yi defensive line to crumble, allowing the beasts to approach unimpeded.

Furthermore, Bage Jiu was locked down by Ji Changkong, preventing him from intervening near the Sky Turtle Pterodactyl. This allowed the Pterodactyl free rein, inflicting severe damage upon the Huang Yi celestial soldiers.

Savage beasts swarmed in from all directions, encircling the high-ranking experts of the Quan Yi and Huang Yi clans. A dense tide of Green-Eyed Venomous Scorpions rushed forward like a flood; any celestial soldier entangled by these scorpions was guaranteed to meet an inescapable doom, devoured until not even bone fragments remained.

Clearly, the savage beasts held the advantage this time.

In the distance, Zhou Miaoshan, Zhou Qiangwei, and the other members of the Ye family exchanged bewildered glances, the divine birds looking utterly astonished.

“Mother, does he… does he possess cultivation equivalent to the Bagua Heaven Realm?” Zhou Qiangwei asked her mother, Zhou Miaoshan, her expression complex and strange as she gazed at Ji Changkong.

Zhou Miaoshan nodded silently, her beautiful eyes filled with wonder. “Indeed. His ability to fight Bage Jiu without perishing proves he definitely wields power comparable to a Bagua Celestial Master, though he might still be far from reaching the Bagua Heaven Realm itself…”

“How… how is this possible? Though the world is vast, I have never heard of any young prodigy achieving such a high realm at such a tender age. Even Cao Xuanqi back then wasn’t this outrageous,” Ye Youshan murmured.

“The younger generation surpasses the old; the Xuanyuan of the Ji family is truly terrifying!” Zhou Miaoshan exclaimed, filled with admiration.

Ye Youshan’s eyes flickered, revealing a hint of fear and apprehension—it was unclear what exactly he feared.

“It seems we won’t need to intervene; he can drive back these invading Southern Yi people himself…” Zhou Qiangwei frowned slightly, glancing at Zhou Miaoshan before murmuring, “Mother, with his help, perhaps our journey to the Southern Yi lands this time will encounter far less resistance?”

Zhou Miaoshan nodded slightly and sighed softly. “I hope he truly can help us. I hope… I hope his appearance doesn't change… change our plans.” As she spoke, Zhou Miaoshan’s expression grew shadowed, and she gazed deeply at her daughter. “Qiangwei, if you are unwilling, we can return…”

Zhou Qiangwei shook her head with firm resolution. “For the Ye family, for Father, for Brother, I cannot return!”

“Alas… alas…” Zhou Miaoshan’s face was etched with bitterness as she whispered, “The Ye family has always treated women as sacrifices, and you don’t even bear the Ye surname. We have already given too much for this Ye family, and now even my daughter cannot escape…”

“Mother, say no more,” Zhou Qiangwei sharply called out.

“Madam, the savage beasts are pursuing those Southern Yi people. Should we offer assistance?” Ye Youshan, who had voluntarily retreated to a distance, called out from afar.

Zhou Miaoshan looked up and realized that without them noticing, the beasts and Ji Changkong had moved on together, chasing the scattered Southern Yi celestial soldiers. The vast expanse of the Poison Dragon Mire was now left only to the members of the Ye family.

“No need. We cannot offer any help even if we go. Both the beasts of the Poison Dragon Mire and those fleeing Southern Yi possess the ability to kill us. Although the beasts obey his words, their intelligence is limited. If our actions are misinterpreted, it could bring disaster upon ourselves,” Zhou Miaoshan refused, shaking her head.

Ye Youshan nodded in agreement. “What the Madam says is true.”

While the group of Ye family members waited anxiously under Zhou Miaoshan’s command, Ji Changkong was already riding the Sky Turtle Pterodactyl, slaughtering the fleeing experts of the Quan Yi and Huang Yi clans. With Ji Changkong’s involvement, the rout of the Quan Yi and Huang Yi clans proceeded as expected.

Within the Cloud Dream Marsh, once the savage beasts gained the upper hand, they relentlessly pursued their prey. They were intimately familiar with every aspect of this domain. The beasts gathered in small groups, spreading out from the Poison Dragon Mire in all directions to hunt down the escapees, driving those Southern Yi guests who were slower to flee into utter despair.

Ji Changkong rode the Sky Turtle Pterodactyl, chasing after Bage Jiu. Upon realizing Ji Changkong possessed power comparable to a Bagua Celestial Master, Bage Jiu stopped fighting him head-on. Facing Ji Changkong and a Sky Turtle Pterodactyl, he knew he was no match, so he had retreated early.

Seeing the Southern Yi celestial soldiers scatter and flee with no intention of making a final stand, Ji Changkong circled overhead on the Sky Turtle Pterodactyl for a moment. Then, he suddenly reached out and patted the creature’s rough neck, shouting, “Tell them to stop chasing! Return to the Poison Dragon Mire!”

Ji Changkong deeply understood the wisdom of not pursuing a desperate enemy too far. The invasion by the Southern Yi clearly signaled a long-planned operation, and Ji Changkong feared they might have ambushes set up elsewhere. While the powerful beasts possessed some intelligence, it was far inferior to the cunning and treachery of humans; many beasts had perished in various traps.

The Sky Turtle Pterodactyl understood Ji Changkong’s command. Upon his order, it threw back its head and let out a furious roar that echoed across the heavens.

As the supreme ruler of the Cloud Dream Marsh, no beast dared defy the summons of the Sky Turtle Pterodactyl. With that single roar, all pursuing beasts halted their advance. They looked up toward the returning Sky Turtle Pterodactyl flying back toward the Poison Dragon Mire. The beasts all turned, issuing various howls and growls, some reluctant but complying, as they headed back.

The Sky Turtle Pterodactyl’s roar resonated between heaven and earth. Beasts not native to the vicinity of the Poison Dragon Mire were so terrified by the sound that they prostrated themselves on the ground, too frightened even to twitch.

Zhou Miaoshan, Zhou Qiangwei, and the other Ye family members were startled by the roar, feeling a tremor that seemed to tear at their very souls. When the Sky Turtle Pterodactyl, bearing Ji Changkong, reappeared through the thick poison smoke, Zhou Miaoshan and the others looked on in shock, wondering why the beast had returned.

“Wait a moment, I have something to attend to,” Ji Changkong’s voice suddenly drifted down as the Sky Turtle Pterodactyl hung motionless above the Ye family members like a dark cloud. Without waiting for their reply, the Pterodactyl carried Ji Changkong to the edge of the Poison Dragon Mire and settled in the thick, toxic mist.

The beasts that had given chase began returning one by one from the distance. They seemed to follow the Sky Turtle Pterodactyl’s order. As they passed the Ye family group, although their massive jaws were open and their eyes radiated savage intent, not a single one attacked Zhou Miaoshan and her companions.

“Miss, although the Poison Dragon Mire is teeming with venomous creatures, rumors say rare spiritual herbs grow near its vicinity. Since Miss enjoys medicinal herbs, perhaps with his permission, you might gather some unimaginable herbs near the Mire…” Ye Youshan had an idea and suddenly suggested softly, his eyes filled with yearning and curiosity as he gazed toward the Mire.

Zhou Qiangwei, who had always loved mingling with flowers and medicinal ingredients, was greatly moved upon hearing Ye Youshan’s words. She glanced briefly at Ji Changkong, hesitated for a moment, and then called out, “May I move about freely near the Poison Dragon Mire? I heard there are many scarce spiritual medicines around, may I look around?”

Ye Youshan’s heart leaped with joy, his eyes shining with excitement.

“You may walk around the area near the Poison Dragon Mire, but the beasts here do not appreciate too many strangers disturbing them, so the rest of the Ye family members should remain where they are,” Ji Changkong replied after a moment’s thought, sounding somewhat reluctant.

Zhou Qiangwei’s beautiful eyes lit up with surprise and delight. She joyfully walked toward the Poison Dragon Mire, leaving a rather disgruntled Ye Youshan behind.