The fierce youth of the Huangyi tribe, his face split by a triumphant and insolent smile, along with the other Huangyi Celestial Masters accompanying him, promptly encircled Zhou Miaoshan and her daughter, Zhou Qiangwei.

Zhou Miaoshan, trembling with rage at Ye Youshan, forgot to evade or dodge. By the time she reacted, it was too late. Occupied by the Southern Barbarians in every direction, escaping their encirclement was nearly impossible.

However, Zhou Qiangwei remained composed, showing no panic. She simply stared coldly at Ye Youshan, gritting her teeth. "Shān Bó, why is all this happening?"

"Don't call him Shān Bó! He doesn't deserve it!" Zhou Miaoshan shrieked, her finger trembling as she pointed at Ye Youshan. "Tell us, what have my daughter and I ever done to you? Why are you plotting so meticulously against us?"

"Heh," Ye Youshan shook his head slightly, a hint of pity in his eyes. "Madam and young lady treated me quite well, it is true. But, Madam probably doesn't know, I, Ye Youshan, am also a Ye family member. Back then, my father, Ye Xiangrong, was cast out of the Ye family entirely because of Ye Hongru. After my father left the Ye family, his cultivation stalled, and he suffered a Qi Deviation in the **Heavenly Realm, descending into madness and personally murdering my mother."

"The frantic man was about to kill me too, but he was struck by a splitting headache at the critical moment. I took the opportunity to kill him. In a single night, both my parents were gone. The reason my family ended up like that is all because of the Ye family! Because of Ye Hongru! Tell me, do we not deserve revenge against you?"

His father murdered his mother, and then he personally killed his father. As Ye Youshan recounted this, his tone was unnervingly calm, as if narrating events that happened to strangers.

Everyone who heard him state such a dark secret with such composure felt an unsettling strangeness, dimly sensing that this man might also be insane. Otherwise, how could he speak of matricide and patricide so calmly?

Zhou Miaoshan suddenly felt a chill run through her. "Ye Xiangrong—so you are Ye Xiangrong's son. He, he colluded with outsiders and betrayed our Ye family himself. The Ye family expelling him rather than executing him was all due to Hongru's mercy. Not only do you show no gratitude, but you plot constantly to return to the Ye family as a mere retainer, and you still have the audacity to speak righteously!"

Ye Youshan grinned, his smile turning slightly ferocious. "Regardless of the past, as a son, I find avenging my father to be only natural."

He turned and looked at the burly Huangyi youth. "Prince Zaxi, what are you waiting for?"

Zaxi roared with laughter, his eyes sweeping obscenely over Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei. He gestured to those beside him. "Don't hurt them too much."

A slender, sharp dagger suddenly appeared in Zhou Miaoshan’s hand. Gritting her teeth, she gave her daughter a desolate look, intending to commit suicide.

"Mother!" Zhou Qiangwei rushed desperately to Zhou Miaoshan's side, tightly gripping the arm holding the knife. "Don't!"

Zhou Miaoshan’s expression was tragic. "What's the point of living? Must we really be defiled by these beasts?"

"We might not die," Zhou Qiangwei murmured softly. She looked up at Wang Zheng, who stood silently in the distance. "You, you?"

"Don't count on him. He can't help you," Ye Youshan chuckled faintly.

Wang Zheng looked at Zhou Qiangwei, opened his mouth as if to say something, but his face turned ashen, and cold sweat streamed down from his temples.

"Miss..." Wang Zheng reached out a hand, pointed at Zhou Qiangwei with complex eyes, swayed, and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

"Miss, I can see that Wang Zheng admires you. I knew I couldn't persuade him to fight you alongside me, so I took the opportunity to sprinkle some poison on him just now," Ye Youshan explained with a smile.

"You... you are too cruel!" Zhou Miaoshan bit her teeth in impotent fury.

"Why struggle so hard to die? We prefer to have some fun. I won't take your lives, how about that?" Zaxi laughed.

"Dream on!" Zhou Miaoshan raised the sharp dagger, laughing tragically. "Qiangwei, your mother is useless; I'll go first."

"Stop!" Zhou Qiangwei desperately clung to her arm. "Ji Changkong, how long are you going to pretend to be dead?"

At these words, Zhou Miaoshan froze, while Ye Youshan and Zaxi’s expressions shifted; they both looked back at Ji Changkong, who was lying prone with his back to the sky, in sheer horror.

At some point, the white smoke that had been rising from Ji Changkong’s back had ceased, and the smell of scorching was gone.

Under everyone's gaze, Ji Changkong pushed himself up with his arms and slowly sat up. He glanced at Zhou Qiangwei with surprise and asked, "How did you know I was fine?"

Zhou Qiangwei's face instantly flushed crimson. Her beautiful eyes secretly glanced down toward his waist, and she gritted her teeth, saying nothing.

Ji Changkong's heart skipped a beat, and he let out an awkward laugh. He realized that when he was lying on top of Zhou Qiangwei, although he had managed to fake his breathing and vital signs, his lower body remained as hard as iron. Zhou Qiangwei must have detected something from this.

Recalling how Zhou Qiangwei had pushed his body away and then flipped over, Ji Changkong was even more certain of his guess. Had Zhou Qiangwei noticed something from his physical reaction? Could a dead man possibly have a physiological reaction?

A fierce light flashed in Zaxi's eyes. He glared fiercely at Ye Youshan, suddenly waved his hand, and commanded, "Stop him for me!"

As Zaxi spoke, a staff shaped like a wolf's head suddenly materialized in his hand. He thrust his five fingers into the wolf head's grip, and blood flowed from his fingertips into it. The wolf-headed staff suddenly let out a celestial howl, and an incomparably massive Heavenly Wolf burst forth from the wood.

The Heavenly Wolf grew instantly upon meeting the air, becoming mountain-sized in a moment. After rearing back and howling, it charged directly at Ji Changkong.

Zaxi retreated instead of advancing, holding the wolf-head staff, vanishing like lightning. In a flash, Zaxi was gone without a trace.

Ye Youshan’s face darkened. In an instant, his complexion turned as black as ink, and a sickening odor wafted from him. Ye Youshan, who previously only possessed cultivation at the Five Elements Heaven Realm, was suddenly infused with a strange, evil, alternative power.

Ye Youshan didn't foolishly try to fight Ji Changkong. After his face turned pitch black, he fled even faster.

A long, blood-red streak of light descended from the sky, tracing an elegant arc as it struck the fleeing Ye Youshan.

A scream tore from Ye Youshan’s throat. The sound of rapid movement came from the bushes, and a streak of dark, black light flashed and vanished between the leaves.

The powerful masters of the Huangyi tribe left behind by Zaxi all attacked at once. Various kinds of attacks rained down, desperately trying to delay Ji Changkong so Zaxi could escape.

The deepest cultivation among these Huangyi masters was only at the One Transformation Star Celestial Master level. Fighting Ji Changkong was a sure path to death for them. After killing several in succession, these men scattered in panic, fleeing no slower than Zaxi and Ye Youshan.

With Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei beside him, Ji Changkong did not pursue with full effort. After killing a few remotely, he returned to Zhou Miaoshan’s side, clutching a severed, black arm, which he casually tossed near her. "This is Ye Youshan's arm. Although he managed to escape by relying on his bizarre Poison Arts, he left an arm behind."

Ye Youshan’s severed arm was foul-smelling. When it landed near Zhou Miaoshan, she frowned, hastily retreating a few steps, her face filled with disgust. "Ye Youshan must have learned this whole set of Poison Arts from his father, Ye Xiangrong. Ye Xiangrong practiced poison arts until he suffered a Qi Deviation; I never expected him to dare practice it too."

Ji Changkong frowned, showing little interest in the Ye family's affairs. He said coolly, "Ye Youshan has escaped, but Zaxi is still alive. Are you still going that way?"

"We've come this far; we only have one day left to exit. There's no reason to give up halfway," Zhou Miaoshan said after a moment of hesitation, her expression mournful.

Ji Changkong nodded. "Very well. Prepare yourselves. I will take you to the destination as agreed. After that, your safety will be none of my concern."

In the distance, Zhou Qiangwei stood beside Wang Zheng’s corpse, her beautiful eyes complex, clearly thinking of something.

Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei, one staring at the severed arm Ye Youshan left, the other looking at the corpse left by the poisoned Wang Zheng, seemed to momentarily forget the remaining journey ahead, and even Ji Changkong standing near them.

Wang Zheng’s body was turning blue; recovery was impossible. Although Ji Changkong possessed memories of some Poison Arts from Qu Le, the Master of the Myriad Poisons Sect, he had no way to save Wang Zheng, as mere memories of the arts were insufficient without the corresponding medicinal herbs for targeted treatment.

Wang Zheng’s last breath hitched, and his eyes rolled back.

Zhou Qiangwei was silent for a moment, then quietly walked to Zhou Miaoshan’s side and whispered, "Mother, we must avenge him."

Zhou Miaoshan nodded gently, then sighed helplessly. "If we have the chance, we will naturally seek revenge. As long as Ye Youshan lives, he will always be a major threat to you, me, and your father. If he isn't killed, he will certainly find ways to retaliate against us."

"Yes, we must make him die soon," Zhou Qiangwei said with tightly furrowed brows.

Ji Changkong pretended not to hear what the mother and daughter were discussing, standing silently in the distance. A while later, after Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei buried Wang Zheng’s body, the mother and daughter approached him. "Thank you. Can we... can we set off now?" Zhou Qiangwei asked.

"Ye Youshan and Zaxi—who knows how many others are waiting to deal with you ahead? Relying only on the two of you, surviving safely in the Southern Barbarian territory is harder than ascending to heaven. Do you... really still want to proceed?"

"Yes," Zhou Qiangwei affirmed.

Nodding, Ji Changkong said no more. He began leading the way again.

If not for this mother and daughter's stubbornness, they would have died countless times already if he hadn't encountered them by chance. Most people don't shed tears until they see the coffin, but these two had seen theirs multiple times and were still so insistent. This left Ji Changkong truly speechless.

Zaxi and Ye Youshan must have realized that dealing with Ji Changkong wouldn't be easy, as for the next day and night, no one else emerged to cause trouble.

On a morning when the sun was just rising, Ji Changkong led Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei out of the perilous Cloud Dream Marsh. They stopped on a vast expanse of grassland.

Blue sky, white clouds, verdant grass everywhere, stretching as far as the eye could see—this was the boundless prairie that sustained the Southern Barbarians.

The White Yi masters they expected to meet were nowhere to be seen; there was only grass and blue sky, nothing else between heaven and earth.

The treacherous Cloud Dream Marsh lay behind them, like a massive beast shrouded in mist, staring toward the boundless blue sky and the lush grassland.

Ji Changkong suddenly felt refreshed. He took a deep breath, glanced back at the mother and daughter who were equally shaken, and smiled broadly. "This is the Southern Barbarian territory. The scenery is truly different from the mountainous and watery landscapes of the Central Plains. I wonder when the people you are waiting for will arrive?"

Zhou Miaoshan started, her expression slightly strange. After pondering for a moment, she said, "Ji Changkong, thank you for your help. If we can return to the Ye family, I will certainly remember your kindness."

Having experienced so much together, Ji Changkong was not surprised that Zhou Miaoshan could guess his identity. He smiled and shook his head. "You don't need to remember any debt of gratitude. I was being foolish, insisting on running this trip with you."

Saying this, Ji Changkong glanced meaningfully at Zhou Qiangwei and smiled. "Sister Zhou, can I leave now?"

Zhou Qiangwei nodded softly, sighing almost inaudibly. "Ji Changkong, I will remember you. I will always remember."

Taken aback, Ji Changkong didn't understand the meaning behind her words but didn't dwell on it. He nodded with a smile and strode forward, wanting to put distance between himself and the two women.

Without the experience at the Poison Dragon Pool, Ji Changkong might have turned back immediately upon reaching the grassland. However, after learning that the Yi Celestial Masters of the Fei Yi tribe plotted against the Poison Dragon Pool, he changed his mind, intending to resolve the threat of the Fei Yi tribe for the fierce beasts of the pool.

The Southern Barbarian territory was divided into nine tribes: Yu Yi, Yu Yi, Fang Yi, Huang Yi, Bai Yi, Chi Yi, Xuan Yi, Feng Yi, and Yang Yi. Among them, the Fei Yi tribe was the strongest, and the Southern Barbarians revered the Wolf Totem. The Heavenly Wolf Mountain of the Southern Barbarians had always been considered sacred ground by them.

Since Chi Kui of the Chi Yi tribe was slain by Gu Ya at Heavenly Wolf Mountain, the nine tribes of the Southern Barbarians had never been unified, remaining a collection of loose sand to this day. Fortunately, no earth-shattering powerful Celestial Master had arisen in the Southern Barbarians, preventing them from becoming a threat to the Water Cloud Kingdom.

For years, the Southern Barbarians had even subtly shown signs of submission to the Water Cloud Kingdom in hopes of retrieving the last three pages of the Nine Yi Divine Archery Manual from Gu Ya. However, once Zhong Lijingyi brought back the final three pages from the Heavenly Mountains, the Southern Barbarians plunged into chaos.

The last three pages of the Nine Yi Divine Archery Manual contained the most profound secret techniques. Only a Celestial Master who knew the previous pages could truly master the Divine Archery skills. After Zhong Lijingyi returned with the last three pages, his reputation in the Southern Barbarians soared.

Zhong Lijingyi, like Chi Kui, was from the Chi Yi tribe, and his reappearance greatly invigorated his tribe. Unfortunately, the Southern Barbarians were not composed of only the Chi Yi tribe; some did not wish for Zhong Lijingyi to rise to prominence. They began using the influence of the Divine Archery Gate to pressure Zhong Lijingyi and reclaim the last three pages of the Nine Yi Divine Archery Manual.

Although Ji Changkong was not physically in the Southern Barbarians, he had learned something about the situation there through intermediaries. Zhong Lijingyi currently seemed on the verge of becoming the Chi Yi tribal chief and was gradually gaining prominence among the nine tribes, but his life was far from easy; he was likely overwhelmed with troubles at the moment.

This time coming to the Southern Barbarians, Ji Changkong had no intention of relying on Zhong Lijingyi’s power, knowing Zhong Lijingyi had more problems than he did. After separating from Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei, Ji Changkong oriented himself and headed directly toward the Fei Yi tribe’s territory.

Without the two burdens of Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei, his speed was astonishing. In three days, he arrived at the Fei Yi tribe's location.

The Fei Yi tribe's strength stemmed not only from their internal power but also because the Southern Barbarians' sacred site, Heavenly Wolf Mountain, was located within their domain.

The three high priests of the Fei Yi tribe always resided deep within Heavenly Wolf Mountain and were elders of the Divine Archery Gate.

The Divine Archery Gate was the largest Celestial Master sect in the Southern Barbarian territory. Since the Southern Barbarians revered the Heavenly Wolf, most of their Celestial Master techniques originated from the Nine Yi Divine Archery Manual. Thus, Celestial Masters from all tribes were considered disciples of the Divine Archery Gate.

The Divine Archery Gate, located on Heavenly Wolf Mountain, held a unique position in the Southern Barbarian lands; it could influence the selection of a tribal chief. In the Southern Barbarians, Celestial Masters of the Divine Archery Gate were called 'Emissaries of the Heavenly Wolf,' holding a status more revered than the Guiyuan Sect or Qiankun Sect in the Central Plains.

Ba Gejiu, as the Second High Priest of the Fei Yi tribe and an elder of the Divine Archery Gate, would most likely be on Heavenly Wolf Mountain.

When Ji Changkong appeared alone at the foot of Heavenly Wolf Mountain, he looked up and found the mountain incredibly high, appearing like a gigantic wolf roaring toward the heavens from a distance.

He released his Divine Soul at the foot of Heavenly Wolf Mountain and slowly moved it upward. However, once his Divine Soul reached halfway up the mountain, he sharply detected a peculiar fluctuation suddenly emerge—like a cotton ball, it blocked the progress of his Divine Soul.

As the sacred mountain of the Southern Barbarians, it was not surprising that Heavenly Wolf Mountain possessed special powers to obstruct the prying of Celestial Masters. The resistance from the mountain was firm and powerful. Ji Changkong attempted to force his Divine Soul through and was immediately met with a powerful counter-force erupting from within.

Simultaneously, several formidable auras suddenly descended from the peak of Heavenly Wolf Mountain, enveloping him like a giant net slowly closing in.

One aura carried a scorching, intense flame, giving the sensation of being burned by the sun. As that aura descended, Heavenly Wolf Mountain seemed to suddenly illuminate, and a vast, solemn killing intent directly enveloped the area. Celestial Masters cultivating on the mountain trembled in their hearts and instinctively looked up at the sky.

Ji Changkong’s heart leaped in alarm; he felt his soul scatter in fright and wanted only to immediately recall the wisp of Divine Soul he had released.

Just then!

A wave of sinister and malicious aura suddenly surged out from the Tianyuan Pearl in his lower abdomen. This aura, cold and evil, shot upward in an instant, merging with the wisp of his external Divine Soul to confront the blazing fiery energy from Heavenly Wolf Mountain.

Shocked, Ji Changkong suddenly realized that the aura emerging from the Tianyuan Pearl clearly originated from Qu Le’s soul. A bolt of lightning flashed through his mind; Ji Changkong suddenly perceived that Qu Le and the person on Heavenly Wolf Mountain shared an irreconcilable enmity.

Although Qu Le was dead, the power of his soul had been entirely absorbed by the Tianyuan Pearl. Ji Changkong usually couldn't sense Qu Le's presence within the Pearl, but perhaps upon encountering a destined enemy, Qu Le’s aura had directly erupted from the Tianyuan Pearl, aiding him in resisting the immense pressure from Heavenly Wolf Mountain.

"Qu Le!"

A massive roar suddenly erupted from Heavenly Wolf Mountain, resounding through heaven and earth like clashing thunder. Everyone nearby shuddered, and some weaker individuals felt a dull pain in their eardrums, with blood even oozing from their ear canals.

Ji Changkong, greatly alarmed, suddenly understood that the person on the mountain was far beyond his current ability to handle. He desperately clung to that thread of his Divine Soul and hastily withdrew it. The aura originating from Qu Le, though unwilling, returned with his Divine Soul, eventually sinking back into the Tianyuan Pearl.

Without lingering, Ji Changkong calmed his heart in an instant, adjusting himself to the State of Selflessness from the Grand Void Secret Records. He instantly merged with heaven and earth, and all traces of his presence vanished.

He looked up at Heavenly Wolf Mountain and saw several shadows descending like large birds. His expression shifted slightly. Without staying longer, he suppressed his aura and quietly moved away.

He recalled (Li Hentian) once telling him that since the last three pages of the Southern Barbarian Divine Archery Manual were torn away, no expert reaching the peak of the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm had appeared in the Southern Barbarians. According to Li Hentian, the last three pages contained the secrets and profound meanings of the peak of the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm, the Nine Palaces Heaven Realm, and the Ten Directions Heaven Realm. Losing those three pages made it impossible for anyone practicing the Southern Barbarian Divine Archery Manual to reach the peak of the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm.

Gu Ya’s previous massacre on Heavenly Wolf Mountain, besides slaying Chi Kui, who had reached the peak of the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm, also eliminated many other Eight Trigrams Heaven Celestial Masters of that era, ensuring that every Celestial Master who knew the secret of the final three pages of the Nine Yi Divine Archery Manual died, which was why the Southern Barbarians suffered such a decline.

Yet, a distant aura, carrying the fierce, domineering blaze of intense heat, suddenly manifested. This was the scorching presence only attainable by experts at the pinnacle of the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm—those who had gazed upon the sun and refined their souls by absorbing its essence. Ji Changkong had sensed such an aura from Li Hentian before.

This meant that the Sirius Mountain now harbored a Celestial Master who had reached the peak of the Eight Trigrams Heaven. It appeared the last three pages of the Southern Barbarian Divine Archery Manual, brought back from Heavenly Mountain by Zhongli Jingyi, truly had served their purpose, forging an expert at the peak of the Eight Trigrams Heaven in such a short time.

No wonder the Southern Barbarians had been restless recently; not only was Qu Le of the Myriad Poisons Sect active in the Blood Rain Mountain, but Ba Ge Jiu was also ambitiously slaughtering people in the Poison Dragon Pool.

With an Eight Trigrams Heaven Celestial Master stationed at Sirius Mountain, and one of them having reached the late stage of the Eight Trigrams Heaven, even Ji Changkong, relying on the power of the Primordial Orb, would likely struggle to contend with that peak Eight Trigrams Heaven expert. He was no Gu Ya, so he dared not be so reckless as to infiltrate Sirius Mountain alone.

To deal with Ba Ge Jiu, he would have to devise another plan.

The reason Qu Le's aura, hidden deep within the Primordial Orb, suddenly flared up was likely related to the enmity between the Myriad Poisons Sect and the Divine Archery Sect, Ji Changkong mused inwardly.

In the Southern Lands, the Divine Archery Sect undoubtedly held the greatest power; besides the tribal chiefs, it was the oldest and most deeply rooted powerful Celestial Master sect in the Southern Barbarians.

However, apart from the Divine Archery Sect, another Celestial Master sect in the Southern Lands was renowned throughout the world: the Myriad Poisons Sect!

The disciples of the Myriad Poisons Sect also cultivated Celestial Master secret arts, but they invariably consorted with venomous insects and toxic herbs, their power always steeped in poison—a path entirely different from the grand path of cultivation utilized by the Divine Archery Sect through the use of bows and arrows. From the day the Myriad Poisons Sect appeared, the Divine Archery Sect treated them as heretical evil and sought to crusade against them.

The Divine Archery Sect believed the existence of the Myriad Poisons Sect would only drag the Southern Barbarians into an abyss of eternal suffering. Over the years, they consistently suppressed the Myriad Poisons Sect, yet the latter proved resilient; though forced into hiding under the Divine Archery Sect's attacks, their foundation was never shaken.

But compared to the Divine Archery Sect, the Myriad Poisons Sect was far inferior in both strength and influence within the Southern Lands. For many years, the Myriad Poisons Sect could only hide and flee, barely surviving under the suppression of the Divine Archery Sect.

It wasn't until Gu Ya arrived at Sirius Mountain from Heavenly Mountain, slew Chi Kui—the Nine Tribes Celestial King of that era—executed many Eight Trigrams Heaven Celestial Masters of the Divine Archery Sect, and took away the last three pages of the Nine Yi Divine Archery Manual, that the Myriad Poisons Sect escaped their pitiable state of constant flight.

With Chi Mei dead and numerous Divine Archery Sect Eight Trigrams Heaven masters slain, the Divine Archery Sect’s strength plummeted to an unprecedented low, leaving them unable to deal with the Myriad Poisons Sect. It was during this period that the Myriad Poisons Sect finally found a once-in-a-millennium opportunity to recruit disciples en masse, leveraging the situation to strengthen their ranks.

Because Chi Kui and the many Divine Archery Sect Eight Trigrams Heaven masters were annihilated by one person, the awe the Divine Archery Sect commanded in the Southern Lands finally diminished. A significant portion of the Southern Barbarian people gradually gravitated towards the Myriad Poisons Sect. When Qu Le became the Sect Master of the Myriad Poisons Sect, he fostered a trend where they could challenge the Divine Archery Sect on equal footing.

Alas, the foundation the Divine Archery Sect possessed in the Southern Lands was something the Myriad Poisons Sect could never hope to match. After a period of recovery, the Divine Archery Sect stood strong once more. Jian Shen Gong, the Grand Elder of the Yi Tribe, reached the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm, once again blocking Qu Le's path and forcing the Myriad Poisons Sect’s good times to halt midway.

However, even though Qu Le’s advance was checked, the Divine Archery Sect had suffered an unimaginable devastating blow. They could no longer deal with the Myriad Poisons Sect as arbitrarily as before. The Myriad Poisons Sect gradually became the second-largest Celestial Master sect in the Southern Lands, and a number of people had come to acknowledge their existence.

Over the years, Qu Le and Jian Shen Gong of the Divine Archery Sect had clearly exchanged blows more than once; the hatred between them was evidently irreconcilable. This hatred was so deep that even though Qu Le was dead, a profound imprint remained in his soul, causing him to burst forth heedlessly from the Primordial Orb the moment he sensed Jian Shen Gong's aura.

A series of thoughts flashed through his mind, and Ji Changkong gradually settled on a plan. His figure moved ethereally around Sirius Mountain, soon vanishing without a trace.

At the foot of Sirius Mountain, Jian Shen Gong, ancient in appearance with long, silver-gray flowing hair, suddenly materialized.

He released his divine soul, and countless fine, visible feather arrows drifted outward from him in all directions. Dense waves of soul fluctuations enveloped every corner of the surroundings.

Moments later, several more figures descended from Sirius Mountain. Among them was Ba Ge Jiu, the Second Priest of the Yu Yi Tribe, who had previously appeared at the Poison Dragon Pool. These people surrounded Jian Shen Gong, their brows deeply furrowed.

Jian Shen Gong’s eyebrows and hair were entirely silver-gray, his face crisscrossed with ravines of wrinkles, clearly showing his advanced age. However, his eyes were startlingly bright, and his expression was unwavering.

After a while, he shook his head slightly, murmuring with confusion, "Qu Le is gone..."

"It was really Qu Le? That's unlikely. Didn't they say he was killed in the Blood Rain Mountain?" Ba Ge Jiu was equally bewildered, finding it hard to believe.

"Hmph! How could I fail to recognize the poisonous scent on Qu Le's body?" Jian Shen Gong snorted coldly. "I should have guessed long ago, with Qu Le's mastery of poison, that unless a Nine Palace Celestial Master like Gu Ya appeared in the Central Plains, no one could possibly kill him. There might be many in the Central Plains who could defeat him, but to kill him completely would be next to impossible!"

"Although Qu Le's cultivation was profound, his soul left not a trace behind. He couldn't achieve that kind of stealth before, could he? Could it be that his mastery of poison has advanced again?" Ba Ge Jiu asked, astonished.

"Highly possible!" Jian Shen Gong's face darkened. "My soul spread out, yet I couldn't find a single trace of his aura. It seems Qu Le has indeed improved again. Since he dared to come to Sirius Mountain alone, he must have something to rely on. It looks like the True Poison Sect is about to stir up trouble again. Everyone be careful recently. Qu Le is back, and the Myriad Poisons Sect certainly won't be content with our recent suppression of them!"

"What about the Water Cloud Kingdom?" Ba Ge Jiu’s face twisted in distress. "Qu Le and his group went on a killing spree in Blood Rain Mountain, and the Water Cloud Kingdom took it as a provocation from us Southern Barbarians. If... if Gu Ya were to visit Sirius Mountain again like he did a century ago, what would we do?"

At these words, the surrounding elders of the Divine Archery Sect all looked deeply displeased.

Jian Shen Gong snorted coldly, casting a frigid glance at Ba Ge Jiu. "I heard you've been jointly pressuring the Chi Yi Tribe recently, trying to undermine Zhongli Jingyi's authority among them?"

Ba Ge Jiu’s face changed, and he hastily shook his head. "Absolutely not!" [Text omitted here is a placeholder URL/note and is ignored per instructions.]

"Regardless of whether it happened or not, remember this: the last three pages of the Divine Archery Manual were brought back by him upon the invitation from Heavenly Mountain. Perhaps Gu Ya looks favorably upon this young man. If anything untoward happens to him while under your care, we won't be able to explain it," Jian Shen Gong warned. "As long as he lives, he might help ease the sharp conflict between us and Heavenly Mountain. Until we have the strength to contend with Heavenly Mountain, none of you are permitted to harm him, understood?"

"Understood," Ba Ge Jiu replied, lowering his head.

"Good. Keep an eye out recently and don't give Qu Le a chance to take advantage," Jian Shen Gong nodded slightly, then inquired, "How long will it take to resolve the matters at the Poison Dragon Pool?"

"I will do it as quickly as possible. Last time, I was foiled by a brat from the Central Plains, Grand Elder. Just give me some more time..." Ba Ge Jiu stammered.

"You can't even handle a brat from the Central Plains? Ba Ge Jiu, you are truly becoming useless. You had better resolve the Poison Dragon Pool situation quickly, or your position as elder might need to be reassigned," Jian Shen Gong scoffed.

"Grand Elder, rest assured, I will handle the Poison Dragon Pool situation as soon as possible," Ba Ge Jiu promised fearfully.

"I grant you three more days," Jian Shen Gong stated sternly, then suddenly soared into the sky, descending towards Sirius Mountain.

After he left, Ba Ge Jiu, his face grim, departed in haste—but not back towards Sirius Mountain.

[Text omitted here is a placeholder URL/note and is ignored per instructions.]

After leaving Sirius Mountain, Ji Changkong stopped near a lake southwest of the Yu Yi Tribe. The lake was azure, and various fish swam within its waters. Crystal-clear stones at the bottom glittered brilliantly under the sunlight, making for a dazzling and beautiful sight.

There were also some hills surrounding the lake, though they were not high. Compared to the soaring, thousand-zhang mountain ranges of the Central Plains, these hills could only be called mounds.

However, these small mountains, labeled as mere mounds, constituted one of the most critical strongholds of the Myriad Poisons Sect.

Because he possessed the memories of Qu Le, the leader of the Myriad Poisons Sect, Ji Changkong understood the sect's affairs better than anyone else. Since Gu Ya’s visit to Sirius Mountain, Qu Le had gradually developed the Myriad Poisons Sect, but due to the immense power of the Divine Archery Sect, even with Qu Le's sudden emergence, they could only keep their operations hidden.

These overlapping, towering mounds loosely encircled the lake. The interiors of these small peaks were hollowed out, connecting deep into the earth. Many of the Myriad Poisons Sect's toxic insects and herbs were cultivated there, and many of their experts were permanently stationed within, usually deep underground, rarely emerging.

Even the Divine Archery Sect was unaware that such a stronghold of the Myriad Poisons Sect existed within the Yu Yi territory.

At a relatively concealed spot on a cliff face of one of the peaks, Ji Changkong paused. He reached out and touched a piece of stone that was perfectly smooth and flawless. With a sudden strong press, the flat, smooth stone sank deeply inward.

Creeaak! The even stone wall suddenly split open, revealing a passage just wide enough for one person to enter.

Ji Changkong smiled faintly. He figured Qu Le, inherently suspicious and constantly on guard after years of being hunted by the Divine Archery Sect, had left behind a secret passage to the depths. This passage was known only to him, the Sect Master of the Myriad Poisons Sect. With Qu Le dead, the passage would remain unknown—a gift to Ji Changkong.

The passage was narrow, allowing only single-file passage. As soon as Ji Changkong stepped inside, he was assailed by an odor so foul it made one gag. Billows of multi-colored smoke filled the cramped tunnel. Ji Changkong felt his body weaken instantly, realizing the smoke contained potent poison.

He cursed inwardly, thinking how utterly vicious Qu Le truly was. Immune to all poisons himself, he had still laced this secret passage with deadly toxins. It seemed his caution had reached a pathological level; his poison skills were deployed everywhere.

The bodily discomfort lasted only a short while. The Xuanyuan bloodline within him stirred slightly, heating his body and evaporating all the deep-seated toxins. He did not rush to close the opening immediately. Waving his hands lightly, a gentle breeze blew out from within, sweeping away the toxic smoke lingering in the passage.

Taking out a dark green mask and donning it, Ji Changkong rummaged through his spatial pouch for a moment, changing into a loose, dark cyan robe. After a moment's thought, his bones clicked audibly—pa-pa—and his entire physical form shifted. Following the memories, he morphed into Qu Le's appearance.

Appearance should not be an issue; the accent would be more challenging. After pondering for a moment, Ji Changkong focused intently on the memories of Qu Le left in his mind, muttering to himself inside the tunnel.

Fragments of Qu Le’s memories surfaced in his mind—the accent and lexicon of the Southern Barbarian dialect, constantly compared with the Central Plains tongue. Ji Changkong spoke softly, correcting his pronunciation and intonation until his voice gradually became deep and husky.

Ever since he devoured a Ghost Demon King in the Primordial Orb in the Gray Mist Mountain Range last time, he had discovered he could acquire soul fragments via the Primordial Orb. As a Southern Barbarian, by obtaining Qu Le's soul memory fragments, he had gained some understanding of the Southern Barbarian language.

Simultaneously with acquiring Qu Le's soul fragments, he had also learned how to speak the Southern Barbarian language, though he had never tested it before. Now that he tried, he realized the Southern Barbarian language was actually easier than the Central Plains tongue. In this passage, Ji Changkong practiced slowly and managed to replicate Qu Le's tone and manner of speech almost perfectly in a relatively short time.

"Ahem," the deep voice carried a hint of coldness.

Nodding subtly, Ji Changkong scrutinized his current form again, ensuring there were no flaws, before sealing the passage known only to Qu Le. As the stone wall closed, several fist-sized emeralds embedded within the passage surface suddenly lit up, making the tunnel look eerily sinister.

He cursed Qu Le again inwardly, thinking the man had truly terrible taste, insisting on making the passage so ghostly. Perhaps only in such an environment did he feel comfortable and secure. Cultivators of poison indeed possessed corrupt natures.

The passage led directly to the center of the secret chamber Qu Le habitually occupied. When he emerged from the passage below the chamber floor, he immediately heard the chattering noise of an argument outside.

"The Master is gone, no one is to touch the Poison Canon!" a rough voice suddenly sounded from outside.

Now fluent in the Southern Barbarian tongue, Ji Changkong instantly understood the voices outside. After discerning the speech, Ji Changkong knew the speaker outside was likely Qu Le’s eldest disciple, Shou.

He covered the passage opening beneath the chamber floor again with a perfectly fitted square stone slab. Ji Changkong sat down mightily in the chamber, ears pricked to listen to the commotion outside.

"The Sect Master is dead! Now the Divine Archery Sect is relentlessly pursuing us. We must take out the Poison Canon and refine more poisons to make the Divine Archery Sect stop! Shou, step aside. We are all family; I don't want to fight you," a sinister voice sounded from outside, the tone leaving no room for argument.

"Who said I'm dead?" Ji Changkong responded from within the chamber, his voice equally somber.