The vital energy of this primordial poison had always been so weak that it often gave him the illusion of extinguishing itself, even during the most intense periods of connection with the Fengzhong Lian technique. It was precisely because of this frail vitality that even though he could expel the extremely noxious substance known as Tian Du, Ji Changkong still felt he could manage it.

However, once it attached itself to the Black Jade Primordial Crystal and made a sound, Ji Changkong immediately understood one thing—it had grown!

It was certain that the Black Jade Primordial Crystal, which could enhance spiritual power, had greatly benefited its growth; otherwise, it, which could only use the spirit to convey thoughts, would never have been able to produce sound.

Frowning, he used his uniquely sharp perceptive power to carefully sense the vitality of the primordial poison again...

His pupils contracted. Ji Changkong suddenly felt a sinking sensation. He sensed that the primordial poison’s vitality was now more than five times stronger than when he had first taken it from the Poison Canon!

Not only had its vitality grown immensely, but it also seemed to have learned to conceal its life fluctuations. The most immense surge of life force was retracted into a spot as fine as a needle point, hidden incredibly deep. If Ji Changkong had not meticulously cultivated the Tai Xu Secret Record, giving him an extraordinary sensitivity to the spiritual fluctuations between heaven and earth, he might not have noticed this change in its life force.

Under Ji Changkong’s gaze, the piece of Black Jade Primordial Crystal he had initially thrown out gradually changed from an inky black hue to a grayish-white, mirroring the change in the other Black Jade Primordial Crystals. As the primordial poison slowly changed its color and form along with the crystal...

When that piece of Black Jade Primordial Crystal finally turned completely grayish-white, with all the power contained within it utterly dissipated, the primordial poison slowly softened until it became a viscous, pearly white liquid. It then wriggled out of the Black Jade Primordial Crystal whose power it had just absorbed, bounced onto another Black Jade Primordial Crystal...

The moment it wriggled off the first crystal, Ji Changkong keenly sensed its vitality increase again. The instant it bounced onto another power-filled Black Jade Primordial Crystal, Ji Changkong noticed the deeply concealed, surging life force within it tremble slightly.

A momentary tremor revealed that its life force was far from what it used to be. However, it was exceptionally skilled at hiding these things; by the time it landed on the next Black Jade Primordial Crystal, its concealed, surging vitality had already retracted deeply once more. Ji Changkong could only detect it by calming his mind and concentrating his senses.

It seemed to realize it was already exposed before Ji Changkong, so its actions were not as overly cautious. During this time, Ji Changkong noticed the speed at which it sucked the power from the Black Jade Primordial Crystals accelerated. The new three crystals were consumed remarkably quickly, the power within them entirely absorbed.

Soon, the three new Black Jade Primordial Crystals turned that same dull, lusterless grayish-white. Only then did it slowly crawl off the last crystal, inching its way toward Ji Changkong.

A bright, faint glimmer manifested on its thick, pearly white body. It rolled around in front of Ji Changkong for a while, its liquid form slowly twisting and changing, gradually forming the shape of a miniature person the size of a palm. This little figure had an indistinct appearance and no bones. It stood there, constantly swaying.

“I’m not afraid of fire. Fire cannot kill me!” the little figure seemed to boast, rocking back and forth beneath Ji Changkong’s feet.

“Then what are you afraid of?” Ji Changkong asked with a smile, yet his heart sneered. This thing understood how to conceal its life force and was shrewdly demanding his Black Jade Primordial Crystals. Ji Changkong had to treat it with utmost caution, unsure of its true intentions.

“I don’t even know what I’m afraid of; I just know I’m not afraid of fire.” Its neck seemed unable to support its head, which swayed back and forth, making its appearance utterly ridiculous.

Ji Changkong, however, couldn't laugh. He suddenly found this little fellow extremely cunning and difficult to deal with. With a snort, he demanded, “How did you get out of the bead? And do you carry extreme poison? You’ve exited the bead; what are you planning now? I warn you, if you intend to harm anyone, I will not let you off!”

“Before entering the bead, I understood nothing. After going in, I absorbed some things, and I seem to understand many matters,” the little figure wobbled. “I know you fear me, fear that I might harm others. I also don’t know if I will harm others, but I definitely won’t harm you, because your body is my home!”

“Absorbed some things? What things?” Ji Changkong’s face twitched as a terrible possibility suddenly struck him.

“I don’t know what things. In short, I understand some things about this world, and I know who wants to deal with me—I need to kill them first to eliminate future trouble. I also know about the Gray Mist Mountain Range; that place is very strange,” the little figure described, twisting its body.

It’s bad! It’s bad!

Ji Changkong’s face turned bitter. He knew the primordial poison had truly absorbed memories and emotions from the souls of the Ghost Demon King, the Ghost Demons, Qu Le, and others from the Heavenly Origin Bead. All the souls absorbed by the Heavenly Origin Bead were not benevolent entities. The Ghost Demon King, Qu Le, and the others were pathologically vicious, cunning, and inhumanly malicious villains.

Those souls in the Heavenly Origin Bead possessed experience with people and events, an understanding of this world—exactly what the primordial poison needed most. But those beings were either inherently brutal or extremely treacherous, possessing almost no positive emotions.

If these life experiences were absorbed by the primordial poison, what kind of wicked nature would it forge?

Ji Changkong dared not imagine. But one thing he was certain of: the primordial poison’s method of concealing its life force was definitely learned from the memories of evil figures like the Ghost Demon King and Qu Le.

When the primordial poison was in the Poison Canon, it was like a blank sheet of paper, utterly naive about everything in the world. However, after entering the Heavenly Origin Bead and absorbing the memories of those evil souls, the primordial poison was utterly tainted black—perhaps hopelessly so!

Ji Changkong smiled bitterly, shaking his head and blaming himself. He bore some responsibility for the primordial poison becoming like this. Now that the deed was done, he didn't know how to approach the primordial poison.

“What do you want to do?” Ji Changkong asked.

“I don’t want anything. Right now, I just want to live well. I don’t care about other things. Of course, it would be best if I could live better,” the primordial poison hopped at Ji Changkong’s feet. After a while, it cried out, “I need to pee! Do you want my pee?”

His face darkened. Ji Changkong hurriedly took out the bottle containing the Tian Du from his Mustard Seed Pouch, opened the mouth, and placed it on the ground, sternly instructing, “Remember! If you need to pee in the future, notify me. You are forbidden from relieving yourself anywhere else!” Imagine if his pee turned out to be Tian Du; anyone who accidentally touched it would face certain death!

“Understood, I’ll listen to you.” The little figure jumped up, landed on the bottle opening, and its body trembled slightly as it squeezed out a few drops of liquid.

“All done. I need to go back into the bead now.” The little figure sprang up like a small rubber ball and headed toward Ji Changkong’s abdomen.

“Wait!” Ji Changkong quickly stopped it, taking a large step back with a look of alarm. “Did you wipe clean?”

“Clean! You’re so fussy. I won’t harm anyone but you, so don’t be afraid.” The little figure stuck to the clothing over Ji Changkong’s lower abdomen like snot. After saying this, it transformed from liquid into wisps of light, barely visible smoke, which vanished into Ji Changkong’s abdomen.

A cool sensation rose from his lower abdomen. He distinctly felt the little figure entering through the pores of his skin, vanishing inside the Heavenly Origin Bead.

“Are you there? Still there?” After calling out a couple of times and receiving no answer, Ji Changkong could only shake his head with a wry smile. He thought he absolutely had to find a way to control this primordial poison. This thing was like a ticking time bomb; he couldn't imagine the devastation it could cause if it suddenly erupted.

He needed to devise a proper method. Would this thing perhaps be afraid of heavenly lightning? Ji Changkong mused silently, wondering if he should test it with heavenly lightning next time. But he was also worried that if the heavenly lightning proved ineffective and only enraged it, it might leave the Heavenly Origin Bead and run wild.

What a headache—how did he end up bringing out such a massive menace? Ji Changkong shook his head bitterly, retrieved another Black Jade Primordial Crystal, and sensed it for a while. Finding that the primordial poison within the Heavenly Origin Bead had not reappeared, he resumed his previous recovery process.

After consuming five Black Jade Primordial Crystals, with no interference from the primordial poison, Ji Changkong’s spirit recovered to its peak. He didn't rush to return to Tian Ban Star to gather starlight. He pushed aside the stone blocking the cave entrance and walked out, then leaped down.

“Changkong is out?” Han Hai seemed to have been waiting below all along. As soon as he saw him emerge from the stone cave, he smiled and greeted him, giving him a knowing look.

He followed Han Hai directly toward the remote Scripture Repository of the Ji family. Mo Yunyi was already waiting inside. Seeing Han Hai bring Ji Changkong in, Mo Yunyi’s wrinkled face was alight with a gentle smile. “Changkong, don't rush things when traveling through the Star Domain. This stage requires gradual progress; being too impatient is counterproductive.”

“En, I understand, Granny Mo.” Smiling, Ji Changkong nodded, just preparing to ask about the situation when his gaze suddenly fixed brightly on Mo Yunyi, asking in surprise, “Granny Mo, have you… have you?”

Mo Yunyi’s aged face was filled with delight, and she nodded. “That’s right. I’ve finally broken through this barrier and reached the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm! Haha, this is all thanks to you. Without you and the auxiliary cultivation materials from the Ghost Sect, without those rare treasures, even ten more years, and I might not have advanced to the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm.”

“Granny is being too modest. With your profound cultivation, you would have broken through even without the aid of treasures,” Ji Changkong flattered with a smile.

“You rascal…” Mo Yunyi shook her head and laughed. “Personal aptitude and effort are one thing, but having suitable natural treasures to assist certainly speeds up progress. Back when we were at Qingyan Mountain, which of our Ji family lads didn't cultivate diligently? Yet how was the progress of our realms? After arriving at Xuanyuan Valley, how long has it been? Supported by enough natural treasures, look at how many of our Ji family youngsters have broken through! In just a few years, almost everyone has advanced a realm. Take Changxiao, a fellow with such steadfast resolve—he has made consecutive breakthroughs!”

“I must admit, sufficient cultivation materials and a quiet, spiritual treasure land are of immense help to the cultivation of Heavenly Masters. Look at your two grandfathers; they couldn't even gather materials for refining divine weapons before. Without that step, even with profound cultivation, it would be hard for them to reach the Heaven and Earth Heaven Realm.”

“That is true,” Ji Changkong smiled, then added, “That’s why I’ve been focusing my efforts there.” Shifting the topic, Ji Changkong turned to Han Hai. “Uncle Han, how are things?”

“People have arrived from the Southern Barbarians. They are very interested in some unique cultivation materials found only in the Gray Mist Mountain Range. Of course, they have brought items for exchange from the South,” Han Hai whispered, detailing the situation.

Nodding lightly, Ji Changkong instructed, “Cooperation with the Southern Barbarians must be handled carefully. Apart from the Ghost Sect and the Xiao family, everyone else must be kept secret—even those who have come to cultivate in Xuanyuan Valley must not be told. Blood Rain Mountain is a peculiar place; the people here deeply resent Southern Barbarian cultivators. If they learn of our dealings, it might cause trouble.”

“Rest assured, I know how to proceed,” Han Hai nodded. After a moment, he frowned. “There aren’t any truly powerful sects of Heavenly Masters on Blood Rain Mountain. With our current strength, crushing those cultivation sects on Blood Rain Mountain would be effortless.”

“Uncle Han, please don’t mention it,” Ji Changkong shook his head. “The He family and the Star Stone Sect showed us kindness back then. Without the He family’s shelter, we couldn’t have established ourselves on Blood Rain Mountain initially. Although our strength now far surpasses the He family and the Star Stone Sect, we cannot forget gratitude. As long as the He family and the Star Stone Sect don’t do anything unforgivable to us, we should remain honestly in Xuanyuan Valley and hold no other ambitions.”

“Changkong is right. One must never forget their roots! Although some people in the He family and the Star Stone Sect have reservations about us, He Haoran and Baili Ke are reasonable people. We cannot do anything that would betray those two,” Mo Yunyi stated.

After a pause, Mo Yunyi smiled at Ji Changkong and said kindly, “Changkong, those two little lasses, He Lidong and Baili Xiu, have been visiting our place quite often recently. You’ve been busy cultivating, yet you never meet them? That’s not good. And that girl named Zhou you brought back from outside—you’ve only been busy with family matters since returning, neglecting her. How can you do that?”

The moment Mo Yunyi mentioned these women, Ji Changkong felt a headache as big as a mountain rising. He quickly said, “Granny Mo, Uncle Han, please handle the matter with the Southern Barbarians. I have something urgent to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first.” Without waiting for Mo Yunyi or Han Hai to say more, Ji Changkong hurriedly walked out of the Scripture Repository.

“This brat! As soon as I bring up serious business, he runs away!” Mo Yunyi stamped her foot in annoyance, then shook her head and chuckled. “But the young man certainly has a way with women. First there was that lass Bai Qingya, then He Lidong and Baili Xiu. Just a while ago, Nie Ruolan brought letters seeking a marital alliance from her father. That girl is quite interesting, hehe.”

“If Changkong could foster a good relationship with the two lasses from the He family and the Star Stone Sect, perhaps the rift between us and those two families could be removed,” Han Hai mused.

“Yes, I think so too. That’s why I encourage the boy to be more active. Sometimes, in dealing with people, one cannot always be rigid; adopting softer methods can yield unexpected results,” Mo Yunyi agreed.

“It’s just that we don’t know what’s truly in Changkong’s mind. If he doesn’t fancy those two lasses, we can’t exactly force him to do anything, can we?” Han Hai smiled wryly.

“That is true. Forget it, let nature take its course. This boy is quite headstrong; I suspect those two lasses might not be able to manage him,” Mo Yunyi admitted with some helplessness.

“Changkong! You’ve finally shown your face to me!” Ji Wanyun exclaimed loudly, grabbing Ji Changkong’s arm and dragging him toward her cultivation cave, admonishing him as she walked, “Have your wings hardened to the point where you won't even listen to your auntie anymore?!”

It’s over; she’s going to lecture me again, Ji Changkong thought with a wry smile. “Auntie, what are you saying? How dare I not listen to you?”

“You say you dare not?” Ji Wanyun snorted, dragging Ji Changkong into her room and lowering her voice. “Then why have you been avoiding me lately? How is that matter I spoke to you about progressing? I watched that girl Ruolan grow up. She is an excellent girl, and her temper is straightforward—so much better than He Lidong or Baili Xiu. In any case, I’m telling you, I favor Ruolan the most! Your Uncle Nie also strongly approves of the relationship between you and Ruolan. I see Ruolan has deep feelings for you too. Just give the word, and Auntie will finalize things for you!”

“This... where did Uncle Nie and Uncle Shao go? When I went to Qingyan City, I heard people say he went into seclusion to cultivate with Uncle Shao. Does Auntie know where they went?” Ji Changkong’s eyes flickered as he tried to change the subject.

He knew that Ji Wanyun had watched Nie Ruolan grow up since childhood and treated her like her own daughter. Early on, Ji Wanyun had wanted to matchmake Nie Ruolan with him, but back then, his cultivation was low, and Nie Ruolan looked down on him. Now, his physique, realm, and state of mind had undergone a world of change from before, and Ji Wanyun’s desire had resurfaced.

When Nie Ruolan came to see her with Nie Yuanshan’s letter, this idea in her mind became even stronger. After reading Nie Yuanshan’s letter and realizing he held the same intention, Ji Wanyun almost finalized the arrangement immediately, desperately wishing to keep Nie Ruolan by her side always.

“Don’t change the subject! Of course, I know where your Uncle Nie and Uncle Shao went. Ruolan has gone to that place too. If you nod your head, I’ll write a letter, and your Uncle Nie, Uncle Shao, and Ruolan will immediately come to our Xuanyuan Valley. How about that?” Ji Wanyun pressed.

“Of course, I wish to see Uncle Nie and Uncle Shao. If they are willing to come, I welcome them wholeheartedly. What opinion of mine needs to be sought?” Ji Changkong feigned ignorance.

“The matter between you and Ruolan! Don’t think Ruolan is boyish; she is actually very concerned with face. If this matter isn't settled, she definitely won't be able to live peacefully in Xuanyuan Valley!” Ji Wanyun was so angry she ground her teeth seeing him pretend not to understand. “Brat, what kind of skill have you learned in the outside world, pretending to be foolish? Give me a definite answer! Are you and Ruolan a match or not?”

“No!” Seeing that he truly couldn't evade it any longer, Ji Changkong had to shake his head firmly. “That... Auntie, I can agree to anything else, but I truly cannot agree to this matter. I really don't have any feelings for Nie Ruolan; I’ve always treated her like a boy. How could I have those... those kinds of thoughts?”

“Hmph! When you secretly watched her bathe back then, you certainly didn't treat her like a boy, did you?” Ji Wanyun sneered.

“Auntie!” Ji Changkong looked utterly wronged and aggrieved. “I’ve explained this hundreds of times; that incident was purely a misunderstanding! Who would have known that girl was so bold to do something so reckless in the courtyard!”

Ji Wanyun’s expression grew somber, and she sighed softly. “Forget it, I won’t force you. I’ve already corresponded with your Uncle Nie. In a while, he, Shao Kang, and Ruolan will come to Xuanyuan Valley. Whether you and Ruolan can work out will be up to you; I won’t interfere anymore. You can explain things to your Uncle Nie yourself; I’m tired of managing you.”

With a bitter smile, Ji Changkong saw how disappointed Ji Wanyun was and didn't know how to console her. “Auntie, I’ll be leaving now. I truly have no feelings for Nie Ruolan...”

In the back mountain of Xuanyuan Valley, Ji Changkong met with several newly arrived cultivators alongside Xiao Xing and Gui Hai.

Recently, more and more Heavenly Masters had heard the news, and the newcomers were all housed by Ji Changkong and the others in the back mountain of Xuanyuan Valley. Now, the dense forest in the back mountain was dotted with many bamboo huts, each emitting faint traces of energy.

The two new arrivals today were Two-Star Heavenly Masters. Although they were only capable of one or two stars of spirit wandering, outside, such Heavenly Masters would be coveted by various major families. Their choice to make Xuanyuan Valley their cultivation site was full proof of the valley's current attraction.

These two Seven-Star Heavenly Masters were a married couple: the man was named Zhao Ben, and the woman was named Pan Ye. Upon seeing Ji Changkong, Xiao Xing, and Gui Hai approach, they showed no signs of feeling overwhelmed by their presence.

“May we speak privately?” Zhao Ben said calmly. After Ji Changkong approached, his gaze locked directly onto Ji Changkong, ignoring Xiao Xing and Gui Hai, who clearly possessed the strength of Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm.

Pan Ye smiled faintly, gently tugging Zhao Ben’s sleeve, seemingly chiding him for his abruptness.

Though a flicker of surprise crossed his mind, Ji Changkong smiled and agreed, joining Zhao Ben and Pan Ye at a secluded spot in the rear mountains before speaking. “This place is quiet enough. Feel free to say whatever you need to. The fact that you two have come to Xuanyuan Valley to cultivate is a great honor to our Ji Family and to Xuanyuan Valley itself. If you have any requests, as long as we are capable, we certainly won't refuse.”

“You misunderstand.” Pan Ye chuckled, glancing at Zhao Ben, and seeing him nod slightly, continued, “Even if the Ghost Sect and the Xiao Family were gone from Xuanyuan Valley, even if Xuanyuan Valley lacked any convenient conditions, we would still come here, to your Ji Family.”

“Oh?” Ji Changkong paused, then chuckled dismissively. “And why is that? I’m not aware of anything about our Ji Family that could attract you so much.”

“We owe an immense debt to Elder Li,” Zhao Ben stated solemnly. “To put it simply, without Elder Li, my wife and I would likely not be alive today! Back then, we wished to follow Elder Li forever, to dedicate the rest of our lives to him, but he refused. Later, seeing our sincerity in wanting to repay him, he told us that one day we should come to the Ji Family and follow you, Ji Changkong.”

At these words, a sudden warmth flowed through Ji Changkong’s heart—not because of the two people before him, but because of Li Hentian, who had been missing for so long.

“I thank you both for your kindness,” Ji Changkong said after a moment of silence. “Did Elder Li instruct you to come to Xuanyuan Valley this time?”

“No.” Zhao Ben shook his head. “We returned to Xuanyuan Valley because Tuoba Lie told us we could come. Tuoba Lie also asked me to tell you that during this period, there might be others like us coming to Xuanyuan Valley to join the Ji Family, so you should keep an eye out.”

“Do you—do you have any news of him?” Ji Changkong felt deeply moved; he was sensing more and more profoundly the depth of Li Hentian’s affection for him.

“Elder Li has been gone for a long time. We have no news of him either, but since you are at Xuanyuan Valley, Elder Li will surely come here,” Pan Ye replied, shaking her head.

“We are not here to join Xuanyuan Valley, only to follow you. Elder Li told us to obey your commands,” Zhao Ben added.

“I understand. The two of you shouldn't stay in the rear mountains of Xuanyuan Valley. Come back with me to the valley; from now on, you are part of my Ji Family,” Ji Changkong said in a deep voice. These two were clearly different from the Heavenly Masters in the back mountain; they were here purely to repay a debt, eager only to give.

For people who would wholeheartedly work for him and the Ji Family, Ji Changkong naturally intended to treat them specially. If anything were to truly happen to Xuanyuan Valley in the future, he trusted these two would remain tightly bound to the Ji Family. As for those cultivators in the dense forest of the rear mountain, he couldn't guarantee if they would stand steadfastly on the same front line with the Ji Family.

After talking with Zhao Ben and Pan Ye for a while, Ji Changkong asked them to return to Xuanyuan Valley first, intending to arrange their living quarters once matters on his side were concluded.

Returning to the dense forest in the rear mountains of Xuanyuan Valley, Ji Changkong saw Xiao Xing and Gui Hai speaking with some other newly arrived Heavenly Masters. Those newcomers were only at the Five Elements Heaven or the ** Heaven realm. Facing Xiao Xing and Gui Hai’s ‘Eight Trigrams Heavenly Ten’ technique, they were simultaneously excited and nervous, approaching them with an attitude of seeking guidance.

“Young Master Ji? Is that you?” A tall figure suddenly appeared beside him, his face alight with pleasant surprise. “I heard Young Master Ji was coming and have been waiting here early. Haha, finally, I meet Young Master Ji! Young Master Ji is truly a dragon among men; I came specifically to thank you!”

This man’s voice was loud, booming out as if he feared no one would hear. Under his loud call, many nearby people walked over, looking toward them with some curiosity.

“Who are you?” Ji Changkong couldn’t react immediately, vaguely feeling a familiarity with the man but unable to recall where they had met.

“Young Master Ji is indeed noble and forgetful! I am Ling Xiao! Back on Celestial Spot, it was Young Master Ji who stood up for me and helped slay those East Sea Heavenly Masters on Mount Yin!” Ling Xiao laughed heartily.

“Ah!” Ji Changkong laughed as well. “So it is you. I thought once you found a Mount Yin, you would dedicate all your energy to absorbing the stellar light there. Heh, I didn’t expect to see you showing up here.”

“Ling Xiao, what’s going on? Where did you meet Young Master Ji?” Some people nearby inquired curiously, chattering amongst themselves.

Ling Xiao seemed to have been waiting for this opportunity to recount that experience. Seeing people ask, he immediately and vividly recounted how Ji Changkong killed those few East Sea Celestial Masters on Tian Shu Star. When the surrounding crowd heard that Ji Changkong, relying on his own strength, had killed several Heavenly Masters of the same realm, they were amazed and repeatedly pressed Ling Xiao for details.

“Changkong, I truly didn’t expect your Divine Soul to have such outstanding performance in the Endless Star Domain!” Xiao Xing looked on with a complex expression, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “The Xuanyuan bloodline grants a strong physique, which can accelerate cultivation speed, but I’ve never heard that the Xuanyuan bloodline significantly boosts the Divine Soul. What’s going on here?”

Gui Hai was also surprised and looked at Ji Changkong with equal confusion. It was understandable that the Xuanyuan bloodline could grant a much stronger physique, allowing one to defeat Heavenly Masters of the same realm using the power of the body.

However, once the Divine Soul entered the Endless Star Domain, the Xuanyuan bloodline offered little assistance. For Ji Changkong to kill several experts on Tian Suo Star at the same cultivation level was genuinely baffling.

“Just good luck,” Ji Changkong chuckled vaguely, not elaborating further to Xiao Xing or Gui Hai, nor lingering there. After a brief tour, he quietly slipped away.

The Star Cloud Soul Refining Art was the treasure of the Aolu Divine Cult. Some people knew this fact, but the Aolu Divine Cult had always held the reputation of an evil sect among the Central Land inhabitants. Ji Changkong felt uneasy, wondering what people would think if they knew he practiced an evil cult’s soul technique, which prompted his hasty retreat.

Thinking of the Star Cloud Soul Refining Art, Ji Changkong suddenly recalled something. He thought he should meet the people from the Aolu Divine Cult as well; there were matters he needed to discuss with Muluo and the others.

Back at Xuanyuan Valley, Ji Changkong found his grandfather, Ji Yusheng, and introduced Zhao Ben and Pan Ye to him, instructing him to allocate some of the Ji Family’s cultivation resources to these two, stating that they could be trusted.

Ji Yusheng had not yet reached the Seven Star Heaven realm. Seeing that two cultivators who could potentially reach the Dual Star Heaven realm would become retainers of the Ji Family, he was naturally overjoyed. He readily agreed and treated Zhao Ben and Pan Ye with exceptional warmth, which made the couple feel somewhat uneasy.

Inside the cave where Muluo was cultivating, Ayiguli and the three Taji brothers sat obediently nearby. The cave was spacious but quite dim.

Ji Changkong sat down, smiling at the four of them before preparing to speak, but Muluo spoke first: “Congratulations, Cult Master! The Cult Master has finally begun practicing the Soul Skills from the Star Cloud Soul Refining Art. The prestige of our Aolu Divine Cult in the Endless Star Domain will surely be restored!”

Upon hearing Muluo’s words, Ayiguli and the three Taji brothers showed joy, though it wasn't clear why they were so pleased.

“Muluo, you can sense that I have started cultivating the Soul Skills from the Star Cloud Soul Refining Art?” Ji Changkong was surprised, then asked with a smile.

Muluo nodded. “Cult Master’s Divine Soul has been constantly shifting. I can feel that your Divine Soul possesses strong offensive power. If I were at the Seven Star Heaven realm, I might even feel a sense of dread.” He glanced toward Taji and asked, “When you release your Divine Souls now, do you feel a threatening sensation, as if you are being watched by a snake?”

At these words, the three Taji brothers’ faces turned pale, and they quickly nodded.

“That’s right. The Star Cloud Soul Refining Art is extremely marvelous, and its Soul Skills possess immense lethality. Even without actively attacking others, they naturally instill a sense of danger. Those at the Divine Soul realm of the Seven Star Heaven can easily detect this sense of peril,” Muluo explained.

“So that’s how it is,” Ji Changkong said, nodding before letting out a relaxed smile. He took out the piece of Star Essence he had obtained from Tian Shu Star and tossed it toward Ayiguli. “Congratulations on breaking through to the Seven Star Heaven realm. Heh, this piece of Star Essence can help you. With it, you won’t have to search for Star Sand all over Tian Shu Star. Uh, return it to me after you use it; my Ji Family still has many people who haven't reached the Seven Star Heaven realm.”

A hint of surprise flashed in Ayiguli’s mesmerizing eyes. She pursed her lips into a faint smile that outshone a hundred flowers and reached out with her slender, jade-like fingers to collect the Star Essence. She said calmly...

Muluo glanced at Ayiguli, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes, before looking back at Ji Changkong and asking, “Cult Master sought us out for what purpose?”

“I need you to do me a favor.”

“Cult Master, please command us. As long as we are able, we dare not refuse,” Muluo quickly responded.

Ji Changkong was very pleased and smiled. “Our Xuanyuan Valley now has the Ji Family, the Ghost Sect, and the Xiao Family, plus the external cultivators in the rear mountains. Xuanyuan Valley has seen many major developments recently, and I fear it might attract fatal disaster. Therefore, I want to take precautions and prepare some defensive measures.”

“What does the Cult Master wish for this subordinate to do?”

“I have recently examined the terrain of Xuanyuan Valley carefully and pondered it thoroughly. I believe that arranging the Divine Cult’s ‘Star Sea’ within Xuanyuan Valley should be feasible. However, I am not very knowledgeable about such matters and lack confidence. But I know you are very skilled in this area. Take a look and see if we can establish a ‘Star Sea’ in Xuanyuan Valley?” Ji Changkong asked.

Muluo’s eyes lit up. He stared deeply at Ji Changkong and nodded. “Cult Master, as long as there are sufficient materials, setting up a ‘Star Sea’ in Xuanyuan Valley to draw in the power of the stars from the Endless Star Domain is absolutely possible.” He paused, then added, “The ‘Star Sea’ requires the Cult Master’s Star Cloud Soul Refining Art as the catalyst. Activating the ‘Star Sea’ must be done through the Cult Master’s Divine Soul, which will have a huge impact on the Cult Master’s soul power, potentially consuming more than half of your spiritual energy. Is the Cult Master prepared for this?”

“Of course.”

“Very well. This subordinate will do their utmost to forge Xuanyuan Valley into an impregnable fortress!” Muluo exclaimed, a barely suppressed excitement in his eyes.

Ninety thousand characters have been updated. I meekly ask for monthly votes. Ah, it’s been a long time since I asked for anything; I don’t know if it helps anymore. sweat (To be continued)