Ji Changkong followed Xiao Xing to the outskirts of Xuanyuan Valley, only to find that nearly all the sects and families from the Blood Rain Four Peaks area were already gathered there.

He couldn't help but marvel at the terrifying deterrence of the Demon King of Ghosts.

If the Demon King of Ghosts hadn't been rampaging near Blood Rain Mountain, only one or two cultivators from these sects, who usually trained in secluded corners, would have come to Xuanyuan Valley to seek guidance on thorny issues in the Way of the Cultivator. No entire sect would have shown up. But because of the Demon King of Ghosts, fearing annihilation of their lineage or sect, they had flocked to Xuanyuan Valley, begging for entry.

Outside the valley, the place was a dense sea of faces. Many elders from various sects and families stared expectantly at Ji Changkong.

He Haoran and Baili Ke followed him out. After just a glance at the crowd, they sighed, telling Ji Changkong with a touch of helplessness, "Changkong, these people have it rough. If they aren't let into Xuanyuan Valley today, you might not see them alive in a few days."

"Young Master Changkong, please let us into the valley! The Demon King of Ghosts is wreaking havoc, and no sect or family he passes through is spared. We beg you, for the sake of our shared connection to the Blood Rain Alliance, allow us to stay within the valley temporarily."

"Yes! If we stay outside, it's a certain death sentence! We implore you!"

"We beg you! If you let us in, I'll do whatever you ask!" A rather comely young matron shot Ji Changkong a coquettish glance from afar, her moist, beautiful eyes shimmering with an unusual light.

The people from the major families and sects of Blood Rain Mountain, gathered outside the valley, babbled incessantly, each vying for entry into Xuanyuan Valley. Furthermore, many pitifully lovely young maidens offered him strong, non-verbal suggestions—implying they would dedicate anything if their sect or family could gain entrance.

"What should we do?" Xiao Xing asked, a bitter smile on his face. "Right now, it’s a struggle just to accommodate the He Family and the Star Stone Sect inside. If we add all these people, there might not even be room to walk in the valley."

"There’s no choice, we can't just stand by and watch them die, can we? Forget it, we’ll take it one step at a time. If it truly becomes too crowded to walk, then everyone can just sit where they are," Ji Changkong briefly licked his lips. Before, he had been trying every means to gather powerful experts, wishing every strong figure nearby would enter Xuanyuan Valley to cultivate. Now, with the emergence of the Demon King of Ghosts, his wish had been realized far beyond expectation.

Unfortunately, he couldn't feel any joy about it.

"Everyone! Everyone!" Ji Changkong raised both hands high, his voice booming, "You can all see the situation inside the valley. Xuanyuan Valley currently houses our Ji Family, the Xiao Family, and the rogue cultivators near Ghost Sect. Now we've added the He Family and the Star Stone Sect. The small Xuanyuan Valley is already overflowing with people."

"You now hope to temporarily enter Xuanyuan Valley to escape the terrifying threat of the Demon King of Ghosts. I cannot refuse to help those in peril. You will certainly be allowed in! But let me be clear upfront: there is no comfort or space in the valley right now. Once you enter, do not wander around randomly. We will arrange a space just large enough for you to sit down. To prevent the internal paths from becoming completely blocked, I ask that everyone temporarily remain within their assigned zones."

This was an extremely harsh request, yet, because of the threat of the Demon King of Ghosts, none of the elders from these major sects and families objected. They all readily agreed.

"Very well, everyone first organize yourselves by family and sect. We will let them enter the valley one sect at a time," Ji Changkong shouted orders as he began to arrange the crowd. "Uncle Xiao, please go tell those already inside to squeeze in a bit more to make room for the newcomers."

"Okay," Xiao Xing replied with a pained expression and turned to enter the valley.

There were about twenty sects and families in the Blood Rain Mountain region, totaling nearly a thousand people. The time it took just for them to walk into the valley spanned over an hour. After they entered, the Ji Family, Ghost Sect, and Xiao Family went to great pains—coaxing and persuading—to get the original residents to give up space for the new arrivals.

Once they had settled all the sects from Blood Rain Mountain, Ji Changkong, Mo Yunyi, Xiao Xing, and the others were utterly exhausted. They felt more tired than after a major battle and didn't even want to move their limbs.

Sitting on a rare patch of unoccupied grass behind the Scripture Repository, Mo Yunyi wiped the sweat from her brow and smiled, saying, "With so many people gathered in Xuanyuan Valley, even though it's crowded and noisy, it’s not necessarily a bad thing for us."

"Indeed. No matter what, these sects and families owe Xuanyuan Valley a debt of gratitude. Heh, look at some members of the He Family and Star Stone Sect; didn't they often look for excuses to cause trouble for us before? Now they are all very obedient. After this ordeal, I doubt they’ll dare target Xuanyuan Valley anymore," Ji Changkong chuckled dismissively.

"As long as we handle these people inside the valley properly, even when they leave, they will regard Xuanyuan Valley as an important place in their hearts. Should we ever confront other major powers in the future, they should easily side with us," Xiao Xing mused.

"That’s true, but if we fail to manage their relationships well, if we can’t settle everyone down during this critical stage, any unfavorable incident within the valley could have massive repercussions," Xiao Poshan said, his expression stern. After a moment of thought, he added, "The valley is too cramped. In this environment, everyone's mind and body will feel suppressed. Coupled with the external threat of the Demon King of Ghosts, and the fact that not everyone here is friendly with one another—small frictions that wouldn't normally occur might erupt. Damn it, before the Demon King of Ghosts even arrives, a massive battle could break out inside! If this isn't controlled, the entire Xuanyuan Valley could be destroyed!"

"Senior's considerations are thorough!" Mo Yunyi’s face grew serious. "I have indeed heard reports about this. Legend has it that soldiers in some armies, living constantly between life and death, can see a minor conflict escalate endlessly, eventually turning into infighting where comrades kill each other until an entire barracks is wiped out!"

Hearing Xiao Poshan and Mo Yunyi, Ji Changkong shivered instinctively and immediately declared, "Then we must strictly guard against this and prevent such a thing from ever happening!"

After some discussion, they decided to have several Eight Trigrams Heavenly Masters remain constantly vigilant. The moment they heard any sound of brawling or arguing from any location, the high-level experts would immediately rush over. Without asking for the reason, they would first subdue both parties, then take them to the main assembly hall inside the valley for a measured resolution.

"Fighting again?" Ji Changxiao looked sternly as he watched two Three Essentials Heavenly Masters shouting at each other, accompanied by several disciples from the Ghost Sect.

These two Heavenly Masters were from the He Family and the Huang Family, respectively. The reason for their argument was utterly ridiculous—it was merely about who should use the latrine first!

One arrived first, but the other was in more urgent need and cut in line. Because of this minor issue, they argued incessantly, nearly coming to blows.

"Subdue them first, then let them cool off!" Ji Changxiao snorted coldly, waving his hand. He and the Ghost Sect disciples surged forward, instantly restraining the two in a flash of light and thunder. Ji Changxiao then lifted a large bucket of bone-chilling icy water and poured it directly over them.

The piercing cold water soaked them from head to toe, instantly calming the two hotheads. After shivering and shaking hands to make peace, Ji Changxiao allowed them to return to their respective resting spots.

Ji Changxiao, his face grim, let out a cold snort and resumed his patrol with the Ghost Sect members.

On the roof of the Scripture Repository, Ji Changkong smiled faintly, nodding internally. Through years of tempering, aided by the "Limit Body Refining Great Art" and the myriad rare materials within the valley, Ji Changxiao’s cultivation speed had soared. In just a few years, he had already reached the Five Elements Heaven realm.

The Four Symbols Heaven communicates with the Sacred Beast Black Tortoise, while the Five Elements Heaven cultivates the power of the Five Elements, particularly mastering the transformation of water into ice. His personality was somewhat aloof, and having cultivated in the Frigid Cave for many years, he carried a faint trace of its cold aura within him. Cultivating the ice power of water in the Five Elements Heaven realm proved highly efficient, leading to rapid progress.

Beside Ji Changkong, Han Feng, who shared an equally solitary and cold disposition, watched Ji Changxiao from afar, his eyes shining with approval.

"Old Han has taken great care," Ji Changkong remarked with a slight smile after noticing Han Feng's focus.

Han Feng started, then looked slightly embarrassed. "This kid, Changxiao, appeals to me; he reminds me of myself when I was young. Plus, since he cultivated hard in the Frigid Cave for so many years, he naturally carries that icy essence. After I guided him in a couple of techniques, he could progress so quickly. For anyone else, even with my utmost care, the advancement wouldn't be this fast. Changxiao is innately suited to cultivate some of the secret techniques of our Han Family."

"In any case, thank you, Old Han. Without your guidance, my elder brother wouldn't have reached this realm so quickly. If things continue like this, his breakthrough to the Six Harmonies Heaven realm will be just around the corner!" Ji Changkong said sincerely.

Han Feng squinted slightly, a faint smile touching his lips, and nodded gently. He thought this young man was quite humble; it seemed his decision to stay with the Ji Family was not wrong.

"What are you doing? Why are you fighting?"

"Hmph! You still dare to strike! Looking to die?"

Two shouts of argument came from a distance, followed immediately by fighting without any more words. In the clatter of the brawl, the narrow space caused their fight to spill over, disrupting others who were cultivating nearby. Those cultivators immediately stood up and joined the fight.

What started as a very small matter instantly escalated, involving over a dozen people from nearly ten different sects and families.

Ji Changkong, who had been conversing with Han Feng, let out a wry smile and sighed, "Here we go again."

Seeing the situation rapidly worsening and threatening to spiral out of control, Xiao Xing and Gui Rong suddenly appeared. Without a word, they instantly moved to lock down that area. Grabbing and pulling, they quickly piled the fighting participants together and doused them with ice water to cool them down.

Under this swift and forceful intervention, the wave of conflict subsided just as quickly.

"This isn't a sustainable solution," Han Feng shook his head. "In just three days, there have been over a hundred major and minor quarrels and fights inside Xuanyuan Valley. Every single one erupted over an insignificant matter, but those trivial issues quickly expanded. If not stopped promptly, large-scale battles might have already occurred."

"I know this situation is precarious, but with so many people crammed into Xuanyuan Valley, everyone is restless. Outside, they face the terrifying threat of a powerful enemy, and inside, there are pre-existing rifts between groups. Normally, they might suppress these feelings, but in the unique environment of Xuanyuan Valley, they find it hard to control their tempers," Ji Changkong lamented helplessly. "I’ve been searching for a solution for the past two days, but I haven't found any viable path yet."

"I do have a way to channel their excessive energy. If handled correctly, it will not only calm them down but also benefit the entire Xuanyuan Valley," Han Feng smiled. Before Ji Changkong could inquire, he continued voluntarily, "To prevent internal strife, we can create common enemies for them, or engineer specific positive opportunities that bind them together."

"How so?" Ji Changkong’s interest was piqued.

"Since it's hard to stop them, why don't we help them release this pressure and fervor? This can be approached in two ways. For the Heavenly Masters in the Six Harmonies Heaven realm, find a location based on their cultivation rank and let them compete. Our people can control the scene, and the venue can be set up just outside the valley."

"We can put up some Yuan Stones and spiritual treasures that aren't considered overly precious as prizes for each corresponding realm, awarded to the final winners. Covering everyone from the One Element Heaven up to the Six Harmonies Heaven realm, we can offer guidance on cultivation challenges, steering them toward breakthroughs in their cultivation stages."

"Under the allure of rewards and advancement in cultivation, the experts from One Element Heaven to Six Harmonies Heaven should focus more energy on cultivation or participate in the Six Realm Competitions to win prizes. With our people watching, these contests won't lead to accidents, thus releasing their excess energy and stabilizing the cultivators of these six realms."

"For the experts in the Seven Stars Heaven realm, generally, their temperament is stable, and they usually won't engage in petty internal brawls. Those who reach this realm are extraordinary, serving as the pinnacle figures of their respective sects or families; thus, prizes hold little temptation for them. For them, we can gather them together and join them in traversing the Big Dipper Star Domain. The Big Dipper Star Domain has Yin Peaks and various rare places suitable for cultivation, but they are unfortunately occupied year-round by large sects and powers like the Northern Barbarians, Eastern Sea, or Southern Tribes."

"Our Xuanyuan Valley can form its own force and contend with those major powers in the Big Dipper Star Domain. The Seven Stars Heavenly Masters from Blood Rain Mountain previously cultivated alone in the domain, often suffering losses when encountering people from the Northern Barbarians or Eastern Sea. Guided by the experts from our Ji Family, Ghost Sect, and Xiao Family, we can unite their strength, gather their spirits, and venture into the Big Dipper Star Domain. Facing large forces from the North or East, they won't just be unafraid; they can fight back!"

"This is a good thing for both the people of Xuanyuan Valley and for them. I believe the Seven Stars Heavenly Masters who usually cultivate in solitude would be very willing to unite under the banner of Xuanyuan Valley to contend with those fellows from the Northern Barbarians and Eastern Sea!"

"From the One Element Heaven up to the Seven Stars Heaven realm, everyone has been given something meaningful to do. When everyone is busy pursuing their own goals, no one will have the leisure time to argue or fight over minor issues. The problems plaguing the valley will naturally be solved!"

Han Feng's words flowed out methodically, displaying great structure and feasibility.

"Excellent! Still the old ones know best!" Ji Changkong laughed heartily and quickly said, "Old Han's understanding of human nature is indeed far more profound than mine! Heh, I’ll discuss this with everyone immediately and proceed exactly according to your method to handle the valley's affairs. I’m confident this approach will succeed!"

Seeing how highly Ji Changkong regarded his suggestion, Han Feng also looked pleased, replying humbly, "I merely threw out some thoughts; I can't guarantee success."

"It will definitely work!" Smiling, Ji Changkong stood up. In a flash, under the bright sky, his figure moved like a faint phantom, weightless, drifting lightly towards the main assembly hall.

The Star Sea Grand Array was not yet activated, and the scorching sunlight cast faint shadows around him. These shadows were extremely faint, appearing like tendrils trailing behind his body, growing longer and longer.

Han Feng blinked, gazing deeply at Ji Changkong performing the Thousand Shadow Evasion secret technique, secretly admiring him. He thought this young man’s future achievements might not be less than those of his maternal grandfather, Gu Bang.

"What do you all think of Old Han's proposal?" Ji Changkong asked everyone with a smile in the assembly hall.

"Not bad! That old fellow actually has a method like this!" Xiao Poshan exclaimed in admiration.

"I think it will work!" Gui Rong also nodded.

Mo Yunyi and the other elders of the Ji Family praised the idea repeatedly, all agreeing that Han Feng's suggestion was the optimal way to resolve the current problems in Xuanyuan Valley.

With no objections, everyone voiced their full support. Ji Changkong wasted no time and began discussing the finer details with them. Soon, all aspects were finalized. More steady individuals like Mo Yunyi, Xiao Xing, and Gui Hai were tasked with selecting suitable spiritual treasures for cultivators from the One Element Heaven to Six Harmonies Heaven realms. They then summoned the leaders of all the major families and sects to announce the news.

The patriarchs and sect masters of these families and sects had been troubled by this very issue. Upon hearing that Xuanyuan Valley was willing to contribute some spiritual treasures to benefit their younger generation, how could they possibly refuse?

When they learned that the Ji Family, Xiao Family, and Ghost Sect were preparing to join forces with the Seven Stars Heavenly Masters among them to venture into the Big Dipper Star Domain for cultivation, they became even more excited, their aged faces alight with fervor.

"From this day forward, we will let everyone in the Big Dipper Star Domain and the Boundless Star Domain know the might of our Xuanyuan Valley!"

On the edge of the Tianheng Star, amidst vast nebulae, Ji Changkong’s spirit soul, along with the spirit souls of over a dozen Seven Stars Heavenly Masters from Xuanyuan Valley, moved in a mighty legion, charging toward the Tianheng Star, known as the Star of War.