"We received word from Tuoba Lie and the Chen family that Li Hentian's secluded cultivation cave in the East Sea has been compromised. Several masters from the Guiyuan Sect, along with some figures from the East Sea region, have already set out, intending to ambush and kill Li Hentian near Donghui," Mo Weiyi said, her face creased with worry.

A sudden chill gripped him; Ji Changkong's expression shifted drastically as he exclaimed, "How could this happen?"

Before leaving, Li Hentian had mentioned that his current retreat was dedicated to breaking through to the Nine Palaces Heaven Realm—meaning he was in a death seclusion within his East Sea cave. During such a critical period, absolutely no disturbance could be tolerated; the path to the Nine Palaces Heaven Realm permitted no external interference. In this state, he would be at his most vulnerable. Even an ordinary person, entirely defenseless, could take his life with a sharp object if they located his cultivation dwelling! Death seclusion meant either success or complete soul annihilation; there was no middle ground. For someone to plot against him precisely when he needed absolute quiet—this was perhaps the most perilous moment of Li Hentian's entire life.

"I don't know the specifics, but based on the intelligence from Tuoba Lie and the Chen family, the approximate location of Li Hentian's cave for pursuing the Nine Palaces Heaven Realm in the East Sea has been exposed," Mo Yunyi spoke carefully, hesitating slightly. "His life has been steeped in slaughter; he has enemies across the Western Regions, Northern Barbarians, Southern Yi, the East Sea, and the Central Lands. Many wish him dead. Previously, they might have hesitated due to his terrifying strength and ruthless methods, but now that he is at his weakest and most unguarded, countless people will seize the chance to take his life!"

"When did you receive the news?" A flurry of thoughts crossed Ji Changkong's mind before he took a deep breath, allowing the chaotic state of his heart to slowly settle.

"Three hours ago," Xiao Xing replied, then produced a stack of oiled paper from his robes and handed it over.

Flipping through it quickly, Ji Changkong secretly felt a measure of relief. He nodded. "It's fortunate the news reached Xuanyuan Valley immediately; we still have ample time to reach the East Sea. Currently, only a few powerful families with ulterior motives likely know about his presence there. The news will probably only spread widely in the next few days."

After a moment of hesitation, Ji Changkong looked directly at Xiao Poshan, Gui Rong, Gui Hai, and the others. He spoke sincerely, "Without him, I would not be who I am today. Therefore, I absolutely cannot stand by this time! Furthermore, I may need to leverage the prestige of Xuanyuan Valley. I hope you will understand."

"The Xiao family in Xuanyuan Valley follows your lead!" Xiao Xing immediately declared his stance.

Gui Rong grinned and let out a loud laugh, declaring, "Stop dawdling! Do whatever you intend to do! My Gui Sect followed you out of the Gray Mountain Range; naturally, we have no secondary motives. Old Li, despite his fearsome reputation previously, possesses true loyalty and righteousness. He is one of us in Xuanyuan Valley. There is no reason for us not to help rescue him."

"Kid! Be direct! Tell us what to do!" Han Feng shouted.

Xiao Poshan, Gui Hai, and the other experts of Xuanyuan Valley all voiced their opinions. Ji Changkong was gratified to see that regardless of whether they were from the Gui Sect, the Xiao family, or individuals like Han Feng, there were no reservations; they stood firmly by his side.

A faint warmth moved in his heart. Ji Changkong suddenly realized that, without him noticing, the various clans within Xuanyuan Valley had unified because of his presence. Within the valley, it was rare for people to harbor any barriers; when one faced trouble, the others would never stand idly by.

"Very well!" His spirits lifted, Ji Changkong turned to Mo Yunyi. "Grandmother Mo, please trouble you to issue a declaration in the name of Xuanyuan Valley to the entire world. Even though Li Hentian is one of ours from Xuanyuan Valley—whoever dares to participate in this action against him, regardless of their identity or faction, shall instantly become an irreconcilable enemy of Xuanyuan Valley!"

"State clearly that as soon as Xuanyuan Valley learns of it, whether he lives or dies, Xuanyuan Valley will surely retaliate in the future, showing no deference to anyone!"

At these words, everyone’s eyes brightened, and they nodded inwardly.

The current Xuanyuan Valley was no longer the obscure entity it once was; its reputation now spanned the entire realm, rivaling powerful imperial families like the Wu or Chu clans.

No matter who or what family it was, upon learning of Xuanyuan Valley’s stance, they would have to seriously weigh the consequences! This meant that some of those intending to strike at Li Hentian might hesitate due to Xuanyuan Valley’s resolute attitude, or if they did act, they might do so furtively to avoid provoking such a massive force.

As long as those parties harbored concerns, their actions would slow down, naturally reducing the threat posed to Li Hentian.

"Brilliant!" Xiao Xing repeatedly nodded in approval. "Once our message from Xuanyuan Valley is out, we can dispel many thoughts of revenge without deploying a single soldier. This buys Old Li sufficient time, allowing us to make arrangements more deliberately."

"Mo Fanfan, I will write a letter shortly; send someone to Mount Tian Shan. If Mount Tian Shan also declares its position as we have, I believe those daring to move against him will become even more constrained!" Ji Changkong said gravely.

"Good!" Mo Yunyi nodded, her eyes full of satisfaction as she looked at Ji Changkong, thinking that this child was growing increasingly mature and steady, no longer acting purely on impulse but understanding how to leverage influence.

"If Mount Tian Shan takes the same stance as Xuanyuan Valley... Heh! I doubt many people would dare lay a hand on Old Li!" Han Feng remarked.

"And on the Chen family side... send word, hoping they can cooperate with our actions. He showed them kindness in the past; I trust Chen, you know what you should do." Calming himself, Ji Changkong began systematically handling the sudden crisis.

During the deliberation, the main soul of the Boundless Jiang Domain slowly descended, quietly returning to its physical body.

"The deterrent power of Xuanyuan Valley and Mount Tian Shan can certainly make many sects reconsider, but forces like the Guiyuan Sect might not heed it. Moreover, factions from the Northern Barbarians, East Sea, Western Regions, and Southern Yi include some extremely powerful sects that likely won't submit easily."

After pondering for a while, Ji Changkong rubbed his temples, looking somewhat troubled. "In this situation, we still have the threat of the Ghost Demon King, whose whereabouts are unknown. And we cannot afford to have the experts of Xuanyuan Valley leave. This is rather difficult."

The mention of the Ghost Demon King cast a shadow over everyone's previously relaxed faces, causing them to fall silent.

"The Ghost Demon King is absolutely a major plague; he will constantly keep Xuanyuan Valley under surveillance, so the Valley's masters cannot leave!" Ji Changkong mused. "I will go to the East Sea first. Everyone else, for the time being, remain in Xuanyuan Valley and observe the situation. If Xuanyuan Valley is safe after I leave, you can send some experts to aid me in the East Sea. If the Ghost Demon King attacks Xuanyuan Valley, then you must remain here to defend!"

"When I travel to the East Sea, I will pay attention to gathering intelligence on the Ghost Demon King. Now that our intelligence network covers the entire realm, I will use the Duan and Xiao family's networks to inform you of any developments."

"You are going to the East Sea alone? How can that be!" Mo Yunyi immediately shook her head.

Xiao Potu, Gui Rong, and the others also disagreed, feeling it was too reckless for him to go alone to rescue Li Hentian.

"I said, I'll go first to scout. You can decide based on the situation inside the Valley," Ji Changkong explained.

Everyone understood the immense threat the Ghost Demon King posed to Xuanyuan Valley. After his repeated explanations, they slowly agreed to his decision, preparing to stay in the Valley first to see how things developed, and then proceed to the East Sea if the Ghost Demon King remained quiet or if they received word from him.

Although Xuanyuan Valley was far from the East Sea, for an expert of the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm traveling by air, the journey would not take an excessive amount of time.

Once the decision was made, Ji Changkong did not hesitate or require much preparation. He intended to inform the masters and heads of sects like the He family and the Star Stone Sect to reassure them to remain in Xuanyuan Valley before departing.

Unexpectedly, when He Haoran, Baili Ke, and the others heard that Li Hentian was in danger, they all displayed expressions of extreme anxiety, wanting to rush to the East Sea to offer assistance.

It was then that Ji Changkong realized the immense influence Li Hentian held in the Blood Rain Mountain area. Whether it was He Haoran, Baili Ke, or the people of the Huang family from Blood Rain Mountain, they had all received favors from Li Hentian in the past. No matter how cruel and fearsome Li Hentian appeared to outsiders, to them, he was a benefactor! How could they not help a benefactor in distress?

After much persuasion, Ji Changkong managed to calm these individuals, explaining that due to the threat of the Ghost Demon King, it was inadvisable for them to leave Xuanyuan Valley. He Haoran, Baili Ke, and the other sect and family heads who had cultivated on Blood Rain Mountain for many years, although they ultimately agreed with Ji Changkong’s reasoning, followed Xuanyuan Valley’s lead and declared externally that anyone moving against Li Hentian would be treated as an enemy.

The Blood Rain Alliance, a considerable force composed of families like the He family and the Star Stone Sect, held a reputation and power in the Water Cloud Kingdom no less significant than the major clans. Their unanimous alignment with Xuanyuan Valley immediately bolstered Xuanyuan Valley's strength, adding another layer of security for Li Hentian.

Leaving Xuanyuan Valley, Ji Changkong utilized the exclusive Thousand Shadow Flitting technique of the Aura God Sect. In the darkness, he was like a wandering lone ghost, drawing a faint, ethereal shadow across the void as he traveled eastward from the Valley.

The Seven Stars Heaven Realm relied on the power of the Big Dipper stars to temper the divine soul. Besides making the soul tougher, the most crucial objective was utilizing stellar power for aerial travel.

After returning to his body from the Tianheng Star, Ji Changkong was pleasantly surprised to find his divine soul significantly more agile. When executing the "Thousand Shadow Flitting" technique, his soul could vaguely sense the vast starlight from the Big Dipper constellation above, which seemed to blend with the moonlight, subtly nourishing his physical form.

Streams of cool energy flowed into his body from the Tianling acupoint atop his head. As Ji Changkong rapidly moved under the moonlight, his mind was tranquil as water, feeling as if he had merged with the pure moonlight, experiencing a cool and comfortable sensation rising from the depths of his being.

Initially, Ji Changkong paid little mind to the lunar energy showering down from the heavens, as his urgent concern for Li Hentian’s safety kept him focused solely on travel.

However, without realizing it, he felt the cool comfort within his body seemed to be stirring the primal energy within his Qi Sea! His internal energy began to flow spontaneously along its normal cultivation track, blending with the lunar essence. This mixture flowed through his meridians and bones like cool streams, bringing him profound comfort, akin to plunging into a cool pool on a scorching day.

The mental energy depleted on the Tianheng Star was mysteriously replenishing itself, at a speed nearly comparable to when he previously absorbed Black Jade Primal Crystals.

Wait a moment?

Ji Changkong, who had been traveling quickly, suddenly awoke with a jolt. He instinctively used his divine sense to examine his physical state and discovered wisps of moonlight essence, too fine for the naked eye to see, indeed slowly flowing into his body through the Tianling acupoint, mixing with his internal primal energy.

Absorbing the essence of the sun and moon—that was something only an expert of the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm could achieve! As someone in the Seven Stars Heaven Realm, he could borrow stellar power, but why was the essence of the moonlight automatically entering his body?

Ji Changkong felt bewildered.

Just then! The blood in his body seemed to be tugged by some force, trembling like fine threads.

Mixed with the blood of the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon, his blood possessed vibrant life force. With this slight movement, immense power fluctuations resonated throughout his muscles, tendons, and bones.

The blood in his body became uncontrollable, as if sensing the power of the incoming lunar essence. It generated a terrifying suction force, like a leviathan drinking, instantly sucking away all the moonlight essence that had flowed into his body! The turbulent blood, after incorporating this lunar essence, miraculously calmed down, though it continued to flow slowly through his meridians.

Composing himself, Ji Changkong comfortably perceived the marvelous transformation occurring in his body. He decided not to dwell on it or investigate deeply, allowing his body and the blood within to take charge, ceding control to his physical self.

Perhaps it was his yielding that had an effect, for just as he let go of his thoughts, he vaguely perceived a faint wisp of blood energy within the Youmen acupoint.

Suddenly, his figure froze in the void! Moonlight poured down upon him like water, as if actively condensing into a mist, gathering from the heavens to envelop his entire form.

The faint blood energy in the Youmen acupoint suddenly pulsed gently.

"Within your body resides the blood of the four of us. Feel it with your heart, and you will discover it. As long as you can fully integrate the four kinds of blood we have poured into you, a mere Ghost Demon King will never be your match!"

The words of the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon slowly echoed in his mind.

The Blood of the Four Sacred Beasts! A thought struck him, and Ji Changkong’s pupils constricted slightly. With a mind as clear as a mirror, he sent all his divine consciousness and awareness soaring into his body, rapidly flying toward the Youmen acupoint.

A drop of luminous white liquid rested quietly within the Youmen acupoint. That droplet was crystal clear, more magnificent and beautiful than the most exquisite gemstone! Ji Changkong, his spirit immersed in the Youmen acupoint, sensed this drop using only his divine soul, and his soul experienced a marvelous sensation like basking in a spring breeze, as if bathing in the primordial water that nurtures all life...

His spiritual ocean, heavily depleted after the battle with Pali, was like being injected with a rapidly growing elixir. His deficient mental power increased geometrically.

In a matter of mere breaths, the expended mental energy was completely restored, and the fatigue in his divine soul was swept away instantly! The luminous white, miraculous droplet shimmered faintly, and the subtle blood energy contained within suddenly flowed out into his body. He observed that the moonlight essence descending from above seemed drawn by some force, actively converging toward this luminous white droplet.

Filaments of moonlight essence, perceptible only to the divine soul, rapidly gathered from the meridians and bones throughout his body and funneled into this droplet. Under the influence of this lunar essence, the brilliant white droplet began to writhe slowly.

The Blood of the Black Tortoise! At this point, without needing anyone to remind him, Ji Changkong was certain that this drop, which did not resemble ordinary blood, must have originated from the Sacred Beast Black Tortoise! Only the blood of the Sacred Beast Black Tortoise could possess such an aura, carrying a power that was simultaneously watery and chillingly strange.

The Black Tortoise's power over water, the essence of the moonlight—this was a necessary step for disciples cultivating the Moon Essence Sect! The Tortoise's power could transform into water, and water could induce the essence of the moon. The Black Tortoise's drop of vital essence blood was indeed mysteriously profound, allowing Ji Changkong, merely in the Seven Stars Heaven Realm, to borrow the power of the moon’s essence! A further surge of mental power poured entirely into the Youmen acupoint, guiding this vital essence blood from the Sacred Beast Black Tortoise to slowly crawl out beyond the acupoint.

Just outside the Youmen acupoint was a blood vessel. As the white Black Tortoise blood seeped out of the acupoint, it behaved as if possessing its own life awareness, actively drilling into the vessel.

A thunderous shock resonated in his mind! All the divine consciousness penetrating his body instantly retreated to his brain.

Like heavenly thunder striking terrestrial fire, the blood flowing throughout Ji Changkong’s meridians and vessels suddenly erupted, as if ignited explosives.

The blood erupted! The fusion process between the Sacred Beast Black Tortoise’s blood and Ji Changkong's existing blood was far from a pleasant experience! An agonizing, bone-deep sting spread to every corner where blood flowed! Despite being just a single drop of the Sacred Beast Black Tortoise’s vital essence, the immense power it contained spurred all the blood within him into violent action.

Ji Changkong’s face contorted, and under the cloak of night, he roared toward the sky like the most savage beast.

The terrifying pain arrived quickly, and departed even faster! Suddenly, all the pain receded like a tidal wave, replaced by an overwhelming sensation of comfort and relaxation throughout his body.

The blood miraculously settled down, continuing its slow flow, as if nothing had happened moments before.

The vast celestial moonlight poured down, vanishing into his body like water into the sea.

The essence of the moonlight, following his meridians and bones, slowly merged into his internal blood. Ji Changkong, no longer howling at the sky, distinctly felt his blood slowly gathering strength!