The skinny old man, whom the Origin Poison had called a fool, split the heavens with a single sword strike, only to immediately revert to his mad, vacant state, his eyes staring blankly at the rubble and shattered walls, as if utterly unaware of what had just transpired.

Yi Rou felt a warmth spread through her entire body; her damaged spirit rapidly healed. Under the influence of a soft, wondrous power, her soul seemed to have consumed a divine elixir, slowly advancing in a manner she could not comprehend.

Sitting there, even Yi Rou’s bright glasses were clouded with confusion. She seemed genuinely unable to grasp everything happening around her, nor could she pinpoint the source of the intense, aching pain that had just surged from the depths of her soul.

She had only seen a sword fly out from behind the old man. The sword energy annihilated the luxurious building she was in, and the ensuing spray of debris blocked her view. Thus, she knew nothing of what happened after the sword shot skyward.

An old man, a slightly dull young girl, sitting amidst the ruins—to an outsider, they appeared like two simpletons.

The heaven-splitting long sword paused mid-air for a moment. Then, it slowly descended, intelligently seeking out the old man, landing gently behind him.

The crazed, senile old man possessed an instinctual dependence on that massive broadsword. He snatched it up swiftly, expertly swinging it back over his shoulders. The movement was practiced to perfection, as if repeated a thousand times, utterly natural.

Ji Changkong and the Origin Poison watched the thin old man from a distance, their expressions peculiar.

“Kongkong, this old rogue is far mightier than you. If you possessed his strength, those petty little ghost demons would have been cleaved in two by your blade long ago.”

The Origin Poison swayed erratically, zipping playfully around Ji Changkong. When he darted in front of Ji Changkong, he deliberately stared hard with his small eyes.

Waving away the Origin Poison that obstructed his view, Ji Changkong gazed at the sword-bearing, slight old man, murmuring thoughtfully, “In that moment, he was absolutely lucid. Without that profound clarity, Yi Rou’s spirit would have been utterly annihilated.”

“That old fellow is scatterbrained, but the strength of his spirit cannot be underestimated. Even when I got too close, I felt an unbearable prickling discomfort. The old dog is formidable,” the Origin Poison scoffed.

Smiling, Ji Changkong nodded. “Enough playing around. Go back and rest now!”

“Kongkong, Grandpa still wants to breathe some fresh air!” The Origin Poison complained, protesting loudly, “The moment you don't need me, you turn your back on me! I hate you!”

“There will be plenty of chances to breathe fresh air later. Stop the nonsense and go rest inside.” Ji Changkong cajoled and tricked the Origin Poison until he reluctantly returned to the Tianyuan Pearl.

His expression turning serious, Ji Changkong watched the rapidly approaching Yi Kui, Yi Huoshan, Yi Qu, and the other members of the Yi family. Once this contingent neared, he sighed heavily, his face grave. “It is unfortunate. The Ghost Demon King still managed to escape.”

The excitement and fervor on the faces of Yi Kui and his group vanished instantly at his words.

“He escaped even after all that? What are we to do?” Yi Qu grew greatly anxious, his face mournful as he lamented, “Such a creature is so inherently wicked, and its power so terrifying. Allowing them to live free in the world—it is truly our greatest sorrow!”

“There’s nothing to be done. Their life forms are different from ours. That Ghost Demon King is practically immortal; eradicating him completely is monumentally difficult,” Ji Changkong admitted, shaking his head with a wry smile.

The Heavenly Scholars from East Heaven Peak, who had crossed over through the Yi family’s inner courtyard, also heard this and were instantly shrouded in gloom and deep worry.

“The good news is that the Ghost Demon King took a severe blow this time. He won’t be causing widespread harm anytime soon. For now, we don't need to worry excessively,” Ji Changkong said, giving Yi Kui a meaningful smile. “Furthermore, the Yi family is not without countermeasures. I suspect the Ghost Demon King has been thoroughly intimidated by this defeat and won't bother East Heaven Peak again.”

Yi Kui felt slightly relieved, smiling and nodding in agreement. “I truly never imagined he possessed such power. This is truly a blessing for the Yi family!”

The others nodded frequently, smiles returning to their faces.

That skinny old man, with just one sword strike, had severely wounded the Ghost Demon King, forcing his retreat from the Yi family grounds. With such a terrifying figure present on East Heaven Peak, the Yi family truly had little to fear.

“Elder Yi, remember, the key still lies with Yi Rou,” Ji Changkong reminded, fearful that Yi Kui might misunderstand the situation.

Yi Kui appeared to grasp the implication, glancing towards Yi Rou and nodding secretly to himself. In the future, I must look after this little ancestor carefully. Without her presence, he might not offer his help again.

Good deeds are rewarded; Yi Rou’s unwavering kindness over the years had brought the family, and herself, a powerful ally. This, too, was destiny’s will.

“Nephew, we truly thank you this time. If you hadn't offered your aid to my Yi family, we likely would not have survived this catastrophe,” Yi Kui chuckled lightly, his address to Ji Changkong suddenly much warmer. “Xuanyuan Valley isn't too far from East Heaven Peak. We should maintain close ties in the future, ha! I know Xuanyuan Valley has the support of the Ghost Sect and the Xiao family, making your intelligence network quite sharp.”

“However, my Yi family occupies a strategic position on East Heaven Peak, giving us certain advantages. Regarding the Eastern Sea, our understanding and sources of intelligence should be more accurate and faster than the Xiao family’s. Haha, Nephew, if you ever need anything in the future, just ask. Whatever the Yi family can manage, we will not delay!”

While Yi Rou could influence the old man, he was, after all, somewhat unstable. Whether he could be relied upon at a crucial moment was uncertain. To stake the entire family's fate on him—a wise leader would never approve such a gamble.

Xuanyuan Valley was the closest to East Heaven Peak and a powerful force proven in trials. Ji Changkong’s arrival alone, almost single-handedly repelling the Ghost Demon King and forcing him into hiding, was enough to make Yi Kui look at him with immense respect.

How truly powerful was the Xuanyuan Valley, harboring the great Demon Owl? Yi Kui needed no further explanation to know the answer.

Ji Changkong and Yi Kui conversed convivially. Yi Kui, having lived so many years, knew precisely how to flatter someone, making them feel utterly comfortable without a hint of awkwardness.

Yi Lie spent the entire time discussing the complementary strengths of cooperation between the Yi family and Xuanyuan Valley. Ji Changkong was most worried he would inquire about the Origin Poison, but Yi Kui meticulously avoided the subject.

Moreover, any tactless person who tried to press Ji Changkong about the Origin Poison’s background was skillfully steered away by Yi Kui. After two or three such attempts, everyone understood the unspoken boundary, and no one dared to pester Ji Changkong further.

Experience truly makes one wiser! Ji Changkong reflected inwardly.

After settling some local affairs on East Heaven Peak, Yi Kui personally took his hand and led him deep into the Yi family compound to discuss the details of the alliance between the two factions.

Yi Kui even subtly hinted at the possibility of a marriage alliance between the families, presenting a selection of beautiful young women from the three generations of the Yi family whose temperament and looks were excellent, much like a seasoned merchant hawking wares to Ji Changkong.

Now, the one thing Ji Changkong feared least was precisely this sort of entanglement. He immediately alluded to having no such plans presently, tactfully declining Yi Kui’s kind offer.

Yi Kui, far from being offended, heaped praise upon Ji Changkong, declaring that at such a young age, possessing such lofty ambition without being ensnared by romance marked him as a man destined for greatness.

Ji Changkong smiled but remained silent.

Soon, the Yi family and Xuanyuan Valley reached a preliminary consensus on their cooperation; deeper details would be hammered out over time.

Concerned about the situation in the Eastern Sea, Ji Changkong sorted through the latest intelligence gleaned from Yi Kui. After receiving some fresh updates from that region, he stated his intention to depart for the Eastern Sea as soon as possible.

Yi Kui clearly understood the deep bond between Ji Changkong and Li Hentian and did not try to stop him. Instead, he even shared details of the Yi family’s network of contacts in various parts of the Eastern Sea, promising Ji Changkong the ability to utilize those connections there.

For Ji Changkong, this was an unexpected bonus.

Since the Yi family resided on East Heaven Peak, nearly all forces and sects traveling from the Eastern Sea to the Central Lands made a stop there for a few days. Heavenly Cultivators who constantly sourced rare materials in the Eastern Sea to sell inland always considered East Heaven Peak a necessary waypoint.

Because of this sustained interaction, many Eastern Sea sects and families maintained close ties with East Heaven Peak, and those families rooted in the Eastern Sea secretly favored the Yi family.

In the Eastern Sea, the Yi family’s influence was considerably greater than that of the Xiao or Chen families. With Yi Kui’s guarantee, Ji Changkong’s network upon arrival would become vastly more intricate. He might even receive news from the Eastern Sea faster than some of the deeply established local sects.

With the networks of the Xiao, Duan, Chen, and now the Yi families established, he was casting a vast net before even reaching the coast; any ripple, however small, from the Eastern Sea would quickly fall into his grasp.

Without lingering further with Yi Kui, Ji Changkong bid farewell, visited Chen Hongji for a final deep conversation, and then departed East Heaven Peak amidst the noisy complaints of Chen Bao’er.

“Hmph! I’ve got your number, you really left me behind to go play!” Chen Bao’er watched Ji Changkong’s disappearing figure, biting her fair, white teeth lightly in vexed murmurs.

Chen Hongji stood bending at the doorway, his plump face smiling warmly at her. “Bao’er, now is hardly the time for sight-seeing in the Eastern Sea. You saw the terror of the Ghost Demon King. Remember, there is another fiend like that dwelling in the Eastern Sea.”

“What’s there to fear?” Chen Bao’er tilted her chin up in disdain. “He was beaten and run off by one brat and one crazy old man. Not so impressive.”

Chen Hongji could only shake his head helplessly, unsure what to say.

Returning to the depths of the Lingbao Pavilion, Chen Hongji sealed all the doors and descended into a secret underground chamber. The stone walls were carved with numerous small and large recesses, each filled with scrolls of varying thicknesses.

Spreading out a sheet of the finest white paper, Chen Hongji picked up his brush and recorded a special coded dispatch.

“Patriarch, that piece of Wicked Dragon Bone was given to Ji Changkong, but it was devoured and absorbed by the entity within him.”

“In the battle at East Heaven Peak, the Yi family held firm thanks to the aid of Ji Changkong and the creature within him.”

“That madman Hong Mandun is terrifying. His single sword strike split the firmament; it was dreadful!”

Everything that had transpired at East Heaven Peak in recent days was transcribed onto the paper without omission. Once finished, Chen Hongji summoned a messenger hawk and dispatched the letter.

On a massive, swiftly moving meteor, dense clusters of shadowy, pitch-black masses clung to the surface. In the boundless void of stars, the view shimmered and shifted mysteriously.

The shadowy mass on the meteor slowly writhed, gradually reforming its shape. After an indeterminate time, the mass returned to a human form.

It was, unmistakably, the Ghost Demon King who had vanished from East Heaven Peak.

A reinforced Ghost Demon with four ears and two horns lay weakly upon the meteor, its shadowy substance slowly diminishing.

The Endless Star Domain was the most demanding environment for conserving power; many areas lacked ambient elemental energy for replenishment. As the meteor hurtled onward, the entities had to expend soul energy simply to cling tightly to the surface and avoid being flung off.

The Ghost Demon King’s form gradually solidified.

A pair of cold, malevolent eyes flickered across the meteor as he stared at the passing stars, seemingly calculating something in the distance.

“Master, we’ve been pulled into spatial turbulence. What shall we do? Can we ever return?” A Ghost Demon that had evolved four ears and four horns stared blankly at the Ghost Demon King, confusion clouding its gaze.

This four-eared, four-horned creature differed not only in appearance from the common demons but also possessed eyes faintly tainted with inky blackness, rolling busily.

Clearly, it possessed a higher intellect than the average demon.

The Ghost Demon King glanced dismissively at the fastest evolving subordinate. His icy eyes were filled with boundless hatred. “I can sense the direction of our homeland. Fear not, we will return.”

“Master, your strength has depleted too much. You urgently need to replenish your energy. Only when you are strong can you lead us back home,” this demon fawned, prostrating itself at the Ghost Demon King’s feet, nodding repeatedly.

“We will follow this meteor. As soon as we encounter a living star, we will go there. Any living creature can become sustenance and energy for our lives. We will recover quickly,” the Ghost Demon King declared, his cold eyes sweeping over the passing stars, his spiritual power extending outward, grasping for any potential life source.

In the Endless Star Domain, the concept of time was absent. The Ghost Demon King had no idea how long he had remained on the meteor.

With no energy replenishment, the Ghost Demon King’s soul power continuously drained away. In his severe state, not only could he not recover, but his injuries worsened, and the very essence of his life began to subtly unravel.

Of the demons that had plunged into the spatial turbulence with him, only the four-eared, four-horned one remained. All the others had exhausted their life force entirely, vanishing into the Endless Star Domain that had claimed countless lives.

The meteor continued its swift journey, seemingly without end. The four-eared, four-horned demon lay prone, having long since ceased making any sound. If it weren't for the minuscule, slow movement of its life essence, one might have assumed it, too, had scattered its soul.

The Ghost Demon King, a creature of ultimate wickedness birthed by the Five Elements Continent, knew no fatigue and possessed none of the human weakness called 'giving up.' To survive and seek life, he minimized the fluctuations of his draining soul and ceased any large-scale mental sweeping.

Everything was focused on continuing to live!

An earthen-yellow star slowly drifted into the range of his soul perception, just like the thousands of other stars that had rushed past him.

Points of light, varying in soul strength and power, transmitted signals from that star.

The Ghost Demon King, dormant for so long, suddenly stood up. He seized the four-eared, four-horned demon, which was near death, and released the meager soul power he had painstakingly conserved. Like a wisp of light smoke, he finally lifted off the meteor and flew toward the top of that earthen-yellow star.

In the vast, boundless reaches of the stars, wonders existed that humanity could scarcely imagine.

That star, humming with the presence of souls, was about to welcome a devastating nightmare beyond its wildest dreams due to the arrival of the Ghost Demon King.

The sky was azure, the water was blue, and the Eastern Sea rippled with jade-green waves, vast and boundless.

Soaring close to the sea surface, Ji Changkong, with the palm-sized Origin Poison perched on his shoulder, laughed heartily as they sped toward the Eastern Sea.

“Little Poison, that bone fragment you devoured—is it truly from the Endless Star Domain? How did you know?”

“Just like the Tianyuan Pearl, that bone definitely originated from the Dead Star Domain. That old rogue knows nothing, and I benefited from his ignorance, ha!” the Origin Poison boasted proudly.

“The power within that bone fragment is extremely bizarre. Even when I held it, I could sense the evil power trying to invade from within, a force that seemed to penetrate everywhere, possessing a kind of alluring influence over the soul,” Ji Changkong recalled his handling of the bone fragment with lingering apprehension.

“Indeed, the power in the bone is venomous. Heh heh, but when it met Grandpa here, it still ended up assimilated by me! Kongkong, you don't realize, the Dead Star Domain is a marvelous place. When you get stronger, and my soul can simulate your divine form, we must go explore it,” the Origin Poison dreamed.

“What’s there?” Ji Changkong knew he had gleaned information from within the Tianyuan Pearl, but the little rogue constantly kept him in suspense without revealing much.

“Everything you desire is there!” The Origin Poison grinned, baring his teeth at Ji Changkong. “Don’t look so fierce. I’ll tell you just one thing: the Tai Xu Secret Record you cultivate, the Star Cloud Soul Refining Technique, the Tianyuan Pearl, that bone fragment—they all likely hail from the Dead Star Domain.”

“Furthermore, within the Dead Star Domain reside ancient life forms comparable to the Four Sacred Beasts, perhaps even older and mightier than them!”