Xun Yunhai, the steward of the Xiao family on Fire Coral Island and a significant leader of the Xiao family across the East Sea, was a master of the Seven Star Heaven realm.
Xiao Yunhai and Xiao Yunduan were full brothers. Xiao Yunhai, the elder, had learned a great deal about Ji Changkong from Xiao Yunduan, and upon hearing of Ji Changkong's arrival, he rushed back almost immediately from outside to offer a warm welcome.
As the primary representative of the Xiao family in the East Sea, Xiao Yunhai possessed an intimate understanding of the region's situation. Any questions Ji Changkong might have could likely be answered by him.
The Blood Emperor had proclaimed the slogan of "Slaying the Devil," summoning masters from the great sects and families of the East Sea to convene at the former site of the "Blood Pool" to jointly plot the demise of the Ghost Demon King.
The celestial masters' sects across the entire East Sea had recently been thrown into chaos by the Ghost Demon King. Only the Blood Emperor had managed to repel the Ghost Demon King, and once his cultivation level in the Nine Palaces Heaven realm was revealed, the Blood Emperor subtly emerged as the de facto leader of the major sects and families in the East Sea, becoming the hope for countless celestial masters there.
Consequently, the Blood Emperor’s call was answered by all; masters of the great celestial arts in the East Sea responded to his summons, preparing to participate in the Demon Slaying Assembly he was hosting.
The Huoyun Sect of Fire Coral Island was one such participant.
Hoping to establish a connection with the Blood Emperor and secure the safety of his own sect, Huowang, the Sect Master of the Huoyun Sect, intended to procure a valuable gift to present upon his worship of the Blood Emperor, hoping this might foster a closer relationship.
This sentiment was shared by many sects and families across the East Sea.
The waters around Fire Coral Island were frequented by giant sharks, some of which were quite formidable. These sharks were veritable treasures: their teeth, once refined, could serve as primary materials for divine weapons; their sharkskin could be made into scabbards or forged into protective armor; and their spinal bones could be fashioned into harpoons with astonishing piercing power.
Legend held that deep within the waters near Fire Coral Island resided a Shark King. If this Shark King could be hunted down and its body, brimming with precious materials, offered to the Blood Emperor, it would surely win his substantial regard.
This was the plan and motivation of the Huoyun Sect.
“So, you're saying every major celestial master in the East Sea is currently trying to curry favor with the Blood Emperor?” After listening to Xiao Yunhai’s account of the Blood Emperor, Ji Changkong furrowed his brow deeply and asked mildly.
Xiao Yunhai’s face was filled with reverence. He stated in a deep voice, “Indeed. The East Sea has more celestial masters than the Central Plains, but regrettably, truly exceptional masters are exceedingly rare. Over these many years, the East Sea has never produced a Nine Palaces Heaven master, which has always been a point of regret for our celestial practitioners here.”
“The appearance of the Blood Emperor immediately galvanized all the celestial masters in the East Sea, especially since he arrived precisely when the Ghost Demon King began his rampage and instantly repelled the fiend. At such a critical juncture, his emergence instantly made him the focus of everyone’s attention.”
“This man is formidable.” Though an adversary, Ji Changkong had to admit that this Blood Emperor understood the art of momentum and the exploitation of timing perfectly.
“Yes. People hold him in such high regard even without having seen him, just based on the timing he chose. It shows how perfectly he timed his arrival,” Xiao Yunhai said with a wry smile. “A person so adept at creating momentum cannot be simple. Once he gathers the people of the East Sea, a mere display of appropriate grace could immediately win him the trust and support of the masses.”
After a pause, Xiao Yunhai added, “If he truly manages to lead the people to destroy the Ghost Demon King, his status and prestige in the East Sea will rival peak existences like Cao Xuanqi, Gu Ya, or the Asura King. If he gains too much power, it might not be good news for us.”
As an important figure in the Xiao family, Xiao Yunhai was clearly aware of the long-standing feud between the Ji family and the "Blood Pool." He naturally did not wish to see the Blood Emperor rally the heroes and consolidate all the celestial power of the East Sea.
“With so many celestial masters in the East Sea, if he truly becomes dominant here, it might not be a blessing for our Central Plains!” Ji Changkong also expressed deep concern.
Xiao Yunhai fell silent.
“However, completely eradicating the Ghost Demon King will not be easy,” Ji Changkong smiled, a hint of mockery touching the corners of his lips, and stated lightly, “Mere numbers are not always effective against such foreign entities. Driving them off might be simple, but killing them? Heh heh, I am not optimistic about their success.”
Xiao Yunhai’s eyes lit up.
“Very well. Since the Blood Emperor intends to deal with the Ghost Demon King, let him do it. As long as the Ghost Demon King remains in the East Sea, it seems we won't have to worry about the Blood Emperor marching on our Xuanyuan Valley.” At this point, Ji Changkong’s expression turned cold. “Hmph. Even if he dared come to Xuanyuan Valley, we wouldn't necessarily fear him. Dealing with a Nine Palaces Heaven master doesn't always require brute force.”
He had never used the Origin Poison to harm anyone, but that didn't mean he wouldn't. If the Blood Emperor truly dared to lead the East Sea masters to attack Xuanyuan Valley, pushing him too far, Ji Changkong would unleash the Origin Poison for a massacre.
He and the Origin Poison together could force the Ghost Demon King back. Unlike the Ghost Demon King, whose divine soul was nearly indestructible, the Origin Poison had a high probability of directly poisoning and killing a Nine Palaces Heaven master if deployed.
Furthermore, the Holy Beast Azure Dragon lay dormant deep beneath Xuanyuan Valley, and as a descendant of the Four Holy Beasts, the Azure Dragon might very well lend a hand at a crucial moment.
And then there was his maternal grandfather, Gu Ya…
Considering all this, Ji Changkong had no fear of the Blood Emperor's retaliation.
“An elder from the Guiyuan Sect visited Fire Coral Island five days ago. He stayed for a day and left the next morning, flying towards the boundless sea area to the northwest,” after concluding his report on the Blood Emperor and the Ghost Demon King, Xiao Yunhai began reporting on the matter that concerned Ji Changkong more.
Ji Changkong knew that the cultivation spot of Li Hentian was located in the sea area northwest of Fire Coral Island, a region known as the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone. Legend claimed that evil sea demons operated there, a region even many East Sea celestial masters usually avoided.
That area was riddled with numerous islands, constant turbulent currents, and storms. It was vast, so even if the three elders of the Guiyuan Sect had gone five days early, finding Li Hentian without knowing his precise location would be no easy task.
Therefore, upon hearing that the Guiyuan Sect elders had only departed five days ago, Ji Changkong immediately felt relieved.
“Besides the Guiyuan Sect, how many others headed towards the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone?” Ji Changkong asked again.
“Quite a few went there, and many more traveled to that area without passing through Fire Coral Island…” Xiao Yunduan listed the names of some figures he knew, then added with a hint of admiration, “Young Master Ji, by having Xuanyuan Valley declare its stance, you prompted the Chen family, Blood Rain Mountain, and even the Duan family to step forward. A few days ago, Tian Shan also stated that Li Hentian remains a man of Tian Shan, which made…”
“Honestly speaking, the number of people heading to the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone is far fewer than we anticipated.”
“Uncle Yunhai, Zhao Yubo and the other two from the Huoyun Sect are here to see you.” Outside, a young man from the Xiao family bowed respectfully. When he looked up slightly, his gaze towards Ji Changkong was full of worship and deference.
Xiao Yunhai, who was speaking with Ji Changkong, frowned slightly and waved a hand, “Ask the three of them to wait a moment.”
“Uncle Yunhai, I know Young Master Ji is here and told them beforehand, but Zhao Yu and Bo insisted they have urgent matters and must see you immediately,” the Xiao family youth said with a distressed face.
A flash of anger crossed Xiao Yunhai’s eyes, and he gave a soft grunt. “I understand, I’ll be right there.”
The youth bowed and retreated.
“Ha, no matter. I’ll go out and see them as well. I’ve met those three before,” before Xiao Yunhai could apologize, Ji Changkong preempted him with a wave, standing up with a smile.
Xiao Yunhai chuckled, “Here at Fire Coral Island, our Xiao family inevitably has dealings with the Huoyun Sect. Through the Jianyun Sect, we’ve also acquired quite a few rare cultivation materials from the East Sea.”
Ji Changkong nodded without saying much more, walking out alongside him.
The three Seven Star Heaven masters sitting there with haughty postures were, as expected, the same three Ji Changkong had encountered earlier who were looking to hunt the giant shark. While inside, Ji Changkong had already discerned this fact through their divine souls and auras.
Zhao Yubo, the leader with the long beard, gave a cold, arrogant nod upon seeing Xiao Yunhai approach. But when he saw Ji Changkong behind Xiao Yunhai, his brow suddenly furrowed.
“What is the matter that brings the three of you here in such a rush?” Xiao Yunhai asked with a smile, not showing annoyance at their manner.
“Our Sect Master desires a powerful weapon to catch the Shark King. We heard that the Spirit Treasure Pavilion in the Central Plains specializes in such implements. Our Sect Master hopes to commission your Xiao family to procure the specialized weapon used by the Chen family for capturing fierce beasts! The Demon Slaying Assembly is fast approaching; time is of the essence. Our Sect Master hopes the Xiao family can expedite this matter for our Huoyun Sect!” Zhao Yubo made his demands bluntly.
The Chen family indeed possessed the Stinging Dragon Spear, a spiritual treasure about ten meters long, capable of piercing the vital organs of massive creatures. It was specially refined by the Chen family for hunting Flood Dragons and was rarely lent out.
However, Ji Changkong was surprised. He scrutinized the three from the Huoyun Sect for a moment, then glanced at the still-smiling Xiao Yunhai, and suspicion immediately arose.
The Stinging Dragon Spear was a supreme treasure of the Chen family and would not be lent out easily. Of course, with the Xiao family's connections through Xuanyuan Valley, securing a loan of the Chen family’s spear was quite possible.
But why were the Huoyun Sect members so arrogant when they clearly needed a favor? What confidence did they rely on?
“The Stinging Dragon Spear is a treasure of the Chen family; we are not certain if we can secure the loan, but our Xiao family will certainly do our utmost,” Xiao Yunhai replied, his smile unwavering, without rising to the bait.
“Our Sect Master needs it urgently; we hope the Xiao family will definitely handle this for us! Over the years, our Huoyun Sect and your Xiao family have always cooperated pleasantly. Don’t let this issue jeopardize the friendship of the Huoyun Sect!” Zhao Yubo snorted coldly, stood up abruptly, gave Xiao Yunhai a cold look, and then swept out with the other two.
“Why the need for such grievance?” Once the Huoyun Sect trio left, Ji Changkong asked Xiao Yunhai calmly, “Why such deference?”
Xiao Yunhai shook his head and sighed softly, helplessly stating, “Young Master Ji, this matter is related to you…”
“How so?” Ji Changkong was surprised.
“Our cooperation with the Huoyun Sect has always been smooth over the years. However, ever since our Xiao family allied with your Ji family, friction has gradually arisen between the Huoyun Sect and our Xiao family. Our originally friendly cooperative relationship has slowly changed.”
“Why?” Ji Changkong was utterly perplexed.
The smile on Xiao Yunhai’s face grew increasingly bitter. He shook his head slightly before explaining with resignation, “The previous generation’s Xuanyuan from the Ji family visited the East Sea and stirred up enormous waves. Many East Sea sects and families incurred deep grudges against the previous Xuanyuan. Moreover, the grievances were not shallow.”
“The previous Xuanyuan’s style of conduct was rather overbearing, though he certainly possessed the strength to back his arrogance. Nonetheless, his manner offended quite a few people in the East Sea, and the Huoyun Sect was one such sect.”
Without needing further explanation, Ji Changkong understood immediately.
Indeed, previous generations of the Ji family’s Xuanyuan were accustomed to arrogant behavior, making enemies even in the Central Plains. To them, the East Sea was merely uncivilized territory, so showing mercy in conflict was unthinkable.
The previous Xuanyuan had not only nearly wiped out the ancient East Sea sect, the "Blood Pool," but also offended numerous East Sea sects and families. In the eyes of many East Sea celestial masters and sects, the Ji family’s Xuanyuan lineage were unpredictable madmen who disregarded rules.
The news that the Xiao family had relocated to Xuanyuan Valley and allied with the Ji family naturally could not be hidden from major East Sea sects like the Huoyun Sect. Due to the Ji family’s history, the Huoyun Sect and the Xiao family had several disputes. If not for the extensive trade between them, they might have already broken ties completely.
Although they hadn't reached that point yet, a rift had formed in their relationship, and the disciples of the Huoyun Sect held growing dissatisfaction towards the Xiao family, which naturally manifested in their attitude.
“So that’s how it is,” Ji Changkong said with a wry smile, shaking his head. He asked, “Since the Huoyun Sect has made their displeasure clear, and this attitude is unlikely to change, are your Xiao family simply going to endure this indefinitely?”
“The trade volume between the two sides is too deep. For now, they haven't torn faces over vested interests, but things might change later,” Xiao Yunhai sighed softly. He added, “We received word that the Huoyun Sect has already begun contacting other families and sects in the Central Plains. They are looking to find new partners there, bypassing our Xiao family. Once they secure that, they might unilaterally terminate cooperation with us.”
“Besides the Huoyun Sect, are there other sects with the same intention? I know your Xiao family cooperates with more than just the Huoyun Sect in the East Sea,” Ji Changkong inquired.
Xiao Yunhai slowly nodded, his smile laced with bitterness. “Besides the Huoyun Sect, there are several other sects in the same situation.”
Ji Changkong was momentarily speechless. He truly hadn't expected the Ji family’s Xuanyuan lineage to have such a terrible reputation in the East Sea—so bad that those major sects were willing to sacrifice some benefits just to draw a clear line between themselves and the Ji family.
“It seems that if the Blood Emperor moves against our Ji family, he could truly rally widespread support in the East Sea,” Ji Changkong’s expression darkened, making him increasingly aware that the Blood Emperor posed a significant threat to Xuanyuan Valley.
“Young Master Ji, you need not worry about these matters. Our Xiao family has operated in the East Sea for many years… we won't be easily crushed. Please focus on resolving Elder Li’s situation.” Xiao Yunhai offered comfort.
Ji Changkong nodded slowly, his eyes gleaming brightly. “I have taken note of this matter. Yes, I cannot linger on Fire Coral Island for long; I must head to the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone sooner.”
After having Xiao Yunhai fetch stationery and ink to write a letter for him to send to Xuanyuan Valley, Ji Changkong departed Fire Coral Island, continuing his journey towards the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone.
The Sea Demon Forbidden Zone was a region in the East Sea that made people’s faces change color at the mere mention of it. People had only heard tales of the sea demons within; no one claimed to have seen them. However, the Forbidden Zone was plagued by violent storms, massive waves, and countless bizarre, ferocious sea beasts.
The beasts within the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone were incredibly savage and seemed to possess an innate aversion to humans. Even skilled celestial masters rarely gained the upper hand if they accidentally engaged these sea beasts. The mysterious Forbidden Zone was rumored to hide the corpses of countless powerful celestial masters.
After confirming his bearings on Fire Coral Island, Ji Changkong traveled towards the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone. Perhaps it was luck, but after leaving Fire Coral Island, he encountered neither dense fog nor towering waves. The journey proceeded smoothly, and three days later, he arrived at the sparsely populated Forbidden Zone.
When the blue seawater took on a darker hue, Ji Changkong immediately knew he had reached the waters of the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone.
The dark blue water was unique to this specific area of the East Sea. Legend claimed that the water here turned dark blue because the inky black liquid secreted by the terrifying sea demons neutralized the deep blue of the ocean.
The Origin Poison, lazily draped over Ji Changkong’s shoulder, squinted in the sun, looking listlessly at the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone ahead. It asked, “Is this the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone that makes people in the East Sea turn pale at the sound of it? It doesn't look like much. Quite ordinary!”
“I can’t see anything different either. Perhaps there’s some strangeness inside. Old Li choosing this place to break through to the Nine Palaces Heaven realm must have a reason. Maybe this place really is different,” Ji Changkong released his divine sense but detected nothing unusual in the sea.
Arched boulders slowly emerged ahead. Carved onto one giant rock, the size of a small mountain, were several bold, powerful characters: "Sea God’s Territory. Trespassers Die!"
In the East Sea, legends of sea demons were ancient; they were said to have existed since the dawn of the East Sea itself.
Many East Sea people worshipped the sea demons as ocean gods. While the Central Plains called them 'Sea Demons,' many in the East Sea referred to them as the 'Sea God.'
Sea God’s Territory. Trespassers Die!
These eight large characters were deeply etched onto the massive rock, visible to anyone who passed by.
“Such arrogance!” The Origin Poison seemed to find something interesting, staring at the eight characters and snorting.
Ji Changkong merely smiled, treating the eight characters not as a serious warning. He calmly led the Origin Poison forward, completely disregarding the threat implied by the inscription.
Within the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone, there were many islands, large and small, scattered like stars across the sea. Entering this Forbidden Zone that struck fear into the hearts of the East Sea people, Ji Changkong appeared relaxed. He looked around as he flew slowly towards the southwest of the Forbidden Zone, his divine sense subtly probing.
“Kong Kong, look! Dead people over there!” The Origin Poison suddenly became excited, pointing towards a coral reef ahead and shouting gleefully.
A row of eight corpses lay there, baked dry by the scorching sun, completely devoid of moisture. These eight corpses had clearly been dead for a long time; their skin was split and cracked, and large chunks of flesh had been torn away, leaving deep hollows where their eyes should have been in their skulls—the eyeballs were gone.
Dried blood trailed down their cheeks, indicating that their eyes had likely been gouged out by people or beasts, resulting in their current appearance.
The eight corpses were lined up, and each one was propped upright by a massive beast bone, which leaned against the coral reef.
Discovering eight corpses immediately upon entering, Ji Changkong thought it unlucky. Despite the corpses being long dead, by Ji Changkong’s estimation, these eight were by no means common riffraff. Their skeletal structures were hard, and their flesh tough, signs that they were celestial masters who had undergone cultivation, which explained why they hadn't completely decayed.
By whom were these eight celestial masters killed? And why were they displayed like this? Was it a warning? Or a punishment for these eight individuals?
Ji Changkong shook his head. “Let’s go. It has nothing to do with us.”
“Ah, what a waste. Their divine souls are long gone, too, otherwise, we could have questioned them about the situation,” the Origin Poison said with some disappointment.
“Right, you have a powerful divine soul, much like the Ghost Demon King. The Ghost Demon King can directly devour human divine souls and even assimilate them into ghost demons. Do you possess this ability too? I’ve never actually seen you do it,” Ji Changkong’s mind suddenly moved to this question.
The Origin Poison looked at Ji Changkong with utter disdain. “Do you think I am that indiscriminate? Although I also need power to strengthen my soul, I am very selective. The divine souls of most fallen celestial masters contain too much strange energy; they aren't pure enough, filled with too much dross. I only want souls like that.”
“I am different from that little ghost demon. He is an absolute heretic, and even his own soul and power are saturated with too many messy negative energies, which is why he can devour any soul. However, in my view, this method of increasing power is not advisable, as it taints one's own soul. Although it can lead to great strength, the growth of wisdom is slowed by the influence of those garbage souls.”
“So, in the battle at Dongtian Peak last time, I could easily deceive him.”
"The inherent poison, upon hearing this, Ji Changkong slowly nodded. 'No wonder you only absorb power from Black Jade and Origin Crystals. Only power that exists naturally in this way is free from all the messy, unwanted emotions.'"
He understood the implication in the inherent poison's words. A person experiences countless events during growth, and all those experiences leave imprints on the soul. A truly powerful Celestial Master often harbors many chaotic and disordered emotions within their divine soul, preventing their soul power from achieving pure infinity.
A major reason for the difficulty in cultivating a Celestial Master's state of mind is the impurity of the divine soul. From the moment the soul forms, too much dross is mixed in. A Celestial Master’s refinement of the soul is, in essence, a process of shedding that dross.
A Celestial Master who cannot reach the pinnacle will never possess a perfectly pure divine soul. Arbitrarily devouring such souls is not necessarily a beneficial thing—
The Ghost Demon King's actions could indeed boost their power to a terrifying level in a short span, but those chaotic, disordered soul powers would also affect him, making it difficult for his strength to become perfectly refined and pure. This presents a drawback to the growth of their wisdom.
This is why, despite the inherent poison's soul power being far weaker than the Ghost Demon King's, he could still fight the Demon King to a standstill when they truly clashed.
"Little Poison, does that mean I’m in trouble too?" Ji Changkong’s expression shifted as he suddenly remembered. "I've also gained a lot of power from the Tianyuan Bead. And that power was obtained by the Tianyuan Bead swallowing other people’s souls!"
"What are you scared of, hell!" The inherent poison shot him a sidelong glance and chuckled, "The soul power that enters the Tianyuan Bead has already been purified by it once. The power that truly reaches your body is harmless power."
"Besides, that power is only used by you to be unleashed. Once the battle ends, that power returns to the Tianyuan Bead; it doesn't mix into your bones and meridians. To that power, you are merely a conduit for release. What is there to worry about?"
"Heh, I know." Ji Changkong smiled. "I'll be fine because I haven't integrated the Tianyuan Bead's power into my own Yuan Power or bloodline."
After a pause, Ji Changkong fixed his gaze on the inherent poison. "But what about you? I recall that you absorbed some power from the Tianyuan Bead back then? Did any of that power affect you?"
The inherent poison’s small eyes flickered, and he admitted honestly, "Yes. Although the energy from the Tianyuan Bead had been purified once, there was still some influence. It took me considerable effort to strip away the impurities within it."
Hearing his confirmation, Ji Changkong let out a deep sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart.
When the inherent poison first emerged from the Tianyuan Bead, Ji Changkong sensed that his soul power was almost entirely composed of malice and hatred. At that time, Ji Changkong's primary thought was how to destroy him. If he hadn't lacked a viable method and certainty in defeating the inherent poison, he would never have allowed him to live this long.
However, as time passed, he gradually noticed that the vibrant hatred and malice within the inherent poison’s soul were fading. From leaving the East Heaven Peak until reaching the East Sea, because he chatted daily with the inherent poison, he noticed the evil and inherent hatred in the poison’s soul diminishing even further, to the point where it was almost imperceptible.
This had been a lingering doubt in his mind, and only after the inherent poison’s explanation did he truly understand the reason.
"Kongkong, were you constantly uneasy about me?" The inherent poison was sharp and, with just a glance, seemed to grasp Ji Changkong's thoughts.
"I truly was uneasy before," Ji Changkong smiled, then added, "But not anymore."
The inherent poison looked deeply at him for a long time before speaking. "It wasn't easy. You've finally stopped being wary of me constantly. Kongkong, you ungrateful thing! From beginning to end, I never once intended to harm you, yet you were always suspicious, treating me like a thief!"
"I’m sorry." Ji Changkong looked embarrassed.
"I'm not petty; I forgive you!" The inherent poison waved his hand magnanimously.
The invisible barrier that had existed between them finally dissipated completely today.
"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!" A series of murderous roars suddenly echoed from ahead.
Ji Changkong and the inherent poison exchanged a knowing smile and unhurriedly walked in the direction of the sound.
Six Celestial Masters, whose cultivation levels were only at the Five Elements Heaven or Six Harmonies Heaven realms, were aboard a massive iron boat. The boat was rocking violently as long, slender strange fish from the seabed surrounded it, twisting and turning.
These strange fish were long and flat, possessing teeth as sharp as saw blades. Their serrated teeth were currently gnawing at the iron boat with a "creak, hiss" sound, attempting to sink it.
The six Celestial Masters continuously attacked the strange fish in the sea. Unfortunately, the fish were numerous and agile in the water. Most of their attacks missed in the sea, failing to harm the fish at all.
These six Celestial Masters, only at the Five Elements Heaven or Six Harmonies Heaven realms, had clearly traveled by boat because they could not fly through the air within the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone. In the vast, deep ocean lurked many unpredictable dangers. If their iron boat sank, it was highly likely these six would perish.
Ji Changkong and the inherent poison watched the battle between the six Celestial Masters and the strange fish from a distance, squinting their eyes and pondering something.
The inherent poison seemed quite entertained. After sweeping his small eyes over the strange fish for a while, he suddenly chuckled, "Kongkong, those strange fish are quite interesting. They aren't fighting the six head-on, but focusing on breaking the boat. Heh, they found the right method. In my opinion, those six are finished. They can't even fly, yet they dare to adventure into the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone—that's practically asking to die, isn't it?"
"I wonder why these six came to the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone. If their goal isn't Old Li, I might be willing to lend them a hand. But if they came here intending to kill Old Li..." Ji Changkong hesitated slightly.
"With just these six? They dream of killing him!" the inherent poison snorted.
"You don't understand. At this time, if he is discovered, even a child could succeed," Ji Changkong gently shook his head, staring closely at the six, his heart heavy with indecision.
Li Hentian had enemies everywhere in the world. The news that he was currently in the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone was likely known to many. Those rushing to the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone during this period had a high probability of targeting him.
Anyone who dared to ignore the warnings from Xuanyuan Valley and the Heavenly Mountain to seek out Li Hentian in the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone could be judged as an enemy. Ji Changkong suspected the six were likely this kind of person, hence his hesitation.
"Let's save them first. If their goal is him, killing them afterward is simple enough," the inherent poison suggested.
"Yes, let’s do that." Nodding, a sharp light flashed in Ji Changkong's eyes; he had made up his mind.
Having decided, Ji Changkong immediately flew toward that area, landing above the iron boat of the six. Ji Changkong took a deep breath and suddenly released the influence of his divine soul.
A sharp surge of soul thought, almost tangible, shot into the seawater beneath the iron boat. The water seemed to boil instantly.
Those extremely sharp soul thoughts carried a strong warning implication. Although the strange fish had very weak souls, they still...
In just a moment, with Ji Changkong's divine soul intervention, the strange fish surrounding the iron boat dispersed.
The six exhausted Celestial Masters were almost slumped over on the iron boat. They had been entirely focused on dealing with the strange fish around them and hadn't noticed anyone above or perceived Ji Changkong standing proudly in the void looking down on them.
"They're finally gone," muttered a man in his thirties, visibly tired, slumping onto the deck. He forced himself to sit cross-legged to recover his depleted Yuan Power in preparation for any surprise attack. "To run into tooth-sharp fish that even bite through an iron boat right after entering. Who knows what we’ll face next."
"These strange fish appeared strangely, and they retreated even more strangely. I don't know what happened," said a tall, graceful woman with sharp, short hair, her bright eyes full of confusion.
She wore a tight-fitting leather suit made of some kind of animal hide. The leather was dark and lustrous, clinging to her graceful figure and accentuating her alluring curves in a way that made the blood race.
This beauty appeared to be in her mid-twenties, in the prime of her youth. Her face was already striking, and combined with her bold attire, she exuded a savage beauty.
Ji Changkong sensed that among the six, her cultivation—already at the Six Harmonies Heaven realm—was the highest. When she spoke, the other five immediately paid attention, as if she were the leader of the group.
Besides her, the other five were all rugged, big men. When they listened to her speak, their eyes frequently roved over her body, each one audibly swallowing, clearly harboring improper thoughts about her.
The wild beauty didn't seem bothered by their bold gazes. She frowned slightly. "Everyone, learn from Hong Ge and use every moment to recover your Yuan Power. Be alert for the strange fish to return at any time."
"Sister Liu, you sound energetic. I’m exhausted; let me catch my breath first," said a young man in his early twenties, who had just reached the Five Elements Heaven realm, a playful, cynical smile on his lips as he spoke lazily.
"Haizi, I'm just forcing myself too. We still need to assign someone to watch the surroundings," the beauty said, her lips slightly fuller than an average woman's, drawing a weary, forced smile. "Damn it, this is rotten luck. First, we saw a corpse, and now we run into the tooth-sharp fish. I don't know if we can even find what we're looking for on this trip."
"Don't worry, Sister Liu, we have great fortune. We'll definitely find the Death Spirit Stone," the youth called "Haizi" grinned widely and laughed. "Sister Liu, if I find the Death Spirit Stone, you have to give me a kiss!"
"You stinking brat, find it first!" The beauty chided him playfully. "Barely weaned, and you're already trying to take liberties with me like Hong Ge and the others!"
The big man who had just sat down quickly raised his hand in protest. "I'm an honest man! I only think about it in my heart; I never dare express it. Haizi is the worst; he harasses you even in his sleep!"
"If you don't express it, why are you talking nonsense?" The beauty gave the big man a sharp look. She threw her head back impatiently. "Alright, alright, stop the chatter. Everyone, honestly cultivate and recover. I'm tired too, and I'm waiting for someone to take over."
Hearing her say this, the other five stopped their prattle and closed their eyes, diligently practicing on the deck.
Death Spirit Stone! Ji Changkong, standing in the void, felt his heart clench, looking down at the group with surprise.
The Death Spirit Stone was reportedly a rare treasure of the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone. It seemed only this mysterious sea region possessed it. The Death Spirit Stone was extremely precious; it could store a person’s divine soul, preventing the soul from rapidly expending energy before finding a host body.
Furthermore, the Death Spirit Stone had an even more marvelous use: it could be employed as a divine weapon. Cultivators of certain secret arts could use the Death Spirit Stone to lock away another person's divine soul, sealing and trapping it, making it impossible for the soul within the Death Spirit Stone to ever break free.
The material of the Death Spirit Stone was special, granting it a miraculous immunity to soul power. It was rumored that no matter how powerful a divine soul was, once trapped within the Death Spirit Stone, its power could not affect the stone itself.
Naturally, if a soul power couldn't influence the Death Spirit Stone, the soul locked inside certainly couldn't escape.
Although the six below only possessed the cultivation of the Five Elements Heaven or Six Harmonies Heaven realms, they were all quite young. Achieving such cultivation at their age earned them the title of exceptional talents.
Death Spirit Stone, Death Spirit Stone... Why did they need it?
A chain of thoughts raced through his mind. A flash of inspiration struck, and Ji Changkong’s heart trembled as he connected this to various major events in the East Sea, instantly guessing the purpose of the Death Spirit Stone!
To deal with the Ghost Demon King!
Yes, that must be it! Ji Changkong suddenly felt a surge of excitement; he realized that the problem troubling him—how to destroy the Ghost Demon King—perhaps the Death Spirit Stone could solve!
All this time, he had been thinking only of methods to destroy the Ghost Demon King, never considering imprisonment. His thinking had hit a dead end, and he couldn't break free.
Permanently imprisoning the Ghost Demon King was also a way to deal with him. The Death Spirit Stone was precisely the miraculous stone to counter the Ghost Demon King. If they could lock him inside and seal him, wouldn't the threat of the Ghost Demon King be eliminated?
It was fortunate he had intervened to save them just now; otherwise, he might never have figured this out! Ji Changkong secretly congratulated himself, thinking truly, good deeds earned good rewards.
"Hey, you up there, what are you staring at?" The beauty, looking around, finally spotted Ji Changkong standing high above and frowned. "What are you looking at?"
"Ah!" Ji Changkong startled, then let out a hearty laugh, shruggingly. "Nothing. Just passing by, purely passing through. I'll be on my way."
"Don't go! Come down and chat for a bit!" The beauty panicked the moment he turned to leave, shouting urgently.
Following the recent 'Battle of the Gods,' I always felt the Sea Demons should be incredibly formidable. Everyone said the Sea Demons were strong, and their appearance was impressive. Just as I was excitedly waiting to see the Sea Demons wreak havoc, they were easily dealt with by the protagonist using Medusa’s Eye. I felt the quality dropped significantly. Such a mighty Sea Demon being finished off by a mere Medusa—and a dead Medusa at that—was truly frustrating. So, I'm writing a more formidable Sea Demon based on my own ideas.
Note: Although there is only one chapter today, it is still ten thousand characters long, which is substantial! Therefore... I sincerely ask for monthly votes again.