The ten-meter python, Peng Chen, was completely devoured by that creature in just a few breaths, not even leaving a speck of bone. Liu Ye and her group watched, dumbstruck, and even Xue Hai felt a lingering fear, daring not to mention soaking in the mountain spring again.

At that moment, the Source Poison boldly approaching the spring stunned everyone.

Including Ji Changkong, the entire party watched the Source Poison intently, unsure what it would do, worried it might never return, also swallowed whole by the creatures in the water.

"Little fellow, don't take the risk, come back!" Liu Ye cried out, holding a deep fondness for the lively and mischievous Source Poison; seeing it venture into danger made her extremely uneasy.

Xue Hai and Teng Yang exchanged peculiar glances at Ji Changkong, and seeing that Ji Changkong remained unmoved, they said no more.

Under everyone's gaze, the Source Poison slowly drifted above the mountain spring. It didn't immediately sink into the water but hovered above the faint white mist.

Hiss! Hiss!

Its miniature body suddenly emitted wisps of light smoke, smoke that seemed to possess a marvelous magic. It immediately mingled with the white mist above the spring water.

In just an instant, the faint white mist lingering over the mountain spring slowly dissipated.

Drip! Drip!

Drops of milky-white ** fell from the light white mist, agitating the water below into tiny ripples.

The milky-white mist, miraculously, gradually vanished, either turning into drops of ** that fell into the spring water.

Soon, the lingering milky-white mist above the spring was completely scoured away, every wisp gone without a trace.

The Source Poison narrowed its small eyes slightly, smiled faintly toward Ji Changkong from a distance, and under everyone's watch, suddenly plunged into the spring water!

Gurgle! Bubble!

Bubbles rose from the spring water, like boiling water heated to an extreme. The tiny body of the Source Poison was immediately submerged upon entering the water.

The bizarre scene reoccurred!

As soon as the Source Poison’s miniature frame was submerged by the spring water, it began to slowly disappear, as if its body had been completely wiped away by some strange technique, leaving not a single trace behind.

Liu Ye’s beautiful face went pale, and she cried out in shock, "What is this? How can this be?"

Liu Ye looked at Ji Changkong with anxious concern, as if the dearest treasure of her heart had been brutally destroyed.

Xue Hai, Jin Hao, and the others’ complexions shifted abruptly, their faces grim, and they remained silent.

Only Teng Yang looked puzzled, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly as he murmured softly, "Though his body is gone, his soul power remains..."

Teng Yang’s attainments in soul power were considerable; the subtle detail that Xue Hai and the others couldn't perceive, his spirit could sense.

Liu Ye was stunned, staring blankly at Teng Yang. "What did you say?"

"His soul has always been in the spring water," Teng Yang explained with a frown, suddenly his eyes shone like stars, and his voice suddenly rose, "No! His soul power is strengthening!"

Ji Changkong suddenly smiled; the taut string in his heart abruptly relaxed.

Teng Yang looked at him in horror, disregarding the unfamiliarity between them. "Did he... did he swallow those lives?"

"What do you think?" Ji Changkong replied noncommittally.

Teng Yang shook his head, utterly perplexed. "I don't know."

"Then let's just keep watching," Ji Changkong smiled nonchalantly, completely unconcerned that the Source Poison might be consumed.

Seeing Ji Changkong so relaxed, Liu Ye and her group suddenly felt they might have overreacted. If even he wasn't worried, the little fellow surely wouldn't be in any danger; why were they making such a fuss?

Liu Ye and Teng Yang’s group were inwardly startled, frowned in thought, and suddenly understood.

...It turned out that, without realizing it, they had already begun to regard these two of unknown origin as their companions.

Ji Changkong’s heart stirred, and when he looked at the six people, his gaze held a touch more kindness and warmth.

"Ah! He, he, he reappeared!" Kong Cao exclaimed incoherently.

In the spring water, the body of the Source Poison, which should have been completely devoured, was slowly reassembling itself. First the small head, then the torso, and finally the limbs...

His body now contained tiny milky-white specks, embedded in his bones and flesh like shattered diamonds. At a glance, his small body shimmered brilliantly, dazzling to behold.

In an instant, the white light within his body vanished without a trace, nb;nb; he was restored to his original appearance.

However, the reappeared Source Poison looked like a porcelain doll, his whole body crystalline like jade, his skin a milky white—a white so dazzling that any woman would envy it.

Clapping his hands, the Source Poison slowly floated out of the spring water, ascending into mid-air, looking at Ji Changkong with a grin, "Kong Kong, I took care of them all! Ha, just now you all absorbed the pure soul power from the thicket; I didn't fight you for it, and now I finally got some leftovers! Hahahaha!"

Though he spoke of leftovers, he laughed heartily, clearly having gained immensely from the mountain spring.

Ji Changkong nodded with a smile, turned to look at Liu Ye and Teng Yang, and finally looked at Xue Hai. "Didn't you want to soak in the mountain spring? Go ahead."

Xue Hai repeatedly waved his hands, smiling rather awkwardly. "Big Brother Kong, stop joking nb;nb;..."

"I'm not joking with you!" Ji Changkong’s face instantly changed, chillingly, "Kid, are you going or not?"

Liu Ye, Teng Yang, and the others immediately grew flustered, suddenly alert and cautious. Jin Hao even drew his flying sword, looking fully prepared for a fight.

"Big Brother Kong..." Xue Hai’s face was bitter, somewhat bewildered. "Regret!"

Saying this, Ji Changkong, with a dark expression, walked step by step toward the mountain spring.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!" The Source Poison roared with laughter by the spring, laughing until tears almost came out. "Kong Kong, I truly didn't expect you... you still play such tricks. Hahahaha,"

Teng Yang was the first to react, suddenly jumping up with surprise, completely losing his usual composure. "The water no longer has those deadly creatures! Now, the spring water is entirely filled with the most concentrated and purest Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi!"

Liu Ye's group froze, then immediately understood that Ji Changkong had purely been teasing Xue Hai. They all shrieked and rushed toward the spring water without hesitation.

Xue Hai, having reacted last, glared at Ji Changkong angrily and said! "Damn it. You scared me half to death!" At this moment, Xue Hai realized he was already sweating coldly on his back.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

One after another... all seven members plunged into the mountain spring. The spring wasn't large or deep; when all seven entered, they found the water only reached their chests. Their entry occupied more than half the space.

Upon entering the water, faces of ecstasy appeared on the seven members.

Just as they expected, the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi in the water was extremely rich, a hundred times denser than any so-called cultivation paradise in the world!

As their bodies fell into the water, their pores naturally began to absorb the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from the spring. For a time, everyone felt refreshed and experienced an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and comfort.

Threads of Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi drilled into their bodies through their pores, driving away all their fatigue. The rich Yuan Qi poured into their bodies, continuously filling them, tempering their bones and flesh in an incomprehensible manner, widening their meridians.

It was a marvelous process of transformation.

What astonished them most was nb;nb; they didn't need to actively cultivate anything; merely submerging their bodies in the spring water caused the secret techniques they had cultivated for many years to operate automatically, guiding the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi to enter their bodies, slowly tempering their flesh and causing their bodies to change.

"Big Brother Kong, thank you!" Xue Hai said sincerely to Ji Changkong beside him.

Liu Ye pursed her lips, looking at Xue Hai dismissively. "Hmph! You smelly boy, I saw you breaking out in a cold sweat just now; truly embarrassing!"

"Weren't you?" Xue Hai retorted, "I saw your whole body tremble, going soft..."

"Smelly boy, how dare you talk nonsense!" Liu Ye was greatly annoyed, splashing water toward Xue Hai, clearly intending to teach him a lesson.

"Who's afraid of whom!" Xue Hai laughed heartily, striking a fighting stance, waiting for Liu Ye to approach.

"Let me formally introduce myself. Ji Changkong, from the Shuiyun Kingdom in the Central Lands," Ji Changkong said with a smile, revealing his identity without reservation at this moment.

Xue Hai and Liu Ye, who were about to fight, froze instantly. All six people in the spring water focused their gazes on Ji Changkong, their faces full of astonishment.

"Ji Changkong of the Ji Family of Xuanyuan Valley?" Teng Yang asked, trying to confirm.

Ji Changkong nodded with a smile.

"Xuanyuan?" Jin Hao's expression shifted slightly.

Nodding again, Ji Changkong said, "I know. Our Ji Family of Xuanyuan has a poor reputation in the East Sea; that's why I always concealed my identity. However, now that we’ve reached this point, I see you all regard me, Ji Changkong, as a friend. So, regardless of whether my Ji Family had any past grievances with your families or sects, I no longer wish to hide it. I don't know if we can be friends in the future, nor do I aspire to it, but I hope we can be friends while on White Bone Island..."

"Even after leaving White Bone Island, we are friends!" Xue Hai declared almost without hesitation.

"Yes, we are friends now, and that won't change!" Liu Ye was the second to declare.

Teng Yang, Jin Hao, Kong Yuan, and Hong Ge slowly nodded under Ji Changkong's gaze.

Ji Changkong looked surprised and confused. "This..."

"Although your Ji Family of Xuanyuan made countless enemies in the East Sea, those are matters of the older generations; they have nothing to do with our generation," Teng Yang calmed down and said slowly. "These are things from hundreds of years ago; who remembers all that? Let us each make our own way; we aren't that pedantic."

"Exactly. Those who still remember things from hundreds of years ago are just stubborn old fossils. We are all young people; why bother with all those messy old affairs," Xue Hai smiled. "Then let me give a formal introduction too. Ahem, Xue Hai, from the East Sea, from the Xue Family of the Hao River Sea Domain."

"Teng Yang, also from the Jiahe Sea Domain. I am from the Teng Family," Teng Yang said with a gentle smile.

"No need to... introduce ourselves, right? We are all from the Jionghe Sea Domain—members of the Six Great Families." Liu Ye smiled, "I think you must have guessed our identities, right?"

"The Six Great Families of the Jionghe Sea Domain: the Teng Family, the Liu Family, the Xue Family, the Hong Family, the Jin Family, and the Kong Family. Heh heh, though I am not from the East Sea, I have heard of the prestige of the Six Great Families of the Jiahe Sea Domain. No wonder..." Ji Changkong nodded with a smile.

The East Sea had many sea domains, and each domain had numerous islands. Among these domains, the Jiahe Sea Domain was very famous; it had many Celestial Masters, and among them, the Teng, Liu, Xue, Hong, Jin, and Kong Families were the most renowned.

In the Jiahe Sea Domain, these six families were the true rulers. They were always united, intermarrying internally, advancing and retreating together, truly an unignorable force in the East Sea.

Individually, the Six Great Families might not be as powerful as Xuanyuan Valley, but combined, perhaps even Xuanyuan Valley would pale in comparison.

Ji Changkong had suspected long ago that these six were from the Jiahe Sea Domain, but he hadn't confirmed it until now. Hearing them state their identities so frankly, Ji Changkong was not surprised, finding it only natural.

"Our Jionghe Sea Domain also participated in dealing with your previous generation of Xuanyuan," Teng Yang hesitated a moment before looking at Ji Changkong and saying, "But that was a matter of the older generations. From now on, we will each mind our own business."

"Haha, starting from this generation, the Jiahe Sea Domain can become friends with Xuanyuan Valley!" Xue Hai laughed.

"If the six of us don't die on White Bone Island this time, the future Jiahe Sea Domain will definitely be ruled by the six of us. If we ally with your Xuanyuan Valley, it means the Jiahe Sea Domain is allied with your Xuanyuan Valley!" Liu Ye stated proudly.

At these words, Ji Changkong was startled, staring blankly at the six people.

"Our status in the Jionghe Sea Domain, while not quite matching yours in Xuanyuan Valley, is not far behind. Once the six of us pass this trial, we will eventually become the true masters of our respective great families," Xue Hai explained with a smile.

Ji Changkong immediately understood and realized these six were not speaking boastfully.

Teng Yang and the other five were exceptional individuals anywhere they went; they were undoubtedly the most dazzling figures in their respective families. All great families would spare no effort to cultivate such talents to become future heirs.

It seemed that Teng Yang and the others' current excursion might be the final test from their families; passing this hurdle would make them the future true successors.

Seeing the six nodding to him with smiles, Ji Changkong suddenly felt that he had truly made friends with these people. In the future, when people from Xuanyuan Valley came to the East Sea, they would truly have a place to go.

"You came to the Sea Demon Forbidden Land for Death Spirit Stones because you intend to deal with the Ghost Demon King of the East Sea, right?" Ji Changkong asked.

"Correct. Finding Death Spirit Stones in the East Sea is our final trial this time. The Ghost Demon King ravaging the East Sea is a deep-seated menace to everyone. After careful research, our Jionghe Sea Domain believed the Death Spirit Stones might be the method to deal with the Ghost Demon King, which is why we came to the Sea Demon Forbidden Land," Teng Yang nodded.

"Your Jionghe Sea Domain and the Blood Emperor of the 'Blood Pool'—do you have any..." Ji Changkong hesitated, deciding to inquire about this matter.

Teng Yang smiled. "The Blood Emperor did send people to contact our Jiahe Sea Domain, but our Jiahe Sea Domain does not have deep ties with the Blood Emperor. The Blood Emperor comes from the Blood Pool, and the style of the Blood Pool has always been different from that of our Jionghe Sea Domain..."

"Big Brother Ji, you don't need to worry. We seek Death Spirit Stones not for the Blood Emperor. The Blood Emperor is the Blood Emperor; we are us. The Jionghe Sea Domain might possibly ally with the Blood Emperor to deal with the Ghost Demon King, but only regarding that matter. Other than fighting the Ghost Demon King, our Shahe Sea Domain will not align with the Blood Emperor, nor will we pledge allegiance to him!" Xue Hai stated.

"I understand," Ji Changkong smiled.

It seemed that not all sects in the East Sea were eager to curry favor with the Blood Emperor. The Blood Pool wasn't exactly a righteous school back in the day, and many sects in the East Sea suffered when the Blood Pool enjoyed its period of prosperity.

If the Blood Emperor hadn't emerged during such a chaotic time, he could only have gathered sects that were branches of the Blood Pool. The reason the Blood Emperor commanded widespread allegiance now was the terrifying threat of the Ghost Demon King in the East Sea; everyone relied on the Blood Emperor to deal with him, leading to this temporary inclination toward him.

The Six Great Families of the Jionghe Sea Domain, as the strongest force in the East Sea, obviously would not allow one person like the Blood Emperor to rally the masses, nor would they live under the thumb of the Blood Pool.

The seven of them soaked in the mountain spring, discussing the situation in the Central Lands and the East Sea. They were all young, and they greatly admired one another. After revealing their identities, their conversations became increasingly congenial, and the area filled with laughter.

These six people, though far away in the East Sea, had heard of his exploits in the Central Lands and held him in high regard. Ji Changkong was not one to put on airs and deeply appreciated the friendship of the six, openly sharing anecdotes and secret information about the Central Lands that they couldn't easily learn through normal channels.

Feeling their body's elemental power growing fuller while cheerfully discussing various matters of the Central Lands and the East Sea, all seven felt extremely comfortable.

They did not notice that while they were laughing and talking, the milky-white spring water was slowly becoming clear. After an hour, the water had become transparent to the bottom.

The Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi that had continuously gathered toward their bodies also slowly thinned until it disappeared...

"You can all get up now. Your bodies have absorbed all the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi in the water. This spring water is not inexhaustible; staying here longer won't benefit you," the Source Poison, perched on Ji Changkong’s shoulder, finally interjected impatiently after listening to their conversation for a while.

As soon as the Source Poison spoke, the seven immediately noticed the anomaly in the water and looked down in surprise.

Indeed, the spring water had become crystal clear; the faint milky-white hue was completely gone. Simultaneously, they realized their bodies had absorbed a great deal of power from the spring.

"I... I'm going to the latrine..." Jin Hao emerged from the water with a red face, looking extremely anxious.

"Wait for me! Me too!" Kong Yuan shouted loudly and also burst out of the spring water, rushing after Jin Hao.

"Me too!"

"And me!"

"Wait for me!"

Hong Ge, Xue Hai, and Teng Yang all shouted urgently.

"Uh, well, I need to step out for a moment too..." Liu Ye blushed, daring not to look at Ji Changkong, twisting her waist, and abruptly emerging from the spring water.

"Wait for me, I'm going too," Ji Changkong called out softly, flying out as well.

"Wait for you?" Liu Ye's face turned even redder; she actually understood shyness now.

Ji Changkong was momentarily stunned, immediately realizing he misspoke, and awkwardly clarified, "I was talking to Teng Yang and the others!"

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"

Teng Yang, Xue Hai, and the others burst into laughter, pointing at Ji Changkong, "So you're the same!"

Rubbing his nose, Ji Changkong smiled wryly. "I was inside with you all. If your bodies underwent such changes, how could I be spared?"

Suddenly soaring high into the sky, Ji Changkong’s figure flickered, and he vanished from their sight.

The seven dispersed, finding places far from each other where they were hard to spot, and released the turbid energy from their bodies.

After quite some time...

The seven, feeling refreshed, regrouped by the spring. They noticed the Source Poison in his hand holding several small, sparkling stones, tossing them about playfully.

Teng Yang took just one look and suddenly cried out, "Top-Grade Yuan Stones!"

Ji Changkong narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Where did you get those?"

The Source Poison tilted his head back, clearly too lazy to bother answering, and pointed toward the spring water below.

With a flicker, Ji Changkong reappeared in the spring water, reached in, pulled out a handful of sparkling stones, and flashed them at Liu Ye and the others. He laughed, "I have never seen Yuan Stones of such high quality. One of these stones is worth five or six ordinary top-grade Yuan Stones!"

Liu Ye and the others looked pleasantly surprised but didn't step forward, simply looking happy for Ji Changkong.

"Come on, let's get all the Yuan Stones from below and divide them up. Everyone gets a share, don't be polite! Since we got them for free, we might as well take them," Ji Changkong laughed heartily, his hands working like shovels, rapidly stirring the bottom.

Pebbles of glistening, prime-grade Origin Stones floated out of the mountain spring, each one appearing to possess eyes, striking Teng Yang’s group of six with uncanny accuracy.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

“Damn it! Brother Ji, you’re truly insidious!” Xue Hai cried out, taking five prime-grade Origin Stones in quick succession, forcing him to stumble backward with startled yelps.

“Fight back!” Jin Hao snorted, though a hint of a smile flickered in his eyes. He plunged back into the spring, dug up a massive handful of prime-grade Origin Stones, and flung them towards Ji Changkong.

Seeing Jin Hao take action, Liu Ye and Teng Yang stopped holding back. Laughing heartily, they jumped into the water, grabbing the prime-grade Origin Stones as they went.

Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!

Prime-grade Origin Stones flew from everyone’s hands, colliding against bodies, scattering everywhere. These cultivation treasures, objects of intense desire for ordinary people, were nothing more than playthings in their eyes, flying wildly and striking all directions.

For anyone else, even a close brother, encountering this many precious prime-grade Origin Stones at once would surely lead to a scramble, perhaps even turning them against each other in fierce combat.

Yet, whether it was Ji Changkong, Liu Ye, or Teng Yang, none of them treated these stones as significant. In their view, the prime-grade Origin Stones were as common and unremarkable as any ordinary rock found lying around.

Wrestling and joking with Teng Yang and Xue Hai, Ji Changkong felt an unprecedented ease and delight. Since childhood, he had few true friends. Once his mastery and power became evident, peers regarded him with too much awe, making it hard for him to form genuine bonds.

Honestly, from the moment he first saw the six of them, he had intensely envied the sincere friendship between them—a friendship he had long thought unattainable.

It was precisely because of this feeling that when interacting with the six, he often did things that made them nearly burst out laughing.

For instance, feigning murderous intent just to scare Xue Hai…

Ji Changkong cherished this feeling. It made him feel like a normal person. With them, he carried no pressure or burdens and could enjoy the kind of simple pleasures he rarely allowed himself otherwise.

It wasn't until every last prime-grade Origin Stone beneath the spring had been dug out, leaving none left to throw, that they stopped their boisterous play. Only then did they begin surveying the field, gathering up the Origin Stones that had scattered across the area, preparing for an eventual division.

“How extravagant!” Suddenly, a muffled voice echoed from afar.

A group of over a dozen figures stood there, their eyes gleaming as they stared fixedly at the shining prime-grade Origin Stones on the ground. The naked greed in their gazes was undeniable.

The speaker was a dark-faced, burly man with tangled hair resembling straw, clad in a crimson robe. His shoulders were adorned with armor plating that bristled like upright steel needles. His gaze swept over Liu Ye, Jin Hao, and Teng Yang slowly before saying, “You youngsters have extraordinary luck, managing to pull the prime-grade Origin Stones from that spring!”

After a pause, the grim-faced man continued, “Why didn't the creatures in the spring kill you? Speak!”

This man possessed the cultivation of the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm, his power considerable. The weakest among the dozen figures behind him were at the Six Harmonies Heaven Realm, and experts of the Seven Stars Heaven Realm were abundant.

There was also an elderly Ji, his face etched with worry, looking so frail and ancient he seemed ready for the coffin at any moment, yet he, too, was an Eight Trigrams Celestial Master.

Eighteen people in total: two Eight Trigrams Celestial Masters, ten Seven Stars Celestial Masters, and six Six Harmonies Celestial Masters.

With such strength, while they couldn't dominate the entire Bone Island crawling with fierce beasts, surviving here would certainly be much easier for them than it was for Ji Changkong’s group.

Sixteen of the eighteen focused their gazes on the pile of prime-grade Origin Stones. Only the two Eight Trigrams Celestial Masters looked elsewhere—one examining Liu Ye’s group, the other staring at the spring, now utterly clear to the bottom.

It was evident this group of eighteen had been here before. Perhaps some of their own had perished in that spring, their bones utterly consumed by the creatures within, otherwise, they wouldn't have known about the spring’s strangeness.

“Speak!” the dark-faced leader commanded coldly, looking at Teng Yang and Liu Ye. “Explain the situation clearly, and I might spare your lives!”

As he spoke, the sixteen masters behind him immediately dispersed, surrounding Ji Changkong’s group in the blink of an eye.

Once they had enclosed the group in the center, these sixteen didn't remain idle. They bent over without apology and began snatching up the prime-grade Origin Stones on the ground, intending to claim these cultivation treasures as their own.

Ji Changkong frowned, watching the group calmly. Because a strange power constantly enveloped Bone Island, his divine sense hadn't detected their approach. Seeing these people seize his treasures and begin plundering his resources ignited a murderous intent within him.

Teng Yang suddenly turned, his gaze locking onto Ji Changkong, clearly seeking his opinion.

“Encountering fellow humans on Bone Island is quite a stroke of luck!” Ji Changkong smiled lightly, slowly stepping forward from the rear. He glanced at the group and said, “When we arrived, the spring was just like this. What’s wrong? Is there something unusual about it?”

“You take us for idiots, brat?” the big man sneered. “There were over thirty of us when we arrived; five died in the spring. Do you think we don’t know the spring is strange? Boy, I’ll tell you frankly: we’ve been on Bone Island for half a month, coming here countless times. Every time, we saw many fierce beasts perish in the spring, so we know what the spring is capable of…”

“Capable of what?” Ji Changkong played dumb, his face earnest.

“You’re asking to die!” the big man roared, spitting out a stream of shimmering, rainbow light that shot toward Ji Changkong like a whip.

“Is that so?” Ji Changkong countered mildly, raising his hand.

The clear spring water behind him, pulled by some unseen force, suddenly soared into the sky. The water condensed into a colossal water serpent, glistening brilliantly, which swallowed the whip of rainbow light whole.

Splash!

The giant serpent dissolved into a fine mist that sprinkled the ground, and the dazzling golden light it consumed vanished without a trace.

The big man looked slightly surprised, seemingly unprepared that Ji Changkong hadn't been killed in one blow. He frowned slightly and prepared to unleash another killing move.

Just then, the man's expression violently changed. A flicker of sudden alarm crossed his face, and he leaped airborne, glancing fearfully at the ground beneath him.

The massive water serpent had regrouped without him noticing. The crystalline, snow-white bones within the serpent’s body were now clearly visible as it lunged toward the man again, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.

A portion of the spread-out white bones sank into the water serpent’s mass, swelling its body and seemingly augmenting its power.

The big man struck out with both hands, unleashing waves of shimmering rainbow light that hammered directly into the water serpent’s body.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Violent impacts resonated from the serpent. Huge holes were pierced through its body, and the bones within shattered.

However, the water serpent was not a creature of flesh and blood; it had no concept of injury. It possessed no injuries that mattered, and its movements were completely unaffected.

Finally, the surging water serpent crashed into the big man, leaving him nowhere to evade.

Boom!

The man’s messy hair suddenly stood on end. He unleashed his full power, slamming it into the water serpent. His Origin Power flooded into the serpent, dispersing the power Ji Changkong had infused within it, finally shattering the water serpent’s structure completely.

Splash!

The water serpent once again disintegrated into a fine rain, falling back to the earth.

The big man was soaked, looking utterly disheveled. He glared fiercely at Ji Changkong and spat, “Brat, you’ve tested my limits. I will tear you into ten thousand pieces!”

“Is that so?” Ji Changkong smiled, repeating his previous words.

The droplets covering the ground suddenly flowed back together. In an instant, a water serpent with a massive, undulating body was condensed once more, coiling menacingly before the big man and his entourage.

“Qu Mo, stop!” the seemingly near-death old woman said laboriously.

The enraged big man suddenly halted, staring back at the old woman in confusion. “Sister-in-law, what is it?”

As the old woman’s eyes opened and closed, faint, eerie green ghost-fire flickered within them. She spoke softly, “You cannot defeat him.”

“How is that possible?” Qu Mo shouted. “I can kill all these youngsters. Sister-in-law, you don’t trust me?”

The old woman nodded, her voice weak. “Yes. I don’t believe you can kill the new generation Xuanyuan.”

“Xuanyuan?” Qu Mo’s expression shifted to horror. He stared fixedly at Ji Changkong. “You are the Ji family’s new generation Xuanyuan?”

“Who are you?” Ji Changkong ignored Qu Mo, gazing deeply at the old woman instead.

Qu Mo looked utterly insulted and furious, roaring as he prepared to charge Ji Changkong.

“Qu Mo, hold your position!” the old woman commanded, the ghost-fire in her eyes blazing.

Though Qu Mo was visibly frustrated, he seemed unwilling to defy the old crone’s order. He stopped sulkily, glaring hatefully at Ji Changkong, and threatened, “Brat, if you dare come to the East Sea, you are courting death! I guarantee you won’t leave the East Sea alive! Hmph! The previous generation Xuanyuan managed to escape the East Sea, causing us immense trouble afterward. This time, we won’t make that mistake!”

“The Heavenly Net Archipelago, Rakshasa Ghost Hag—it’s you people!” Teng Yang frowned slightly and spoke slowly.

“Brat, who are you?” the old hag glanced at Teng Yang and asked languidly.

“The Rakshasa Gate of your Heavenly Net Archipelago is formidable, but here in the East Sea, we of the Six Families of the Styx River Domain do not fear you!” Liu Ye stood up. “Hmph! The Rakshasa Gate has long resided in that remote corner. Why have you come to the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone? I recall the Rakshasa Gate vowed to explore the outer seas, did you not?”

“So, you are the youngsters from the Six Families of the Styx River Domain. No wonder you are so arrogant, treating prime-grade Origin Stones like dirt,” the Rakshasa Ghost Hag nodded slightly. “The Rakshasa Gate and the Six Families of your Styx River Domain have always kept to ourselves, oil and water don't mix. By rights, I shouldn't give you trouble, but…”

The Rakshasa Ghost Hag paused her speech. “But we discovered this mountain spring first. Furthermore, you associate with the Xuanyuan of the Central Lands. That makes things difficult for me…”

“Old Hag, are you trying to make an enemy of our Six Families? The Rakshasa Gate may be ancient in the East Sea, but you are not qualified to oppose the Six Families!” Jin Hao declared coldly, radiating arrogance.

“Smelly brat, are your Six Families so great?” Qu Mo exploded in anger again. “Do you think I dare not kill you?”

“The Rakshasa Gate…” Ji Changkong had indeed never heard of this sect. He frowned and asked, “Rakshasa Ghost Hag, what business brings you to Bone Island?”

“Asking the obvious,” the Rakshasa Ghost Hag replied flatly.

Ji Changkong grinned, a coldness chilling his smile. “Since you are here for Old Li, then stop wasting breath. Let’s fight.”

“No rush.” The Rakshasa Ghost Hag waved her hand, looking deeply at Ji Changkong. “One of my disciples died by your hand. I need to clarify things with you first…”

“Your disciple?” Ji Changkong was surprised. He thought for a moment, realizing he had never had any dealings with the Rakshasa Gate. He shook his head. “I don’t recall meeting anyone from your Rakshasa Gate.”

“My disciple went to the Central Lands and cultivated in Wushan of the Water Cloud Nation. She was known as the Old Mother of Wushan!” the Rakshasa Ghost Hag stated slowly.

“Hahahaha! Hahahahaha!” Ji Changkong burst into manic, icy laughter that echoed around them. “So, the Old Mother of Wushan was one of yours! Hahahaha! Wonderful, absolutely wonderful, simply too wonderful!”

“The previous generation Xuanyuan killed the Master of our Rakshasa Gate, and this generation Xuanyuan of yours killed our Rakshasa Gate’s Emissary. Do you expect me to leave Bone Island alive?” Qu Mo sneered.

“I don't,” Ji Changkong said nonchalantly. “If I don’t kill all of you, how can I leave Bone Island with peace of mind?”

“Ji family Xuanyuan, truly possessing extraordinary courage! Ji Changkong, we meet again!” Another voice sounded from a distance. Zheng Jieshi, Island Master of Sunset Isle, walked slowly forward, leading a contingent of Sunset Isle experts.

When Zheng Jieshi arrived, he smiled and nodded to the Rakshasa Ghost Hag. “If we can’t find Li Hentian, killing a small fry is also acceptable.”

The Rakshasa Ghost Hag and Ji Changkong had been bickering, seemingly waiting for Zheng Jieshi. Hearing his words, the Rakshasa Ghost Hag also smiled and nodded. “We shouldn’t kill this brat yet; capturing him to pressure Li Hentian into showing himself would be best. Once Li Hentian appears, he is surely doomed!”

“That’s true. Those people from the Origin Return Sect are crawling around the island like dogs searching for him. Once Li Hentian shows himself, he won’t escape,” Zheng Jieshi laughed heartily.

“Qu Mo, you may begin the slaughter now,” the Rakshasa Ghost Hag signaled to the big man.

“What about… those youngsters from the Styx River Domain?” Qu Mo’s mouth was strong, but he harbored residual caution regarding the power of the Six Families. He couldn't help but ask.

“This is Bone Island! How would the Six Families know what happens here?” the Rakshasa Ghost Hag questioned Qu Mo curiously.

“Understood!” Qu Mo’s face twisted into a sinister grin. He roared with laughter, “You damned youngsters! Today, your old master sends you all to the underworld!”