The Rakshasa Crone had been stalling, waiting for Zheng Jieshi to arrive. Once Zheng Jieshi was present, the Rakshasa Crone no longer held back and immediately ordered Qu Mo to attack.
Qu Mo let out a sinister laugh, striding towards Ji Changkong, Teng Yang, and their group. Broad-shouldered and massive, Qu Mo’s every step upon the earth caused the surrounding bones to emit a crunching, grating sound. Qu Mo felt as if he were trampling the younger generation beneath his feet, his bloodlust surging with intensifying ferocity.
Clearly, Qu Mo’s target was Ji Changkong. His eyes, large as walnuts, were fixed solely upon Ji Changkong; the presence of Teng Yang’s entourage was completely absent from his gaze.
The memory of Ji Changkong’s miraculous Water Python from the previous battle still haunted him. Coupled with Xuanyuan’s status, this immediately pegged Ji Changkong as the most troublesome adversary. Teng Yang and the others were simply not worth his serious attention.
The Water Python coiled protectively before Ji Changkong, its form crystalline and translucent. The fragments of bone mixed within its body somehow made it appear infused with immense power.
Just as Qu Mo closed the distance, Ji Changkong’s perpetually narrowed eyes suddenly cracked open just a sliver. A thread of frigid light shot out with the opening and closing of his eyelids.
The Water Python stirred with sudden force!
Its coiled form convulsed violently, its massive body stretching and extending, winding its way toward Qu Mo.
Qu Mo roared with laughter, “I knew that bastard beast would show up!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Qu Mo unleashed three successive waves of energy with his hammer-like fists. The energy waves howled like a roaring gale, abruptly colliding with the body of the Water Python.
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!
Water splashed as the Python’s body was assaulted by the three energy waves. Its huge form was slowly shredded into a mist of water, crystalline droplets scattering across the ground.
Amidst the pervasive mist, Qu Mo laughed menacingly, charging forward without hesitation.
Ji Changkong’s expression remained unchanged, his gaze distant. His left hand, hanging loosely at his hip, slowly raised. His index finger curved slightly, and he gave a soft shout: “Rise again!”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Water snakes erupted from the ground, resembling tough, gleaming silver ropes, coiling around Qu Mo from every direction.
Simultaneously, Ji Changkong abruptly closed his eyes.
“Repeating the same attack pattern over and over—don’t you find it tiresome?” Qu Mo scoffed, his face etched with disdain.
Those snakes rising from the ground were also condensed from spring water, drawn from the droplets scattered by the Water Python. From start to finish, Ji Changkong had only been utilizing the power of the Five Elements’ Water against Qu Mo. In Qu Mo’s view, this demonstrated that Ji Changkong had exhausted his tricks and lacked variety in his attacks.
Qu Mo swept his empty hands upward, his arms twisting and carving, sending streams of rainbow light spurting from his palms, shredding the water snakes attempting to bind him into pieces.
Seeing Qu Mo about to break through, Teng Yang cast a swift glance and immediately prepared to engage him.
Deep down, Teng Yang, Xue Hai, and the others now genuinely regarded Ji Changkong as a friend. Since the people of the Rakshasa Gate and Sunset Isle had joined forces here on Bone Island, they knew they could no longer fear anyone’s power. Teng Yang and his companions understood they had to commit with full strength to carve out a chance for survival.
Teng Yang and the others exchanged a look, preparing to move and relieve Ji Changkong.
Just then, Qu Mo, mid-stride, suddenly checked his massive frame. Qu Mo looked utterly puzzled, and his offensive movements faltered.
The water snakes took the opportunity to surge forward, wrapping tightly around Qu Mo.
“Freeze!” Ji Changkong’s tightly shut eyes snapped open, and he pointed at Qu Mo, drawing out the word slowly.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The bodies of the water snakes rapidly turned to ice. Qu Mo felt a profound chill pervade his body; his immense internal yuan qi grew sluggish, unable to flow smoothly any longer.
Horrified, Qu Mo glared at Ji Changkong and roared, “Despicable! You dare tamper with my soul!”
Ji Changkong grinned wryly. “You should know the thorny bushes on this Bone Island are quite interesting. They are adept at entanglement, both physically and spiritually, and even know how to strike on two fronts. Few can escape their bindings. After I broke free from them, I found their methods rather commendable, so I thought I’d give it a try. Well, it seems to be working quite well.”
First, he bound Qu Mo with water snakes. While Qu Mo focused all his attention on the small snakes, Ji Changkong suddenly closed his eyes, using his spirit to mimic the bushes’ technique, transforming into strands of soul-thread to bind Qu Mo’s spirit.
Caught completely off guard, Qu Mo’s spirit panicked. By the time he managed to rally his strength and narrowly escape Ji Changkong’s soul-binding, his physical body was neglected, finally becoming ensnared by the water snakes.
The Sacred Beast Xuanwu is the God of Water, and Ji Changkong had previously obtained its extreme cold energy in the Glacial Cave. Although he later gave that external cold energy to Han Hai, converting the cold energy using the yuan qi within his body was effortless for him. Aided by the power of his own blood, this conversion was not only fast but also difficult for an opponent to detect.
When he shouted the single word, “Freeze!” before the sound fully dissipated, this conversion was complete. Qu Mo’s body was instantly affected by the icy energy, impacting both his flesh and yuan li significantly.
Teng Yang and the others, poised for action, saw Qu Mo suddenly immobilized and secretly cheered for Ji Changkong.
From start to finish, Ji Changkong maintained an air of unruffled composure. Merely by moving his hands and opening his mouth, he had manipulated the Bagua Celestial Master, Qu Mo, within the palm of his hand. This elegance and detachment were impossible for anyone who hadn't faced countless battles; Teng Yang and his group were genuinely impressed.
“Xuanyuan is indeed extraordinary!” the Rakshasa Crone gasped weakly, then turned to look at Zheng Jieshi. “It seems capturing this brat will require significantly more effort.”
Zheng Jieshi smiled faintly. “This fellow is no easy character to deal with. Back in Blood Rain Mountain, countless famed masters met their end because of him. We must not be careless.”
The Rakshasa Crone said nothing, but specks of ghostly fire began to flicker in her eyes. These fires flew out from her pupils like embers from a torch, rapidly descending upon Ji Changkong.
Ji Changkong, who had faced Qu Mo with such ease, suddenly showed a slight change in expression upon seeing the falling embers, shouting sharply, “Be careful! Do not let those embers touch you!”
“Move!” Zheng Jieshi stomped the ground, pouring the power of the Five Elements’ Earth into the soil.
Qu Mo, whose body was sluggishly frozen by the cold, twitched; the ice binding him instantly shattered into a pile of debris.
Although Qu Mo had only recently entered the Bagua Celestial realm, he wasn't so easily subdued by cold energy. Once his limbs regained movement, Qu Mo reacted with lightning speed, roaring with rage, “Insidious brat, I’ll crush your skull!”
“Is that so?” Ji Changkong remained perfectly calm, unconcerned.
The sky full of ghost fire had not yet landed, but Qu Mo, standing close to Ji Changkong, was already upon him.
Fists clenched, Qu Mo prepared to unleash the same blast of energy he had used before to kill Ji Changkong.
Zheng Jieshi’s figure had already slipped underground and was rapidly approaching Ji Changkong from below. The Rakshasa Crone, having unleashed the fire across the sky, stared with her flickering eye-fire, her entire presence becoming sinister and terrifying. Gripping a staff made entirely of stark white bone, she drifted forward lightly.
Qu Mo, Zheng Jieshi, and the Rakshasa Crone—three masters of the Bagua Celestial realm. Once united, no matter how profound Ji Changkong’s divine powers, if he were entangled by them, escape would be impossible.
Teng Yang’s heart sank. He abruptly sat down, preparing to use a secret art to disrupt the three with his spirit.
“Don’t!” At this critical juncture, Ji Changkong actually turned his head and smiled towards Teng Yang.
Teng Yang froze, opening his mouth as if to protest.
“Ah!” Qu Mo, just inches from Ji Changkong, suddenly looked utterly bewildered. His hands were raised high, only a short distance from Ji Changkong. The Ji Changkong, looking back at Teng Yang, should have been completely vulnerable to an incoming strike.
But at this crucial moment, Qu Mo stopped dead, standing motionless, as if dumbfounded.
Ji Changkong suddenly smiled.
Turning sharply, an earth-shattering blood-red glow sliced through the sky. The glow descended unhurriedly, flashing across Qu Mo’s body in an instant.
Qu Mo’s body split perfectly in half, starting from the bridge of his nose!
The look of confused questioning was still frozen on his face as his two halves fell straight to the ground with a wet thud! Blood poured forth without cease.
Rumble! Rumble!
A burst of azure light suddenly erupted from Qu Mo’s torn body, accompanied by the sound of thunder as his gathered spirit was utterly annihilated.
Qu Mo died inexplicably. No one knew why he had suddenly stopped at that most crucial moment, nor why he watched Ji Changkong’s Dragon Glory Saber approach without retreating or defending.
...Nor did anyone notice the Essence of Poison, lazily perched on Ji Changkong’s shoulder, suddenly stretch its delicate mouth into an extremely grotesque smile.
“Teng Yang, you all retreat!” Ji Changkong’s face was grave. Killing Qu Mo had not caused the slightest ripple in his emotions; he remained as detached as ever.
Teng Yang, Liu Ye, and the others stood stunned, their expressions profoundly strange, yet they obediently began to retreat toward the spring water behind them.
“Qu Mo!” The Rakshasa Crone finally ceased her weak murmuring, and a piercing shriek burst forth, filled with unconcealed bitterness and resentment toward the world, like an old widow mourning a lost son.
Bang!
Zheng Jieshi burst from the earth, striking toward the sole of Ji Changkong’s foot as he ascended.
Just as I waited for you! Ji Changkong chuckled internally. He raised his left hand vaguely; the spring water behind him surged upward, enveloping the lingering ghost fire before it could fall. The Dragon Glory Saber flashed blood-red, and a ten-foot streak of crimson light shot out from the blade, hurtling directly towards the palms Zheng Jieshi had thrust out.
The blood-red light was fiercely potent, its concentrated power sufficient to pierce right through Zheng Jieshi’s palms.
Zheng Jieshi’s expression shifted slightly. He hadn't expected Ji Changkong, fresh from killing Qu Mo, to react so swiftly. To attack with bare hands was to invite his palms directly into the path of the blood-red light—it was suicidal. “Hmph!” Zheng Jieshi’s body, having just emerged from the earth, sank back underground even faster. As soon as he made contact with the soil, a mound of earth suddenly pushed outward.
The blood-red light struck the mound, leveling it instantly.
“The Rakshasa Gate and Xuanyuan Valley will never rest! You killed Qu Mo; I will torture every single person in your Xuanyuan Valley to death!” The Rakshasa Crone’s venomous voice echoed in the air. The ghost fires, previously shrouded by the spring water, suddenly seemed bolstered by an external force, piercing through the water barrier and plummeting toward Ji Changkong.
The ghost fire recognized its target; it ignored Teng Yang, Liu Ye, and the five others entirely, focusing solely on Ji Changkong, demonstrating the depth of the Rakshasa Crone’s hatred.
“Welcome!” Ji Changkong laughed heartily as rings of multicolored light materialized from thin air, forming a Half-Finished Great Void Illusion that crystallized above them.
As the embers of ghost fire neared Ji Changkong, they seemed to fall into a spatial fissure and vanished completely.
Once the ghost fire entered the Great Void Illusion, the illusion’s power began to refine the flames and sever the connection between the fire and the Rakshasa Crone.
The Rakshasa Crone abruptly lost sensation of the ghost fire, alarmed and anxious. She violently shook her White Bone Skull Staff, and the scattered, gleaming white bones on the ground of Bone Island seemed suddenly infused with life. The bones automatically piled up, transforming into ferocious skeletal beasts that charged toward Ji Changkong.
“Oh?” Ji Changkong let out a soft sound of surprise, watching the lifeless skeletal beasts. He was genuinely intrigued by the sinister nature of the Rakshasa Gate’s secret technique.
Imbuing the bones with power to form puppet-like skeletal beasts was similar in principle to Ji Changkong solidifying the Water Python using the power of the Five Elements’ Water. However, the Five Elements were common cultivation and attack methods. The Rakshasa Crone’s skill was clearly unorthodox; Ji Changkong had never seen it used in the Central Lands, hence his astonishment.
The lifeless skeletal beasts moved quickly enough, but they could not fly. Faced with Ji Changkong standing majestically in the void, they were rendered somewhat helpless.
“Shoot! Shoot for me!” Shaking her staff, the Rakshasa Crone shrieked hysterically. The very bones composing the skeletal beasts suddenly erupted outward, forming a dense barrage of arrow-like projectiles blasting toward the sky, relentlessly bombarding Ji Changkong.
“Interesting!” Ji Changkong smiled, his Dragon Glory Saber now shrouded in streaks of blood-red light that encircled him.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
The sharp bones shooting toward him were pulverized into dust by the blood-red light emanating from Ji Changkong’s Dragon Glory Saber; they couldn't even scratch him.
“Empty Empty, shall I secretly poison them all to death?” the Essence of Poison whispered quietly.
“Killing all these dozens of people, how much of your power would it consume?” Ji Changkong frowned, asking in a low voice.
As the root of poison, it was by no means difficult for the Essence of Poison to kill these people without a trace. However, when the Essence of Poison used its power, it drew upon the toxic energy within its body—the stronger the opponent, the more du li (poisonous power) it required. Ji Changkong had known this for a long time, which was why he asked.
“I just did some minor work to dispatch a Bagua Celestial Master, consuming a bit of poison power. Adding these dozens of people, it would cost me at most twenty percent of my poison power. Two Bagua Celestial Masters would be trickier; otherwise, all those people combined wouldn't consume even ten percent of my power.”
“Twenty percent of my power…” Ji Changkong hesitated for a moment. “Forget it. Don’t act yet. This Bone Island is different from other places. Once your poison power is depleted, recovery won't be so swift. I’ll test them first; if I truly cannot manage, then it won’t be too late for you to step in.”
The power required by the Essence of Poison was not infinite. Once its poison power was spent, it couldn't recover by absorbing the ambient spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Only treasures like Black Jade Primal Crystals or certain peculiar souls could facilitate its recovery. Although Ji Changkong possessed many Black Jade Primal Crystals, as the Essence of Poison grew stronger, the energy within the crystals was subtly proving insufficient.
Ji Changkong knew that recovering twenty percent of his power would require him to constantly absorb energy from Black Jade Primal Crystals for at least half a month, and during that recovery, he would have to remain dormant, unable to be disturbed externally—a major drawback.
In half a month, countless things could happen on Bone Island. The elders of the Guiyuan Sect were also here, and perhaps other masters too. If he lost the Essence of Poison as a capable assistant now, it would affect his future movements.
Therefore, after careful consideration, he rejected the highly tempting proposal from the Essence of Poison.
...There was another reason: he did not yet wish to expose the hidden power of the Essence of Poison so soon, nor did he particularly want Teng Yang and the others to witness the terrifying spectacle of the Essence of Poison unleashing its true might. After all, the Essence of Poison was not benevolent... and using poison also diverged from his usual methods, so unless absolutely necessary, he would not employ the Essence of Poison’s power against enemies.
“Fine, I’ll be careful. If you can’t hold them, I won’t hold back then!” the Essence of Poison huffed.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
Bones flew wildly. Ji Changkong was like a demonic entity shredding everything; all the incoming bone projectiles were smashed to pieces by his Dragon Glory Saber.
The Rakshasa Crone cried out repeatedly but could never manage to harm Ji Changkong.
“You fools! Attack that brat from the Sha River Sea region and kill him!” Seeing she couldn't kill Ji Changkong, the furious Rakshasa Crone redirected her focus toward Teng Yang’s group.
The Rakshasa Gate experts surrounding Teng Yang’s group, fearful of the Crone’s rebuke, dared not focus on the high-grade spirit stones scattered on the ground any longer. They quickly drew out the magical artifacts they treasured above life itself and attacked Teng Yang and the six others.
Teng Yang snorted, glancing at Xue Hai beside him. “Don’t let people look down on me!”
“Hah! I’d like to see what the Rakshasa Gate has that’s so impressive. Hmph. In the East Sea, our Six Great Families fear no one!” Xue Hai sneered.
In an instant, Xue Hai and the five others unleashed their full strength. Originally only at the Five Elements Celestial or Six Harmonies Celestial realms, their power surged dramatically, each one forcibly elevating a full tier.
Teng Yang, Xue Hai, and the six possessed an established method for fighting enemies in concert. The six took up positions in a hexagonal pattern, forming a marvelous array, joining forces to confront the enveloping experts of the Rakshasa Gate.
Though they were fewer in number and inferior in individual strength to the Rakshasa Gate forces, once the six combined, their powers resonated across the formation, and their collective strength advanced even further!
Arranged in a hexagon, their coordination was flawless. Not only did they successfully block all the attackers, but they were not at a disadvantage either.
Ji Changkong, who had been subtly worried about the six, relaxed inwardly when he saw them displaying strength far exceeding their true cultivation levels. He focused all his attention on the Rakshasa Crone and the elusive Island Master of Sunset Isle, Zheng Jieshi.
“Satisfying! Hahahaha!” Hong Ge laughed heartily, his punches and kicks landing with agility, acutely sensing that his own power was now significantly greater than before.
“Do you feel it?” Teng Yang also looked delighted. “Our power has advanced again!”
Liu Ye, Xue Hai, and the others all nodded, feeling that their bodies now possessed far greater potential. When the yuan li within them was released, it surged forth powerfully, and their spirits harmonized miraculously with the energy within their bodies.
Suddenly, Liu Ye, Xue Hai, and their companions realized how incredibly important the benefits they had gained on Bone Island were!
The pure souls from the thorny bushes increased their soul power, and the Heaven and Earth yuan qi from the spring water had fundamentally transformed their bodies. These dual powers, poured onto them, had truly made them different from before.
Watching Ji Changkong stand alone proudly in the void, single-handedly holding his own against the Rakshasa Crone and the Island Master of Sunset Isle, Zheng Jieshi, Teng Yang and Xue Hai felt a rising tide of gratitude.
They understood that without Ji Changkong, they would not only have struggled to cope with the various dangers on Bone Island, but they would never have received so many benefits. Without a word exchanged, they had already accepted Ji Changkong as their truest friend.
“Big Brother Ji, let’s just finish off all these old ghosts!” Kong Yuan chuckled good-naturedly, his hands never stopping as he violently sent a Six Harmonies Celestial Master flying.
The man’s body transmitted crisp cracking sounds from his bones while he was in mid-air. Blood streamed from his mouth, and before he even hit the ground, he was dead.
Kong Yuan’s loud shout filled Teng Yang and the others with renewed spirit, making their attacks even swifter and fiercer. In moments, they had killed or injured several of the attackers who rushed them.
“Good! Let’s join forces and wipe out these old ghosts who’ve lived so long for nothing!” Ji Changkong roared with laughter, raising his Dragon Glory Saber. A five-meter-long blood-red light shot out, overwhelming everything in its path.
With a surge like a rainbow, it shattered all the incoming white bones and soared toward the Rakshasa Ghost Vixen wielding the bone skull staff.
"Insolent junior!" The Rakshasa Ghost Matron shrieked with a heart-rending, piercing cry. A snow-white bone flower suddenly bloomed before her, and the sinister, eerie blossom abruptly opened its corolla, instantly swallowing the blood-red light shot forth by Ji Changkong.
The bone flower seemed to possess teeth, chewing steadily after swallowing the blood-red light, digesting it bit by bit.
"Old Ghost Vixen, if we don't kill this brat today, you and I might never get the chance to kill him again..." A lingering sigh echoed from the depths of the earth, belonging to Zheng Jieshi.
No longer hiding or dodging, Zheng Jieshi burst forth from the ground. In his hand was a small, earthy-yellow banner. With a casual flick, an earth dragon erupted from the deep underground, twisting directly toward Ji Changkong.
Zheng Jieshi did not maintain a distant watch as he usually did; instead, he rode atop the earth dragon as he charged toward Ji Changkong.
Ji Changkong felt the power contained within the earth dragon intensifying, like a mountain crashing into him. It seemed Zheng Jieshi was finally unleashing his full strength.
The Rakshasa Ghost Vixen did not hesitate. Withdrawing the bone skull staff in her hand, her flabby, loose skin suddenly tautened. She instantly resembled an ancient mummy, weathered by years, as she too shot toward Ji Changkong. A chilling, deep coldness coiled around her, enveloping Ji Changkong’s body in an instant.
As the eerie cold permeated his body and seeped into his soul, Ji Changkong frowned, forced to divert his attention to deal with the chilling energy invading his spirit.
The power emanating from the Tianyuan Bead within his body surged wildly into every limb and bone, giving him an urge to unleash it immediately.
"Hao!"
He roared to the heavens, and the Sky Thunder Roar erupted from his mouth, causing all the bone arrows circling his body to instantly explode into fragments.
The surging thunderous might within the Sky Thunder Roar shot out in a straight line, blasting toward the twisting earth dragon.
A heaven-shattering sound emanated from the earth dragon. Its body thrashed violently, shaking loose clouds of dust. These particles coalesced in the void into earthen spheres that rained down upon Ji Changkong.
The Rakshasa Ghost Vixen finally arrived. Her desiccated body shot forward like an arrow, speeding toward Ji Changkong. Wisps of white smoke drifted erratically from the eye sockets, nostrils, and mouth of the skull atop her bone skull staff, preceding her to fill Ji Changkong’s entire frame.
The Rakshasa Ghost Vixen smirked with venomous malice, clearly convinced that the poisonous smoke from her skull was certain to kill Ji Changkong.
Upon seeing the sky full of poisonous smoke drifting toward him, Ji Changkong was pleased rather than alarmed. Without even glancing at the encircling smoke, he unfurled his long saber and fiercely brought it down again upon Zheng Jieshi’s earth dragon.
The Source Poison, perched on Ji Changkong’s shoulder, had glittering little eyes and a strange smile curving its lips. It inhaled deeply, and the poisonous smoke, as if summoned by an ancestor, vanished completely into the Source Poison’s tiny maw without a trace.
"Anything else?" the Source Poison chirped happily, looking at the horrified Rakshasa Ghost Vixen.
Peng!
The long saber struck the earth dragon, causing its body to reel violently and obscure Ji Changkong’s vision. Zheng Jieshi, clutching the small banner, seized the opportunity to fly toward Ji Changkong, flicking the banner to silently unleash a powerful force upon him.
Hiss!
Blood boiled within him. Ji Changkong pushed out with his free left hand, and the Raging Waves Technique generated a colossal surge that dissolved the incoming force into nothingness.
Zheng Jieshi’s expression shifted. He suddenly realized that the current Ji Changkong, in terms of both cultivation realm and combat experience, was far beyond what he once was.
Facing two Bagua Heavenly Masters, he could respond methodically, without a single flaw from beginning to end, maintaining an air of calm. Zheng Jieshi secretly wondered how such a temperament could have been cultivated. He then melted back into the swirling dust and sand, waiting for another opportunity to strike.
The Rakshasa Ghost Vixen was also greatly shocked that the toxic smoke from her bone skull staff had failed. But like Zheng Jieshi, she was a seasoned giant of the evil path, a veteran of countless battles. She quickly changed tactics, using the bone skull staff itself as her weapon, darting around the earth dragon and stabbing at Ji Changkong with unpredictable movements.
The two Bagua Heavenly Masters deployed an endless stream of tactics, and even with Ji Changkong’s greatly advanced strength, he began to struggle.
What unsettled Ji Changkong even more was his perception that the power within the Tianyuan Bead was showing signs of faltering.
"Kongkong, the power inside the bead is running low. I’m making my move!" the Source Poison whispered into Ji Changkong's ear.
His pupils contracted, and Ji Changkong was suddenly startled.
The Source Poison had resided within the Tianyuan Bead for a long time and had a clear understanding of the power reserves. If it said so, the Tianyuan Bead's power must indeed be nearly depleted.
Although Ji Changkong had progressed rapidly over the years, reaching the Seven-Star Heaven Realm, even using all his techniques without borrowing power from the Tianyuan Bead, he could, at best, contend with one Bagua Heavenly Master—and that was only because he was a descendant of Xuanyuan, possessing miraculous bloodline power.
Without the Tianyuan Bead's support, relying on his blood power, coupled with the wonders of the Grand Void Secret Record and the Star Cloud Soul Refining Art, his strength was comparable to a single Bagua Heavenly Master. But now he faced two of them. How could he win without the Tianyuan Bead’s aid?
At this moment, Ji Changkong suddenly understood: external forces were ultimately just external forces, not his own power. He absolutely could not rely on them indefinitely!
Weighing the situation mentally, Ji Changkong sensed the power in the Tianyuan Bead genuinely diminishing. With this realization, he resolved to utilize the power of the Source Poison.
"Little Poison..." Ji Changkong opened his mouth.
"Aoo! Aoo-aoo!"
Just then, earth-shattering roars echoed from afar. Four massive Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons suddenly descended from the sky, appearing on the battlefield in the blink of an eye.
These Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons charged with clear targets, flying directly toward Ji Changkong.
His face changed drastically. For the first time, Ji Changkong felt thrown into disarray. With the four Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons joining the fray at this critical juncture, what was he to do?
Ji Changkong possessed an innate affection for the Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons, ancient creatures among the beasts. He feared he would not be able to overcome his inner scruples to kill them. Yet, these dragons were clearly flying toward him; if he didn't fight, would he allow them to kill him?
Ji Changkong was suddenly afflicted with a severe headache.
"Aoo-aoo! Aoo-aoo-aoo!"
The roars of the Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons descended like four dark clouds. Their bared claws and fangs were terrifying. Knowing the might of the Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons well, Ji Changkong understood that he alone stood no chance against four of them.
"Seeking death!" the Source Poison grunted, about to spring off Ji Changkong's shoulder.
"Don't!" Seeing the Source Poison preparing to attack the dragons, Ji Changkong instinctively stopped it.
"Aoo-aoo-aoo! Aoo-aoo-aoo!"
Terrifying roars filled the heavens and earth. The four Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons, having reached Ji Changkong, suddenly scattered, swiftly encircling him in the center, only to lunge directly at the Rakshasa Ghost Vixen and Zheng Jieshi.
The Rakshasa Ghost Vixen and Zheng Jieshi, who had been filled with pleased anticipation at seeing the dragons kill Ji Changkong, were suddenly thrown into chaos, cursing loudly as they scrambled to deal with the dragons' attacks.
Ji Changkong froze, watching the four Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons savagely attack the Rakshasa Ghost Vixen and Zheng Jieshi, chasing the two Bagua Heavenly Masters until they fled in disarray.
What was happening? Ji Changkong was filled with confusion. They were clearly flying toward me. Why didn't they attack me?
A string of questions flashed through his mind. Ji Changkong’s gaze swept around, finally landing on the Dragon Splendor Long Saber clutched in his hand.
The main soul residing within the Dragon Splendor Long Saber was that of an ancient Sky-Yuan Winged Dragon!
As he wielded the saber against his enemies, the main soul's power naturally overflowed. Could it be... could it be that these Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons mistook him for one of their own?
Ji Changkong was stunned, a marvelous thought suddenly taking root in his mind.
Back at the Poison Dragon Mire, the Sky-Yuan Winged Dragon’s attitude toward him had also been strange. While ferocious and inhuman toward everyone else, it had exerted itself fully on his behalf. Could it be that the blood within him caused the Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons to regard him as kin?
Azure Dragon Blood... Azure Dragon Blood. The Azure Dragon is the ancestor of all dragons; perhaps having its blood within him was the reason?
...Ji Changkong felt this possibility was highly plausible.
Regardless of the precise reason, one thing was certain: those Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons were not there to harm him. On the contrary, they were there to help, relentlessly pursuing the Rakshasa Ghost Vixen and Zheng Jieshi, causing the pair to bolt with their heads covered, utterly miserable.
Zheng Jieshi, who specialized in the Earth power of the Five Elements, saw the situation turn dire and hurriedly burrowed into the earth. He only stuck his head out to shout: "Retreat! The people from the Guiyuan Sect will deal with them!"
With those words, Zheng Jieshi vanished rapidly into the earth, and his people from Luoxia Island naturally did not stay behind, running away faster than any one of them.
This left the Rakshasa Ghost Vixen in a terrible plight. Upon losing Zheng Jieshi as a target, the four Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons naturally shifted their focus to her as the object of their attack.
The Rakshasa Ghost Vixen shrieked repeatedly as she fled into the distance. Her withered body was struck several times by the dragons, leaving her soaked in blood; she appeared severely wounded.
Once the Rakshasa Ghost Vixen fled, her Rakshasa Gate followers abandoned Teng Yang and the others, desperately trying to escape the perilous situation.
Unfortunately, Teng Yang and his group, seemingly addicted to the fight, were not willing to let these fleeing dogs go easily, chasing them down and commencing a massacre.
Ji Changkong knew that an Eighth Trigram Heavenly Master like the Rakshasa Ghost Vixen would be very difficult to retain if she was solely focused on escape. Therefore, he joined Teng Yang and the others in slaughtering the Rakshasa Gate followers.
Most of these followers were masters in the Six Harmony or Seven Star Heaven Realms, not ordinary opponents. Even with Ji Changkong and Teng Yang fighting together, they could not exterminate them all. Two of them self-detonated, nearly injuring Xue Hai and Liu Ye in the process.
"Wuwu! Wuwu-wu!"
Piercing shrieks sounded from afar. Ji Changkong’s face changed, and he called out to Teng Yang, who was relentlessly pursuing: "Stop chasing! The direction those people are fleeing seems wrong; there appear to be massive ferocious beasts lurking there. Let them go; I think fleeing that way is just seeking death."
As he spoke, the Tianyuan Bead quietly floated out, held tightly in the hand of the Source Poison, dangling slowly in the void.
Strands of soul power left behind by the fallen Six Harmony and Seven Star Heaven masters, drawn by the Tianyuan Bead, subtly seeped into it, becoming power that Ji Changkong and the Source Poison could utilize.
Teng Yang and the others were utterly exhausted. Their power could be amplified greatly for a short time, but they would be left completely drained afterward. Upon hearing Ji Changkong’s warning, the six immediately relaxed, and their exhaustion washed over them.
"You rest immediately. The Rakshasa Ghost Matron and the others certainly won't dare return anytime soon. I will watch over you; recover your internal strength as fast as you can!" Ji Changkong commanded.
The reason for letting Teng Yang and the others recover was also to keep them from noticing the subtle activities of the Source Poison, preventing them from growing suspicious of his actions.
Teng Yang and the others didn't overthink it, secretly grateful for Ji Changkong’s concern. After thanking him, they all immediately sat down, focusing intently on gathering strength to recover.
Ji Changkong subtly signaled the Source Poison, which understood and began darting around freely, using the Tianyuan Bead’s power to absorb the lingering souls scattered in the air.
Teng Yang suddenly opened his eyes and looked curiously at the Source Poison.
Ji Changkong inwardly smiled bitterly, knowing he could not completely conceal things from this entity with strange soul power.
"Brother Ji, your bead is amazing; it can actually collect soul power!" Teng Yang exclaimed with surprise.
"Yes, haha!" Ji Changkong gave a noncommittal laugh.
Teng Yang smiled enviously, "No wonder Brother Ji is so powerful; you are hiding many treasures."
"Heh heh." Ji Changkong continued to smile.
Teng Yang watched the Source Poison for a moment with curiosity but asked no further questions. He smiled, nodded, and resumed cultivating his true essence.
The four dark clouds slowly flew back from the distance. The four Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons were circling protectively in front of Ji Changkong, and even their savage eyes showed expressions of delight.
Ji Changkong was astonished, gazing intently into the eyes of the four dragons. Having lived with the Sky-Yuan Winged Dragon in the Poison Dragon Mire for a long time, he was confident he understood their temperament and feelings well. From these four, he clearly sensed the same friendly aura as the dragon from the Mire.
...They like me. Ji Changkong looked at them, finally grasping the meaning in their gazes.
"Kongkong, they—they don't seem hostile toward you; in fact, they seem quite attached to you..."
Although the Source Poison had never spent time with the Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons, its soul power was peculiar, and it keenly sensed this from their aura.
"Yes, they... they are our friends, friends we can trust!" Ji Changkong said in a deep voice.
As he spoke, Ji Changkong gently extended his hand, attempting to touch the neck of one of the Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons.
The dragon, seeing Ji Changkong reach out, actively lowered its head, willingly allowing Ji Changkong to stroke it, even appearing to enjoy the sensation.
The other three dragons were not to be outdone; they too pushed their massive heads forward, making it clear they wanted equal treatment. Ji Changkong smiled gladly, stroking the necks of the four dragons. He knew the neck was their most sensitive spot; the dragon in the Poison Dragon Mire had also enjoyed being treated this way before.
"Kongkong, why are there only four left?" the Source Poison muttered, then suddenly remarked, "Last time that Golden-Haired Giant Bear charged at us, it was these guys who intercepted it! Could it be... could it be they were trying to save you back then? It's a pity they clearly weren't a match for the Golden-Haired Giant Bear, yet they charged forward. Ah, of course, they had to pay a price..."
Ji Changkong froze, looking at the four remaining Sky-Yuan Winged Dragons, and felt an overwhelming pang of sorrow, his eyes welling up uncontrollably.