Only in the instant of defeat did the truth become clear: only those who laugh last truly laugh with all their heart.

Holding the Tianyuan Orb, Ji Changkong’s smile at that moment was undoubtedly brilliant.

In contrast, Zhuang Bufu, Huang Liangxuan, and Cai Mengyuan had often worn radiant smiles during their exchanges, certain of victory, but in this instant, their faces were grim. Blood trickled uncontrollably from their lips, their spirits flagging, their complexions as pale as paper.

The three Bagua Heavenly Masters, joining forces against Ji Changkong, had not only failed to achieve their goal but had paid an agonizing price, their very souls severely wounded—a result no one could have foreseen.

Li Hentian and the Blood Emperor Liu Yunfeihe had already vanished into the distance, locked in their own high-stakes battle. Below, the Sea Clan and the Heavenly Masters from the East Sea and the Central Lands momentarily ceased their entangled fighting, all staring in stunned silence at the three paralyzed figures of Zhuang Bufu and Ji Changkong suspended in mid-air.

Bian Qi, who had been the most skeptical of Ji Changkong, even expecting his certain death, was naturally the most astonished when the outcome was revealed. His mouth hung wide open, frozen in an expression of utter shock. He muttered under his breath, “How is this possible... How could this be?”

Teng Yang and the other five, who had worried most for Ji Changkong, felt an immense wave of satisfaction seeing him unharmed and seemingly having grievously wounded Zhuang Bufu’s trio. They couldn’t help but chuckle in delight.

Zheng Jieshi and the Rakshasa Ghost Mother’s faces were ashen, their moods utterly foul.

Zheng Jieshi, especially, stared at the three elders and cursed them inwardly: Arrogant fools. Should have listened to my advice. You deserve this terrible luck!

“Huang Liangxuan, I will treat you exactly as you treated my friends just now. An eye for an eye. Don't blame me for being ruthless,” Ji Changkong sneered with affected politeness.

“Brother Kong, thanks! Haha, that was so satisfying!” Xue Hai bellowed below, clearly elated.

Liu Ye, Teng Yang, and the others also let out quiet chuckles, enjoying the moment inwardly.

“You—” Huang Liangxuan pointed a finger at Ji Changkong, preparing to speak, but another mouthful of blood sprayed forth.

“Impressive. You spit blood before you even start talking? I’m truly admiring!” Ji Changkong gave a wry laugh, suddenly urging his Tianjing Winged Dragon forcefully: “Charge!”

Roar!

The Tianbao Winged Dragon let out a long cry, its vast fleshy wings unfurling, swift as lightning, and it suddenly lunged toward the three of them.

The other two Tianhao Winged Dragons beside him naturally rose as well, following closely behind the Tianpa Winged Dragon beneath Ji Changkong, attacking with equal ferocity.

Zhuang Bufu’s face darkened further.

Their souls were already heavily damaged; having experienced that sharp, immediate pain, the three dared not unleash soul attacks against Ji Changkong again. Already grievously injured, facing three Tianjing Winged Dragons plus the unfathomable Ji Changkong was undoubtedly a formidable prospect.

“Let’s go,” Cai Mengyuan, usually the quietest, suddenly whispered with resignation.

Zhuang Bufu and Huang Liangxuan’s lips were etched with bitterness. Seeing the three Tianjing Winged Dragons and Ji Changkong bearing down on them, they nodded slightly, realizing that staying to fight to the death was no longer a wise course of action.

Thus, the three of them retreated together.

“Eh!” Cai Mengyuan cried out in alarm, suddenly feeling as if a strange, potent force had invaded his soul. That power possessed an intensely corrosive quality, like an eraser wiping away stains, systematically eroding his soul bit by bit!

Zhuang Bufu and Huang Liangxuan immediately sensed the abnormality within their own souls.

The moment they realized their soul imprints were being meticulously erased, the three high-ranking elders of the Guiyuan Sect panicked in unison.

“You—what did you do to us?” Zhuang Bufu shrieked weakly, his face etched with terror, pointing a trembling finger at Ji Changkong.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It seems your soul power is depleted, and you’re starting to lose your senses. Truly pitiful,” Ji Changkong gasped, feigning deep sympathy for the three.

Yet, the speed at which he and the Tianpa Winged Dragon approached them did not slow; instead, it suddenly doubled!

Zhuang Bufu abruptly realized Ji Changkong intended to silence them permanently. Understanding that Ji Changkong likely wished to conceal something, Zhuang Bufu urgently insisted, “No! That’s not right! What exactly did you do to us?”

“Ah!” Huang Liangxuan suddenly clutched his head, crying out in agonizing pain, his voice piercingly shrill.

Ji Changkong’s eyes were utterly cold. He gently patted the Tiankuang Winged Dragon beneath him, then suddenly leapt off its back, choosing not to participate in the final act of execution.

Zhuang Bufu tried to speak again but could utter no more. He felt his consciousness within his soul diminishing rapidly, nearing the point where he would forget who he was.

Cai Mengyuan shared his fate, his eyes vacant and distant, stopping motionless as the Tianjing Winged Dragon charged forward to devour him.

The three Tianpa Winged Dragons opened their massive maws and directly swallowed the bodies of Cai Mengyuan, Zhuang Bufu, and Huang Liangxuan, chewing forcefully in great gulps.

Resting on Ji Changkong’s shoulder, the Origin Poison let out a strange, faint smile. It reached out from Ji Changkong’s palm to take the Tianyuan Orb, gave a slight wave, and collected the soul remnants of the three elders that had not yet dissipated into the world.

“Kongkong, I’m a little tired; I’m going inside to rest,” the Origin Poison nudged Ji Changkong lightly, lowering its voice.

Ji Changkong nodded in understanding. “Mhm. Go rest for a while first. But don’t fall into a deep sleep; the fight isn't truly over yet.”

“Got it,” the Origin Poison replied lazily. It suddenly plunged into the Tianyuan Orb, which flashed once before melting into Ji Changkong’s body like water.

Glancing down at Zheng Jieshi, Ji Changkong smiled faintly and pointed a finger. “Kill him!”

The three Tianjing Winged Dragons, which had been crunching audibly on the bodies of the three elders of Guiyuan Sect, obediently plunged toward Zheng Jieshi, screeching fiercely, looking utterly thrilled.

The three elders of Zhuang Bufu were Bagua Heavenly Masters; their bodies had undergone various forms of tempering, saturated with worldly elemental energy. By directly consuming them, the Tianjing Winged Dragons immediately sensed the immense benefit these three bodies would bring them.

Upon hearing Ji Changkong command them to kill Zheng Jieshi, the three still-eager Tianjing Winged Dragons were naturally delighted to comply.

Zheng Jieshi and the Rakshasa Ghost Mother had held the upper hand while fighting the Sea Clan members, but the arrival of four Tianpa Winged Dragons brought immediate peril, plunging them into terror.

The Tianpao Winged Dragon that had been with Teng Yang also grew excited. Without needing any instruction from Teng Yang, it charged straight toward Zheng Jieshi and the Rakshasa Ghost Mother.

The Winged Dragons swept through the crowd, sending the Heavenly Masters of the East Sea and the Central Lands scattering in disarray. The Sea Clan members were suddenly freed from the need to fend off these attackers and were relieved.

For a moment, the Tianpa Winged Dragons roared everywhere, hunting down the Rakshasa Ghost Mother and Zheng Jieshi. In the process of pursuing them, they did not forget to strike at other fleeing Heavenly Masters, their massive iron claws descending, often snatching one person into the sky.

Having tasted the delicacy of Zhuang Bufu’s trio, the Tiankuang Winged Dragons naturally refused to let food near their mouths pass them by. They opened their great jaws, devouring the energy-rich bodies of the Heavenly Masters everywhere, buzzing with excitement.

The Rakshasa Ghost Mother wielded her Serpent-Head Skull Scepter, constantly evading while screaming shrill curses at Ji Changkong for his despicable cruelty. She seemed ready to flee, yet hesitated, perhaps wary of the Blood Emperor Liu Yunfeihe.

Zheng Jieshi, possessing profound mastery over the Five Elements Earth power, occasionally burrowed into the earth to evade the Tianjing Winged Dragons’ relentless pursuit. This proved an effective tactic; once deep underground, the Winged Dragons were helpless and had to focus their attention on the Rakshasa Ghost Mother.

This left the Rakshasa Ghost Mother in dire straits. With all five Tianpa Winged Dragons focusing on her, escape from this perilous spot became exceedingly difficult.

The Rakshasa Ghost Mother no longer had the leisure to curse Ji Changkong; all her energy was channeled into evading the pursuit of the five Winged Dragons. Even so, under their combined attack, she was barely managing, rolling desperately on the ground.

A master of her status and realm would never expose such a disgraceful spectacle unless absolutely forced. Everyone watching the Rakshasa Ghost Mother’s clumsy rolling recognized the severity of her predicament.

At this point, Zheng Jieshi exhibited extreme disloyalty, hiding deep underground and refusing to emerge, terrified that even a brief appearance would draw the Winged Dragons’ attack.

The Tiankuang Winged Dragons possessed astonishing vitality, immune to the Rakshasa Ghost Mother’s soul attacks. Moreover, the potent poison released by her Serpent-Head Skull Scepter was also ineffective against them. Under these constraints, she was forced to rely solely on brute physical strength against the Tianjing Winged Dragons.

But the Tianjing Winged Dragons already possessed sharp claws and thick, rough hides. For the Rakshasa Ghost Mother to try and kill them using the power of her scepter was already an immense challenge, let alone facing four of them?

“Zheng Jieshi! You wretched dog! Get out here and die!” the Rakshasa Ghost Mother shrieked, so enraged she wanted to tear him limb from limb.

Zheng Jieshi seemed to have already fled far away, giving not a hint of response, no matter how loudly she screamed.

“Stop shouting. He’s right under your feet, but he won't come out,” Ji Changkong stood proudly in the sky, sneering mockingly.

The Rakshasa Ghost Mother could indeed sense Zheng Jieshi’s presence, knowing he hadn't gone far. But his refusal to emerge, dumping all the pressure onto her shoulders, drove her nearly insane, yet she was utterly helpless.

“Kill this old hag!” Ji Changkong, growing impatient as he watched the Rakshasa Ghost Mother scatter in chaos, her injuries mounting, called out to Bian Qi and the contingent of East Sea forces.

Bian Qi and his group nodded lightly, signaling they understood Ji Changkong’s intent.

To prevent any further complications, Bian Qi and the burly Sea Clan warrior attacked from a distance toward the Rakshasa Ghost Mother. Teng Yang did not lag behind; he quietly gathered his soul power and, taking advantage of the Rakshasa Ghost Mother’s distraction, secretly used his subtle soul energy to influence her.

The Rakshasa Ghost Mother, now the focus of everyone’s assault, could hardly expect to survive.

Ji Changkong then unleashed his Five-Colored Halo, using it to interfere with the Rakshasa Ghost Mother’s soul perception, hindering her ability to channel secret techniques through her soul.

“Old hag, like her predecessor, I hold a grudge. Wushan Laomu died by my hand, and you will be no different!” Ji Changkong laughed loudly, continuously intensifying the power of the Five-Colored Halo.

The Rakshasa Ghost Mother’s strength suddenly faltered. Her soul felt trapped in a cage, and she found herself unable to release the power within her body.

The attacks from Bian Qi and the East Sea warrior landed forcefully, exploding directly in front of the Rakshasa Ghost Mother.

The four Tianpa Winged Dragons swarmed forward, tearing at her body, quickly ripping the Rakshasa Ghost Mother to pieces. Her blood sprayed out in fine mist in all directions.

The Tianyuan Orb was quietly retrieved by Ji Changkong once more. He gently shook the orb, and the remaining soul energy of the Rakshasa Ghost Mother automatically flowed into it.

In addition to her soul power, the soul energy of the East Sea and Central Lands Heavenly Masters who had been incidentally killed by the Tianpa Winged Dragons also fell into the Tianyuan Orb, causing the power within it to grow increasingly dense.

After securing the Tianyuan Orb, Ji Changkong smiled with satisfaction. He looked down; before the Sea Clan members, there was no longer a single expert from the East Sea or the Central Lands.

In that short time, all the remaining experts after the Blood Emperor’s departure—the dead, the fled—had vanished.

Frowning slightly, Ji Changkong released his soul power and clearly sensed that the presence of the Lord of Luoxia Island, Zheng Jieshi, still lingered. His soul power drilled into the earth as Ji Changkong held his breath, stealthily probing for Zheng Jieshi’s location.

A faint, almost imperceptible soul fluctuation slowly emanated from beneath the ground of White Bone Island. When Ji Changkong opened his senses, he could clearly detect the exact position of that thread of soul.

Suddenly withdrawing his soul power, Ji Changkong let out a cold snort and fixed his gaze on a spot on the ground. “Zheng Jieshi, oh Zheng Jieshi. As the Lord of Luoxia Island in the East Sea, you are truly pathetic, utterly shameless! Seeing danger, you can abandon your friends and the followers of your island, hunkering down underground solely to save your own skin. Your conduct is the epitome of immorality and disgrace!”

His words, sharp and acid-tongued, flowed from Ji Changkong’s mouth as he stared fixedly at Zheng Jieshi’s location, relentlessly provoking and cursing him.

Zheng Jieshi, however, remained stubbornly buried beneath the earth. No matter how Ji Changkong cursed, he refused to surface, dying before he would reveal himself.

Teng Yang and his group, who had managed to relax, certainly did not hold back. They hurled every nasty insult imaginable at Zheng Jieshi; in that short while, all eighteen generations of his ancestors were deeply cursed.

Still, Zheng Jieshi did not emerge.

“Amazing. No wonder he became the Lord of Turtle Island. I have to admit defeat. I’m tired of cursing, and he still won’t react. This Lord truly earns his title!” Xue Hai commented with admiration.

By this point, everyone understood that this method was unlikely to work on a man like Zheng Jieshi. After everyone had exhausted their creative insults, he remained unmoved. His shamelessness was such that he could be proud of it.

Ji Changkong had already descended from the sky. He knew that anyone deeply hidden underground, like Zheng Jieshi, could escape if they chose to, so he stopped wasting his energy.

“Jin Hao, Xue Hai, how are you all feeling?” Ji Changkong asked them softly.

“Nothing serious, a bit of rest should fix us up,” Xue Hai replied, his face slightly pale but his eyes still spirited.

“I’m fine. They did injure their souls, so they’ll need some time to recover,” Teng Yang frowned. “Huang Liangxuan’s attack was truly vicious. We hadn’t expected that an elder of Guiyuan Sect would stoop to bullying juniors like that. That’s why we miscalculated and suffered.”

“Ha! Brother Kong avenged us. I think Huang Liangxuan finally got his just deserts, swallowed by the Tianjing Winged Dragons! He deserved it!” Xue Hai laughed heartily, looking delighted.

Liu Ye and the others smiled and nodded, clearly pleased. After all, the three elders of Huang Liangxuan were dead, and they had met a gruesome end—for them, that was enough.

Zheng Jieshi, still deep beneath the earth, suddenly withdrew and was no longer lurking in the depths.

Ji Changkong’s brows furrowed, his expression suddenly tense as his gaze burned toward the clouds above White Bone Island.

The others also sensed something amiss. They stopped talking, all looking up at the sky, awaiting the next arrival.

A lean figure abruptly materialized before their eyes. Li Hentian’s face remained cold, but everyone who saw it felt a wave of relief wash over them.

Whoosh!

Li Hentian materialized beside Ji Changkong. His face was slightly pale. He swept his gaze over the scene, and a flicker of approval crossed his eyes. “Resolved?”

“Zheng Jieshi escaped, but nearly all the other key figures are dead here,” Ji Changkong replied with a smile, betraying no hint of pride, as if it were a perfectly routine matter.

Li Hentian paused slightly. “What about Zhuang Bufu and the others?”

“Resolved as well,” Ji Changkong gestured toward the Tiankuang Winged Dragons beside him. “Their corpses are still in their bellies!”

Li Hentian’s eyes brightened, and he nodded deeply, looking intently at Ji Changkong. “Well done.”

Ji Changkong shrugged, his expression unchanged, and smiled mildly. “Just so-so.”

“Smug!” Liu Ye pouted, scolding Ji Changkong with a laugh.

“Old Li, what about—” Ji Changkong’s expression turned serious as he asked solemnly.

“I am inferior to him, but he couldn’t kill me either. After testing me, he realized the battle below had ended. He must have known he couldn’t kill you, so he withdrew calmly,” Li Hentian stated plainly.

“Mhm, I knew you’d be fine. That Blood Emperor likely only broke through to the Nine Palaces Heaven Realm recently. He’s had more time to familiarize himself with the true essence of that realm’s power, which is why he gained a slight upper hand. However, that gap... as you become more accustomed to the realm, it will close quickly,” Ji Changkong analyzed objectively.

“You sound quite knowledgeable,” Li Hentian observed Ji Changkong, his gaze softening. He tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Alright, let’s leave White Bone Island. What happens in the East Sea is no longer our concern.”

“Mhm,” Ji Changkong nodded, then walked over to Teng Yang and the six others with a smile. “What’s your decision? Will you stay with the Sea Clan for a while longer, or leave? If you leave White Bone Island, we can travel together.”

He noticed Teng Yang seemed to be getting along well with the Sea Clan members. The six great families behind Teng Yang in the Jiong River Sea Territory likely had dealings with the Sea Clan, so Ji Changkong suspected they might choose to remain on White Bone Island temporarily to communicate.

“Brother Kong, don’t worry about the Necrolith Stone—” Teng Yang said, slightly taken aback. “Isn’t there still a Ghost Demon King near your Xuanyuan Valley that hasn’t been dealt with? The Necrolith Stone might actually be a method to deal with the Ghost Demon King.”

“The Necrolith Stone is in the Sea Clan’s forbidden area, and I promised I wouldn't enter it,” Ji Changkong smiled, looking at the complex expression of Bian Qi. “I always keep my word. Whatever is in your Sea Clan’s forbidden grounds has nothing to do with me.”

Bian Qi frowned, staring deeply at Ji Changkong, then glanced at the cold-faced Li Hentian. After a long pause, he finally gritted out, “Forget it. Our Sea Clan has run into terrible luck meeting people like you. Li Hentian, you may go. What you and the previous generation of Xuanyuan did, let it go!”

“Elder Bian,” the burly Sea Clan warrior called out.

Bian Qi waved his hand, stopping the warrior from speaking. He looked deeply at Ji Changkong once more. “You are different from the previous generations of Xuanyuan. Under your hand, the Ji family might avoid those terrible fates. As long as you can maintain your current state of mind, your ending might be different from theirs.”

“Ahem!” Li Hentian coughed lightly.

“Take care of yourself!” Bian Qi looked profoundly at Ji Changkong, his final words ringing out.

“Thank you for the well wishes. I know what I must do,” Ji Changkong smiled, not taking Bian Qi’s words too seriously. He looked at Teng Yang. “Are you planning to stay on White Bone Island for a while?”

“Yes, Brother Kong. We feel that White Bone Island is very beneficial for our cultivation. We hope to break through to the next realm here before we leave,” Teng Yang said apologetically.

"Well, you've made the right decision," Ji Changkong smiled. "Then we shall meet again. It was a pleasure getting to know the six of you." If you ever get the chance to visit the Central Plains, you must remember to find me at Xuanyuan Valley to gather."

"Rest assured, Brother Ji. As soon as we have a chance to go to the Central Plains, we will definitely come looking for you!" Xue Hai thumped his chest and guaranteed.

"Brother Ji, take care, travel safely! Remember, in the East Sea, the six of us will always be your friends! Once the six of us become the rulers of the River Sea Domain, we will maintain our friendship with your Xuanyuan Valley forever!" Teng Yang stated.

Kong Yuan, Hong Ge, Liu Ye, Jin Hao, and the others all nodded firmly, expressing that they would deeply remember this friendship and would never forget how Ji Changkong had treated them during this time.

"Stay here, don't move," Ji Changkong smiled, stepping down from the four Heavenly Hail Winged Dragons beside him. He stroked the neck of each dragon, whispering his farewells close to their ears. Ji Changkong and Li Hentian ascended into the air, rapidly moving away from the area. However, the four Heavenly Hail Winged Dragons inexplicably followed, chasing after Ji Changkong.

Ji Changkong froze. He had originally planned to rely on Li Hentian's strength to deal with the Golden-Haired Giant Bear, but now that the Winged Dragons insisted on following, he was suddenly at a loss for what to do.

"Changkong, what are you planning?" Li Hentian, having watched Ji Changkong grow up, naturally knew he had an objective. As soon as they left Teng Yang and the others, he immediately asked.

"There is a Golden-Haired Giant Bear on Bone Island. Do you know about it?"

"I know. That Golden-Haired Giant Bear is one of the strongest fierce beasts on Bone Island; few dare to provoke it. Why do you ask?"

"Let's go kill it."

"Oh."

Li Hentian didn't even ask why Ji Changkong wanted to kill the Golden-Haired Giant Bear; the moment Ji Changkong suggested it, he readily agreed.

Ji Changkong wasn't surprised by his reply. He smiled, glanced back at the following Winged Dragons, and suddenly paused. When the dragons caught up, he leaped onto the back of one of them, lightly patting its neck, and commanded in a low voice, "Let's go. It's time for revenge."

The Winged Dragon seemed to understand his words. It let out a low roar and flew excitedly back in the direction they had come from, moving at an incredible speed.

Unfortunately, the Golden-Haired Giant Bear seemed to have moved. It was no longer in its previous location. When Ji Changkong, riding the Winged Dragon, arrived with Li Hentian at the area where the bear usually frequented, they couldn't find any trace of it. Ji Changkong was helpless and began searching the surrounding areas with the Winged Dragon.

They patrolled the vicinity thoroughly once more, yet still found no sign of the Golden-Haired Giant Bear. The colossal, mountain-sized creature seemed to have vanished into thin air; they had no idea where it had gone.

Ji Changkong looked troubled, gently patting the enormous head of the Winged Dragon. He sighed, "There's nothing we can do. I don't know where that fellow went."

The Winged Dragon seemed to understand what he was saying, panting heavily, appearing equally frustrated.

"That person... after separating from me, they seemed to be heading in this direction. Could it be?" Li Hentian frowned, suddenly speaking up.

"The Blood Emperor left in this direction?" Ji Changkong was taken aback and inquired.

"Yes, he left from this direction. If the Golden-Haired Bear happened to be nearby, he would have certainly encountered it," Li Hentian confirmed.

"He didn't take the Golden-Haired Giant Bear with him, did he?" A bizarre notion suddenly struck Ji Changkong.

"I don't know," Li Hentian shook his head, indicating he wasn't sure what the Blood Emperor might do. After a pause, Li Hentian added, "That person is extremely powerful. If he made thorough preparations, it's possible he could have lured the Golden-Haired Bear away. However, whether he could lead it out of the Sea Monster Forbidden Zone, I cannot say."

Ji Changkong was astonished, finding the Blood Emperor Liu Yunfeihe incredibly mysterious, his actions always impossible to predict.

After circling the vicinity again on the Winged Dragon for a while longer, Ji Changkong and they still couldn't locate the Golden-Haired Bear. Helplessly, Ji Changkong had to abandon the search.

After communicating thoroughly with the Winged Dragon, Ji Changkong reluctantly left Bone Island with Li Hentian. Li Hentian seemed quite familiar with the island, leading the way. In no time, he brought Ji Changkong to the island's edge.

All four Heavenly Hail Winged Dragons had followed. They watched silently as Ji Changkong and Li Hentian moved away from Bone Island. Only when Ji Changkong's figure was far in the distance did the four dragons slowly turn back.

Rumble! Rumble!

A violent, earth-shattering tremor suddenly erupted from Bone Island. Ji Changkong, who had just moved a short distance away, turned to look, his expression instantly shifting. He gasped, "What's happening on the island?"

From beneath Bone Island, an overwhelming surge of Origin Power fluctuation was faintly spewing out, causing the entire island to tremble violently.

For a fleeting moment, Ji Changkong felt as if a terrifyingly powerful life form existed beneath the island, but when he tried to focus his senses, he could feel nothing at all.

Li Hentian frowned deeply, gazing at Bone Island, and stated calmly, "Some people on that island are probably about to suffer disaster."

"Who?" Ji Changkong was startled, and immediately a touch of worry crossed his face. "Are those Sea Clan members going to be in trouble?"

Li Hentian shook his head. "Anyone could suffer, but they won't." Sensing Ji Changkong's concern, Li Hentian glanced at him and said lightly, "Relax, your friends will be fine. On the contrary, they might gain some benefits."

"What?" Ji Changkong was momentarily confused.

"Haven't you sensed a strange power residing within your friends? And that power is not something they cultivated themselves?"

"I know," Ji Changkong nodded. "There is indeed a power on them. Because of that power, they can exhibit strength beyond their actual realm. I don't know where that power originates, but I know it is extraordinary!"

Li Hentian gave Ji Changkong an appreciative look and nodded slightly. "The power of those six little fellows is related to the monster beneath Bone Island."

"The monster beneath Bone Island?" Ji Changkong exclaimed in surprise. After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly cried out, "You mean... you mean the Sea Demon?"

Li Hentian nodded solemnly. "Exactly!"

"There really are Sea Demons?" Ji Changkong asked, astonished.

"The Four Sacred Beasts truly exist; why is it strange that there are Sea Demons in the ocean?" Li Hentian looked at him. "Haven't you sensed the presence of the Four Sacred Beasts?"

At this question, Ji Changkong let out a wry laugh. "That's right. Since the Four Sacred Beasts can exist, it's only natural that a Sea Demon would be hidden here."

His expression stiffened slightly. Ji Changkong asked, "You mean... my friends' power comes from the Sea Demon? How can this be?"

"I don't know how they obtained the Sea Demon's power. Perhaps... they themselves don't know their power comes from the Sea Demon. But now that they are on Bone Island, they certainly won't be harmed. The Sea Demon resides deep beneath the island and generally doesn't concern itself with surface matters. But if anyone dares to provoke it, that person will certainly pay a heavy price!" Li Hentian said calmly, with a hint of schadenfreude in his eyes.

"You mean the Blood Emperor?"

"Besides him, I can't think of anyone else who could draw the Sea Demon's attention," Li Hentian nodded. He pulled out two azure-blue stones, each about the size of a fist, from his robes. Faint shadows danced within the stones, as if tiny figures were leaping inside, lending the azure color an alluring beauty.

"He's staying on Bone Island, probably still unwilling to give up on these stones in the Forbidden Zone." Saying this, Li Hentian handed the stones to Ji Changkong. "These two stones I obtained from the Sea Clan's Forbidden Zone. They are the so-called Death Spirit Stones they desire. Take them."

"Death Spirit Stones?" Ji Changkong was stunned. Taking the stones from Li Hentian's hand, his expression grew strange as he intently stared at the azure quartet of stones, pointing at the constantly shaking figures within. He asked, "Are these figures inside the imprisoned souls in the Death Spirit Stones? How can the Death Spirit Stones be utilized?"

Li Hentian shook his head. "I don't know."

"What exactly is the Sea Clan's Forbidden Zone? Why were you cultivating inside it? There are so many places in the world; why cultivate specifically in the Sea Demon Forbidden Zone? And upon coming to Bone Island, why did you insist on trespassing into the Sea Clan's Forbidden Zone?" Ji Changkong bombarded him with a series of questions that had long troubled him.

Faced with so many inquiries, Li Hentian frowned and remained silent.

Ji Changkong forced a smile. "Why do you hide everything from me? If I hadn't learned about you from Uncle Tuoba, I wouldn't have been able to find you even if I tried to die finding you."

Li Hentian maintained his silence.

Ji Changkong sighed in resignation. He understood that if Li Hentian didn't want to speak about something, he would simply remain silent. No matter what method was used to question him, if he was unwilling to speak, he wouldn't speak.

"These stones are somewhat useful, but they cannot eternally imprison the Ghost Demon King," Li Hentian said softly after a long silence, looking at the two Death Spirit Stones in Ji Changkong's hand.

"What do you mean?" Ji Changkong asked.

"They can hold him for a time, but not forever. He will always find a way to escape."

"If they can hold him for a time, that's one time gained. I already knew that while the Death Spirit Stones might be useful, they likely couldn't truly solve the problem of the Ghost Demon King." Ji Changkong wasn't disappointed. Having personally fought the Ghost Demon King, he understood the terror of such a creature better than anyone. He knew that powerful beings like the Ghost Demon King couldn't be dealt with merely by using some artifact.

"Yes, it's good that you think that way," Li Hentian nodded.

"You can see that, but can that Blood Emperor also see the problem? If he also knew the Death Spirit Stones might not truly defeat the Ghost Demon King, why would he venture thousands of miles to this Sea Demon Forbidden Zone, to Bone Island, risking danger? Just to kill you?" Ji Changkong inquired.

"The Death Spirit Stones might not defeat the Ghost Demon King, but the creature that birthed the Death Spirit Stones might possess something within its body that can deal with the Ghost Demon King," Li Hentian suggested.

"The Sea Demon?" Ji Changkong gasped. "So the Blood Emperor's true purpose for coming to Bone Island this time is the Sea Demon?"

"Perhaps," Li Hentian replied with an air of uncertainty. "These Death Spirit Stones are merely a type of gallstone from within the Sea Demon's body."

"Where did you get these Death Spirit Stones of yours?" A strange feeling suddenly washed over Ji Changkong. He stared blankly at Li Hentian.

He said the Death Spirit Stones were gallstones from within a Sea Demon, and yet he held two such stones. Did that mean Li Hentian had entered a Sea Demon's body? Ji Changkong started feeling dizzy.

Li Hentian fell silent once more.

Ji Changkong, brimming with curiosity, felt like spitting blood.

"Let's go. We'll leave this Sea Demon Forbidden Zone and search for that Ghost Demon King in the East Sea," Li Hentian stated after a long silence, delivering a bombshell that was hard to digest.

"What?" Ji Changkong grit his teeth, glaring at Li Hentian. His spirit seemed to deflate like a punctured ball. He said wryly, "Old Li, I beg you, can you just speak clearly? You always leave things half-said and half-hidden—it makes people incredibly uncomfortable!"

Li Hentian twitched the corner of his mouth, signaling that he was done teasing. "Some things you must seek the answers to yourself, rather than asking. What I do is guide you; I'm not here to explain everything perfectly clear."

Hesitating slightly, Li Hentian added, "On the path of seeking knowledge, your nature and state of mind are also sublimated and tempered. Remember, if you wish to break through to the Ninth Palace Heaven Realm, mere diligent cultivation is useless. Only by facing your inner self directly, entrusting your consciousness to the expanse of heaven and earth, seeking knowledge, understanding the true meaning of everything in the world, can you achieve enlightenment. Then, relying on this enlightenment, you can break through your existing bottlenecks!"

Ji Changkong listened intently. He knew that this discourse from Li Hentian was more precious than anything. The cultivation insights and guidance from a Ninth Palace Heaven expert was the most priceless treasure in this world, even more valuable than the spirit-bound divine weapons of an Eight Trigram Heaven expert.

Ji Changkong listened to Li Hentian's words with utmost seriousness, engraving every single word deeply into his mind, resolving to spend time contemplating them.

"Oh, right. Why are we looking for the Ghost Demon King?" Ji Changkong asked curiously only after confirming he had memorized every word Li Hentian had said.

"To kill him," Li Hentian replied.

"What does the matter in the East Sea have to do with us?"

"Anyone else can ignore it, but you, as a Xuanyuan of the Ji family, must intervene," Li Hentian looked at Ji Changkong. "The Ghost Demon King slaughters innocents and harms all living things throughout the world. Xuanyuan bears an unavoidable responsibility. As a Ji Family Xuanyuan, you naturally must eradicate the Ghost Demon King, this malignancy, from the world."

"Ah, how did it become my responsibility?" Ji Changkong felt a huge headache coming on. What he feared most right now was people talking to him about responsibility.

"If you don't kill him, he will eventually come to kill you. He grows stronger every second. If you wish to rest easy, you must completely kill him, or your Ji family will suffer a catastrophe even more tragic than the previous ones!" Li Hentian warned sternly.

At these words, Ji Changkong’s expression became serious. He stated firmly, "I understand. With the Ghost Demon King, it is a fight to the death; only one side can survive in this world."

"Exactly so," Li Hentian nodded, letting out a rare, soft sigh. "Dealing with them, the sooner the better. If time drags on, they will only grow stronger. One day, if the two Ghost Demon Kings reunite and merge into one, truly no one in the world will be able to kill him."

Ten thousand words written for the brothers! How can you not support this effort with some monthly votes? Please!