A tremendous roar echoed from Skeleton Isle. Beneath it, fierce currents erupted constantly, making the entire island seem poised to crumble and sink into the sea at any moment.
The disturbance behind them was so violent and unrestrained, yet Ji Changkong and Li Hentian paid it no mind, ignoring whatever might be happening on Skeleton Isle. With Li Hentian leading and Ji Changkong following closely, the two gradually distanced themselves from the island, preparing to exit this Sea Demon Forbidden Ground.
Li Hentian appeared remarkably familiar with the Sea Demon Forbidden Ground. With him setting the course, Ji Changkong had no need for second thoughts, simply following in his wake.
Li Hentian had just broken through to the Nine Palaces Heaven realm, and even without borrowing the power of the Heavenly Origin Pearl, Ji Changkong was already at the peak of the Seven Stars Heaven realm. Combined with the extraordinary nature of his bloodline power, he could indeed keep pace with Li Hentian’s stride, albeit with effort.
Passing through layers of dense mist, the pair continued flying forward in the dim, indistinct Sea Demon Forbidden Ground. Surprisingly, following Li Hentian, Ji Changkong encountered almost no troublesome incidents; the omnipresent constraining forces of the Forbidden Ground seemed to have vanished entirely.
No sun, moon, or stars were visible within the Sea Demon Forbidden Ground. Time lost all meaning here. After an indeterminate duration, Li Hentian finally guided Ji Changkong to that magical expanse filled with towering megaliths.
He recalled passing through this area some time ago—the monstrous, ubiquitous stones that, at his will, suddenly rose from the seabed, sealing off every crevice in this entire region. He remembered how those stones had finally piled up to form a giant of astonishing scale.
The path ahead was pitch dark, with chaotic rocks littering every corner. The sinister, jagged stones resembled grasping, clawing demons, lying in wait for prey to deliver itself to them.
Li Hentian suddenly halted.
He glanced back at Ji Changkong, his brow furrowed slightly. “When we pass through here in a moment, don’t let your mind wander. Just charge forward fiercely and we’ll be through.”
Ji Changkong smiled. “Right, I know what to do. I came through this way before, and I even accidentally disturbed a Stone Giant then.”
“You saw the Stone Giant?” Li Hentian’s brow twitched. “Then how did you get out?”
“I fled in a terrible state, of course,” Ji Changkong shrugged, unconcerned.
“Not bad. Anyone who manages to escape alive from within a Stone Giant is no ordinary person,” Li Hentian pursed his lips, his gaze fixed on the massive, scaled rocks scattered in every direction ahead. “The Stone Giants have lain dormant for years, bound by the power of the Sea Demons, only able to operate within the Forbidden Ground. If one could emerge, the East Sea would likely face a catastrophe.”
“Are the Stone Giants really controlled by Sea Demons?”
“Indeed. Only Sea Demons possess such immense power. These giants barely fear soul attacks, their bodies are impervious to blades and spears—they are practically invincible. Even a Master of the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm would be helpless against one.”
“You’ve reached the Nine Palaces Heaven realm; can you handle a Stone Giant?”
“There is a way, but it’s incredibly difficult. This Stone Giant is unfathomably stronger than the Golden-Haired Bear on Skeleton Isle. That bear, at least, is flesh and blood; with a sharp divine weapon and sufficient power, breaking through its hide isn't hard. But this Stone Giant’s stony exterior is supremely tough; even divine weapons struggle to harm it.”
“Then how should one deal with it?”
“A divine weapon forged from extraterrestrial materials to pierce its body, and a soul technique to sever the Sea Demon’s connection to it—only then can it be truly wounded.”
“Extraterrestrial divine weapons?” Ji Changkong blinked, hesitating for a moment before asking, “Are weapons refined solely by one’s own power incapable of harming it?”
“Not entirely. When I speak of extraterrestrial divine weapons, I also mean those forged using peculiar materials from beyond the heavens. There are exotic metals out there that are incredibly sharp, truly indestructible. If such metals are incorporated into a divine weapon, they multiply its sharpness tenfold!”
Saying this, Li Hentian intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Ji Changkong’s Qiankun Bag, remarking casually, “For example, your Dragon Brilliance Saber contains Black Iron and Black Gold from a meteorite core, which is why it’s so sharp. If you could break through to the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm, you might be able to harm that Stone Giant using the Dragon Brilliance Saber.”
The Dragon Brilliance Saber? Looking at Li Hentian, Ji Changkong said gravely, “Old Li, how do you know about the Dragon Brilliance Saber? I recall you once visited the Poison Dragon Abyss to find me. Those Sky-Soaring Wyverns there seemed terrified of you. Did you instigate my going there because you knew the Wyverns wouldn’t harm me, and that they would give me the Black Jade Essence Crystal and the Dragon Brilliance Saber?”
Li Hentian tugged at the corner of his mouth and nodded lightly.
“What exactly do you know?” Ji Changkong asked dejectedly.
“Go find the answers yourself,” Li Hentian gazed ahead, suddenly saying, “Let’s go; we need to cross this field of chaotic rocks first.”
Ji Changkong was choked with emotion but felt helpless. He could only follow closely behind, moving swiftly with him through the rock field. With no distracting thoughts, the Stone Giant remained undisturbed, and the two passed the perilous area without incident.
Beyond that point, Li Hentian’s pace suddenly quickened. Ji Changkong put aside all other thoughts, unleashing his full strength, flying at his absolute limit just to keep up with Li Hentian’s speed.
After many days away, the brilliant starry sky and the pure, disk-like moon hung high above. The starlight and moonlight fell upon him gently and warmly.
The moonlight, the starlight, and the vast, boundless blue ocean. The sea breeze that drifted over carried a salty tang. Looking up ahead, the azure water, bathed in the emerging light of the moon and stars, glittered with fragmented light like blue scales. The rolling waves were so beautiful they refreshed the soul.
Taking a deep breath of the incredibly fresh air, Ji Changkong immersed himself entirely in the magnificent scenery. He exclaimed emotionally, “So beautiful!”
Li Hentian watched him without a word.
The seawater kissed his face, bringing tranquility. Ji Changkong breathed in the incredibly fresh air, gazing up at the stars and moon embedded in the black curtain of the night sky. He felt his whole body relax, and his spirit involuntarily began to float away from his body, drifting lightly toward the Big Dipper constellation.
His physical body froze in the void, Ji Changkong appearing lost in thought, yet his spirit had already wandered into the boundless cosmos without him realizing it, soaring toward the endless stellar sea.
Li Hentian twitched his lips and nodded gently. He sat down cross-legged in the void, his eyes lowered, silently guarding him, preventing any incident while...
Ji Changkong’s spirit slowly detached from his body without his control, drifting toward the vast starry expanse. After leaving the Five Elements Continent, an influx of dazzling, strange colors washed over him. His spirit felt neither joy nor sorrow; he allowed sensation to dictate everything, obeying the commands of his inner self, deliberately suppressing thought and feeling.
Gradually, the Big Dipper constellation began to appear in his spiritual perception. The Big Dipper seemed to generate a mysterious sucking force that physically drew his spirit toward it.
Like an outsider, Ji Changkong watched his spirit wander through the Big Dipper system, drifting from one star to the next...
For some reason, this visit to the Big Dipper felt different from all previous ones. This time, as soon as his spirit landed on a star, it felt as if it merged completely with that celestial body. The wondrous power emanating from the star seemed to slowly purify his soul, making it a component part of the Big Dipper system.
This sensation was profoundly strange. As his spirit roamed the Big Dipper, he strangely felt that he did not belong to the Five Elements Continent at all, but rather that he ought to be a part of the Big Dipper system, as if he had lived there since ancient times, and had done so for a very long time...
It was truly an astonishing experience. Ji Changkong didn't dwell on it or think; he allowed his senses to extend, letting his spirit drift slowly across the seven stars.
Each time his spirit settled on a star, a miraculous change occurred. Starting with Tianheng Star, this subtle transformation became more pronounced, as if... as if an invisible tether had formed between his spirit and the star, binding them tightly together.
In the Big Dipper system, naturally, there was no shortage of masters who came to cultivate. Those who had reached the Seven Stars Heaven realm were diligently practicing on the seven stars of the Big Dipper, absorbing the stellar energy present in the system, hoping to elevate their cultivation levels once more.
As Ji Changkong’s spirit wandered through the Big Dipper system, he could sense the presence of these individuals. Strangely, they seemed completely unaware of his existence. As his spirit passed by the divine souls of those cultivators, they remained engrossed in their arduous practice, as if they had no knowledge of him passing by, no awareness of anyone nearby.
He tentatively released a small measure of his spirit power, only to find those silently cultivating figures exhibiting very strange expressions, as if sensing subtle fluctuations nearby. They even secretly released their own spirits to investigate, but for some inexplicable reason, they always failed to detect anything.
Suddenly, Ji Changkong realized that in the Big Dipper system now, he was effectively invisible—at least to those masters whose spirits had traveled there to cultivate. They were utterly incapable of perceiving his presence!
This was truly a marvelous experience...
Star after star, Ji Changkong’s spirit continuously roamed the Big Dipper system, visiting every single celestial body.
After an unknown length of time, a feeling of exhaustion swept over Ji Changkong’s spirit. Without needing to think, the spirit slowly changed direction, retracing its path out of the Big Dipper system and flying back toward the Five Elements Continent.
Much faster than on the way in, the spirit streaked back, and soon it paused above his physical body.
Adjusting, Ji Changkong slowly exhaled and opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Li Hentian sitting beside him. He smiled. “That was strange. My spirit suddenly left my body and went all the way to the Big Dipper. Isn't that bizarre?”
Li Hentian twitched his lips, his expression placid. “Not strange at all. An occasional instance of the spirit moving spontaneously is something every Master of Heaven must experience. Only after a major battle or a profound realization might we experience the spirit moving at will, where the soul and consciousness detach from the body and enter a mystical realm.”
Ji Changkong paused, hearing this for the first time, and asked doubtfully, “Spirit moving spontaneously? Is this beneficial or harmful?”
“It depends on the person,” Li Hentian frowned. “Those who can let go of all distracting thoughts, those who surrender the command over their bodies to their innate consciousness, can gain benefits from this profound realization that are difficult to put into words. However, those who do not trust their inner nature or their feelings gain no benefit from this state; they might even lose certain marvelous sensory abilities.”
Gazing deeply at Ji Changkong, Li Hentian continued, “Generally, Masters whose spirits have fully formed often experience a sudden, peculiar feeling at crucial moments—like a premonition before danger strikes. This feeling is a kind of wondrous intuition. Those who trust their inner self and their feelings can enhance this intuition through such experiences of spontaneous spiritual movement. But those who distrust their instincts might permanently lose this inexplicable, peculiar perception.”
“So that’s how it is!” Ji Changkong smiled easily, slightly pleased. “Does that mean my luck is quite good?”
In that strange scene just now, he had trusted his feelings completely from beginning to end, following the power of his inner self, allowing his consciousness and core being to guide his spirit through the Big Dipper system. By that logic, he must have benefited from this extraordinary experience.
“Your luck has always been exceptional,” Li Hentian nodded softly.
Breathing the fresh sea air, Ji Changkong looked up at the starry sky and the bright moon, murmuring, “It hasn’t been that long; the sky looks the same as ever...”
Li Hentian gave him a strange look. “It hasn’t been long, no—only seventeen days.”
“Seventeen days?” Ji Changkong froze, exclaiming immediately.
Li Hentian nodded. “Correct. Just seventeen days, which is much shorter than the time others spend cultivating their spirits in the Big Dipper system.”
“I felt like only a day had passed! What a marvelous experience,” Ji Changkong said in astonishment.
“Changkong, if you continue cultivating at this rate, you should reach the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm soon. When we return to Xuanyuan Valley, you must spend a good period in seclusion; perhaps you can break through the Seven Stars Heaven realm into the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm,” Li Hentian advised.
“I hope so. I wish to break through, but one cannot force fate. What is meant to come will come; forcing what isn't destined won’t help,” Ji Changkong laughed freely.
“Mhm,” Li Hentian nodded approvingly, then finally moved his body. “Let’s go; we need to find the Ghost Demon King.”
“Do you know where the Ghost Demon King is? The East Sea is vast. If we search without a destination, we might spend one or two years here and still not find him!”
“I have an idea where he’s most likely to be. We’ll head there,” Li Hentian sounded assured, as if he had already made plans. “If he isn’t there, we won’t waste time in the East Sea. We’ll return to the Central Lands and find an opportunity to kill that Ghost Demon King first!”
“In any case, we must kill one Ghost Demon King quickly! We absolutely cannot let them merge into one.”
Through Li Hentian’s explanation, he understood that Ghost Demon Kings could apparently combine. According to Li Hentian, once these two rampaging, world-harming kings merged, their power would multiply exponentially, making them virtually impossible for anyone in the world to kill.
To prevent this merger, one must be eliminated first. Whether it was the one in the East Sea or the one in the Central Lands, eliminating one would prevent the other from exponentially increasing its power.
“I understand. Whenever we have a chance, we won’t let it go. Killing one will be a blessing for everyone in this world,” Ji Changkong and Li Hentian discussed as they flew, gradually exiting the Sea Demon Forbidden Ground and heading rapidly toward the destination in Li Hentian’s mind.
Li Hentian had a specific target in mind, leading the way, with Ji Changkong following slowly behind. They traveled like this for five or six days, yet Li Hentian’s speed did not slow; instead, it increased. Ji Changkong wondered if Li Hentian was deliberately testing him, forcing him to exert his absolute maximum flying potential.
He utilized all the power available in his physical body and bloodline, excluding only the power from the Heavenly Origin Pearl, even drawing upon his spiritual energy. He strained every fiber of his being, yet he could barely keep up with Li Hentian’s pace.
During this chase, Ji Changkong discovered that once his power was depleted to a certain extent, his body would rapidly replenish it using the energies of the sun, moon, stars, and the sea. These fundamental forces of heaven and earth became his source of strength; as soon as his Yuan Power was significantly drained, these energies would rush in, ensuring Ji Changkong never feared completely exhausting his reserves.
The Sacred Beast Azure Dragon provided ceaseless life force; the Water God Black Tortoise could gather the ocean’s energy for his use. The power residing in the blood of the Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise made his body far superior to ordinary men, granting him this miraculous innate ability.
Unleashing all his power to pursue Li Hentian, he noticed that his various forces began to cooperate with increasing fluency during the chase. His body functioned like a massive machine, and when operating at full capacity, every component engaged, repeatedly unlocking latent potential within him...
Finally.
Li Hentian stopped in a sea region shrouded in dark clouds, where gusts of cold wind swept across the water. He stared fixedly at the area from which the chilling breeze emanated.
Ji Changkong gasped for air, exhausted to the point of near collapse. His internal Yuan Power wasn't depleted, but his spirit and physical body were on the verge of breaking down.
Pushing his entire potential to the limit for extreme speed had not only drained his Yuan Power but also violently battered his spirit and physical form. Continuous, rapid travel without any rest—any ordinary Master of the Seven Stars Heaven realm attempting such a dangerous display of potential would likely have exhausted their Yuan Power, spiritual energy, and suffered complete bodily numbness long ago.
Yet, Ji Changkong persisted. Though equally weary and fatigued, he endured the entire journey without being left far behind by Li Hentian.
His meridians felt leaden, his body weighed down as if by massive mountains. Ji Changkong's physical exhaustion was extreme, and his spiritual energy was greatly depleted, though his internal Celestial Yuan Power remained relatively abundant, not running out.
“Rest for a while. In one hour, we enter the Yin Division Pass ahead,” Li Hentian glanced back at him and said calmly.
Ji Changkong nodded quickly and sat down cross-legged in the void, entering a state of rest almost instantaneously.
The power of the sea, the stars, and the moon slowly seeped into his consciousness. Holding a large piece of Black Jade Essence Crystal, Ji Changkong didn't hesitate to use this massive crystal to replenish the vast mental energy he had consumed. As for physical fatigue, he had no immediate cure; he simply let his body relax, again and again.
Whenever he began to cultivate seriously, Li Hentian would cease all other activities, observing him with sharp eyes, guarding against any potential danger.
Watching Ji Changkong quietly, Li Hentian nodded secretly, wearing an expression of deep satisfaction.
Two hours later, Ji Changkong opened his eyes with a smile. “I’m done.”
Li Hentian nodded. “Not bad. Your Limit Tempering Body Art is indeed extraordinary. No wonder the young men of the Ji family advance so quickly.”
Ji Changkong smiled. “It seems you forced me to chase you, Old Li, precisely so I would properly utilize the Limit Tempering Body Art, didn’t you? Heh, it’s true, I haven’t used this method to temper myself for quite some time. I must have grown a bit lazy.”
“Make good use of the Limit Tempering Body Art. For you, this method of cultivation is highly effective. Aside from issues with your realm, you can use the Limit Tempering Body Art to push yourself past any other cultivation bottleneck. Your body is unusual; only through constant pressure can your boundless potential truly be awakened.” Li Hentian instructed.
Ji Changkong’s expression turned serious, and he bowed respectfully. “I understand.”
“Good. Let’s go; we can enter now.” Li Hentian looked ahead, his pace unhurried this time, moving slowly toward the sea region in front, while still covertly observing the surrounding area.
Ji Changkong followed closely behind Li Hentian, concentrating intently, secretly observing the situation ahead while remaining prepared to strike at any moment.
Yinsi Pass was an alias for this stretch of sea, permeated by a chilling, dense yin energy. No one knew the source of this oppressive energy, yet anyone who drew near could feel the profound chill it cast.
Even before fully approaching, Ji Changkong heard mournful "woo-woo" sounds echoing from within Yinsi Pass. Having seen much in his years, he immediately knew that fierce ghosts were rampant inside, and their numbers seemed considerable.
Even ordinary Ghost Demons possessed the power to control fierce ghosts. The Ghost Demon King, born from the world’s malignant yin energy, could naturally command them with even greater ease. Clad in layers of yin energy, the King naturally favored cold, desolate places. As the most notoriously eerie and yin-saturated location in the East Sea, Yinsi Pass was certainly where a Ghost Demon King would choose to lie in wait.
Without drawing closer, Ji Changkong already knew Li Hentian's judgment was accurate: if the Ghost Demon King remained in the East Sea, he was almost certainly lurking within Yinsi Pass. There, he could rapidly recover strength lost from his battle with the Blood Emperor, and if pursued, he could muster forces to repel any attackers.
Furthermore, in areas heavy with yin energy, the Ghost Demon King’s power would surge beyond normal levels; he could draw upon the surrounding yin of heaven and earth to attack, a truly terrifying prospect.
Yinsi Pass, this bizarre domain of the East Sea, was indeed the perfect place for him to hide.
Piercing shrieks of ghostly wails erupted from Yinsi Pass. The Pass contained numerous islands, yet every single one was barren—nothing but gray-white rock, utterly devoid of any sign of life.
Hurricanes composed purely of condensed yin energy often manifested within Yinsi Pass. These spiraling winds were terrifying; spinning at high velocity, they could burrow into a living body, paralyzing it until the flesh gradually stiffened, ultimately leading to the soul’s numbness and transformation into a fierce ghost.
On the desolate, bare islands, spectral shapes like dark-gray mist occasionally poked their heads out, emitting low, eerie cries toward Ji Changkong and Li Hentian, yet they dared not advance.
The fierce ghosts could sense the power surging within the two men; they were afraid, knowing that either Li Hentian or Ji Changkong could easily annihilate them.
It was this deep-seated fear that kept them watching from a distance, none daring to charge forward to devour the souls of Li Hentian and Ji Changkong.
Wuo!
From deep within Yinsi Pass, a voice cried out, slightly mournfully.
The fierce ghosts occupying the surrounding islands, hearing the call from within the Pass, became agitated and began reluctantly inching closer toward Ji Changkong and Li Hentian.
Frowning slightly, Ji Changkong unleashed the Heavenly Thunder.
Several bolts of cyan Heavenly Thunder instantaneously materialized and exploded among the closing horde of fierce ghosts. The ghosts offered no resistance; under the power of the cyan Heavenly Thunder, specifically designed to obliterate souls, they instantly dissipated, their spirits scattered.
Wuu-wuu-wuu!
The ghostly cries from within Yinsi Pass intensified, growing louder.
The fierce ghosts on the surrounding islands gathered in greater numbers, encircling Ji Changkong and Li Hentian from all directions, seemingly brewing up the courage to swarm them at the opportune moment.
“It’s just an ordinary Ghost Demon,” Ji Changkong muttered, glancing forward. “It seems we need to teach these fierce ghosts a lesson, or they truly won't know their place.”
With a thought, his soul power began to slowly coalesce. Bolts of cyan Heavenly Thunder formed, permeating every corner around them, spaced exactly one meter apart. As soon as a fierce ghost approached the designated perimeter, the thunder would trigger.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Several thunderous explosions ripped through the air. A dozen or so reckless ghosts that strayed too close were blasted into smoke, their faint spiritual power returning to the cosmos.
After these few bolts of thunder detonated, the fierce ghosts seemed genuinely terrified. No matter how shrill the ghostly calls from inside Yinsi Pass became, the ghosts surrounding Li Hentian and Ji Changkong dared not approach further. They could only watch from afar, seemingly waiting for something.
Ji Changkong naturally knew what they awaited: the dissipation of the Heavenly Thunder. Once the thunder vanished, these ghosts would rush forward in a desperate, suicidal assault.
Though he scarcely regarded these fierce ghosts as a threat, Ji Changkong maintained the shroud of cyan Heavenly Thunder around himself to avoid unnecessary trouble, proceeding leisurely deeper into Yinsi Pass.
A peeking Ghost Demon, four-eared and two-horned, gradually materialized on a small island ahead, ceaselessly emitting its "woo-woo" cries.
Upon seeing this four-eared, two-horned demon, Ji Changkong instantly knew the East Sea Ghost Demon King must be hidden inside Yinsi Pass. The four-eared-two-horned entity already possessed a degree of intellect. Seeing the cyan Heavenly Thunder surrounding Ji Changkong, its eyes flared with intense killing intent—this evolved demon instinctively sensed danger.
It immediately ceased its useless wailing and swiftly retreated back toward the depths of Yinsi Pass, clearly intending to carry news back.
Ji Changkong offered Li Hentian a slight smile and explained, “These four-eared, two-horned demons have appeared before in the Central Lands. They are far inferior to the Ghost Demon King but significantly stronger than regular Ghost Demons. They must have evolved from the common type; they possess a degree of wisdom.”
Li Hentian nodded lightly, his expression grave. “The ability of Ghost Demons to evolve is truly frightening. If common ones can evolve into these powerful, four-eared, two-horned variants, the Ghost Demon King’s evolution rate must be even faster. It’s fortunate the Blood Emperor wounded him. If we had allowed him to rage unchecked in the East Sea, his power would grow limitless, beyond the reach of most!”
“I wonder exactly how this Dead Spirit Stone is meant to be used?” Ji Changkong held a Dead Spirit Stone in his hand, tossing it lightly as he contemplated the best method to harness its power to imprison the Ghost Demon King.
“Let’s test it on some ordinary fierce ghosts first. Fierce ghosts are also soul energy; if the Dead Spirit Stone can imprison their souls, it should work the same way on the Ghost Demon King,” Li Hentian advised.
Ji Changkong nodded and shook the stone once, attempting to infuse it with his internal Yuan Power.
Bang!
The Yuan Power recoiled as if striking solid iron. This unassuming Dead Spirit Stone was surprisingly resilient, possessing excellent resistance that blocked his internal Yuan Power entirely.
Yuan Power was useless. Ji Changkong frowned, then began trying to manipulate it using soul power.
“Be careful. The Dead Spirit Stone imprisons soul energy. Make sure you don’t pull your own soul in,” Li Hentian cautioned.
“I understand,” Ji Changkong replied, tentatively releasing a thread of his soul power, gathering it cautiously over the stone.
Peng!
The Dead Spirit Stone suddenly illuminated, flashing with brilliant emerald light. Fluid motion surged within the stone, emitting a pattern of miraculous power.
Just then, the Heaven and Earth Yuan Power in his palm suddenly rushed into the Dead Spirit Stone!
A thought sparked in his mind, and Ji Changkong chuckled softly. “So that’s how it works. To infuse internal Heaven and Earth Yuan Power into the Dead Spirit Stone, it seems we must first link our soul with it. As long as Yuan Power can enter the stone, the rest should be manageable.”
He waved the stone lightly. Puffs of green light dispersed from it. Several nearby fierce ghosts caught within the stone’s aura were involuntarily pulled towards it, soon vanishing from sight.
“Hmm!” Ji Changkong breathed out, examining the Dead Spirit Stone closely. After a moment of consideration, he realized its effect bore some similarity to the Tianyuan Pearl. The Dead Spirit Stone possessed a strange suction force toward souls, though it lacked the intense melting quality of the Tianyuan Pearl.
Touching the Tianyuan Pearl with one hand and gripping the Dead Spirit Stone with the other, Ji Changkong frowned. “Old Li, I don’t think this Dead Spirit Stone can hold the Ghost Demon King. Last time at Dongtian Peak, the King even tried to force his way into my Tianyuan Pearl. I’m certain the Tianyuan Pearl is far more potent than this stone. If the King wasn't afraid of the Pearl, why would he fear this stone?”
“Let’s try it anyway. If the Dead Spirit Stone breaks, it’s no great loss. If it proves useless, we’ll just focus our efforts on shattering the Ghost Demon King’s soul. Even if we can’t kill him immediately, inflicting another severe wound would be beneficial. The crucial thing is to prevent him from evolving rapidly. Every time his soul suffers damage, he weakens. If he remains in a weakened state, he won't truly merge with that other Ghost Demon King. Don't worry too much,” Li Hentian explained.
“Agreed!” Ji Changkong declared decisively.
Wuu! Wuu-wuu-wuu!
Ghostly cries sounded ahead. Both Ji Changkong and Li Hentian sensed a massive presence of demons, and hidden among the throng, an overflow of malignant power betrayed the presence of the Ghost Demon King!
A vague shadow hovered amidst the mass of lesser demons, its appearance constantly shifting: now a beautiful woman, now a helpless child, now a white-haired old man, now a refined scholar.
Unlike the Ghost Demon King of the Central Lands, this King seemed to have no fixed form, perpetually transforming into various shapes.
Wuu-wuu-wuu-wuu! Wuu-wuu-wuu-wuu!
Beside this King came the loud, monstrous screeches of the lesser demons, several of the evolved four-eared, two-horned entities standing guard, their cold, emotionless eyes locked onto Ji Changkong, ready to charge at any second.
“Who are you?” A voice, slightly dry and awkward, emanated from the indistinct shadow. The initial tone was a deep male voice, but the final syllable distinctly shifted into a soft, pleasant female tone.
“We may not have met, but that is irrelevant. You can simply consider us enemies,” Ji Changkong stated solemnly, subtly deploying his soul power to probe the surroundings, trying to gauge the number of nearby demons and fierce ghosts poised to attack.
Without warning, Li Hentian’s Blazing Sun Dharma Wheel manifested directly above the Ghost Demon King’s head, eerily radiating light and heat.
Intense flames blazed from the Dharma Wheel. The fire was so scorching that even Ji Changkong found it difficult to bear—it was more terrible than Heavenly Fire. The fire’s energy carried the familiar, irritable fury characteristic of Li Hentian.
As the flames roared, massive orbs of fire detached from the Blazing Sun Dharma Wheel, striking the surrounding demons with perfect accuracy.
The lesser demons encircling the Ghost Demon King were instantly obliterated the moment the flames touched them. Even the evolved four-eared, two-horned demons staggered, appearing on the verge of losing all power when grazed by the heat.
Since demons are inherently yin creatures, born of cold, malevolent energy, they intensely feared high temperatures. Under Li Hentian’s terrifying assault, these demons naturally could not resist and began shrieking as they fled in all directions.
Bolts of cyan Heavenly Thunder materialized from thin air. The escaping ghosts often ran directly into them as if walking into a trap, triggering fierce explosions that cut off their escape routes.
Ji Changkong and Li Hentian collaborated seamlessly: one using intense heat to chase the fleeing demons, the other utilizing cyan Heavenly Thunder to bombard them. Both struck without mercy. In a short time, dozens of demons were eliminated.
However, their primary target had vanished.
The Ghost Demon King, whose appearance had been constantly flickering, dissolved like light smoke when blown by the wind. His essence remained within Yinsi Pass; he had not left, merely dispersed his soul’s energy.
“He’s gone deeper,” Ji Changkong’s eyes flashed, and without hesitation, he flew toward the inner recesses of Yinsi Pass. He could sense that the cloaked Ghost Demon King was scattering his presence, fleeing inward.
“Changkong, retreat!” Li Hentian suddenly bellowed.
Ji Changkong, who had already surged ahead, turned immediately upon hearing the command and flew back toward Li Hentian with incredible speed.
At that moment, a wave of soul power—evil, chilling to the extreme—mingled with the endless, oppressive yin energy of Yinsi Pass, erupted forward violently like a breaking flood, surging out without restraint.
The Ghost Demon King had gathered his own strength with the eons of evil yin energy present in Yinsi Pass, forging a terrifying soul attack. Those below a certain cultivation level could never fully comprehend the horror of this power.
Li Hentian’s expression grew stern. A blinding light of the true sun burst forth from the Blazing Sun Dharma Wheel. At this instant, the wheel seemed to become a second sun in the world. The surrounding seawater instantly began to steam, the high temperature boiling the surface, causing the surviving fierce ghosts to dive in terror toward the seabed.
A few ghosts unable to escape were vaporized into wisps of smoke, instantly evaporated by the searing heat of the Blazing Sun Dharma Wheel.
The malevolent power unleashed by the Ghost Demon King vanished completely under the Dharma Wheel’s overwhelming response, as if it had never existed.
But Ji Changkong’s face was deeply serious. He knew that if his potential hadn't recently been triggered, resulting in a massive increase in speed, he would have certainly suffered a terrible fate just moments ago. (To be continued)