The two of them were somewhat confused as to why he was so confident.

The peak of the Seven Star Heaven realm, bridging to the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm, appeared to be separated by only a thin membrane. Yet, this very membrane could block a person for a lifetime! The Heavenly Masters who remained stuck at this barrier were as countless as carp crossing a river. Although the boundary between the peak of the Seven Star Heaven realm and the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm was merely this thin film, the gap in both cultivation and strength between the two realms was a chasm, an unbridgeable gulf.

Precisely because of this, this thin membrane was exceptionally difficult to breach.

Now, the Origin Poison pointed at this utterly ordinary stone slab, claiming that the script upon it could at least allow him to break through to the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm. This was simply astounding, reaching the height of incredulity.

Ji Changkong didn't quite believe it, while Li Hentian frowned deeply, gazing at the Origin Poison strangely. He mused that this little fellow, despite his small stature, spoke with enormous confidence.

“You don’t believe me?” The Origin Poison tilted his head back, a hint of dissatisfaction on his face. He snorted, “Kong Kong, have you ever known me to lie to you? It’s one thing for the old man not to believe, but you don't believe me either?” He put on a look of being deeply hurt.

“Alright, alright!” Ji Changkong knew he was feigning. As his wisdom increased, so too had his eccentricities. He promptly slapped the top of the small head and said impatiently, “Stop the nonsense! Get to the point!”

Tucking his head in and pursing his lips, the Origin Poison grumbled resentfully under his breath before reluctantly saying, “The script on this stone slab comes from the Purgatory Ghost Clan…”

“Skip the irrelevant parts. Of course I know the script is from the Purgatory Ghost Clan. The Corpse Ghosts were their doing, the Ice Stone Coffin was their doing, and this tomb was naturally their creation too. If the script on the slab wasn't from them, it would be strange. Tell me what the script means, what is its function, and on what basis do you claim it can help me break through to the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm? Focus on the key points!” Ji Changkong huffed.

“The script on the stone slab is a Soul-Shaking Incantation, titled the ‘Soul Gift Melody.’ It contains the Purgatory Ghost Clan's partial insights into the power of the soul. Once you comprehend the ‘Soul Gift Melody,’ your understanding of the soul will reach a new plane. I am confident that as long as you can gain a deeper understanding of the connection between the soul and the rules of Heaven and Earth, you will naturally be able to break through the Seven Star Heaven realm and directly enter the Eight Trigrams Heaven!” the Origin Poison declared proudly.

“I don’t recognize the characters, and I don’t know if it truly possesses this effect…” Ji Changkong suddenly realized, “Right, why would the Purgatory Ghost Clan leave the ‘Soul Locking Melody’ on a stone slab? What is the use of the ‘Soul Gift Melody’?”

“First, understand the content. I believe that once you grasp what’s inside, you will naturally know the purpose of the ‘Soul Gift Melody’…” the Origin Poison chuckled.

“Very well. Then first, tell me what the characters on it mean?” Ji Changkong asked with a resigned smile.

“No problem!” The Origin Poison tossed his head back and looked disdainfully at Li Hentian. “Private matter, step aside!”

Smack! Ji Changkong slapped the top of the Origin Poison’s head again, laughing and cursing, “Less talk, tell me quickly!”

“I’ll tell you, I hate having my head tapped!” The Origin Poison mumbled, shrinking his head, then reluctantly continued, “I’ll explain it to you once, and you just need to remember it…”

The Soul Suppressing Chant, a marvelous divine soul secret art of the Purgatory Ghost Clan, contained their comprehension of the soul. The Purgatory Ghost Clan had roamed the Endless Star Domain for countless years, and their insights into the rules of Heaven and Earth, both in terms of realm mastery and understanding, were profound. In many respects, the Purgatory Ghost Clan’s understanding of this world surpassed that of the people on the Five Elements Continent.

In this world, the number of people who could recognize the writing of the Purgatory Ghost Clan was extremely small—the Ghost Demon King was one, and the Origin Poison was another. Under the Origin Poison’s explanation, Ji Changkong began to spend time comprehending the mysteries of the Purgatory Ghost Clan’s Soul Suppressing Chant, eager to see how these so-called higher races of the Endless Star Domain perceived the rules of Heaven and Earth…

Li Hentian stood silently nearby, secretly guarding Ji Changkong to ensure his safety.

The Purgatory Ghost Clan was a race from the Endless Star Domain, highly intelligent, and they had learned to utilize the rules of Heaven and Earth very early on. They swept across the Endless Star Domain, rarely encountering a worthy opponent, their strength formidable. A race that could establish itself in a place like the Endless Star Domain was certainly no minor power. Their comprehension of the soul was clearly far beyond that of ordinary people on the Five Elements Continent, and different races approached the understanding of soul power differently. In the Origin Poison’s view, as long as Ji Changkong could understand the Purgatory Ghost Clan’s soul secret art, he would certainly advance further and break through to the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm!

Although Li Hentian was bewildered, he didn't ask further. He trusted Ji Changkong and his judgment; therefore, he also believed the Origin Poison’s words. While he was not entirely clear about the matters of the Endless Star Domain, he knew that other races did exist there. In his estimation, if Ji Changkong could seize the opportunity to advance, that would be the best outcome.

Since the Origin Poison could now offer Ji Changkong such an opportunity, he naturally embraced the development, wishing only for Ji Changkong’s progress to be as swift as possible.

The Origin Poison’s small eyes fixed intently on the script on the stone slab, muttering softly to himself about things unknown.

Suddenly, the Origin Poison’s small eyes brightened sharply. His eyes gleamed as he looked at Ji Changkong, and he suddenly spat out several strange symbols. As soon as these symbols left the Origin Poison’s mouth, they floated directly toward Ji Changkong, exhibiting a miraculous quality.

Li Hentian suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze cold and sharp as he watched the Origin Poison, secretly remaining on guard.

The Origin Poison grinned at Li Hentian, a slight curl to his lip, seemingly mocking his suspicion. With a ‘whoosh,’ the Origin Poison exhaled a puff of foul air. Driven by this breath, the mysterious symbols slowly drifted toward Ji Changkong, heading gently toward his nostrils and corners of his mouth.

Ji Changkong, who had been sitting motionless, suddenly drew a deep breath. Those strange symbols emerging from the Origin Poison suddenly entered Ji Changkong’s abdomen through his nostrils.

One by one, the symbols were brought forth by the Origin Poison and transferred to Ji Changkong. Soon, every single marvelous symbol of the Purgatory Ghost Clan that the Origin Poison had obtained from the six stone pillars was gone.

Li Hentian watched silently from the side. He noticed that every time Ji Changkong swallowed a symbol, his body would tremble slightly, and the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi within him would immediately become slightly chaotic. Fortunately, the Yuan Power within Ji Changkong was profoundly deep. Many years of rigorous cultivation had already made his nerves exceptionally resilient. Coupled with the presence of the blood of the Four Divine Beasts within him, the turbulence of the symbols inside his body did not affect his normal comprehension in the least.

The Origin Poison took a light breath and relaxed, smiling smugly at Li Hentian. “Old fellow, what’s wrong? Are you scared? Afraid I might harm Kong Kong?”

Li Hentian said nothing, merely looking at him and nodding heavily.

“Hmph!” The Origin Poison was full of disdain. “If I wanted to harm Kong Kong, would he still be alive now? Let me tell you, I am poison through and through. If I were willing to pay the price, even you! A Nine Palace Heavenly Master! I could still poison you to death!”

Li Hentian looked at him impassively, pondered for a moment, then said, “I believe your poison is effective against me, but burning your soul shouldn't be difficult for me either! If you don’t believe me, we can try it…!”

The Origin Poison’s gaze flashed violently, glaring at Li Hentian. After a long, long silence, he suddenly shook his head slightly. “Not bad, a Nine Palace Heavenly Master can indeed harm me, and might even destroy me. But I also believe my power is enough to poison you to death! My power can erase every trace of your soul’s imprint, leaving you no chance for soul departure and rebirth!”

Li Hentian grinned dismissively, offering no commitment.

While these two were bickering, Ji Changkong’s nebula-like Divine Soul had gained many marvelous symbols. These strange symbols of the Purgatory Ghost Clan, which the Origin Poison had transferred to him, now gathered near his nebula-shaped Divine Soul, causing his soul structure to slowly transform, beginning to operate in an entirely new manner…

The marvelous symbols imprinted within Ji Changkong’s nebula-shaped Divine Soul suddenly began to absorb Ji Changkong’s spiritual energy!

In an instant, those mysterious symbols absorbed the vast majority of the spiritual energy from Ji Changkong’s Divine Soul. The symbols then abruptly flew out from within Ji Changkong’s soul and settled in the six corners surrounding him.

The words of the Purgatory Ghost Clan, dictated by the Origin Poison, suddenly appeared in his mind. All the profound principles regarding the operation of soul power between Heaven and Earth flowed into his mind like trickling streams!

At that very moment, his nebula-shaped Divine Soul returned to normal, yet the imprints branded deep within his soul were now firmly entrenched, deeply carved into his mind.

The massive Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi in his body suddenly erupted from every pore, plunging with near-invisible speed into the mysterious symbols distributed in the six surrounding locations. Those symbols, having greedily absorbed the spiritual energy of Ji Changkong’s soul, did not spare the Yuan Qi on his body either, instantly sucking dry the surging Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi.

Six pillars, purely condensed from Yuan Power, materialized in the air at the six locations beside him. Each pillar was entwined with many of those mysterious symbols from the Purgatory Ghost Clan. The symbols slowly coiled upon the stone pillars, following some obscure trajectory, releasing an aura of profound mystery.

Abruptly, Ji Changkong opened his eyes, a strange light flashing within them as he looked at the six pillars swirling around him in disbelief.

Six streams of marvelous power suddenly erupted from the six pillars purely condensed from Yuan Power, pouring into Ji Changkong’s body. In that instant, Ji Changkong’s body trembled slightly, and his Divine Soul jolted violently. The mysterious imprints from the Purgatory Ghost Clan in his mind vibrated intensely, and in his mind’s core, a set of obscure and profound, strange notes began to sound.

As soon as those strange notes emerged, Ji Changkong instantly froze, stunned.

He could feel that his entire person was suddenly connected to the six pillars by some miraculous bond. These six pillars, purely condensed from the Yuan Power within him and overlaid with the mysterious symbols of the Purgatory Ghost Clan, felt as if they had become his six extended arms, an intrinsic part of his body…

This was an incredibly wondrous sensation, filling Ji Changkong with an indescribable sense of astonishment, like suddenly gaining six extra hands—a feeling deeply unsettling.

With a thought, the six pillars began to rotate, spinning rapidly around him as the center. Filaments of indescribably marvelous power dispersed from the six pillars purely condensed from Yuan Power, extending outward in all directions…

This entire space instantly became saturated with Ji Changkong’s aura. At this moment, even the souls of the Origin Poison and Li Hentian trembled slightly, as if confined by a mystical force, feeling the urge to move but finding themselves powerless.

“The Soul Suppressing Chant! It’s the power of the Soul Suppressing Chant!” the Origin Poison exclaimed excitedly. “As long as Kong Kong can fully master the power of this Soul Suppressing Chant, next time he faces the Ghost Demon King, he won’t need to worry anymore!”

After a pause, the Origin Poison’s voice grew even louder and more animated. “Excellent, excellent! The power of the Soul Suppressing Chant is continuously strengthening! Ha! Kong Kong only has the cultivation of the Seven Star Heaven realm, but when the power of the Soul Suppressing Chant is pushed to its extreme, all those Purgatory Ghost Clan insights into the world’s power will be completely poured into Kong Kong’s Divine Soul, becoming his established cognition. By then, he will definitely be able to break through to the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm!”

“If he can break through to the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm, and then master this so-called Soul Suppressing Chant, how much greater would the soul-shaking power be?” Li Hentian’s eyes glittered with excitement.

He could feel the marvelous power emanating from the six pillars having a potent deterrent effect on the soul. Even he, who had cultivated to the Nine Palace Heaven realm, was being affected by this power, nearly losing control of his own Divine Soul—a sensation that chilled Li Hentian to the core.

“Is there any doubt?” The Origin Poison smiled proudly, then grew serious. “Once Kong Kong breaks through to the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm and masters the Soul Suppressing Chant, the Ghost Demon King likely won’t be able to escape next time!”

“What?” Li Hentian’s eyes lit up sharply. “You mean? The Soul Suppressing Chant can actually imprison the Ghost Demon King’s soul?”

Nodding affirmatively, the Origin Poison replied, “Not only can it imprison the Ghost Demon King’s soul, but it might even destroy the Ghost Demon King’s Divine Soul! The moment the Soul Suppressing Chant is enacted, a strand of its residual power alone would prevent the Ghost Demon King from escaping. This fully demonstrates the dominance of the Purgatory Ghost Clan; their Divine Soul Secret Art, the Soul Suppressing Chant, naturally has even more miraculous effects!”

At these words, Li Hentian was dumbfounded. After a long pause, he murmured to himself, “This is great. Finally, there’s a way to deal with that thing…”

All along, dealing with the Ghost Demon King had been a headache for everyone. The Ghost Demon King, capable of dispersing its soul into countless strands, was virtually unstoppable if it truly wished to escape. Everyone knew the Ghost Demon King could be injured, but they also understood that killing it was immensely difficult. Once given time to recover, it would reappear stronger and even more ferocious!

After all, this was an alien race capable of continuous and rapid evolution!

The Ghost Demon King’s immortal soul was a miracle that struck fear into the hearts of all Heavenly Masters. There were many people in this world whose power surpassed the Ghost Demon King’s, but absolutely no one dared claim they could kill it. Even several powerful experts joining forces might not succeed in thoroughly annihilating the Ghost Demon King’s soul!

Now, Ji Changkong, having obtained the Soul Gift Melody Soul Art from the Purgatory Ghost Clan of the Endless Star Domain, was essentially wielding a divine weapon against the Ghost Demon King, holding the method to eradicate this major scourge. It was no wonder Li Hentian was pleased.

With this realization, the expression in Li Hentian’s eyes as he looked at the Origin Poison softened somewhat… After all, those marvelous symbols were obtained by the Origin Poison from those six stone pillars, and even the Soul Gift Melody Soul Art that Ji Changkong acquired was only possible because of him. Without the Origin Poison, Ji Changkong would never have been able to cultivate the Purgatory Ghost Clan’s Soul Gift Melody Soul Art.

The Origin Poison held his head high, looking extremely proud. “When I am with Kong Kong, I only bring him benefits, I would never do anything detrimental to him. Hmph, though I am covered in poison, I have never truly harmed an ordinary person since I emerged. The few times I took action were only at Kong Kong’s request. You old fellow, you’re so scared I might do something, you’re so petty!”

The reason the Origin Poison had always maintained hostility toward Li Hentian was because he instinctively sensed Li Hentian’s constant vigilance toward him. He perceived Li Hentian’s deep caution, which naturally bred his dislike for Li Hentian, making him feel that Li Hentian might interfere with the relationship between him and Ji Changkong.

Hearing the Origin Poison say this, Li Hentian slowly nodded. “I understand…”

He didn't utter another unnecessary word, but the Origin Poison sensed that Li Hentian’s attitude toward him had undergone a fundamental change. He knew that from this moment on, Li Hentian was truly without reservation toward him.

“This old fellow is actually not bad…” the Origin Poison muttered softly, the arrogance and disdain vanishing entirely from his face. He murmured low, “Others respect me, and I will return the respect. If you hadn’t harbored ill intentions earlier, I wouldn’t have been so rude to you…”

Li Hentian looked deeply at the Origin Poison, gently tugging the corner of his mouth, a rare smile appearing in his eyes. Suddenly, he felt that this little fellow was actually quite endearing.

Ji Changkong was unaware that in this brief time, the rift between Li Hentian and the Origin Poison had miraculously dissolved.

He was wholly absorbed in controlling the six pillars that felt like extensions of his own limbs. His spiritual energy was highly focused as he released the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi from his body, quietly gathering it onto the six pillars. Simultaneously, he attempted to slowly manipulate the six pillars, opening his mind, using his Divine Soul and his willpower to control them according to some imprints within his mind…

Marvelous power continuously radiated from the six pillars, slowly permeating in all directions. This power exerted a strange binding force on the Divine Soul. Wherever Ji Changkong’s thought reached, the marvelous power from the six pillars would converge there.

In his mind, the wondrous melody of the Soul Gift Melody was still playing.

Ji Changkong calmed himself completely, clearing his thoughts, throwing his entire being into mastering the process of the Soul Locking Melody. Fully immersed, he slowly extended his consciousness, spirit, and perception, gradually merging with the power contained within the six pillars…

Two colossal soul magnetic fields suddenly flashed into existence in his mind. Without needing to think, Ji Changkong knew these two immense soul magnetic fields belonged to Li Hentian and the Origin Poison.

By borrowing the power of the six pillars, Ji Changkong’s soul-sensing ability became sharper and extraordinarily potent. In this marvelous state, he could perceive the details of Li Hentian’s and the Origin Poison’s souls more profoundly. He could see that the soul magnetic fields of Li Hentian and the Origin Poison were like large circles constantly radiating waves. The fluctuations rippling out from the soul magnetic fields carried fine wisps of soul power, extending outward…

Ji Changkong thrust his consciousness into them. Suddenly, the soul waves radiating from both Li Hentian’s and the Origin Poison’s soul magnetic fields encountered an extremely tough wall and were forcefully repelled!

Li Hentian and the Origin Poison both changed expression simultaneously. They felt as if their souls were suddenly encircled by an invisible cage; their vital energy could not be released. They could no longer use their spiritual force to sense distant life auras…

“This bastard…” the Origin Poison cursed softly. His body shrank slightly, the entirety of him slowly growing smaller, yet his soul power instantly surged.

Li Hentian merely frowned slightly, suddenly amplifying his soul power. A surge of searing heat infused his soul aura.

Ji Changkong, having thrust his consciousness into the two soul magnetic fields, immediately sensed the changes emanating from both souls. The Origin Poison’s soul magnetic field began to vibrate violently, releasing more and more violent small circles that instantly scattered some of his consciousness.

As for Li Hentian’s soul magnetic field, it suddenly grew scorching hot, and any consciousness that dared to approach would feel intensely uncomfortable, with the power of that consciousness being significantly drained by the searing flames.

Ji Changkong understood that Li Hentian and the Poison of Origin were using this method to test his control over the Soul-Nurturing Melody. He was also confident that with the soul power of these two, they could entirely negate the wondrous deterrent effect of the Soul-Suppressing Requiem.

Thus, Ji Changkong abruptly amplified the power within the Soul-Nurturing Melody. The wondrous tune in his mind flared up fiercely. The colossal Yuan Power within his body poured into the six pillars of pure Yuan Power condensed beside him, drawing forth an even greater soul deterrent to apply against the soul magnetic fields of the Poison of Origin and Li Hentian.

The faces of the Poison of Origin and Li Hentian instantly grew grim!

They felt as if their very souls had been impaled by nails, suddenly rendered incapable of movement!

With a glance, these two individuals, who normally held reservations, suddenly achieved a tacit understanding. Their soul powers surged simultaneously, erupting with a more violent soul fluctuation to contend against the power of Ji Changkong’s Soul-Suppressing Requiem.

The wondrous symbols etched upon the six pillars, purely condensed from Yuan Power, rapidly coiled and spun around them, emitting a faint, ethereal glow. The six pillars themselves began to revolve around Ji Changkong, releasing even more power to suppress the souls of Li Hentian and the Poison of Origin.

The pressure on the pair intensified tenfold.

Li Hentian suddenly snapped his eyes open. Surprise mingled with a trace of worry in his gaze as a wave of wild flame power erupted from him. In that moment, Li Hentian seemed to transform into a scorching sun.

Billowing flame power streamed out from Li Hentian’s soul magnetic field, some of that power laced with an intent to burn all things away…

Ji Changkong knew it was time to draw back. If he continued to force more power into those six pillars, the confrontation between the three would become a fight to the death, draining the soul power of all three significantly—a disadvantageous outcome for everyone involved.

With perfect clarity, the wondrous energies he had imposed upon the six pillars began to recede like a tide, returning to their source.

Ji Changkong felt the spiritual energy he had channeled into the symbols and the Yuan Power within his body rapidly flowing back inside him, much like returning borrowed power to the Tianyuan Pearl—that energy was being redelivered to his body and spirit.

The six pillars, purely condensed from Yuan Power, vanished into thin air without the support of heaven and earth’s power, while the wondrous symbols swiftly returned to Ji Changkong.

Strangely, these symbols did not descend into Ji Changkong’s soul but instead settled upon his forearms. After every last symbol had entered his body, he distinctly noticed that his two arms were now covered in countless such symbols, as if tattooed. If his arms were bare, the symbols would lend them a strange, profound beauty…

Ji Changkong was stunned, gazing blankly at the curious symbols on his arms, utterly bewildered as to what had transpired.

The Poison of Origin and Li Hentian simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. The Poison of Origin, especially, looked as if it had narrowly escaped death, patting its small chest, “Kong Kong, are you trying to kill me? Honestly, you were being far too reckless. I almost thought you couldn't control the Soul-Nurturing Melody, and if that had happened, the three of us would be doomed…”

Ji Changkong awoke from his reverie, frowned, and pointed at the symbols on his arms, “How did this happen? Why did those symbols remain inside me?”

“Relax, this is a normal phenomenon. Don't worry, these symbols are only for you to activate the Soul-Nurturing Melody. When you aren't using the melody day-to-day, those wondrous symbols absolutely won't cause you any trouble.” After a brief pause, the Poison of Origin chuckled wryly, marveling, “You know, I must say, these symbols look quite striking on your arms. Kong Kong, when you flex your arms, there’s truly a unique kind of appeal, hehe, you could use this to attract those young ladies who are utterly fascinated by you…”

Ji Changkong could only smile wryly, confirming once more, “Are you absolutely certain nothing bad will happen?”

“One hundred percent certain, nothing will happen to you.” The Poison of Origin declared cavalierly, “Not only will nothing bad happen, but these marvelous symbols might even take the initiative to step out and save you if your soul encounters a crisis…”

“Huh?” Ji Changkong’s spirits lifted, laced with disbelief, “These symbols have that kind of effect?”

“Of course. Otherwise, why would I have been so eager to collect them? If that Ghost Demon King hadn't been trapped by the Ice Stone Coffin at the time, he definitely would have fought to snatch them. If he had obtained these symbols of the Purgatory Ghost Clan, his soul power would have greatly increased, and perhaps next time, he could have directly disposed of that Blood Emperor!” After saying this, the Poison of Origin gazed at Ji Changkong blankly, “Kong Kong, how do you feel?”

“What feeling?” Ji Changkong asked, surprised.

“Regarding your realm!” The Poison of Origin sounded agitated, “Haven’t you sensed a change in your realm? Logically, having grasped the subtleties of the Soul-Suppressing Requiem, you should have already broken through to the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm. It’s impossible for you to still be stuck in the Seven Star Heaven Realm…” The Poison of Origin looked utterly perplexed, muttering softly.

Li Hentian also appeared quite attentive, leaning over to secretly use his divine sense to observe Ji Changkong’s current realm.

“Stop looking, I haven't broken through yet,” Ji Changkong smiled and said, “The Soul-Nurturing Melody is incredibly profound. Although I’ve gained some exposition on the mysteries of soul power, I can’t fully comprehend it in a short time. I need time, a period to slowly fathom the secrets contained within the Requiem. I imagine that once I truly understand the deep principles of the Soul-Nurturing Melody, breaking through to the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm will be a natural consequence…”

“…So it requires time. I knew it, hehe. Kong Kong, I can’t help you with what comes next; you must contemplate it yourself. I am truly exhausted, I need a good rest.” The Poison of Origin yawned, stretched languidly, chirped listlessly, and burrowed directly into Ji Changkong’s body.

“This little fellow is quite impressive…” After the Poison of Origin vanished, Li Hentian gently nodded and stated calmly, “He is quite impressive.”

Ji Changkong smiled, “He is very impressive. As long as I cultivate diligently, he should remain so…”

“The Underworld Island will no longer gather the Yin energy of heaven and earth, and the Ghost Demon King certainly won’t return to Underworld Island. I believe the Ghost Demon King won’t rampage across the East Sea for a short while, as he also needs time to recover…” Li Hentian frowned, “Having been frightened by us like this, he will surely hide even deeper. If he refuses to come out, it will likely be difficult for us to drag him out in the East Sea.”

Nodding, Ji Changkong stated, “Indeed. That fellow has been scared stiff by us and definitely won’t dare to venture out for a while. The East Sea will at least enjoy some peace for a period. Over there, the Blood Emperor is still searching for a method to deal with him. The Blood Emperor is an unfathomable individual; with him openly challenging the Ghost Demon King in the East Sea, that fellow won’t have an easy time either.”

“Let’s return to the Central Lands. The three Grand Elders of the Guiyuan Sect died on White Bone Island; the Guiyuan Sect certainly won’t sit idly by. I imagine we will soon have to deal with retaliation from the Guiyuan Sect,” Li Hentian said solemnly.

“Guiyuan Sect…” Ji Changkong’s expression also darkened abruptly, “I have encountered Cao Xuanqi. This person indeed possesses world-shattering, peerless power. Old Li, who is stronger: Cao Xuanqi or my maternal grandfather?”

Li Hentian fell silent suddenly.

After a long, long while, Li Hentian looked up at Ji Changkong and said, “Cao Xuanqi.”

“Is he really that powerful?” Ji Changkong exclaimed, startled.

“In this vast world, apart from the Asura King of the Northern Barbarians, Cao Xuanqi has no equal! Even the Asura King cannot defeat him; in a fight between the two, the outcome would be fifty-fifty, very difficult to predict…” Li Hentian’s face darkened, “Both of us are at the Ninth Palace Heaven Realm. If I were to face Cao Xuanqi now, the only way to survive would be to flee!”

Ji Changkong’s expression shifted dramatically. Only now did he grasp how terrifying Cao Xuanqi truly was.

Li Hentian clapped Ji Changkong on the shoulder, “In this world, the one capable of defeating Cao Xuanqi has not yet appeared. However, you have a chance…”

“Me?” Ji Changkong pointed to himself, forcing a bitter smile, “Even my maternal grandfather can’t beat him; how can I possibly defeat him?”

“Xuanyuan is reputed to be invincible in the Ninth Palace Heaven Realm!” Li Hentian declared with a stern voice, “As long as you break through to the Ninth Palace Heaven Realm, I believe you will definitely be able to surpass him!”

“If the Guiyuan Sect moves against us, will they grant us this time?”

“They will!” Li Hentian replied, contrary to expectation, “Cao Xuanqi is the most arrogant person in the world. He has been in the Ninth Palace Heaven Realm for many years; at this level, he is at his peak. He doesn’t believe anyone at this level can defeat him… In fact, he might even anticipate you breaking through to the Ninth Palace Heaven Realm to fight him as the Xuanyuan heir. He has kept your father imprisoned in the Guiyuan Sect for so long without killing him, perhaps precisely because he awaits your revenge, or possibly that of your maternal grandfather…”

Ji Changkong paused in surprise. This was the most he had ever heard Li Hentian reveal about these matters.

“Cao Xuanqi is a fanatic. He cares nothing for the life or death of the common people. To achieve the Ninth Palace Heaven Realm, he wouldn't hesitate to disregard the fate of the populace. He can be like that, but your maternal grandfather cannot…” Li Hentian sighed softly, “Your maternal grandfather knows that if he goes to Tianshan Mountain to fight Gu Dan, regardless of victory or defeat, at least one of the Central Lands’ two Ninth Palace Heaven masters will be incapacitated for a period. He fears that Youlan of the Western Regions and the Asura King of the Northern Barbarians might take the opportunity to invade the Central Lands, plunging all living beings into deep suffering. That’s why he has reservations and cannot fight without holding back, otherwise…”

“I understand,” Ji Changkong nodded clearly, finally grasping the predicament of his maternal grandfather, Gu Dan.

“You don’t need to worry about Cao Xuanqi striking you personally. Before you possess sufficient strength, this arrogant man, the foremost expert in the world, will absolutely not move against you. However, you must still be cautious of the Guiyuan Sect. Cao Xuanqi won’t act, but the others in the Guiyuan Sect certainly won’t let you off. If you are killed by someone else from the Guiyuan Sect, Cao Xuanqi will deem you incompetent, believing you lack the qualifications to challenge him. Therefore, he will not prevent others from the Guiyuan Sect from dealing with you; he will treat it as necessary tempering for you,” Li Hentian advised.

“I understand.” Taking a deep breath, Ji Changkong’s expression settled, and he stated gravely, “I will definitely live on well. Before long, I shall ascend Tianshan Mountain and fight this arrogant world-number-one to the death with true steel!”

“Don’t let your guard down. The Guiyuan Sect doesn’t just have Cao Xuanqi as a Ninth Palace Heaven master!” Li Hentian’s face grew serious.

“What?” Ji Changkong was greatly shocked, “The Guiyuan Sect has another Ninth Palace Heaven master? Why have I never heard of it?”

Nodding, Li Hentian stated, “I can confirm that besides Cao Xuanqi, the Guiyuan Sect has at least one other Ninth Palace Heaven master.” Here, Li Hentian paused for a moment, “Back then, knowing that my strength was far inferior to Cao Xuanqi’s, yet unwilling to be bullied by the Guiyuan Sect, I attempted to launch a massacre at the Guiyuan Sect while Cao Xuanqi was absent. However, before I could even enter the sect grounds, I sensed an incredibly terrifying aura. That person was clearly not Cao Xuanqi, yet they projected an aura specifically targeting me, warning me not to intrude.”

“I knew then that no matter what, I would not be that person’s match. No matter how unwilling I was, I had no choice but to retreat from the Guiyuan Sect. The reason I have focused solely on breaking through to the Ninth Palace Heaven Realm all these years is so that one day I can fight that person honorably and wash away the shame of retreating without a fight back then!”

This secret history, Li Hentian had certainly never revealed to anyone before. After uttering these words, boundless battle intent blazed in his eyes. It was clear that he had long since walked out of that shadow, otherwise, he could not have broken through to the Ninth Palace Heaven Realm.

“I will be careful. Old Li, let’s return to Xuanyuan Valley. Since the three Grand Elders of the Guiyuan Sect all died on White Bone Island, I believe the Blood Emperor will immediately release the news. The Guiyuan Sect will absolutely not swallow this insult. It seems Xuanyuan Valley is about to face a fierce battle,” Ji Changkong pondered for a moment, gradually grasping the situation. He realized that his current strength was far from sufficient; only by advancing further as soon as possible could he survive the ensuing confrontation with the Guiyuan Sect.

He began to feel gratitude toward the Poison of Origin, thankful for the excellent opportunity it had provided him. He secretly resolved that from now on, for his own sake, for Xuanyuan Valley, and for those around him, he would raise his strength at all costs, breaking through to the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm as quickly as possible, and then setting his sights directly on the Ninth Palace Heaven.

“Yes, let’s go back to Xuanyuan Valley first.”

Li Hentian nodded, “I should also make a trip to Tianshan Mountain. For years, I have avoided him. Now that I have reached the Ninth Palace Heaven Realm, I can finally be of help to him. It is time for me to see him…”

Ji Changkong clearly knew whom Li Hentian was referring to. After experiencing so much, he gradually understood the relationship between Li Hentian and his maternal grandfather had never changed!

“Let’s go, let’s head back. We’ll leave the mess in the East Sea for the Blood Emperor to worry about,” Ji Changkong let out a long cry, soaring toward the heavens, piercing the void as he departed.