Let that poison within the Northern Barbarian masters fail to activate! Initially, the masters from Great Chu held a slight advantage; even with the intervention of experts from Xuanyuan Valley and Shuiyun Kingdom, the two sides were barely able to fight to a draw, neither side gaining any significant upper hand.

At the beginning, Chu Yunlong and the other masters of Great Chu truly did not place their hopes on the poison. In their view, Ji Changkong's words were unreliable.

Perhaps precisely because of this, they poured all their energy into the battle, rather than constantly waiting for the poison to take effect. Only after fighting with all their might, and with the assistance of Xuanyuan Valley, were they able to withstand the relentless bombardment from those Northern Barbarians, managing to hold on by a thread.

Exerting their utmost, their focus during the combat was unprecedentedly sharp, which was the only way they could ensure their survival.

Mid-fight, the poison began to take hold among the Northern Barbarian masters. The Great Chu masters, whose mental states were intensely concentrated, immediately seized the opportunity. Taking advantage of the moment when the Northern Barbarian experts struggled to gather the Yuan Li within their bodies, they unleashed their most ferocious power against them. In the span of just a few breaths, quite a few of the Northern Barbarians had already perished.

It was only then that these people realized Ji Changkong had not lied; indeed, those Northern Barbarians had been poisoned, and it had erupted at the most opportune moment!

The spirits of the Great Chu side were lifted. They finally realized that these Northern Barbarians were not insurmountable, their courage swelled instantly, and their attacks became smoother and more fluid.

Even the Young Master of the Yaksha Clan, Galo, was afflicted by the poison. His movements were sluggish, paralyzed, and even the gathering of Yuan Li within his body suddenly became difficult. Galo’s heart jolted in alarm, finally sensing that something was amiss. He immediately shouted out, "Those despicable Middle-Landers used poison!"

As Galo spoke, he unleashed three Evil Spirits from the cuffs of his sleeves. Upon emerging, the Evil Spirits immediately charged madly towards Ji Changkong, utilizing their unique power to assault Ji Changkong’s soul.

The Evil Spirits were refined by the Northern Barbarians using the souls of Tianshi through bizarre methods. Evil Spirits were akin to ghosts but retained their self-awareness. They clearly knew who they were yet could not resist their master's commands, forced only to obey and carry out their master’s desires.

Galo needed time—time to allow the poison in his system to lose its effect. He released the Evil Spirits hoping they could hold the line, granting him a moment to cleanse the toxin.

As the three Evil Spirits swept in, Ji Changkong was compelled to divert his focus to them. All three Evil Spirits had been refined from the souls of Bagua Tianshi. Each spirit retained the consciousness it held in life, their auras saturated with resentment and despair, carrying endless hatred!

After merely sensing them with his eyes closed, Ji Changkong instantly understood that before the Yin-Yang essence completely vanished, these Evil Spirits must have suffered Galo’s brutal torment. The stronger the resentment and murderous intent of these Evil Spirits, the greater the suffering Galo had inflicted upon them.

Before being refined into Evil Spirits, the three Bagua Tianshi souls must have endured Galo’s most frantic abuse. Cursing inwardly, Ji Changkong’s expression became grave, and he suddenly unleashed the Soul-Calming Melody.

As the eerie chant of the Soul-Calming Melody manifested in his mind, the Six Pillars of Yuan Li began to materialize in the void under the power coursing through him. Between the Six Pillars of Yuan Li existed a force capable of influencing the soul; any soul-form entity would find it impossible to escape the influence of the Soul-Calming Melody.

Under the power of the Soul-Calming Melody, the three charging Evil Spirits exhibited palpable fear, struggling desperately to avoid approaching Ji Changkong.

However, being in the state of Evil Spirits, although possessing consciousness, they lacked control over it. No matter how hard they struggled, they could not overcome the deep brand imprinted upon their souls by Galo.

Ultimately, in order to buy enough time for Galo, the three Evil Spirits plunged simultaneously into the Six Pillars of Yuan Li formed by the Soul-Calming Melody.

The moment the three Evil Spirits entered the pillars of Yuan Li, they were immediately affected by them. They were stunned by the mysterious symbols etched upon the pillars, rendering them immobile. Under the force of the Yuan Li Pillars, the three Evil Spirits were slowly ground down and annihilated by the power generated by the Six Pillars, causing every last trace of their existence in the world to vanish forever.

Once the Evil Spirits were gone, Galo instantly sensed it. Without a second thought, he began to retreat, instantly putting significant distance between himself and the others.

At this moment, Galo was wreathed in green vapor, as if his entire body had been coated in dark green ink, while wisps of black air drifted out from his eyes.

Ji Changkong knew that in such a short time, Galo had already found a way to expel the poison from his body. He was now channeling his own power to force the toxin out. Given the current situation, it wouldn't be long before Galo expelled all the poison.

It must be said, Galo was indeed a formidable figure. Among so many poisoned individuals, while he wasn't the first to find a way to force out the poison, he was the one with the lowest cultivation level!

Those who could expel the poison, like Blood Crocodile, were almost all figures who had been immersed in the Bagua Tian Realm for a long time, whereas Galo had only just reached the Bagua Tian Realm.

Ji Changkong frowned, raising the Dragon Radiance Longblade in his hand. He used the light reflected off the blade to shine upon Galo’s eyes, which were currently releasing the poison.

It was not an overwhelmingly fierce attack, yet the blade light proved highly effective when cast upon Galo's eyes. Galo was forced to raise a hand to block it—to shield his eyes from the glare of the blade light, lest it disrupt his process of expelling the poison.

Constantly shifting the angle of the Dragon Radiance Longblade, pouring his internal power into the blade, the weapon’s radiance grew stronger under the harsh sunlight, now infused with Ji Changkong's Yuan Li assault.

Ji Changkong stared intently at Galo, slowly advancing toward him, always prepared to deliver a fatal strike.

He could see that Galo had already forced out more than half of the poison. Attempting to deal a heavy blow to Galo now, seizing the moment, would clearly not be easy. He needed to find the right opportunity first; otherwise, he might end up being trapped by Galo’s endless array of maneuvers.

While he and Galo were locked in a tense standoff, the combined forces of Great Chu and Shuiyun Kingdom had already gained an absolute advantage!

After all, not everyone possessed the cultivation of Blood Crocodile or Galo, who could use their own strength to force out the poison. As long as the poison remained in the others, their bodies would become progressively sluggish, and their main strength would become increasingly difficult to muster. In such a critical moment that could decide life or death, they naturally could not escape their opponents' attacks, and heavy casualties were inevitable.

In the span of just this short while, dozens of masters from the Northern Barbarians could no longer hold out against the offensive from Great Chu and Shuiyun Kingdom and were quickly killed.

Seeing the tide turn in their favor, the forces of Great Chu and Shuiyun Kingdom naturally pursued with even greater vigor, especially those from Great Chu. Having suffered too many losses under the Northern Barbarians’ attacks in recent days, they certainly would not let this chance for revenge slip by.

Blood Crocodile, Galo, and the others clearly perceived the unfavorable turn of events. Their eyes flickered uncertainly, and a thought of retreat seemed to cross their minds.

"Blood Crocodile, let's work together and hold them off for a moment, so our men can withdraw first!" Galo said.

Blood Crocodile’s hexagonal shield was smeared with blood, and he looked ferocious. "Fight them to the death! Hold them!"

"Blood Crocodile, withdraw first!" Galo roared, suddenly flying into the air and raising his wolf-tooth mace high. "Those poisoned, retreat immediately! Do not stay behind!"

A row of sharp spikes suddenly shot out from the wolf-tooth mace, flying across the air towards Ji Changkong's side. The spikes contained an astonishing condensed power; those that were only finger-length in the air quickly grew to the length of an arm in moments.

A mysterious power burst forth from the spikes, frantically slaying everything on the field.

The power erupting from those spikes was clearly not something Galo should possess. When that power exploded, experts from Great Chu, Shuiyun Kingdom, and even the Bagua Tian masters of Xuanyuan Valley all retreated defensively. Anyone who carelessly took a hit from the power within those spikes would certainly pay dearly.

Jingang and Qixing Tian realm Tianshi faced certain death under this power, and even Bagua Tian masters would suffer grievous injuries from it.

Among them, Han Feng was accidentally struck by the power contained in those spikes. Even gathering all his strength, he couldn't fully block it; his left forearm was pierced, leaving a deep hole the size of a thumb.

Han Feng finally recognized how dangerous these Northern Barbarians were. Cursing, he quickly retreated.

Almost single-handedly through Galo’s effort, the surviving Northern Barbarians managed to escape. In the blink of an eye, all the Northern Barbarians had vanished without a trace. The spikes suspended in the air seemed to possess a life of their own; they ceased emitting fierce light and instead flew into the distance at a speed too fast for the eye to follow.

By the time the others reacted, the Northern Barbarians were long gone, leaving only a field of corpses behind.

The Heaven Origin Pearl was released by Ji Changkong, quietly traversing the void, gathering the lingering soul power of those Northern Barbarians. Frowning, Ji Changkong looked at the disappearing spikes and stated, "The power released from the strange artifact held by Galo is definitely beyond what he is capable of possessing!"

The others nodded grimly, all having recognized the core of the problem.

When the spikes in Galo’s hand unleashed that terrifying power, every Bagua Tian master immediately sensed its dreadfulness. They understood at once that this power should not belong to Galo; he had only recently entered the Bagua Tian Realm, and his own strength shouldn't allow him to hold off everyone else!

"It is the power that only a Jiugong Tianshi can wield!" Chu Yunlong’s brow furrowed deeply as he looked at the group. "The power within those spikes absolutely belongs only to a Jiugong Tianshi. Galo is merely a Bagua Tian, his power certainly cannot reach such a height!"

Everyone nodded in agreement, their faces turning solemn and worried.

They were not afraid of Galo, but rather concerned whether a Jiugong Tianshi existed among those Northern Barbarian experts. If a Jiugong Tianshi had participated in this battle, they would have had no need to fight—it would have only meant sending themselves to their deaths!

"There should not be a Jiugong Tianshi present; otherwise, that Jiugong Tianshi would not have stood by idly while we slaughtered those Northern Barbarians. In my view, the weapon Galo holds was merely imbued with the power of a Jiugong Tianshi, with the sole intention of protecting Galo's life. As long as a Jiugong Tianshi doesn't personally appear, we have nothing to worry about," Ji Changkong said calmly to the crowd.

"Let's hope so," Chu Yunlong sighed helplessly. "If it truly was a Jiugong Tianshi here, Great Chu would truly be finished."

Great Chu possessed no Jiugong Tianshi. All the experts of Great Chu harbored a deep fear of the Northern Barbarians’ Jiugong Tianshi. They understood that if the enemy had deployed a Jiugong Tianshi in this battle, Great Chu absolutely could not withstand it.

"We finally gained the upper hand, didn't we?" Chu Shanxin managed a weak smile, looking at the field strewn with corpses. She said sincerely to Ji Changkong, "Thank you so much! Earlier... I even doubted you. I never expected your poison would take effect at the most crucial moment."

Ji Changkong naturally wouldn't stoop to argue with her. He nodded. "Now, I think we should rest for a while. I can sense that those Northern Barbarians have retreated far enough. If we pursue now, we likely won't catch them."

Everyone knew that if it hadn't been for the crucial role played by Ji Changkong's poison, the outcome of this battle would still be uncertain. Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

The experts from Xuanyuan Valley suddenly chuckled and began looting the corpses of the Northern Barbarians, searching for divine weapons and spiritual treasures on their bodies, looking for anything valuable.

These Tianshi hailing from the Northern Barbarians all carried Northern Barbarian gems and spiritual treasures. Though they were dead now, those treasures remained. These items were ownerless, and anyone could claim them. Influenced by figures like Gui Rong, the people of Xuanyuan Valley were not pedantic and immediately set to work.

The people of Great Chu, however, appeared somewhat embarrassed. Though they looked tempted, they made no move, merely watching as the experts from Xuanyuan Valley and Shuiyun Kingdom shamelessly gathered the visible treasures of the Northern Barbarians.

"Um..." Chu Shanxin looked at Chu Yunlong, hesitating.

Chu Yunlong shook his head slightly, signaling them not to contend with the forces of Shuiyun Kingdom. The assistants from Great Chu, including the ten major families and sects, also looked rather awkward, watching helplessly as the Tianshi from Xuanyuan Valley and Shuiyun Kingdom turned over the relics of the Northern Barbarians.

"Don't be shy. It's nothing to profit from the dead," Ji Changkong looked at those people from Great Chu, feigning surprise. "If you are truly so principled and uninterested in these Northern Barbarian trinkets, we certainly won't hold back."

Chu Yunlong gave a slightly awkward dry laugh. "Since Young Master Ji doesn't mind..."

He nodded slightly to Changsun Deyun, Chu Shanxin, and the others.

The Great Chu Tianshi, who had been impatient, immediately joined the ranks of the Xuanyuan Valley group once Chu Yunlong nodded, quickly beginning to strip the Northern Barbarians of their remains.

Casually picking up a section of beast bone from the ground, Ji Changkong frowned, staring at it blankly.

Suddenly, he realized that Yu Ziling had also used similar divine weapons or spiritual treasures. Back in the Great Marsh of Yunmeng, Yu Ziling was able to fight the old mother Wu Rang precisely because of these kinds of spiritual treasures. In the days that followed, Ji Changkong noticed that spiritual treasures made from beast bones were Yu Ziling's true arsenal.

The beast bones she used were clearly of the same lineage as those used by these Northern Barbarians.

Ji Changkong began to wonder: Could Yu Ziling be a Tianshi from the Northern Barbarians? However, Yu Ziling's appearance was markedly different from those Northern Barbarians. Although she had never truly revealed her face, her snow-white skin was characteristic of the Middle Lands, clearly inconsistent with the major races of the Northern Barbarians.

The more he thought about it, the more perplexed he became. He realized that Yu Ziling’s identity must be highly suspicious. Even if she wasn't from the North, the Tianshi power she cultivated likely originated from there. This made Ji Changkong very confused. After he and Yu Ziling journeyed to the moon together, Ji Changkong had gained a new perspective on her. After he was ambushed by Lei Jia, Yu Ziling showed genuine concern. They fought side-by-side on the moon, and the previous barriers between them had long since dissolved. Deep down, Ji Changkong considered Yu Ziling someone trustworthy. If such a person originated from the Northern Barbarians, Ji Changkong couldn't help but doubt her intentions.

Soon, the spiritual treasures and beast bones left behind by the deceased Northern Barbarian Tianshi were swiftly swept up by the combined efforts of Xuanyuan Valley and Great Chu experts. Although the Great Chu contingent started a little late, their haul was rich. Most of the Northern Barbarian Tianshi who died here were highly cultivated, and the rare treasures they carried were certainly not ordinary items. All the gems and cultivation materials left by the Northern Barbarians were stripped from their corpses.

With the combined efforts of Xuanyuan Valley and Great Chu, the corpses of the Northern Barbarian Tianshi were utterly bare, leaving nothing behind except their clothing.

Everyone was thoroughly satisfied, suddenly feeling that this battle had been surprisingly easy. They hadn't expended much effort to effortlessly slay their opponents and then claim their wealth. This feeling was genuinely exhilarating and could easily cause one to overlook the enemy's inherent strength.

"How is it?" Ji Changkong walked up to Han Feng, giving him a look. "I told you to be careful, but you wouldn't listen. You got injured after all, didn't you?"

Han Feng looked slightly embarrassed. "It's nothing, nothing serious. Just a minor injury."

"A minor injury isn't an injury?" Ji Changkong scoffed. "If I hadn't warned you beforehand, your minor injury would have become a serious one!"

"So what if it's a serious injury!" Han Feng snapped in annoyance. "Who the hell knew that brat's divine weapon contained the power of a Jiugong Tianshi? That guy had only just entered the Bagua Tian Realm!"

Ji Changkong was surprised, then shook his head and chuckled wryly, "Serves you right!"

"You annoying brat, I don't need you to care! I'll take it if I want to!" Han Feng was irritated.

Smiling, Ji Changkong immediately nodded. "Mm, you still have the leisure to argue with me, so your injury probably isn't that severe. Fine, it's up to you." Saying this, Ji Changkong moved on to the next person.

Han Feng waited until Ji Changkong was gone before grinning and muttering under his breath, "That brat, can't even say a nice word."

An old fox like Han Feng naturally understood that Ji Changkong truly cared about his injury, he just didn't express it through warm coddling. Han Feng felt touched and suddenly realized his earlier decision had been correct.

Walking back and forth once, Ji Changkong checked in with several injured individuals in turn, finding that their injuries were not serious. The few who had unfortunately died were all from the Great Chu side, having little connection to Xuanyuan Valley.

While the people from the Valley were enthusiastically looting the Northern Barbarians' spiritual treasures, Ji Changkong was not idle. His Heaven Origin Pearl hovered in the void, silently carrying out the work of soul absorption while everyone else was busy. By the time they had finished stripping the Northern Barbarians clean, the soul power lingering in the void from the deceased had all been absorbed by the Heaven Origin Pearl.

This battle ended swiftly, yet quite a number of Northern Barbarian Tianshi had perished. Most of them were Jingang and Qixing Tian realm masters, whose soul power was particularly rich and very useful for replenishing the Heaven Origin Pearl’s energy.

Quietly recalling the Heaven Origin Pearl back into his body, Ji Changkong noticed Chu Shanxin had approached him at some point, looking at him with a charming smile.

Ji Changkong started, stared at her for a moment, and immediately understood that Chu Shanxin had noticed his subtle actions. "Little Sister Chu, is something the matter?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, I'm just a little curious." After a pause, Chu Shanxin continued, "What you were holding just now, was that the Heaven Origin Pearl, right?"

"Mm," Ji Changkong nodded. "Yes, it is the Heaven Origin Pearl. Is there a problem?"

"No problem, I just didn't expect the Heaven Origin Orb to be this miraculous, actually possessing the power to devour the Divine Soul. After devouring the power of the soul, what special use does it have?" Chu Shanxin looked at him with interest, appearing quite curious.

"It has some uses," Ji Changkong replied, yet he offered no explanation as to what those uses were.

Chu Shanxin did not press the matter, smiling sweetly at him. "This time, I truly can't thank you from Xuanyuan Valley enough for stepping in to save us. If Xuanyuan Valley hadn't intervened, our Great Chu Kingdom would likely not have been able to withstand the attacks of those Northern Barbarians. Ji Changkong, thank you!"

"I came to the Great Chu Kingdom not solely to assist you, but because I do not wish to see the common folk of Chu become mere playthings for those barbarians. Therefore, you don't need to thank me at all."

"Regardless of your motives for coming, your appearance has nonetheless helped my Chu family, defending us against the Northern Barbarian invasion. Thus, we are all indebted to you," Chu Shanxin stated seriously.

Ji Changkong appeared indifferent, clearly not intending to prolong the conversation.

"Ji Changkong," suddenly, Chu Shanxin's cheeks flushed, and she adopted a look of shy hesitation, biting her lip. Blushing, she lowered her voice, "I said before, if you could help our Great Chu Kingdom, I would do anything you asked of me—even agree to the most arduous conditions!"

Chu Shanxin gazed boldly at Ji Changkong, conveying a willingness to comply with whatever he might demand of her.

Ji Changkong paused, his expression growing peculiar as he stared wide-eyed at Chu Shanxin.

"Ahem, ahem." Just then, Bai Qingya's voice cut in. At some unknown point, she had materialized near the pair, seemingly unnoticed. Bai Qingya maintained a serene composure, yet her gaze fixed intensely upon Chu Shanxin. "Pardon me, I hope I haven't interrupted Miss Chu?"

"You have," Chu Shanxin replied coolly, slightly knitting her brows.

"Oh, then I apologize," Bai Qingya said, though her face showed no hint of contrition. She remained standing there, unmoving, her bright eyes flicking between Ji Changkong and Chu Shanxin, making it clear she had no intention of leaving soon.

"Uh," Ji Changkong was not dense; he sensed the underlying tension. He offered a dry laugh. "Well, I think I should go check on Han Feng. You two carry on chatting." With that, Ji Changkong swiftly withdrew, thinking to himself what mischief these two women might stir up.

Once he stepped aside, he subtly glanced back. He saw the two women sharing smiles, chatting away like dear sisters, appearing incredibly close.

Ji Changkong was surprised, then let out a wry chuckle and shook his head. Women's hearts were truly inscrutable, he mused. Just moments ago, the two seemed to be clashing subtly, yet in the blink of an eye, they had become so intimate. He couldn't fathom it.

A short while later, Bai Qingya approached with a faint smile playing on her lips. Before she even reached Ji Changkong, however, the smile vanished entirely. She snorted coldly. "Changkong, what did that vixen Chu Shanxin just say to you?"

"Nothing much, just expressions of gratitude and such," Ji Changkong answered frankly.

Suspiciously regarding him, Bai Qingya continued, "It couldn't have been that simple. That Bai Qingya is not someone to be trifled with. You shouldn't associate with her too closely. I've heard rumors about that fox spirit—how she ensnares and confuses men to make them do her bidding. Be very careful not to fall for her tricks." Bai Qingya spoke with utmost seriousness, feigning deep concern.

Ji Changkong smiled. "Don't worry, Sister Bai, I know my limits. I've dealt with people like Chu Shanxin before; she's still leagues away from misleading me!" He spoke the truth; even Ayiguli couldn't charm him now, so a mere Chu Shanxin was out of the question.

"You! I really don't know what to say about you! I know that in a direct confrontation, ten Chu Shanxins might not even faze you, but... but if Chu Shanxin uses other methods, like seduction, I worry you might fall for it," Bai Qingya fretted.

Ji Changkong looked utterly unconcerned, grinning playfully at Bai Qingya before suddenly teasing, "If Chu Shanxin tried to seduce me, it wouldn't work. But if it were you, Sister Bai, then I might actually be swayed."

At his words, Bai Qingya's delicate face immediately flushed crimson. She shot him a look of annoyed embarrassment and muttered with a low huff, "You scamp, what nonsense are you spouting!"

"Sister Bai, are you... are you perhaps jealous of Chu Shanxin? Hehe!"

"Who's jealous!" Bai Qingya glared at him fiercely, clearly growing flustered, and whined softly, "You wretched boy, now you've learned to bully your older sister."

Saying this, Bai Qingya lifted her chin high and cast a distant, sidelong glance at Chu Shanxin, her eyes conveying a clear challenge.

Chu Shanxin, further away, let out a delicate giggle, looking completely unconcerned, evidently paying no mind to Bai Qingya's implied warning.

"In any case, you must interact less with that vixen Chu Shanxin!" Bai Qingya turned back, earnestly cautioning Ji Changkong.

"Mmm."

In the Northern Barbarian lands, atop a towering, cloud-piercing peak, a biting, fierce wind howled. Though the summit was snowless, the cold pierced bone.

Two solitary, proud figures stood at the peak, gazing into the distance at a massive, grotesque, and terrifying palace. The palace was constructed from immense, pitch-black stone blocks, its walls entirely covered with carvings of savage, ferocious beasts. A chilling cold mist swirled above the structure, punctuated by guttural, beast-like roars emanating from within. An intensely thick aura of fighting intent lingered around the palace, refusing to dissipate.

On the summit, the two figures stood as unmoving as mountains, observing the massive structure from afar.

"Sect Master, are you truly resolved to fight him?" Li Hentian frowned, looking at Gu Bang beside him with a grim expression as he asked.

Gu Bang smiled and nodded, speaking softly. "This battle is unavoidable. I wouldn't fight Cao Xuanqi if it meant devastating the lives in the Central Lands. But since the Asura King is determined to enter the Central Lands, I must intervene. Otherwise, even if the Great Chu Kingdom wins the War of the Heaven Soldiers, it will all be for naught."

"Changkong has already led the experts of Xuanyuan Valley towards Beian City. If the timing is right, they should already be engaging the Northern Barbarian Heaven Soldiers. All the Xuanyuan Valley experts follow his lead, and those old fogeys from Shuiyun Kingdom will stand with him out of respect for you. With Xuanyuan Valley joining this fight, the Northern Barbarians won't gain the upper hand. We could simply wait for the Northern Barbarians to fail, and when the Asura King personally arrives at Beian City, why rush here?" Li Hentian said gravely.

Gu Bang smiled. "Changkong is a good child. With him in Beian City, at least the peace of Beian City can be maintained. That makes me much more at ease."

"Sect Master, why not wait until the Asura King emerges from within?" Li Hentian questioned again.

"I do not wish to be defeated in front of my grandson," Gu Bang turned his head to look at Li Hentian, a gentle smile on his face.

"Sect Master!!" Li Hentian exclaimed low, "You know this battle is surely a losing one; why must you insist!"

"Alright, alright, we've settled this already." Gu Bang looked at Li Hentian, his expression entirely relaxed. "I cannot abstain from this fight. Fortunately, you are here, and Changkong has grown strong. I can depart without regret or lingering concern."

Li Hentian's face darkened, etched with pain, yet he found nothing to say.

"He knows I am here; he is waiting for me. I must go." Gu Bang looked into the distance and suddenly spoke those words. In the next instant, Gu Bang vanished from Li Hentian's side.

"Be careful!" Li Hentian gave one last, low cry.

For the next few days, Ji Changkong and the people of the Great Chu Kingdom remained within the continuous mountain range. After suffering an initial setback, the Northern Barbarian Heaven Soldiers became much more cautious, proceeding with utmost care thereafter.

Ji Changkong and his group clashed with the Northern Barbarian Heaven Soldiers several more times over these days. The fights were often swift in starting and swift in ending. As soon as the Northern Barbarian Heaven Soldiers detected signs of poisoning within their ranks, they would immediately retreat, fearful of mass contamination.

Ever since their previous injury, the Northern Barbarians had become extremely vigilant regarding poison. Among them were experts in the art of toxicology. They meticulously scouted every place they passed, terrified of being affected by ambient toxins.

In several exchanges, Jialuo's studded mace was repeatedly brought to bear. As soon as everyone spotted Jialuo preparing to unleash the spikes on his mace, they would instantly scatter. Once the Northern Barbarians saw Jialuo bring out the spikes, they knew he was preparing to retreat. After several engagements, the fighting always ended abruptly, with no fatalities, only a few minor injuries.

The fighting settled into a stalemate.

"Damn that studded mace Jialuo wields; it's truly an annoying piece of junk! Once we take that kid down, we'll smash that mace to dust!" Han Feng’s injuries had recovered, and he cursed loudly.

"Indeed. If it weren't for the power that weapon releases from Jialuo's mace, those Northern Barbarians would have suffered heavy losses! That kid is truly troublesome; the moment the situation turns sour, he retreats immediately. It's hard to get a good strike in!" Song Yu agreed.

"Have any of you noticed that the power released from Jialuo's mace is growing weaker each time? The first time, that mace pushed us back so severely, but in the last few encounters, the power has only been slightly stronger than the peak level of an Eight Trigram Heaven Soldier! Have you noticed?" Ji Changkong asked.

At his words, everyone blinked in surprise. After a moment, Han Feng slowly nodded. "Now that you mention it, it does seem to be the case. He retreated much faster the last two times he used the mace's power. Could it be that the power stored in the mace is almost depleted?"

The group stirred, their gazes fixed on Ji Changkong, awaiting his explanation.

"Clearly, that power does not belong to Jialuo himself. And power is never infinite. After so much consumption, the power of the Nine Palaces Heaven Soldier contained within that mace should be nearly exhausted," Ji Changkong mused. He added, "Next time, we don't need to be so cautious. A few of us can push ahead and pursue; we won't need to keep dodging everywhere."

"Changkong, are you certain the power in Jialuo's mace is genuinely weakening with each use?" Xiao Xing asked seriously, knitting his brow.

Ji Changkong smiled and nodded. "That mace has some similarities to my Heaven Origin Orb. The difference is that it requires replenishment from a Nine Palaces Heaven Soldier's power. The gradual weakening of that mace's energy proves one thing: there are no Nine Palaces Heaven Soldiers among them here!"

Upon hearing this, everyone relaxed. Xiao Xing broke into a laugh. "That's true. If that's the case, it means the Nine Palaces Heaven Soldier who imbued the mace with power is not present. As long as there is no Nine Palaces Heaven Soldier, we have nothing to worry about!"

Confidence surged through the group once more. Having gained considerable advantages from the Northern Barbarians, their fighting spirit was high, and without this major constraint, their combat effectiveness would surely increase further.

"Could it be a trap?" Chu Shanxin asked quietly after a moment of hesitation.

Bai Qingya shot Chu Shanxin a disdainful look. "Do you think everyone is as cunning as you?"

"It's better to be safe than sorry, even if the chance is small. Being careful never hurts," Chu Shanxin smiled, her bright eyes fixed on Ji Changkong. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Bai Qingya’s gaze instantly followed hers, locking onto Ji Changkong.

Ji Changkong managed a wry expression, looking from one to the other. "Whether it's a trap or not, we will proceed with caution. My sensitivity to Yuan energy fluctuations is quite keen. If I sense any unusual aura from that mace, I will warn everyone beforehand to be careful."

Bai Qingya nodded slightly and looked at Ji Changkong with true concern. "Be careful. It's not worth losing your life over for others."

"Uh, I will try my best to be careful," Ji Changkong nodded with a smile. He knew Bai Qingya genuinely cared for him, but he couldn't say the same for Chu Shanxin's intentions.

"Very well, the next time we encounter those Northern Barbarians, we will ignore Jialuo's mace and charge forward!" Chu Yunlong declared.

"I know their location. This time, let's take the initiative. Everyone spread out; it would be best if we could corner those Northern Barbarians," Ji Changkong considered, then added, "Of course, we must also guard against them becoming desperate. Proceed cautiously. If they are truly determined to break through, we can open a single gap for them."

"Young Master Ji, our Great Chu Kingdom owes you a great debt. As long as we can drive out those Northern Barbarians, the Great Chu Kingdom will forever be the most steadfast ally of your Shuiyun Kingdom," Chu Yunlong said, looking at Ji Changkong. "I know your Xuanyuan Valley seems to have some friction with the Guiyuan Sect. In the future, if an unavoidable conflict arises between you and the Guiyuan Sect, if there is any way our Chu family can assist, we absolutely will not refuse!"

"Thank you for that sentiment," Ji Changkong felt a stir in his heart. Finally, he felt this trip was not entirely in vain.