The old crone certainly didn't escape the grasp of Menggang. Having been baptized by Heavenly Fire, she quickly turned to ash, and at that very moment, the sea of flames carried her right to Menggang's front. Menggang showed no mercy. He used the dying spiritual energy of the old woman to rapidly recover himself.

Ji Changkong glanced over at the remains from afar. Seeing that Menggang had already begun his work, he breathed a silent sigh of relief. He released his soul consciousness, guarding against any potential sneak attacks from others.

Here, danger could flash out at any moment; one had to be exceedingly careful, or they wouldn't even know how they died.

That old crone had appeared because she was drawn by Ji Changkong's spiritual pressure. It could be said that Ji Changkong deliberately lured her near. Otherwise, if Ji Changkong had revealed his true strength, the crone would never have dared approach, much less dared to cause trouble for them.

Amidst the rolling sea of fire, interspersed with a wisp of Heavenly Fire he had condensed, it struck suddenly and without warning, instantly hitting the overly confident old woman.

This was a more covert method of attack Ji Changkong had recently devised. Of course, this technique only achieved miraculous results where a sea of fire already existed, as it allowed the Heavenly Fire to be concealed within the natural flames, making it incredibly difficult for the opponent to detect the danger. When the power within the Heavenly Fire suddenly erupted, it became even more sudden and nearly impossible to guard against.

Especially against a Celestial Master like this old crone!

She didn't know how many years she had cultivated in this cavern. She was intimately familiar with everything in the cave and had learned how to manipulate the Flame Stones and the sea of fire. Precisely because of this, she subconsciously believed that those flames posed no threat to her.

Ji Changkong exploited this very mindset. He concealed a strand of Heavenly Fire within the fire sea, releasing it suddenly when she was least aware, catching her completely off guard, resulting in her being incinerated to ash by the Heavenly Fire.

Having absorbed the old woman's spiritual energy, Menggang quickly sprang back to life, vibrant once more.

"How is it? How much have you recovered?" Ji Changkong approached Menggang with a smile and inquired.

"I'm back to about sixty percent. This old hag’s spiritual power truly wasn't weak. To have hidden here in this cavern for so long, yet her spiritual energy is still this formidable—on the surface of the Sun, she would absolutely be someone feared by all!" Menggang sighed.

He suddenly realized how insignificant his own power was on the path toward the Sun's Heart. Many hidden masters lurking in the shadows were far superior to him in realm, and their spiritual power was much deeper than his own. This made Menggang feel a faint sense of gloom; his former pride and sense of superiority had vanished entirely.

"Take it slow. Sooner or later, you and I will surpass these fellows hiding in every corner of this cavern! Rest assured, if they can do it, so can we," Ji Changkong assured him.

Menggang nodded. "I understand, but the thought that I can't offer you much help, and might even be a burden, makes me feel a bit... a bit embarrassed. Damn it, I really overestimated my own strength. It seems the gap between you and me might be more than just a small distance!"

After this battle, he gradually saw the true disparity between himself and Ji Changkong clearly, realizing that when Ji Changkong had been with him before, he hadn't truly exerted his full strength.

"You will become stronger one day; don't overthink it. I still need your help. Otherwise, I truly wouldn't dare venture straight into the Sun's Heart!" Ji Changkong smiled, then his eyes suddenly flared with dazzling light as he stared fixedly in one direction.

Seeing Ji Changkong's expression, Menggang's demeanor shifted, and he suddenly understood something. He nodded slightly and said no more, also beginning to stay alert inwardly.

After a short while, a small, thin figure emerged slowly from the direction Ji Changkong was staring at. It was an old man with a rather sleazy appearance. A sly grin played on his lips, making him resemble a large rat as he ambled slowly toward Ji Changkong. "Hahaha, you two youngsters, you actually have quite sharp awareness."

Ji Changkong’s expression changed drastically. He sensed that this seemingly sleazy old man possessed spiritual power far stronger than the old crone he had just slain. This old man was the most powerful master Ji Changkong had encountered on the Sun so far; his strength far surpassed those who had ambushed them in the passage earlier.

Focusing his entire attention instantly, Ji Changkong made no attempt to hesitate. Upon recognizing the old man’s true realm, he immediately used his spiritual energy to condense Heavenly Fire, his soul shifting rapidly. As the old man walked toward them with a smile, he stopped precisely at the most opportune distance, glancing sideways at Menggang, and chuckled dryly, "Young man, don't be nervous. I have no intention of fighting you. You, young fellow, are not someone easy to provoke. This old man has heard a few things about you. You helped my grandson multiple times; I haven't even thanked you yet. I won't do anything to you."

Ji Changkong dared not let his guard down in the slightest. He quietly retreated a short distance, moving to Menggang’s side. Only when the two stood shoulder to shoulder did he speak, "Who are you? You know me? And who is your grandson? When did I ever help him?"

"Ha! I am from the same continent as you. The form of your soul is clearly derived from the Nebula Soul Refining Technique of the Aurorean Cult. In our Five Star Continent, the young master of the Xuanyuan Valley obtained the foundational scripture of the Aurorean Cult. Many great families know about this, and I know a bit too, not to mention my grandson specifically told me about it." The old man spoke with an air of seriousness.

"Who is your grandson?" Ji Changkong asked again.

"Teng Yang, someone from the Teng family of Hehai Domain." The little old man grinned slyly as he introduced himself: "My name is Teng Ye, Teng Yang's grandfather. And currently, the Head of the Teng Family."

Ji Changkong was momentarily speechless. He hadn't expected to run into Teng Yang's grandfather in this place. Back in the East Sea, he had heard that Teng Yang's grandfather was quite peculiar, seemingly having a deep connection with the Sea Clan. He was curious about Teng Yang’s grandfather and couldn't help but examine Teng Ye seriously.

Teng Ye indeed bore some resemblance to that lad Teng Yang, though he was even smaller and thinner. His narrowed eyes were filled with cunning mischief, looking as if he were constantly plotting something bad, immediately making people uneasy. Despite Teng Ye's unimpressive appearance, the spiritual power emanating from him was incredibly robust. Just standing there casually seemed to generate a vast soul magnetic field that influenced everyone nearby.

"So, you are Teng Yang's grandfather. My apologies for my lack of manners," Ji Changkong offered with a dry laugh.

"Boy, you are of the same generation as Teng Yang, and Teng Yang calls you Elder Brother. Shouldn't you be calling me Grandfather?" Teng Ye rolled his eyes and huffed.

"Let's keep our acquaintances separate. In these caverns within the Sun's Heart, we don't adhere to all those messy formalities," Ji Changkong shook his head, then smiled, "By the way, old man, why are you blocking my way?"

"Old man?" Teng Ye sputtered. "You impudent brat, you have no sense of propriety! I am, after all, your elder!"

"Old man, tell me, how long have you been here? And what business do you have seeking me out?" Ji Changkong ignored his complaint and proceeded with his own questions.

Teng Ye gave a wry smile, realizing he probably couldn't correct Ji Changkong's address. He sighed helplessly, "When you fought that old crone, the moment I saw your soul could transform into a nebula, I knew who you were. Out of gratitude for you saving Teng Yang, I originally intended to lend you a hand. But then I saw that you weren't exactly a pushover either, actually killing that old crone. So now, I have no business here."

"I see. Well, thank you for your kind intentions, even if you didn't end up helping me," Ji Changkong nodded, then added, "By the way, how are Teng Yang and the others doing in the East Sea?"

When he left the East Sea, Teng Yang and his group had chosen to remain on White Bone Island, using its unique environment to temper themselves. Those six had excellent aptitude, and being with him had brought them many opportunities. After this much time, they should have made breakthroughs.

Teng Ye chuckled happily, "Thanks to you, those boys have all broken through to the Seven-Star Celestial Realm. My grandson can already roam the Five Stars with his spirit. At this pace, he might be able to visit the Moon soon. Hahaha, these little rascals are actually quite promising; they haven't disappointed this old man!"

Mentioning the younger generation, including Teng Yang, Teng Ye became genuinely joyful, his tone filled with pride.

"Mhm, it’s good they’ve improved. I knew they could advance further," Ji Changkong nodded. "Right, the next time you return, tell your grandson that they should visit my Xuanyuan Valley when they have time. If I’m in the valley, I will certainly spend quality time with them."

"Good, I will inform that lad," Teng Ye smiled. "Speaking of which, my Hehai Domain and your Xuanyuan Valley have already established contact. Many cultivation materials from my sea domain have been sent to Xuanyuan Valley, and I've exchanged quite a few things from your valley as well. Between you and me, we can be considered allies..."

Teng Ye muttered to himself for a moment, then suddenly looked up. "Brat, what are you trying to do coming to the Sun's Heart? Since I'm idle anyway, I can repay you for looking out for my grandson. I'll accompany you for a walk. Oh, speaking of which, while I was here, that old ghost Li Hentian also... also fought side-by-side with me. We're really not strangers to you guys..."

As Teng Ye’s words trailed off, he began muttering to himself again.

It was unclear if he was aged, or if this was just his nature, but his speeches often devolved into him talking to himself, completely disregarding whether anyone was listening intently.

"Old Li? You fought alongside Old Li here? I never knew about that?" Ji Changkong found it strange.

"That old ghost barely makes a sound, why would he tell you such things? Let me tell you, when I was with that old ghost, it was incredibly stifling. You know, I'm a person who loves to chatter, I can talk to myself for ages. When I met that old ghost, I naturally wanted to talk even more, but that old ghost..." Teng Ye started rambling endlessly again.

"Stop, stop!" Ji Changkong began to get annoyed. He shouted, "Stick to the point, stop the nonsense!"

"We encountered people from 'Heavenly Slaughter' at the same time, so we fought together. The old ghost spoke little and always let me take the lead. You wouldn't believe..." Teng Ye mumbled on, endlessly detailing the specifics.

"Menggang, let’s go!" Ji Changkong couldn't stand it anymore. He notified Menggang and decisively headed toward the Sun's Heart, beginning to sympathize internally with anyone who had ever interacted with Teng Ye.

[Ti: Dear reader, the current chapter has reached the final page of this book]