The Eight Celestial Apertures of the Second Table, having fused in pairs, were now reduced to four. These four were still slowly drawing nearer to each other, showing the clear tendency to merge into two even larger Celestial Apertures. Ji Changkong and Shang Bingjie remained within the Celestial Aperture, and they had not engaged each other in combat from beginning to end. Their spiritual energy had barely been depleted; in fact, Shang Bingjie’s soul was on the verge of a breakthrough, having absorbed a strange power emanating from the Heart of the Sun. Ji Changkong, who had brought the Nine Luminaries Life Tree into this domain, had received over a dozen portions of the very same power that Shang Bingjie obtained within that ocean of celestial fire, his soul now saturated with it. The two waited silently within the same Celestial Aperture, anticipating the merger of this Aperture with another, and bracing for the battle that was surely coming.

Ji Changkong studied Shang Bingjie with a peculiar expression. He had fully expected her to accept his feigned proposal—to share the Nine Luminaries Life Tree with him. But reality had defied his expectation: Shang Bingjie, for reasons unknown to him, had explicitly refused the Life Tree. What the Nine Luminaries Life Tree signified was not lost on Shang Bingjie; under such circumstances, her ability to remain composed was astonishing. Ji Changkong was utterly baffled. He studied her features closely, covertly opening his spiritual senses to gauge her true intentions. However, as he attempted this, he found Shang Bingjie’s soul utterly tranquil, without the slightest ripple of guilt or deceit.

Ji Changkong was startled. Looking at her again, his gaze was laced with confusion. He pondered internally whether his exploitation of her had been the right course of action.

“I said I don’t want your things, so I don’t want them!” Shang Bingjie seemed to read his thoughts. She threw her head back and sneered, “I know exactly what the Nine Luminaries Life Tree is, and what it means to an Eight Trigrams Celestial Master. If you hadn’t obtained it, I would have fought you for it without hesitation! But since you saved me before, and are such a fool now, I can’t be bothered to fight you. Without the Nine Luminaries Life Tree, I can still break through to the Nine Palaces Celestial Realm. I don’t need to rely on it!” Shang Bingjie’s exquisitely beautiful face was set in stubborn defiance, filled with absolute confidence in herself. At that moment, Ji Changkong suddenly realized that her rapid advancement to the Eight Trigrams Celestial Realm might not be solely due to having an ancestor who was a Ten Directions Celestial Master. If she lacked the inherent aptitude for cultivation, even with such ancestral influence, she could never have reached her current height. A realization dawned on Ji Changkong: his earlier lie had indeed served its purpose. Women could be strange; if they perceived a man held deep affection for them, even if they didn't reciprocate those feelings, they were unlikely to treat him maliciously. At least, in most situations, they wouldn't regard him as an enemy. “I believe you, but I still think you should share this Nine Luminaries Life Tree with me!” Ji Changkong continued his probing, his words contradicting his heart. “I said I don’t want it, so I don’t! Stop nagging!” Shang Bingjie frowned, showing clear impatience. “I understand,” Ji Changkong replied quietly.

Gronk! Crackle!

A massive roar suddenly echoed from within Ji Changkong and Shang Bingjie’s Celestial Aperture. The interior began to spin violently, and the defensive ring surrounding the Aperture seemed to be squeezed by immense pressure, causing the entire structure to deform. Ji Changkong and Shang Bingjie immediately ceased their pointless discussion over the Life Tree, focusing all their attention, ready to counter any enemy attack that might materialize at any moment.

They didn't wait long. A new Celestial Aperture violently forced its way into theirs. From the torn interior, two figures materialized from souls, and before the two Apertures could fully merge, the invaders had already pinpointed Ji Changkong and Shang Bingjie’s location and charged toward them.

These two experts at the peak of the Eight Trigrams Celestial Realm, hailing from a different continent, were distinct. One was slightly taller, bald, with a thick, bushy beard, his tiger-like eyes blazing fiercely. In his hands, as large as cattail fans, he held a blade forged from condensed spiritual energy. On the illusory head of his phantom form was a conspicuous triangular icon, highly visible on his shaven scalp, constantly rotating. The other man was incredibly gaunt, his expression cold and grim. His illusory arms were pale, devoid of any blood color. His gray-white eyes were numb and emotionless, as if weary of all things in the world. A strange, impatient curve played on his lips, suggesting utter lack of tolerance or patience.

Shang Bingjie merely glanced at the pair, and her eyes immediately turned icy. “When the power of the Sun was gained within my Celestial Aperture earlier, you two were the first to attack, weren't you?” “Bitch, stop wasting time! I’m going to kill you, and that kid’s Nine Luminaries Life Tree will definitely be mine!” The thin man was visibly exasperated. His soul instantly transformed into a long serpent, slithering forward in a serpentine shape; only the head retained his original appearance. The bald giant’s triangular mark suddenly glowed brilliantly. The symbol detached itself from his skull and plunged into his transparent brain. The triangle spun rapidly inside his mind, and in an instant, his pupils shifted to match the triangular shape.

Ji Changkong’s expression shifted slightly. Without hesitation, he placed the Nine Luminaries Life Tree temporarily on the ground, stepped forward, and abruptly positioned himself in front of Shang Bingjie, watching the bald man warily.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Two small triangles shot out from the bald giant’s eyes. As soon as they emerged, they burst forth with blinding, dazzling light. The triangles, initially only the size of a thumb, rapidly expanded until they were each as large as millstones. One shot towards Ji Changkong, while the other shifted its trajectory slightly, heading toward Shang Bingjie. This was a method of soul attack completely unknown to Ji Changkong. Embedded within those triangles was a force capable of dismantling souls. As the triangles spun, they emitted sharp, whistling cries—they seemed like two specialized life forms, screaming as they sought to disintegrate the enemy’s soul into pieces to devour them!

A gasp of amazement sounded in his mind. Ji Changkong wasted no more time. A colossal Destruction Web manifested before him, the wondrous soul technique from the Nebula Soul Refining Art of the Oro Divine Cult. Once solidified, it instantly shielded both him and Shang Bingjie. Although the two triangles altered their course, the Destruction Web covered such a vast area that they were engulfed within its scope amidst their whistling cries. The bizarre disassembling power emanating from the triangles twisted and churned within the Destruction Web. Gradually, the web began to be broken apart. In just an instant, holes were torn into the net condensed from Ji Changkong’s spiritual energy. At this rate, the net would not hold the two triangles for much longer.

The bald giant smirked coldly, looking down at Ji Changkong with disdain. “This ‘Scythe of Separation’ is a unique soul skill of the Parting Heaven Sect from my Ancient Desolation Continent. Did you think it would be so easy to break? Boy, hand over the Nine Luminaries Life Tree, and I might spare your life! Otherwise, I will tear your soul into hundreds of pieces!” “The ‘Scythe of Separation’ from the Ancient Desolation Continent!” Shang Bingjie murmured, her expression grave. “So you are from the Parting Heaven Sect, one of the Eight Supreme Powers of the Solar Star Domain. No wonder you’re so arrogant!”

While the bald man spoke, the cold man—whose head remained human while his body had transformed into a long serpent—slithered closer. His eyes fixed lustfully on Shang Bingjie, and he suddenly spat out a long, crimson tongue. The serpent tongue was expertly angled, forked at the tip, and emitted a foul, black smoke. The serpent tongue materialized from this cold man’s soul projection could emit poison smoke, clearly indicating that this person must have tempered his divine soul using potent toxins; otherwise, such a bizarre soul skill would be impossible.

Seeing the scarlet serpent tongue pass through a gap in the Destruction Web and about to strike Ji Changkong, Shang Bingjie moved abruptly. With a swift flick of her slender finger, a shard of ice materialized, covered in sharp barbs, striking the serpent tongue with perfect accuracy. The impact hit the tip, forcibly driving back the tongue spat forth by the cold man. “Heavenly Serpent Continent’s ‘Heavenly Serpent’s Lunge’ soul skill—which disciple of the Heavenly Serpent are you?” Shang Bingjie snorted. “Damn bitch, none of your business!” The cold man from the Heavenly Serpent Cult shot a venomous glance across Shang Bingjie’s body and roared, “I’ll kill you in a moment!” Saying this, the cold Heavenly Serpent Cultist suddenly straightened up, his serpentine tail transforming back into a human torso. His soul suddenly shifted: countless giant pythons, condensed purely from spiritual energy, lunged toward Ji Changkong and Shang Bingjie, ready to bite.

Gronk! Gronk!

Just then, the two triangles previously launched by the bald giant had broken free from the Destruction Web and continued their relentless assault on Ji Changkong and Shang Bingjie. The eyes of the bald giant and the sinister Heavenly Serpent Cultist lit up. They laughed wickedly and swiftly closed in on the pair. The bald man brandished his blade, unleashing a wave of power capable of ripping souls apart.

Damn it, if the tiger doesn't show its power, you think I’m a sick cat!

Ji Changkong cursed internally. He abruptly changed the form of his soul, immediately beginning to condense Celestial Fire to meet the oncoming threat. The thought barely formed when his spiritual energy consumption tripled compared to usual. Before the thought faded, twelve distinct Celestial Fires manifested before him, each feeling intrinsically linked to him, as if it had become a part of his soul!