Shang Bingjie's ethereal, wandering consciousness gradually drifted forward. She seemed to know that escaping this deadly grip was impossible this time. A trace of elusive weakness and exhaustion finally appeared in her eyes, as if the heavy burden she carried had been completely lifted, lending her a peculiar sense of lightness.

The Death Soul from the Death Alliance began to gather the soul vortex. A hundred streams of death-infused aura, surging from the Great Celestial Apertures, madly poured into the vortex, tearing at Shang Bingjie's divine soul, intending to shred it into pieces.

"I think... I will remember you..."

These words struck a chord deep within Ji Changkong. Guilt surged through him like a tide. At this moment, he, who had been using Shang Bingjie, erupted like a volcano.

A Celestial Fire clone shot into the Death Soul's soul vortex like lightning. Simultaneously, Ji Changkong's main soul body charged without hesitation toward the Death Soul. The Destruction Net, Soul Radiance, Black Hole—all the soul techniques of the Ouroboros Divine Sect were unleashed in an instant, surging toward the Death Soul from the Death Alliance.

All the Ouroboros Divine Sect soul techniques struck out desperately. Ji Changkong unleashed every reserve of spiritual power he possessed!

The Death Soul, resembling a dim, ghost-like fire, immediately sensed the hatred emanating from Ji Changkong. It was clearly somewhat alarmed. Under the assault of the various soul techniques, the ghost-fire soul retreated into the raging tide of death intent originating from the Great Celestial Apertures. Its divine soul merged with the hundred streams of death intent, and a terrifying, intensely cold death aura instantly permeated the entire Celestial Aperture.

At this moment, the eight merged Great Celestial Apertures were saturated with the scent of death. Ten souls released by the Death Soul were injected with unimaginable power of death, howling wildly within the Celestial Apertures, all surging toward Ji Changkong.

Startled, Ji Changkong was forced to recall the Celestial Fire clone he had assigned to deal with the Gnome of the Demon Cave. Only after that clone transformed into a pillar of flame enveloping him was Ji Changkong able to unleash the full array of Ouroboros Divine Sect soul techniques against the Death Alliance's Death Soul.

The other Celestial Fire clone plunged into the soul vortex released by the Death Soul. It effortlessly summoned sheets of fire seas, injecting the flame's power entirely into the soul vortex, forming a barrier of fire that managed to shield Shang Bingjie within.

Once the flame barrier was formed, it began to absorb all the flame power within the Celestial Apertures. The boiling flames above the Great Celestial Apertures were drawn in, rushing toward the flame barrier.

Hiss! Hiss-hiss-hiss-hiss!

The Death Soul's soul vortex slammed violently against the flame barrier but could not breach it. Upon contact with the flame barrier, the soul vortex itself began to be incinerated by the Celestial Fire, with wisps of faint smoke dissipating.

The Death Soul was enraged!

The hundred streams of death aura from the Great Celestial Apertures were all injected into the ten souls. These souls transformed into massive death monstrosities, plunging one after another into the soul vortex, continuously augmenting its power.

The Death Soul drifted eerily. Wisps of aura filled with deathly thoughts seemed to transcend spatial distance, instantly lodging themselves within Ji Changkong's soul.

Suddenly, Ji Changkong, who was executing Ouroboros Divine Sect soul techniques under the energy of one Celestial Fire clone, froze. A thought of suicide instantly bloomed in his mind!

This thought burned in his mind like an inextinguishable flame, urging him to kill himself quickly and detonate his own soul!

He immediately ceased attacking the Death Soul, concentrating all his attention on dealing with the intrusive thought in his mind. The experts of the Death Alliance truly possessed a superior understanding of the soul compared to other Heavenly Cultivators. Even Ji Changkong, who was equally proficient in commanding soul techniques, had to exert his full strength to handle this new thought, trying to forcibly expel it from his mind!

The soul power attached to this thought, which directly pierced his core consciousness, was incredibly insidious and strange. Ji Changkong's nebula-like divine soul shifted with great effort. Wisps of thought roamed rapidly within his mind, attempting to seize the suicidal thought that was confusing his reason, but the intrusive thought repeatedly evaded capture; he could never quite grasp it.

At this time, the disgusting old man from the Hehuan Valley, sensing the favorable turn of events, slowly crept closer from a distance, preparing to seize the opportunity to strike at Shang Bingjie.

The Gnome of the Demon Cave, who had been burned by the Celestial Fire clone to less than two-tenths or three-tenths of his spiritual power, also flew in from afar, heading straight for Ji Changkong! It seemed he intended to execute Ji Changkong and seize his spiritual power to restore himself.

Shang Bingjie was trapped within the flame barrier, barely able to protect herself.

Now the Death Soul remained motionless, but it had implanted a suicidal thought in his mind, pressuring him so that he had no spare capacity to deal with external enemies. If the Gnome of the Demon Cave arrived, his situation would become extremely perilous.

What to do? How could he drive out the suicidal thought from his mind?

A series of ideas flashed through his mind. His soul thoughts were still pursuing that sliver of suicidal thought, but he found he could never catch up. That suicidal thought, belonging to the opposing Death Soul, seemed to know his mind intimately, darting freely through his brain and constantly exuding influence. Indeed, the Death Alliance was the paramount force most thoroughly versed in the soul!

If they were to obtain the Ouroboros Divine Sect's Soul Splitting Art as well, this force could genuinely surpass the Heavenly Slaughter and ascend to the pinnacle of the Solar Star Domain!

The suicidal thought's influence in his mind grew stronger, and the soul power the Death Soul exerted upon it intensified...

Just as Ji Changkong was fully engaged in pursuing this single thought, a new thought formed in his mind: Give me the cultivation method for the Undying Soul!

The new thought demanded the Ouroboros Divine Sect's Soul Splitting Art. After this thought conveyed its demand, it projected the clear understanding that if the Soul Splitting Art was surrendered, the suicidal thought would automatically vanish. This new thought clearly also originated from the Death Soul; it was beginning to test the boundaries of controlling Ji Changkong's self-awareness using soul manipulation techniques.

During this critical moment, Ji Changkong maintained his core consciousness, simply channeling more soul power toward a specific area of his mind.

That area held the cultivation memory of the Soul Splitting Art!

In an extremely bizarre manner, the Death Soul’s new thought seemed to know what he intended to do, even knowing which area of his mind contained the Soul Splitting Art memory. The new thought charged directly toward the restricted zone of Ji Changkong’s mind, attempting to directly extract the memory!

That sliver of a new thought moved extremely fast, and the soul aura attached to it was immensely powerful. In almost an instant, it reached the region of his mind containing the Ouroboros Divine Sect's Soul Splitting Art.

Ji Changkong was utterly shocked. At this critical juncture, he forcibly altered his soul's form, instantly changing from a nebula-like divine soul to the form of three flames. With the change in soul structure, the corresponding areas in his mind also shifted.

That new thought from the Death Soul suddenly lost its direction, oscillating erratically between Ji Changkong's three flame-like souls.

Destroy it!

Intense killing intent suddenly surged within him. The brilliant light within the core of the three flame-shaped souls erupted fiercely, possessing the power to burn away all soul thoughts! The two thoughts the Death Soul had implanted in Ji Changkong’s mind were instantly enveloped by flames and burned to ashes!

Ji Changkong abruptly regained clarity!

Wooo! Woo-woo-woo-woo!

The Death Soul from the Death Alliance shrieked; its ghost-fire soul shape twisted and convulsed violently, as if suffering grievous injury. The Death Soul could no longer control the hundred streams of death intent attacking Shang Bingjie—the soul vortex and the death streams suddenly exploded.

Violent soul power battered the flame barrier. Hundreds, even thousands, of soul impacts managed to breach the flame barrier.

Shang Bingjie, who had been protected by the flame barrier, was forced to bring out her Cold Cicada Soul Sword once more to resist the chaotic soul energies, arduously fending off the aftershocks caused by the soul vortex's explosion.

While resisting the power of the soul storm, Shang Bingjie's soul projection flickered unexpectedly, as if struck by some force. A faint blush spread across her exquisite face. She looked around in confusion, her eyes blank. Once she confirmed her soul was unharmed, she resumed resisting the invasion of the surrounding death intent, paying no mind to the minor incident.

She did not notice that as she resisted the forces of death intent, her soul projection, like a living person, became flushed—it seemed... filled with a hint of spring warmth.

"Let's see how you can influence my heart!" Ji Changkong stared coldly at the Death Soul, extended a finger, and sent the Celestial Fire clone charging toward it. Simultaneously, his three flame-shaped souls swayed with bewitching firelight. These light waves formed marvelous ripples, spreading outward in all directions from Ji Changkong.

Wherever the firelight passed, all the flame power within the Celestial Apertures was drawn in, flying toward the Death Soul.

The Death Soul of the Death Alliance finally understood fear. It trembled and rapidly retreated backward. The Death Soul fled fast, being the first to escape the spread of the new sea of flames.

However, the Gnome of the Demon Cave, rushing in to seize Ji Changkong's spiritual power, was not so lucky—it was immediately submerged again by the new sea of fire!

The old man from the Hehuan Valley shouted, "The defense of the Celestial Aperture has weakened! We can get out now!"

His shout did more harm than good; as soon as he yelled, Ji Changkong's attention immediately focused on him. The mass of flames above the disgusting old man's head immediately pressed down, igniting his soul. He screamed in terror, no longer daring to harbor any thought of seizing the Nine Luminaries Life Tree, desperate to escape the Great Celestial Aperture.

It was too late!

The other Celestial Fire clone took the opportunity to move in, its flames merging with the flames enveloping the old man's soul, instantly burning his already heavily injured soul to ash!

At the same moment, the Gnome of the Demon Cave was also incinerated by the new sea of fire.

"Pfft!" A strange sound came from the outer ring of the Great Celestial Aperture. The Death Soul of the Death Alliance broke free from the defense of the Celestial Aperture, seized the chance to flee, and left the Heart of the Sun at maximum speed.