Demons whose vitality rivaled that of the Ten Palace Heaven Saints were obliterated in a flash, hundreds of them, not much weaker, pulverized to ash amidst the boundless azure heavenly lightning, each one utterly dead.

The azure heavenly lightning swirling around his body continued to detonate without cease. Amidst the earth-shattering explosions, Ji Changkong and the Origin Poison found themselves at the epicenter, unharmed, their faces etched with astonishment, a look of utter shock frozen upon them.

The Origin Poison remained silent for a good while, perched on Ji Changkong’s shoulder, murmuring, “This, what kind of power is this? Kongkong, how did you do it?”

Ji Changkong was equally stunned, frozen in place, as if awaiting some inevitable outcome.

A sporadic, residual glimmer of starlight emanated from the two hundred and thirty-seven acupoints within his body. The World-Destroying Gauntlet in his left arm ceased its continuous outpouring of strength, and no new azure heavenly lightning formed; within the booming explosions, the surrounding thunder noticeably waned.

Ji Changkong understood that the detonations of the azure heavenly lightning beside him would soon conclude.

He himself found the entire event inexplicable!

As the wielder, he had merely acted on instinct, utilizing the starlight energy within him. He never anticipated that, under the influence of the World-Destroying Gauntlet, the formed azure heavenly lightning would behave so bizarrely, and even more beyond his imagination, those bolts of azure lightning began to swirl precisely along the trajectory of his nebula-like Divine Soul.

In that instant, his soul and the azure heavenly lightning seemed to forge an uncanny, spiritual connection. In a flash, his thoughts felt as if they had fragmented into two hundred and thirty-seven strands, all pouring into the azure heavenly lightning. Thus, the azure heavenly lightning underwent a cataclysmic transformation, unleashing a terrifying power beyond comprehension.

The sheer strength of this power vastly exceeded his previous expectations, greater than any force he had ever unleashed before!

The Spirit Rose merged with the azure heavenly lightning, the power within him fusing with the essence of starlight, both unleashed together through the World-Destroying Gauntlet in the manner of Heavenly Thunder Force. At that crucial moment, his soul and all his strength coalesced into a marvelous, harmonious rhythm, releasing this unimaginable might.

This was a power truly capable of devastating heaven and earth!

In a mere instant, hundreds of demons were slain, including five powerful demons whose life force rivaled that of the Nine Palace Heaven Masters. What did such a feat imply?

Ji Changkong stood in a daze, lost and oblivious.

After a long, long while.

The roaring of the azure heavenly lightning gradually subsided. The surroundings were a scene of utter devastation, the ground littered with the charred corpses of demons. Ji Changkong stood amidst the corpses, the Origin Poison resting on his shoulder, silent for a long time.

“Kongkong, stop spacing out! Collect those demon souls! Look, those demon souls are incredibly potent, and they are all trying to escape this place. Don't waste them! These souls are extremely hard to gather on the Five Elements Continent!”

Prompted by the Origin Poison, Ji Changkong immediately refocused his attention, instantly noticing the demon souls swirling everywhere, each one desperate to flee this place of disaster as quickly as possible.

Hundreds of demon souls, such a dense reservoir of soul power—this was precisely the spiritual sustenance his Heavenly Origin Pearl required, the best means to increase its strength.

Without further hesitation, casting aside the (miscellaneous thoughts) in his mind, Ji Changkong swiftly retrieved the Heavenly Origin Pearl. As soon as it emerged, it instantly generated a peculiar soul force field.

This peculiar soul force field exerted a strong sucking force on souls. Any demon soul caught within the influence of that powerful magnetic field would be irresistibly drawn toward the Heavenly Origin Pearl, eventually being absorbed into it under the Pearl's power.

Hundreds of demon souls, including five whose soul energy rivaled that of Nine Palace Heaven Masters—this much soul energy far surpassed any previous collection Ji Changkong had achieved with the Heavenly Origin Pearl.

Under the Pearl’s influence, one by one, the demon souls flew into the Heavenly Origin Pearl. These demons, who were not inherently skilled in soul power manipulation, stood almost no chance against the Pearl’s absorption, each one becoming a part of the Heavenly Origin Pearl.

Soon, all the souls of the demons annihilated by the azure heavenly lightning became foundational energy within the Heavenly Origin Pearl.

The Heavenly Origin Pearl grew increasingly radiant. The patterns on its surface became sharper and more intricate, vaguely forming a mysterious celestial map. Though Ji Changkong didn't know the map’s purpose, based on his understanding, he knew the star map on the Pearl’s surface would certainly prove useful in the future. The Heavenly Origin Pearl hovered in the void, continuously emitting light. A force field that affected the soul gradually contracted, then was drawn back into the Pearl.

His heart tightening, Ji Changkong stared intently at the Heavenly Origin Pearl, blinking not a single time, hoping to witness some marvelous change occur within it.

When the Heavenly Origin Pearl accumulates sufficiently strong soul energy, strange transformations often occur. Both the World-Destroying Gauntlet and the Soul Controlling Crown had flown out from it. According to the Origin Poison, there should be three divine weapons within the Heavenly Origin Pearl in total; apart from the Gauntlet and the Crown, there should be one final divine weapon yet to emerge.

Ji Changkong felt a flicker of anticipation, hoping the last divine weapon would emerge to grant him greater aid.

Both the World-Destroying Gauntlet and the Soul Controlling Crown were infinitely marvelous, possessing astonishing power. It was thanks to these two divine weapons that he had managed to repeatedly seize the initiative and dominate recent battles.

If the Gauntlet and the Crown were already so formidable, the final divine weapon was sure to bring him even greater surprise. It was this thought that made him somewhat eager to see the Heavenly Origin Pearl change and witness the third divine weapon fly out.

Alas, the final result was somewhat disappointing. The Heavenly Origin Pearl ultimately underwent no strange transformation, nor did a new divine weapon form. After shining brightly in the void for a short time, the Pearl slowly floated back to him, settling comfortably inside his body before sinking into repose. Ji Changkong was taken aback.

Shaking his head, he gave a wry smile. “Why didn’t anything happen? I got excited for nothing. Really.”

“You greedy thing! Even I don't know what that third divine weapon is. However, I do know that the soul energy required for the third divine weapon to manifest far exceeds your imagination. In my view, if we were on the Five Elements Continent, even killing every Heaven Master there wouldn't gather enough soul energy!”

The Origin Poison slanted its gaze toward Ji Changkong, first chuckling slyly, then turning serious. “However, this is the demons’ main base. There are hundreds of thousands of demons here, meaning there are hundreds of thousands of demon souls available. Here, you might actually gather enough soul energy. Of course, the premise is that you must kill the demons that can provide that soul energy!”

Ji Changkong froze, his expression vacant, murmuring, “Hundreds of thousands of demons, kill them all…”

That number was too terrifying. Those demons each possessed strength around that of a Seven-Star Heaven Master or an Eight Trigram Heaven Master. To achieve such a massive undertaking seemed almost impossible. Ji Changkong merely considered it for a moment and already felt it was beyond realization.

Shaking his head, Ji Changkong forced a bitter laugh. “It’s likely too difficult. Hundreds of thousands of demons is simply too many. Even if I were to kill them, I wouldn't finish them quickly, not to mention the existence of those Demon Rank demons. I think it’ll be very hard.”

“It might not be that hard,” the Origin Poison chuckled again. “Kongkong, as long as you can maintain that power you just exhibited—killing humans who stand in your way, slaying demons that block your path—you can wipe out the demons wherever you go!”

At these words, Ji Changkong’s heart jolted slightly as he recalled the terror of that recent power. If he could truly maintain such terrifying strength moment by moment, forging a path forward, he could indeed cleanse the land of demons. As long as he didn't encounter the serpent-headed demon, he was certain that these unfamiliar, lesser demons likely couldn't survive the bombardment of that azure heavenly lightning.

“I honestly don't know what happened just now,” Ji Changkong confessed with a wry smile.

“If you could unleash it once, you can certainly unleash it again. Since those attacking demons have already been killed, you now have plenty of time to study it properly. Try to find the pattern,” the Origin Poison reminded Ji Changkong. It paused, then added, “It would be best if you could formalize the method of using that power into a secret technique. Only then can you use it naturally, unleashing that world-destroying power at any moment.”

“That makes sense… I should really think about it.” Ji Changkong frowned, the thought of the azure heavenly lightning’s explosive might stirring his heart. He genuinely intended to delve into its study.

“Search deeply for the profound meaning. I believe this power is enough to let you traverse the Five Elements Continent at will, and it’s enough to kill those Demon Rank demons! Once you master the use of this power, we can return to the Five Elements Continent, I guarantee it!”

“Alright, I’ll try,” Ji Changkong replied with a slight smile, having made up his mind. He decided to temporarily forgo collecting star essence in the Star Field and instead focus his efforts on thoroughly studying the mysteries of this power.

For the subsequent period, Ji Changkong spent his days on this strange continent, perpetually furrowing his brow in contemplation. He focused on drawing in the stellar power from the heavens via his acupoints, then molding his soul into a nebula shape, and finally summoning the azure heavenly lightning using the World-Destroying Gauntlet.

Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, when he focused intently on the task, he found that marvelous scene was difficult to reproduce. Sometimes, he could gather azure heavenly lightning imbued with the light of two hundred and thirty-seven stars, but he could not make those starlights spin like in the Nebula Soul Refining Art.

At other times, he could achieve that step, but he couldn't form exactly two hundred and thirty-seven bolts of azure lightning, and the azure lightning failed to achieve harmony with his nebula-like Divine Soul.

Grasping a mysterious profound truth was clearly not an easy endeavor.

The Origin Poison never disturbed him. Day after day, it quietly guarded him, preventing him from being affected by demons. As long as he focused solely on cultivation, striving to grasp the true meaning of this power, the Origin Poison took responsibility for eliminating any attacking demons.

During this period, no powerful demons sought them out; only scattered stragglers pursued them. In this vast, strange land, because the territory was immense and because the demons' understanding of soul power was too shallow, as Ji Changkong and the Origin Poison moved farther from the giant peak, the difficulty for these demons to track them increased.

The Origin Poison was single-mindedly focused on preventing them from being surrounded by powerful demons. Whenever its soul detected a powerful demon, a Nine Palace Heaven Master level presence, approaching, it would immediately take Ji Changkong and flee. Using this method, the Origin Poison...

On this strange continent, it was precisely because the Origin Poison acted as his sentry during his cultivation that he could practice with peace of mind, without worrying about interruptions or being surrounded by demons.

Ji Changkong, focused entirely on his training, gathered the stellar power from the heavens daily, and daily utilized the World-Destroying Gauntlet to condense azure heavenly lightning, hoping to find the state where his soul and the various powers would align as they had before.

Alas, that feeling failed to arrive for a long time.

His only reward was that by gathering stellar power every day, his speed in restoring Yuan Power using the starlight on this strange continent grew increasingly fast. Furthermore, the usage of the World-Destroying Gauntlet placed a certain strain on his body. This period of constant, overloaded gathering of azure heavenly lightning significantly improved his physical fortitude. The essence of starlight stored within his two hundred and thirty-seven acupoints caused him extreme pain every time, yet after repeated attempts, Ji Changkong’s tolerance for pain reached a new level. By the end, he could actually begin to accept that soul-tearing sensation.

Now, when he gathered starlight to unleash that power, he looked as composed as an ordinary person, his body no longer trembling uncontrollably.

Although he had not yet found the correct method, this period of cultivation had yielded tangible gains.

“Hoo!”

Waking once more from his cultivation, Ji Changkong glanced at the Origin Poison and said calmly, “Forget it. I won't waste any more time trying to grasp this profound meaning for the short term. I think this insight might not be achievable solely through focused, hard training.”

The Origin Poison knew how diligently he had worked recently and nodded helplessly at his words. “It seems you are probably right. If single-minded practice doesn't yield comprehension, perhaps you should let it go for now. Why don't you continue gathering the starlight from the heavens? Perhaps you might gain some insight while collecting the stars.”

“That’s what I was thinking. Changing my approach might lead to enlightenment. Alright, I’ll resume collecting stellar power. Hopefully, I can discover some new realization during this process…” After informing the Origin Poison, Ji Changkong engaged in another major activity.

Time passed swiftly, and within the unfamiliar Star Field, Ji Changkong’s soul journeyed on alone.

He didn't know how much time had passed. He only knew that within this Star Field, suitable stars for his cultivation were becoming increasingly scarce. Currently, fifty-six of his acupoints contained the essence of starlight, meaning he had collected the star essence from five hundred and sixty stars in this region.

This was astonishing. In the Solar Star Field, a Nine Palace Heaven Master, unless exceptionally lucky, might spend a lifetime without collecting this much star essence. Yet, he had achieved this in less than one-thousandth of that time.

Of course, the star essence within his acupoints had not yet been completely refined, but he had plenty of time later. Once those acupoints were completely filled with star essence, even if he returned to the Five Elements Continent, he could cultivate slowly and eventually reach the peak of the Nine Palace Heaven realm.

With five hundred and sixty stars depleted of their essence, Ji Changkong, wandering through this Star Field, gradually realized his good fortune seemed to have run out.

In this region, there were still many stars, but those stars were dead stars. Although they still shone brightly, there was no essence of starlight within them.

This situation made Ji Changkong’s cultivation troublesome. He had to travel farther, hoping to reach the edges of the Star Field to see if any stragglers remained.

His soul drifted aimlessly, wandering the fringes of this unfamiliar Star Field, heading toward places he had never ventured before, hoping to resolve the difficulty of lacking star essence right here.

His soul moved farther and farther from his physical body. Stars appeared in his soul’s vision, but upon nearing them, he would discover they were merely dead stars devoid of essence. Then, far ahead, another twinkling star would appear.

Driven by hope, Ji Changkong’s soul would continue forward, only to find yet another empty joy upon arrival.

One instance of hopeful advancement after another, one disappointment after another, gradually, his soul drifted farther from that strange continent. He didn't know where he was, only continuing forward, forward, always ahead.

After an indeterminate amount of time, a massive star finally appeared in his soul's vision. Based on his recent understanding of stars, he was certain that this particular star absolutely contained star essence.

So large, and shimmering with a faint blue light—it absolutely could not be a dead star!

Filled with anticipation, Ji Changkong rapidly entered the star. Sure enough, upon the star’s surface, he vaguely sensed the aura of star essence.

Finding a volcanic crater, he flew straight toward the center of the planet.

Suddenly, Ji Changkong’s soul shuddered and stopped abruptly.

Someone else!

At the heart of that star, another soul was collecting star essence. He had encountered another Nine Palace Heaven Master! (To be continued)

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