Two massive stars! Within the heart of one, two experts of the Ten Palaces Heavenly Realm were diligently gathering the essence of the stars. This particular star seemed to have been discovered for the very first time; its star essence was barely enough for six or seven Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters to cultivate together.

The two Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters, one man and one woman, displayed an intimate familiarity. They appeared to be middle-aged.

At that moment, both were completely engrossed in harvesting the star essence below, seemingly oblivious to the fact that another person was quietly observing them from directly above.

Neither of them had remotely reached the peak of the Nine Palaces Heavenly Realm; their soul perception was inferior to Ji Changkong's. Focused entirely on collecting the star essence, their souls had already wrapped around it, preparing for the final integration.

At this critical juncture, if Ji Changkong had decided to strike, a simple assault would have left these two with virtually no power to resist. It was certain that at this crucial moment, Ji Changkong could have easily obliterated their souls.

Ji Changkong did not strike. After a moment of hesitation, he slowly descended from the crater of the star, choosing instead to quietly watch them from beside the two cultivators.

One reason for this restraint was that Ji Changkong felt no animosity towards them, and the star essence within this star was vast enough that the two would certainly not exhaust it all. Therefore, there was no need for a desperate, life-or-death struggle.

There was another reason, however.

Ji Changkong had cultivated in this unfamiliar star domain for a considerable time without knowing its origin. Now, having finally encountered two fellow Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters with whom he could communicate, he urgently needed to understand the situation. He hoped to learn the name of the star domain he was in through them.

The moment Ji Changkong appeared in the core of this star, the pair, who were at a crucial stage, became instantly flustered.

Their divine souls visibly fluctuated in disarray. They desperately tried to hasten the merging of their souls with the star essence they had separated, eager to integrate the essence into their souls so they could turn their attention to Ji Changkong.

Alas, integrating star essence into one's soul within a short span was far from an easy task.

The more panicked the pair became, the slower the fusion between their souls and the star essence proceeded. This only fueled their anxiety, etching sheer terror onto their faces.

They understood clearly that if Ji Changkong moved even slightly now, their souls, bogged down by the star essence, would be incapable of mounting any effective defense, and they would be effortlessly slain by him.

Seeing the two become increasingly chaotic in their distress, their divine souls even seemed to strain, threatening to collapse along with the star essence—Ji Changkong, who had remained silent, quickly spoke up: "I mean no harm. My purpose here is only for a single piece of star essence; I have no intention of seizing this place. You need not be nervous."

Only when he spoke did the panicked pair gradually calm down. Consequently, their urgency to rush the integration of the star essence into their souls subsided, and their souls ceased their chaotic turmoil.

Ji Changkong remained silent, watching them from the side, waiting for the two to successfully merge the star essence into their souls.

After quite some time, the calmed pair finally managed to integrate their souls and the star essence. Only when the star essence had shrunk millions of times over, becoming a mere speck within their souls, did the two breathe a collective sigh of relief.

They immediately put some distance between themselves and Ji Changkong, still watching him with utmost caution and wariness, before inquiring, "Who are you?"

"Me?" Ji Changkong smiled. "Even if I told you, you wouldn't know me. I arrived in this star domain unintentionally, dragged here by a tunnel within spatial turbulence. So far, you are the only Heavenly Masters I have encountered. I don't even know where I am. I was hoping to ask you—what exactly is this place?"

The woman’s face was covered in suspicion. She had not relaxed her guard in the slightest. Various soul attacks had already been covertly prepared; should Ji Changkong make any ill-intentioned move, the woman looked ready to strike immediately.

It was the man who remained relatively composed. He shot his companion a slightly reproving glance. "Don't be nervous. If he wanted to kill us, he would have done so already; he certainly wouldn't have waited until now."

The woman remained wary. "I've been betrayed before. Don't trust anyone so easily. The attraction of star essence is too great; you and I have been hunted relentlessly for it. Haven't you learned your lesson yet?"

The man seemed somewhat intimidated by his partner. Seeing that he could not persuade her, he did not press the issue, instead greeting Ji Changkong with a smile, "Your luck seems quite good, to survive the spatial rift intact and arrive here. By the way, where did you come from to reach this spot?"

Though the man appeared friendly, he maintained his vigilance. As he spoke, he moved slightly closer to his female companion, seemingly feeling that being together offered greater security.

"I came from over there. Along the way, I encountered nothing but Dead Stars; not a single celestial body possessed any star essence."

In the boundless star domain where direction was unclear, Ji Changkong recounted the route of his approach. Regarding the stars with star essence beyond the Dead Stars, Ji Changkong kept completely silent.

In his subconscious, the continent teeming with demons and fiends, and the star field above it, had become his private sanctuary. That star field contained over five hundred stars suitable for cultivation, enough for a dozen Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters to temper all their acupuncture points.

Furthermore, the continent swarming with demons could lead to the Five Elements Continent. In his view, once the seniors of Xuanyuan Valley broke through to the Ten Palaces Heavenly Realm, they would no longer need to search for elusive stars within the Tai area for cultivation. They could directly utilize the spatial turbulence domain beneath the Poison Dragon Pool to arrive here, using this unclaimed star domain for their practice.

The stars in that region were sufficient for the Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters of Xuanyuan Valley to cultivate for many years. Should he secure that place, Xuanyuan Valley could potentially evolve into a powerful organization akin to the Eight Great Powers of the Solar Star Domain. Thus, he was resolved not to disclose this secret to anyone.

"Over there?" The man exclaimed in surprise. "We have never been to that place. What is there?"

"Nothing, only Dead Stars, and endless peril. I nearly suffered soul dispersion along my journey," Ji Changkong stated calmly, fearful that these two might venture to investigate.

"I see," the man mused before continuing, "It took us immense effort just to reach this location. Even if we were willing, we lack the necessary spiritual energy to venture over and scout the situation. Well, given your apparent candor, I can tell you what I know."

"My wife and I hail from the Sea of Meteors Star Domain. Our domain contains continents where thousands of Heavenly Masters cultivate. However, the stars available for Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters to cultivate in the Sea of Meteors Star Domain are growing scarce. After leaving our continent, my wife and I have been locked onto a single direction, searching for suitable cultivation stars."

"It took us several years to arrive here, and our spiritual energy is nearly depleted. If we had gained nothing this time, we wouldn't have dared to venture further, because traveling much farther risks depleting the energy needed to return to our main bodies. Fortunately, our luck held out; just as we were about to give up, we discovered this star containing star essence."

"The Sea of Meteors Star Domain?" Ji Changkong froze, a sudden excitement stirring in his heart. He remembered hearing his maternal grandfather, Gu Pu, mention the Sea of Meteors Star Domain when recounting ancient lore.

The Sea of Meteors Star Domain was riddled with meteorites. Besides the continents suitable for human life, the majority consisted of fragments resulting from exploding stars, these meteorites scattering like an ocean across every corner of the domain.

His grandfather, Gu Pu, during his Nine Palaces Heavenly Realm, had once journeyed to an edge of the Solar Star Domain in need of star essence. There, he encountered Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters from the Sea of Meteors Star Domain and learned that their domain and the Solar Star Domain were neighbors, not separated by a vast distance.

A Nine Palaces Heavenly Master with sufficient spiritual power, traveling (single-mindedly) towards the Sea of Meteors Star Domain, stood a chance of reaching it with enough energy, provided they avoided the natural disasters of the boundless star domain.

Naturally, the distance between the Solar Star Domain and the Sea of Meteors Star Domain was immense. Even without encountering crises, a Nine Palaces Heavenly Master would expend at least half their spiritual energy simply to enter the Sea of Meteors Star Domain.

At that point, the wisest course would be to immediately return to one's main body; expending any more energy risked not having enough left for the return journey.

Because the distance between the two star domains was so vast, and soul travel consumed so much spiritual power, few dared to cross the borders rashly, even knowing the proximity. They would rarely intrude upon the other's domain, at most, like Gu Pu, lingering in the intermediary zone between the two domains to seek star essence suitable for their cultivation.

"Do you know how to get to the Solar Star Domain from here?" Ji Changkong's expression sharpened. "I am a Heavenly Master from the Solar Star Domain. I was accidentally swept into this strange domain by spatial turbulence and have not yet found the way back to where my main body resides."

"The Solar Star Domain?" The man seemed to recall something. After thinking for a moment, he advised, "My friend, I suggest you think of another way to return to the Solar Star Domain. The distance from here is immense. With your current spiritual energy, you would likely exhaust it halfway there."

"Moreover, midway, you would enter the transition zone between our Sea of Meteors Star Domain and your Solar Star Domain. That area has always been the central flashpoint for battles as we fight over cultivation stars. By the time you arrive there, your spiritual energy will probably be almost spent, and you'll be easily disposed of."

Only then did the woman, who had remained silent, let out a soft sigh, slightly lowering her guard toward Ji Changkong. "The conflict between the Solar Star Domain and the Sea of Meteors Star Domain seems endless. Especially for us in the Sea of Meteors; our path to cultivation is becoming increasingly difficult. The stars suitable for Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters have all been exploited in our domain. Only in the central transition zone between our two domains are there a few sparse cultivation sites. For these sites, our Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters are driven to madness."

"Indeed," the man said with a wry smile. "If this trend continues, even if someone in the Sea of Meteors Star Domain breaks through to the Nine Palaces Heavenly Realm, they will struggle to find a place to cultivate."

"Because they cannot find stars imbued with star essence to practice with. They must wait for hundreds of millions of years until new star essence re-forms within the stars. Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters only have a lifespan of about nine hundred years; they cannot wait that long. Thus, everyone is acting as if driven mad, hoping to complete their own cultivation before these resources are completely depleted."

After listening to their explanation, Ji Changkong realized that the Sea of Meteors Star Domain was in a worse state than the Solar Star Domain. Although cultivation stars in the Solar Star Domain were scarce, one or two might occasionally be discovered. But the Sea of Meteors Star Domain was on the brink of utter exhaustion.

It was no wonder that the Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters of the Sea of Meteors were risking death to fight over the scattered cultivation stars in the border regions between the domains to continue their cultivation. It also explained why these two had risked venturing so deep to this star, which they were exploring for the first time.

It was all due to the scarcity of resources!

This realization solidified Ji Changkong's resolve: he absolutely could not mention his own treasure trove of cultivation land to anyone!

He might not need that cultivation treasure trove himself, but it was enough to allow the masters of Xuanyuan Valley to cultivate all their acupuncture points. With that ground, Xuanyuan Valley genuinely had the potential to become a supreme power in the Solar Star Domain, comparable to Tianlu or the Demon Lair.

To the major powers and Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters of both the Sea of Meteors and the Solar Star Domains, that place was essentially a second lifeline! If the inhabitants of these two domains learned of such an untapped location, the major factions and masters of both star domains would undoubtedly go insane!

"That... could you tell me how to get there? Of course, unless absolutely necessary, I will not rashly enter that area, as my main body still resides within the star domain I came from," Ji Changkong requested.

"The only way we could reach this place was by accidentally straying through the transition zone between your two star domains. Whether we can find this spot again next time is hard to say. I can only give you a general path, as we will have to re-explore on our return journey. We cannot guarantee you will find your way back," the woman suddenly offered, perhaps sensing Ji Changkong's plight and judging him to be no threat.

Seeing the man nod in agreement, the woman began describing the path she remembered from their journey. Though Ji Changkong didn't grasp every detail, he memorized it deeply.

"We don't know which star domain you came from. It was pure chance that we arrived here," the man said, looking at Ji Changkong, hesitating slightly before asking, "Are there any unexploited stars in that strange domain you came from? My wife and I both have four hundred uncultivated acupuncture points. Resources are so scarce now; the chance of us cultivating the rest of our points is slim. We can only risk venturing blindly, hoping we don't get shredded in some turbulent flow next time."

"No, only Dead Stars. Along my entire journey, I saw nothing but Dead Stars; I encountered not a single star suitable for cultivation."

Ji Changkong felt no softening.

He knew he absolutely could not afford to be lenient. Otherwise, not only would his treasure trove be lost, but he might very well be slain by the relentless tide of Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters from the Sea of Meteors Star Domain.

"All Dead Stars? Could it be the Dead Star Domain?!" The pair suddenly gasped in alarm, clearly frightened.

The Dead Star Domain was an extraordinarily mysterious place in the boundless star domain. Legend held that it was entirely composed of Dead Stars and housed ancient beings far older than the stars themselves. It was rumored that experts who reached the Ten Directions Heavenly Realm often operated within the Dead Star Domain, treating it as the territory of peak powerhouses.

According to the Poison of Origin, the Tianyuan Pearl originated from the Dead Star Domain, and many genuine rare treasures of the Five Elements Continent were also more or less connected to it.

At first, upon hearing their description, Ji Changkong also assumed the domain he was in was the Dead Star Domain. But upon closer reflection, he immediately dismissed the notion.

That unfamiliar domain contained stars suitable for cultivation, which clearly contradicted the legends of the Dead Star Domain. Furthermore, he had not encountered any Ten Directions Heavenly Realm experts there, unlike the lore suggested.

Though his heart rejected their assertion, the ethereal body Ji Changkong had manifested displayed a slight change in expression, adopting a look of terror. "I don't know. Perhaps there is a possibility. Every celestial body I encountered there was a Dead Star. I truly did not see a single star fit for cultivation!"

"Well... we should be going now. Every moment we linger wastes more spiritual energy. If we stay, we might not even be able to return to our main bodies," the man said. After hearing Ji Changkong's account, he asked no further questions. Looking at his expression, he had clearly abandoned any thought of venturing in. His female companion said no more, her face etched with extreme fear, and they hurriedly retreated with the man toward the surface of the star.

"Take care," the man's final thought transmission reached him. In his view, Ji Changkong, whose main body was supposedly in the Dead Star Domain, was undoubtedly doomed.

The Dead Star Domain was simply no place where the weak could survive! (To be continued)