With a series of plunges, five figures emerged one after the other from the azure sea. In an instant, all five shot out of the water, suspended in mid-air.
The sky was a deep blue, the ocean just as profound; the waters merged into one hue, and a gentle sea breeze caressed the air, lending the world a profound stillness.
Thick primordial energy, mingled with the seawater, drifted slowly on the soft breeze. Taking a deep breath, Ji Changkong exclaimed, "What potent Heaven and Earth Essence!"
The Vast Star Sea Map had, at some unknown point, re-merged with Ji Changkong’s primary soul, becoming a strange point of light within it. Within that immense starry expanse, the other soul finally quieted, showing no further agitation.
The will of the soul extended outwards, soaring in every direction. Various sea creatures materialized within his mind; wherever the soul traveled, not a single life form could evade his detection.
Gu Dan, Li Hentian, Dick, and Benyuan Zhidú looked around, their expressions filled with doubt, their gazes slightly lost.
Judging by the density of the Heaven and Earth Essence here, this was clearly not the East Sea. In fact, outside of Xuanyuan Valley on the Five Elements Continent, nowhere else possessed such concentrated primordial energy.
Gu Dan, Li Hentian, and the others were not characters prone to ignorance. After a moment's thought, they understood this location could not be the Five Elements Continent.
“Chang Kong, where is this place?” Gu Dan frowned slightly, extending his own soul outward as well.
“The Azure Sea Continent.”
Taking another breath of the fresh air, Ji Changkong explained with a smile, “In that chaotic and disordered region of the Five Elements Continent, I sensed the hurricane was about to erupt. The sheer mass of unruly powers clinging to it was overwhelming, forcing me to seek an alternative exit. So… we ended up here.”
“The Azure Sea Continent?” Gu Dan and Li Hentian were startled, showing considerable surprise.
“How did you manage it?” Dick remained the most composed. Having become accustomed to moving between various life-bearing stars, she was only curious about the method Ji Changkong used to bring them here.
“It’s a long story.” Ji Changkong shook his head, his expression thoughtful. He pondered for a long moment before saying, “Last time, on that strange continent teeming with demons and monsters, the Heaven Origin Pearl absorbed hundreds of thousands of vital souls. Ever since I returned to the Five Elements Continent, the Heaven Origin Pearl has been undergoing some kind of change…”
Gu Dan and Li Hentian were those he trusted most; before them, Ji Changkong felt no need to conceal anything. Thus, Ji Changkong meticulously recounted his experiences in the spatial turbulence of the Western Regions, right up to the moment the Vast Star Sea Map within the Heaven Origin Pearl shifted, nurturing a new soul that ultimately brought them to this continent.
“What a treasure!” Once Ji Changkong finished speaking, Dick immediately became animated. “That Vast Star Sea Map can directly generate spatial turbulence zones and accurately pinpoint various life-bearing stars. Furthermore, it can manifest souls—it is absolutely an immensely powerful artifact!”
Gu Dan and Li Hentian exchanged a look, surprise flashing in their eyes as well.
“Can we return?” Gu Dan calmed down immediately after his initial shock.
“I’ll try.”
Connecting with the other soul within the Vast Star Sea Map through his primary soul, Ji Changkong attempted to draw the map out from the depths of his spirit. He expended little effort. As he focused on doing so, the Vast Star Sea Map suddenly flew forth from his soul.
A magnificent, gigantic map of stars suddenly materialized in the void above everyone’s heads.
Specks of starlight, twinkling brilliantly, were embedded like diamonds upon this canvas formed in the void. Between every pair of luminous stars, thread-thin lines of starlight connected them, linking each celestial body.
At the center of the Vast Star Sea Map floated a vague, hazy shadow. Upon close inspection, one could discern that this shadow was identical to Ji Changkong.
This was the other soul of Ji Changkong residing within the Vast Star Sea Map.
Thousands upon thousands of stellar light points emerged within the map. The distance between the stars varied; clusters of stars formed an array of different images.
Among them, several massive stars shone with particular splendor, their light significantly brighter than the others.
With a mere thought, channeled through the soul within the Vast Star Sea Map, Ji Changkong instantly understood that the brightest star represented the one they currently occupied—the Azure Sea Continent!
On the Vast Star Sea Map, every star was unique. Some stars blazed with brilliance, occasionally exhibiting a faint blue sheen—these were life-bearing stars, inhabited by living beings. A very small fraction of stars flickered weakly, lacking the blue light—these were ‘living stars’ that harbored the essence of stars (Xingchen zhi Jing).
However, the majority on the Vast Star Sea Map were utterly dark, like sunspots—these were dead stars, lifeless and inert, showing no sign of vitality or light whatsoever.
These were Dead Stars.
On this map, Dead Stars occupied eighty percent of the territory, saturating every corner. Life-bearing stars were relatively scarce, around seventy percent. Those rare ‘living stars’ possessing the essence of stars were the fewest, barely two or three percent.
From the perspective of the Vast Star Sea Map, it was clear that this stellar domain was saturated with Dead Stars, followed by the equally sparse Life-bearing Stars. Finally, the exceedingly rare Living Stars. This map revealed just how scarce the Living Stars suitable for cultivation by Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters were.
At the core of the Vast Star Sea Map was a large, circular dot emitting a scorching red glow, surrounded by a smaller dot emanating a cool, pale moonlight…
“The Sun, the Moon,” Li Hentian pointed to the red and white dots, then gestured towards seven stars in the north, “The Big Dipper.”
Gu Dan reached out, pointing to a brightly shining stellar point not far from the Big Dipper region. “This must be our Five Elements Continent.”
No further explanation was needed. Any Nine Palaces Heavenly Master who had cultivated within the Solar Star Domain could recognize that this intricate, vivid map depicted precisely the Solar Star Domain!
The positions of the Sun, the Moon, the Big Dipper, the Southern Dipper, and the Azure Sea Continent all matched the stellar configuration of the Solar Star Domain with astonishing, error-free consistency!
One glance was enough to confirm that the Vast Star Sea Map represented the Solar Star Domain.
If this was the Solar Star Domain, then… could there perhaps be a star map of the Meteor Sea Domain as well? A sudden thought surfaced in Ji Changkong’s mind.
The Vast Star Sea Map instantly transformed, bathing the area in a blinding radiance. Following the dazzling starlight, the map underwent a seismic alteration: the distances between the stars all shifted, and the quantities and locations of Living Stars, Dead Stars, and Life-bearing Stars were entirely different.
This was a new stellar chart.
“This is… the Meteor Sea Domain,” Ji Changkong’s voice was dry; he was utterly stunned.
How many star maps could this Vast Star Sea Map generate? Vast, boundless—did it perhaps contain the stellar maps of every domain within the entire Endless Star Domain?
Ji Changkong grew increasingly astonished. If this Vast Star Sea Map truly encompassed everything—the star maps of countless domains within the endless expanse—its value would undoubtedly surpass that of the entire World Ending Set and the Soul Controlling Crown combined by more than one tier!
No wonder the Heaven Origin Pearl required the absorption of hundreds of thousands of demon and monster souls just to manifest the Vast Star Sea Map!
Suddenly, Ji Changkong grasped why it was so difficult to bring forth this map. The soul power required for its emergence was thousands of times greater than that needed for the World Ending Set and the Soul Controlling Crown combined!
The compiled star charts of so many celestial bodies, just this single function alone, was earth-shattering!
Just then, Ji Changkong felt a sudden weariness in his soul, sensing a distinct deficiency in his mental energy.
The moment this sensation arose, the Vast Star Sea Map immediately began to shrink, vanishing back into Ji Changkong’s mind in an instant, ceasing its display.
It was only then that Ji Changkong realized that keeping the Vast Star Sea Map projected required a colossal expenditure of mental power every moment. Moreover, this rate of mental depletion was incredibly subtle; unless one paid close attention, one wouldn't notice the loss at all.
He was expending mental power through the other soul, silently and without fanfare.
Only after the Vast Star Sea Map reverted to a mere point of light in his mind did Ji Changkong realize that, without noticing, his mental energy had plummeted to a mere two-tenths. He only recognized this perilous situation once his soul began to feel fatigued.
It seemed this map had already been consuming his mental energy back on the Five Elements Continent, but focused on saving Gu Dan and Li Hentian, he hadn't detected it then.
Now, even though he was aware, his mental reserves were insufficient to continue maintaining the projection of the Vast Star Sea Map.
“I might be able to use this Vast Star Sea Map to take everyone back to the Five Elements Continent, but not right now. I’ve expended too much mental energy. Before I attempt that, I must first fully recover my strength,” Ji Changkong explained to the group once the map had vanished.
Hearing this, everyone nodded in understanding. Gu Dan even smiled gently. “No need to rush, Chang Kong. The masters from the Demon Lair likely faced similar circumstances. Even if the Demon Lair Master returned to the Demon Continent, I doubt she would risk another foray into our Five Elements Continent without absolute certainty.”
Li Hentian agreed with a nod. “Indeed. Four masters from the Demon Lair came to us; you killed two, and Heavenly King Tianwu was annihilated. Yu Lan is barely breathing even if not dead. Under these conditions, the Demon Lair Master would have to be insane to risk it again.”
“Chang Kong, this Azure Sea Continent is quite similar to our Five Elements Continent, and the Heaven and Earth Essence is even richer here. You should recover quickly here, right?” Gu Dan inquired again.
“Certainly. I estimate that with about ten days, my mental energy will be fully restored. Then, I can try again to see if the Vast Star Sea Map can reliably transport us back to the Five Elements Continent,” Ji Changkong replied with a smile.
Hearing this, Gu Dan finally relaxed.
The Azure Sea Continent. Meng Gang and Shang Bingjie both lived here. Perhaps they were cultivating somewhere right now. Ji Changkong looked up at the sky, suddenly recalling moments with Meng Gang and Shang Bingjie in the Heart of the Sun—fighting side-by-side with Meng Gang… and the accidental soul connection with Shang Bingjie…
“Ji Changkong, you just saw it. The living stars in your star domain are… dwindling. Soon, you might not have enough to cultivate new Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters,” Dick stammered, suddenly hesitant.
Having spent time with Dick, Ji Changkong understood his nature. Hearing him say this, he instantly grasped what Dick meant. “Dick, are you perhaps proposing to alter the Solar Star Domain, turning all its Dead Stars into Living Stars?”
Dick nodded emphatically.
Gu Dan and Li Hentian stared at Dick, utterly astonished and incredulous, unable to fathom why he would suggest such a thing.
Ignoring Gu Dan and Li Hentian, Dick looked intently at Ji Changkong, a hint of fanaticism in his eyes. “You know that our Dark Star race requires Living Stars far more than your Heavenly Masters. The essence within these stars is to our Dark Star people what food is to humans—a fundamental necessity for life!”
“In the past, we tried to alter your human star domains, attempting to turn your Dead Stars into Living Stars. But as soon as you discover a Living Star, even before it fully forms, you seize the Star Essence within. Furthermore, the moment you see that our appearance differs from yours, you interpret all our goodwill as malice, even suspecting us of invasion, and immediately mobilize the entire domain’s forces against us.”
“Because of this, though we intended to help, we could never gain your understanding. Not a single attempt succeeded.”
“Now you see it: your Solar Star Domain will soon run out of Living Stars. And that Meteor Sea Domain is even worse! In this situation, if we ignore it, future Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters of your Solar Star Domain will find nowhere to cultivate, and no Ten Directions Heavenly Masters will ever emerge again!”
“Ji Changkong, we regard you as a friend. You now possess the power to transcend life-bearing stars. If you convey our wishes, and manage to secure the agreement of the strongest powers in the Solar Star Domain, our Dark Star race can cooperate with your Heavenly Masters. We can treat the Solar Star Domain like farmland, sowing seeds of Star Essence into those Dead Stars, offering new hope to the entire domain.”
“With just a few hundred years, we can transform this place, rejuvenating all the Dead Stars in the Solar Star Domain. The Star Essence from the new Living Stars will be sufficient for your Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters to cultivate, with only the surplus going to us Dark Star people. How about it? This is a win-win solution. If you agree, and if you can make them understand us, I believe that in a few centuries, your Solar Star Domain will no longer see internal conflict over cultivation grounds. This resolves your biggest current problem.”
Ji Changkong remained silent while Dick spoke, nodding occasionally. Only when Dick finished did he say, “I can try…”
“This method is definitely feasible! The main requirement is gaining the endorsement of the Eight Great Factions!”
Gu Dan’s eyes gleamed. “Perhaps we should first find a location to conduct a trial. Once we prove to everyone the practical effectiveness of this method, things might become much easier.”
“If we join forces with some powerful entities and locate a barren Dead Star area within the Solar Star Domain to revitalize it, I believe any force in the Solar Star Domain would be tempted,” Li Hentian agreed, suggesting, “We could even form a Domain Alliance, find the most receptive powers, and initiate this undertaking. I doubt many factions would reject such a proposal.”
“Factions like Tian Lu, the Demon Lair, the Death Alliance—I suggest we leave them out. Those selfish remnants whose pleasure is invading others—their participation might not be beneficial,” Ji Changkong remarked wryly.
“The Shang family is quite good. Among the Eight Supreme Factions, the Shang family is known for being orderly, rarely initiating aggression. Since we are currently on the Azure Sea Continent, we might as well try with them,” Gu Dan mused, clearly swayed.
“Humans are indeed clever!” Dick exclaimed excitedly. “If this matter succeeds, you will forever be friends of our Dark Star race, and we will be eternally grateful!”
“Don’t be so polite; this is mutually beneficial. It’s a win-win situation,” Ji Changkong chuckled.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Benyuan Zhiwang finally found a chance to speak, shouting wildly, “This Azure Sea Continent is so beautiful! The women here must be stunning too, right, Kong Kong?”
Benyuan Zhidú, having some knowledge of Ji Changkong’s time in the Heart of the Sun, deliberately mocked him.
Ji Changkong couldn’t help but think of Shang Bingjie again…
If he visited the Shang family, he would inevitably meet Shang Bingjie. Last time in the Heart of the Sun, Shang Bingjie had said they would never meet again. Now, his true body was arriving at the Shang family, bringing such a massive ‘pie’ with him. He wondered what expression Shang Bingjie would wear.
…He started to look forward to the visit to the Shang family.
“Who knows where the Shang family is located?” Dick asked eagerly.
“We don’t need to know,” Ji Changkong smiled. “We will go to where the Heavenly Masters congregate. Once we release our auras, I’m certain the Shang family will actively send people to find us. Heh heh, with so many strange, powerful experts suddenly appearing on the Azure Sea Continent, the hosts—the Shang family—would be foolish not to be anxious.”
“That’s right,” Gu Dan nodded with a smile, his affection for his grandson growing stronger.
“Let’s go. We’ll find a place where Heavenly Masters gather.” Without further hesitation, Ji Changkong took the lead and flew off in one direction.