The hidden path beneath the Dragon's Lair, leading to that strange continent where the Ancestral Demon resided, was sealed by the combined efforts of the Four Sacred Beasts. For ordinary beings, opening that narrow passage was simply impossible.

On that unfamiliar continent, a new breed of demon was conceived every few centuries. Empowered by the Ancestral Demon’s might, these demons could achieve immense strength, with the potential to even mature into Demon King level entities.

Yet, even a Demon King found it incredibly difficult to tear through the tunnel barrier laid down by the Four Sacred Beasts. Often, before they could amass sufficient power, they were wiped out by successive generations of Xuanyuan cultivators.

Ji Changkong was the strongest Xuanyuan of his generation!

He had not only acquired the power of the Azure Dragon Sacred Beast but had also absorbed the might of the other three. Deep within the Abyss of Nine Layers of Ice and Fire, after communicating with the Four Sacred Beasts, he had obtained an unimpeded method to traverse the passage.

Thus, under his influence, Li Hentian and Poke had easily entered long ago.

When Xiao Poshuan arrived, everything proceeded with familiar ease. Utilizing a specialized technique, he dissolved the power imposed upon the narrow passage. As the portal materialized, Xiao Poshuan excitedly plunged through it, heading to that strange star-field teeming with living stars to cultivate.

Since his last communion with the Azure Dragon Sacred Beast beneath Xuanyuan Valley and the subsequent agreement, the attitude of the Four Sacred Beasts toward him had undergone a dramatic shift.

Subtly, he perceived that the Four Sacred Beasts were not only becoming increasingly reliant on him but were, in certain aspects, beginning to seek his counsel!

When he finally refined the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array, this feeling became even more pronounced. He was no fool; a moment of focused thought allowed him to grasp the true intentions of the Four Sacred Beasts—he knew they might soon be petitioning him.

Unconsciously, through a series of fortuitous encounters and his own relentless efforts, he had amassed treasures that many only dreamed of. Even the Four Sacred Beasts of the Five Elements Continent no longer treated him with condescension; on several matters, they had started soliciting his opinion.

He understood that this transformation was entirely due to his escalating power and vast potential, which had kindled profound hope within the hearts of the Four Divine Beasts.

Composing the turmoil within his mind, Ji Changkong floated out from the bottom of the Poison Dragon’s Pool and nonchalantly settled atop the Sky Hail Wyvern. He patted the creature’s neck and asked, "How have you been feeling recently?"

"I've refined the meridians throughout my body. I can now gather the power of Heaven and Earth and store it internally. I can already utilize a portion of that energy," the Sky Hail Wyvern replied.

Ever since absorbing the essence blood of the Blood Emperor, the Sky Hail Wyvern had been evolving. The Blood Emperor possessed the cultivation of the Nine Palaces Heaven Realm, and his entire cultivation was contained within his bloodline, even bearing the deep imprints of the myriad profound truths derived from the Blood Pool.

For the Sky Hail Wyvern, obtaining the Blood Emperor’s essence blood was more beneficial than acquiring the bodies of ten Nine Palaces Heaven Masters. Upon receiving the power and imprint of the Blood Emperor’s blood, both its body and soul had undergone a massive advancement.

In the past, fierce beasts gathered the power of Heaven and Earth merely to make their bodies more resilient, and some beasts possessed innate divine abilities, perhaps allowing them to wield flame or storm lightning. However, these were inherent talents; rarely did a fierce beast cultivate such profound skills postnatally.

The Sky Hail Wyvern had achieved this.

After absorbing the Blood Emperor’s essence blood, the Sky Hail Wyvern’s body transformed beyond recognition. Furthermore, its meridians now seemed capable of holding the energy of Heaven and Earth, much like masters who meticulously cultivate Celestial energy, enabling it to store terrestrial yuan qi and transform it into the yuan li required to execute various profound techniques.

This change was miraculous, indicating that as long as the Sky Hail Wyvern accumulated sufficient terrestrial yuan qi, its strength would continuously grow.

The change in its spirit was equally significant. The Sky Hail Wyvern could now speak human language, and its intelligence rapidly increased. It quickly grasped the complexities of the mortal world, gradually transforming from a mere beast into a being akin to a highly intelligent human!

The speed of its evolution, the surge in its strength and intellect, suggested infinite developmental potential for the Sky Hail Wyvern. Recently, it began absorbing the toxic miasma of the Poison Dragon’s Pool, evolving unique offensive techniques as it sought even greater power suited to its form.

"Excellent. If you continue at this pace, you will soon become a being as formidable as Dick. I know you have communicated with him. Rest assured, as long as you find a way to harness the essence of the stars, I certainly won't be stingy with you," Ji Changkong promised.

While the Sky Hail Wyvern’s physical form grew increasingly mighty, and its spirit had changed significantly, a clear distinction remained between it and the spiritual form of a human. Crucially, its body lacked the crucial xuedao (acupoints), making it impossible to cultivate in the manner of a Celestial Master.

Ji Changkong had pondered this for a long time. He felt the future path for the Sky Hail Wyvern could mirror Dick’s. Its body was also covered in dense scales; if it could concentrate the essence of stars onto its body, like Peke, it could unleash overwhelmingly potent forces.

He believed the cultivation method of the Dark Star race was better suited for the Sky Hail Wyvern. Therefore, recently, he had intentionally or unintentionally encouraged more interaction between the Sky Hail Wyvern and Dick, hoping to secure Dick’s assistance.

"I understand, and I am searching for a method. I comprehended a great deal after communicating with him, but I still require time."

"Well, there’s no rush," Ji Changkong nodded. Shasha shasha! Shasha shasha!

The sound of feet treading on grass drifted from a distance. After a moment, through the thicket bordering the Poison Dragon’s Pool, a graceful, white figure moved slowly.

The fierce beasts and insects inhabiting the vicinity of the Poison Dragon’s Pool had never seen Shang Bingyi before. As soon as she appeared, they crawled out from every crack and crevice, surrounding her.

Hao! The Sky Hail Wyvern let out a low roar.

Immediately, all the fierce beasts and insects parted ways, allowing Shang Bingyi to pass unhindered.

Shang Bingyi maintained an air of detachment. Amidst the surrounding toxic smoke and the circle of venomous beasts and insects at the edge of the Poison Dragon’s Pool, she stood like a pristine white lotus emerging unsullied from the mud—proud, cool, and captivatingly beautiful.

Her tall figure approached step by step, halting before the Poison Dragon’s Pool. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. She glanced at Ji Changkong perched atop the Sky Hail Wyvern, and Shang Bingyi frowned faintly. "You cultivate here?"

Smiling faintly, he nodded. He leaped down from the Sky Hail Wyvern and stood before her. "Yes, I have always cultivated here. I've been here since I was very young."

The Sky Hail Wyvern quietly submerged itself into the Poison Dragon’s Pool, seemingly understanding the situation, and did not interrupt the pair.

"Very young?" Shang Bingyi seemed intrigued. "How old were you when you arrived? This place is crawling with venomous creatures; surely they never harmed you?"

Shaking his head, Ji Changkong replied, "They have always been kind to me. From the very first day I arrived, they treated me with good intentions."

Shang Bingyi’s words stirred some of his memories. Standing there, he felt inclined to talk, recounting some of his experiences in the Great Marsh of Cloud and Dream to her.

Shang Bingyi listened with deep interest, the furrow in her brow easing, a faint smile touching her lips as she listened intently and meticulously.

After a long, long while, Ji Changkong paused.

Shang Bingyi slowly surfaced from her rapt attention, gazing at him quietly. After a pause, she sighed softly, "I never realized you endured such hardship back then. Now, if you stomp your foot, this continent trembles for a time. Who could imagine you were once so weak?"

"Indeed. That is the meaning of the unpredictability of life. Back then, I never imagined I could reach this height—to roam the Nine Heavens freely, to journey to other life stars and wage carnage. Thinking back, it all feels like an unreal dream," Ji Changkong said, his eyes distant, filled with deep emotion.

"Some people have suffered even more than you," Shang Bingyi looked at him steadily. After hesitating, she continued softly, "I spent some time within Xuanyuan Valley. You truly have several confidantes there. They... they are all wonderful people, waiting for you silently within the Valley. Have your steps forward ever paused for them?"

Ji Changkong fell silent.

Shang Bingyi looked at him, her bright eyes seeming to penetrate his very core. "Youth fades quickly. They wait in bitter patience, yet you never cease your forward march, always busy for Xuanyuan Valley, always busy for this continent, never seeming to rest. Do you... do you have regrets? Do you feel guilt?"

Ji Changkong offered no reply.

"You are a selfish person," Shang Bingyi murmured quietly.

He nodded, a bitter smile touching the corner of his lips. "Correct, I am selfish. Sometimes, I clearly know what they desire, and I have the capacity to give it, yet I hoard that fleeting moment of stillness, solely so I won't fall behind others, solely so I can survive!"

"I am bound by the responsibility to my clan," Shang Bingyi sighed. "Since I gained awareness, I have been viewed as a prodigy. My grandmother instilled in me the notion that I must bear the heavy mantle of the family. In my growth, I had no companions, only servants. Everything about me was arranged by my grandmother. I must cultivate peacefully and break through at the fastest possible speed, reaching the realms of Nine Palaces Heaven and Ten Directions Heaven."

Shang Bingyi’s delicate eyebrows knitted deeply as she murmured her anguish to Ji Changkong.

"Sometimes, I feel like nothing more than a puppet. Everything about me is orchestrated; I have no space of my own, no world that belongs to me. Naturally, I have no concept of affection, no experience of romance or fleeting beauty."

This time, it was Ji Changkong’s turn to listen, hearing Shang Bingyi’s complaints, hearing the voice of her heart.

"That is not the life I desire. I had a chance to escape, but I still returned to the Azure Sea Continent. I could evade that life, but I cannot evade my responsibility. This duty has dominated my mind since the moment of my birth; I cannot erase it."

"Responsibility? You could set it aside first," Ji Changkong frowned.

"I cannot set it aside. As long as I live, I cannot let it go. I cannot resist it!" Shang Bingyi shook her head, her face somewhat pale, pointing to her smooth forehead. "It has been there since I was born—a thought forcibly implanted. I don't know why they chose me, and I don't want it, but it has resided there always."

"A forcibly implanted thought?" Ji Changkong’s expression grew grave. He vaguely understood Shang Bingyi’s distress. According to Meng Gang, an external force had enveloped Shang Bingyi the moment she was born, a power that seemed to originate from the Dead Star Domain, from the ancestors of the Shang family.

The existence of that power created the miracle that was Shang Bingyi, allowing her to reach the Nine Palaces Heaven Realm at a speed surpassing any previous Shang ancestor.

However, within that power seemed to reside a conscious thought, existing like an incurable tumor in her mind, urging her to progress ceaselessly, compelling her to cultivate and strive for the Shang family’s ambition to reach the Dead Star Domain swiftly.

Her entire life had been influenced by that implanted soul-thought. Over the years, this thought had become an integral part of her very soul. Now, even a supreme cultivator might not be able to eradicate that thought...

Because that soul had completely merged with her own spirit, becoming one with it.

Ji Changkong looked at her, sighing softly, unsure what to do. He felt pity in his heart but knew he had no power to intervene. Whether she could conquer that intrusive soul-thought depended entirely on Shang Bingyi herself.

"Before this, I never cared for anyone," Shang Bingyi raised her head, looking deeply at him. Hesitantly, she suddenly declared boldly, "Ji Changkong, can you allow me to love, just once? I want to know what it feels like to love someone."

Love?

Ji Changkong’s eyes glazed over with a look of confusion. Was this a confession? What was she truly seeking? She knew he was undeserving of love, so why utter such words?

"You... what did you say?" Ji Changkong asked.

"I like you. I want an experience—an experience that every woman should have!" Shang Bingyi boldly stated.

It was obvious; no further questioning was needed. Ji Changkong understood Shang Bingyi’s meaning. He stared at her blankly, his mind suddenly chaotic and unsettled.

He had to admit, deep down, he harbored feelings for Shang Bingyi. Otherwise, why would he have singled out a path to the Azure Sea Continent in that chaotic, disordered space? Why would he have brought her from the Azure Sea Continent to the Five Elements Continent when danger loomed?

His actions had not escaped the notice of his maternal grandfather and Li Hentian; these things could not be hidden.

"I, I..." Ji Changkong stammered. "You just said that many people in Xuanyuan Valley grieve for me. I am selfish. I don't know if I can give you what you want, but if you insist... we... we can try."

"I only want one experience, not a lifetime commitment. I am different from them," Shang Bingyi suddenly lowered her head, revealing a self-mocking expression. "Once we reach the Dead Star Domain, who knows what will happen? Besides, even in the Solar Star Domain, the future is uncertain. I haven't thought that far ahead."

"Then let’s try," Ji Changkong said slowly after a moment of stillness.

"Alright," Shang Bingyi nodded, her expression instantly shifting to one of eager anticipation. "What should we do?"

"Let’s do something interesting," Ji Changkong suddenly entertained some improper thoughts.

"What interesting things?" Shang Bingyi looked at him, her eyes sparkling with expectation.

"That..." The words Ji Changkong intended to say were choked in his throat. After a moment of hesitation, a different idea struck him. "How about we cast everything aside, wander through the mortal world? I can show you the famous mountains and rivers of our continent, how about that?"

"Let’s go to the mundane world; I’ve never been," Shang Bingyi agreed happily.

"That works too," Ji Changkong consented. Then, with a slight awkwardness, he reached out to take Shang Bingyi’s hand.

"What are you doing?" Shang Bingyi’s expression became peculiar.

"Holding your hand. Everyone does this," Ji Changkong replied with utmost seriousness.

"Everyone does this?" Shang Bingyi sounded skeptical.

"Mhm. It’s the custom."

"Then fine, you may hold it."

"Alright, here I come."

"It feels a bit strange."

"That’s right! That’s the feeling!"

"Oh."

The two engaged in this peculiar dialogue. They left the Poison Dragon’s Pool, concealed their auras, and walked unhurriedly toward Qingyan City, intending to spend some time in the mortal world, pausing the endless cycle of cultivation to allow their bodies and minds to relax.

Hand in hand, they walked through the lakes and swamps of the Great Marsh of Cloud and Dream, discussing topics unrelated to cultivation realms, sharing common, worldly jokes. They laughed when they should, and cried out when they felt like it, without inhibition.

Shang Bingyi was no longer perpetually cold; she occasionally revealed a faint smile, brilliantly beautiful.

After leaving the Great Marsh, they arrived at the foot of Qingyan Mountain, where the Ji family once resided. They lingered at the base of the mountain, visiting the places where Ji Changkong had lived, walking up the steep slope where Ji family youths once tested their mettle.

Ji Changkong spoke repeatedly, recounting his experiences, his heart peaceful, letting go of all other thoughts. For the first time, he shared the deepest fragments of his inner self with someone.

Shang Bingyi listened with a gentle smile, nodding frequently, rarely interjecting with questions. Occasionally, she allowed herself indulgence, letting out a clear, ringing laugh.

They held hands and went to Qingyan City. After altering their appearances, they visited the place where Li Hentian brewed his wine. They strolled the streets of Qingyan City, ate light porridge and Fire Dragon Roast, and visited the merchant districts to buy trinkets that held absolutely no benefit for them. They practiced haggling, enjoying the cheapest forms of pleasure.

For a full month, the two forgot about cultivation and martial realms, forgot about familial duties and personal ambitions. They treated themselves as ordinary mortals, never using their internal yuan li, never flying, traveling by carriage between the various cities of the Water Cloud Kingdom, lingering endlessly near mountains and lakes.

A month later, upon returning to the Poison Dragon’s Pool, they made a miraculous discovery: their souls seemed to have undergone a baptism of nirvana, becoming as steady as an ancient well. Inexplicably, both their souls appeared to have achieved sublimation, reaching a new tier.

They never imagined that this experience of the most mundane life would bring about a purification and sublimation equivalent to several years of dedicated soul cultivation!

(To be continued)D

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