A Heavenly Vein Master, Cang Bu, stood frozen, his pursuit of the Heavenly Serpent Cult and the slightly weaker cultivators completely abandoned. His face was etched with terror as he watched the black iron tombstone slowly emerge, clearly showing his extreme nervousness.

This structure, which should have remained dormant for tens of thousands of years, was activated by the burning of the Heavenly Fire clone. The magma frozen within the rock walls began to shimmer, pouring down like molten iron onto the black iron tombstone below, as if some restrictive power had been triggered.

The tombstone, crafted from a material as bright and black as ink jade, became even more clearly defined as the molten rock cascaded over it. The Nielong (Evil Dragon) image carved upon it seemed to possess a strange vitality, as if it were about to spring to life from mere depiction.

Near the base of the volcano, scattered around the emerging black iron tombstone, lay strange, broken bones. These fragments shimmered with an inky black luster, resembling shards of black crystal.

As the magma from the rock walls flowed over the black iron tombstone, a peculiar power within it seemed to be quietly awakened.

A wave of black light radiated from the tombstone, influencing the scattered dragon bones nearby. Under the tombstone’s influence, the fragments of the Nielong’s remains—shattered into pieces—began to reassemble at a speed visible to the naked eye. In mere moments, the bones scattered across the ground coalesced into a skeletal dragon of pure blackness. The joints of the newly formed bone dragon clicked audibly, suggesting it was not yet fully solidified.

However, as more magma poured over the bone dragon, it seemed to undergo a tempering process. The gaps between the bones appeared to be sealed shut by the molten rock.

Suddenly, an aura of violent bloodlust erupted from the skeletal dragon.

Now positioned directly beneath the crater, the bone dragon seemed invigorated. It lifted lightly into the air, spreading its massive, bony wings to slice through the air in a graceful arc towards a Heavenly Vein Master hailing from the Star Domain of the Fallen Sea.

The Heavenly Vein Master, already cornered and nearly defeated by the combined might of the Heavenly Serpent Cult members, was left entirely defenseless. With a swift sweep of the bone dragon’s wing, his soul’s virtual form was severed.

The bone dragon's wings contained an intensely evil and destructive power, one that possessed a potent corrosive effect on the soul. Under the assault of these energies, the cultivator’s soul had no recourse; it was immediately invaded by the malevolent forces. In an instant, the cut section of the soul’s virtual body exploded, the very imprint of life shattering, and the Heavenly Vein Master vanished entirely.

Ji Changkong’s mind stirred, and he instantly materialized at the spot where the cultivator had died, without hesitation, using his own soul to envelop the man's spiritual energy that was rapidly dissipating.

He had expended considerable spiritual power to reach this location from the Five Elements Continent. If he could replenish that energy, he could not only gain the upper hand at the bottom of the dormant volcano but also press deeper to find his maternal grandfather and the elder matriarch of the Shang family. Therefore, he would never waste an opportunity; securing more spiritual energy was paramount.

The bone dragon’s wing swept again, severing the Heavenly Vein Master’s soul. It then hovered gracefully above the black iron tombstone. From its waist, numerous ink-jade-like bone spikes suddenly shot out, striking toward everyone gathered in the depths of the dormant volcano.

“Look what you’ve done!” The Heavenly Vein Master who had previously attempted to strike Ji Changkong and Shang Bingyi roared, his soul contorting with visible rage.

The four of them, Heavenly Vein Masters, had discovered this strange location and had been exploring cautiously, digging for a long time until they managed to use bone dust to refine the Vipers’ souls. Yet, they always dared not dig too excessively. They held back precisely because they knew a bizarre restriction existed beneath, fearing they might trigger it and invite unnecessary trouble.

When the experts from the Heavenly Serpent Cult and the Valley of Bliss discovered their presence, these four cultivators still dared not deliver fatal blows, holding back their full strength for fear of triggering the restrictions and rendering their efforts fruitless.

But Ji Changkong arrived, acting without reservation, plunging into a chaotic fight that nearly caused the frigid dormant volcano to erupt. The magma, sealed for eons, had melted and begun to drip under the influence of his Heavenly Fire power. Finally, the black iron tombstone emerged from the volcano’s depths, and using its power, it forged an evil bone dragon from the scattered Nielong bones.

Since the bone dragon was formed from the Nielong's remains, its attacks carried the Nielong's violent and wicked destructive force—a power devastating to both soul and physical form. Although the slain cultivator was also a Nine Palaces Heaven Realm expert, he could not withstand the bone dragon’s might.

The bone dragon appeared to be a specialized defense mechanism for the black iron tombstone, existing solely to prevent anyone from touching it. When the experts from the Heavenly Serpent Cult and the Valley of Bliss remained several hundred meters away, the bone dragon ignored them. However, anyone who approached the tombstone became an immediate target. As Ji Changkong absorbed the fallen cultivator’s spiritual energy, the bone dragon focused its attention on him, launching bone spikes while swinging its wings in pursuit.

Ji Changkong knew how malevolent the bone dragon was, so he did not grow greedy. After absorbing a portion of the man’s spiritual power, he immediately retreated, swiftly moving to Shang Bingjie’s side.

As long as a suitable distance was maintained from the bone dragon, it ceased its pursuit. Even the bone spikes that had flown from its body suspended in mid-air, seemingly warning newcomers not to act rashly.

“You damnable boy!” The three remaining Heavenly Vein Masters were furious and simultaneously directed their hostility toward Ji Changkong. Before Ji Changkong arrived, these restrictions had not been triggered. Although their progress was slow, they had mapped out the peculiar powers within the black iron tombstone and knew that the Nielong Dragon Crystal resided within. The four cultivators, working slowly and cautiously, had already excavated down to the tombstone. After a period of study, they were beginning to grasp the tombstone’s profound secrets and were searching for a way to open it. This pace might be slow, but they had time; they had been lurking in this dormant volcano for a long time for the sake of the Nielong Dragon Crystal.

First disturbed by the arrival of the Heavenly Serpent Cult and the Valley of Bliss experts, and now having their plans ruined by Ji Changkong’s recklessness—resulting in the death of one of their comrades—the remaining three Heavenly Vein Masters finally lost their patience.

“Kill this brat first! If he lives, he will surely cause more trouble!” One cultivator’s cold soul swept over Ji Changkong. The other two said nothing, slowly maneuvering to flank Ji Changkong and Shang Bingjie. For a moment, these three seemed to forget the threats posed by the Heavenly Serpent Cult and the Valley of Bliss, instead prioritizing Ji Changkong as their most critical target.

The experts of the Heavenly Serpent Cult and the Valley of Bliss watched the three Heavenly Vein Masters advance on Ji Changkong and Shang Bingjie without lifting a finger to help. Their soul fluctuations were intense; the Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader and Zhou Hong gathered together, seemingly communicating in secret via soul projection.

“What are you gawking at?!” Shang Bingjie felt indignant and transmitted a furious message to the Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader and Zhou Hong. These two factions, harboring unknown intentions, seemed intent on watching the conflict unfold from the sidelines. Had it not been for Ji Changkong’s timely rescue, the members of the Valley of Bliss would have already been annihilated by various strange creatures. Now, due to the rising temperature in the volcano caused by Ji Changkong, the creatures surrounding Zhou Hong were being vaporized, posing no further threat to them. Had it not been for Ji Changkong’s Heavenly Fire clone, Zhou Hong and the few Valley of Bliss members would already be dead. Now that she and Ji Changkong were targets, this was the very moment for cooperation, yet the others watched coldly as she and Ji Changkong were besieged by the three Heavenly Vein Masters.

“You claim to be from the Five Elements Continent. Who exactly are you?” The Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader suddenly projected a rather strong soul message. “You can control Heavenly Fire. If I am not mistaken, you are Ji Changkong of the Xuanyuan Valley, aren’t you?”

The Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader had clearly discerned Ji Changkong’s identity. News of him had spread throughout the Solar Star Domain during this period. Information regarding him obtaining the Heavenly Fire in the Heart of the Sun had been leaked by other cultivators who had trained there, revealing his unusual abilities to some inhabitants of the Solar Star Domain.

Heavenly Fire was one of his signature soul techniques. The moment he deployed it, the Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader and Zhou Hong of the Valley of Bliss immediately confirmed his identity. Ji Changkong of the Xuanyuan Valley was currently the most prominent figure in the Solar Star Domain—known to everyone. The degree of apprehension felt by the Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader and Zhou Hong toward him was no less than that felt toward the three Heavenly Vein Masters. No one knew exactly how powerful the man who had injured the three great powerhouses of the Solar Star Domain—the Master of Tianlu, the Alliance Leader of the Dead Alliance, and the Lord of the Demon Cave—truly was, but everyone understood that Ji Changkong of the Xuanyuan Valley was currently the most terrifying individual in this domain.

The Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader and Zhou Hong, who had been focused on obtaining the Nielong Dragon Crystal, now viewed him as the most formidable opponent, even more so than the invading Heavenly Vein Masters, upon learning his true identity.

“Your guess is correct; I am Ji Changkong.” There was no point in concealment now. Seeing the three Heavenly Vein Masters drawing nearer, Ji Changkong cautiously assessed the power gap between himself and the trio. He reluctantly realized that their combined strength significantly outweighed his and Shang Bingjie’s. He discerned their apprehension from the soul fluctuations of the Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader and Zhou Hong, knowing their concerns mirrored those of the three invaders.

“I am Ji Changkong. Since you know I hail from the Star Domain of the Fallen Sea, you should join forces with me to eliminate these three Heavenly Vein Masters from another domain first. Afterward, we can discuss how to handle the Nielong Dragon Crystal. This location is unstable; more experts from the Star Domain of the Fallen Sea could arrive at any moment. If we locals do not unite, we will gain nothing in the end,” Ji Changkong stated with resignation, offering this plea.

“You are Ji Changkong of the Xuanyuan Valley; why would you need our help?” the Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader responded coolly. “We are quite interested to see how you manage these Heavenly Vein Masters. Rest assured, we will cheer you on.” Zhou Hong remained silent, clearly concurring with the Cult Leader’s sentiment.

Sighing inwardly, Ji Changkong abandoned all hope of assistance from the two factions. Watching as the blue light wings behind the three Heavenly Vein Masters detached and shot toward him like a pair of scissors, he and Shang Bingjie immediately separated. Shang Bingjie’s ability to evade danger was no less impressive than his own; separating increased their chances of survival against the three invaders. Furthermore, the primary target was him; by splitting up, Shang Bingjie was less likely to face their relentless pursuit. Thinking this, his soul flickered and distorted, evading one attacker before suddenly flying toward the positions of the Heavenly Serpent Cult and Valley of Bliss members.

“We are all friends here; we share the burden when times are tough,” he thought with a cold smile. He deliberately led the three pursuing blue light wings directly toward the location of the Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader and Zhou Hong. If they would not act proactively, he would bring the trouble to them! Ji Changkong was not a benevolent soul, and after realizing their betrayal, he certainly had no reason to remain courteous.

The three Heavenly Vein Masters, whose ultimate goal was Ji Changkong, naturally wouldn't mind destroying the Heavenly Serpent Cult Leader and Zhou Hong either. When their chasing light wings intersected with the other groups, they subtly adjusted their trajectory rather than ignoring them. The three invaders charged through, their souls moving so swiftly in the void that they sometimes vanished only to reappear suddenly within the crowd of souls. While their main focus was Ji Changkong, they did not hesitate to strike members of the Heavenly Serpent Cult and Valley of Bliss if they fell within their attack range.

Thus, the scheme of the Heavenly Serpent Cult and Valley of Bliss to remain detached was utterly shattered. Ji Changkong, using the mysterious sensitivity of the Supreme Void Record, narrowly evaded the encirclement of the three Heavenly Vein Masters time and again. It was the innocently implicated members of the Heavenly Serpent Cult and the Valley of Bliss who suffered unexpected casualties. A casual strike from one of the three Heavenly Vein Masters caused screams of agony to erupt among them. Ji Changkong himself remained unscathed; it was those he implicated who suffered.

At this point, the calculated neutrality of the Heavenly Serpent Cult and the Valley of Bliss was completely invalidated. Witnessing the ruthlessness of the Heavenly Vein Masters, the experts of both factions could no longer stand by and were forced into a position where they passively joined Ji Changkong in opposing the three invaders. The battle, which had almost subsided, reignited violently. Only Shang Bingjie seemed like an outsider, largely ignored by the combatants. The Heavenly Vein Masters did not pursue her, and due to the distance, the bone dragon also paid her no mind.

Shang Bingjie kept an eye on Ji Changkong’s struggle while curiously studying the black iron tombstone.

“Huh!” After staring at the tombstone for a moment, she appeared to notice something, her face a mask of astonishment and wonder.

Third update for the day—exhausted! My hands feel heavy as iron, and my fingers are stiff; my dexterity is significantly reduced. I’ve been suffering from insomnia these past two days, which is agonizing, but to finish before midnight, I pushed through, typing word by word slowly until it was done. I feel completely drained. I’m only mentioning this to show you that I am truly striving hard, and my efforts deserve your monthly votes. Please give me your support; you see how hard I’m working. I implore you. B