The complexions of the brothers, their spiritual essence gleaming like scattered stars, betrayed their utter disbelief.

This was understandable. The scarcity of Star Essence wasn't just a problem for the Meteor Sea Star Domain; the lack of it in the Solar Star Domain was an equally monumental hurdle. What had the Meteor Sea Star Domain and the Solar Star Domain been fighting over all these years?

It was all for the Star Essence!

Since Ji Changkong hailed from the Solar Star Domain, if he truly possessed a solution, he should have solved the Star Essence problem there first. Yet, as far as the three Torre brothers knew, the great families and sects of the Solar Star Domain were growing increasingly desperate and frenzied over it.

Under these circumstances, how could the three brothers easily believe Ji Changkong’s claim that he had a way to solve the predicament of the Meteor Sea Star Domain?

Ji Changkong knew they wouldn't accept it so readily. With a slight smile, he began relating the matter of the Dark Star Clan, repeating the enticing words he had used on Shang Merchant, Fei Hua, and Jin Wangshan.

If those words worked on Shang Merchant, Fei Hua, and Jin Wangshan, they would naturally work on Torre and his brothers.

Indeed, at first, the three brothers seemed somewhat inattentive, as if they hadn't taken his words to heart.

However, when Ji Changkong cut to the chase and discussed the mysterious abilities of the Dark Star Clan, the spiritual light shining from the three brothers' souls immediately ignited; they were clearly piqued.

When they learned that Dick of the Dark Star Clan was on good terms with him, and that there was an intent to apply the Dark Star Clan's power to the Solar Star Domain, the brothers’ spirits soared. Their souls rippled with excitement—Ji Changkong had clearly swayed them.

Soon, the three Torre brothers held their breath. Their souls slowly stabilized, but judging by their mental state, Ji Changkong’s proposal had thoroughly shattered their inner defenses.

The three gazed at Ji Changkong, and with scarcely any hesitation, they asked, "Is this the will of your friend, or the consensus of all Dark Star experts?"

With a slight smile, he knew the three were genuinely moved. He replied, "Let’s put it this way: the Dark Star Clan's reliance on Star Essence is far greater than ours. If there were a suitable place for them to cultivate Star Essence, they certainly wouldn't refuse."

The three Torre brothers exchanged quiet words through their unique soul communication. After a long pause, Torre stated, "If things are truly as you describe, I believe there is considerable feasibility. Of course, the three of us cannot make a final decision immediately; we must report back to the elders. But I suspect the elders will be willing to ally with you."

The situation in the Meteor Sea Star Domain was far worse than in the Solar Star Domain. Over the years, almost all the Star Essence in the Meteor Sea Star Domain had been mined out. In such dire straits, anyone offering a path to more Star Essence was simply impossible to refuse.

Even if it were a deception, the Nine Palaces Heavenly Scholars of the Meteor Sea Star Domain would have to risk believing him!

"I trust you will make the correct judgment," Ji Changkong nodded, smiling. "What is the influence of your Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein within the Meteor Sea Star Domain?"

Torre replied with arrogant disdain, snorting coldly, "The influence of our Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein in the Meteor Sea Star Domain is equivalent to that of your Heaven-Slaying in the Solar Star Domain."

"No way?" Ji Changkong grinned wryly, clearly showing some apprehension. "If that's the case, we might not dare to cooperate with you."

"What do you mean?" Torre grew anxious, quickly explaining, "In the Meteor Sea Star Domain, any Heavenly Scholar family or Heavenly Scholar force must show deference to our Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein. You must believe that only by cooperating with us can your plan be implemented the fastest."

Clearly, Torre and his brothers realized how monumental this opportunity was for the entire Meteor Sea Star Domain!

For years, the major Heavenly Scholar forces of the Meteor Sea Star Domain had poured immense effort into finding a solution for the Star Essence crisis, yet they had found no way to alter the trajectory.

Just as Ji Changkong had mentioned earlier, over the last few decades, large-scale natural disasters had begun plaguing the major life-stars of the Meteor Sea Star Domain. Extraterrestrial meteorites were falling, directly obliterating many of these worlds.

Life-stars were being mysteriously destroyed by these calamities over the decades, leaving all the experts of the Meteor Sea Star Domain fearful, uncertain of when the disaster might strike their own home star.

If a life-star was destroyed, nearly all experts below the Ten Directions Heaven realm faced annihilation. Even peak Nine Palaces Heaven experts, unable to adapt their physical bodies to the varied influences of the Star Domain, would be crushed to dust.

To the Nine Palaces Heavenly Scholars of the Meteor Sea Star Domain, this realm was gradually descending into ruin. The stronger the expert, the more acutely they sensed this impending doom.

It was precisely for this reason that these experts were so eager to venture out, fighting the experts of the Solar Star Domain in these zones, striving for Star Essence at any cost. Because they understood that reaching the peak of the Nine Palaces Heaven realm was insufficient; only by advancing one step further to the mysterious Ten Directions Heaven realm could they escape the fate of being wiped out by nature.

The three Torre brothers deeply understood this, which is why they dared to risk their lives searching for greater opportunities.

The Dragon Crystal of the Wicked Dragon seemed to represent a chance for rebirth and transformation for these three. That was why they had been so intent on seizing it before. Now that Ji Changkong offered a path to resolve their worries, how could they not be agitated?

"Although the Heaven-Slaying is powerful in our Solar Star Domain, it is widely disliked," Ji Changkong explained, pausing before continuing. "If your Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein is as widely disliked as the Heaven-Slaying, you won't be able to persuade the other Heavenly Scholar forces in the Meteor Sea Star Domain."

"No! No!" Torre shook his head repeatedly, hastily clarifying, "Our Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein is different from the Heaven-Slaying. While we are strong, we have never wantonly slaughtered other forces. We... we persuade through virtue."

"Persuade through virtue?" Ji Changkong chuckled. He believed the Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein must have achieved its dominant status in the Meteor Sea Star Domain through more than just 'persuasion through virtue,' but based on Torre’s words, it seemed they were certainly not as unpopular as the Heaven-Slaying.

"If that is the case, then it might be feasible," Ji Changkong finally conceded.

"What should we do?" Torre, seeking a favor, adopted a sincere attitude.

"Simple. Send one person back to the Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein to properly discuss this matter with your elders, explaining the situation here. If your vein genuinely intends to proceed, send someone to this region to meet me; I will arrange for other Dark Star Clan experts to come and discuss the details," Ji Changkong instructed.

"No problem!" Torre readily agreed, turning to one of his brothers. "Tuo Long, you go back. Quickly explain the situation here!"

Tuo Long, whose soul form was illusory, did not appear imposing or majestic; he even looked somewhat shifty. However, his soul eyes were exceptionally sharp, indicating he was a clever individual who likely wouldn't botch the mission.

He understood the unique nature of the situation and, without hesitation, nodded his assent before taking his leave.

Torre and Tuo Lie remained behind, both looking expectant.

"Alright, let's discuss the Wicked Dragon matter separately," Ji Changkong shifted the topic after Tuo Long departed. "When did you discover the Wicked Dragon? You’ve been excavating down there for so long—did you find anything?"

Under Ji Changkong's questioning, the two brothers, Torre and Tuo Lie, did not hesitate, recounting everything they knew.

It turned out that the three Torre brothers had initially been dispatched to this area on a mission to find Star Essence. They were exceptional experts within the Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein, each having reached the peak of the Nine Palaces Heaven realm.

However, the vast majority of the Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein's Nine Palaces Heavenly Scholars had not reached the peak; they were in dire need of Star Essence. The Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein had nurtured them, supplying them with accumulated Star Essence to cultivate until they reached the Nine Palaces Heaven realm, intending for them to dominate this dangerous zone.

After all, the Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein members knew that encountering Solar Star Domain experts was common here, and the conflicts were intense. Only true peak experts could survive well in this area.

The three Torre brothers wandered through these dead-star zones for a long time until they unintentionally sensed a strange fluctuation emanating from beneath the dead volcano. Out of curiosity, they began excavating and soon discovered the Wicked Dragon’s bones. Those strange creatures they had created were refined by combining the dragon bones with viper souls. They excavated for a while, encountering several minor restrictions mid-way that nearly killed them. Fortunately, their quick wits allowed them to evade the traps. It was during the activation of these restrictions that they detected an extremely faint trace of Dragon Crystal aura seeping out from below.

Connecting this to the Wicked Dragon bones they had unearthed, they finally confirmed that a Wicked Dragon Crystal must exist somewhere deeper below.

The Wicked Dragon was an ancient lifeform predating the Great Destruction, possessing immense vitality and terrifying power. The Dragon Crystal, being the essence of the Wicked Dragon’s soul, meant that if the three of them could obtain it and integrate its massive soul energy into their own, they would have a chance to rapidly break through to the Ten Directions Heaven realm.

It was this single thought that kept the three of them there, carefully and cautiously digging, hoping to obtain the Wicked Dragon Crystal and achieve a soul apotheosis.

"The Wicked Dragon Crystal offers such great benefits?" Ji Changkong nodded inwardly. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly asked, "Approximately how large is the Wicked Dragon Crystal?"

Torre and Tuo Lie exchanged glances and shook their heads simultaneously.

"Can the Wicked Dragon Crystal be divided into multiple portions?" Ji Changkong asked again.

The two Torre brothers continued to shake their heads.

"You know nothing about it?" Ji Changkong seemed surprised.

This time, both Torre and Tuo Lie nodded. Torre looked somewhat embarrassed. "We only know about the Wicked Dragon Crystal from a few elders in our Cloud-Turning Heavenly Vein. We don't know the specifics, but once we learned that the Crystal was such a treasure, whoever obtained it would likely break through to the Ten Directions Heaven realm very quickly."

"Changkong, the size of a Wicked Dragon Crystal depends on the size of the Wicked Dragon," just then, Shang Bingjie, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up. "Generally, the ratio of the Dragon Crystal to the body is one in a hundred million. If the Wicked Dragon were as large as the territory of the Shuiyun Kingdom, its crystal would only be about the size of a washbasin."

After a brief pause, Shang Bingjie continued, "The essence of the Dragon Crystal is the massive soul essence of the Wicked Dragon. The crystal can be divided, but it is extremely difficult. Only a truly divine weapon can split the Dragon Crystal apart."

"I see," Ji Changkong nodded. He knew that Shang Bingjie's mind contained memories from a Ten Directions Heavenly Scholar, so he wasn't surprised she knew about the Wicked Dragon Crystal.

"I want that Wicked Dragon Crystal," Ji Changkong stated with firm resolve. He looked at Shang Bingjie, then turned to Torre and Tuo Lie. "We will cooperate to retrieve the Wicked Dragon Crystal. I have methods to divide the crystal; there will definitely be benefits for both of you!"

Torre and Tuo Lie froze, looking at him strangely, clearly disbelieving.

"Changkong, what... what nonsense are you talking out?" Shang Bingjie was also stunned, studying him curiously. "The Wicked Dragon Crystal isn't that easy to take. You saw it just now—there are seven soul forms of the Wicked Dragon beneath that dead volcano, including an Ink Jade Bone Dragon. How can we take it?"

"I just tested it, and I believe I can directly descend with my main body right here," Ji Changkong said to Shang Bingjie with a slight smile. "You know I have two souls, and you know I can traverse my body across various life-stars, right?"

Shang Bingjie's eyes lit up instantly. She looked at him in disbelief and exclaimed, "Are you saying...? Are you saying?"

Nodding, Ji Changkong confirmed her speculation. "That's right. I just attempted it and found that the connection between my main soul and the soul on the Five Elements Continent is completely unrestricted by space. And that soul on the Five Elements Continent can open spatial rifts. I tested it and discovered that the soul on the Five Elements Continent can pinpoint the location of my main soul."

"Meaning, without any accident, my main body can traverse the barrier and descend directly here!"

Indescribable joy flooded Shang Bingjie's eyes as she murmured, "Does that mean you can travel back and forth without the limitations the Star Domain imposes on Nine Palaces Heavenly Scholars?"

Nodding again, Ji Changkong smiled. "Although I can't soar freely through the Star Domain like a Ten Directions Heavenly Scholar, landing on dead stars, living stars, or life-stars poses no major problem."

What did this mean?

It meant that if his spiritual power waned, his physical body could descend directly to replenish his divine soul with vast spiritual energy. It meant he could instantly appear on one star after another, unbound by the various restrictions of the heavens and earth!

With the aid of the Grand Star Sea Map, he could achieve what only Ten Directions Heavenly Scholars were capable of!

Shang Bingjie was ecstatic, nodding repeatedly. "So, if you had done this from the start, the two of us could have brought our main bodies here directly, without our souls having to travel such a long distance?"

"Not exactly," Ji Changkong mused before explaining further. "The main body can only follow where my soul has sensed. This area, between the Meteor Sea Star Domain and the Solar Star Domain, seems to be a marginal zone. Initially, this area wasn't charted on the Grand Star Sea Map. Only after my main soul arrived and sensed the Star Domain conditions here did this section seem to be added to the map."

Shang Bingjie understood, nodding gently. "So that's how it is. This is good too. In the future, if you fight someone in the Grand Star Sea, you will have a massive advantage—if you are overwhelmed, you can bring your main body down directly. Excellent!"

Ji Changkong and Shang Bingjie’s conversation was overheard by the Torre brothers, but they looked utterly bewildered, unable to grasp what the two were discussing after listening for so long.

They understood the part about the 'main body descending,' but they dismissed it as the ramblings of people talking nonsense; they simply didn't take it seriously.

"Can you bring our physical bodies over from the Poison Dragon Pool as well?" Shang Bingjie asked next.

"Naturally, I can," Ji Changkong replied with a relaxed, easy smile.

While they were speaking, far away on the Five Elements Continent, the other Ji Changkong stood solemnly by the edge of the Poison Dragon Pool, his body shimmering with starlight.

Three months had passed since Ji Changkong's main soul departed the Five Elements Continent.

During these three months, the main souls of Ji Changkong and Shang Bingjie had been moving throughout the Solar Star Domain, exploring the intermediary regions between the Meteor Sea Star Domain and the Solar Star Domain.

Their main souls had not rested, but neither had the second soul of Ji Changkong in the Poison Dragon Pool!

Although the main soul was absent, the second soul, being linked to the main soul, retained the right to control the body. Thus, the second soul took over control of Ji Changkong's physical form and continued diligently refining the meridians and acupoints. In these three months, another hundred acupoints within his body had been refined. His cultivation had not been delayed at all!

His body glowed with starlight, maintaining constant contact with the main soul. Beneath the brilliant radiance, the Grand Star Sea Map suddenly appeared above the Poison Dragon Pool.

Light intertwined, starlight shot out, terrifying many of the ferocious beasts near the Poison Dragon Pool into panicked chaos, unsure of what was happening.

The Skywing Dragon also emerged from the Poison Dragon Pool, staring blankly at the Grand Star Sea Map in the sky. It sensed the aura radiating from Ji Changkong, knowing this was some secret technique he was employing. It let out a low roar, which finally quieted the beasts in the pool. Just then, a brilliant mass of light bloomed in a corner of the Grand Star Sea Map—like a magical door leading to the unknown, waiting to be explored.

Ji Changkong moved swiftly, embracing the disembodied soul of Shang Bingjie. With a dazzling smile, he dove headfirst into that strange gateway of light, instantly vanishing without a trace.