It was a lifeless star, equally inert, and immensely vast, many times larger than an average celestial body. Behind that dead star stretched a boundless expanse of dead stars, dotted with stellar corpses as dense as sesame seeds, receding into an endless vista beyond sight. However, extending his consciousness, allowing his soul to unfurl into that field of dead stars, he could detect minute leaks of starlight.

Stars capable of leaking starlight invariably housed a Star Essence within. This implied that among those countless, densely packed dead stars, living stars still existed. Perhaps the very location the Shang Clan and the experts from the Hailan Continent were vying for lay concealed within that immense dead star field, though locating a living star amidst such a multitude of stellar husks would prove an exceedingly difficult task.

Ji Changkong did not venture inside the stellar graveyard; instead, he settled upon this single, enormous dead star, releasing his soul-sense to scan for any nascent magnetic soul signatures. According to Fei Hua’s account, a great battle had recently transpired here; it was on this massive dead star that he and his maternal grandfather had been separated. Since they parted ways here, his grandfather surely would not have plunged deeper into the region riddled with dead stars, as they must have been moving away from that area previously.

His divine sense swept across the star, probing the dead volcanic craters, searching for any flicker of life. Regrettably, though he cast his soul wide, he detected no trace of any soul, suggesting that those who fought here had already relocated their battlefield. Identifying a promising vector, Ji Changkong turned toward the vast, indifferent star-domain in the opposite direction.

This was an unusual region where no stars were visible, absent from the vast Star Sea Charts. That direction was gradually pulling away from the junction where the Meteor Sea Domain and the Solar Domain met, leading toward an unknown destination. That stretch was nothing but profound, infinite space—no dead stars, no living stars, not even a Planet of Life; it was eternal night, an expanse of unending grey devoid of color.

He chose this course because Ji Changkong surmised it was the most probable escape route for the Shang Clan and his grandfather. A major battle had erupted on that colossal dead star. The Shang Clan forces, having been defeated, would certainly flee away from the territory of living stars.

Lan Fen and the others had fled toward his main body’s location. He hadn't detected any soul fluctuations when approaching from that direction, meaning Lan Fen’s group was likely the only presence there. The other directions led deeper into the heart of the Meteor Sea Domain.

Continuing along those vectors would not only move him further from the Solar Domain but might plunge him directly into the Planets of Life within the Meteor Sea Domain. If their party had entered the Meteor Sea Domain during the peak intensity of the conflict between the two domains, wouldn't it have been a death trap? Therefore, after careful consideration, he concluded that the dark, unknown expanse leading nowhere was the likeliest place for the Shang Clan and his grandfather to have fled.

In the endless star-domain, only pervasive grey met his gaze. Traveling in this manner, his soul had not seen a single star. In this unknown territory, Ji Changkong dared not let down his guard; he kept his soul-thoughts spread thin, maintaining a state of cautious vigilance, prepared for any imminent crisis.

The vast star-domain harbored countless unpredictable perils. Sometimes, a passing meteor, carrying residual thermal energy, could obliterate the soul of a Nine Palace Celestial Master. At other times, forces of distortion imperceptible to soul-sense could manifest without warning, subtly influencing a Celestial Master’s soul, causing death without even realizing the cause.

There were also strange black holes, sweeping through the star-domain like tornadoes; by the time one noticed them, the terrifying power emanating from within often struck too late for escape. The unknown dangers of the star-domain were innumerable, many perhaps unrecorded because all who encountered them perished. Even a Ten Directions Celestial Master had to travel with extreme care, let alone a Nine Palace Celestial Master in soul form?

He traveled through the unknown sector for an indeterminate time, feeling as if the journey might never end, when suddenly, a ripple of life-force registered in his soul-sense. Life! A surge of joy propelled Ji Changkong forward, accelerating rapidly toward the source detected by his senses.

An hour later, a luminous ocean of meteoroids materialized within his perception. This sea seemed boundless; his sense extended to its limits yet found no end. The meteoroid ocean was composed of countless stones, large and small, suspended in space.

The smallest were merely fist-sized, yet they did not fall; the largest spanned areas as large as a nation. These dense, varied meteoroids filled the space before him, many of them faintly glittering. Within this meteoroid sea, a weak life-force signature emanated.

His joy intensifying, Ji Changkong drastically increased his speed, weaving through the meteoroids, heading directly toward the center of the life-signatures. Gradually, more life-signatures drifted from the surrounding stones. As he penetrated deeper, the emanations from the core grew more erratic.

The closer he moved, the stronger the life-signatures became, and they were strangely unlike any life-forms he knew. Suddenly, an overwhelmingly massive meteoroid appeared in his soul’s vision. This single stone was slightly larger than the Shuiyun Kingdom, shaped distinctly like a colossal gourd.

Upon its surface stood peculiar structures built from ash-white stone. These constructions varied—some triangular, others rhomboid, and many conical—all bizarrely shaped yet immensely grand. The smallest building stood hundreds of feet tall, while the larger ones rivaled the towering mountains of the Five Elements Great Body; the sight was truly spectacular!

Shadows flitted within these strange edifices, and atop the meteoroid, massive creatures were perched. These beings were dozens of meters long, covered in thick, hard scales like gigantic elephants, each bearing a single, sharp horn about five meters in length atop its head. These colossal creatures squatted before the buildings, motionless, like guardian beasts.

Between several of the grandest structures was a plaza far larger than Xuanyuan Valley. This plaza was a perfectly flat quadrilateral, bordered by towering ancient statues. These statues resembled terrifying demon gods of the underworld, immense and ferocious, frozen in various menacing postures.

In the center of the plaza stood several colossal, radiant stone pillars. Each pillar was bound to a person facing the giant, menacing statues in the square. This appeared to be some form of ritual offering.

Observing from a distance, Ji Changkong paused, stunned. The myriad life-auras he had sensed earlier mostly belonged to the one-horned, elephantine creatures squatting below. The more potent auras resided within the magnificent, windowless buildings.

Since these structures were sealed, he had no idea what the beings inside looked like or what they truly were. Astonished, Ji Changkong proceeded cautiously. As he drew near, he focused his gaze and froze.

Most of the people bound to the stone pillars were experts from the Tidal Continent: the three bald monks from Vajra Mountain, the elderly woman from the Shang Clan, and even his maternal grandfather, all restrained upon those dreadful columns. The pillars emitted a shimmering light, seemingly imbued with an arcane power that suppressed their auras and life-fluctuations simultaneously. This explained why, from a distance, though he sensed life upon them, his soul-sense could not discern their identities.

Every expert not with his main body had been brought here to become someone's captive. Besides the Shang Clan members, the Vajra Mountain contingent, and his grandfather Gu Dan, there were several others who appeared to hail from the Vast Boundless Sect and the Black Sky Altar. Howl!

Howl! Howl!~~~ Suddenly, the one-horned, elephantine creatures that had been crouching rose in unison and bellowed toward the sky. Simultaneously, the great structures around them emitted loud grinding noises ("kaka"), as windows materialized, along with protruding platforms.

Standing upon these platforms were bizarre beings, three to four meters tall. Their bodies resembled massive crocodiles, their skin like ancient tree bark, covered in grotesque wrinkles. They stood upright, bearing rows of protruding fangs, dragging long tails behind them.

"Tsuwa tsuwa!" an aged "Crocodile" hissed, snapping its massive, fanged maw skyward in a roar. From a sky-piercing stone pillar, a wave of hazy green smoke suddenly erupted. The soul of a Nine Palace Celestial Master from the Black Sky Altar, imprisoned there, shrieked within the green mist, though no sound traveled out.

The victim was clearly enduring agonizing torment; his soul-form contorted in terror and fierce struggle within the smoke, yet all efforts were futile. In an instant, the man’s soul disintegrated into ash, scattering within the green haze. "It is tsuwa tsuwa!" As his soul vanished, the "Crocodiles" within their strange temples roared upward, showing distinct excitement.

Sssshhh! Three more massive pillars began emitting the hazy green smoke. Soon, three more members of the Black Sky Altar were obliterated in the mist.

The "Crocodiles" grew even more frenzied, joyously continuing their sacrificial ceremony, seemingly intent on extinguishing the people on the pillars one by one. What manner of monsters were these? A chill swept through Ji Changkong’s heart as he suddenly realized that before these horrifying entities, humans were merely lambs awaiting the slaughter.

Just as humans sacrifice the heads of swine, cattle, and sheep to their gods, these beings were utilizing human souls as living sacrifices, never considering humans equal high-level life forms. In their eyes, humanity was no more than livestock. The Black Camel needed to assess the situation; the auras emanating from these monsters were too malevolent.

In pure soul form, he likely couldn't defeat them; his main body needed to descend. Watching the experts from the Vast Boundless Sect and the Black Sky Altar being systematically executed, nearing the section where his grandfather’s people were held, Ji Changkong dared not rush in without understanding the power of these creatures. He began to employ alternative measures.

On the dead star that housed the Dragon Bone of the Wicked Dragon, Ji Changkong’s secondary soul suddenly regained control of its body. During this period, the Torey brothers had not disappointed him. They continuously explained the situation to the Black Camel, refraining from any notion of seizing the Wicked Dragon Crystal.

Under the persistent efforts of the Torey brothers, the Black Camel’s group appeared skeptical, though not entirely convinced. Yet, faced with the prospect of immense gain, the Black Camel finally restrained himself from rash action, fixing Lan Fen’s group with a hard stare. Star Essence was the single greatest obstacle plaguing the Meteor Sea Domain.

Now that Ji Changkong claimed to have a solution for the Star Essence issue troubling the domain, no matter how intense the Black Camel’s resentment, he had to set it aside for the greater good. However, the Black Camel explicitly stated that until he witnessed tangible benefits, he would maintain distance from Ji Changkong to avoid being tricked. Moments after settling down, Ji Changkong, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, abruptly stood up.

He glanced at the Black Camel, then at the Torey brothers, and stated gravely, "I will take you to a place. Be extremely careful; that location is… very, very strange! Remember, tread lightly!" "What place?" The Black Camel’s expression was cautious, fearing Ji Changkong might plot against him.

"It’s hard to explain quickly. You’ll understand when you see it. Several experts from your Black Sky Altar have already been used as sacrificial offerings.

If you delay further, more Nine Palace Celestial Masters from your faction might be sacrificed. You can choose whether or not to come." After delivering these words, Ji Changkong ceased to concern himself with them, repeating his old trick: unfolding the Star Sea Chart. A point of light that should not have appeared in the Star Sea Chart suddenly flashed.

The next moment, fueled by his soul energy, space distorted, and a massive luminous aperture materialized. "You first!" Ji Changkong notified Shang Bingjie and the Origin Poison, gesturing for them to enter. Without hesitation, the two plunged into the aperture.

"This light-hole will only last ten seconds. Decide for yourselves if you care about the lives of your people!" Giving the Black Camel one last look, Ji Changkong's main body also vanished. "Black Camel, come in with us!

He isn't joking!" Torey urged, then without waiting for a reply, he and Tole plunged into the aperture. The Black Camel, having heard the Torey brothers speak favorably of Ji Changkong for some time, had developed a slightly revised opinion of him. Hearing that his own people were being used as sacrifices made him even more anxious.

Seeing the light-hole steadily closing, the Black Camel finally broke his restraint. "What are you all waiting for? Hurry and follow me in!" With that, the Black Camel surged forward, and the experts accompanying him followed without much hesitation, pouring through the light-hole one after another.

Only after everyone had disappeared did the aperture swiftly seal itself. "Heibing!" The Black Camel had barely emerged from the light-hole when he let out a roar of grief and fury. His eyes immediately fixed upon his own sister, Heibing, trapped on a massive stone pillar, struggling in terror.

Heibing was an older woman of unremarkable appearance, dark-skinned, and physically sturdy like him—hardly resembling a woman at all. Yet, she was the Black Camel's only full-blooded sister, and their bond was exceptionally deep. Seeing his sister in distress, the Black Camel roared, and a ferocious, malevolent soul-aura violently burst forth, slamming against the stone pillar.

Unfortunately, the pillar was a solid object, defended by flowing light. The Black Camel’s soul attack struck it like a stone sinking into the sea, failing to cause even the slightest tremor. Heibing, constrained by the strange luminescence of the pillar, showed a look of fierce relief upon seeing him appear and struggled even harder.

The Black Camel exerted his full strength, unleashing every soul technique he possessed against the stone pillar, yet all efforts were futile. Meanwhile, an expert from the Vast Boundless Sect nearby dissolved into ash within the hazy green smoke. Though the Black Camel had arrived late, he instantly grasped the gravity of the situation: if only one more moment passed, his sister Heibing would become the next sacrifice, her soul annihilated by the green mist.

She was his only kin! The Black Camel’s eyes were bloodshot with rage, his own soul threatening to explode, yet he remained utterly helpless. The "Crocodiles" atop the temples had already noticed Ji Changkong and his group gathering near the plaza, but the aliens pretended not to see them, continuing their gruesome sacrificial rites as if the newcomers were beneath their notice.

Furthermore, the aliens grew increasingly agitated, shouting "Tsuwa tsuwa!" their green eyes gleaming with the cruel light of aggression. What to do? What to do?

The Black Camel repeated the question to himself countless times in those few seconds, which felt interminable. He asked himself dozens of times in mere moments, finding no answer. "Black Camel, beg him!

That is his main body descending directly!" Suddenly, a person next to the Black Camel looked sharply toward Ji Changkong. It was the main body! The main body had arrived!

It was as if a bolt of spring lightning had struck his mind. The Black Camel instantly reacted, dropping to his knees before Ji Changkong in a soul-form prostration, his head bowed. "I beg you, save her!

She is my only sister. If you save her, I, the Black Camel, will serve you for life!" "Fine! I will help you!" Ji Changkong replied solemnly.

With his true form re-established, a thought moved his mind, and the long saber, Dragon Glory, which had once pierced the souls of seven Wicked Dragons, materialized instantly in his palm. A blood-red saber-light, dozens of meters long, shot forth from the blade like a celestial rainbow, piercing forward like a torrent. Boom!

Boom! Boom! Violent explosions erupted from the stone pillar imprisoning Heibing.

The strange light shrouding the column shattered instantly, and the binding force holding Heibing evaporated. The invincible, dozens-of-meters-long blood-red saber-light pulverized the stone pillar restraining Heibing, then smashed into the pillars holding the elderly Shang Clan woman and the Vajra Mountain monk, instantly destroying the forces binding them. As for his grandfather, Gu Dan’s pillar, it had been entrusted to the Origin Poison to handle upon their arrival.

As soon as he made his move, the power imprisoning his grandfather Gu Dan dissolved in an instant under the invisible energy of the Origin Poison. In that brief interval, everyone who had been held captive was liberated and restored to freedom. (To be continued.

To know what happens next, please log in for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!) H