The Pathwalkers are divided into two primary tiers: Dark Star, Fore Star, and Celestial Star. The Lowest tier are merely known as the Lowest Pathwalkers.
Yet, even the lowest-ranking Pathwalkers possess the ability to traverse vast distances within the immense Starfield, capable of withstanding the myriad cataclysms of the spatial expanse, allowing high-level races to journey from one life-bearing star to another.
The construction of a Pathwalker is exceptionally arduous, demanding enormous manpower and material resources; consequently, every single Pathwalker is exceedingly precious—only truly powerful races can even contemplate acquiring one.
Within the Solar Starfield and the Meteor Sea Starfield, even formidable factions such as the Sky Slaughter or the Cloud Turning Celestial Veins could not secure a Pathwalker. This was partly due to the exorbitant cost, and partly because these two great powers likely lacked the necessary might to safeguard such a vessel.
The arrival of these three members of the Zakk race aboard an "Dark Star Pathwalker" sufficiently illustrates the Zakk race’s profound strength; otherwise, these three individuals would never have possessed such a craft.
The earth-shattering blade radiance erupting from the Dragon Radiance Long Saber shot heavenward, striking the Dark Star Pathwalker. It only caused the vessel to shudder momentarily; it could not shatter the Pathwalker in a single blow.
Because Pathwalkers must navigate the Starfield, each one is immensely sturdy and imbued with various esoteric defensive capabilities. It is rumored that even a full-force assault by a Ten Directions Heavenly Scholar would struggle to destroy a Pathwalker, let alone Ji Changkong, who is merely at the Nine Palaces Heaven realm.
The top surface of every Pathwalker is layered with minerals incredibly scarce even among the stars. The energy contained within these minerals not only propels the Pathwalker but also activates extraordinary defensive power.
When Ji Changkong launched his previous strike, a brilliant surge of energy emanated from the Pathwalker. This energy first countered the blade radiance shot forth by the Dragon Radiance Long Saber, instantly diminishing its power by more than ten times.
The subsequent blade radiance that struck the Pathwalker was unable to inflict any damage whatsoever.
This reveals just how extraordinary the Dark Star Pathwalker is. If those three figures remained hidden within it, hunkered down, breaking through the Dark Star Pathwalker would likely prove exceedingly difficult for him.
And this was merely the Dark Star Pathwalker.
Legend holds that the Fore Star and Celestial Star Pathwalkers not only boast more resilient defenses than the Dark Star Pathwalker but also possess terrifying offensive capabilities capable of launching dense barrages against enemies. The highest-tier Celestial Star Pathwalker, it is said, is not only balanced in offense and defense but also possesses various marvelous utility functions.
The Pathwalkers are masterpieces created by the Celestial Craft race, and one such vessel currently hung suspended in the void, seemingly tempting the deepest desires within his heart.
Shan Lu, wearing the dark-gold mask, launched an attack by merging his soul with a meteor, but it failed to harm Ji Changkong. The eyes behind Shan Lu’s mask revealed a shade of bitter resentment. Shan Lu, who had been stationed atop the Pathwalker, suddenly descended from it.
Under the watchful eyes of numerous Sky Crocodile tribesmen, the Zakk named Shan Lu arrived before Ji Changkong almost instantly. A silver, gleaming serpentine whip chain unfurled segment by segment, casting out streaks of silver whip shadows.
Crack, crack, crack!
The serpentine whip chain swept forward, filling the sky with silver shadows that, in an instant, enveloped the surrounding space. As the whip shadows intertwined, they formed a dense net.
This net descended, seemingly contracting rapidly to create a cave collapsing inward, from which a powerful suction force emanated.
Threads of dim, dark light shimmered from within the cave, resembling a colossal, inscrutable maw poised to devour everything.
Ji Changkong’s expression shifted slightly. With just a glance, he perceived that the collapsing cavity within the whip shadows bore a resemblance to a black hole in the Milky Way, possessing the power to swallow all light.
Black holes are the most mysterious natural phenomena in the Galaxy; to this day, no one knows how they form, nor what becomes of those devoured by them—whether they perish, or if they merely depart this boundless Starfield.
As this bizarre, inscrutable black hole suddenly manifested within the dense net formed by the whip shadows, Ji Changkong could not gauge the enemy’s true strength and could only choose immediate evasion.
His soul shifted abruptly, the Profound Truth of the Void stirring in his mind. In a flash, the Illusory Realm of the Void, constructed from this profound truth, suddenly solidified beside him.
It was as if he stepped into a vast ocean; Ji Changkong retreated merely one step, yet more than half of his body vanished.
The only visible part remaining was Ji Changkong’s composed face, coldly observing the approaching black hole.
Just as the black hole was about to engulf him, the exposed portion of Ji Changkong’s face contracted sharply, fully submerging into the Illusory Realm of the Void.
The black hole surged forward, the whip shadows overlapping, the massive net closing in.
Shan Lu’s peculiar assault poured down like fine, dense rain, yet in an instant, Ji Changkong vanished. That plane of existence seemed to turn into a water surface, absorbing Ji Changkong’s body entirely.
All of Shan Lu’s attacks struck only the empty air, stirring not even a ripple.
“Cunning human, emerge!” Shan Lu, clad in dark-gold armor whose strange surface patterns slowly writhed like tree frogs, roared.
The armor contracted, causing two oval-shaped shields to protrude from his shoulders. Within these shields, colorful substances swirled, and slender, filamentary matter began to slowly intertwine.
Bang!
The two oval shields on his shoulders suddenly burst open, releasing fine, thread-like organisms that began to wander through the void.
As soon as these thread-like microbes appeared in the vacuum, they started multiplying rapidly, transforming into tens of thousands within minutes, filling the air. Suddenly, these thread-like microbes surged madly toward a single point.
A burst of bright light slowly flickered in that section of the void, where a light cluster resembling a door began to manifest under the impact of those minute organisms.
The overlapping whip shadows converged, and a new black hole began to condense within the massive net, instantly flying toward that location.
The Illusory Realm of the Void felt as if it were being pressed against the void by countless tiny hands, rendering it completely immobile. Those extremely minute, strange organisms attached themselves to the Illusory Realm, forcibly dragging out the Secret Records of the Void, exposing them to Shan Lu’s sight.
Ji Changkong, within the Illusory Realm of the Void, no longer felt secure.
He took a step, returning to his footing in the void above the meteor. His eyes snapped open, and wisps of Samadhi True Fire began to emanate from him.
Hiss, hiss, hiss!
The Samadhi True Fire could incinerate any material. Those tens of thousands of minute organisms were instantly reduced to ash under the incineration, turning into faint white smoke.
As the Illusory Realm of the Void retracted, the fierce World-Ending Gauntlets suddenly materialized on Ji Changkong’s left hand.
Watching the black hole swallow his space, his expression remained calm as water. He simply raised his hand toward the black hole, a chilling, sharp glint flashing in his eyes. Boom! Boom! Boom!
Amidst the roar of heavenly thunder, massive, azure bolts of heavenly lightning flew out from the World-Ending Gauntlets. As they neared the black hole, they detonated violently.
Three azure bolts of heavenly lightning, each the size of a millstone, exploded before the black hole, unleashing such violent impact force that it nearly tore space apart. The dense whip shadows enveloping the area, along with the powerful suction force emanating from the center, were all instantly shattered.
Space itself was on the verge of collapse; thus, the offensive launched by Shan Lu naturally disintegrated.
Shan Lu’s pupils contracted; he seemed somewhat astonished by Ji Changkong’s extraordinary strength, yet he remained unhurried, apparently possessing yet another means to deal with Ji Changkong.
"Still want more!"
With a cold snort, Ji Changkong’s figure vanished like lightning, disappearing from his spot. The next moment, he appeared beside the Dark Star Pathwalker, looking toward the two other Zakk tribesmen stationed on it.
These two Zakk possessed even more robust life forces and far more sinister and bizarre soul auras. Clearly, these two Zakk experts were stronger than Shan Lu.
One of them, the leader of the trio, now held an expression of detached amusement in his icy eyes as he observed Ji Changkong. He nodded slightly and spoke coolly, "A little capable."
Hearing this, Shan Lu’s inherently sinister killing intent sharpened, seemingly slighted. He instantly shot out, ready to launch another lethal attack against Ji Changkong.
Ji Changkong’s face remained calm as water. His soul abruptly transformed, taking on a nebula-like form.
Simultaneously, azure bolts of heavenly lightning began to fly out ceaselessly from the World-Ending Gauntlets. Each azure bolt contained several peculiar bright points, mirroring the wondrous stellar movements of the Nebula Soul Refining Art.
Soon, hundreds of azure bolts of heavenly lightning poured forth from the World-Ending Gauntlets. Each one contained several hundred points of light, all engaged in strange orbital movements.
A tempestuous force of heavenly thunder began to spread outward in all directions, centered on Ji Changkong.
Shan Lu, who had already charged forward, bore the brunt of the attack, instantly enveloped by dozens of azure bolts of heavenly lightning.
Deafening explosions erupted from those dozens of bolts. More azure lightning continued to spread outward, engulfing the other two Zakk experts aboard the Dark Star Pathwalker as well.
As if the world were ending, incessant, even more violent roars of explosion echoed through the void.
The space above the meteor flickered with bizarre lightning, and cracks split open in space, spraying uncontrolled spatial blades outward. These blades shredded the stunned Sky Crocodile tribesmen watching below into dust.
Wherever the spatial blades passed, this largest meteor was cut into pieces. The Sky Crocodile buildings, hundreds of feet high, were instantly sliced like tofu blocks. The tribesmen hidden inside were divided limb from limb before even a single scream could escape.
The heavens thundered ceaselessly. The three Zakk tribesmen’s dark-gold armor glowed brilliantly, the dark-gold light forming a peculiar shield that enveloped all three.
The Dark Star Pathwalker, constructed by the Celestial Craft race, vibrated violently under the bombardment of heavenly thunder. The blocks of exotic ore embedded in the vessel transformed into strange, fiery energy that poured over the iron ship, causing the Dark Star Pathwalker to shine intensely.
The Zakk named Shan Lu was the first to buckle. Under the fierce barrage of heavenly thunder, the glow of his dark-gold armor dimmed increasingly. Before long, a crisp shattering sound was heard as the dark-gold armor finally exploded.
What appeared was a creature resembling a human but with finger-thick tentacles covering its head. It scrambled away desperately amidst the heavenly thunder.
Unfortunately, the surrounding space had been sealed by the thunder; no matter where he fled, he could not escape the bombardment.
Under a series of violent explosions, the aura of this tentacled creature grew weaker and weaker until it was blasted into charred blackness by the heavenly thunder. A thin wisp of smoke drifted from its head, but it was struck by more thunder and dissipated entirely.
“Shan Lu!” The Zakk young leader aboard the Dark Star Pathwalker cried out in alarm.
Shan Lu was finished, which meant the other two could not hold out either. Seeing that the heavenly thunder showed no signs of stopping, the two Zakk members aboard the Dark Star Pathwalker grew startled.
The Zakk resembling a young leader suddenly dove into the Dark Star Pathwalker. Seeing the imminent danger, the other Zakk member swiftly followed him into the “Dark Star.”
Within the “Dark Star,” there was another dimension. After the two figures vanished into the “Dark Star,” the vessel’s ports suddenly shimmered with flowing light and spat out long plumes of flame.
At a glance, the “Dark Star” resembled a colossal, fire-breathing monster. Amidst the deep rumbling, the energy from the embedded minerals seemed to propel the “Dark Star,” which began to stabilize slowly even under the massive explosions of heavenly thunder.
Seeing the two Zakk members activating the “Dark Star” to escape, Ji Changkong, still within the thunder, changed his intent.
The widely dispersed bolts of heavenly thunder began to shift according to his will, all flying toward the “Dark Star.” One after another, they detonated upon the vessel, causing the “Dark Star” to begin tilting precariously once more.
However, the “Dark Star” was a marvel created by the Celestial Craft race through immense effort and wealth, capable of adapting to all cataclysms within the vast Starfield, its sturdiness comparable to the most robust armor. Even the furious bombardment of heavenly thunder seemed insufficient to scrap the “Dark Star.”
After shaking violently for a while, the “Dark Star” slowly began to move again.
The thrust of this “Dark Star” was astonishing; once the full energy from its ports was unleashed, the “Dark Star” would surely be able to instantaneously warp away in a short period.
Ji Changkong understood this, which is why he spared no effort in unleashing the full force of the heavenly thunder, hoping to destroy the “Dark Star” through sheer volume.
Under his focus, the power unleashed by the heavenly thunder was capable of obliterating tens of thousands of demons across the continent where the Ancestral Demon resided in one fell swoop. Yet, against the “Dark Star,” it seemed somewhat inadequate.
One bolt of thunder after another struck, causing only wobbling on the “Dark Star,” but failing to inflict lasting damage.
When the ports of the “Dark Star” began spewing tongues of flame, and the contained energy grew increasingly potent, Ji Changkong finally realized the heavenly thunder was still ineffective. He summoned the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array, which had been concealed within the Illusory Realm of the Void.
All remaining bolts of heavenly thunder first surged forward in a torrent, continually colliding with the “Dark Star,” temporarily halting its departure. Simultaneously, he activated the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array, causing peculiar, heart-like treasures to pour into the surrounding meteoroid field.
Soon, eighty-one hearts entered eighty-one massive meteoroids.
At that very moment, all the heavenly thunder finally detonated.
The “Dark Star” ceased taking the thunder’s bombardment; the flames spitting from its four ports grew fiercer, and surging power erupted from the vessel. Amidst a massive roar, the “Dark Star” was about to warp away from the area.
Just then!
A meteoroid larger than a mountain, navigating the vast sea of debris, suddenly rushed in and collided violently with the “Dark Star” at incredible speed.
Boom!
A deafening, dull sound erupted from the “Dark Star.” The flames ejected from its ports suddenly flickered like candles in the wind.
Boom! Boom!
Two other colossal meteoroids descended from the sky at extreme velocity, striking the “Dark Star” repeatedly.
Heavenly thunder bolts were only millstone-sized; even when they exploded, their power remained limited. However, these meteoroids descending from the heavens were each larger than mountains.
These extraterrestrial meteoroids were not only immense but also incredibly heavy; meteoroids of the same volume weighed dozens of times more than the mountains on the various life-bearing stars!
A mountain range a thousand zhang high crashing down possessed a terrifying power far exceeding the explosive impact of the heavenly thunder.
Under such violent collision forces, even the meticulously crafted “Dark Star” of the Celestial Craft race could not withstand it.
Under successive, fierce impacts, the “Dark Star” began to genuinely reel. The flames spitting from its four ports gradually waned. Clearly, under such savage power, the “Dark Star” could finally hold no longer.
The “Dark Star” seemed to power down, yet the two Zakk members concealed within remained utterly silent.
The Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array conjured massive rocks that appeared around various parts of the “Dark Star,” completely surrounding the vessel.
In this situation, Ji Changkong no longer needed to worry about any sudden changes to the “Dark Star” or the trouble the two Zakk members inside could cause.
The Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array was a terrifying malevolent formation preceding the Great Destruction, capable of annihilating even Ten Directions Heavenly Scholars and ancient life forms. Although he could currently only exert two or three-tenths of its power, he held no fear of those two Zakk fellows.
Within the confines of the Absolute Array, Ji Changkong’s soul moved, directly traversing the spatial distance, and he materialized upon the “Dark Star,” intending to enter it to see what was happening inside.
At that precise moment!
A violent spatial fluctuation emanated from within the “Dark Star.” A piercing, strong light shot out from one of the vessel’s four ports, accompanied by distorted spatial ripples overflowing from the light.
The strong light appeared quickly and vanished just as fast, disappearing without a trace in an instant.
Suddenly, the life auras of the two Zakk members, which he had been able to sense constantly, vanished within the “Dark Star,” as if they had disappeared into thin air after the burst of light.
Frowning, Ji Changkong lunged toward the “Dark Star.” His figure flickered, and he passed through the passageway into the interior. It was a spacious chamber forged from exotic gold-iron, containing numerous caves of varying sizes, each filled with a different type of ore.
In the center of this gold-iron room was a round disk, fashioned from an unknown, obsidian-bright material. The disk was densely inscribed with strange symbols, arranged in countless clusters following some esoteric pattern.
His gaze swept over every corner of the room. He found no trace of the two Zakk members. This central chamber was the only large room in the “Dark Star”; unless the two Zakk had merged their bodies into the metal, they could not hide.
Most importantly, Ji Changkong released his soul perception, yet he could not detect the presence of the two individuals.
Clearly, these two had escaped using an alternative method.
That moment of intensely strong spatial fluctuation must have been generated by them activating such a technique. Certain high-level races possess special abilities for escape, allowing them to tear open space and instantly teleport to the nearest life-bearing star, often at the cost of a sacrifice or the expenditure of their soul-life force.
The Zakk race is a high-level race. Since these two possessed a treasure as precious as the “Dark Star,” their status within the Zakk must be significant. Sensing danger within the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array, they realized they could not escape using the “Dark Star” and had no choice but to abandon it temporarily.
After assessing the situation for a while, Ji Changkong roughly pieced together the facts. Their departure left a shadow in his mind.
The Zakk race was evidently a vastly powerful entity. By killing Shan Lu this time and forcing the other two to abandon the “Dark Star” to escape, he had undoubtedly incurred the wrath of the Zakk, who would surely seek vengeance.
Since the Zakk race did not even regard the Solar Starfield or the Meteor Sea Starfield with much concern, they clearly did not fear star regions lacking a concentration of Ten Directions Heavenly Scholars. If Zakk experts sought him out one day, he would certainly face immense trouble.
Failing to kill them meant leaving behind a menace, a situation for which Ji Changkong felt some regret, yet it could not be remedied.
Inside the "Dark Star," after fumbling with the disc for a time, Ji Changkong was utterly bewildered. He knew perfectly well this disc was the key to controlling the "Dark Star," yet he hadn't the slightest idea how to operate it.
If he couldn't control the "Dark Star," possessing it was no better than owning a pile of scrap iron. What was he to do?
Such a priceless treasure, if he couldn't take it back to the Solar Star Domain, couldn't bring it to the Five Elements Continent—what a terrible regret that would be. No, he absolutely had to figure out a way!
He tried time and again, tracing the surface of the grinding wheel. He desperately sought the method of control, even releasing his soul, attempting to merge with the disc, but to no avail.
The disc was just a disc; there wasn't the faintest wisp of soul energy within it. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the "Dark Star" to move even an inch.
After countless failed attempts, Ji Changkong was thoroughly vexed. He was already in a mess dealing with the Zake race in the "Dark Star," and he had accidentally let two potential future troubles escape.
If he couldn't even take the "Dark Star" with him, he’d surely spit blood from frustration. He stared intensely at the disc, strange light flickering in his eyes, constantly adjusting his breathing.
He forced himself to calm down, to search meticulously, to ascertain if he had exhausted every possible avenue. "Is there truly no way left?" he asked himself.
The Crocodile-Scale Clan! His eyes lit up, and he immediately flew out of the "Dark Star," landing on the ravaged meteor.
After his fierce battle with the Zake race, this massive meteor was riddled with holes, having shattered into seven or eight smaller fragments. Those magnificent structures had all collapsed into ruin during the fight, and several more members of the Crocodile-Scale Clan had perished.
At this moment, the Crocodile-Scale tribesmen were filled with terror, weeping and wailing mournfully. Their home was destroyed, their kin slaughtered; the fragile side of these usually ferocious beings began to show.
When Ji Changkong descended from the "Dark Star" and paused again above the head of the Crocodile-Scale leader, the leader clutched the Resonance Stone Spirit, repeatedly bowing his head, unable to utter a single word. He had intended to rely on the power of the Zake race to deal with Ji Changkong, never imagining that Ji Changkong wouldn't only survive but would manage to kill three Zake warriors instead.
Now, he had nothing left to depend on. Under such circumstances, aside from begging for mercy, he had no idea what else to do.
"Does anyone here know how to control the 'Dark Star'?" Ji Changkong asked, his tone neither warm nor cold, frowning slightly. These Crocodile-Scale Clan members had already suffered severe retribution.
Their home was ruined, their people decimated; he felt the catastrophe they endured was sufficient payment for their deceit, so he saw no need to press the matter further. "I, I know...
I know a little bit." Translated by the Resonance Stone Spirit, a trembling Crocodile-Scale elder crawled towards Ji Changkong, his head buried to the ground, before looking up pitifully and speaking. "Good!" Ji Changkong nodded, then swiftly seized the elder, snatched the Resonance Stone Spirit from the leader's hand, tossed it to the elder, and immediately brought him inside the "Dark Star." This Crocodile-Scale elder’s wide mouth, lined with sharp teeth, reeked of decay.
Fearfully, he crawled beside the disc, glancing back at Ji Changkong. Only upon receiving a nod from Ji Changkong did he dare to touch and manipulate the disc.
This elder seemed genuinely to know what to do. He arranged several strange symbols on the disc for a moment, then turned back to the Resonance Stone Spirit and instructed, "Sir, place your hand upon it.
The disc will tell you how to control it." "Oh?" Ji Changkong was startled. He stared at the elder for a moment before stepping forward and placing his hand on the disc.
A faint, electrical current-like power radiated from the disc, forming wisps of peculiar undulations that flooded into Ji Changkong's soul like memories. A memory deeply buried in the depths of Ji Changkong's mind seemed to spring vividly to life, drawn forth by this thread of energy.
Ji Changkong’s eyes brightened, suddenly finding himself in a state of profound realization. After only a short while, a faint smile touched the corner of Ji Changkong's mouth.
He waved the elder aside, closed his eyes, and began to explore the workings himself. Within the disc lay methods to stimulate the soul.
The means of controlling the disc seemed capable of transforming into imprinted memories, flashing directly into a person’s mind. The "Traveler" crafted by the Skycraft Clan was designed to interface with the myriad different races across the vast Star Domain.
Since the languages and life imprints of these races were not mutually understandable, the Skycraft Clan had created this peculiar disc. One section of the disc could emit memory currents, directly channeling the control method into the person's mind.
When individuals of different races placed their limbs above the disc, under the excitation of specialized currents, the method to control the "Dark Star" would manifest within their souls. The current rushing into Ji Changkong’s mind suddenly merged with a sliver of memory already residing there.
In an instant, Ji Changkong seemed to grasp the "Dark Star" completely. That sliver of memory originated from the Main Soul of the Ten Directions Celestial Master within the Vast Star Chart.
After refining that Main Soul, Ji Changkong had acquired a vast amount of its disordered memories, which lay deep within his mind but were difficult to organize, only surfacing in accidental moments. The moment the memory current surged into his brain, it fused with a fragment of memory deep within his soul.
This not only imparted the control method for the "Dark Star" but also revealed the types of ores needed to power it, and how much energy each ore type could grant the "Dark Star." Clearly, the Main Soul of the Ten Directions Celestial Master he had destroyed must have been intimately familiar with the Skycraft Clan's "Traveler" before; that person might have even owned one, explaining such profound knowledge. Having obtained this essential memory, Ji Changkong no longer needed the Crocodile-Scale elder.
He grabbed the elder, brought him down from the "Dark Star," and reappeared before the Crocodile-Scale leader, addressing the Resonance Stone Spirit. "Your Crocodile-Scale Clan has collected quite a few ores.
Now, I require some of those ores. As long as you procure them for me, I will cease troubling you." Then, he listed the specific ores required to activate the "Dark Star." The Crocodile-Scale leader was now thoroughly terrified of Ji Changkong.
Upon hearing that Ji Changkong only wanted ores, the leader nodded repeatedly, memorizing every word, and immediately dispatched his tribesmen to retrieve them. This time, the Crocodile-Scale warriors dared not attempt any trickery; they were utterly obedient and quickly presented the necessary materials.
Hundreds of exotic ores, smooth as jade and gleaming in various colors, were laid out before Ji Changkong by the hands of the tribesmen. The Crocodile-Scale leader kept bowing his head, pleading, "Please show us mercy." Ji Changkong nodded lightly, waved his large hand, and the strange ores vanished instantly into his storage space.
After asking the leader a few questions concerning the Zake race, Ji Changkong soared into the sky and entered the "Dark Star." Once inside, he moved with an air of profound familiarity. He skillfully arranged the ores in his hand into various sized recesses, covered the slots with patches, rotated the disc a few times, seeking the correct alignment.
Rumble! Under his focused effort, it wasn't long before a massive roar emanated from the "Dark Star." Tongues of fire sprayed out from the grooves on the exterior.
With both hands pressed against the disc, memories of controlling the "Dark Star" continuously flashed through Ji Changkong's mind. Suddenly, he gave the disc a sharp, decisive nudge.
Bang! Like a rocket blasting off, the "Dark Star" suddenly surged with immense propulsive force.
Ji Changkong leaned slightly as the "Dark Star" howled away into space. Above the dead star bearing the remains of the Evil Dragon’s skeleton, the masters from the Solar Star Domain—including Gu Bang, the Elder Madam Shang, Shang Bingjie, Origin Poison, and Feihua—stood distinctly separated from the experts of the Vast Sea Star Domain, such as Tuolei and Hei Luo, belonging to the Vast Sea Sect and the Black Heaven Altar.
The two factions faced each other, each group seemingly deep in covert discussion. Under normal circumstances, if these two forces were to meet at this location, there would be no need for pleasantries; an irreconcilable, life-or-death battle would erupt instantly.
However, the current situation—where so many experts from both star domains gathered without any fighting—was decidedly strange. "Why are we still lingering here?" Hei Bing, standing on the Vast Sea Star Domain side, glared hatefully at the Shang family members opposite them and complained under her breath, "These thugs killed our people and acted like bandits, raiding the living planets we discovered.
It’s bad enough that we haven't slain them; why are we associating with them?" Many shared Hei Bing's sentiment. Some members of the Vast Sea Sect, having suffered heavy losses, stared at the Nine Palaces Celestial Masters from the Sea Mist Continent with expressions of grief and hatred, longing to rush forward and fight to the death.
In their hearts, they believed that the persecution they suffered from alien races in the asteroid field was indirectly caused by the people from the Solar Star Domain. They hated the opposing faction to the core; if Tuolei, Hei Luo, and the others hadn't restrained them, they would have already charged into battle.
"Brother!" Hei Bing looked at her brother, "Although that fellow saved us, he is still from the Solar Star Domain. Why do you regard him so highly?
Our Vast Sea Star Domain has been at war with them for so many years; these enmities won't vanish so easily!" "I understand," Hei Luo replied with a grave expression. "But he saved you.
The promise Brother made is an oath of iron; it will not change in the slightest." "Tuolei, Tuolie, why are you aligning with them?" A Vast Sea Sect expert questioned Tuolei indignantly, "Haven't your Heavenly Vein practitioners always advocated for fighting the Solar Star Domain to the death?" "The circumstances have changed. For the future of our Vast Sea Star Domain, we should set aside personal grudges," Tuolei glanced at the man and said calmly, "That person can bring our Vast Sea Star Domain a new future.
One day, the Vast Sea Star Domain can recover its former glory, no longer needing to fight and struggle for Star Essence." "What?" Suddenly, everyone fell silent in astonishment. On the other side, Shang Bingjie was quietly relating some of her experiences with Ji Changkong to her grandmother.
Shang Bingjie concealed the events beneath the Poison Dragon Pool, nor did she mention the Evil Dragon Crystal. Even so, the nearby Nine Palaces Celestial Masters from the Sea Mist Continent clicked their tongues in awe, envious of Ji Changkong's overwhelming strength.
Origin Poison was not with Shang Bingjie. He stood beside Gu Ya, using his unique soul connection to relate his knowledge of Ji Changkong's experiences to Gu Ya.
He understood the intimate bond between Gu Ya and Ji Changkong, and knew Gu Ya was a person of great understanding, so he concealed nothing, not even omitting the details about the Evil Dragon Crystal. Of course, Origin Poison used his peculiar method of soul communication, so no one aside from Gu Ya knew what he was saying.
Gu Ya listened without uttering a word. Even upon hearing that Ji Changkong had obtained the Evil Dragon Crystal, his expression remained calm, smiling silently.
Once Origin Poison finished speaking, he murmured softly, "Changkong has always been lucky. He won't be harmed staying where he is.
Hmm, after returning to Xuanyuan Valley this time, it seems he will be making big moves." "I think, he won't even need to return to Xuanyuan Valley; he’s already making big moves right here," Origin Poison chuckled darkly, pointing toward Tuolei and his group. "Kong Kong has already persuaded them.
A master from the Cloud Flipping Heavenly Vein has already returned, and soon more masters from the Cloud Flipping Heavenly Vein should arrive to discuss grand matters together." Gu Bang smiled. "This is good news.
If the two star domains can cease hostilities and work together to manage the domain's issues, that would truly be a blessing for both." After an indeterminate amount of time, a group of five individuals materialized from the surrounding dead stars; all were soul projections of white-haired elders. Following the five was Tuolong, who had departed earlier.
"Just ahead!" Tuolong pointed forward, leading the five Great Elders of the Cloud Flipping Heavenly Vein. The five elders of the Cloud Flipping Heavenly Vein displayed varied expressions: some looked arrogant, some anxious, some worried, and some utterly confused.
Led by Tuolong, the five elders of the Cloud Flipping Heavenly Vein passed through the dim cloud layers and slowly descended near the experts of the Vast Sea Star Domain. "Greetings, honored Elders!" "Greetings, honored Elders!" The experts of the Vast Sea Star Domain, whether from the Vast Sea Sect or the Black Heaven Altar, all bowed in unison.
Tuolei and Tuolie, the two brothers, had bowed even earlier. Tuolei looked deeply moved.
"The esteemed Elders have all descended!" A very old man, with hair white as snow but possessing a robust aura, slowly nodded. His gaze swept over the group from the Solar Star Domain opposite them.
"Which one is Ji Changkong?" Upon hearing this, the other four elders scanned the group from the Solar Star Domain with their soul thoughts, seemingly trying to pierce through the intentions of everyone present. Under their scrutiny, the Solar Star Domain group grew somewhat uneasy.
They sensed that the soul intent of these five ancient monsters was immense, capable of penetrating everything. "Great Elder, Ji Changkong is not here at the moment," Tuolei said respectfully.
"Not here?" Another elder, wearing a proud expression, snorted coldly, his voice sinister. "The five of us risked the descent of our souls, traveling from the Vast Sea Star Domain, and he is absent!
Is this boy trifling with us? Hmph!
If he's been lying, then not a single one of those Solar Star Domain fellows will be spared!" At these words, everyone on the Solar Star Domain side felt a surge of internal distress.