Hong Mandun’s declaration was resolute, imbued with an undeniable force. As he spoke, his eyes glared, conveying an air of inevitability—agree or not, it was settled. Yi Rou was overcome with shyness, head bowed, a flush spreading across her neck, uttering not a word. Ji Changkong stood frozen, stunned into silence for a considerable while. “You dragged me here for this matter?” After a long pause, Ji Changkong finally processed the situation. “What’s wrong with that?” Hong Mandun raised an eyebrow. “Is this not a grave issue? This concerns the lifelong happiness of my granddaughter! Before I depart, this must be settled!” “Grandpa Dun, this… well…” Yi Rou whispered softly, seemingly uncomfortable with the arrangement. “You keep quiet! I haven’t decided this yet!” Hong Mandun waved a hand, silencing Yi Rou, then glared at the young man. “Boy, this is your good fortune; don’t be so ungrateful!”

“Uh, Yi Rou is a wonderful girl, but… but I only ever saw her as a little sister. Besides, I have already cultivated to the peak of the Nine Palaces Heaven realm, and might soon advance further, reaching the Ten Directions Heaven realm. By then, I certainly won't remain on the Five Elements Continent…” “Heh heh!” Hong Mandun looked at him with disdain, snorting, “Boy, you think the Ten Directions Heaven realm…”

“I don’t know about others, but for me, the Ten Directions Heaven realm shouldn’t be an insurmountable barrier. Ten years at most, I am certain to reach that stage!” Ji Changkong was brimming with self-assurance.

“Arrogant!” Hong Mandun snorted coldly. “In this vast Solar Star Domain, how many people have managed to enter the Ten Directions Heaven realm over the years? Let me tell you, despite the numerous experts in the Nine Palaces Heaven realm in your Xuanyuan Valley, absolutely no more than five people in this lifetime will ever reach the Ten Directions Heaven realm!” “Perhaps not?” “Care to make a wager?” “That… the timeframe is too long; that’s a difficult bet to place.”

“Boy, don’t you dare disbelieve me! I have lived this long; I have certainly weathered many tempests.”

“Over the years, I have watched countless cultivators in the Nine Palaces Heaven realm live out their entire lives stuck there. Among a thousand experts at the Nine Palaces Heaven realm, it's rare enough for one to reach the Ten Directions Heaven realm!” “I don’t know about others, but I certainly won’t be that late!” “This boy is truly arrogant! I truly wonder where such confidence originates?” “That’s none of your business!” Hong Mandun suddenly fell silent.

After a long while, Hong Mandun looked up, glanced at Yi Sang, and said, “I have a method to help my granddaughter break through to the Nine Palaces Heaven realm within fifty years, possibly allowing her to reach the Ten Directions Heaven realm alongside you! Boy, don't be so ambitious about leaving the Solar Star Domain early; that’s unrealistic.”

For others, perhaps it was unrealistic, but for Ji Changkong, nothing was impossible. Having recently been diligently practicing the ‘Heavenly Evolution Ancient Art,’ he knew that breaking through to the Ten Directions Heaven realm was by no means a difficult feat.

Through the ‘Heavenly Evolution Ancient Art,’ he had already located the opportunity to enter the Ten Directions Heaven realm. As long as he continued down this path, he would inevitably break through to that realm before long! Naturally, he would never share any of this with outsiders. “The level of one’s realm is only part of it; it’s not the most crucial factor. The most important thing is that I already… already have someone I love.” Ji Changkong stated. Yi Rou flinched slightly, lowering her head even further.

“That’s not an issue. My granddaughter is surely better than the person you love. Just break off with her, and that’s that.” Hong Mandun was relentless.

“Do you really think that simply because you are in the Ten Directions Heaven realm, you can dictate my affairs?” Ji Changkong’s temper flared. After talking things over reasonably for so long, Hong Mandun remained so unreasonable; he was finally losing patience. “Heh heh, the boy has spirit after all. Very good! I’d like to see just how much spirit you possess.” “Grandpa Dun!” Yi Rou shrieked.

“Don’t mind her!” Hong Mandun seemed annoyed as well. He raised his withered hand, pushing out a fan-shaped arc of light that instantly enveloped Yi Rou’s body, sending her ten miles away, trapped within the arc and unable to break free. “Boy, bring out whatever tricks you have up your sleeve. I want to see where your arrogance comes from!” “Fine!” Ji Changkong roared, making no pretense of politeness, and immediately summoned the World-Ending Gauntlet on his left hand.

The power from the Sky Void Orb, the inherent energy within his body, and the power of his blood converged, surging violently into the World-Ending Gauntlet. A massive azure heavenly thunder materialized amid crackling lightning, shooting instantly toward Hong Mandun. “A bit interesting,” Hong Mandun muttered, flicking his wrist and drawing his withered hand like a sword.

A thick sword light split into hundreds of streams in the void, scattering like petals from a heavenly maiden, showering down upon the azure heavenly thunder.

Sharp, muffled thuds erupted from within the azure thunder. As the sword lights pierced the heavenly thunder, it detonated instantly. Rumbling! Amid the deafening roar, the sword lights rapidly reformed, coalescing back into that single, thick beam, continuing its relentless charge toward Ji Changkong. Ying ying!

Within the Dragon Glory Saber, a battle cry filled with intense excitement resonated. On the saber’s hilt, the carved image of seven hideous fiend dragons suddenly flickered into view.

Ever since the Dragon Glory Saber absorbed the souls of the seven fiend dragons, sometimes during confrontations, when the dragons were not fully manifested, their forms would appear as these dragon patterns on the hilt, vivid and ferocious.

After an excited cry, the saber suddenly emitted wisps of bloody spring water from its blade. The blood mist carried a stench so foul it threatened nausea.

Like thick, scarlet blood, the mist spread around the Dragon Glory Saber, instantly transforming the space surrounding Ji Changkong into a sea of gore. “A mere trick.” Hong Mandun scoffed. The enormous sword light flashed, churning through the blood sea, slowly shattering the condensed essence within it.

His expression shifted slightly. Ji Changkong reached out and touched a silver sphere. Staring at Hong Mandun, he contemplated for a moment, then suddenly hurled the silver sphere he had obtained from the Zakk race. The target of the silver sphere was solely the incoming sword light, not Hong Mandun himself.

He knew Hong Mandun’s attack was merely to gauge his strength, not a genuine attempt to kill him; thus, Ji Changkong also held back, not aiming to severely injure or kill Hong Mandun. Before the silver sphere even made contact with the sword light, it suddenly flashed brightly.

A blinding, dazzling light erupted from the silver sphere. In the next instant, the power to tear space materialized, sending spatial sharp edges shooting out in all directions. The sword light condensed by Hong Mandun’s single strike was instantly shredded by a few spatial edges; all offensive power dissolved in a flash. Even Hong Mandun’s expression changed, and he hastily dodged far away with a hint of panic.

These spatial edges formed by the silver sphere’s explosion could slice the physical bodies of the Shadow Demon race to pieces. Hong Mandun had only just entered the Ten Directions Heaven realm; despite his profound cultivation, his physical body might not be as unyielding as iron.

Furthermore, even those Ten Directions Heaven realm experts who had rigorously tempered their bodies might not be able to withstand an attack from these spatial edges. It was no wonder Hong Mandun felt apprehension.

Fortunately, the silver sphere exploded far from Hong Mandun. After the spatial blades appeared, Hong Mandun had ample time to evade.

When the spatial sharp blades vanished, Hong Mandun’s demeanor grew serious. His gaze toward Ji Changkong was now devoid of any previous contempt. At that very moment, Ji Changkong began manipulating the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array with his consciousness.

Nearby small peaks surrounding Xuanyuan Valley were suddenly torn from the ground, suspended in the sky beside him. A mystical power abruptly formed around Ji Changkong, giving off an untouchable aura. “The Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array!” Hong Mandun gasped in utter horror, unable to stop the cry.

“Come on, I’d like to see if you can still do as you please within the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array!” Ji Changkong, now enveloped by the formation, looked at Hong Mandun with a playful grin, actively provoking him.

Since Hong Mandun recognized the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array, he must have heard of this formation’s terrifying might. A formation capable of annihilating ancient life forms before the Great Destruction should pose no problem for a mere Ten Directions Heaven cultivator, especially one who had just stepped into that realm.

Hong Mandun froze, nearly exploding with rage, yet he dared not venture carelessly inside.

He was unaware that Ji Changkong, stuck at the Nine Palaces Heaven realm, could only unleash two or three tenths of the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array’s true power. Facing this legendary deadly array, he was instantly stumped. “Little monster!” Hong Mandun grimaced, inwardly lamenting his situation. “Are you coming or not?” Ji Changkong called out from within the formation. “No way!” Hong Mandun repeatedly shook his head. “Am I insane? Wouldn't going in be inviting suffering?” “Then how dare you claim you can destroy my Xuanyuan Valley?” Ji Changkong sneered, then called upon the Origin Poison with his spirit sense. “Come out for a moment, then go back in!”

The Origin Poison responded through the Heavenly Origin Orb, suddenly manifesting within the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array. A wave of world-destroying, evil aura erupted from the formation. The Origin Poison, only one meter tall, cast a chilling glance at Hong Mandun, revealing a trace of bloodthirsty desire, before returning to the Heavenly Origin Orb under Ji Changkong's soothing command.

The Origin Poison had already digested over half of the Ghost Demon King’s soul aura but had not completely resolved the troubles brought by the King. Still, even digesting just over half its power had granted the Origin Poison strength comparable to a Ten Directions Heaven expert. “It’s that monster!” Hong Mandun’s expression shifted dramatically. He glared at Ji Changkong. “You’ve colluded with that monster?”

“No, that monster has been assimilated by my friend; he will not appear again.” Ji Changkong’s tone was detached and cool. “I let him out only to show you that on this Five Elements Continent, you are not the strongest. Don't act as if you are invincible! Hmph, still thinking of destroying my Xuanyuan Valley? Dream on!” (To be continued, for further developments, please log on to... .m for more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)