With a dull thud, two figures plummeted from the sky onto the surface of a colossal dead star...

"Where in the blazes are we?"

"One of the several hundred dead stars nearby. It’s far from the main conflict zone. We were supposed to navigate past this sector aboard the Guangchen, but seeing as the vessel is wrecked, it appears we’ve arrived ahead of schedule."

"How did you manage that?"

"Heh, that's not something you need to concern yourself with."

The brief exchange ended. Hong Mandun's astonishment had not yet faded. He stood up and first extended his divine sense to check the surroundings for any immediate danger before nodding to himself in quiet relief.

The myriad twinkling stars nearby were dazzling, continuously shedding their light across the cosmic river. Though the dead star was utterly silent, under certain specific conditions, it could still offer a faint glimmer of illumination.

Hong Mandun took a deep breath and looked at Ji Changkong with a hint of resignation. "What are you going to do now?"

"Do? About what?" Ji Changkong smiled, unconcerned.

"I mean, what's the plan going forward?" Hong Mandun shot him a stern look. "Kid, you haven't reached the Ten Directions Heaven Realm; your body simply cannot withstand the power surge within the sea of stars. Even if I were to escort you, the moment you leave this dead star, the spatial pressure would instantly crush your flesh and bones. In short, you absolutely cannot leave this place..."

"And there's the lingering threat of that bizarre woman from the Purgatory Ghost Clan and that Corpse Ghost, who might show up at any moment, right?" Ji Changkong finished the thought calmly.

Hong Mandun paused, then nodded. "Exactly. We don't know when that strange woman will track us down again, and since you can't leave, this genuinely puts us in a tight spot."

"What do you intend to do?" Ji Changkong asked with a smile.

"I don't know how we should proceed," Hong Mandun shook his head. Then, as if struck by a sudden idea, he inquired, "Since you could traverse the Star Sea to reach Yun'er, could you use that same method to jump between these nearby dead stars repeatedly?"

"Correct," Ji Changkong admitted without denial.

"That solves it!" Hong Mandun seemed relieved. "That way, even if I leave, you at least stand a chance of surviving. Don't worry about me; I'll find a way to secure another vessel capable of carrying you out."

"Heh heh, you don't need to leave. In a little while, you'll just need to take action," Ji Changkong looked up at the sky and chuckled. "It won't be long before those Zak Clan behemoths pass by this dead star. You just need to hijack one Anchen; that will suffice."

Before initiating the departure using the Vast Star Sea Map, he had used the shattered disc to ascertain the general withdrawal route of the Zak Clan. This location—this 'Xun Room'—was precisely on their unavoidable path; there was no room for error.

"You sly dog, you were prepared all along!" Hong Mandun roared with laughter, asking, "When do they arrive?"

"Soon. You can start making preparations. Oh, and don't get too greedy; aim for the very last Anchen in their formation. The key is to avoid alerting the Zak Clan members." Ji Changkong cautioned.

Hong Mandun nodded, signaling his understanding.

Half an hour later, just as predicted, a convoy of about ten Zak Clan vessels—Guangchen and Anchen—slowly approached. The fire-snakes spewing from their drives were conspicuously bright against the Star Sea backdrop, clearly visible to Ji Changkong and Hong Mandun on the dead star from a distance.

The Zak Clan's withdrawal was clearly fragmented; this traveling group consisted of only about ten vessels, not their entire force. Three Guangchen ships sped ahead, while the rest trailed behind were all Anchen types.

The Anchen ships were obviously slower than the Guangchen, hence their lagging position. Furthermore, the spacing between the Anchen vessels was inconsistent; the last Anchen lagged far behind the one immediately preceding it.

"Heaven is truly aiding me!" Hong Mandun rejoiced inwardly, hiding within the 'Umbrella of Smoke and Cloud' hovering over the dead star, ready to strike.

As the Anchen vessels passed beneath his smoke screen one by one, the final Anchen slowly emerged into view. Hong Mandun immediately made his move without hesitation.

His longsword moved as if it possessed a life of its own, silently creeping toward the Anchen.

Directly in the intended path of the Anchen, the sword conjured a barrier resembling a spider's web—utterly devoid of light, formed purely from condensed Yuan Force.

The Anchen plunged headlong into this web-like barrier. The two Zak Clan experts inside failed to notice the situation initially, attributing the anomaly to the ship's own malfunction and rushing to try and repair the Anchen.

At this moment, Hong Mandun continued his assault, following Ji Changkong's instructions to disable the small orifices underneath the Anchen—devices used by the Anchen to communicate with other Zak Clan masters.

Once Hong Mandun, guided by Ji Changkong's advice, had destroyed all the communication devices on the targeted Anchen, he began applying force beneath the vessel, attempting to drag it downward.

This action immediately alerted the Zak Clan members aboard the Anchen that something was terribly wrong.

Beams of light flashed out from the Anchen, shooting toward Hong Mandun. Having anticipated this, Hong Mandun deftly evaded the attacks, exerting his full strength to continue pushing the Anchen.

However, an Anchen weighed many tons and was propelled by specialized propulsion systems. Even with his cultivation at the Ten Directions Heaven Realm, Hong Mandun couldn't instantly wrench the vessel clear from the Star Sea.

He needed this Anchen intact to facilitate Ji Changkong's departure, meaning he couldn't simply destroy it. Moreover, the Zak Clan members were too formidable in soul arts; Hong Mandun couldn't use soul power to obliterate them inside.

Hong Mandun quickly realized the situation wasn't proceeding as smoothly as anticipated. He struggled for a long time to pull the traveler vessel down, growing increasingly impatient.

Just then, a figure flashed out from the smoke clouds and instantly appeared beside him.

"You—why are you out here!" Hong Mandun stared in disbelief, utterly shocked. "Are—are you a Ten Directions Heavenly Soldier yourself? No! Your aura is wrong! What in the world is going on?"

Gazing upon Ji Changkong's Demon Body, Hong Mandun was filled with confusion.

"I'll explain later; let's focus on getting this ship down first," the Demon Body of Ji Changkong chuckled, then swiftly positioned himself at the entry/exit point of the Anchen, pressing down on a protruding node.

This was the unique activation method utilized by the Finger Clan members! As the entrance opened, Ji Changkong immediately slipped into the traveler vessel. The faces of the two Zak Clan members turned ashen, and their dark-gold armor immediately retracted, clinging tightly to their bodies.

Spatial energy from the Star Sea suddenly surged into the vessel through the opening, instantly affecting the two Zak Clan members, forcing them to concentrate solely on dodging the natural forces of the Star Sea, leaving them no capacity to deal with Ji Changkong’s Demon Body.

Hong Mandun also slipped inside. After a single glance, he burst out laughing. "I almost forgot—most ordinary Zak Clan members, even utilizing their armor, cannot maintain footing in the void. It seems we won't even need to lift a finger."

As he spoke, the bodies of the two Zak Clan members inside the traveler vessel began to wither, and the light emanating from their armor slowly faded.

Two wisps of soul energy escaped from the armor, desperately trying to flee the traveler vessel in terror.

"I apologize; I truly cannot let you leave. Otherwise, I'd be dealing with endless pursuit from your Zak Clan along the entire journey," Ji Changkong sighed regretfully, then acted. Two phantom claws materialized in the air and violently seized the souls of the two Zak Clan members.

Streaks of soul light violently erupted, bombarding the two souls. In an instant, the souls of the two Zak Clan members were scattered and annihilated, dissolving into points of light that vanished into the cosmos.

"Let's go," Ji Changkong smiled, expertly fiddling with the circular disc. This Anchen traveler vessel slowly descended toward the dead star.

Just as they passed through the atmosphere, the main body, which had been waiting below, flew up and plunged into the Anchen.

Once both versions of Ji Changkong materialized inside the Anchen, Hong Mandun snorted. "Kid, I think it’s time you gave me an explanation."

"What is there to explain?" Ji Changkong feigned surprise. "This one is my main body, and the other is merely a cultivated second body. Even in our Five Elements Continent, the profound mysteries of such secret arts exist. Surely you're aware of that?"

"I am aware of that," Hong Mandun replied stiffly. "But what puzzles me is why your second body can soar through the cosmos! If I had known you possessed a second body, why would we bother with the Guangchen? Your second body and I could have left the Five Elements Continent directly. Why waste all that effort?"

"The second body cannot execute the Ancient Nine Transformations Ultimate Array," Ji Changkong stated plainly.

"Kid, how exactly did you refine this second body? Why is it even stronger than your main body? It can navigate the Star Sea just like I can! That's something only a master of the Ten Directions Heaven Realm should be able to accomplish," Hong Mandun was completely bewildered.

"Sorry, no explanation," Ji Changkong willed it, and the Demon Body instantly vanished. "Just point me in the right direction. Now that we're clear of the conflict zone between the two races, there shouldn't be any further trouble, right?"

"There shouldn't be any until we reach our destination," Hong Mandun, hearing the shift back to the main objective, ceased pressing about the Demon Body. After a moment of thought, he replied.

"Good. Let's work hard and try to reach our destination as soon as possible," Ji Changkong said.

On a colossal star where a black ocean covered seven-tenths of its surface, thick, inerasable white mist perpetually swirled. The ocean was black, but the mist hovering above it was milky white—incredibly eerie.

Viewed from above, the black water dominated this huge celestial body, with individual islands dotted upon the black sea like scattered stars.

The Anchen manifested out of a spatial rift and immediately plummeted downward, completely out of control.

Below lay a triangular island covered in dense vegetation. The plant roots were thick, and their leaves, broad as winnowing fans, moved without wind, giving the distant appearance of grotesque figures dancing merrily.

A dozen tusked rhinoceroses roamed below. These creatures were clearly different from those in the Great Marsh of Yunmeng; their bodies were covered in thick layers of molten ore, making them look as if they were constantly burning.

Every tusked rhinoceros exuded an intense, murderous aura. Even before the Anchen could land, the rhinoceroses charged upward, roaring into the sky.

Bang! The Anchen finally hit the ground. The dozen or so tusked rhinoceroses immediately swarmed the vessel. Without ceremony, they began gnawing at the Anchen. The Anchen traveler vessel, forged and refined by the Divine Crafting Clan, was merely the lowest grade, yet it could withstand the impact of various strange forces in the Star Sea, proving even the lowest-grade Anchen was incredibly sturdy.

Yet, under the onslaught of the tusked rhinoceroses, half of the Anchen was devoured in moments! As the peculiar metal composing the Anchen was consumed by these strange beasts, the molten glow on their hides flared brighter, seemingly infused with greater energy.

"Get out quickly!" Hong Mandun screamed. "This place has an anti-flight barrier; be careful!"

"Damn it, why didn't you mention that?" Ji Changkong scrambled out of the traveler vessel, cursing Hong Mandun.

"Uh, the last time I was here, I was purely in soul form, so the anti-flight barrier didn't affect my soul. I didn't pay attention..." Hong Mandun looked awkward.

"You’ve doomed us! The Anchen is destroyed, and there’s an anti-flight barrier. How are we supposed to leave?" Ji Changkong, gripping his long saber, coldly watched the dozen tusked rhinoceroses slowly closing in, his face grim.

Hong Mandun couldn't offer an answer, only managing a bitter smile. "There must be a way. Don't worry; as long as we can obtain the treasure from that Nine-Story Pagoda, we'll definitely find a way to leave this place."

"Let's finish off these aggressive tusked rhinoceroses first. I suspect dealing with them alone will be difficult enough," Ji Changkong slashed at one rhino, managing only to carve a deep gouge into its hide—he couldn't cleave it in two with one strike. This immediately signaled trouble.

"Leave them to me," Hong Mandun volunteered.

As his longsword swept through the air, arcs of sword light collided in the void, sparking fiery embers. These embers landed on the rhinoceroses, penetrating the seams of their lava-like flesh and detonating inside their bodies.

The dozen or so tusked rhinoceroses were instantly and severely wounded internally, immediately becoming subdued.

The beasts stared at Hong Mandun with wide eyes, seemingly debating whether to fight to the death. As they calmed down, their eyes held a look of wisdom, giving the impression that they knew what they should do next.

"Beasts! Are you looking for death again?" Hong Mandun sneered, unleashing another flurry of sword lights that clashed in the void, causing more sparks to fly.

Only then did the tusked rhinoceroses flee in fear, scattering in all directions until they vanished instantly.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Suddenly, a whistling sound carried from a distance, a fierce gale kicking up sand and stones, sending massive boulders hurtling toward them.

Amidst the gale, a colossal, hundred-legged Golden-Backed Centipede rushed forward. With every footfall, an unfathomably deep fissure opened in the ground. The centipede was saturated with murderous intent, seemingly desperate to destroy everything blocking its path.

"Move!" Hong Mandun snorted, refocusing his energy onto this enormous Golden-Backed Centipede.

For a full month, Hong Mandun and Ji Changkong were trapped on this island, constantly battling various bizarre, ferocious beasts.

Many of these creatures resembled those from the Five Elements Continent, but they were far more troublesome. For some inexplicable reason, the beasts surviving on this strange star were not only tough-skinned and thick-hided but also skilled in various forms of power and brimming with aggressive tendencies.

It wasn't just against them; brutal slaughter was constant on this island, occurring between beasts themselves. Fighting erupted at any moment unless the creatures belonged to the same species.

During this half-month period, unable to fly or break the sky barrier, the two were forced to remain confined here.

They slew countless beasts during this time, exhausting immense effort for each kill. Fortunately, this peculiar star was rich in all manner of natural forces: Yuan Qi and Demonic Qi coexisted on this strange land, in addition to the omnipresent Five Elements power.

While slaying the beasts depleted their strength, they were quickly replenished by the abundant elemental energy, allowing them to immediately return to combat.

Half a month later, during a brief respite from killing beasts, the pair used the island's hard wood and the remnants of the Anchen to construct a makeshift vessel, intending to use it to escape the island.

However, the moment they pushed the strange boat into the water, it slowly sank into the black liquid and vanished without a trace.

The two stared blankly as the boat dissolved beneath the black water. Ji Changkong prepared to jump in to retrieve the vessel he had painstakingly created, but Hong Mandun stopped him. "No use. The boat isn't the problem; it’s the water. It seems even the most advanced vessel cannot sail on this liquid."

Saying this, Hong Mandun tossed a wide plank into the black water. Sure enough, the plank immediately sank, as if swallowed by a swamp, disappearing instantly.

"Damn it, this black water is truly bizarre. Ah, there's an anti-flight barrier overhead, and boats can't sail—how do we leave?" Ji Changkong asked ruefully.

"Let's test the water. If the water proves problematic, I suppose our only option is to swim to that distant land. It will take a lot of time, but we have no choice," Hong Mandun looked equally helpless.

"Yeah, that’s all we can do," Ji Changkong nodded, preparing to summon his Demon Body out of the Primordial Pearl.

The Demon Body's form was refined through a unique method; even if the black water posed a threat, it shouldn't harm the Demon Body. With this thought, he was about to proceed.

At that precise moment, Hong Mandun suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed ahead, and commanded, "Look!"

Ji Changkong looked up, focusing his attention toward the distant surface of the black ocean.

Three figures were traversing the surface of the black water with incredible speed. Based on their appearance, they seemed to be human. Anyone appearing here must possess extraordinary cultivation. The fact that they could walk on the surface of the black water might imply that others could as well?

With that thought, Ji Changkong stepped to the edge of the sea and placed one foot onto the black water.

His foot landed on the black water as if pressing down on a cotton ball. When he pushed down harder, the black water actually exerted a rebounding force, seemingly pushing him upward.

"Oh!" Ji Changkong gasped, then extended his other foot to stand fully on the black water.

A bizarre event occurred! The black water, capable of instantly swallowing an iron vessel, was now actively supporting his body. He stood upon the black water as if treading on cotton, completely unafraid of sinking.

Looking toward the distant, fading points of light, Ji Changkong grinned. "This black water is quite interesting. Its reaction to inanimate objects seems completely different from its reaction to living things. Ha! On our Five Elements Continent, ships can float on seawater, but people can't. Here, it's the exact opposite. Truly fascinating."

"One Ten Directions Heavenly Soldier and two peak Nine Palaces Heavenly Soldiers. Their direction of travel is the same as ours—I wonder if their goal is also the same..." Hong Mandun muttered, seemingly not having heard Ji Changkong's commentary.

"What?" Ji Changkong was startled and immediately asked, "Didn't you discover this place? Besides you, does anyone else know about this location?"

Hong Mandun snapped out of his reverie, glancing at Ji Changkong. "What's so surprising? While there were no outsiders the last time I came, it doesn't mean others couldn't have known about this strange star. With the anti-flight barrier here, anyone passing overhead has a chance of being pulled down. Being discovered is a normal occurrence."

"Is the destination you were heading to also discovered by others?" Ji Changkong pressed further.

"That ten—" Hong Mandun paused for thought, then said, "The possibility is slim. That place is quite peculiar, shielded by layers of barriers and restrictions. Unless someone specifically seeks it out, it shouldn't be easily discovered. Even that Nine-Story Pagoda was hidden by an illusion formation; it shouldn't be found that easily."

"I hope so. If others have entered, the difficulty of our undertaking will increase yet again," Ji Changkong remarked.

"Mmm," Hong Mandun agreed with the sentiment.

"Let's go. We can walk directly across the Black Water; there's no need for a boat."

"Then let's go."

Across the boundless expanse of the Black Water Sea, the two moved towards their destination, constantly wary of potential dangers lurking around them. Since flight was forbidden, they pushed their speed to the maximum, yet it still took them over two months to reach the location Hong Mandun had mentioned.

It was an island, barren and utterly devoid of vegetation, and without any man-eating fierce beasts.

However, the Nine-Story Pagoda Hong Mandun spoke of was nowhere to be seen on the island.

"Where is the Nine-Story Pagoda?" As soon as he stabilized himself on the island, Ji Changkong immediately inquired.

"Don't rush. Let me search first," Hong Mandun said, settling into a cross-legged position with his eyes closed. His soul had left his body.

Ji Changkong had no idea what trickery he was attempting, so he could only provide some cover, preventing anyone from approaching while his soul was out.

After a while, a faint smile touched Hong Mandun's lips, and he suddenly stood up.

A massive sword gleam cleaved through the sky, slamming directly into the spatial barrier ahead.

A huge spatial rift tore open amidst pinpricks of light. The rift was dark and lightless, leading to an unknown place.

"Let's go!" Hong Mandun grinned, certain. "It's in there. All these years on the Five Elements Continent, I've been contemplating how to open the barrier. Well, it seems my method was sound."

With those words, Hong Mandun immediately entered the spatial rift and beckoned to Ji Changkong from within, saying, "Come in!"

Ji Changkong hesitated for only a moment before gracefully leaping and plunging into the not-so-tall spatial rift.

The scene shifted abruptly! They were in a vast, continuous mountain range. Nearby peaks stabbed into the clouds, covered in lush, thick vegetation, with exotic flowers and strange grasses everywhere.

At the absolute center of these peaks stood a Nine-Story Pagoda, thousands of feet tall—it was even more majestic and towering than the highest surrounding mountain! The Pagoda seemed to be forged from something unknown, shimmering with seven-colored streams of light that constantly interwove around it, casting radiant glows in all directions. Looking from afar, anyone's heart would only yield two words: Divine Miracle! With dozens of peaks surrounding it, this immense Pagoda dominated the landscape. Streams of light flickered near it, and peculiar energies of heaven and earth hung suspended in the air like smoke and mist. Anyone who took a single breath would instantly sense how dense these energies were! Ji Changkong had expended a significant amount of power on his journey, yet merely inhaling a few breaths here instantly refreshed his spirit, recovering more than half of his lost strength.

"Such potent celestial energy!" Ji Changkong couldn't help but exclaim softly.

Hong Mandun chuckled mysteriously and explained, "Otherwise, how could I say this is an artifact from before the Great Cataclysm? Legend has it that before the Great Cataclysm, many places in the vast Star Domain possessed incredibly dense celestial energy. These places were called 'Heaven-Bestowed Spiritual Lands'—a blessing from the heavens. Before the Great Cataclysm, wherever a 'Heaven-Bestowed Spiritual Land' existed, it was certainly inhabited by high-level races or ancient, colossal life forms."

"This place must be a remnant of a 'Heaven-Bestowed Spiritual Land' that survived the Great Cataclysm. The reason this star is so peculiar, capable of harboring diverse celestial energies, is likely due to the existence of such a place..."

"Indeed, this is part of an ancient 'Heaven-Bestowed Spiritual Land,' and moreover, its most crucial part!" Suddenly, a voice of agreement echoed from a mountain range ahead.

"Who is there?" Hong Mandun's expression shifted drastically. He hadn't sensed anyone nearby, which immediately alerted him to danger.

"Like you, someone searching for the true meaning of power. Heh, you two have been following us all along. I never expected the final destination to truly be here." A tall, slender middle-aged man, holding a jade ruler, walked out of the mountain range with a smile. As he moved, a strange barrier vanished, and two other Nine Palaces Celestial Masters emerged with him.

It seemed the middle-aged man with the jade ruler had been using some method to conceal the auras of the other two. Once he appeared, feeling no need for concealment, he removed the barrier hiding the two Nine Palaces Celestial Masters.

The two Nine Palaces Celestial Masters looked like brothers; their appearances were similar, and their heights didn't differ much.

"My name is Liu Lan. Three hundred years ago, my two sons and I passed through here and were pulled in by the strange energy of this star, becoming trapped for three centuries," the Ten Directions Celestial Master said, introducing himself frankly after emerging.

"Three hundred years ago?" Hong Mandun was horrified, staring at the trio, "You've been trapped on this star for three hundred years?"

"To be precise, it's been three hundred and fifty-two years," Liu Lan's expression was somewhat strange. "Three hundred and fifty-two years ago, I was merely an Eight Trigrams Celestial Master, and my two sons were only at the Three Talents Realm of cultivation. Although this place imprisoned us, it is exceptionally conducive to cultivation—"

Hong Mandun nodded, then asked curiously, "After all these years, have you never thought about leaving?"

"Leaving?" Liu Lan gave a wry smile. "We've tried countless methods, but unfortunately, none have allowed us to depart. We came this time also to search for a way out."

Hearing this, Ji Changkong and Hong Mandun exchanged a look, seeing a shared sense of gravity in the other's eyes.

These three—Liu Lan and his sons—had been confined for over three hundred years, and Liu Lan was still in the Ten Directions Heaven Realm. If they couldn't leave, did that mean this star fundamentally only allowed entry and not exit?

"My soul entered, and my soul can leave. Does this place impose no restrictions on the soul?" Hong Mandun suddenly remembered this detail.

"That's correct, there are indeed no restrictions on the soul here. If I wished, my soul could also leave this place," Liu Lan nodded, then pivoted his speech. "But I advise you against it—if you still wish to preserve your bodies."

"What do you mean by that?" Ji Changkong asked curiously.

"On this star, once the soul and body separate, the connection between them weakens gradually. Based on my tests, the limit for the soul to leave the body is three days. If they are separated for longer, the soul and body will inevitably lose contact. At that point, the soul and body can never reintegrate!" Liu Lan stated gravely.

"How can this be?" Hong Mandun's face changed as well.

"I don't know why. A friend told me this method. Xiao Han, come out." Liu Lan shook his head and called out toward a mountain range in the distance.

A little girl, barely one meter thirty tall, walked out from among the mountains with a cold expression. She was exquisitely beautiful, but her eyes held a maturity inconsistent with her small stature.

Upon arriving, she glanced impatiently at Hong Mandun and Ji Changkong, huffing, "This old man came with his soul last time. We were on the third level then, and the restriction below was triggered by him. He dusted himself off and left, preventing us from exploring further up..."

Hong Mandun looked utterly astonished, forcing a dry laugh. "Could it be such a coincidence? I also felt movement above and assumed a restriction had been triggered, so I immediately retreated. Was that you?"

"It was us," Liu Lan nodded, chuckling. "My two sons have been clamoring to seek revenge against you these past few years."

"Ugh! You old fool, you messed around, nearly causing us to be trapped to death in there," one of Liu Lan's sons gritted out, still clearly angry.

Hong Mandun bowed in apology, saying sheepishly, "Apologies, apologies. My last intrusion was clumsy, and since I nearly had my soul scattered, I became overly cautious."

It turned out Hong Mandun was also quite timid. Ji Changkong glanced at him, finding it rather amusing.

"Stop wasting time. Fire Phoenix is getting impatient. It's getting late, and if those fierce beast clans arrive before we prepare, we'll be scrambling again," the little girl Liu Lan called Xiao Han said, clearly impatient. "Hurry up. According to the time, those fierce beast clans should be arriving soon."

"Well, what about these two?" Liu Lan gestured toward Ji Changkong and the other.

"Bring them along. They probably won't survive inside the Pagoda anyway. If they remain outside and trigger some restriction, it will just cause us trouble," the little girl cast a sidelong glance at Ji Changkong, a clear sneer playing on her lips, as if certain of his impending death.

"Follow me, but don't wander off. Every step here is perilous; be careful not to trigger any restrictions prematurely," Liu Lan nodded, then gazed solemnly at Ji Changkong and Hong Mandun.

"Understood," Hong Mandun repeatedly agreed. Last time, as a mere soul, he had faced near-death here, almost annihilated. With someone leading the way now, he was certainly happy to comply.

Ji Changkong, completely unaware, naturally had no objections and obediently followed behind Liu Lan toward the back of a distant peak.

The three of Liu Lan’s group displayed an attitude of absolute obedience toward the little girl. This phenomenon made Ji Changkong note it inwardly. Liu Lan was at the Ten Directions Heaven Realm, yet he was so compliant before the young girl, suggesting her strength was extraordinary.

Thinking this, he tried to secretly use his divine sense to probe the little girl ahead, wanting to ascertain her true cultivation level.

"Take your divine sense back!" The little girl suddenly snapped her head around, glaring fiercely at him and shouting angrily, "Behave yourself here! Probing with divine sense will also trigger restrictions! Don't ruin things for us because of your recklessness! If you dare mess around again, I'll kill you right here to avoid you spoiling our grand plan!"

A bone-chilling coldness emanated from the little girl's eyes, as palpable as a physical entity.

Ji Changkong's body and soul seemed instantly frozen; his limbs were sluggish, and even his soul's thoughts began to slow down.

What! What kind of power was this! Shocked, the 'Flame of Life' rooted in his soul instantly flared up, silently dissolving the bone-chilling coldness. Simultaneously, the blood in his body boiled slightly, and the chill within his body began to recede bit by bit.

Just a single look was enough to make his limbs freeze and his soul nearly paralyzed—they were simply not on the same level! Suddenly, Ji Changkong realized that this little girl's strength likely far surpassed Hong Mandun's. If she wished, she could definitely kill him right here.

Realizing the gap in their strength, Ji Changkong, though inwardly grumbling, maintained a calm exterior, retracted his divine sense, and continued forward without a word behind Hong Mandun.

Ahead, a fissure split the earth, from which billows of flame erupted, reaching toward the sky, with faint, strange lights flickering within the gap.

Hong Mandun tugged at Ji Changkong's clothes, pointing toward the subterranean fissure spewing flames.

Ji Changkong focused his gaze and saw a piece of purple-gold stone beneath the sea of fire in that fissure—it was a Purple Gold Star Crystal! The Purple Gold Star Crystal, coveted by both the Zaka Clan and the Dark Star Clan, lay quietly and motionlessly within the fissure. Soon, he and Hong Mandun reached the fiery gap, only a step away from the Purple Gold Star Crystal; he could easily reach out and claim it.

He stared deeply at the Purple Gold Star Crystal for a moment, then forced himself to look away, refusing to look at it, silently reminding himself that greed kills. The Merchant Guild and the many Nine Palaces Celestial Masters of the Sea Abyss Continent had suffered greatly in the past precisely because of their greed, nearly leading to their annihilation.

Thinking this, his greed was truly suppressed, and he let the piece of Purple Gold Star Crystal pass by him.

"Hmph! Good thing you didn't reach out. If you had, you'd be dead!" The little girl ahead, with her back turned to them, suddenly remarked with a cold, mocking tone.

"No way. I obtained these stones from these fissures back then, and I was fine," Hong Mandun exclaimed.

"You were in soul form back then! Try it now?" The little girl suddenly turned around, first sneering coldly, then erupting into a tirade. "How dare you speak! It was because you did that back then that the external restriction triggered the internal one, leading to the deaths of five explorers because of you, preventing us from advancing further!"

"Ah!!" Hong Mandun managed a sheepish, dry laugh, repeatedly apologizing, "Well, I—I was indeed rash back then, but it was unintentional; I didn't mean to harm anyone."

"If you had intended it, would you still be alive now?" the little girl looked at him chillingly, then turned away. "Stop the nonsense! Don't look around! Don't move randomly! Hurry up! Fire Phoenix's patience is less than mine, and her temper is worse. You had better not keep her waiting, or else... hmph hmph!"

"When we meet Fire Phoenix, be obedient and absolutely do not provoke her anger. If she gets angry, none of us will have an easy time," Liu Lan whispered from behind, secretly advising him. "Also, never use fire in front of her! Remember that!" (To be continued, if you wish to know more)