He who lives under another's roof must bow his head.

Here, both the young girl named Xiao Han and Liu Lan possessed cultivation at the Ten Directions Heaven Realm. Liu Lan was relatively amicable, showing no hostility toward the pair, but the unfathomable Xiao Han was far less polite. Despite their inner displeasure, both men remained utterly silent.

Liu Lan cautioned the two of them a few times. Seeing that they were careful and cautious in their subsequent movements and ceased any risky actions, he finally relaxed.

Ji Changkong and Hong Mandun followed obediently behind the group of four, passing the exterior of the Nine-Story Pagoda and arriving at a mountain range behind it.

Ji Changkong did not move carelessly, but his eyes were far from idle; they were constantly fixed on the Nine-Story Pagoda.

He observed that the pagoda had only one narrow, golden doorway, which remained tightly shut for the moment. Besides that, there was no other entrance to the tower. Every single one of the upper stories was solid, without even a single window.

This meant that the only way to enter the pagoda was through that narrow golden door.

Beside the golden door squatted two massive stone lions, each towering over ten meters high, possessing a formidable and majestic aura. Looking up from a distance, Ji Changkong had to tilt his head back slightly.

In front of the stone lions was a wooden fence, seemingly enclosing the pagoda to prevent entry. However, since the fence was only made of wood, it offered no real defense without a magical barrier or restriction in place.

The area encircled by the wooden fence was planted with various exotic flowers and strange grasses. Some crimson fruits, visible even from afar, displayed vibrant colors, looking succulent and extremely tempting.

After staring at the unusual flora for a while, Ji Changkong was secretly astonished. The flowers and fruits within the wooden enclosure were unlike anything he had ever encountered; they were likely species unknown on the Five Elements Continent. To appear in such a place suggested the air here must be thick with spiritual energy, or they possessed some unique, marvelous purpose.

Thinking this, he resolved that if he could get close later, he would try to gather some, provided there was no danger.

“Why the delay?” A female voice suddenly cut through the air. The tone was crisp but laced with impatience, as if she could not bear to wait another moment. “If you’re any later, I’m leaving without you!”

A woman in a fiery-red robe, wearing a dark-red bamboo hat, stood behind the mountain range. Her gorgeous, graceful figure could not be hidden by the fiery robe, but because the hat was pulled so low, her features remained obscured, revealing only a sliver of pale whiteness on her pointed chin.

“Two reckless trespassers have arrived,” Xiao Han stated coldly, not sparing another glance for Hong Mandun or Ji Changkong after she approached.

“Who allowed you to bring outsiders in!” Huo Feng burst out angrily. “Why didn’t you kill them upon sight?”

“The fierce beasts will attack soon; I don’t want to waste time, nor a single drop of energy,” Xiao Han replied casually, then sat down where she stood.

“More people means a little more strength; perhaps they’ll prove useful inside,” Liu Lan offered with a smile.

Huo Feng’s hat lifted slightly, as if assessing Liu Lan. After a moment of contemplation, she said, “You had better have disciplined them well. If they do anything to undermine me halfway through, I will hold you responsible!”

Liu Lan froze, then smiled wryly, spreading his hands toward Hong Mandun and Ji Changkong. “I’ll have to rely on you two gentlemen to be agreeable and not anger these two grand ladies.”

“Absolutely, absolutely,” Hong Mandun chuckled, nodding.

Ji Changkong remained silent but offered Liu Lan a slight nod in return.

He had a nagging feeling that something was amiss. Why was Liu Lan being so kind as to bring them here? Was he planning to use them as cannon fodder? Having traversed the world for many years, witnessing the treachery of human hearts and even being betrayed himself, he was no longer naive, and his mind was certainly sharper now.

“Quiet, all of you!” Huo Feng commanded suddenly from beneath her hat.

Liu Lan immediately gestured for Hong Mandun and Ji Changkong to silence themselves, ceasing his own speech to watch Huo Feng intently.

Huo Feng extended her dark-red left hand from her fiery robe. Her hand appeared burned, covered in many scars, and the back of her palm bore strange red spots, looking as if she suffered from some contagious disease, giving a distinctly horrifying impression.

“Go!”

A stream of rainbow light shot from Huo Feng’s palm, quickly reaching the second level of the pagoda. Only when the light stopped did Ji Changkong realize it was a small bird, its entire body engulfed in blazing flames. The bird’s eyes, the size of soybeans, were full of spirit. Flapping its fiery wings, it perched on a small corner of the pagoda’s second level.

As soon as the firebird settled on the corner, it emitted a sharp, agonizing cry.

“Endure it!” Huo Feng whispered, a rare trace of affection in her voice. Her fingers flicked out repeatedly, sending streams of fire from her fingertips that quickly enveloped the firebird.

After being struck by the flames, the small bird quieted down, and the aura around it grew stronger.

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!

The flames burning on the bird intensified its power. With its sharp beak, the bird pecked out a tiny fissure in the corner of the pagoda's second level. Then, the bird compressed its body and fiercely squeezed through the narrow gap, disappearing into the second story of the pagoda.

Huo Feng breathed a soft sigh of relief, immediately sitting down where she was, just like Xiao Han, and pulled out a strange fiery-red elemental stone to recover her energy.

Ji Changkong frowned, observing Huo Feng covertly for a while before closing his eyes to sense the surge of energy around her.

Heaven Fire, Earth Fire, Samadhi True Fire—on the Five Elements Continent, these were known as the three most miraculous flames in the world, representing the pinnacle of flame cultivation, as far as he knew.

However, after witnessing the flames Huo Feng released, he immediately dismissed his former understanding.

The flames Huo Feng unleashed possessed the attributes of the Three Heavenly and Earthly Absolute Fires, yet the power contained within them was vastly superior!

He did not know the origin of those flames or how they were formed, but he was certain the power of the flames Huo Feng commanded was far greater than the Three Heavenly and Earthly Absolute Fires!

It seemed there were many more powerful flames existing in the vast Starry Domain. Compared to those flames, the Three Heavenly and Earthly Absolute Fires were likely far behind, Ji Changkong mused privately. Faced with the undeniable reality, denial was useless.

Just as his thoughts drifted, two more figures slowly ambled out from another mountain range. These two resembled humans in form but were clearly not human.

One of them had three eyes; the third eye, though closed, emanated a spiritual energy, clearly indicating a specialized function.

The other had skin like that of a toad, covered in small pores from which faint wisps of smoke emerged. He seemed to breathe through the holes in his face, possessing an utterly hideous appearance.

“We aren't late, are we?” The three-eyed figure looked at Ji Changkong and Hong Mandun upon arrival and asked Liu Lan, “These two look unfamiliar; are they new?”

“Yes, let me introduce you,” Liu Lan smiled, first introducing Ji Changkong and Hong Mandun, then pointing to the two newcomers: “Leo of the Three-Eyed Clan, and Tit of the Harlot Clan. They were also present the last time the Nine-Story Pagoda opened.”

Xiao Han, who had been sitting with her eyes closed, suddenly stood up and inserted a cold remark: “Tit, the person who triggered the external restriction last time the Nine-Story Pagoda opened was the older one.”

At these words, the ugly face of Tit from the Harlot Clan instantly contorted in fury. “Old man, were you the one causing trouble last time?”

Hong Mandun flinched, then awkwardly explained, “Well, I didn’t know what was happening back then, so…” so…………

“My younger brother died tragically last time precisely because of your meddling!” Tit roared, preparing to charge forward.

Hong Mandun’s expression shifted, and he gripped his long sword tightly, ready to fight.

“Tit, it’s about to start. Don’t you want to go in?” Huo Feng interjected at that moment.

“Fine!” Tit glared at Hong Mandun, shot Ji Changkong a venomous look, and sneered, “If you two don’t die inside, I will settle accounts with you when you come out!”

“What does that have to do with me?” Ji Changkong asked dumbfounded.

“If you come together, you die together!” Tit had no intention of reasoning. Having said that, he said no more, his eyes flickering with cold light as he seemed to plot how to deal with Hong Mandun.

Ji Changkong sighed inwardly, thinking how unlucky he was. He had expected to have some backup following Hong Mandun, but it turned out Hong Mandun was just as green, having made no progress at the Nine-Story Pagoda and, worse, having offended many people on his last trip, drawing Ji Changkong into his misfortune.

“Everyone be careful. The fierce beasts will be here shortly. Since we are together, follow the rules: no fighting before we emerge from inside. Understand?” Though wearing a hat, Huo Feng’s tone carried an undeniable authority.

Although filled with rage toward Hong Mandun, Tit could only nod helplessly to Huo Feng, promising not to engage in a fight outside.

Roar! Roar!

Furious roars echoed from the surrounding mountains, sounds so startling they seemed to summon more fierce beasts.

Hidden deep within this mountainous area, Ji Changkong observed carefully and noticed various fierce beasts gradually emerging from the surrounding ravines. These beasts were clearly not ordinary, and their numbers were vast.

Since arriving on this strange star, he and Hong Mandun had been fighting all sorts of fierce beasts and were already well aware of their power. Seeing so many beasts appear, Ji Changkong immediately became cautious.

The beasts here were no less formidable than ordinary Nine Palaces Heavenly Masters; some possessed even greater power.

The spiritual energy of this place was too mysterious, benefiting not only human cultivation but also astonishingly accelerating the advancement of fierce beasts. Liu Lan had broken through to the Ten Directions Heaven Realm not long after being stranded here. Fierce beasts living here for ages naturally possessed extraordinary power.

With this thought, Ji Changkong silently warned himself to be careful and never underestimate these beasts.

When a Three-Headed Silver Wolf with fur gleaming like fine jade appeared, Ji Changkong merely felt its presence subtly before retracting his divine sense.

The three heads of the Silver Wolf displayed highly humanized gazes. The heads looked in three different directions, and one seemed to pierce through the barrier of the mountains, looking directly toward their location.

Suddenly, Ji Changkong had the distinct illusion of being discovered by the wolf!

Huo Feng abruptly stood up, alarmed. “This Silver Wolf has evolved to three heads; this is trouble. Everyone, prepare for battle! A three-headed Silver Wolf is already a Sacred Beast level existence, no less powerful than our Smooth-as-One Ten Directions Heavenly Masters. It must have spotted us!”

Howl! Howl!

The Three-Headed Silver Wolf suddenly howled at the sky, a clear, piercing sound seemingly signaling the surrounding beasts.

Beasts of all kinds emerged from the mountains, dividing into five groups and surging toward the nearby peaks and valleys, each emanating a fierce aura and surging killing intent.

The Three-Headed Silver Wolf, however, did not move. Its three human-like eyes surveyed the five directions, then it calmly and slowly walked toward the small door of the Nine-Story Pagoda.

The Silver Wolf seemed intimately familiar with the restrictions around the pagoda; it leaped forward rapidly but failed to trigger a single one.

Ji Changkong was aghast. He sensed an ancient, profound aura emanating from the Silver Wolf!

It was an ancient aura similar to that of the Four Sacred Beasts. Although not as immense, the resemblance was striking enough to cause him a faint sense of unease.

“Equivalent to a Nirvana Nest level Ten Directions Heavenly Master,” Ji Changkong murmured, then turned to Hong Mandun beside him, asking, “Are the Ten Directions Heavenly Masters also divided into different realms?”

He was certain the answer was yes. When he was at the Seven Stars Heaven Realm, he could judge the different levels of Heavenly Masters based on his proficiency in Star Wandering. At the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm, Divine Wandering of the sun and moon allowed for a division into two stages.

And at the Nine Palaces Heaven Realm, different tiers could be distinguished by the amount of stellar essence collected via acupoints, as well as the degree of refinement in the Soul Sea.

Following these patterns, even experts at the same Ten Directions Heaven Realm should have different subdivisions.

“Of course, they are,” Hong Mandun explained matter-of-factly. “The Ten Directions Heaven Realm is divided into five stages: Subtle Manifestation, Nirvana Nest, Smooth as One, Divine Connection, and Chaos. The difference in strength between Heavenly Masters of different stages can be several times or even dozens of times greater. The further along one progresses, the more powerful the abilities and divine techniques of the Ten Directions Heavenly Master become. As for me, I have only just begun, barely entering the Subtle Manifestation stage.”

Subtle Manifestation, Nirvana Nest, Smooth as One, Divine Connection, Chaos—these were the five distinct stages of the Ten Directions Heavenly Master. If Hong Mandun was only at the Subtle Manifestation level, what level were Liu Lan and the little girl? And Huo Feng?

Ji Changkong watched the group, pondering silently.

Aoo! Aoo! Aoo!

Beasts suddenly charged into a valley before them. Amidst their howls, intense fighting erupted within the valley, occasionally punctuated by the shouts of men and beasts.

“There are others too!” Hong Mandun exclaimed, startled.

Liu Lan gave him a strange look and said in a low voice, “In recent years, this strange star has pulled many people down from the heavens. Just like you, those pulled down from above had tools for flying outside, but they become useless once they arrive here. On this star, there are currently dozens of people cultivating in various locations, and many of them know about this Nine-Story Pagoda.”

Hesitating slightly, Liu Lan secretly cautioned Hong Mandun, “Remember, never mention to anyone that you tried exploring last time; you caused the deaths of quite a few people.”

“Uh, I know,” Hong Mandun replied with a strained laugh.

“Good. Remember this: the moment the external restrictions are temporarily lifted, we must enter the pagoda as quickly as possible. Once we are inside, the external restrictions will not reactivate unless someone carelessly touches them. If someone touches the restrictions outside, it will trigger a chain reaction, causing the internal restrictions to rapidly multiply,” Liu Lan explained quietly, keeping his head down.

“Do the fierce beasts charging in the other four directions have other explorers like us?” Ji Changkong suddenly asked.

Liu Lan’s expression darkened, but he nodded helplessly. “Yes, those guys are like us, preparing to explore the Nine-Story Pagoda. Before entering the pagoda, you don’t need to worry; they won’t act aggressively for fear of triggering the restrictions. Once inside, you must be wary—you understand?”

Ji Changkong gave a wry smile and nodded, thinking there was no point in further explanation.

If they truly discovered any coveted treasure inside that pagoda, forget those other groups; even Liu Lan himself might turn on them and launch a massacre.

Having fought countless battles over the years, he had witnessed too much human ugliness and knew that under such circumstances, any promise or assurance was as fragile as tissue paper. Only by being extremely cautious and having sufficient strength for self-preservation could one survive among the surrounding wolves.

With this in mind, he subtly attempted to communicate with the vast Star Sea Map residing within the spirit body of the Demon Core in his Tianyuan Pearl. However, the moment his mind touched the Star Sea Map, he sensed the energy around him suddenly become intensely chaotic. The ambient energy near the Nine-Story Pagoda seemed on the verge of changing.

Sensing danger, Ji Changkong immediately stopped exploring the Star Sea Map, his expression returning to normal as he pursed his lips, daring not to try again so easily.

“What are you doing?” Huo Feng suddenly shrieked.

“Nothing,” Ji Changkong replied innocently, acting as if nothing had happened, and countered, “What’s wrong with you?”

“The ambient energy around you is fluctuating irregularly,” Huo Feng coldly snorted. “It’s caused by the movement of energy within your body. Don’t try to fool me in front of me. Remember, keep quiet in this place; don’t even move your divine sense carelessly.”

Ji Changkong was speechless, then fell silent.

Aoo! Aoo! Aoo!

A fiery-red male lion descended from the sky. With a great roar, it charged directly at Huo Feng, spewing a stream of flames several meters long. The wave of heat was comparable to the Second Level True Fire Ji Changkong wielded!

Seeing the lion breathe fire, even without using his divine sense, Ji Changkong could detect the terrifying power contained within the flames from his own constitution.

Lions capable of spitting fire comparable to the Second Level True Fire were rare anomalies on this star; they had clearly learned how to utilize the power of the earth, much like ordinary human Heavenly Masters.

Huo Feng extended her hand. A cluster of azure blue flames suddenly materialized on her scarred left hand. As soon as the flame appeared, it instantly formed a blue light curtain, completely enveloping the stream of flame spat out by the male lion.

Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!

Amidst strange distortions, the intensely hot flame spat out by the lion rapidly vanished under the azure flame, seemingly consumed and assimilated by it.

“Go!” Huo Feng flicked her left hand, sending the azure flame shooting toward the lion. It swept past the beast.

The fiery-red male lion, halfway to striking Huo Feng, displayed sheer terror in its eyes. As the azure flame passed over its body, the lion instantly began smoking and disintegrated into ash, vanishing into the air.

Immediately following the fiery-red lion, more fierce beasts swarmed forward, quickly surrounding the valley where Ji Changkong, Hong Mandun, and their group stood.

“Engage! Hold them for at least ten breaths; after ten breaths, I will open the pagoda door, and we charge in together!” Huo Feng commanded lightly.

Dozens of fiercely diverse beasts charged unceremoniously toward the group of Ji Changkong and Hong Mandun in the valley.

These beasts were different from those on the Five Elements Continent; not only were they much larger, but the power contained within their bodies far surpassed those of their counterparts.

For example, the One-Eyed Python in the Mengda Swamp’s Poison Dragon Pool—its first eye was merely a distinguishing feature with no special function. Here, however, the extra eye of the One-Eyed Python could shoot dazzling, continuous bolts of lightning. These lightning bolts were dense, and the contained electrical power was staggering; even Ji Changkong’s Dragon Radiance Saber barely intercepted them without causing his hands to go numb.

The lightning from just the extra pair of dragon eyes on this One-Eyed Python could cause significant trouble, but its strength was not limited to those extra eyes. When the One-Eyed Python whipped its long tail, a foul, poisonous wind swept out, forcing even Leo of the Three-Eyed Clan to quickly dodge.

Aside from the Eye-Dragon Python, the other ferocious beasts here all possess various divine abilities—thunder, lightning, flying blades, fire rain, ice rain, and so on—which are quite common.

The ferocious beasts in this place are actually skilled in utilizing the diverse powers of heaven and earth, much like ordinary cultivators. Some of these beasts are even more adept than most people in wielding these terrestrial forces, mastering certain techniques.

Dozens of ferocious beasts charged forward, causing even Hong Mandun to become flustered.

Hong Mandun, practically invincible on the Continent of Five Elements, unleashed a sword beam several thousand meters long, slashing at a Sky-Flying Blood Serpent. Not only did it fail to cleave the serpent in two, but the venom spewed from the serpent’s mouth corroded his longsword, leaving a visible nick on the blade.

“That sword of yours was forged from ordinary materials; it won’t inflict much damage on the beasts here. If you can obtain some of the strange quicksand and metal blocks from that pagoda, the sharpness of your longsword could increase tenfold, and your strength could finally be truly exerted!” Liu Lan, standing nearby, smiled faintly and tossed out his jade ruler.

His jade ruler spun briefly in the air before abruptly transforming into a massive jade tablet, slamming heavily into the Sky-Flying Blood Serpent.

The serpent that Hong Mandun’s sword couldn't kill was instantly crushed beneath the jade tablet, its body flattened into a bloody pulp.

Hong Mandun touched his longsword with some shame, muttering, “Then I must search diligently within that pagoda.”

“Indeed. Once your cultivation breaks through to the Realm of Ten Directions Heaven, you will need to seek out the rarest materials in the Endless Star Field. Otherwise, you will never be able to unleash the full potential of your divine weapon,” Liu Lan chuckled.

Crack!

Ji Changkong raised the Dragon Radiance Saber with a flourish, striking another Sky-Flying Blood Serpent. That serpent immediately split in two, landing on the ground with a thud, wriggling briefly before falling still.

“Oh!” Liu Lan exclaimed in surprise, then laughed, “Little brother’s divine weapon is impressive. It must have quite a bit of strange matter mixed in, or it wouldn't be this sharp.”

“No way?” Hong Mandun cried out, his expression growing even gloomier.

“Don’t be surprised. Because these ferocious beasts have absorbed the powers of heaven and earth for ages, they possess astonishing resistance to various forces. Your sword light is also formed from your internal energy, a variation of heaven and earth's power, so it’s normal that the Sky-Flying Blood Serpent could withstand it,” Liu Lan explained with a smile. “Here, some beasts can only be slain by the sheer sharpness of a blade. Of course, if your application of heaven and earth’s power were more refined, reaching an incredible degree of concentration, that would be a different matter entirely.”

As he spoke, Liu Lan gestured toward Huo Feng and Xiao Han standing beside him.

Flames danced on the fingertips of Huo Feng’s five digits, reducing every approaching beast to ashes. Meanwhile, Xiao Han darted lightly between the beasts, occasionally reaching out to tap one on the head. Every beast she struck immediately suffered a massive internal explosion and collapsed.

Neither of these two utilized any sharp divine weapons, clearly indicating they were the formidable figures Liu Lan spoke of, possessing profound mastery over the mysteries of celestial power.

Hong Mandun looked on in astonishment, shaking his head helplessly, and forced a bitter smile, “I didn't realize how weak I am here.”

“Don’t rush. I am also in the Subtle Realm, just like you. Once you obtain the treasures in the pagoda, your strength will advance rapidly. Even if you gain nothing, if you spend more effort exploring all the islands on this star, you can still acquire some material for tempering,” Liu Lan consoled Hong Mandun.

“You are in the Subtle Realm; what about Xiao Han and Huo Feng? What are their realms?” Ji Changkong suddenly asked.

“Them… well…” Liu Lan glanced stealthily at Huo Feng.

“Stop wasting time and deal with these beasts quickly, lest they cause trouble when the rush begins!” Huo Feng snapped impatiently from the other side.

Liu Lan gave Ji Changkong an awkward smile and said no more.

With Huo Feng interjecting, Ji Changkong dared not slack off. He continuously swung his saber amidst the horde of beasts. This time he had learned his lesson; instead of channeling his power through the saber to create a blade light, he focused that power as sheer brute force applied through his wrist.

As the Dragon Radiance Saber swept through the air, a thick scent of blood filled it. The beasts that closed in found no advantage under the saber’s flight; many lost limbs.

The Dragon Radiance Saber was an ancestral artifact of the Ji family, and after coming into his possession, it had been repeatedly tempered, infused with many rare materials, and even contained the soul of an evil dragon. It was only natural that the Dragon Radiance Saber was far sharper than Hong Mandun’s sword.

After a soft cry from Huo Feng, everyone fell silent, cautiously dealing with the surging beasts.

Huo Feng and Xiao Han were undoubtedly the most formidable; wherever they passed, beasts were either incinerated or immediately fell dead, never getting another chance to fight.

Aside from these two, Leo of the Three-Eyed Clan and Teet of the Halle Clan were also quite exceptional. Leo, wielding a silver spear engraved with intricate tree patterns, would pierce a beast, leaving a bloody hole in its body with every thrust.

However, Leo of the Three-Eyed Clan had not utilized his third eye. Ji Changkong had a feeling that Leo’s true power would only manifest when that third eye opened.

Teet was different from Leo. As soon as a beast approached, he rushed forward, and wisps of smoke drifted from the small apertures on his face. Within the smoke, spectral skulls appeared, seemingly capable of corroding the beasts’ souls.

More than half of the dozens of surrounding beasts died under the combined efforts of the group, primarily slain by Huo Feng and Xiao Han.

Just then, Huo Feng suddenly cried out, “The Three-Headed Silver Wolf is making a move! Charge for the gate immediately!”

Awooo!

The Three-Headed Silver Wolf let out another enraged roar toward the sky. From the earth before the nine-story pagoda, bone-white puppets began to emerge. These skeletal puppets were crystal clear, shining with a pale luster, moving with agility. They resembled monstrous devils, clutching various weapons.

The weapons held by the bone puppets were suffused with a dead aura, seemingly possessing a power that could corrupt the mind. The skeletal puppets advanced after the ferocious beasts, charging in five directions.

The Three-Headed Silver Wolf, positioned before the golden small door, simultaneously unleashed beams of silver light from its three muzzles. These beams struck the golden door, causing its radiance to grow steadily stronger.

It seemed the wolf needed the ferocious beasts and the bone puppets to buy it time—time to manipulate something on the golden door.

Huo Feng shouted an alarm and was the first to charge toward the Three-Headed Silver Wolf. Ji Changkong and his group dared not hesitate and followed closely behind.

From the other four directions, strange figures suddenly burst forth—a mix of humans and other races, clearly adventurers seeking fortune here as well.

Five groups in total launched a full-force assault, slaughtering the beasts blocking their path. They charged relentlessly toward the Three-Headed Silver Wolf’s location. Everyone shared the same objective, and even when they got close, they did not interfere with each other, focusing entirely on slaying beasts and bone puppets. Under the impact of the group’s attacks, the bone puppets rang out with clinks and clanks, but few bones were actually shattered.

Except for the weapons of a few individuals that were exceptionally sharp, most weapons only caused the bone puppets to jolt slightly when they struck.

Evidently, these bone puppets were far harder to deal with than the ferocious beasts that had rushed them earlier!

Ji Changkong grew more cautious. Wielding the Dragon Radiance Saber, he adopted a strategy of 'no merit sought, but no fault committed.' He only struck when a beast or bone puppet reached him, pushing them away but never actively attacking, simply following closely behind the front line.

He noticed that within his own team, as well as in the other four factions, there were powerhouses capable of ending his life. Against such individuals, he needed to conserve his strength as much as possible, ideally concealing all his abilities so they could be utilized at a critical moment.

To ensure his survival, he had begun preparing early.

In the other four forces, there were similarly powerful masters present, but due to the constant danger around him and the need to keep pace with Huo Feng, he had not observed them closely.

Huo Feng and Xiao Han were indeed exceptional. With them leading the way, their contingent was the first to reach the Three-Headed Silver Wolf.

Upon arrival, Huo Feng and Xiao Han wasted no time and immediately launched their attack on the wolf.

“Everyone combine your strength, we must drive the Three-Headed Silver Wolf away!” Huo Feng commanded while unleashing fire, warning the others, “If the Silver Wolf manages to enter the golden gate first, we will be trapped outside, and this trip will have been for nothing.”

“We don’t need you, Huo Feng, to tell us that. We know what to do!” A giant, three meters tall, with muscles as hard as rock and a face full of ruggedness, boomed his reply, his voice like a great bell.

“Good!” Huo Feng nodded. “Tian Lie, you attack one head; Yin Ji over there deals with another; Tu Can and Jiu Nan handle the third. I will prepare to break the door!”