Ji Changkong ultimately declined the Feather Clan youth's suggestion to meet the Grand Elder Feiyun. Though one Origin Crystal was substantial, he knew obtaining it would not be easy.

The star where the nine-story pagoda resided was too enigmatic; he couldn't pinpoint its exact location. Moreover, having just acquired some treasures from that very pagoda, he worried what the Grand Elder Feiyun might suspect or plan if he discerned Ji Changkong had come seeking those very spoils.

After careful deliberation, he still refused the Feather Clan youth’s kind offer. Instead, he truthfully recounted everything he knew, gleaned further information about the (Review/Tribunal) in the Dead Star Domain from the youth, and then quickly took his leave.

Having learned the mysteries of the Micro-Level of the Ten Directions Heaven from the Feather Clan youth, he immediately resolved to first find a secluded place to transform the power within his body using the Origin of Life—this was currently the optimal path to enhancing his own strength.

The Barren Lands were replete with mountains, rivers, and lakes; deserted, unpopulated areas were extremely easy to locate. As long as no powerful life fluctuations were detected, he could simply occupy the space for cultivation. After parting ways with the Feather Clan youth, he prepared to find an uninhabited spot to practice.

His divine sense spread out, wandering around as his mind churned, contemplating the information he had received from the Feather Clan youth.

Within the Dead Star Domain, there were countless higher races possessing high intelligence and formidable power, much like the Human Race. For instance, the Three-Eyed Clan, the Feather Clan, the Wood Clan, the Heavenly Demon Clan, the Heavenly Craft Clan, the Blood Clan, the Bone Clan, and so forth, were all powerful entities in the Dead Star Domain, their influence sometimes even surpassing that of the Human Race.

In addition to these races, there were also the Alien Races from before the Great Destruction, such as the Purgatorial Ghost Clan, the Sacred Beast Clan, and the Dragon Clan. Although these races were individually powerful, their numbers were sparse. They often cultivated in remote corners of the domain and rarely showed themselves to others. The Human Race’s standing in the Dead Star Domain was not the highest; they were only on par with certain Alien Races.

Frequent conflicts arose between the major races within the Dead Star Domain. Many past races had even been wiped out. Because of the sheer number of races here, many stars were perpetually locked in conflict, making the domain far more chaotic than other star systems. Of course, confrontations between the major races in the Dead Star Domain were almost always driven by mutual benefit.

The Dead Star Domain was the system least affected by the Great Destruction. Consequently, it harbored many treasures that had long gone extinct in other domains. The rare ores, spirit herbs, and other cultivation materials seldom seen elsewhere were most abundant here.

It was precisely this abundance that attracted a continuous stream of powerful cultivators to the Dead Star Domain, keeping it in a constant state of turmoil.

The Barren Lands were not considered a particularly vital location within the Dead Star Domain. The cosmic energy contained within the Barren Lands ranked at the bottom among the major life-bearing stars of the domain.

However, the Barren Lands possessed a certain allure. Legend held that this desolate region was an ancient battlefield predating the Great Demise, a place where primordial beings clashed. It was whispered that deep within the mountains and swamps of the Barren Lands, one might still find divine weaponry or cultivation methods left behind by those ancient entities.

For many years, fueled by this rumor, experts from various major races would frequent the Barren Lands, hoping to stumble upon some divine artifact left by the ancients.

Indeed, legends spoke of a few individuals incredibly fortunate enough to discover ancient divine weapons or secret cultivation techniques within certain mountains and subterranean caverns of the Barren Lands, causing their cultivation realms to soar dramatically.

It was said that the current patriarch of the Wood Clan, tens of thousands of years ago, only managed to elevate his realm far above the other Wood Clan experts and claim leadership after discovering the hidden cave dwelling of an ancient being in the Barren Lands, thereby obtaining the cultivation methods and treasured artifacts within.

As the major races explored the Barren Lands more thoroughly, in recent years, stories of anyone gaining truly monumental treasures had become rare.

The masters from various races currently gathered in the Barren Lands might still harbor the hope of acquiring ancient wonders, but they were now the minority. Most who lingered in the Barren Lands were there for the peculiar fierce beasts or the unique spirit herbs found in the area.

From the Feather Clan youth, he learned that the Barren Lands had now become a proving ground for the younger, highly talented members of the major races—a place to temper their state of mind, advance their cultivation, and undergo spiritual refinement. It was for this reason that cultivators from numerous high-ranking races mingled here.

Lost in thought, he extended his divine sense to scout for uninhabited peaks. Not long after, he discovered a ten-thousand-meter-high snow peak displaying no significant life fluctuations. Upon reaching the summit, he observed only the activity of Snow Bears.

His divine sense swept over the area one last time, confirming the absence of other cultivators. He then used his long saber to carve a small cave into the mountainside, just large enough for three or four people to sit inside.

After entering, he first used rocks inside to seal the entrance. Then, he casually laid down a few protective restrictions. Next, he retrieved the bell and brought the White Bone Skeleton out of it. Following the instructions in the sutra scroll, since his essence blood was already within the skeleton, and he controlled the bell, he naturally possessed absolute command over the White Bone Skeleton. He imposed a loyalty command upon the skeleton, instructing it to stand guard, and then sat down, taking out a vial of the Origin of Life.

The Origin of Life was typically solid, like amber, storing wondrous power akin to an Origin Crystal. However, the Origin of Life in this vial was liquid, condensed through a special technique.

Generally speaking, condensed Origin of Life was easier to absorb than its primal form and often contained a greater store of life force.

Calming himself, he uncorked the vial and dripped a single drop onto his palm.

Strangely, the tear-sized drop of Origin of Life vanished instantly upon touching his palm, as if merging into a vast ocean. Simultaneously, the Yuan Power within him seemed to be stirred, becoming somewhat turbulent.

With a flicker of thought, he dripped several more drops onto his palm. When the Yuan Power within him surged through his meridians like ten thousand galloping horses, he immediately realized he needed to cultivate without delay.

Instantly, his consciousness plunged into a state of selflessness. Using the profound mysteries of the Taixu Secret Record as his foundation, guided by his subconscious urge to cultivate, he settled down to practice intensely within the cave.

Drop after drop of the Origin of Life rolled through his body like crystalline pearls. Wherever the Origin of Life passed, the surging Yuan Power within him seemed to be momentarily restrained by some strange force, slowly beginning to decelerate.

Inside his body, several droplets of the Origin of Life formed distinct vortices, with one droplet at the center of each. Circling around these life sources was his Yuan Power, which rapidly transformed under the guidance of the Origin of Life.

Slight wisps of a peculiar aura slowly emitted from his mouth, resembling fine, white mist, yet carrying a delightful spiritual energy that instantly purified the air in the small cave.

After an unknown period, he abruptly awoke, noticing that the several vortices inside him were rapidly refining. As the vortices spun, the Yuan Power stored in his acupoints began undergoing miraculous changes.

However, his Yuan Power was incredibly vast, and those few drops of the Origin of Life seemed insufficient to transform all of it. Realizing this, he immediately understood that he likely lacked enough Origin of Life.

With that thought, he unceremoniously poured out the rest of the vial’s contents, dripping the Origin of Life one by one into his palm, allowing each drop to form a vortex in various parts of his body, thereby transforming his massive reserve of Yuan Power.

The entire vial of condensed Origin of Life poured out, instantly creating numerous swirling vortices throughout his body. The circulation speed of the Yuan Power within these vortices accelerated exponentially, until the gaseous Yuan Power began to condense into a misty state, very similar to the white vapor escaping his nostrils.

Unconsciously, his body became covered in layers of white, misty vapor that lingered, seeming intrinsically connected to every pore and acupoint on his body—his cultivation had reached a critical juncture.

Two Shi Fang Tian cultivators passing by the snow peak suddenly halted, both staring curiously at a section of melted cliff face, sensing the faint, peculiar aura leaking from a fissure.

“Origin of Life!” a curvaceous woman exclaimed softly, then added in a sweet voice, “Senior Brother, ever since I broke through to the Shi Fang Tian Realm, I haven't managed to acquire the Origin of Life to refine my internal power. The power still flowing through me is just Yuan Power. Look?”

The man she called Senior Brother was a short, stocky, dark-faced fellow whose already ugly face was peppered with pockmarks, resembling a steamed bun whose skin had peeled off. Hearing the woman’s sugary address, he seemed quite pleased, chuckling as he rubbed his nose. “Origin of Life is a rare commodity. The supply in the Dead Star Domain has become scarcer over the years. Enough Origin of Life for one Shi Fang Tian cultivator to refine their power is practically priceless.”

“Senior Brother, if you help me acquire this Origin of Life, your little sister will surely repay you handsomely!” Saying this, the shapely woman leaned against the stout man, pressing her ample bosom firmly against his chest and giving a deliberate shake.

“You shameless wench,” the fat man grunted, firmly squeezing her chest, then sneered, “This person is quite bold, daring to refine the Origin of Life without having a friend stand guard. He deserves his misfortune.”

“Senior Brother, hurry up,” the woman urged impatiently. “If we delay, all the Origin of Life will be refined, and I won't get anything.”

“I’m going now,” the fat man chuckled, swaggering toward Ji Changkong’s cave. He raised a hand, grabbed a handful of small golden pellets, and hurled them violently toward the cave entrance. (To be continued. For future developments, please log in... More chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)F