"How is my sister?" Yao Kui looked at him, his expression solemn. Asura King paused, then stared back at Ji Changkong, "Is she still on the Five Elements Continent? Has she... has she run into any trouble? And, is our Asura Clan still the imperial family of the Northern Barbarians?"

Ji Changkong was surprised, pondered for a moment, and replied, "Yu Ziling is indeed still in the Northern Barbarians, cultivating in seclusion. Before I left, she hadn't yet broken through to the Nine Palaces Heaven Realm. After you two vanished, the Northern Barbarians descended into chaos for a while. Your Asura Clan is no longer the overlord of the Northern Barbarians."

When he was on the Five Elements Continent, various world powers submitted. The Northern Barbarians were inherently chaotic, but the situation was eventually stabilized due to the intervention of Xuanyuan Valley. Had he not sent word, the Asura Clan might have faced near annihilation. However, because of Yu Ziling, Xuanyuan Valley showed them considerable favor, saving the Asura Clan from the brink of extinction.

Because of the Asura Clan's downfall, Yu Ziling took on the heavy responsibility of reviving her clan by herself. Since then, she has practiced diligently, hoping to break through to the Nine Palaces Heaven Realm and, taking the place of her father and brother, secure the lasting peace of the Asura Clan.

After Xuanyuan Valley dominated the world, for some unknown reason, Yu Ziling deliberately distanced herself from him, remaining in isolated cultivation and never visiting Xuanyuan Valley to see him.

Due to certain circumstances, he also did not seek out Yu Ziling in the Northern Barbarians. Though they were on the same continent, they seemed to be hindered by some unseen force. Before he departed the Five Elements Continent, he never managed to see Yu Ziling again. "My sister has suffered," Yao Kui sighed softly.

Asura King shook his head, forcing a bitter smile, "I knew once you and I were gone, the Northern Barbarians would fall into great disorder. As long as the Asura Clan survives, I can rest assured. I hope one day Ling'er can also reach the Ten Directions Heaven Realm, and our family can be reunited in the Dead Star Domain." "You could also return to the Five Elements Continent," Ji Changkong suggested.

"Easier said than done," Asura King seemed to have endured many hardships. "The Dead Star Domain and the Five Elements Continent are separated by seventeen star domains. The perils we navigated to reach this place were countless near-death experiences. Returning now, we might be annihilated midway. Without the cultivation of the Ruyi Realm, I have no confidence in returning to the Five Elements Continent."

He appeared reluctant to dwell on those experiences. After a sigh, he continued, "I never expected you to break through to the Ten Directions Heaven Realm. Boy, you are more formidable than Gu Dan." "What about Cao Xuanqi and Shi Qianjie?" Ji Changkong frowned.

"Who knows," Asura King replied. "After emerging from that light hole, I never saw him again. He didn't end up with us. Perhaps he is still wandering on some nameless star. Of course, Cao Xuanqi's cultivation is incredibly high; he might have reached the Ten Directions Heaven Realm too, but whether he made it to the Dead Star Domain is hard to say." "I see," Ji Changkong murmured, feeling a touch of wistfulness. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "What are your plans from now on?"

After so many years, and with his maternal grandfather, Gu Dan, recovered, his hatred for Asura King had long since faded considerably. For Yu Ziling's sake, he couldn't bring himself to harm the pair. "Plans?" Asura King shook his head. "We'll take it one step at a time. Who knows what the future holds?"

"It is a great fortune that we can meet here. Take this vial of refined Origin of Life from me. I originally intended to keep it for someone else, but I know the chances of seeing him again are slim, so I'll give it to you." Ji Changkong pondered for a moment, handing the vial of Origin of Life to Asura King. "With this vial, you can refine your essence."

Asura King's eyes lit up; he seemed genuinely moved. He touched the vial of Origin of Life and stared at it for a long time before sighing, "To obtain even a single vial of the Origin of Life, I've used every trick these past years. Alas, I never imagined, I truly never imagined..."

It seemed Asura King’s recent years had been far from easy.

"Farewell for now."

Ji Changkong said no more, turning instead to Huo Feng and Xiao Han. "Let's go, the three of us can chat slowly."

"We can't stay in the Land of the Forsaken for long. Shall we leave now?" Xiao Han suggested.

"Let's find a place first; I have some questions for you." Ji Changkong cast one last glance at Asura King and Yao Kui, then finally left with Huo Feng and Xiao Han. "Truly astonishing that he could enter the Ten Directions Heaven Realm so quickly and refine his internal essence," Yao Kui mused after a long silence.

"Indeed," Asura King also sighed profoundly. "Back when he went to the Northern Barbarians, he was only at the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm. It's only been a mere decade, and he has already reached this stage, even befriending a powerhouse of the Nirvana Realm. It seems he will fare much better than us in the Dead Star Domain from now on." "Sooner or later, I will surpass him!" Yao Kui declared after a moment of deep contemplation, suddenly snorting coldly. Asura King smiled but said nothing.

"What do you want to ask?" Reaching a massive mountain peak thousands of feet high, Xiao Han looked at him calmly. "You two must have originated from the Dead Star Domain. You probably know more about its conditions here. Do you know of the Shang family?" Ji Changkong suddenly asked.

"The Shang family?" Huo Feng frowned, thinking carefully for a moment, then shook her head, responding impatiently, "I've never heard of them." "What is so special about this Shang family you mention?" Xiao Han paused, and a flash of astonishment suddenly appeared in her eyes.

"The cultivation techniques of the Shang family bear a striking resemblance to yours," Ji Changkong carefully weighed his words. "There is a Shang family on the Hailan Continent in the Solar Star Domain. They are one of the eight paramount powers there. Those cultivators of the Ten Directions Heaven Realm who emerge from the Shang family come here to the Dead Star Domain and all convene at the Shang family. The profound mysteries they specialize in are water and ice, especially the manipulation of frigid energy..." Xiao Han's look of astonishment intensified, and she stared at him with profound strangeness.

"What is it?" Ji Changkong felt Xiao Han's gaze was quite odd and couldn't help asking.

"My surname is Shang, and my original name is Shang Han!" Xiao Han took a deep breath, closing her eyes as if deep in thought. After a moment, she said, "...Hailan Continent, I think I have heard of that place. It must be one of the hundreds of subsidiary stars the Shang family oversees in another star domain. A century ago, the Shang family dropped a piece of 'Profound Ice' on that Hailan Continent. I wonder if that piece of Profound Ice served its purpose..."

"You, you?" Ji Changkong was momentarily stunned, pointing at Xiao Han in amazement, murmuring, "You, you are from the Shang family?" "We are not leaving now," Xiao Han shook her head, then her expression turned cold. "I was expelled from the family by the Shang family, which is why people call me Xiao Han now, not Shang Han!"

"The Shang family, is the Shang family very famous in the Dead Star Domain?" Huo Feng looked at Xiao Han, full of doubt. "Why have I never heard of the Shang family? Am I simply ignorant?" "Then have you heard of the Shang family on Tiannan Star?" Xiao Han pouted.

"The Shang family on Tiannan Star?" Huo Feng exclaimed in shock. "Of course, I have heard of the Shang family! It is rumored that they have a mysterious expert backing them, making them the most powerful Heavenly Soldier force on Tiannan Star. What, is there some connection between the Shang family and the business family you mentioned?" "The Shang family is the business family!" Xiao Han huffed.

"What is going on?" Huo Feng was confused again.

Xiao Han frowned, seemingly unwilling to explain the relationship, and coldly looked at Ji Changkong. "Why are you asking about the Shang family? If you intend to deal with them, I might be able to help you, though I doubt you have the strength!"

"The Shang family's subsidiary star... the Profound Ice... Is the Profound Ice a rare treasure that can allow an ordinary Shang family member to undergo a complete transformation, enabling rapid progress in Heavenly Soldier cultivation?" Ji Changkong suddenly asked.

"You actually know quite a bit," Xiao Han nodded. After hesitating for a moment, she explained, "That's right, the Profound Ice does have that effect. Furthermore, once a piece of Profound Ice merges with a Shang family infant, it becomes an integral part of that infant's body. As long as that infant grows up and cultivates the Way of the Heavenly Soldier, their progress will be meteoric, allowing them to break through to the Ten Directions Heaven Realm without bottlenecks. That 'Profound Ice' will guide them to the Dead Star Domain, to the Shang family on Tiannan Star, where they become an Ice Slave of the Shang family!"

"Ice Slave! What is that?" Ji Changkong felt a faint sense of unease rising in his heart. "I've told you enough. If you truly wish to understand these secrets, help me finish what I need done, and I will certainly tell you." "Tell me one last thing: is becoming an Ice Slave a good thing or a bad thing?" "The name suggests it isn't anything good," Xiao Han said coldly.

Ji Changkong fell into deep thought. After a long while, he finally said, "I am not interested in your affairs; I must go to Tiannan Star!"

"Don't worry. Although becoming an Ice Slave is ultimately a bad thing, there will be no problems initially. At least for the first hundred years, the Ice Slave will be safe," Xiao Han seemed to sense what he was thinking, humming, "With your power, going to Tiannan Star is useless. You should focus honestly on raising your realm. Besides, the place we are going isn't too far from Tiannan Star. If you truly help me with my task, based on my understanding of the Shang family, perhaps I can even manage to extract an Ice Slave for you."

"Do you truly mean that?" Ji Changkong asked sharply.

"If you help me complete my task, I will certainly help you sincerely!" Xiao Han guaranteed with a solemn expression.

"Very well, whatever you need my help with, I promise you!"

"Excellent. Then we leave the Land of the Forsaken immediately!" Huo Feng decided decisively.

"You don't need to ask any more questions. Just follow. When we arrive at the destination, I will tell you what to do." Seeing Ji Changkong about to ask more questions, Xiao Han preemptively stopped him with a sharp tone.

Ji Changkong could only bite his tongue in resignation, then followed Huo Feng and Xiao Han, seeking the safest path upward through the sky, flying straight up.

After several hours, the three of them broke out of the chaotic, disordered region. After struggling through the disorderly zone for a while, they finally entered the vast expanse of the starry sea. (To be continued. If you wish to know what happens next, please log in to... for more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)