The Life Magnetic Pool is incredibly mysterious; anyone within its bounds is subject to its magnetic forces, which not only nullify the use of Jing Yuan (Essence) but also suppress the Shen Hun (Divine Soul). Even Heavenly Masters who have reached the esteemed Realm of Consummation (Ruyi Zhijing) find themselves reduced to relying solely on their physical bodies and Divine Weapons upon entry, their power drastically diminished.

Generally speaking, the higher a Heavenly Master’s cultivation realm, the more rigorously tempered their physical body is. This means that if both Essence and Divine Soul are completely restricted, a Heavenly Master in the Realm of Consummation will still possess superior strength compared to one in the Realm of Nirvāṇa (Nie Jie Zhijing).

Of course, nothing is absolute. For certain alien races with exceptionally robust physical forms, this location becomes an advantage, as their inherent divine abilities remain unrestricted here.

The Wood Tribe can still petrify their bodies into wood; the Three-Eyed Tribe can still activate their third eye; and the Winged Tribe can still spread their wings and fly, albeit at a slower speed and altitude.

The mysterious magnetism of the Life Magnetic Pool fosters all manner of marvels. Rare exotic flowers and fruits, seldom seen elsewhere, can be found here, as can precious ores that would fetch a fortune on other stars.

These exotic flowers and fruits can be consumed directly to strengthen the physical body, alter one’s constitution, or even restore some dormant divine abilities. However, the rare ores capable of enhancing Divine Weapons are exceedingly difficult to refine into the weapons themselves, as the intense flames typically required for tempering Divine Weapons cannot be employed here.

Flames capable of tempering Divine Weapons usually necessitate the activation of Jing Yuan. Only a very small number of individuals, having prepared in advance, can utilize specialized methods to successfully fuse these ores into their Divine Weapons. Ji Changkong, who can wield the “Blazing Thunder Sacred Fire,” belongs to this select group.

Furthermore, there are the Flame Demons; the innate power of their flames is contained within their bodies, much like blood in humans. They are exempt from this restriction and can integrate precious ores into themselves at will. Another example is the three great elders of the Blood Tribe. Although the Blood Tribe elders cannot utilize Jing Yuan, their own blood possesses miraculous properties.

Because the exotic fruits are easy to consume while the rare stones are difficult to refine, those capable of smelting the stones in this environment are highly sought after.

After all, even members of the Blood Tribe must incur a personal cost to use their blood for refinement. Since a drop of the Blood Tribe’s blood is far more valuable than a drop of human vital blood, every loss causes them prolonged heartache. Even when refining stones for themselves, they must weigh whether the material justifies expending their vital essence. Naturally, they would not offer this service to others.

When Ji Changkong learned of this situation from Xiaohan, he finally understood why the attitudes of Zou Tao and Qiu Yun had shifted so drastically.

After using the power of the “Blazing Thunder Sacred Fire” to refine the exotic stones found by Zou Tao and Qiu Yun, Ji Changkong secretly probed the Sacred Fire, noting that the power it expended was slowly beginning to regenerate.

Normally, the power of the “Blazing Thunder Sacred Fire” requires searing flames and celestial lightning to recover. However, due to the unique environment here, the Sacred Fire appeared to be slowly regaining its strength merely under the influence of the ambient magnetic field, even without any external aid. Realizing this, Ji Changkong was relieved and promptly consumed the Spirit Void Fruit (Ling Xu Guo).

The Spirit Void Fruit dissolved instantly upon contact, and before he could discern its flavor, it transformed into threads of warmth that circulated throughout his body amidst a pervasive fragrance. The fruit seemed to catalyze a hidden power nestled within his meridians. After the warmth coursed through him, wisps of cool energy surged from his core and flooded into his mind.

Upon receiving this cool infusion, the stagnation in his Shen Hun (Divine Soul) perceptive abilities underwent a subtle shift. When he released his divine sense again, he could perceive faint energies within a ten-mile radius. While this range was narrow, in such an utterly bizarre place, it was an invaluable gain.

Evidently, Xiaohan and the others placed great value on this newfound ability. Before Ji Changkong could fully appreciate the other benefits the Spirit Void Fruit afforded, Xiaohan pressed him, "Anything unusual nearby? Did you sense any other life fluctuations?" Ji Changkong frowned, signaling for Xiaohan to quiet down first.

He had indeed detected movement within the ten-mile perimeter—a sensation of merging with the surrounding foliage, unmistakably emanating from members of the Wood Tribe.

"It's the Wood Tribe, seven of them, gathered in that direction." With his eyes tightly shut, Ji Changkong used his divine sense to point out a bearing. Suddenly, he exclaimed again, "Wait, there are people further out! The Wood Tribe members are pursuing someone—it looks like... it looks like Tianyue and the others!"

Zou Tao and Qiu Yun shot to their feet. "It seems we escaped because the Wood Tribe focused their main efforts on Tianyue's trio. We have to save them, or once they are finished, the Wood Tribe will come after us." "Can the Wood Tribe actually find us?" Huofeng scoffed impatiently. "If they kill those three but can't locate us, there's no need for us to risk going over there."

Huofeng clearly had no desire to get involved in Zou Tao's troubles. Ever since realizing how many enemies Zou Tao had, he had regretted partnering with them.

"We can't just ignore it," Xiaohan stood up, resigned. "If the pursuers were from the Three-Eyed Tribe or the Winged Tribe, we could ignore it, but the Wood Tribe is different. In a jungle, it’s far easier for them to track people than the other two tribes because they can communicate with the plant life!"

"Exactly," Zou Tao admitted with a wry smile.

"What a nuisance!" Huofeng snorted irritably, vexed. "Let’s go. Our Essence and Divine Soul are restricted, and we are deep in the jungle. Confronting the Wood Tribe won’t be easy."

Seeing the worried expressions on the four faces, Ji Changkong reluctantly gave up savoring the pleasant sensations granted by the Spirit Void Fruit and stood up, cautiously following behind Huofeng and Xiaohan.

"You don’t need to come," Zou Tao looked back at him oddly, offering kindly advice. "You won’t be much help, and frankly, we don’t want you getting hurt. Your flames will be very useful later; having you alive benefits everyone." Clearly, Zou Tao felt Ji Changkong was practically useless in a fight.

"No, let him come," Xiaohan, however, seemed to know all of Ji Changkong's peculiarities. She shook her head and said seriously to Zou Tao, "He can be of use. His flames alone could be a tremendous help. If you underestimate this fellow, hmph, you’ll likely regret it deeply." Hearing this, Zou Tao and Qiu Yun exchanged strange looks, glanced at Ji Changkong, and nodded slightly, saying no more. "You really do like poking your nose where it doesn't belong," Ji Changkong shot Xiaohan a glare.

Xiaohan ignored him. "We dragged you all this way, and you just got a massive advantage. You have to contribute something. We are pressed for time; after rescuing those people, we still need to find the Life Vortex. One more person means one more pair of hands—it’s a waste not to use them."

"Be careful, we’re almost there," Zou Tao lowered his voice. "When the time comes, we'll strike from behind. If we combine our strength, we might be able to take down at least two Wood Tribe members in one decisive blow!"

"Yes," Xiaohan nodded, "since those Wood Tribe members are completely focused on chasing Tianyue's trio, a sudden attack gives us a good chance." She then greedily inhaled the cold air emanating from her Ice Shard Sword, instantly invigorating herself, seemingly gaining a burst of strength for a short time.

"They are there!" Ji Changkong pointed in a direction, keeping his eyes closed. "Behind the ten-foot-high thicket. There are four Wood Tribe members, standing in a square formation, facing outward. Attacking them all simultaneously will be difficult; be cautious."

The group ceased speaking, moving stealthily across the ground without making a sound. In the distance, the curses of the Wood Tribe and sounds of intense fighting could be heard intermittently.

"Attack!" Zou Tao roared, charging forward. His conical Divine Weapon, enhanced by Ji Changkong, flashed, piercing through a dozen thicket leaves before slamming into the back of one Wood Tribe member.

Xiaohan, Huofeng, and Qiu Yun swarmed forward, all targeting that single Wood Tribe member, striking him down in an instant.

Ji Changkong was preparing to attack when he saw the first target had already been felled, so he immediately shifted his focus.

The second Wood Tribe member, pierced by Xiaohan's Ice Shard Sword, rapidly retreated into the dense shrubbery behind him. At that precise moment, Huofeng lunged out, appearing unexpectedly from behind, and shoved a ball of flame into the wide-open mouth of the Wood Tribe member, burning the second one alive.

The third Wood Tribe member, though screaming under the combined assault of Qiu Yun and Zou Tao, wasn't killed immediately. He managed to roll and crawl into the thicket behind him—the area where the other Wood Tribe members were gathered.

Over there, Luo Mi had been dead for some time, his body dismembered. Li Xing, severely wounded, lay struggling and stumbling as he tried to flee in the distance. Tianyue had been subdued by two Wood Tribe members; most of her clothing had been torn off, and one large hand was delving into her chest, the eyes of the assailant shining with unrestrained lust.

It appeared these Wood Tribe members were wary of a last-ditch struggle from Li Xing, choosing not to kill him outright but slowly draining his strength, intending to wear him down completely.

However, a subtle change was occurring on Tianyue's face; her features elongated slightly, and her cheekbones thinned. This minute transformation turned the previously ordinary-looking Tianyue into a delicate beauty. It was clear that she had been concealing her true appearance using a specialized method. It was precisely because of her refined features that she wasn't immediately killed and instead became the tool for the aggressors' imminent release.

"Save me!" Li Xing shouted, his face contorted in terror. "I know the location of the Life Vortex, I really do!"