Vex drew alongside Ji Changkong, unleashing the innate divine ability of the Blood Race, his physical strength instantly multiplying several times over.

Five strands of blood energy flowed from Vex’s fingertips, hooking like grappling irons onto Ji Changkong’s chest, the energy solidifying. "Clang!"

The sound of metal striking metal rang out from Ji Changkong’s chest, as if iron hooks had violently slammed against steel. Ji Changkong remained utterly unmoving, his robes tearing open to reveal the Whale Armor beneath, showing not a single scratch.

Vex froze, a flicker of confusion crossing his eyes, seemingly wondering why Ji Changkong’s chest and abdomen hadn't been pierced, why he hadn't been instantly slain.

A flash of clarity suddenly pierced Vex’s mind, a deep-seated fear from the recesses of memory, magnified to an infinite degree.

The confusion on Vex's face instantly morphed into stark terror. After a brief pause, he shrieked like a slaughtered pig: "God Race! The Purgatory God Race!" With that cry, Vex finally reacted, his face contorted with fright, desperate to break away from Ji Changkong. Just then, Ji Changkong suddenly smiled, a chillingly merciless expression crossing his features.

His hands struck like venomous drills, boring violently into Vex's waist and abdomen. Bang! Razor-sharp fingernails erupted with strange glyphs that pulsed with an eerie luminescence. "Slish!"

Those sharp nails, like instruments of absolute destruction, instantly tore through Vex’s chest cavity, sinking deep into his body. With a swift twist of his arms, he churned his grip.

Vex suddenly began howling like a tormented ghost, blood uncontrollably overflowing from his mouth. Mustering his last ounce of strength, Vex scrambled backward, making strange, muffled sounds from his throat—a grotesque noise indicating an attempt to scream choked by a mouth full of gore. "The Purgatory Ghost Race!"

Xiao Han, who had approached Ji Changkong, turned ashen, staring at him with utter dread, daring not to take another step forward. "The Purgatory Ghost Race! How could this kid turn into one of the Purgatory Ghost Race!" Huo Tuo of the Flame Demon Clan also screamed, his face a mask of disbelief.

"Elder Vex!" A master of the Blood Race rushed forward, catching the unsteady Vex. "Elder, are you alright?"

Vex’s tunic was drenched in blood, his face pale, even his pupils had reverted to a normal hue. His body shook violently, his eyes locked onto Ji Changkong, whispering incessantly, "Impossible, how is this possible? I should have known, I should have known he wasn't ordinary. Back at the castle, I sensed his blood was different from others. I never imagined... never imagined he belonged to the God Race!" Ren and Figg, the other two Blood Race Elders, were also stunned into silence the moment Ji Changkong’s transformation took hold. "Kill that brat! Damn it, he seriously injured Elder Vex!" a Blood Race Heavenly Master of the Nirvana Stage shrieked before suddenly charging forward.

"Come back!" Ren roared.

"Why?" the Heavenly Master of the Nirvana Stage questioned, bewildered. "The fellow injured Elder Vex, why shouldn't we kill him?"

"Zhenie, return." Vex gasped weakly.

"Elder Vex, you saved my life; I must avenge you," the Blood Race master of the Nirvana Stage insisted.

"Return. You are no match for him," Vex said with a bitter smile, taking a deep breath, a strange crimson hue flashing back across his face.

Then, Vex, who had been gravely wounded, watched as the injury on his chest rapidly healed. He coughed violently a few times, struggling for breath. "I’m not dying yet!"

Vex straightened his garments, let out a slight cough, and suddenly bowed deeply toward Ji Changkong in a gesture of profound humility. "Vex, Elder of the Augustus family, greets the esteemed one of the God Race. My Blood Race and your God Race have always maintained friendship. I beg you, Your Excellency, overlook the previous transgression. Once our Lord Gu Di awakens, I will accept his punishment." "Gu Di!" Pina of the Ice Clan gasped, her face etched with fear. "That old monster hasn't perished?"

Vex shot a cold, murderous glare at Pina. "Lord Gu Di is merely in slumber. Our Lord possesses a longevity that defies easy death, how could he possibly die so readily?" "But they said that old monster was executed by the Bone Race during their conflict," Pina murmured. "Hmph," Vex sneered dismissively, offering no further explanation.

Ren and Figg, the two other Blood Race Elders, followed Vex’s lead, bowing respectfully toward Ji Changkong and introducing themselves.

Their ceremony of deference was archaic, seemingly unused for many years, confusing even some of the lesser-ranked Blood Race members.

The Ice Clan, the Flame Demon Clan, and both Huo Feng and Xiao Han stared in utter confusion, glancing between the Blood Race contingent and the transformed Ji Changkong, unsure of how to proceed.

Ji Changkong was equally dumbfounded, staring fixedly at Vex. He grunted, "Vex, what sort of trickery is this?"

"Our previous offense was because we mistook you for an ordinary member of the Human Race; we sincerely apologize," Vex stated humbly, his posture contrite. "The deep history between our Blood Race and your God Race cannot be discussed here. Once Lord Gu Di awakens, he will speak with you personally, and then you will understand the relationship between our two clans."

"Purgatory Ghost Race, you are actually a member of the Purgatory Ghost Race!" Huo Feng pointed at him, as if a realization had finally struck. "No wonder that Ghost Mother of Heaven sought you out. It turns out you are one of the Purgatory Ghost Race! Damn it! And I trusted you so completely!"

"The God Mother sought me out?" Vex’s eyes flashed with sudden interest at Huo Feng's words. "You know the God Mother?"

Ji Changkong became even more bewildered, his mind a chaotic storm. He looked at the changes in his own body, recalling his experiences on the Five Elements Continent, remembering what Dick had told him.

Only those with the Purgatory Ghost Race bloodline can perform the Soul-Soothing Dirge of the Purgatory Ghost Race. This is the most ancient and profound mystery of their power, and outsiders can never cultivate it, Dick’s words echoed in his mind.

He spread his hands, examining the strange scales on the back of his hands and palms, the knife-sharp claws between his fingers. Though he resisted admitting it, he knew the transformation of his body was inextricably linked to the Purgatory Ghost Race.

"Your Excellency, my Augustus family is fiercely loyal to the God Race. Lord Gu Di himself once received tutelage from the God Mother. My Augustus family would never dare harm you!" Vex insisted earnestly, stooping over, "Please, you must believe me, my Augustus family will stand with you!" Was this a trick by the Blood Race?

Were they deliberately fabricating a connection between the Blood Race and the Purgatory Ghost Race, dragging in the Ghost Mother of Heaven just to obtain the Tian Yuan Pearl? Was this the truth?

Ji Changkong’s expression shifted between shadow and light; his mind was a tangle. Unsure of the truth, he didn't know whom to trust. At that precise moment, the Flame Demons and the Ice Clan members forcefully made the decision for him.

At a sharp command from Pina, the Ice Clan forces turned their attack toward him. Huo Tuo of the Flame Demons showed no hesitation either. "The appearance of such a frantic race as the Purgatory Ghost Race here can bode no good. This kid cannot be allowed to live!"

Under the orders of Pina and Huo Tuo, the masters of the Ice Clan and Flame Demon Clan swung their focus, suddenly targeting Ji Changkong as their sworn enemy.

"Protect him!" Vex shrieked. "If the God Mother learns he died here, my Augustus family will face extermination!" "What are you waiting for? Guard him!" Ren and Figg screamed in unison.

It was clear that within the Augustus family, only the three Elders—Vex, Ren, and Figg—knew the true origins connecting the Blood Race and the Purgatory Ghost Race. The lesser-ranked Blood Race members were completely ignorant of the situation.

They had been frozen initially, only realizing the gravity of the situation when the three Elders shrieked. They understood who the enemy was now, and who needed protection. Instantly, every member of the Blood Race surrounded Ji Changkong, their expressions grave and resolute.

The three Elders, Vex, Ren, and Figg, formed a triangle around him, shielding him as if he were a priceless treasure, guarding him fiercely against the attacks from the Flame Demons and the Ice Clan.

Ji Changkong was stunned.

The Blood Race, who moments ago had clamored to kill him, were now protecting him. Conversely, the Ice Clan and the Flame Demon Clan masters, who had initially offered protection, were now treating him as a deadly foe.

Even Huo Feng and Xiao Han looked at him with gritted teeth, their faces full of resentment and hatred. What in the hell was going on?!

Ji Changkong’s heart was a chaotic mess; he no longer knew whom to believe. Standing there, he maintained his transformed state, forcing the power within his body outward, the "Flame Thunder Holy Fire" flickering in one palm. He trusted no one anymore!

Whether it was the Blood Race, the Flame Demon Clan, or even the Ice Clan, Xiao Han, and Huo Feng—he regarded them all as enemies now. Anyone who showed intent to attack him would be met with uncompromising force.

The Blood Race and the Flame Demons and Ice Clan inevitably clashed once more. The Blood Race fought with fierce dominance; even the combined force of the Ice Clan and Flame Demons struggled to breach the defensive circle they formed.

The Blood Race genuinely seemed intent on protecting him. The three Elders he had been wary of—Vex, Ren, and Figg—kept a considerable distance but never attacked him; instead, they carefully watched over him, terrified that the Flame Demons or Ice Clan might get close. The battle erupted anew.

Unnoticed by anyone in the fray, the red radiance emanating from the Tian Yuan Pearl had slowly spread, covering the entire area, its strange light enveloping every corner. Even the black vortex was affected by the power of the Pearl.

Neither side engaged in battle noticed that the black vortex had subtly changed. It gradually ceased its spinning, and an aura of malevolent power began to gestate within it, seemingly strengthening.

The other vortex, which held the "Nether Cold Flame," also stopped revolving after being washed over by the light of the Tian Yuan Pearl. Slowly, a pale, eerie cold flame emerged from within it, hanging suspended there silently. !H