This region was dominated by mountains, each peak soaring into the clouds, their summits capped with thick snow—a result of Tiannan Holy Land’s peculiar icy environment.

The continuous mountain ranges made setting up the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array remarkably easy. Standing there, he first sensed his surroundings for a while, and upon ensuring no one was near, he unleashed the power within his body. Dozens of peculiar hearts flew out, sinking into the surrounding mountains and rivers.

These heart-shaped array components were forged from dozens of rare materials, capable of integrating into the landscape to exert marvelous effects. In a short while, all eighty-one strange hearts had settled deep within the surrounding terrain.

With a mere thought, responses emanated from every peak—a sense of spiritual connection flooded his mind. He understood that as long as he released a signal, the peaks housing the strange hearts would rise from the earth, shifting and changing according to his will.

Once the peculiar hearts merged with the mountains, every blade of grass, every inch of soil, every strange creature upon those peaks was instantaneously mirrored in his mind. It was as if he had suddenly gained thousands of eyes, able to perceive everything about those mountains.

At a whim, a tremor arose from one of the peaks. A massive, ancient tree upon the summit suddenly snapped with a loud crack. His spirit sank, essence flowed from within him, transforming into dense Five Elements Wood energy that plunged deep into the earth, coursing underground until it reached the base of that very peak.

Nourished by the vast Five Elements Wood energy, the fractured ancient tree began to pulse with strange vitality from the break point. Soon, under the influence of some uncanny force, the drooping branches of the old tree miraculously straightened themselves—life returned to the ancient wood!

A faint smile touched Ji Changkong’s lips. He knew that after breaking through to the Ten Directions Heaven Realm, his mastery over the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array had reached an entirely new dimension.

Since reaching the Ten Directions Heaven Realm, he hadn't had a chance to deploy the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array. Now that it was set up, capable of manifesting all sorts of wonders at his mental command, he believed he could probably unleash seventy to eighty percent of the array’s true power.

With the strange hearts secured within the peaks, he relaxed, no longer worrying about any trickery the Shang family might attempt. Everything settled, he did not recall the hearts, but transformed into a streak of lightning and vanished instantly. Moments later, he appeared in the valley, spotting the near-death figure of Shang Shaowu at a glance.

The three sisters of Ye Meizi surrounded Shang Shaowu, muttering curses in low voices. It seemed they hadn't managed to extract any useful information from him. Two streams of blood flowed involuntarily from Shang Shaowu’s mouth; his chest wounds remained, yet his gaze was cold, showing not a trace of fear even at this juncture.

Standing near Shang Shaowu, Ji Changkong watched him silently, secretly resolving that Shang Shaowu must be killed. A man who showed no fear under such duress was certainly a difficult character.

If this type of person were allowed to grow, he would undoubtedly become a major menace, especially combined with the Shang family’s influence; Shang Shaowu posed a threat to the Ye Mei Clan and to him.

“Is this man even human? We pressured him for so long, using every method we know, and he hasn't uttered a single word. This fellow is unbelievable,” Night Meizi sighed with helplessness when she saw Ji Changkong approach.

“This man cannot be kept alive,” Ji Changkong mused for a moment. “Regardless of whether this transaction succeeds, we must kill him. If this person ever gains control of the Shang family, he will surely become a regional warlord.”

“Are you afraid?” Shang Shaowu, who hadn't spoken a word under the relentless interrogation of the three sisters, slowly raised his head. When he looked at Ji Changkong, his face was filled with mockery: “Remember this day! Sooner or later, I will return it a thousandfold! You will die, and you will die horribly!”

It sounded like a malicious curse. Shang Shaowu stared at Ji Changkong and the three Ye Mei sisters, articulating every word deliberately.

Ji Changkong didn't feel threatened, merely surprised that Shang Shaowu could speak. He suspected the three Ye Mei women might have accidentally triggered some seal on Shang Shaowu during their questioning. While he remained unconcerned, the two younger girls, Ye Meixiang and Ye Meiyue, looked fearful, their delicate bodies trembling slightly. “Sister, let’s just kill him. I have a terrible feeling his words will come true,” Ye Meixiang whispered timidly to Ye Meizi. Ye Meizi frowned slightly and gently shook her head. “He is still useful left alive.”

“I will kill him, but not now.” Ji Changkong took a breath, looking at Shang Shaowu and sensing something amiss. This person was definitely no spoiled heir; his tenacity of spirit was more terrifying than many demonic cultivators Ji Changkong had encountered, utterly unlike what one might expect from a young master of a powerful family.

Had he not learned of his identity from Ye Meizi, Ji Changkong might have mistaken Shang Shaowu for some vicious, ancient demon lord rather than a minor young master of the Shang family.

“You three are no longer needed; you should leave.” Ji Changkong hesitated, his expression serious. “This matter does not concern you anymore. If you get involved and the Shang family discovers it, you won’t be able to leave.”

Ye Meizi remained silent, gazing at him intently. After a long moment, she nodded and murmured softly, “Take care!” “Sister, we haven’t even finished our business!” Ye Meiyue exclaimed.

“We can search other star systems for cold-element materials, but we absolutely cannot stay on Tiannan Star any longer,” Ye Meizi commanded sharply. She then pulled down the veil from her face, revealing a transcendent, breathtakingly beautiful countenance, and smiled sweetly at Ji Changkong: “If your heart isn't too black, and you’re willing to work for our Ye Mei Clan, I might try to get to know you better.”

“I’ll consider it, if you all come with me,” Ji Changkong replied with a smile.

“Insolent rogue!” Ye Meixiang snorted.

“Then forget it.” Ye Meizi shrugged her beautiful shoulders and addressed her two younger sisters who were glaring hatefully at Ji Changkong: “Let’s go.”

“Bastard, what is your name?” Ye Meixiang asked just before leaving.

“It’s better if you don’t know.”

“What’s the big deal! Hmph!”

Amidst Ye Meixiang’s huffing, the figures of the three women grew distant and soon vanished from sight.

“Is it worth incurring the wrath of our entire Shang family for one Ice Slave?” Shang Shaowu suddenly asked after the three sisters had departed.

“It is worth it.”

“If you serve my Shang family for a thousand years, I can remove the seal on that Ice Slave and hand her over to you, and I will forgive your rudeness. Consider it,” Shang Shaowu looked at him with a strange expression. “Remember, this is your only chance. Miss it, and both you and the Ice Slave will be executed by my Shang family—I guarantee it!”

“You guarantee it?” Ji Changkong burst into laughter. “What assurance do you have? You are about to be finished yourself; what right do you have to guarantee anything for others? Don’t you find that ridiculous?”

“It seems you have made up your mind.” Shang Shaowu paused thoughtfully, then closed his eyes, sighing faintly. “What a pity.” Ji Changkong paid him no further mind, finding Shang Shaowu somewhat bizarre, utterly failing to grasp the current situation.

He pressed a mark into Shang Shaowu’s body, reinforcing it with seven more seals, and then sat down within the valley. Three days passed in a flash.

Carrying Shang Shaowu, and storing the White Bone Skeleton in his bell, Ji Changkong shot forward like a rainbow toward the agreed-upon location, arriving in the time it takes to sip tea.

The Shang family contingent was already waiting there. Shang Wuya and Shang Luohai were clearly visible to him; he recognized them easily based on Ye Meizi’s descriptions.

Shang Yuanzhi stood beside Shang Wuya, her hair coiled up, her face cold as ice. Upon seeing Ji Changkong arrive, Shang Yuanzhi shouted coldly, “It’s this person!”

The Shang family had arrived with three people initially, but all three were only at the Ruyi Realm of cultivation. Furthermore, a faint icy aura was subtly surging from the nearby mountains.

Most people arriving would fail to notice the auras stirring within the mountains, but as soon as Ji Changkong settled, he immediately sensed the cold fluctuations within the terrain—partly because he possessed the “Flame Thunder Cold Flame,” transformed from the “Netherworld Cold Flame” within him, and partly because the surrounding mountains were the very chess pieces he used to set up the Ancient Nine Transformations Absolute Array.

His gaze swept over the four members of the Shang family, and Ji Changkong’s expression gradually darkened. He shouted sternly, “Where is she?” Shang Bingjie was not here at all!

“She will be brought over shortly,” the leader, Shang Wuya, replied with a cold expression. He glanced concernedly at Shang Shaowu and asked, “Shaowu, are you alright?” “I won’t die,” Shang Shaowu replied flatly, exhibiting none of the deference expected of a son—a highly abnormal reaction.

Shang Wuya nodded, seemingly unconcerned by Shang Shaowu’s tone, then suddenly shouted toward the sky, his voice carrying far into the distance.

Soon after, from behind a nearby icy peak, Shang Mu emerged, carrying Shang Bingjie. However, Shang Bingjie was clearly restrained by some strange power, her body rigid, eyes closed, seemingly still asleep.

Crack!

Without any warning, Shang Shaowu’s neck was twisted, and the light in his eyes instantly dimmed.

“You! How dare you! How dare you?!” Shang Wuya’s expression shifted violently, his face instantly contorted with rage. Shang Mu, Shang Luohai, and Shang Yuanzhi were all stunned, their eyes blazing with extreme fury as they looked at Ji Changkong.

They could never have anticipated why Ji Changkong would suddenly strike out—the moment Shang Bingjie appeared, he moved to kill, instantly snapping Shang Shaowu’s neck.

“You show no sincerity,” Ji Changkong shook his head, tightening his five fingers. Shang Shaowu’s skull shattered, and his gray, hazy soul suddenly leaped out, immediately enveloped by a five-colored light cluster. He looked coldly at the four opponents and stated: “Shang Shaowu had already achieved the Nirvana Realm of cultivation. Generally, even if the divine soul is destroyed, the soul imprint will not vanish. However, I happen to master a method that can refine even the soul imprint, leaving him with no chance for rebirth. Do you believe me or not?”