The Dead Star Domain, the Far North. Lifeless stars hung suspended in the starry expanse of the Far North. Most of the celestial bodies here were dead stars or mineral planets; stars supporting life were a rare sight.

Colossal meteorites were arrayed in formation, each one adorned with flora and trees. These meteorites were once fragments of a living star, broken apart by some unknown calamity. An ethereal yet tangible weave of Heaven and Earth energy still lingered around them, giving off a peculiar sensation.

Few ever ventured into the Far North. Generally, any expert found in this desolate region harbored some eccentricity. Legend held that this entire area was twisted into its current state by the clash of supreme beings from the Chaos Realm.

The devastating conflict between these formidable powers had extinguished countless life-bearing stars and shattered many others, leaving behind these floating fragments adrift in the void. A meteorite, entirely crimson, drifted slowly through the Far North, moving aimlessly, traversing the sea of rock, wandering among the dead stars, as if searching for something. Upon the crimson meteorite, a youth stood with a solemn expression, seemingly sensing something elusive, yet finding nothing.

Beside the youth, a cluster of flames, continuously shimmering with an unusual, kaleidoscopic light, danced nimbly. At one moment it twisted into a spectral serpent, the next into a wisp of cloud—ever-changing, seemingly incapable of boredom. “Jiyuan, can’t you rest for a bit?” the youth frowned, irritated.

“Ever since you absorbed the Star-Devouring Flame and the ‘Sacred Sun Celestial Flame,’ you’ve been brimming with energy, haven’t you? Now you don't even want to stay within my body. What exactly are you trying to do?” “You are searching for something, and I am searching for something too,” a crisp, melodious voice echoed from within the flames.

“I want to find the other Origin Flames. I want to gather all the remaining ones. Don’t you wish for me to realize my ambition?

If I can assemble the rest of the Origin Flames, you can reach the Ultimate Chaos Realm.” “This can’t be rushed. I imagine the Origin Flames must reside in a special location. Why would there be any in this godforsaken wasteland?” The youth shook his head.

“Perhaps there is,” the voice retorted. “Then you need to behave yourself and stop echoing around me constantly. Your aura diffusing like that will interfere with my judgment.

Understand?” “Fine,” came a reluctant voice from the flames. This was Ji Changkong and the ‘Blazing Thunder Cold Flame’! After absorbing the ‘Star-Devouring Flame’ and the ‘Sacred Sun Celestial Flame,’ the ‘Blazing Thunder Cold Flame’ experienced a massive leap in intelligence, acquiring a remarkably profound intellect, and could now communicate directly with Ji Changkong.

Every day, its aura shifted subtly; it was growing stronger by degrees. It was the product of the fusion of four Origin Flames: the ‘Blazing Thunder Sacred Fire,’ the ‘Netherworld Cold Flame,’ the ‘Star-Devouring Flame,’ and the ‘Sacred Sun Celestial Flame.’ The essence from the ‘Blazing Thunder Sacred Fire’ and the ‘Netherworld Cold Flame’ was dominant, but Ji Changkong still hadn't decided what to call it. While Ji Changkong wrestled with how to name it, the entity proactively requested its own designation, rather than one derived from the attributes of the Origin Flames.

Upon gaining Ji Changkong’s assent, it named itself—choosing the moniker ‘Jiyuan.’ Jiyuan, as the fusion of four Origin Flames, underwent a profound metamorphosis in its life imprint, resulting in significant advancements in both wisdom and power. It learned new things every day, constantly adapting to the world, becoming increasingly akin to a person! This was a positive development, yet during this transformation, the little entity grew increasingly mischievous.

Recently, whenever no outsiders were present, it would beg to manifest externally rather than remain contained within Ji Changkong’s body. It seemed to even possess human desires. With Jiyuan's marked increase in wisdom, Ji Changkong learned certain profoundly secret matters through their conversations—he learned of ‘It’!

According to Jiyuan’s life imprint, the nine Origin Flames all originated from ‘It.’ Furthermore, not just the nine Origin Flames, but all great races in the world, all ancient sacred beasts, and in fact, every living creature, originated from ‘It’! Jiyuan stated that the blood within Ji Changkong’s body belonged directly to ‘It’! Jiyuan’s revelations sent deep shockwaves through Ji Changkong.

Initially, he absolutely refused to believe it. However, once he calmed his racing mind, he knew Jiyuan would not deceive him; the life imprint in Jiyuan’s consciousness could not be a lie. Therefore, Jiyuan’s assertions were almost certainly factual.

Subsequently, Ji Changkong recalled the illusion he witnessed within the Heavenly Origin Bead—that impossibly terrifying being whose movements, as it writhed amidst the clouds of mist, crushed stars beneath its form. The power it possessed, capable of annihilating all existence, was something no other being could wield. In that illusion, he watched helplessly as this colossal, horrifying creature eventually disintegrated, and only then did various forms of life emerge, new stars coalesce, and the energies of Heaven and Earth fully regenerate.

Connecting this vision with Jiyuan’s words, Ji Changkong was almost certain that the illusions he witnessed were perhaps actual historical events. Through Jiyuan’s words, he learned another fact that staggered him—the Heavenly Origin Bead was ‘Its’ eye! The ancient memories deeply buried within Jiyuan’s consciousness, integrated from the four fused Origin Flames, seemed to be peeling back the layers of truth sealed for eons.

But when Ji Changkong pressed for more details, Jiyuan shook its head, saying it currently knew only this much. Only by absorbing the remaining Origin Flames would it be able to truly comprehend everything and uncover all the truths of that time. Ji Changkong had been in a state of extreme shock these past few days.

Jiyuan’s discourse made him unsure how to view the world, or the Heavenly Origin Bead held in his hand. The Heavenly Origin Bead was ‘Its’ eye! No wonder Tongtian Ghost Mother had said the Heavenly Origin Bead was more miraculous than any divine weapon in existence.

‘It’ possessed the power to obliterate worlds, the strength to destroy countless star seas and domains. ‘Its’ eye must surely possess an ineffable might. The blood flowing within his own veins originated from Him.

Perhaps this was precisely why he could operate the ‘Heavenly Origin Bead.’ The reason Yang Haili failed to manipulate the ‘Heavenly Origin Bead’ and ultimately died because of it might be that he lacked the royal bloodline of the Purgatorial Ghost Race! The Heavenly Origin Bead originated from ‘His’ own essence, and so did his own blood—a direct inheritance from Him. This might be the key to operating the Heavenly Origin Bead; this was likely part of the truth.

Stroking the Heavenly Origin Bead, Ji Changkong stood firm on the crimson meteorite and murmured, “Oro, Oro, where exactly is your main soul?” His purpose in coming to the Far North was to find the High Priest Oro. He felt that all the mysteries might be solved by consulting High Priest Oro. This High Priest Oro was an ancestor of the Purgatorial Ghost Race, even more ancient than Tongtian Ghost Mother, and the Heavenly Origin Bead had originally been in his possession.

Oro surely knew the bead's secrets. Alas, following Tongtian Ghost Mother’s instructions, he had spread his divine sense and journeyed to the Far North to search for Oro’s aura, yet he still reaped no results, leaving him deeply frustrated. The Far North was nothing but dead stars and meteorites.

Casting his sense wide, he could barely detect any trace of life. Such a stagnant, dead place was supposedly where Oro’s soul was concealed. “If ‘It’s’ eye belongs to that fellow, then use the eye to find him,” Jiyuan suggested kindly, seeing his distress.

“Eyes are for seeing people. It should be able to find the person you seek. As long as you can utilize it properly, you can find anything.” “That has some merit,” Ji Changkong’s expression brightened.

The Heavenly Origin Bead was ‘Its’ eye, and it had resided in ‘Oro’s’ hands for ages. Perhaps the bead truly could locate Oro. With this thought, Ji Changkong declared, “I’ll try.

You keep watch for me.” “No problem,” Jiyuan readily agreed. “I’ll search too, to see if I can find any others of my kind, so I can absorb them all!” Ji Changkong held the Heavenly Origin Bead, calming his mind, then anchored his divine sense within it, allowing only one thought to occupy his mind—High Priest Oro! The thought in his mind flowed like ripples of consciousness into the Heavenly Origin Bead.

The bead seemed to understand his every intention. As the consciousness searching for High Priest Oro manifested within the bead, its arcane, intricate patterns began to glow. A faint, misty rainbow light enveloped the Heavenly Origin Bead.

The bead spun rapidly, emitting subtle, wondrous fluctuations—invisible to the naked eye but detectable by divine sense—that spread outward from the bead across the Far North, extending toward immeasurable distances. A miraculous sensation suddenly registered within Ji Changkong’s ocean of the soul. Time seemed to reverse.

The surrounding meteorites suddenly began to re-converge. In an instant, those fragments solidified into stars of life, upon which figures flickered into existence… Dead stars one after another transformed, sprouting vegetation and trees, slowly becoming stars teeming with life. Mountains and lakes materialized from thin air, and the aura of life enveloped the celestial bodies, evoking a feeling of profound peace and exhilaration… The Far North rapidly changed; everything lost to the river of time was swiftly restored.

Suddenly, time froze at one specific location. A dazzling burst of light flickered there, then suddenly shattered. The violent impact of the explosion affected many nearby stars, revealing all manner of bizarre forces.

Wherever these forces passed, stars exploded into meteorites; life-bearing worlds instantly became barren dead stars… A single, snowflake-like speck of aberrant light flickered, gradually shrinking, gradually contracting, as if alive, before suddenly vanishing into a black hole, leaving not the slightest trace of its presence. Boom! Ji Changkong snapped awake, looking around.

Everything remained as it was, nothing had changed. Yet, a subtle smile touched the corner of his lips. “I found you!”