Eons passed, an unmeasurable distance traveled, as Ji Changkong led Ji Du and Ji Yuan deeper and deeper into the turbulent depths of the Chaos Sea.

He endured countless perils; blasted by solar flares, his body shattered, only to be reformed by the omnipresent strange energies of the heavens and earth. He was struck by terrifying bolts of lightning, left near death, his ocean of soul nearly vaporized, yet he restored it by relying on the Great Void Secret Records.

He was almost consumed by a black hole but managed a hair's breadth escape, gradually gaining some understanding of the power within those abysses. He was ensnared by all manner of twisting forces, trapped for ages, until one day he discovered the distortions simply vanished, allowing him to press forward once more, continuing his march into the core of the Chaos Sea.

The very might of the existing cosmos was everywhere, threatening to annihilate any life form that dared enter. Several times he nearly perished, but he pulled through each time. Ji Du and Ji Yuan, the two little ones, were not spared either, encountering many powers that could have erased them entirely. Yet, whether by luck or fate, these two little companions had survived until now, just like him.

One day, as Ji Changkong guided the two youngsters through the boundless Chaos Sea, Ji Du suddenly shuddered and cried out, "Master, something's happening!"

"What did you find?" Ji Changkong's face shifted. "Is some danger approaching?"

Within the Chaos Sea, the three had achieved a perfect synergy, overcoming so many crises together. They trusted each other implicitly, knowing that in this place, a specific danger might only be perceptible to one of them, necessitating immediate warning if vigilance was maintained.

It was this absolute trust and utter selflessness that allowed them to navigate such hazards and survive to this day. "Not dangerous?"

Ji Du sounded slightly excited. "I sense the aura of a kindred spirit!"

"A kindred spirit's aura?" Ji Changkong was startled, then equally thrilled. "Do you mean you've sensed a Source Fire here?"

"Yes, it must be right!" Ji Yuan affirmed. "It's nearby, but I can't pinpoint its exact location!"

According to the memory imprints within Ji Yuan, there existed nine kinds of Source Fire in the world. Ji Yuan was now a fusion of five—the Wood Deity possessed one, and Yu Lian held two. This meant only one Source Fire remained undiscovered in the world.

It turned out that this last remaining Source Fire was hidden within the Chaos Sea! No wonder no one had ever managed to gather all nine; unless one ventured this deep, this final Source Fire was impossible to acquire. "We must find this last unmanifested Source Fire!" Ji Changkong exclaimed with excitement.

With every additional Source Fire Ji Yuan absorbed, their understanding of the world's unknown mysteries grew. They had wandered the Chaos Sea for so long, yet their comprehension of it remained rudimentary, perhaps only extending slightly beyond what Ji Yuan had previously revealed. If they could allow Ji Yuan to absorb that final Source Fire, perhaps he could unlock more memories pertaining to the Chaos Sea, possibly illuminating a clear path forward for Ji Changkong and the others.

Thus, upon hearing that Ji Yuan had sensed another Source Fire, Ji Changkong immediately conceived the idea of absorbing it.

"But I don't know its exact location," Ji Yuan admitted with dejection. "Here, all the energies are intertwined, dense and chaotic; I can't sense properly. I know it's close, but I just can't find it."

"Can you sense the strength of its power?" Ji Changkong paused, then suddenly asked. "Yes!"

Ji Du nodded. "Though it's a single Source Fire, its life force is immensely powerful, far stronger than any I've absorbed before. If I hadn't already fused five Source Fires, I wouldn't be confident in absorbing it."

"If you can sense it, it should be able to sense you too. That connection between you has existed continuously. If you intend to absorb it, perhaps it wants to absorb you, and might actively seek you out!" Ji Du, possessing superior wisdom, immediately grasped Ji Changkong's implication.

"Indeed, it might come looking for us. We'll wait right here!" Ji Changkong stated solemnly.

"Alright!" Ji Yuan grew excited and began subtly gathering his own strength. "I will describe my location here; perhaps it can sense it."

"Let's prepare to welcome this formidable entity surviving within the Chaos Sea."

Ji Changkong signaled to Ji Du, and they began their preparations, quietly condensing their own energies.

"Ji Yuan, you stay here. Kong Kong and I will temporarily move away so as not to be discovered by it," Ji Du suggested smartly.

"Yes, it can sense you, but not us. If it approaches and senses others near you, perhaps it won't dare to come to absorb you. If Ji Du and I hide, it might approach more boldly. Then, we can strike together and help you absorb it," Ji Changkong said with a smile.

"That sounds good," Ji Yuan agreed, becoming even more elated.

Immediately afterward, Ji Changkong and Ji Du stealthily concealed themselves within the vast distant mist, muffling their auras and life fluctuations. Ji Du even hid near the entrance of a black hole, maintaining a secret watch. Due to Ji Du’s unique life form, he could disperse his soul into billions of fragments; even if pulled into a black hole, he could find his way back. This was also why Ji Changkong and Ji Yuan could always miraculously emerge when dragged into the black holes.

It felt like a long time had passed, or perhaps only a moment.

A plume of silvery-gray flame quietly manifested in the endless fog, flickering like candlelight. It was exceedingly cautious, swaying nearby but refusing to approach, seemingly observing—watching for anything amiss around Ji Yuan.

The flame was silvery-gray, its light dim, occasionally stretching out like a fine silver thread in the mist. This Source Fire possessed considerable sentience and remarkable intelligence. Strange fluctuations continuously emanated from it, probing the surroundings like a spiritual sense. This was a single flame, yet within it resided an incredibly profound energy oscillation. The silvery-gray flame wavered, slowly contracting into a tiny point of light. A peculiar life fluctuation suddenly traveled from the silvery-gray flame toward Ji Yuan: "Where do you come from?"

Ji Yuan paused, hesitated for a moment, then transmitted a soul message: "I certainly am not from here. Have you lived here always?"

"I was not here before. My Master brought me here, but my Master has already perished here. I sense a human aura on you as well. Do you also have a Master? Is your Master nearby? Though I cannot sense them, I just know." The silvery-gray flame communicated.

Ji Yuan was slightly shocked. After a few seconds of hesitation, he replied: "Yes, just like you, I have a Master. Your Master perished, but mine has not." Upon sending this thought, Ji Yuan simultaneously released a mental call to Ji Changkong and Ji Du: "They know you are here."

Receiving this mental message, Ji Changkong and Ji Du emerged from their hiding spots with wry smiles. If you knew my Master was here, and you knew I was a fusion of five flames, why did you still come out? You knew perfectly well I could absorb you.

Seeing that the flame hadn't retreated, Ji Yuan asked curiously, "Why?"

"I have been lonely for too long. After my Master died, I wandered here aimlessly. I never imagined a kindred spirit would arrive. Even though I knew you might harm me, I still came. I just... just wanted to speak with someone. I am afraid of being alone, terribly afraid..." The silvery-gray flame flickered, relating its plight in broken phrases, a faint wave of sorrow actually emanating from it, causing a pang of heartache.

"Loneliness, isolation, no kindred spirits, no living beings to converse with—I understand how you feel, because I have experienced all of that." Ji Yuan's memories were stirred, recalling those endless sunless days within the Nine-Layered Pagoda, where he, too, had no equal, existing perpetually in solitude amidst lightning and fire.

"Will... will you hurt me?" the flame inquired. "If we merge, we can finally be truly happy. We are meant to be one; we should be together," Ji Yuan persuaded gently.

"I am afraid. I fear that once I merge with you, 'I' will cease to exist. I don't want to vanish..."

"It is not vanishing, merely existing in another form. We will be one. You can feel everything I experience, see everything I see, and comprehend all the truths of the world."

"Is that so? Then merge with me, let you become that existence, let you share everything I have?" "Uh..."

"You are unwilling, aren't you? Unwilling or not, it makes no difference. Since your Master has appeared, mine should as well."

The silvery-gray flame suddenly released an icy cold fluctuation. Instantly, from the distant, dense fog, an ancient, white-bearded elder emerged, grasping a peculiar staff. The old man wore an expression of pity and compassion. Upon arriving, he let out a soft sigh, and his gaze—deep, bottomless eyes—swept over Ji Changkong. He then began chanting an incredibly strange arcane spell.

The myriad energies swirling throughout the Chaos Sea instantly converged as he finished his chant, forming a visually tangible set of silver threads that shackled Ji Changkong's physical body. The shackles were condensed from frost and lightning power, their abilities profoundly bizarre. As the white-bearded elder waved his staff, myriad bizarre symbols materialized from thin air. These symbols seemed to encapsulate the ultimate principles of the cosmos, linking the nexus points between energies, similar to the forces existing within the Chaos Sea itself.

"Who are you?" Though his body was restrained, Ji Changkong showed no fear, merely frowning as he asked.

"I am not from the same universe as you. Even if I told you my name, you would not know it," the white-bearded elder replied, looking at him, using the most direct form of soul communication.