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“What, Spirit Gathering Seventh Grade?!”

“In just one day, he actually advanced another grade in cultivation? Has cultivating spiritual power become as easy as eating and drinking?”

“Heavens, why am I not born with a Wood elemental constitution!!”

“……”

A brief silence gave way to an uproar all around.

The way everyone looked at Nie Kong was now laced with envy and jealousy. Even Nie Xiuge fell silent, gaping stupidly at Nie Kong with his mouth wide open.

Suddenly, a voice called out, “What about that spiritual technique you just displayed? If I’m not mistaken, that was absolutely a Wood-element technique, yet our Nie family clearly possesses no Wood spiritual arts!”

Spiritual arts?

Doubt clouded everyone’s minds, especially Nie Xiuge, who felt the resonance of Nie Kong’s technique more deeply. On the Tianling Continent, cultivating or casting spiritual arts of any element required harmony with the corresponding spiritual energy elements of heaven and earth to manifest effect—this was precisely why Spirit Masters could not cross-elementally practice techniques.

The sheer power unleashed by the spiritual art Nie Kong had just used was evident to everyone present; it absolutely could not have been an art from another element—it had to be Wood.

“This one? I created it myself over the last few days,” Nie Kong said slowly, unceremoniously claiming credit for the little fellow’s sudden skill comprehension.

“Self-created?”

Instantly, a pile of wide-awake, bouncing eyeballs appeared on the ground.

Everyone wanted to laugh but couldn't manage a sound. A self-created spiritual art? Surely this was a joke? Not even the Nie Family Patriarch or the Nine Great Elders had ever heard of anyone creating a spiritual art from scratch.

“Don’t listen to his nonsense,” sneered a tall, handsome youth. “For a mere Spirit Gathering Seventh Grade Spirit Master to create a spiritual art—a sow could climb a tree before that happens. He must have gotten some ridiculous stroke of luck and found that technique somewhere.”

“Hmph, I think so too,” Nie Xiuge scoffed dismissively.

“Right, talk like that only fools a three-year-old. Anyone who believes it is an idiot.”

“……”

Nie Kong had anticipated everyone’s reaction. After nearly ten thousand years of development, the spiritual cultivation system on the Tianling Continent was incredibly advanced. Virtually every spiritual technique or art imaginable had already been created by predecessors, leaving almost no room for later generations to innovate. Now, for a Spirit Gathering Seventh Grade Master to suddenly claim he had created a new spiritual art—few would easily believe it; it was simply too preposterous.

Nie Kong offered no rebuttal. His eyes swept over the crowd, and he smiled, “Whether you believe me or not has nothing to do with me. Nephews, are there any others who wish to spar with me? Anyone below Spirit Gathering Ninth Grade is welcome. If you exceed Spirit Gathering Ninth Grade, then your Uncle will have to decline.”

Having secured victory earlier, Nie Kong’s confidence had soared.

Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to challenge a Spirit Channeling Master. The leap from Spirit Gathering to Spirit Channeling was a qualitative one, an almost insurmountable chasm. However, the gap between Spirit Gathering Ninth Grade and Seventh Grade was not so stark; sparring with Spirit Masters below Ninth Grade was perfectly suitable.

For Nie Kong, winning or losing was secondary; enhancing practical combat experience was paramount, and in that area, his accumulation was essentially zero.

The crowd exchanged glances. This group of cultivators from the 'Xiu' generation had heard rumors about the “Genius among Geniuses” yesterday and had purposefully gathered here early today to wait. If Nie Kong hadn't shown up, so be it, but now that he had appeared and cleanly defeated Nie Xiuge, how could they ever hold their heads up among their peers if they let him walk away in shame?

“I’ll do it!”

Amidst a sharp cry, one person strode forward—it was the handsome youth who had just called Nie Kong’s claim impossible. “Spirit Gathering Ninth Grade, Nie Xiuzhu.”

Nie Xiuzhu appeared to be only fifteen or sixteen, clad in flowing white robes, with a face like polished jade. A few more years and a touch less boyishness, and he would undoubtedly be a great handsome man.

“I’m not some reckless brute like Nie Xiuge. Keep your eyes wide open and watch how I stomp you underfoot, my Uncle Nie Kong!”

The mocking words had barely fallen before Nie Xiuzhu, without waiting for Nie Kong’s response, flickered with an eerie swiftness, crossing several meters in an instant to appear before Nie Kong.

“So fast!”

This Nie Xiuzhu was truly leagues beyond the previous Nie Xiuge. Nie Kong’s heart skipped a beat, his expression instantly turning serious. He thrust his right arm out to meet Nie Xiuzhu’s charge.

Nie Xiuzhu acted as if he didn’t see Nie Kong’s attack, driving straight toward the tightly curled fingers Nie Kong had formed. Seeing this, a sense of foreboding arose in Nie Kong’s heart. As expected, just as his five fingertips were about to peck at Nie Xiuzhu’s chest, the latter suddenly vanished from Nie Kong’s sight.

“Not good!”

Nie Kong cursed inwardly, pouring spiritual power madly toward his back. Then, with a loud bang, his spine felt as if it had been hammered by a giant iron maul. Nie Kong stumbled forward several steps, his internal organs vibrating, blood surging. His previously pale complexion instantly flushed crimson, like fire.

“Good! Xiuzhu is Xiuzhu; he secures a hit on his first move.”

“Heh heh, Xiuzhu is a Spirit Gathering Ninth Grade Wind Spirit Master, specializing in speed. So what if Nie Kong’s spiritual art has great power? If he can’t even touch a single hair on Xiuzhu’s head, it’s useless.”

“Now our Uncle Nie Kong is in for it, haha…”

“Xiuzhu, keep pushing! Take him down!”

“……”

Cheers erupted one after another. The surrounding crowd shouted excitedly, feeling a sense of vindication. Especially Nie Xiuge; the dejection from being taken down by Nie Kong earlier had largely dissipated. By this time, many Nie family members from the training grounds had been drawn over, watching with keen interest.

Nie Kong swiftly spun around. The Nie Xiuzhu opposite him did not press the attack but stood with his hands clasped behind his back, halting about four or five meters away, his expression proud.

“Hoo!”

Nie Kong let out a long, turbulent breath. He was fortunate his reaction was fast enough to mobilize spiritual power in time to partially neutralize Nie Xiuzhu’s blow; otherwise, he might truly have ended up spitting blood on the ground.

The corner of Nie Xiuzhu’s lips quirked, revealing a mocking smile. “Genius among geniuses, is this all you’ve got? Coming here today was truly a mistake, a waste of my precious cultivation time. Hmph. Watch closely now; this time, I’ll have you lying before me.”

“Haha, good nephew, that depends on whether you have the ability!” Instead of being discouraged by the temporary setback, Nie Kong burst into loud laughter.

Immediately, Nie Kong brought his right index and middle fingers together and rapidly poked at his own body: Heart Sea Acupoint, Jade Bright Acupoint, Heavenly Palace Acupoint, Black Court Acupoint, Dragon Gate Acupoint, Spirit Separation Acupoint, Yang Peak Acupoint, Misty Spring Acupoint... Each time his finger contacted an obscure acupoint, a thin wisp of green spiritual power permeated into it.

When Nie Kong’s finger touched the final point, the Cloud Terrace Acupoint, all nine hidden acupoints vibrated violently.

The resonance of the Nine Great Obscure Acupoints within his body rapidly triggered tremors in his meridians. In an instant, the spiritual energy condensed within the six meridians—the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian, Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian, Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian, and Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian—began to dissolve simultaneously……