A sharp tearing sound abruptly pierced the ear, and a flash of hazy green light was caught by the corner of Nie Kong’s eye. He hastily shifted his body aside just as a razor-sharp wooden spike shot past his right arm, ripping a long tear in his sleeve. The owner of the spike immediately came into view.

“Well, look who it is, young nephew Xiu Zhu. Last time, when Uncle was only at the seventh rank of Spirit Gathering, I could knock you down with a single finger. Now Uncle is at the ninth rank, and you still want to come looking for a beating?”

Although his expression was outwardly amiable, Nie Kong’s vigilance had already been heightened to its peak. This Illusory Realm of Life and Death was rife with hidden dangers; one could never tell when a Spirit Master might spring an ambush. If he hadn't recently been using the top to cultivate, his body’s reaction speed and coordination wouldn't have improved so significantly. That last move from Nie Xiu Zhu could very well have punched a clear hole through his right chest.

“Nie Kong, shut up! There are no uncles or nephews here, only enemies!”

Nie Xiu Zhu, stung to the quick, instantly turned ashen-faced and snarled. His defeat in that humiliating manner last time was the greatest shame of his life. Hearing Nie Kong bring it up again felt like a venomous serpent gnawing at his insides. His face contorted, he shrieked madly, “Nie Kong, you got your fill of advantage last time, but this time, you won't be so lucky! Savor this moment…”

“Flower Bloom!”

Before the words were even finished, Nie Kong shouted loudly, suddenly launching his attack. His body shot toward Nie Xiu Zhu, his left hand rising, fingers curved like a beak, aiming for his throat.

“Shameless!”

Nie Xiu Zhu vanished from Nie Kong’s front in an instant, his angry, contemptuous curse echoing from behind. “How childish. You think such a paltry trick can land a successful sneak attack? Did you forget I’m a Wind Spirit… Ah-yow…” A shrill scream replaced the latter part of his words, bursting from his throat.

In that instant, Nie Xiu Zhu seemed to hear the sound of his own ribs snapping and collapsing. His body flew backward uncontrollably, slamming with a thud against a tree behind him before sliding down the thick trunk. The clothing over his left chest was soaked crimson with seeping blood in the blink of an eye.

Nie Kong had already turned, smiling faintly as he retracted his right hand, which had been momentarily suspended in mid-air. He flicked his cupped fingers and said sympathetically, “Nephew Xiu Zhu, I’m truly sorry. The ‘Flower Bloom’ I shouted earlier was just a trick to fool you. The real ‘Flower Bloom’ is right here!”

Although youngsters like Nie Xiu Zhu often sparred with others in the family, they lacked experience in genuine life-or-death combat. When faced with a sudden assault, the vast majority of such individuals revert to their most familiar evasive maneuvers. After attacking Nie Xiu Zhu for so long previously, Nie Kong had already grasped seventy to eighty percent of his movement patterns. Trying it now, he found it successful once again.

“You… you…”

Nie Xiu Zhu struggled to push himself up from beneath the tree, the blood from his left chest now oozing out in a steady stream. His delicate features were twisted out of shape by rage and agony. He never imagined that when he faced Nie Kong again, he would suffer such a devastating blow in this manner; his eyes were filled with unwillingness and fury.

Nie Kong felt a pang of pity, but that shred of mercy quickly vanished. In the Illusory Realm of Life and Death, it was either kill or be killed; there was no room for leniency. Moreover, death here wasn't real death—it was merely a swift release from this hunting game. Besides, Nie Kong found Nie Xiu Zhu’s gaze utterly pointless. If one’s skill was inferior and led to failure, one should accept reality and strive to improve for the next encounter. What use was ceaseless anger and resentment?

“Be a good nephew, Uncle will send you on your way. If you hurry, you might still make it home for lunch.” As he spoke, Nie Kong covered the distance to Nie Xiu Zhu in three quick strides, his right hand darting toward his profusely bleeding left chest like a striking serpent. Before his strike could connect, Nie Kong’s eyes narrowed slightly, his right arm retracted, and his figure retreated backward with even greater speed.

“Bang!”

A scorching wave of energy surged forth from behind Nie Xiu Zhu, instantly engulfing his body. Immediately following was a deafening explosion; the lower part of Nie Xiu Zhu’s body, from the neck down, was blasted into countless fragments. His head spun away like a ball, landing more than ten meters away. His eyes were wide open, their depths still holding an expression of utter disbelief, as if he couldn't conceive of dying so brutally.

A towering figure materialized where Nie Xiu Zhu’s body had burst apart, chuckling, “Brother Nie Kong, my apologies. I got here first.” This man had skin as dark as charcoal, was tall and robust, with his sleeves rolled up and his collar open, exposing a wide expanse of dark body hair.

Nie Kong’s gaze flickered quickly over Nie Xiu Zhu’s severed head before settling on the burly youth. He frowned. “If I recall correctly, your name should be Nie Fengbo.”

Nie Kong had anticipated that Nie Xiu Zhu’s scream would attract attention, which was why he planned to finish the boy quickly and leave. He hadn't expected to be one step too slow. Back in the Hall of Life and Death, this man had been staring at him with malicious eyes; clearly, he harbored ill intentions.

“That’s right, big brother here is Nie Fengbo. My cultivation is only at the third rank of Spirit Confluence. That’s not high in this Illusory Realm of Life and Death, but it’s more than enough to deal with you. Meeting me is your misfortune. Just come over obediently and let big brother knock you out, perhaps you’ll suffer a little less.”

Nie Fengbo grinned wide, revealing two rows of pearly white teeth, which, contrasted with the bloodstains on his arms and face, looked exceptionally ferocious.

At this moment, the shattered pieces of Nie Xiu Zhu’s body were rapidly shrinking, finally vanishing completely into the air. Only the spattered blood proved he had ever existed.

Nie Kong had no inclination to dwell on that now. His mind raced. This Nie Fengbo was at the third rank of Spirit Confluence. While not a master, he was far superior to Nie Kong. If he mishandled this, ending his current journey in the illusory realm would be secondary; he might even lose his own life.

Suddenly, a trace of almost imperceptible delight flickered in Nie Kong’s eyes. He sneered, “No wonder you’re so stocky—you must have a pig’s head on top. You only know how to eat, not how to think. Do you never run your mouth through your brain before speaking? You actually dare utter such idiotic things? Calling you a pig would be an insult to swine.”

Nie Fengbo’s eyes widened, a mixture of shock and fury boiling over as he roared, “What? You’re insulting me? How dare you insult me? You…”

“Swish!”

Nie Kong suddenly unleashed his speed to the extreme. A white blur flashed past, covering several meters in an instant, his right hand launching toward Nie Fengbo like a bolt of lightning. Nie Fengbo hadn't expected the Spirit Gathering ninth rank Nie Kong to strike first. He was only momentarily stunned before his face contorted into a sinister grin. His massive fist swung like a battering ram toward Nie Kong’s shoulder.

It was the low-grade Fire Spirit Art, “Blazing Heart Fist.” Unleashed by a Spirit Confluence third rank practitioner, its might far surpassed what Nie Xiu Ge, a Spirit Gathering seventh rank, had displayed that day. His fist glowed red like a branding iron, resembling a raging bonfire, its scorching aura filling the space for several meters around.

“Boom!”

A violent tremor erupted. Nie Fengbo grunted, stumbling forward, his right arm involuntarily swinging out to the side. The “Blazing Heart Fist” had missed. Behind him appeared another dark and robust youth, his eyes bulging with rage. The right fist that had struck Nie Fengbo’s back hadn't yet retracted when his left fist, already brimming with Fire Spirit Power, slammed out immediately after, the force ferocious…