“See that?”

Miao Ge shot him a sidelong glance, chuckling softly. “Nie Kong, this is your cue. If you go over there now, you might take down Luo Sheng in one go! Isn't that what you’ve always wished for?”

“Senior Sister Miao Ge, you truly are the worm in my belly; how do you know exactly what I’m thinking?” Nie Kong laughed heartily.

“Nie Kong, can you speak a little more elegantly?”

Miao Ge’s eyebrows shot up in exasperation.

Nie Kong blinked in feigned surprise. “Oh? Let me rephrase: Senior Sister Miao Ge, we are truly kindred spirits; how do you know exactly what I’m thinking!”

“Kindred spirits my foot!”

Miao Ge scolded him with a shy burst of annoyance.

This fellow was admirable at times—like when testing elixirs or participating in the monthly assessments. At other times, he was utterly enigmatic, as seen in his performance during this ‘Six Halls Grand Competition.’ Yet, at moments like when he was carrying her, or right now, he was infuriatingly irritating.

What he said made her want to smash his head into a pig’s skull; he was utterly vexing, Miao Ge ground out through clenched teeth, glaring at Nie Kong.

Nie Kong couldn't help but chuckle and dropped the banter. He just looked ahead at Luo Sheng’s wretched state, but his feet remained firmly planted.

Firstly, the situation unfolding outside was clearly audible; taking down Luo Sheng personally would be a blatant violation of the ‘Six Halls Grand Competition’ rules.

Secondly, according to Ru Jie, both Luo Sheng and Luo Teng hailed from aristocratic clans in the Great Chang Empire. But unlike his younger brother Luo Teng, Luo Sheng had reached the ninth rank of Spirit Fusion at such a young age, meaning he must be a key figure groomed by the Luo family. Finishing him off personally would lead to immense trouble later.

As for Luo Teng, he looked like a mere vagrant from the outer city. Even if the Luo family held him responsible for his death, no matter how they investigated, they would only find that Luo Teng died outside the city, killed by a spirit beast while attempting harm, leaving them no motive or evidence against Nie Kong.

Without evidence, even the most addled leader in the Luo family wouldn't risk offending Spirit Yu City—which meant making trouble for a promising inner-city disciple—over a clan member of moderate value. Having spent so much time in Spirit Yu City, Nie Kong was quite confident about this point.

Nie Kong certainly wished Luo Sheng would die, but he didn't want him to die by his own hand. With his current strength, it wasn't the time to act without reservation.

For now, the priority was securing his footing in the inner city and entering the Yin Ruins!

Earlier, when Luo Sheng was exhausted and in peril, Nie Kong had indeed attacked him, but he never intended to deliver a killing blow in a single strike; he just wanted to toy with him.

If he could force Luo Sheng out of the Illusory Space, that would be best.

What a pity! Luo Sheng had fixed his sights on him. Not only did he refuse to exit the Illusory Space, but he even consumed a spirit medicine called 'Nirvana Nest of Bathing Fire'!

The best outcome now was for Luo Sheng to be accidentally killed by a spirit beast.

Luo Sheng possessed the 'Jade Butterfly of Verdant Veins.' Even besieged by this overwhelming horde of second and third-grade spirit beasts, he should have had countless opportunities to deploy the 'Jade Butterfly of Verdant Veins' and escape safely. But he insisted on staying here to fight the beasts head-on. If he died, it was his own doing!

Blame no one!

Even the Luo family of Chang Kingdom would have no legitimate reason to come after him. One must not forget that Nie Kong would soon be an inner-city disciple of Spirit Yu City, as well as a member of the Nie clan of the Great Cheng Empire. Luo Sheng could act recklessly toward Nie Kong, but the Luo family could not afford to be entirely unconcerned.

Given that, why should Nie Kong risk taking action?

Miao Ge’s temper cooled slightly. She snorted, “Nie Kong, if you want to kill him that much, why aren't you acting? Are you afraid of his family?”

“Look!”

Nie Kong pointed. Miao Ge followed his gaze. In just a moment, the spirit beasts clawed Luo Sheng several more times. His body was splattered with blood, crisscrossed with wounds, his robes were tattered, and his steps were unsteady. He looked as if he could collapse at any moment.

“Did you see clearly the words written on his face?” Nie Kong’s tone suddenly soared as he looked across at Luo Sheng and smiled.

“A few words?” Miao Ge startled.

“You didn't see clearly? Then let me tell you. His face is covered with four large characters: Come and Kill Me!” Nie Kong burst into hearty laughter.

“Come and Kill Me?”

Miao Ge muttered suspiciously for a moment, then stared intently at Luo Sheng. Suddenly, she understood, and a strange smile crept onto her face. Just then, Nie Kong cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone and shouted, “Senior Brother Luo Sheng, put more effort into it! Give a more spirited performance, and I’ll give you an Oscar!”

“Agh,” “Die,” “Ka? What does that mean?”

“Uh, well…”

“Nie Kong! I will kill you!”

Luo Sheng roared with fury, veins bulging on his forehead. A magnificent crimson light suddenly pierced through his sword, and his figure flashed. The aggressive spirit beast directly in front of him was sliced in half by that streak of red light that rapidly swept through the void, its mournful shriek echoing through the forest.

In an instant, the heavily wounded Luo Sheng was vigorous once more. Amidst the dense swarm of spirit beasts, bursts of crimson light flared again, and spiritual energy surged.

In truth, just as Nie Kong had said, Luo Sheng had deliberately endured being struck by spirit beasts multiple times, staging a look of grave injury, all to lure Nie Kong into a trap. Alas, Nie Kong hadn't taken the bait; he hadn't even shown the slightest interest in the lure Luo Sheng had thrown out.

“It really is like that…”

Miao Ge stopped questioning what "Agh Die Ka" meant and looked at Nie Kong with a hint of admiration. “Nie Kong, how did you see through it?”

Even she, initially, thought Luo Sheng wouldn't last long given his injuries. Only after Nie Kong pointed it out did she spot some discrepancy. It seemed Luo Sheng’s act was quite successful, yet Nie Kong appeared suspicious of his performance from the start?

Nie Kong smiled. “I was just trying to trick him. I didn't expect him to be so impatient. If he had been hit by a few more spirit beasts, perhaps I would have fallen for it.”

Miao Ge rolled her eyes. That explanation was too far-fetched. If Nie Kong hadn't already seen that something was wrong, how would he have thought to trick him verbally?

She guessed half correctly: Nie Kong did realize Luo Sheng was acting when he got hurt, but he didn't see it; he sensed it.

This intuition relied on the dense life force still present in the forest. The facts proved Nie Kong’s intuition correct: Luo Sheng was indeed wounded, but his injuries were far less severe than they appeared. If Nie Kong had actually approached, he would have sprung the trap immediately.

Ling Xiao Altar.

On the circular steps, the Spirit Yu City disciples who had emerged from the Illusory Space, as well as those watching the Six Halls Grand Competition from the beginning, all had their horizons broadened. The sudden, massive flashes of green light near the entrance to the Illusory Space gave them endless topics for discussion.

“Did you see that? The dozens who came out were all inner-city disciples. Hilarious!”

“Look at their state—so pathetic. That guy, the one in blue—he was so arrogant earlier, chasing us like we had nowhere to run or hide. Look at him now, looking like a mangy dog stripped of its fur after being pounded by those spirit beasts! It feels great, so satisfying. Brothers, once the competition ends, let’s go to the Red Chamber to celebrate. My treat!”

“These inner-city disciples have truly lost face, being forced out by one person! I heard that person is named Nie Kong, and he’s a first-year disciple!”

“I wonder how he managed to draw all the spirit beasts in the Illusory Space over? Before I came out, I clearly saw him leading a huge pack of beasts running around. At the time, I thought they were all chasing him, and it scared me half to death.”

“According to Xiao Yao, the first inner-city disciple to emerge, Nie Kong seemed to use Blood Scale Tung?”

“Stop bragging! Blood Scale Tung? Impossible! My family runs a pharmacy, and we used to sell one piece of Blood Scale Tung back then. I even tested it myself. It can only attract spirit beasts within a ten-mile radius at most. Could Blood Scale Tung really draw all the beasts inside?”

“He has a point. Xiao Yao must have been terrified silly; who knows if what he said is true? I estimate that Nie Kong must have refined some strange, exotic elixir. I heard he’s an elixir master himself, and one with mutated wood spiritual power!”

“Luo Sheng looks like he’s about to give up again!”

“How many beasts has he killed? At least a hundred, right? Especially recently, killing them is like chopping vegetables!”

“Doesn't matter how many he kills; in the end, he’ll still need the ‘Jade Tablet of Verdant Veins’ to escape. Everyone else is out. Do you think he can last until the assessment ends? Dream on!”

“Boom!”

In the Illusory Space, the explosive roar of vibrating spiritual energy filled the void, and the dying cries of the spirit beasts shot toward the heavens. Luo Sheng dodged and weaved among the overwhelming tide of beasts for a long time, his speed slowing, his movements becoming sluggish—clearly running low on energy.

Nie Kong laughed heartily. “The medicinal effect of the Nirvana Nest of Bathing Fire is about to wear off. Miao Ge, I hear once the effect fades, this guy will become like a dead dog. That’s great! I can’t let the spirit beasts kill him for real. What a waste not to tease such a fine pet!”

His voice rising to its peak, Nie Kong clenched his fists until they cracked. Then, he reached out and grabbed, and another long green saber appeared in his palm. Under Miao Ge’s smiling gaze, Nie Kong rested the saber across his shoulder and strolled casually toward Luo Sheng.

“Nie Kong! I will kill you!”

Hearing Nie Kong’s loud taunt, Luo Sheng trembled, like a fierce beast on the verge of death, roaring hysterically at Nie Kong.

Nie Kong scratched his ear, feeling somewhat speechless. “Luo Sheng, Senior Brother, can you change your line? It’s the same few words over and over; my ears are getting calloused from listening.”

“You—”

Raging fire boiled in Luo Sheng’s chest. A lapse in concentration, and a long gash was ripped open on his thigh by the sharp claws of a spirit beast, blood gushing out.

Nie Kong mocked him. “Luo Sheng, haven’t you been hoping I’d come over? Now that I’m here, you must be overjoyed! Oh, and you don't need to worry about these spirit beasts here at all. With me around, they can't touch a hair on your head. As for you, I’ll have some fun playing with you, haha.”

“Shameless!”

Luo Sheng forced back the beasts pouncing on him and managed to curse out just as Nie Kong’s emerald saber shot out of his hand, whistling as it sped toward Luo Sheng.

Instantly, Nie Kong accelerated, moving in a blur past the beasts in front of him, lunging toward Luo Sheng, condensing another emerald saber in his grip.

“Boom!”

Saber met blade. The two weapons, formed entirely of spiritual energy elements, shattered violently, their emerald and flame-red fragments dissolving into the void. But at the moment of impact, Nie Kong had already lunged right in front of Luo Sheng, his saber sweeping horizontally toward Luo Sheng’s body.

Luo Sheng’s pupils constricted, and he let out a low, grim shout, his hands wreathed in fiery red spiritual energy—he reached out directly to grab the saber. However, just as he moved, that massive black python suddenly materialized from nowhere, its thick tail whipping fiercely against his spine.

“Pfft!”

A mouthful of blood erupted. Luo Sheng’s body was directly whipped away by the giant tail, slamming into Nie Kong’s emerald saber. Nie Kong coldly snorted, flicked his wrist, and changed the cut to a flat smack. In an instant, the broad saber face, carrying the force of a thousand pounds, swung diagonally across Luo Sheng’s left ribcage.

“Crack!”

A faint sound of breaking bone could be heard. Luo Sheng grunted, and his entire body was sent soaring several meters into the air, riding the swing of Nie Kong’s saber like a cloud traveler.

“Whoosh!”

With a piercing sound of tearing air, a giant eagle suddenly swooped down from the height.

Luo Sheng, suspended mid-air, suddenly thrust out his right hand, trembling, grasping the ‘Jade Butterfly of Verdant Veins’ at his waist.

A deep green light instantly enveloped his body, and Luo Sheng’s trembling voice filtered out from within the protective barrier. “Nie Kong, this time for the ‘Six Halls Grand Competition’ I didn't kill you, but remember, I...”

“Poison!”

A loud bang erupted at the barrier—Nie Kong had thrown his emerald saber, which crossed the void and slammed viciously into Luo Sheng’s body. Although the attack was blocked by the shield, the fierce sound of the collision swallowed the last two words Luo Sheng was trying to say.

“Luo Sheng, didn’t you say you wouldn't flee? I thought you’d hold out until the very end. If you had, I might have respected you a little,” Nie Kong sneered. “Also, I told you to change your line, why are you so disobedient? Do you need me to stab you before you listen?”

“Nie Kong, you—”

Before Luo Sheng could finish speaking, the body protected by the ‘Jade Barrier of Verdant Veins’ crashed to the ground with a thud. Immediately, a pillar of green light descended from above.

Watching Luo Sheng’s figure vanish, Nie Kong sneered internally: Acting like a stray dog, yet daring to spout nonsense here! You couldn't kill me in the Illusory Space, and you won’t have a chance outside either! Want to kill me? Come back in your next life then!

“Everyone who should be out has left.”

Miao Ge’s graceful figure arrived beside Nie Kong, sounding somewhat contemplative. “I wonder how many people are left in the Illusory Space? Perhaps the ‘Six Halls Grand Competition’ is drawing to a close!”

Nie Kong nodded slightly, suddenly focusing his spirit and retrieving the ‘Blood Scale Tung’ from his chest into his pet backpack. The thousand-plus spirit beasts surrounding them, having lost the attraction of the ‘Blood Scale Tung,’ paused for a moment before letting out fierce roars and scattering in all directions, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

The forest quickly fell silent. Apart from the figures of Nie Kong and Miao Ge, nothing remained but a scattering of intact or fragmented spirit beast corpses, and the thick, pungent smell of blood...

Postscript: First update delivered. I was delayed this morning due to an errand, so this chapter is late. Additionally, the account "Dú Yōu Běn Zūn" [] was reported by some petty person and has been silenced for a month. All replies to comments in the review section under that account have been blocked. In the future, I will switch to using the account "Chóu Yōu" [] to reply to everyone’s comments. (Using the traditional Chinese character for 'Dú' []). The above does not count toward the word count.