As the spirit thought had previously stated, even though she was merely a wisp of lingering consciousness, she was still the consciousness of a Divine Spirit. However, once separated from the body she possessed, this mere shred of spirit could neither harm Mu Lengxing nor Mu Jinzhu, those Heavenly Spirit experts, nor could the five Heavenly Spirit experts harm her.

But there was one prerequisite: the "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vine" had to remain within Mu Qingyi’s Heart-Phase. If the "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vine" were also expelled from Mu Qingyi’s Heart-Phase, that wisp of consciousness would truly be like a rootless tumbleweed—not just struggling against five Heavenly Spirit experts, but even finding it hard to resist a single Mu Qiaxing.

Expelling the "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vine" from Mu Qingyi’s Heart-Phase wasn't something achievable simply by killing Mu Qingyi.

The Yin Ruins Semi-Spirit race differed greatly from other spirit races in one crucial aspect: the destination of the soul.

The ancestors of the Semi-Spirit race were all separated from the body of the Wood Ancestor; upon their demise, their souls would not vanish but would return to the embrace of the Wood Ancestor, and the Heart-Phase followed suit.

Because of this, the Ancestral Heavenly Divine Luo Tree could be considered the progenitor of all flora.

Currently, very few on the Heavenly Spirit Continent knew this fact, but for those plants and trees that had already developed sentience, there remained an instinctual pull toward the "Ancestral Heavenly Divine Luo Tree." This was precisely why

the Azure Moon Illusory Heart Orchid felt a sense of returning home when it entered the Yin Ruins.

If Mu Qingyi’s soul and Heart-Phase were to return to the Wood Ancestor’s body, the "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vine" would follow, entering the Wood Ancestor’s body as well, causing far greater damage. It was based on this very point that

Mu Lengxing and the others dared not harm Mu Qingyi, which allowed that wisp of consciousness to act without fear.

Had the Yin Ruins not been sealed, the Divine Spirit from the Fallen Abyss, upon learning the Wood Ancestor had been afflicted by the "Dark Blood Spirit Worm," would likely have been ecstatic for Mu Qingyi’s death, seizing the opportunity to let its spirit wisp enter the Wood Ancestor's body.

But now that the Yin Ruins were closed, the wisp of consciousness, long freed from the constraints of its original form, had developed independent spirituality. It understood clearly that while entering the Wood Ancestor’s body would cause immense trouble for him, given enough time, it would inevitably be assimilated by the Wood Ancestor itself. Why would it wish for such an end?

Yet, what it hadn't anticipated was that something no one in the entire Yin Ruins could accomplish, a mere young man could achieve so effortlessly!

The Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vine had actually detached itself from Mu Qingyi’s Heart-Phase!

“Mu Kong, what scent did you release that could actually compel my… Demonic Evil Black Demon Vine to separate from her Heart-Phase?” the spirit wisp shrieked, its dense mass of "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vines"

thrashing wildly in the void like the tentacles of an octopus, conveying a distinct sense of desperation!

Nie Kong paid no heed to the wisp of consciousness. He lifted the finger resting on Mu Qingyi’s glabella and leaped down from the high platform, speeding toward the hall entrance. The changes in the high platform caused the figures entangled high above to halt their actions. Freed from pressure, Nie Kong’s speed surged, leaving streaks of afterimages in the void.

For him, the matters in the Grand Manifestation Hall were settled. Now, he urgently needed to see the Wood Spirit Hall.

"Mother—"

An anxious cry echoed from the high platform. It was Mu Qingying, who, the moment the pressure vanished, rushed onto the platform. Her mournful voice caused a tremor in Nie Kong's spirit, yet his pace never faltered. Mu Qingyi was merely unconscious, not dead; whether she would have future complications was beyond his control.

"Stop!"

The wisp of consciousness screamed hysterically. Black mist rolled forward rapidly like flowing clouds, and the surrounding hundreds of thousands of "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vines" frenziedly chased Nie Kong's figure, desperately trying to hold the culprit in the Grand Manifestation Hall at any cost.

"Crack!" Where it passed,

a sharp explosion rang out. The "Thousand Thorn Ink Dragon Whip" flashed forth like a phantom, descending straight down from the sky.

Instantly, air currents surged, and the void itself seemed to be torn apart by this strike. Wherever that deep, inky-black radiance passed, the "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vines" dissolved like melting snow.

"Boom!"

Mu Jinzhu’s Heart-Phase, the snow-white "Sacred Snow Emperor Glory Tree," also manifested, directly piercing through the overwhelming black mist before descending toward the ground. As it landed on the high platform, the massive "Jade Snow Emperor Flame Tree" shrank countless times before reverting to Mu Jinzhu’s form.

Following Mu Jinzhu were the four City Lords, including Mu Yijun… The wisp of consciousness let out continuous, miserable cries, flailing left and right like a mad thing, desperately trying to break free from the encirclement of Mu Lengxing and the other Heavenly Spirit experts… The pitch-black sky gradually grew brighter. When the upheaval occurred in the Grand Manifestation Hall, nearly all residents of Yin Moon City had emerged from their homes, staring upwards from the streets. Now, seeing the violent black fog weaken, the worry etched on their brows began to dissipate considerably.

Amidst this, Nie Kong sprinted through the streets. While his dash drew the attention of many, most only glanced for a moment before shifting their focus back toward the Grand Manifestation Hall—watching a man was less important than knowing the outcome of the battle raging over there!

In no time, Nie Kong reached the north of Yin Moon City.

The city gates were sealed, and the towering female guards seen before were nowhere near the entrance. They had likely been drawn by the commotion at the Grand Manifestation Hall. This suited Nie Kong perfectly; in just a few moves, he scaled the city wall and continued charging toward the pillar of black energy piercing the sky ahead.

Plants flashed past him in a blur…

Several minutes later.

“This is the Wood Spirit Hall?” Nie Kong couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath. In the memories displayed by the Wood Ancestor, Nie Kong had seen the Wood Spirit Hall sealed by the "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vine," but the vision gleaned from memory was nowhere near as shocking as the sight before his eyes. Endless black vines crisscrossed the area, so dense that not a trace of the palace structure could be discerned.

From a distance, it looked as if the original Wood Spirit Hall was covered by a colossal, hemispherical dome.

When he expelled the "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vine" from Mu Qingyi’s Heart-Phase earlier, the little fellow must have used up the majority of its stored purple essence. The vines here, having developed from seeds planted twenty years ago, were naturally far inferior to the "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vine" inside Mu Qingyi. But they had the advantage of sheer quantity. Expelling such a vast field of "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vines" with the remaining trace of purple essence was nothing short of a pipe dream.

Nie Kong utilized the "Shifting Flower Evasion Technique," reaching the outside of the Wood Spirit Hall at maximum speed. A faint black mist coiled around the surface of those black vines. This black mist contained life force, yet also held a faint trace of death energy, which was densest at the peak of the black dome. Nie Kong had sensed this death energy once before—when the "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vine" surged out of Mu Qingyi’s brow and merged with the black mist formed by the spirit wisp.

“Dark Fragrance.”

Nie Kong gave a mental command.

“Oh dear, oh dear!” The little fellow slowly unfurled its small flower bud, then reluctantly sent out a small cluster of purple essence. Seeing this action, Nie Kong knew the little fellow’s reserves of purple essence were indeed meager; otherwise, the little thing wouldn't have displayed such reluctance.

The purple essence then flowed along Nie Kong’s arm, spreading forward.

"Whoosh! Whoosh..."

In an instant, the first dozens of "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vines" recoiled from the black dome, shrinking instantly to the height of about three meters, collapsing limply on the ground. The surrounding "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vines" also contracted slightly, but the farther away they were, the less they shrank.

After more than ten seconds, stimulated by the small cluster of purple essence, the black dome around Nie Kong thinned by one layer, but still, the shadow of the Wood Spirit Hall inside could not be seen.

"Dark Fragrance!"

Nie Kong silently called out again.

“Oh dear, oh dear!”

The little fellow let out an annoyed cry and actually curled up, its roots, stems, and leaves tightly enveloping the tiny bud at the tip.

Nie Kong was helpless. According to the intent transmitted by the little fellow, the "Dark Fragrance" was only enough for one more use. Such a tiny amount of fragrance was simply throwing dust in the wind against this thicket of "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vines." Nie Kong felt awkward about completely draining the little fellow’s essence.

"Whoosh, whoosh..."

Suddenly, those black vines that had just retracted vigorously extended once more. In just a few seconds, the black dome returned to its original state.

“Dark Fragrance is unavailable; I need to find another way!”

Nie Kong’s mind raced. If the little fellow were a bit bigger, it could perhaps travel through the passage

and return to the Wood Ancestor’s heartwood to eat some "Divine Luo Nectar Dew." Unfortunately, the little fellow was too young; it could not absorb "Divine Luo Nectar Dew" again until it advanced to the fifth tier.

“Life force, death energy…”

Looking at the dense "Demonic Spirit Black Demon Vines" before him, the words suddenly popped into Nie Kong's mind for no apparent reason… “Grand Manifestation Hall.”

“You forced me! Rise!”

The density of the black mist was only half of what it was initially. Seeing the "Thousand Thorn Ink Dragon Whip" sweep toward it like a meteor, the spirit wisp let out a sharp, furious roar. The nine tall towers distributed throughout the Grand Manifestation Hall suddenly shot into the void, instantly seeming to be drawn toward the periphery of the battle circle.

“Explode!” the spirit wisp shrieked, and the nine towers violently detonated. The void within a thousand-meter radius seemed to be swept by a Category Two hurricane; the fierce momentum rolled out in all directions like terrifying waves, instantly reducing

the towering structures inside the Grand Manifestation Hall to dust.

Mu Lengxing and the others had not expected the spirit wisp to have such a hidden trump card and couldn't help but change expression slightly.

If that momentum were allowed to rage unchecked, countless people in Yin Moon City would suffer immense casualties.

"Swish! Swish!"

With almost no hesitation, Yin Moon City Lord Mu Yijun and East Phoenix City Lord Mu Yaotong landed on the ground, their illusory shadows expanding infinitely, covering the entire Yin Moon City in the blink of an eye. Below, Mu Jinzhu’s "Jade Snow Emperor Emperor Tree" Heart-Phase materialized again, its massive leaves scattering and spinning.

“You forced me!”

The spirit wisp, however, took advantage of Yin Moon City Lord Mu Yijun landing to desperately flee toward the north of the city, screaming hoarsely, “You despicable women, even if I, the Grand Manifestation Spirit Venerable, must die, I must drag one down with me! You want to save her, don't you? Then come, hehehehe…”