PS: The first update is out; the second update will probably be around ten o'clock. The third might be after midnight...

Does she need to drag someone down with her?

Hearing Ling Nian’s words, and seeing the direction she was fleeing, the City Lords understood instantly who she was referring to, and their hearts sank.

The Wood Spirit Hall was already sealed by the "Nightmare Spirit Black Subduing Vine" that Ling Nian had planted; going there was akin to a fish returning to water for her. Mu Xueyi had been trapped in the Wood Spirit Hall for twenty years; even if he were still alive now, facing that fragmented remnant of a spirit thought, he would likely stand no chance.

“Whoosh!”

Without hesitation, a black streak flashed, and the Thousand Sting Ink Dragon Whip shot after Hei Li. Following Mu Lengxing were City Lord Mu Yushuang of Nandong City and City Lord Mu Tianfei of Beisong City.

As they chased and fled, their speed reached its apex. Wherever they passed, the surging blackness and the spiritual imprint left behind were like streams of light stretched across the sky.

In an instant, Ling Nian arrived above the Wood Spirit Hall, which was shrouded in black mist.

"Ben Kong?"

Seeing the figure enveloped by both black and green auras outside the Wood Spirit Hall, Ling Nian paused in astonishment, which immediately turned into a mix of pleasant surprise and agitation. She had absolutely not expected to encounter the very culprit responsible for her miserable state right here. She was about to glide directly into the Wood Spirit Hall through the center of the black shield, but at this moment, she couldn't help but hesitate slightly. She glanced back at the three figures pursuing her—then a sharp, cold sneer drifted out, "Mu Kong, die for this Venerable One!"

Like a ferocious beast breaking free from its cage, the rolling black miasma transformed into phantom images of the "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines," pouncing with bared fangs and claws toward Nie Kong at the edge of the Wood Spirit Hall below...

Life force, death energy...

These two phrases constantly flashed through Nie Kong’s mind. The "Nightmare Spirit Black Subduing Vine," originating from the Abyss of Depravity, was an extraordinarily peculiar existence.

Death energy fiercely lashed out within the life force, and life force simultaneously sprouted from the death energy; these two perfectly opposing auras were combined flawlessly.

On the continent outside the Yin Ruins, death energy, just like life force, was omnipresent, but Nie Kong had never encountered a situation where the two could merge so harmoniously.

"If I could absorb this death energy, allowing it to stimulate the life force within my spiritual power..." Thinking of this possibility, a surge of joy involuntarily welled up in Nie Kong's heart. Once the life force and death energy could perfectly integrate and reach equilibrium within his body...

Not only could the present "Nightmare Spirit Black Subduing Vine" be dispelled, but even the massive inherent flaw in his spiritual technique could potentially be resolved.

The "Yin-Yang Spirit Devouring Art" was derived from the "Spring and Autumn Life Spirit Art," inheriting even its defect. By now, the "Yin-Yang Spirit Devouring Art" was not only more potent, but its flaw had also become more severe, something Nie Kong had always found difficult to reconcile.

If he could use the death energy here to mend that flaw in one fell swoop, it would be the best possible outcome!

With this thought, Nie Kong immediately sat down cross-legged and began circulating the "Yin-Yang Spirit Devouring Art." His Spiritual God Acupoint vibrated violently; the six pairs of minor acupoints on its outermost layer also spun faster and faster. In just an instant, these six pairs of minor acupoints reached their absolute limit.

"Hoo!"

Immediately afterward, balls of emerald green life force and ink-black death energy rose almost simultaneously from the "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines" ahead. They gathered frantically around Nie Kong, and then, as if drawn by magnets, they rushed ceaselessly into his Spiritual God Acupoint.

Subsequently, the life force entered through the upper six minor acupoints, while the death energy drilled into the lower six minor acupoints...

"Boom!"

Life force and death energy collided violently, and fierce explosions resonated from the "Spiritual God Acupoint." Following this, the life force and death energy mingled with the surrounding vast spiritual power. As the "Yin-Yang Spirit Devouring Art" continued to circulate, the spiritual power once again manifested the shape of a "Yin-Yang Diagram."

The Yin-Yang Diagram grew larger and larger, instantly occupying the entire Spiritual God Acupoint.

"Hoo!"

A small vortex quietly materialized in front of his abdomen.

The emerald green and ink-black auras separated from the "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines" with increasing rapidity. Supplemented by the emerald life force and ink-black death energy, the green-and-black vortex expanded ever faster. In the span of a few breaths, it expanded to envelop Nie Kong’s entire body.

"Hm?"

The spirit thought rushed down from high above. Midway through its descent, it let out a surprised cry. The anomaly appearing around Nie Kong caused the "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines," filled with tyrannical energy, to pause in mid-air. Yet, less than half a second later, the spirit thought let out a cold snort and continued its dive toward Nie Kong.

Several hundred meters of space vanished in a blink. When the "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines" formed by the spirit thought were less than twenty meters from Nie Kong, the entrance to the vortex had already expanded to thirty or forty meters. The black-and-green vortex acted like a bottomless pit that could never be filled, madly devouring large swaths of gathered life force and death energy.

"You think this can save your life? How naive!"

Before the spirit thought's cold laughter could fully dissipate, strands of "Nightmare Spirit Black Subduing Vines" violently undulated, shooting toward the vortex like arrows leaving a bow.

"Stop!"

A furious roar suddenly erupted. A streak of dark light streaked across the void from the side—it was Mu Lengxing’s "Thousand Sting Ink Dragon Whip" spiritual imprint. Before the shout had even faded, a sharp black glow burst forth. The "Thousand Sting Ink Dragon Whip" was less than fifty meters from the spirit thought's "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines."

"Ah!"

Just as the "Thousand Sting Ink Dragon Whip" was about to pierce the "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines" in the next moment, the spirit thought suddenly let out a piercing shriek. The vines charging toward the vortex scrambled to reverse course, but the vortex seemed to contain an incomparable suction force, causing the tendrils to disintegrate segment by segment.

The Thousand Sting Ink Dragon Whip abruptly halted. Mu Lengxing’s figure immediately materialized. Looking at the bizarre scene ahead, his eyes registered astonishment and surprise.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Two more figures landed beside Mu Lengxing; they were Mu Yushuang and Mu Tianfei. Surprise was also evident in their gazes. "Ah!"

The scream rang out again.

The "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines" reformed into their black miasma state, desperately attempting to retreat to normal, but large patches of black energy continued to separate from the miasma, being sucked into the vortex. Despite struggling, the black mist not only failed to escape but its distance from the vortex actually shortened slightly.

"Mu Kong, what kind of monster have you created?"

The spirit thought shrieked, her voice betraying unconcealable anxiety and panic.

"Hoo!" Below, Nie Kong offered no response, but the vortex continued to expand outward.

As the spirit thought roared, an even stronger suction emanated from within the vortex. The intensely swirling black fog in the void sank another meter toward the vortex, causing more black energy to separate.

"What is happening?"

Mu Lengxing murmured, exchanging glances with Mu Yushuang and Mu Tianfei beside him. The astonishment in their eyes turned into deep confusion.

"Is Mu Kong cultivating?"

Mu Yushuang’s eyes flickered.

"The green part is the life force contained within the 'Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines,' and the black part must be the death energy within them!"

Mu Tianfei’s delicate brows furrowed. Then, a look of undisguised disbelief crossed her charming oval face, "He can absorb both life force and death energy simultaneously? A... I suppose that must be it."

Mu Lengxing pondered, "The spirit thought of the 'Great Evolution Spirit Venerable' merged with the spiritual imprint of the 'Nightmare Spirit Black Subduing Vine.' Like the 'Nightmare Spirit Black Subduing Vine' below, it also contained life force and death energy. She intended to strike Mu Kong, but unexpectedly, Mu Kong trapped her, making it impossible for her to escape. It seems we won't need to intervene."

"Mu Kong..."

At this moment, the spirit thought shouted sharply again, "You dare absorb the spirit thought of the 'Great Evolution Spirit Venerable'? Do you know the consequences of doing such a thing..."

The final word, "consequence," was replaced by a heart-rending scream. The vortex had expanded to a hundred meters in size, and the speed at which the black energy was being absorbed had significantly increased again. The distance between the mass of black mist and the vortex entrance had shrunk to about five meters.

In the blink of an eye, the black mass had thinned considerably. Although it was still churning violently, its scope was gradually shrinking, seeming as if it could be entirely sucked into the vortex at any moment.

"Stop absorbing!"

The spirit thought's cry was much weaker now, pleading, "Mu Kong, if you let me go, I can give you countless benefits... the beauties from the Abyss of Depravity... the Great Evolution Spirit Venerable’s spiritual techniques... anything you desire, I can help you obtain, just let me go..."

"She is merely a wisp of the 'Great Evolution Spirit Venerable’s' spirit thought. After the Yin Ruins were sealed by the Wood Ancestor, her connection to the main body was severed, which is why she developed independent sentience. If she actually knew the spiritual technique her main body cultivates, that would truly be ghostly!" Mu Lengxing sneered.

"Ah..."

Indeed, Nie Kong remained completely unmoved. The black miasma continued to pour endlessly into the vortex. The spirit thought's cries grew increasingly tragic and weaker.

In less than ten seconds, the black mass was reduced to only a basin-sized lump. "Mu Kong, you dare absorb my spirit thought! My main body is the 'Great Evolution Spirit Venerable.' One day, I will return. When that time comes, no one in the Yin Ruins will be spared..."

The spirit thought's voice was filled with unwillingness and despair. When the sound completely vanished, the last vestiges of the black miasma fell entirely into the vortex.

The vortex continued to spin, madly sucking in the surrounding life force and death energy. Originally, only the "Nightmare Spirit Black Subduing Vines" near the vortex were sprouting life force and death energy, but now, this range was continuously extending, gradually spreading to cover half the Wood Spirit Hall.

Silence fell upon heaven and earth, as if, apart from the whoosh sound of the vortex spinning, there was no other noise.

"For the spirit thought of the 'Great Evolution Spirit Venerable' to disappear in this manner is indeed somewhat tragic. Yet, a mere wisp of her spirit thought caused such an uproar in our Yin Ruins. If she were to come here in person, I wonder how we would resist?" Mu Tianfei sighed faintly, a hint of worry clouding her brow.

"The 'Great Evolution Spirit Venerable' is a Spiritual God of the Abyss of Depravity; getting here is not that simple."

Mu Lengxing smiled calmly. "For now, let's think about how to handle the current issue! Although Qingyi’s actions over the past twenty years were not of her own will, they brought such disaster to the Yin Ruins. How to deal with her will likely require the Wood Ancestor's final decision! Moreover, Xueyi is still trapped and has not been rescued..."

"Look! The 'Nightmare Spirit Black Subduing Vines' over here have withered!" Mu Yushuang suddenly spoke, her tone tinged with delight.

Mu Lengxing and Mu Tianfei focused their gazes and indeed saw that the part of the "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines" closest to the vortex was gradually drying up and shriveling. Through the gaps in the vines, the Wood Spirit Hall within could vaguely be seen.