The sound was quite faint, and the void revealed no particular signs, yet Nie Kong’s spirit soared, and he blurted out involuntarily. It wasn't just him; Bai Yuqing and Mu Hongling, who had shifted from standing to sitting cross-legged behind him, couldn't help but reveal looks of delight.

Having endured the torment here for nearly a month, Hongye had never managed to break free from the restraint. Nie Kong had constantly contemplated giving up, only refraining because he couldn't bear to let his efforts thus far become useless labor. Thus, he persisted day by day with Bai Yuqing and Mu Hongling, finally grasping a glimmer of hope for success today.

During these days, the strange, cyclical interaction between Nie Kong, Bai Yuqing, and Mu Hongling had never ceased. Their contribution was indispensable in sustaining them for so long; this cycle pushed the three of them to their absolute limits.

If not for this, Nie Kong alone would have found it difficult to suppress the tremor of the Green Leaf.

However, this three-body cycle also consumed Nie Kong immensely. Fortunately, the soul power contained within the hall's void seemed inexhaustible, allowing Nie Kong to receive sufficient replenishment at any moment. The situation in the previous stone pillar space was similar: Nie Kong had essentially used the soul power of the "Prison Fire Soul Heavenly Dragon" to defeat itself.

"Slight crack!"

Another sound, like the cracking of an eggshell, pierced the humming resonance and reached the ears of the three.

Subsequently, this sound continued to emerge in succession…

"Slight crack!"

"Snap!"

"…"

Nie Kong fixed his gaze! He watched without blinking for almost a full minute before realizing that whenever the "crack" sounded, the void on the surface of the Red Leaf would tremble slightly. However, this faint tremor was easily lost amid the frequent vibrations of the Red Leaf, making it very difficult to detect.

At this moment, Nie Kong vaguely sensed a realization: the force binding this "Seven-Colored Spirit Leaf" was like a thin membrane. No wonder there was no sensation when he had touched the leaf previously.

For a time, Nie Kong grew increasingly curious about the spirit pattern master who created this space.

If Nie Kong was not mistaken, this should be an illusory space. Yet, compared to the illusory space constructed in Spirit Control City specifically for hosting the "Six Halls Grand Competition," this space appeared far more miraculous—the Dark Soul Hall, the Prison Fire Nether Spring, the Flame Mountain—all were so.

To create such an illusory space not only required an immense expenditure of time but also very high requirements for the spirit pattern master's cultivation. Especially since that person could actually imprison the "Seven-Colored Spirit Leaf" and utilize its power to suppress the "Prison Fire Nether Spring."

This method was astonishing.

One must remember that the "Seven-Colored Spirit Leaf" was crafted by a Spirit God.

"Could it be that the person obtained this 'Seven-Colored Spirit Leaf' and then deciphered its mysteries…"

Nie Kong pondered uncertainly, yet his heart-aspect in his right palm did not relax its control over the half-piece of the Green Leaf. Judging from the situation opposite him, this was the most critical juncture; if he allowed this half-piece of the Green Leaf to slip from his grasp, the nearly month-long effort might all be in vain.

"Snap!"

The Red Leaf fiercely rammed forward once more. After this faint cracking sound, the charge of the Red Leaf showed no sign of stopping.

"Boom!"

The explosion sounded like a colossal bell chime. The Red Leaf transformed into a streak of flowing light, shooting toward Nie Kong like lightning, its speed so great it seemed to pierce the very void.

Nie Kong's heart skipped a beat, and his heart-aspect instantly retracted.

"Tap!" Like two magnets, the Red Leaf spanned the void at lightning speed and landed upon the Green Leaf. In the next instant, the two pieces of the leaf suddenly became still, and the dazzling luminous glow vanished completely in that moment.

Nie Kong held one piece of leaf in each hand, easily pulling them apart, as if they had no connection whatsoever—not the slightest hint that moments before, they had been desperately trying to converge!

Now that they had converged, why were they unresponsive?

This bizarre scene brought a wry smile to Nie Kong's face. After withdrawing their hands, Bai Yuqing and Mu Hongling looked at the now-dimmed leaves and exchanged stunned glances. They hadn't expected such an outcome, especially Mu Hongling, who had been anticipating a huge commotion upon the leaves merging.

However, the three soon had no time to focus on these two leaves.

"Splash!"

Freed from the restraint of the "Seven-Colored Spirit Leaf," the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" immediately roared impatiently. The spring water surged several meters high, yet not a single drop splashed out. The moment it rushed into the air, Nie Kong, Bai Yuqing, and Mu Hongling all felt a vast aura expand outward. Yet, this aura came quickly and dissipated just as fast; just as the three began to sense it, it was gone!

"Qingyue!"

Nie Kong hissed inwardly, and at the instant that stream of blood-red spring water descended, his figure shot forward.

The azure energy hanging from Nie Kong like a rope simultaneously sprang to life, rushing ahead of him to the spring eye, soaring straight upward. After reaching a height of four or five meters, the azure energy descended, but immediately charged toward the sky again. This time, it reached six or seven meters.

This cycle repeated, with Qingyue soaring ever higher.

The spring water fell silent for a moment, then surprisingly imitated the action, following Qingyue upward. It was now like a child with a novel toy, rushing more and more vigorously until, in a short while, it surpassed Qingyue, its height approaching the very peak of the hall ceiling.

"Hoo!"

A moment later, Qingyue suddenly stilled, but a beam of dense, lustrous light shot out from the mass of azure energy, instantly piercing through the twenty or thirty meters of space and straight through the hall's roof.

The spring water paused, falling back into the pool, and then a thick column of crimson light rushed out from the spring eye, continuously extending upward until it soon burst out of the hall.

Nie Kong finally couldn't help but ask inwardly, "Qingyue, what are you doing?"

"Don't you want everyone to know there's a spring eye here? My method is definitely effective," Qingyue's smug voice sounded.

"Qingyue, I didn't expect your reaction to be so quick."

Nie Kong understood Qingyue's intention after only a brief moment of distraction, and his heart filled with joy. He praised the little medicine spirit without reservation.

Indeed, if the blood-red glow shooting out from the spring eye could reach a high enough altitude, all the spirit masters in this entire space would surely see it.

"Of course," Qingyue giggled. Since learning Nie Kong's objective, she had been contemplating this problem during the twenty-plus days the Red Leaf and Green Leaf were entwined. Now that the leaves were removed and the spring eye was no longer suppressed, she naturally had to implement the method she had devised as soon as possible.

"But, how do we let them know that this beam of red light represents the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring'?" Nie Kong pondered internally.

"That’s even easier."

Qingyue floated to the edge of the circular pool, and another beam of azure light emerged. Even more marvelously, this azure light simulated the rippling of water waves. Sure enough, the spring water trembled fiercely, and the beam of blood-red glow emerging from the circular pool also undulated, resembling a clear crimson spring contained within a transparent bottle.

The mass of azure energy drifted gently back to Nie Kong, and Qingyue giggled, "Little fellow, haven't I displayed this 'Prison Fire Nether Spring' quite well?"

"It's not that you displayed it well, but that this 'Prison Fire Nether Spring' has gained sentience!" Nie Kong smiled faintly.

Before obtaining the Red Leaf, Nie Kong had already vaguely harbored this suspicion. Now, observing the actions of Qingyue and the spring water, Nie Kong's judgment became even firmer.

Qingyue, being a thousand-year medicine spirit, naturally had a much stronger sense in this regard than Nie Kong. She should have determined this point as soon as she sensed the existence of the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," otherwise, she wouldn't have boldly taken responsibility when Nie Kong worried about taking the Red Leaf and causing unforeseen changes.

However, Nie Kong was also perfectly clear that even if the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" had achieved sentience, its spiritual nature would not be as strong as Xiangxiang's, and even less so compared to Qingyue's. Otherwise, it would not have been so easy for Qingyue to guide this pool of water to act according to her will.

"Eh?"

Hearing Nie Kong say this suddenly, Qingyue became somewhat deflated. "You saw through it so quickly; how boring."

She snorted twice, and the mass of azure energy flickered slightly before drilling into Nie Kong's chest, shrinking back into the beast tablet from the 'Beast Deception Sect.'

"Whatever you do, it does—apprentice, does this spring water have sentience?" Mu Hongling looked up at the massive pillar of light, her beautiful eyes full of astonishment. Bai Yuqing held her sword with both hands but remained silent, yet her head nodded in agreement, clearly concurring with her statement.

"That's right, this is the first time I've seen water gain sentience too!" Nie Kong smiled lightly.

Although this phenomenon was very unexpected, it wasn't impossible to accept. On this Heavenly Spirit Continent, spiritual power elements were exceptionally abundant; essentially, given the right conditions, all things could generate spiritual nature—just like Qingyue the Illusory Heart Orchid and the Fluttering Jade Butterfly Spring. Even a stone had the possibility of gaining sentience!

"Wonderful!" Seeing that Nie Kong shared her idea, Mu Hongling's beautiful eyes lit up immediately. "If we could capture this water spirit, then—" Nie Kong let out a wry chuckle.

The "Prison Fire Nether Spring" here was the source of the spring outside. That spring eye was constantly moving; if someone really wanted to capture it, it could easily slip away at any time.

This space was vast; where could it not hide itself?

Just as he was about to speak, Nie Kong suddenly felt a stir in his heart, and a touch of inky-green Spirit Treasure Essence Qi emerged from his fingertip, sinking into the spring eye.

"Splash!"

With a crisp water sound, the spring water unexpectedly rushed out of the circular pool, leaping several meters high, and the crimson glow piercing out of the hall became even more vibrant and colorful.

Seeing this, Nie Kong was overjoyed. The "Spirit Treasure Essence Qi" he cultivated was effective for Qingyue, the thousand-year medicine spirit, in condensing her body and restoring her soul, and also effective for Xiangxiang's growth. Unexpectedly, it was also effective for this pool of water...

Perhaps Mu Hongling's idea could actually be realized!

Thinking of this, Nie Kong felt a surge of excitement. He sharply flicked his finger, sending another cluster of Spirit Treasure Essence Qi into the "Prison Fire Nether Spring." In an instant, it dispersed completely, vanishing without a trace…