Nie Kong’s fingers flickered faster and faster, the sound of spiritual energy piercing the void echoing in quick succession.

"Splash!"

The spring water grew increasingly agitated, leaping high into the air without pause.

Seeing this, Bai Yuqing’s expression barely shifted, but Mu Hongling, standing beside her, was utterly dumbfounded. The spring water looked as if it were gleefully consuming the bait its master was offering—a tiny pet.

Although the water bore little resemblance to a pet, its joyful agitation compelled Mu Hongling to make the association.

Watching this, Mu Hongling suddenly felt a pang of frustration.

She realized with a start that she understood her disciple less and less. When she first encountered him two years ago, he was just a novice Spirit Gatherer, unable to even properly utilize something as simple as a 'Gyroscope.' Yet, here he was, two years later, having advanced by leaps and bounds to the ninth rank of Spirit Transformation.

The sheer surge in cultivation alone was remarkable enough.

What truly intrigued Mu Hongling was the aura of secrets that seemed perpetually wrapped around the young man.

Though she hadn't seen Nie Kong in person during these two years, she was privy to the rough outline of his experiences: entering Spirit Control City, being exceptionally approved for the Six Halls Grand Competition within months, and achieving first place to become an Inner City disciple that year. After the profound stir caused by the high-fusion spiritual medicines he refined in the Inner City, he entered a long period of secluded cultivation...

Upon emerging, he competed in the Inner City trials of Spirit Control City and secured the position of First Seat of the Inner City... a fact he had shared with her only recently.

Mu Hongling mentally reviewed Nie Kong’s journey and realized that what she knew was likely just the surface. If his experiences over the last two years had been that simple, where did he acquire something like the 'Seven-Colored Spirit Leaf,' or that magical and bizarre vortex-like spiritual technique...?

Moreover, his spiritual power had undergone a massive transformation. While it still carried a dense aura of Wood Spiritual Energy, it no longer felt purely Wood Spiritual Energy!

Most bizarrely, this mutated spiritual power could actually be used to feed the spring water here!

"What a tragedy. As a master, I know absolutely nothing about my disciple's affairs."

Mu Hongling rubbed the dimples near her lips with some distress, then glared fiercely at Nie Kong, as if wishing she could forcibly extract all his secrets from him.

"Boom!"

Just then, stimulated continuously by Nie Kong's spiritual energy, the spring water seemed to reach its utmost excitement. Amidst a violent roar, the beam of radiant light shooting out of the circular pool had solidified into something tangible. It was so dense that it was almost indistinguishable from the water within the pool itself, ripples spreading as a brilliant, blood-red radiance burst forth.

Simultaneously, a strange, pervasive aura pulsed outwards—it felt cold, yet searingly hot.

The two contradictory sensations merged with absolute perfection.

Bai Yuqing and Mu Hongling’s expressions flickered. When they first saw the spring water, they had sensed such an aura and had briefly considered the possibility of it being the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring,' only dismissing the idea because the source of the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring' was not supposed to be stationary.

But now, that long-abandoned thought resurfaced: Could this truly be the miraculous spring water capable of condensing a Second Incarnation?

"Boom!"

At almost the same moment, a massive column of radiant light, like a colossal jade pillar supporting the heavens, shot straight into the firmament. The magnificent blood-red rays instantly permeated every corner of the space designated as the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring,' and the peculiar mixed aura of coldness and heat spread outwards in concentric circles.

In that instant, every Spirit Master who had entered this space was alerted...

Northwest of the Prison Fire Nether Spring, within a deep, secluded four-valley system.

"Roar!"

A ferociously shaped spirit beast roared in fury, baring its fangs at the delicate young woman who had trespassed into its valley, saliva dripping constantly from its bone-white tusks.

"Whoosh!"

The void trembled slightly. A flash crossed the brows of the five women, and enormous flower shadows suddenly materialized, fluttering like colorful butterflies. Their movements appeared slow yet were intensely swift as they gracefully descended around the spirit beast. Shimmering with brilliance, they were richly varied in hue. In that moment, much of the gloom within the four valleys seemed to be dispelled.

"Bang!"

Before the spirit beast could recover from the dazzling display, the five tender flower shadows exploded outwards.

In a single instant, the beast's hideous body was sliced into fragments, completely dissolving into the void without leaving any trace, as if it had never existed in those four valleys.

The five women proceeded as if they had merely completed an insignificant triviality.

Soon after, the five arrived at the deepest part of the four valleys, where a pool of blood-red spring water was clearly visible. The water flowed out, but instead of filling the pool, it spilled through a breach in the side wall.

But upon seeing the blood-red spring water, all five women shook their heads in disappointment.

"Not it. Not the Prison Fire Nether Spring,"

One woman sighed helplessly. "I thought the beast guarding the valley meant the chances were high, but I didn't expect..."

"Indeed. We’ve searched nearly twenty such locations this month."

"Well, we still have one month left."

"Right, right, Sister Huamei, don't be too anxious."

'...'

The four chattered amongst themselves before their eyes converged on the young woman in the center, who had remained silent. The woman appeared to be about twenty, possessing a beauty so exquisite and refined that it seemed carved by divine craftsmanship. However, she looked rather frail, inspiring immense sympathy.

If Nie Kong were present, he would surely recognize her as Huamei, the very person he was desperately seeking! "En, thank you, four elder sisters. I know this cannot be rushed."

Huamei bit her lower lip lightly, her tightly knitted eyebrows appearing shrouded in sorrow that refused to dissipate.

"..."

Seeing her demeanor, the four women nearby sighed softly and were about to speak when a violent booming sound suddenly vibrated across the distant horizon. The four immediately turned their gaze, spotting a pillar of blood-red light piercing the heavens. Within the pillar, they could see undulating water ripples, radiating an entrancing, mesmerizing glow.

"Prison Fire Nether Spring?"

Huamei murmured, and as she spoke, she subconsciously reached up to gently stroke the jade hairpin of a faint green hue resting in her hair. Her eyes instantly hardened with determination.

"The mixture of cold and heat, yet perfectly unified—this sensation is exactly as Her Majesty the Empress described it!"

"It seems the Prison Fire Nether Spring truly is located there!"

"But why would such a massive disturbance occur? In the past, even when the Prison Fire Nether Spring was discovered, it always remained silent!"

"Let’s not worry about that now. Let’s go see. Sister Huamei—Sister Huamei, wait for us!"

"..."

While the four were whispering amongst themselves, they found Huamei's figure already a dozen meters away. With a soft cry, their forms fluttered like butterflies as they swiftly chased after her.

About a quarter of an hour after the five departed, a vibrantly colored little snake slithered into the four valleys, pausing where the spirit beast had vanished.

This little snake was only as thick as a chopstick and appeared almost completely transparent, yet its head was as large as an infant's fist, disproportionate to its slender body.

"It must be someone from the Hua Ling Clan!"

After circling the area several times, the snake suddenly spoke in a human voice, tinged with barely suppressed excitement. "They seem to be cultivating techniques of the Hua Ling Royal Clan. If I can enjoy this blood, then the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring' is utter nonsense!"

A moment later, the snake coiled itself up and transformed into a gaunt young man. His eyes, venomously narrow like a viper's, fixed on the entrance of the valley a few times. Then, a dark light flickered between his brows, and he suddenly let out a sharp cry.

"Pen Wu! Ju Shi..."

After calling out dozens of times, the thin man darted out of the valley. As he moved, seven snake shadows of varying sizes and shapes within a radius of several miles became agitated and began to slide forward rapidly, all heading in the direction of the blood-red light pillar.

In the southern part of the region, more than a dozen figures walking along a winding path suddenly stopped in unison, raising their eyes. A blood-red ray immediately entered their view, so intense it was difficult to look at directly. These dozen or so people were disciples from both Spirit Control City and Ink Snow Sect. After leaving the Flame Mountain, they had been searching everywhere and had been quite successful until now.

The sudden phenomenon appearing in the sky and on the earth rendered them speechless. After a long while, they finally snapped back to awareness and exchanged glances.

"Could it be... the Prison Fire Nether Spring?"

Wu Dongliu whispered subconsciously, his words echoing the thoughts of nearly everyone around him.

Their primary goal in coming here was the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring.' No matter how precious other strange artifacts were, none could compare to the spring water capable of condensing a Second Incarnation.

Following a brief silence, expressions of excitement dawned on their faces.

"Highly possible."

Lan Shang took a deep breath, then frowned, muttering with palpable confusion, "But... why would the Prison Fire Nether Spring reveal itself in such a heaven-shattering manner? Did some uncontrollable accident occur after a Spirit Master found the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring'?"

Hearing Lan Shang mention an accident, everyone shuddered, their minds involuntarily recalling the massive changes that had erupted within the Flame Mountain.

Nie Fenghua stated calmly, "Regardless, since the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring' has appeared, wouldn't it be a waste of our trip not to go take a look?"

As she spoke, she floated towards the blood-red light pillar. The Ink Snow Sect disciples behind her nodded in agreement and followed suit.

"Junior Sister Nie is right. We can adapt our strategy once we get there..."

"..."

"Boom!"

After a violent collision, spiritual energy scattered, residual force surging everywhere. Two young men held opposite ends of a medicinal herb in one hand each, while their free palms exchanged fierce blows. Fortunately, their fight never touched the seemingly precious herb.

Suddenly, a loud bang startled both men, causing their ongoing attacks to cease involuntarily.

"What is that? Could the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring' be there?"

The man in yellow exclaimed in astonishment, staring at the distant, undulating pillar of blood-red light. As soon as his voice fell, the man in black opposite him suddenly released his grip, throwing his head back in loud laughter. "I never expected the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring' to reveal itself like this! That herb is yours, I gift it to you!" Before finishing his sentence, the man shot forward a dozen meters, seemingly afraid that if he moved any slower, the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" would be snatched away.

"..."

The man in yellow was stunned for a moment before he came to his senses. He shoved the herb carelessly into his robes and quickly gave chase...

Upon seeing the phenomenon representing the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," every Spirit Master in this entire area converged toward the light pillar. At this very moment, in a certain area of the space, earth-shattering roars and screeches from spirit beasts suddenly erupted... (To be continued!)