Gu Sa deployed the "Heaven and Earth Dharma Body," his speed in no way hampered by his massive form; in the blink of an eye, his fists and feet were less than half a meter from Nie Kong. Though Gu Sa's attack speed was fast, Nie Kong was faster; in the instant he retreated, the "Purple Luo Illusory Spirit Incense" in his hand was raised again and flung down.

Seeing this, Gu Sa swept his thick left arm out while simultaneously stomping his right foot heavily onto the ground; in that moment, the entire passage trembled.

"Smack!"

Everyone was stunned by the might of the Heaven and Earth Sect disciple's stomp, yet the "Purple Luo Illusory Spirit Incense" in Nie Kong's hand moved like a living thing, deftly slipping beneath Gu Sa's arm to whip fiercely against his chest once more, searing another dazzling mark into the sight of the onlookers.

"Awoooo!"

With a howl of pain, having felt this sensation for the second time, Gu Sa's eyes were now completely bloodshot.

Seeing the retracted "Purple Luo Illusory Spirit Incense" being raised and flung down again by Nie Kong, Gu Sa no longer attempted to block. Instead, he flailed both arms, continuously punching forward, one blow after another, the speed increasing until he resembled a maddened demon. When the 'Purple Luo Illusory Spirit Incense' struck Gu Sa's body, the area within several meters was filled with the shadows of his fists; the fierce, tyrannical surge of energy roared outwards like an overwhelming tide, forcing the surrounding crowd to repeatedly step back.

But what surprised the onlookers was the completely different scene unfolding around Nie Kong, who was taking the brunt of the assault.

Amidst Gu Sa's surging, turbulent power, Nie Kong moved like a small skiff drifting with the waves, or perhaps like an elf dancing swiftly on the tip of a blade. He managed, time and again, to narrowly evade Gu Sa's colossal fists, while the strange vine in his hand continuously threaded through the gaps between Gu Sa's strikes, landing on his body repeatedly.

"Smack!"

"Smack!"

"..."

The collisions between Nie Kong's dark green vine and Gu Sa's Heaven and Earth Dharma Body erupted one after another, the massive explosive sounds piercing the void and continuously jarring the eardrums of the crowd.

Such an intense and perilous exchange broadened the horizons of the surrounding Spirit Masters.

However, their expressions grew increasingly astonished; their eyes constantly scanned back and forth between Nie Kong's feet and the vine, their minds filled with confusion. What kind of Wood Element Spirit Skill was this that wasn't just fast, but also caused Gu Sa's "Heaven and Earth Dharma Body" to feel pain repeatedly?

It was said that the "Heaven and Earth Dharma Body," condensed using the "Elephant Heaven Manifestation" Spirit Art, possessed a hardness and resilience comparable to Dragon Stone. Unless the gap in strength was enormous, even using a Spirit Pattern Weapon shouldn't make a Spirit Master possessing the "Heaven and Earth Dharma Body" feel pain.

No matter how formidable this Wood Spirit Master, who had seized the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," might be—he appeared to be merely at the first rank of Spirit Condensation—a feat that even a Spirit Master at the fifth or sixth rank of Spirit Condensation might not achieve, yet Nie Kong did it again and again, and by the look of it, quite easily. Could it be that his true strength far surpassed Gu Sa's?

That seemed unlikely; both were at the first rank of Spirit Condensation, so how vast could the difference truly be?

The crowd grew more bewildered and perplexed.

"Smack!"

"Smack!"

"..."

The collisions continued without cease. Apart from the first few cries of pain, Gu Sa had been forcibly enduring the rest. But at this moment, he could hold out no longer; the pain he had suppressed for so long erupted completely, and an involuntary, heart-wrenching shriek tore from his throat.

Gu Sa's movements instantly became sluggish.

Only then did the crowd notice that Gu Sa’s chest, back, arms, thighs, and even his massive head were covered in dense, crisscrossing whip marks. Though not a single drop of blood seeped out, the miserable state he was in caused the surrounding Spirit Masters to suck in a sharp breath, a slight apprehension stirring in their hearts.

Nie Kong’s eyes held no pity. Seeing his opponent’s movements slow, the "Purple Luo Illusory Spirit Incense" in his hand began to sprout slender branches.

"Smack! Smack! Smack..."

Dozens of dense leaf-stems lashed against Gu Sa. More than ten sharp sounds ripped through the air simultaneously. Gu Sa cried out in agony, his towering physique whipped so forcefully that he was sent soaring tens of meters away like a broken kite. Witnessing this scene, the Spirit Masters gathered nearby quickly retreated to the sides.

"Thud!"

Gu Sa slammed against the opposite cliff face. Amidst the huge impact, he began to tumble downwards, his massive body rapidly shrinking like a deflating ball. When his form hit the ground, his five-meter stature had reverted to its initial short and stunted appearance.

All eyes fell upon Gu Sa. As the "Heaven and Earth Dharma Body" vanished, the whip marks on Gu Sa's skin also dispersed. However, his face had turned ashen white, as if utterly drained, lying on the ground gasping for air, unable to move even a single finger.

Not dead yet!

Just as everyone inwardly let out a sigh of relief, Gu Sa’s body began to swell at a visible rate, puffing up into a ball of flesh in moments, his features unrecognizable. It seemed that although the whip shadows had dissipated, the force of the lashing had not been resolved by his Heaven and Earth Dharma Body!

Seeing Gu Sa in such a pitiful state, everyone took a cold breath, falling into a strange silence broken only by Gu Sa’s heavy, ragged gasps.

The Spirit Masters below the ninth rank of Spirit Transformation looked at Nie Kong with undisguised terror, and some secretly felt immense relief.

This fellow could torment a Spirit Master using the "Heaven and Earth Dharma Body" to this degree. If they had attacked him just now, they would likely be the ones lying on the ground instead...

And they might even be corpses by now!

Instantly, the greed in many Spirit Masters' eyes cooled, replaced by thoughts of retreat. To lose their lives fighting over the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" would be far too foolish. No matter how precious the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" was, it couldn't be worth more than their own lives.

Regardless of their inner thoughts, the Spirit Masters in the passage grew even more curious about Nie Kong's identity!

Throughout history, it was commonly said that the Wood Attribute was trash. This wasn't to say the attribute itself was useless, but rather that very few people possessed the Wood Attribute, and even fewer were suitable for cultivation to become Spirit Masters. Under such circumstances, how could Wood Element Spirit Arts compare to the other elements, which had traditions spanning thousands of years and had been painstakingly refined by countless Spirit Masters? Thus, how strong could a Wood Spirit Master become?

Yet, this Wood Spirit Master before them, despite this disadvantage, had cultivated to the Spirit Condensation realm—only two such individuals existed in the history of the Heavenly Spirit Continent.

Furthermore, this person looked to be in his early twenties, far younger than the first Wood Element Spirit Master. If nothing unforeseen happened, his future achievements would surely surpass that predecessor.

Who nurtured such a talent? Which sect or noble clan?

It wasn't just the others who were astonished; Lan Shang and Liu Heming, who knew Nie Kong's background, were equally surprised.

As disciples of Spirit Control City, which could rival the Heaven and Earth Sect, they understood the potency of a high-grade Spirit Art like "Elephant Heaven Manifestation." The fact that Nie Kong could so easily shatter the Dharma Body condensed by Gu Sa using "Elephant Heaven Manifestation" showed that in this short month or so, Nie Kong's cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, far beyond a simple breakthrough from the ninth rank of Spirit Transformation to the first rank of Spirit Condensation. They couldn't help but wonder what experiences he and Bai Yuqing and Mu Hongling had shared after the "Flame Stop."

The Huā Spirit Race woman not far away transitioned from surprise to delight. To discover Nie Kong was so formidable in cultivation, it seemed perhaps they wouldn't need to intervene; Nie Kong might be able to secure the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" on his own. However, an open attack is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to guard against; they still needed to watch from the shadows.

Huā Mei also let out a long sigh of relief, gazing at Nie Kong ahead with rapt attention, her large, liquid eyes gradually narrowing into crescent moons. Noticing her expression, the four Huā Spirit Race members beside her looked confused; her gaze did not seem like one directed at an uncle.

Sensing the strange looks from her companions, Huā Mei’s cheeks flushed slightly. Her eyes darted left and right, yet inevitably fell back onto Nie Kong, as if drawn by a powerful magnet constantly attracting her attention. The four beside her grew even more astonished, a daring thought suddenly flashing in their minds: Could it be...?

Thoughts spun and emotions surged among the crowd. Gu Sa’s defeat plunged the bustling passage into a strange, heavy silence.

"Senior Brother!"

A few startled cries suddenly broke the quiet. Several figures darted out from the crowd, rushing to Gu Sa's side, quickly examining his swollen body. A moment later, these individuals quietly relaxed, but when their eyes flicked towards Nie Kong, they held an unspeakable fury.

Nie Kong ignored the anger radiating from these Heaven and Earth Sect disciples and slowly swept his gaze across everyone. Following the fierce battle with Gu Sa, the space around Nie Kong had become considerably wider; even the closest person would need to charge nearly ten meters to reach the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" coiled on his shoulder.

Under the scrutiny of countless eyes, Nie Kong suddenly picked up the blood-red tendril that writhed on his shoulder like a spirit snake. With a snap of his right fingers, a wisp of dark green energy drifted towards it.

"Splash! Splash! Splash..."

The tip of the Prison Fire Nether Spring actually concave, behaving like a "Blood Soul Jade Belt Worm," enveloping Nie Kong's "Spirit Treasure Essence Qi." Then, the entire body writhed joyfully, emitting clear, crisp sounds one after another. Some Spirit Masters sighed inwardly, but others found their gazes growing even more feverish with desire.

"Gentlemen," Nie Kong suddenly broke into a smile, "you have all seen it. This Prison Fire Nether Spring has awakened its spirit. If I refuse to let go, who among you can take it? Now, if anyone still covets it, feel free to step forward and challenge me! Regardless of victory or defeat, life or death—no regrets! If you still wish to take advantage in the chaos, then do not blame me for commencing a massacre..." As he spoke the last words, Nie Kong's smile remained, but his voice turned increasingly cold.

"What arrogant words!"

As Nie Kong’s voice faded, a stout figure suddenly stepped forth from the throng. It was a man in his late twenties, with sharply chiseled features that looked as if carved by a blade. His cheeks and chin were covered in dense stubble, like a row of sharp steel needles thrusting downward. When he spoke, his voice carried a faint metallic resonance: "This Gu Sa practiced 'Elephant Heaven Manifestation' and possessed the 'Heaven and Earth Dharma Body,' but he was merely a brainless brute. Defeating him required some strength, but it’s nothing to be amazed about. If you take pride in this, you are gravely mistaken!"