It was another ten minutes later. Nie Kong and Mu Jinzhu finally reached their destination.

A stretch of azure, ethereal light enveloped several li around, and within this space, there was no seawater to be found. At the center of the space was a massive pit, a hundred meters in diameter, churning with black mist.

Suspended within the pit, however, was a colossal sword! The sword spanned thirty meters wide, and the portion visible outside the black void was already a hundred meters long!

The blade was etched with dense, exquisite patterns, and the ground surrounding the black pit was similarly covered in intricate markings, from which wisps of azure light rose, flowing silently through the space like water, causing the great sword to rotate slowly in response. “Is this the entrance?” Nie Kong’s scalp tingled as his gaze shifted from the black pit to the great sword.

This was truly a giant blade! Compared to it, the weapon used by Bai Yuqing seemed utterly infantile.

Beyond the sheer, massive scale of the sword, what truly made Nie Kong’s spirit tremble was the overwhelming killing intent concealed within the blade itself! Mu Jinzhu’s expression was equally grave.

If Nie Kong, with his third-rank Yu Ling cultivation, could sense it, she, as a Tian Ling Master, could certainly not be immune. The moment she entered this space, her face turned exceptionally solemn, and her eyes betrayed an undisguised shock.

Legend held that this great sword was forged through the combined efforts of the residual Spirit Gods from the time of the “Grand Venerable Spirit…” and that it was the key to sealing the “Fallen Depths…”! Now seeing it firsthand, Nie Kong finally understood why even a Spirit God like the “Great Evolution Spirit Venerable” could not leave the “Fallen Depths…”.

Guarded by such a sword, even a Spirit God would be torn to shreds by the terrifying killing aura emanating from its body. Fortunately, this sword targeted life forms attempting to exit the “Fallen Depths…”, not those entering it.

After all, that deep, dark sea trench already barred the vast majority of life on the Tian Ling Continent from crossing. Even those who had reached the Tian Ling Realm required a special method to enter the “Fallen Depths…”.

And this method was not known to just anyone; beings like the Wood Ancestor, who had lived from the Illusory Spirit Era to the present, were exceedingly rare. “Nie Kong, there is still time to regret this…” Mu Jinzhu suddenly said in a deep voice.

“Since we’ve reached the entrance, wouldn’t it be a pity not to take a look inside?” Nie Kong smiled. Despite the shock rattling his spirit, everything was now prepared, and Nie Kong would never retreat simply because he was awestruck.

With a thought, the “Abyssal Fire Spirit…” condensed into a sphere, and Nie Kong himself slipped into the jade vial crafted from the “Absolute Spirit Jade…”. During the period when Nie Kong was refining his “Second Incarnation,” the Wood Ancestor often nourished the “Abyssal Fire Spirit…” with “Divine Luo Liquid…”.

After several days, its sentience had increased considerably. By now, the Water Spirit could grasp Nie Kong’s intent more quickly.

With a flicker of thought, the illusory shadow of the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…” shot out from his brow. Nie Kong moved his feet, his physical body rapidly merging into his inner manifestation (Xin Xiang), after which the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…” tightly curled into a ball, suspended in the void, appearing like a massive, purple seed.

“Granny, I’m going in…” Nie Kong’s voice came from within, and then the round, purple “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…” drifted toward the black pit. Mu Jinzhu advanced quickly, stopping only when she reached the edge of the pit.

Her gaze darted back and forth between the great sword’s blade and the purple sphere without blinking, a hint of nervousness flickering across her face. Although the Wood Ancestor had stated that the sword would remain inert if the entry method was correct, seeing Nie Kong amidst it now could not help but worry her, precisely because the killing intent harbored within the blade was too terrifying.

Once positioned above the black pit, Nie Kong ceased all movement, floating like a weightless speck of dust in the void. But as the azure, brilliant light flowed within this space, the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…” sphere began to rotate slowly along with the great sword.

With every rotation, the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…” descended slightly lower… After a long while, the purple shadow was obscured by the black mist below the pit, and the visible brilliance grew dimmer and dimmer. Several minutes later, it vanished without a trace.

She remained standing by the edge of the black pit for a long time. Seeing that the great sword had not stirred in the slightest, Mu Jinzhu finally relaxed completely.

Gazing at the black mist churning below like waves, Mu Jinzhu suddenly sighed, muttering to herself, “I didn’t realize this brat was such a devoted lover, placing himself in such peril for a woman. It seems he cherishes that little girl named Hua Mei intensely.

They relied on each other for three years; such deep affection is understandable.” “Qing Ying will probably never compare to her…” Mu Jinzhu rubbed her forehead with a hint of helplessness and drifted out of this space, her inner manifestation of the “Jade Snow Emperor Flame…” faintly revealing itself… Body as light as drifting fluff, speed as slow as a snail—once above the black pit, make no movement, drift completely with the current. This was the trick to entering the “Fallen Depths…” from the outside.

It sounded simple, but it was by no means easy for a Yu Ling Master to achieve this. Fortunately, Nie Kong, being of the Half-Spirit race, could utilize the power of the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit Scent” and his inner manifestation.

A common Ling Master, even if they reached the entrance, would struggle to get inside. Moreover, once this small trick is revealed, it holds no great mystery.

But if it were not revealed, rushing headlong into the black pit would be no different from seeking death, leading to a tragic end. Thus, after Nie Kong entered the black pit, his mind became completely still, allowing the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…” to follow the sword’s rotation without making any superfluous movements.

“Buzz…” Gradually, a resonant humming sound could faintly be heard vibrating within the pit. At this point, only a length of a few dozen meters of the great sword remained visible.

Where the sharp tip pointed, the black void fluctuated violently, and those hums propagated from there. The true entrance was near!

Nie Kong’s mind was tranquil as still water; the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…” sphere continued to spin in circles, but the downward drift was slowly accelerating. After only a few short minutes, it was less than five meters from that rippling void.

Nie Kong felt a strong suction force. “Whoosh…” Circling past the tip of the great sword, the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…” plunged straight down, instantly swallowed by that void in the blink of an eye.

The purple sphere yielded to the powerful suction, rapidly traversing the surrounding darkness, its speed akin to a meteor streaking across the heavens… It felt like an instant, yet also like ten thousand years had passed… “Thud…” The boundless darkness around suddenly vanished. Just as Nie Kong perceived a faint light, the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit Scent” slammed onto the ground like a meteorite, then tumbled and rolled forward several dozen meters before finally coming to rest.

Nie Kong did not immediately withdraw from his inner manifestation. Under his control, the purple sphere contracted sharply, instantly shrinking to the size of a fist.

He then carefully sensed the surrounding environment. As far as Nie Kong’s spiritual sense reached, there was not a single blade of grass; the ground was covered entirely in stones of various sizes.

Directly behind where he had emerged, a thick column of black energy spewed from the earth, soaring toward the sky. The sky here was also a gloomy gray, as if obscured by heavy clouds.

Is this the “Abyssal Depths…”? Nie Kong murmured inwardly, and with a shift in thought, the small purple sphere floated forward close to the ground.

After traveling in this direction for about half an hour, Nie Kong finally sensed faint traces of life energy—and the closer he went, the more concentrated the life aura became. Roughly an hour passed… Nie Kong finally spotted the first stretch of forest since entering the “Abyssal Depths…”.

While black energy still billowed high into the sky behind him, the forest ahead was lush and vibrant, and even the sky had become clearer, nearly indistinguishable from the Tian Ling Continent. Nie Kong could not help but feel a flicker of doubt.

Other than the heavy death energy pervading the black mass behind him, the concentration of death energy in the rest of the area was unremarkable. Fortunately, he had only entered the “Abyssal Depths…” recently, so Nie Kong was not in a hurry, continuing to press forward.

Unconsciously, the contracted “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…” manifested its inner being. The purple leaves rustled vigorously, the small bud peered around, and the dozens of tender roots spread out, resembling countless tentacles, supporting the half-foot-tall body as it rapidly traversed the vegetation.

If anyone had witnessed this scene, their eyeballs would surely have bulged out. It was not that Nie Kong enjoyed this form, but having just entered the “Abyssal Depths…,” he knew nothing of the situation here.

Moving in the form of the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit Scent” meant a smaller target and the ability to instantly disguise itself as a medicinal herb, thus avoiding suspicion. After a while, Nie Kong rejoiced.

Within this forest, he actually found a path that could almost be called a “path”—a small mountain trail where clear footprints of people traveling back and forth could be seen! Where there were footprints, could human presence be far off?

Nie Kong’s spirits soared, and he darted onto the trail with a ‘whoosh.’ “Rustle…” Suddenly, the sound of faint footsteps approached from behind. Nie Kong turned and moved aside.

A moment later, an exceptionally burly figure came into Nie Kong’s view. It was a young man in his early twenties, nearly two meters tall, with a simple, honest face.

His clothes were covered in patches, and his shoes had holes revealing his toes. A basket was slung over his shoulders, and Nie Kong instantly sensed the scent of many medicinal herbs.

Is he gathering herbs? Seeing this person, Nie Kong breathed a small sigh of relief.

If, after ten thousand years, the humans of the Fallen Depths and the Tian Ling Continent had evolved in different directions due to differing environments, then even absorbing the spiritual essence of the “Great Evolution Spirit…” would be useless. As the burly man walked toward him, Nie Kong was about to slip away, but an idea struck him.

He swiftly straightened the stem of the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…” and silently sank dozens of roots into the muddy ground. The stem and leaves shimmered with a purple glow, and a faint, alluring fragrance diffused outwards.

“Oh…” The burly man finally noticed the existence of the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…,” muttering in confusion, “What is this? Smells so good… Is it an herb?

I didn’t see it when I came here.” As he spoke, he strode toward the “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…”! Nie Kong relaxed another breath; he and the humans of the Tian Ling Continent still spoke the same language.

At that moment, the burly man squatted down, planted his hands on the ground, and proceeded to dig up the entire “Purple Luo Phantom Spirit…,” placing it into the basket on his back…