Nie Kong's miraculous cultivation talent was now on full display. Gong Teng, Ao Lang, and Fu Cheng might not sense anything amiss right now, as swift as Nie Kong was, he was only a Third-Rank Black Spirit Master. But things would be different once they returned to their respective sects!

Back in Shui Yun Town, disciples from the Heart-Devouring Sect, the Wind-Chasing Valley, and the Yin Soul Sect had all seen Nie Kong. If word got out that Nie Kong had only been cultivating for a month—and while Zhuo Yue had not yet returned to Fubo Mountain—Nie Kong’s situation would become incredibly perilous!

Even if Gong Teng and the others refrained from acting, the "Black God Sect," as a superior lineage, would never allow Nie Kong to remain idly at Fubo Mountain once they learned this information.

At that juncture, only two paths would await Nie Kong: either sincerely pledging allegiance to the Black God Sect or being annihilated. Relatively speaking, the latter held a higher probability, unless Zhuo Yue could return in time, and Fubo Mountain could secure the protection of the War Clan as hoped.

Moments later, Gong Teng and the others finally snapped out of the stupor induced by the recent sparring match.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Fu Cheng uttered the word "Good" three times in quick succession, yet there was not a single hint of praise in his tone. Yue Cai's situation had truly caught him completely off guard. Fu Shang possessed exceptional aptitude, already a peak Second-Rank Black Spirit Master at such a young age, yet in the blink of an eye, he had been severely wounded by that Fubo Mountain disciple named Nie Kong—so swiftly that Fu Cheng hadn't even managed to intervene.

His gaze, cold as a viper's, fixed fiercely upon Mi Luo, Feng Hu, and Yan Luo. A slight twitch wracked Fu Cheng’s heart as he forced a string of syllables through his clenched teeth: "Three Elders, I did not expect Fubo Mountain to harbor such an outstanding young disciple. Truly surprising!" "Haha..."

Despite the worry gnawing at him, Mi Luo’s face was plastered with a wide smile as he let out a hearty laugh. "It appears now that the Black Armor Ore Vein remains ours, Fubo Mountain's. If the three Sect Masters wish to claim it, perhaps you should have the youngsters behind you exert a bit more effort." Fu Cheng let out a heavy snort, ignoring Mi Luo completely. His eyes settled on Nie Kong, and he spoke in a chilling tone: "Little fellow, no wonder you dared step forward just now; you've been hiding your true strength. However, this is only the beginning. I hope you can bring us even greater surprises next."

As he spoke these words, a palpable, heart-stopping cold glint flashed undisguised in Fu Cheng’s eyes.

Nie Kong, however, seemed utterly oblivious to Fu Cheng’s veiled threat, responding cheerfully, "Since that is the case, this junior will certainly fulfill the Sect Master's wish."

"Very well!"

Not anticipating such a reply, Fu Cheng’s expression instantly darkened to the extreme. He spoke in an icy voice: "Fu Yuan!"

Before the words had even fully left his mouth, the young man who had just finished tending to Fu Shang's injuries sprang up, surging toward Nie Kong with palpable killing intent.

His speed was like a sudden gust of wind. In an instant, Fu Yuan had zipped past Fu Cheng. Several black wisps, like arrows loosed from a string, shot from his gesturing fingers toward Nie Kong, two meters away. The air hissed and tore with a piercing, grating sound that lingered in the air.

Judging by the power Fu Yuan displayed, he was likely also a Third-Rank Black Spirit Master!

At this moment, Mi Luo and the others felt considerably more confident in Nie Kong’s cultivation level, but they worried about his combat experience. Both were Third-Rank Black Spirit Masters, but the span of time they had spent cultivating differed vastly. In terms of experience, Nie Kong was surely inferior to Fu Yuan. If such a "sparring match" couldn't be resolved swiftly, experience could prove crucial to the outcome. Fortunately, Mi Luo and the others didn't expect Nie Kong to win; they merely hoped he could avoid serious injury while preserving his life.

"Hoo!"

Nether Path Shadow Technique! Nie Kong’s figure rapidly faded, and in a flash, his body seemed to transform into a mere afterimage, pierced by the needle-like black energy. Yet, Fu Yuan's moment of triumph lasted less than a second before Nie Kong’s appearance snapped back into sharp focus within his pupils.

"Die!"

Instantly, Fu Yuan’s face flushed crimson, and a bizarre sound scraped from his throat as he struggled to draw breath. It was Nie Kong’s right palm, moving with lightning speed, clamped around his neck, hoisting his somewhat slender frame directly into the air. Without hesitation, Nie Kong slammed him onto the ground. Fu Yuan hadn't even managed a whimper before following in Fu Shang's footsteps, knocked unconscious.

At this moment, Gong Teng and the others involuntarily paled, especially Fu Cheng, whose face turned ashen. During the earlier bout between Nie Kong and Fu Shang, they had only been astonished that Fubo Mountain harbored such an outstanding young disciple; the result of that match hadn't particularly affected them, as it was expected that Nie Kong would win against a Second-Rank opponent.

But this exchange was entirely different!

Nie Kong and Fu Yuan were both Third-Rank Black Spirit Masters. Even if a disparity existed between them, it shouldn't be so massive. Determining a victor between them should have taken several minutes at least. Who knew that Nie Kong would secure victory so cleanly and decisively, just as before?

Behind Mi Luo and the others, after a brief silence, faint murmurs began to rise.

Those Fubo Mountain disciples found the situation increasingly baffling. Not only had Nie Kong reached the Third Rank after only a month of joining the sect, but today he had so quickly subdued a Third-Rank Black Spirit Master from the Yin Soul Sect to the point of near collapse. This level of ability far exceeded their cognitive limits.

"Ahem!"

Feng Hu suddenly coughed lightly, turning his head to glance back. His ferocious countenance and gloomy gaze sent a shudder through the muttering Fubo Mountain disciples, who quickly clamped their mouths shut, swallowing the words that had reached their throats.

Nie Kong clapped his hands together and smiled broadly at Fu Cheng. "Sect Master Fu, this junior has not broken his promise. I wonder if you have felt an even greater surprise?"

Hearing this, Fu Cheng's face cycled from pale to red, then black, like a chameleon, the corners of his eyes twitching uncontrollably. He was clearly furious beyond measure.

Observing Fu Cheng’s expression, Mi Luo and the other two exchanged subtle frowns. This Nie Kong was being somewhat careless. Since he had already won, why provoke the opponent further? If Fu Cheng lashed out in shame and anger, it would inevitably lead to more trouble.

Involuntarily, the three of them subconsciously shifted closer to Nie Kong, preparing for the unexpected.

Nie Kong, however, paid it no mind. After he had severely wounded both Fu Shang and Fu Yuan in succession, even if his current attitude were exemplary, Fu Cheng would not let him off the hook later—and vice versa. Moreover, Nie Kong truly did not regard a Fifth-Rank Black Spirit Master as a threat right now.

Even Gong Teng, a Sixth-Rank Black Spirit Master, could not pose a genuine menace to Nie Kong. Although Qing Yue within the Beast Tablet was merely a soul projection, her strength, which neared that of a Pill Spirit, was in no way false, and she could handle a Sixth-Rank Black Spirit Master with ample ease.

A fierce light flickered in Fu Cheng’s eyes, and he abruptly stepped forward. But before he could speak, Gong Teng beside him waved a hand, then narrowed his eyes, the fleshy expanse of his face taut, and he spoke in a low voice: "Nie Kong, are you truly not older than twenty-five?"

It wasn't just Gong Teng; Fu Cheng, Ao Lang, and the others harbored the same doubt.

Because of the Black Armor Ore Vein and the Death Spirit Cave on the mountaintop, they had observed Fubo Mountain for a long time. Before today, they had never heard of Zhuo Yue and the others possessing such an outstanding young disciple. This Nie Kong seemed to have materialized out of thin air, forcing them to suspect foul play.

Nie Kong chuckled, "Could it be that Sect Master Gong wishes to personally investigate my age?"

"That won't be necessary."

Gong Teng glanced dismissively at Nie Kong, then beckoned behind him. "Li Ji, go and spar with Nie Kong!"

"Yes, Master."

The one who responded was a young man with a regular, upright face. As soon as he spoke, he began walking toward Nie Kong at an unhurried pace. His steps were incredibly heavy, as if each one carried a thousand pounds of immense force. The resounding thuds seemed to beat in rhythm with the collective heartbeats of the crowd, radiating a power that struck deep into the soul.

Seeing this, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched the corner of Nie Kong's lips.

This Li Ji was stronger than Fu Shang and Fu Yuan who had fought before. He already understood how to use the sound of his footsteps to generate intense psychological pressure on his opponent. If Nie Kong were truly just a Third-Rank Black Spirit Master, he would certainly need to plan carefully.

Unfortunately, the Third-Rank Black Spirit Master level was merely the guise Nie Kong maintained. The reality was that his Soul Force had already broken through to the Void Spirit stage during the "Nether Fire Spring," and his own cultivation had reached the "Spirit Manipulation Fourth Grade." Even if Li Ji was only a peak Third-Rank Black Spirit Master, or perhaps even a Fourth-Rank, he posed no threat whatsoever to Nie Kong.

When Gong Teng sent out Li Ji, Mi Luo, Feng Hu, and Yan Luo's hearts simultaneously tightened.

The Heart-Devouring Sect, Wind-Chasing Valley, and Yin Soul Sect were intimately familiar with Fubo Mountain's situation, but Fubo Mountain had spared no effort in gathering intelligence on the three sects as well.

Mi Luo and the others had indeed heard of this young man named Li Ji. He was the most outstanding young disciple of the Heart-Devouring Sect in recent years. Though his features appeared relatively mature, his actual age was several years younger than Nie Kong’s. In the four years since his entry, he had already reached the peak of the Third Rank. Among all the young disciples of the four sects, he was considered second to none.

Gong Teng deploying his strongest young disciple clearly indicated that he did not wish for today's "sparring" to drag on any longer.

"This one might be dangerous."

Mi Luo, Feng Hu, and Yan Luo exchanged glances involuntarily, seeing a trace of worry reflected in each other's eyes. However, the arrow had already left the bow; since Nie Kong was engaged, there was no stopping unless he was defeated or won the entire affair.

Furthermore, given the current circumstances, even if Fubo Mountain wished to concede to protect Nie Kong, Gong Teng, Ao Lang, and Fu Cheng would never agree. Being weaker in strength dictated this kind of tragic outcome. If Fubo Mountain possessed a Sixth-Rank Black Spirit Master, why would they fear anything?

Sighing inwardly, Mi Luo and the others fixed their gazes tightly upon Nie Kong and Li Ji.

"Thump! Thump..."

Nie Kong stood perfectly still as Li Ji continued to approach. The loud sound of his footsteps struck heavily against everyone's hearts, like massive hammers. Unconsciously, the Fubo Mountain disciples with lower cultivation levels began to look somewhat pale.

"Junior Brother Li Ji, isn't walking like that tiring?"

Nie Kong watched Li Ji and suddenly broke into a wide, playful smile. Nie Kong’s voice wasn't loud, but the timing was impeccable—it completely disrupted the rhythm of Li Ji's steps. In the next instant, Li Ji’s face flushed a blood-red hue, looking as though he were straining with severe constipation...