The feeling was akin to a fully charged punch landing on a pile of cotton—utterly unsatisfying, leaving Li Ji with a grim expression, though a flicker of astonishment inadvertently crossed his eyes. Having witnessed the preceding two sparring matches, Li Ji had already afforded Nie Kong’s cultivation the due respect it warranted.

Yet now, he realized he had still underestimated Nie Kong.

His recent maneuver had merely been a probing attack, using sheer imposing presence to overwhelm the opponent—a signature tactic of the Heart-Devouring Sect. To his shock, Nie Kong had countered like a seasoned assassin, delivering a sudden strike that pierced his vital point, causing his rapidly expanding aura to completely collapse. To grasp the timing with such precision required not only sufficient cultivation but also a venomous insight and vast experience, both of which were clear indicators of true strength. Li Ji, who had been certain of victory moments ago, found his confidence severely diminished.

“This young brat truly is a spirit-born Dark Spiritual Master today!”

Miro, Feng Hu, and Yan Luo’s eyes lit up. They had assumed Nie Kong, lacking experience, stood little chance against the Peak Third-Tier Li Ji. But the brief words Nie Kong had uttered seconds earlier, coupled with the perfect timing, caught all three completely off guard. If they hadn't been privy to the process of Nie Kong condensing the "Nine Nether Stars" through the Nether Fiend Art, they would never have believed he had only cultivated for a month, let alone that he had no prior combat experience with other Dark Spiritual Masters before today. At this juncture, the only plausible explanation was that Nie Kong was a combat prodigy.

In contrast to Miro and the others’ excitement, Ao Lang and Fu Cheng felt a distinct shock, and even Palace Master Gong Teng of the Heart-Devouring Sect could not help but slightly furrow his brow. Clearly, Nie Kong’s performance had stunned them once again, simultaneously introducing an unexpected variable into this sparring match.

“You…”

Li Ji took a deep breath, but before he could finish speaking, Nie Kong had already transformed into a faint, dark stream of light hurtling toward him, moving too swiftly for the eye to capture. However, Li Ji was now sufficiently vigilant of Nie Kong. Suppressing the rest of his words, he circled his hands before him, sending two thick masses of black qi surging toward Nie Kong. A faint red shadow flickered at the front of the black qi, resembling a venomous snake opening its gaping maw. Seeing this, Nie Kong did not slow down, but his arms quietly rose and then, with lightning speed, plunged into the two masses of black qi. His thumb and forefinger directly pinched those two red shadows, but the surrounding black qi immediately coiled around Nie Kong’s arms. Nie Kong appeared oblivious to the dense blackness creeping up his arms. The "Nine Nether Stars" within his body flickered intensely, and potent death qi instantly surged forth from his fingertips.

“Pop! Pop!”

Sounds like bursting water bubbles suddenly rang out, and those two red shadows instantly shattered like stars. Accompanying the demise of the red shadows, the black qi entwining Nie Kong’s arms receded like a tide, vanishing into the void moments later. By then, Nie Kong’s right arm had crossed the final distance, his five fingers curved like talons, aimed viciously toward Li Ji’s throat. Li Ji was aghast. His head snapped back, and his palms, which were just forming an attacking posture, hastily retracted to meet Nie Kong’s clawing hand. He truly hadn't expected Nie Kong to shatter his attack with such a brazen method and arrive before him so swiftly. If those talons landed, his throat would certainly be broken, leading to a fate far more miserable than that of the two Yin Soul Sect disciples.

“Bang!”

Nie Kong let out a soft snort from his nose. His left hand suddenly darted up from below, unleashing powerful death qi that batted aside Li Ji’s arms, while the momentum of his right claw remained unchanged. As the death qi-shrouded five fingers drew nearer to his neck, Li Ji felt as if Death itself was closing in. Despite being the most outstanding young disciple of the Heart-Devouring Sect, he was still too young. Now facing the threat of death, he could no longer maintain control, and sheer, irrepressible panic flooded his eyes as he let out a desperate scream: “Ah…”

Gong Teng, watching from the sidelines,’s expression shifted violently; he could no longer hold back.

“Stop!”

With a loud shout, red light flickered in Gong Teng’s eyes, and he swung his right hand forward forcefully. Instantly, a stream of black qi laced with dark crimson light shot out from his wide sleeve. Immense pressure spread out like a tidal wave, rushing toward Nie Kong several meters away. Almost simultaneously, an intensely oppressive aura enveloped the space before the Spirit Venerable Hall, forcing everyone below the Fourth Tier to stagger backward repeatedly.

“Palace Master Gong, show mercy!”

Miro, Feng Hu, and Yan Luo were struck with terror, and their figures shot forward simultaneously, positioning themselves between Nie Kong and Gong Teng. Being Fifth Tier Dark Spiritual Masters, they recognized the terrifying power in Gong Teng’s move and knew he intended to kill Nie Kong. Although their cultivation was inferior to Gong Teng’s, they had no choice but to intervene; they could not simply watch Nie Kong be struck down by Gong Teng. Nie Kong’s gaze narrowed slightly, but his movements did not pause in the slightest.

A breath of relief was just beginning to grace Li Ji’s face, but he saw that Nie Kong had not stopped despite his master Gong Teng’s command. He was instantly terrified to the point of collapse, his cry of fear turning hysterical: “Nie Kong, you dare to kill…*”

The final syllable of the word “me” had not yet left his lips before it was drowned out by Nie Kong’s steady voice: “I will kill you!” The instant the first character escaped his mouth, Nie Kong’s talons landed on Li Ji’s throat. Without any hesitation, he exerted force and squeezed.

“Crack!”

A sharp snapping sound immediately rang out.

“Courting death!”

Gong Teng revealed his monstrous fangs like a venomous snake, killing intent blazing in his eyes. His red robe billowed outward as violent death qi surged from his body. Within that death qi, several blood-red shadows lunged, brandishing claws and teeth toward Miro, Feng Hu, and Yan Luo, who had just positioned themselves defensively.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

The violent tremors assaulted the eardrums of the surrounding onlookers. In the next moment, three figures were sent flying backward, while Gong Teng moved like a fierce flame burning brightly in the darkness, instantly spanning several meters to slam his fan-like palm toward Nie Kong.

“Die for this old man!”

With a chilling, sinister sneer, Gong Teng’s palm had turned completely black, yet within the blackness, strands of red lines were interwoven, making the sight utterly terrifying. Nie Kong, however, seemed oblivious to the encroaching danger, loosening his grip on Li Ji’s throat.

“Ah!”

Before Li Ji’s body even hit the ground, the Fourth Tier Dark Spiritual Masters from Fubo Mountain couldn't help but cry out in alarm. As for the other Fubo Mountain disciples, they were already stunned speechless by the rapid turn of events, their throats incapable of emitting even a sound. From Gong Teng intervening just as Li Ji was about to lose, to Miro, Feng Hu, and Yan Luo moving to intercept, from Li Ji’s death and the three elders being knocked away, to Gong Teng’s attack about to strike Nie Kong… in the span of a mere instant, the situation before the Spirit Venerable Hall had spiraled violently.

Was this unparalleled genius disciple of Fubo Mountain, Nie Kong, truly finished? Those Fubo Mountain disciples still conscious couldn't help but avert their gaze. They understood clearly that once Nie Kong died here, they might soon follow him to the grave! Meanwhile, a cold smirk played across the faces of Ao Lang and Fu Cheng.

Originally, since the four sects were all subsidiary branches of the Black God Sect, the Heart-Devouring Sect, Wind Chasing Valley, and Yin Soul Sect had not wished to completely sever ties with Fubo Mountain so quickly. If Miro and the others had been sensible, relinquishing the "Black Armor Mine" and the "Dead Spirit Cave" might have earned them a temporary reprieve.

But they had not anticipated Fubo Mountain possessing such an outstanding young disciple, who had secured three consecutive victories after four initial losses. If the sparring had continued for two more matches, not only would they fail to gain the Black Armor Vein and Dead Spirit Cave, but the Heart-Devouring Sect, Wind Chasing Valley, and Yin Soul Sect would have to forfeit one of their own mines to Fubo Mountain. As sect masters, how could they allow such a thing to happen? Since Li Ji’s defeat was sealed, the pretense had to be dropped, and the confrontation made explicit. The only thing Ao Lang and Fu Cheng hadn’t anticipated was that Nie Kong would dare to kill Li Ji right in front of them, even while Gong Teng was intervening. Had he seen that even if he stopped, Gong Teng would not have shown leniency?

“What a pity!” Watching Gong Teng’s palm descend toward Nie Kong’s head, Ao Lang’s lips curled slightly, a look that was perhaps pitying yet also regretful. But after a moment, Ao Lang suddenly frowned, and the cold smile on Fu Cheng’s face instantly froze.

“Whoosh!”

A black shadow, no thicker than a thumb, suddenly appeared from dozens of meters away. In an instant, it arrived before the Spirit Venerable Hall, aiming directly for Gong Teng’s brow. Wherever it passed, even the void seemed to tear open a tiny rift, and the piercing whistle grew louder as it approached, striking fear into the heart.

“Sixth Tier?”

Gong Teng’s expression changed slightly. The speed of the incoming attack was equal to, if not greater than, his own, but what alarmed him more was the intensity of the death qi carried by that black shadow—it had reached the Sixth Tier standard. If he had continued his previous offensive, he could certainly have crushed Nie Kong with his palm, but he would have been unable to defend himself against the black shadow piercing his forehead. Trading the life of a Sixth Tier Dark Spiritual Master for that of a Third Tier Dark Spiritual Master was simply not worth it! In a single moment, Gong Teng made his decision.

“Boom!”

Gong Teng’s fan-like palms shot upward and rapidly clamped together before him. With a thunderous sound, he managed to trap the streaking black shadow between his hands. It was a black arrow, over a meter long, its razor-sharp tip less than half a foot from his brow.

“Palace Master Gong, my sincerest apologies. My cultivation isn't quite refined yet; I can’t quite control my strength when I strike,” Nie Kong said, chuckling as he lightly clapped his hands, acting as if he hadn't just walked back from the brink of death. He then calmly turned and walked toward the group of Fubo Mountain disciples opposite him, his steps unhurried, showing no concern that Gong Teng might attack him from behind again.

A dark mist crept across Gong Teng’s face. With his insight, he could clearly see that Nie Kong genuinely hadn't taken his earlier attack to heart. To be capable of this meant one was either utterly self-assured or an ignorant fool—and Nie Kong was clearly not the latter. Could it be that he had anticipated someone coming to his rescue?

Gong Teng glanced at Nie Kong’s retreating back, and a thought flashed through his mind. However, at this moment, he had no leisure to ponder it. Like Ao Lang and Fu Cheng, Gong Teng’s eyes instantly turned toward the base of the mountain. He saw a figure clad in cyan ascending slowly from the woods, approaching through the air just as he himself had first appeared.