Finally, it was his turn! Nie Kong drew a breath, stepping forward to meet Zhan Tianlun’s gaze. After being tempered by eighty-one strikes of the “Heart Drum Battle Sound,” Nie Kong was sturdier and stronger than before, even growing slightly taller, reaching about 1.8 meters—though, of course, compared to the other Zhan Clan disciples, he was still only of medium height.

Zhan Tianlun’s face remained composed, but a flicker of undisguised amusement danced in his eyes: “Sixty-nine, fifty-four!”

As the words fell, it wasn't just the non-clan disciples who stared at Nie Kong with astonishment. Even the Zhan Clan children, still basking in the joy of Zhan Qingzhu having obtained the Purple Art, the Six-Heart Sword, snapped their heads around, faces etched with shock.

“…” “Huh? Did I hear that right?” “Sixty-nine, fifty-four… Does Uncle Tianlun mean this fellow held out until the very last strike of the sixty-nine Battle Sounds?” “A non-clan disciple actually achieved what Qingzhu did?” “…” “This newcomer looked so quiet, I never expected him to be this formidable.” “Right? I thought Li Xiao’s performance in the Battle Sound Hall was the best among us non-clan disciples!” “Tsk, tsk, two people who heard the Sixty-Nine Battle Sounds appearing one after another…” “…”

After a brief silence, a clamor erupted all around.

At that moment, the Zhan Clan children were overwhelmed with complex emotions, their questions piling up. In just a few short minutes, their feelings had swung wildly three times. If seeing Li Xiao initially obtain the Purple Art, the Nether Blade Codex, was a low point, then Zhan Qingzhu surpassing him to claim the Purple Art, the Heart Sword, was a peak. **However, Nie Kong now had sent their spirits tumbling back into the depths again.

If he had only reached the stage of the “Sixty-Nine Battle Sounds,” that would have been one thing, but Nie Kong had endured fifty-four strikes. As far as they knew, the final strike of the “Sixty-Nine Battle Sounds” was the absolute limit—something very few people in the Zhan Clan had ever accomplished. For this Nie Kong, an outsider, to achieve it now—how could they, who prided themselves on their Zhan Clan bloodline, feel?

Nie Kong had now joined the Zhan Clan and was technically a disciple, but how could an outsider reaching the limit of the “Heart Drum Battle Sound” compare to a true Zhan-surnamed disciple reaching the battle sound limit?

Compared to the true Zhan Clan disciples, the non-clan disciples, though equally astonished, felt a different surge of emotion. Although they had joined the Clan, the inherent pride radiating from the Zhan-surnamed youths constantly oppressed them. They had finally gotten a boost when Li Xiao performed well, only to have it immediately quashed by Zhan Qingzhu, leaving them disheartened. Fortunately, this newcomer named Nie Kong had followed immediately after.

Even though they weren't the ones who reached the known limit of the “Heart Drum Battle Sound,” witnessing the surprised looks on the faces of the Zhan-surnamed youths gave them a sense of vindication. It was as if the suffocation they had felt in their chests for days was suddenly swept away.

Now, seeing Nie Kong walk forward, their eyes filled with fervor and expectation; it seemed another Purple Art was about to appear.

“Take the stage!”

After Zhan Tianlun roared those two words, he couldn't help but add an urgent reminder, “Remember, relax your body, and open your mind!”

The other non-clan disciples had arrived at the Zhan God Mountain days ago and knew a fair bit about the “War Spirit Hearing Altar.” Only Nie Kong had arrived yesterday. If the young man had been too dismissive of the reminders or careless, serious trouble could ensue. It was crucial to remember that the “War Spirit Hearing Altar,” just like the “Battle Sound Hall,” was effective only on the first attempt. If something went wrong this time, Nie Kong might not get another chance to discover which spiritual art suited him best! Zhan Tianlun naturally didn't want that to happen.

“Understood.”

Nie Kong smiled and nodded. Like the others, he first bowed deeply toward the Clan Leader and the two Grand Elders before heading toward the “War Spirit Hearing Altar.”

At this moment, Zhan Yunlan and the two Grand Elders exchanged a look, their gazes instinctively falling upon Nie Kong. Unlike the younger ones here, they knew clearly that what Nie Kong heard in the “Battle Sound Hall” was not the fifty-four strikes announced by Zhan Tianlun, but all eighty-one strikes of the complete “Heart Drum Battle Sound!” The second person in the entire history of the Zhan Clan!

The ancestor from a thousand years ago had a performance on the “War Spirit Hearing Altar” whose details were known to very few back then and were never circulated later. Consequently, Zhan Yunlan, the two Grand Elders, and Zhan Tianlun held immense anticipation for Nie Kong’s upcoming display. Yet, alongside this expectation, there was also a vague, indefinable tension.

“I get it now!”

A simple-minded Zhan Clan youth suddenly slapped his head in sudden realization. “No wonder the Clan Leader and the Grand Elders are here. It must be because this year we have two people, Qingzhu and Nie Kong, who heard fifty-four battle sounds.” In previous years, when the “War Spirit Hearing Altar” was opened, it often took dozens, even scores, of attempts before someone could complete the entire “Sixty-Nine Battle Sounds.” But this year, they suddenly had two: Zhan Qingzhu and Nie Kong. It was no wonder the Clan Leader and the two Grand Elders appeared together, making this year’s ‘Divine Hearing’ exceptionally momentous.

The others had immediately understood this when Zhan Tianlun recited the words “Sixty-nine, fifty-four,” but this fellow was slow on the uptake, only realizing it now. Seeing his eager, cheerful expression, the onlookers couldn’t help but chuckle. Even Zhan Yunlan and the two Grand Elders showed faint smiles.

For a moment, the strange atmosphere surrounding them was eased by the laughter.

“Step, step…”

After climbing the steps, Nie Kong’s pace didn't quicken; instead, it slowed down, a low sound resonating in the space.

“Qingyue, get ready,” Nie Kong murmured inwardly.

“Don't worry, I won't mess things up. After living for over a thousand years, Grandma doesn't want to mess up here,” Qingyue replied confidently.

“…”

Nie Kong said no more, but his spirit was intensely focused.

However, Nie Kong’s demeanor worried Zhan Tianlun below, and even Zhan Yunlan and the two Grand Elders frowned. Although they couldn't sense the mental exchange between Nie Kong and Qingyue, the aura within Nie Kong’s body fluctuated as he concentrated. The fluctuation was extremely subtle; under normal circumstances, Zhan Yunlan and the others might not have noticed, but with all their attention fixed on Nie Kong now, they couldn't miss it.

“This kid is good at hiding things. I thought he wasn't nervous at all!” Zhan Tianlun muttered softly, instinctively about to speak a warning, but he was stopped by a look from Zhan Yunlan.

“Do not disturb him.” Zhan Yunlan’s voice was like a faint thread.

Zhan Tianlun instantly snapped back to awareness. Speaking now would likely not calm Nie Kong but make him even more tense. He swallowed the words that had rushed to his throat, his eyes showing anxiety…

Ten meters away, Nie Kong was completely unaware that his actions had made Zhan Tianlun, Zhan Yunlan, and the two Grand Elders anxious. His steps crossed the final rung of the staircase.

“Buzz!”

The instant he stood on the “War Spirit Hearing Altar,” a fierce buzzing sound exploded outward, echoing deafeningly in the space. It startled the more than a hundred unprepared Zhan Clan and non-clan disciples, who stared wide-eyed at the crimson pillar on the platform, vibrating rapidly as if about to shoot into the sky.

After the buzzing subsided, everyone recovered and looked at Nie Kong on the platform with disbelief. They all heard fifty-four battle sounds, so why was the resulting disturbance so vastly different? Even now, everyone’s ears were ringing. If the noise generated when Zhan Qingzhu stepped up was equivalent to thousands of bees buzzing simultaneously, this was now closer to hundreds of thousands, with no comparison between the two.

However, despite their confusion, no one suspected that Nie Kong had already surpassed the known limit of the battle sounds and entered the final round. They kept trying to guess the reason based on other factors.

“Perhaps those without Zhan Clan blood are better at attracting the War Spirit? Is that why the Clan Leader and the others decided to accept non-clan disciples?” Zhan Qingzhu murmured to herself. Though her voice was incredibly soft, a dozen people nearby clearly overheard her.

“Perhaps that’s it,” the Zhan-surnamed disciples nodded subconsciously, believing they had found a reasonable explanation.

“The Clan Leader and the Elders are wrong. The glory of the Zhan Clan can only be protected by us, those with true Zhan Clan blood, not by those non-clan disciples!” Watching the black figure on the “War Spirit Hearing Altar,” Zhan Qingzhu’s lips moved silently, but her pretty face took on an expression of fierce determination. The Zhan Clan disciples around her seemed infected by her attitude; their cheeks tightened, and they quietly clenched their fists.

Zhan Yunlan sensed something, glanced over, and smiled, seemingly quite satisfied with their change in demeanor. But in the next instant, when Zhan Yunlan refocused on the stage, a flicker of doubt crossed his eyes. Is this young man just standing still, perhaps adjusting his mood?

Nie Kong was certainly not adjusting his mood; he was sensing the surrounding energy. The “War Spirit Hearing Altar” was equivalent to an independent small space, isolated from the larger external space. Nie Kong could make minor movements here, especially using the Death Qi from his main body, so he didn't need to worry about exposing any flaws.

The feeling before stepping onto the platform was entirely different from the feeling after stepping onto it. The same elemental spiritual power could exhibit different characteristics under different circumstances. Death Qi, as the ultimate form of Dark Spiritual Power, was no exception. The Death Qi contained within the “War Spirit Hearing Altar” was extremely gentle. Standing on it, Nie Kong felt as if he were basking in spring breezes or floating in a hot spring—a complete, cozy warmth enveloped him. In such an environment, the body easily relaxed, and the mind was readily opened.

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