The news brought back from Huan Yue City greatly astonished the major sects, increasing their focus on the whereabouts of Zhan Baisong and his group. Consequently, the trailing shadows did not diminish; instead, they multiplied, with some sects even dispatching high-level experts to converge on their position.

A single move set the entire landscape into motion. These sectarian maneuvers were observed by other keen parties, who promptly initiated corresponding actions.

In less than half a day, rumors erupted from all directions, creating a cacophony of speculation that visibly shook nearly the entire Underworld.

Nie Kong remained utterly oblivious to the upheaval caused by the appearance of Zhan Xinzi, as the party pushed forward day and night. As the sole Fourth-Rank Black Spirit Master among such a cohort of formidable figures, Nie Kong was afforded the same privileged treatment he received when traveling from Fubo Mountain to the Zhan Clan, being personally escorted by the Grand Elder, Zhan Baisong.

Six rolling masses of black energy surged forward, instantly covering a hundred meters, moving with breathtaking speed.

Nie Kong remained concealed within the cloud of dark energy manipulated by Zhan Baisong, requiring no effort on his part; his form was carried forward with lightning speed, an experience of utter ease. Nie Kong felt little inclination to concern himself with the journey, instead closing his eyes to sit at ease, his mind replaying recent events.

By calculation, the place he had spent the longest time in since entering the Underworld was Fubo Mountain. Nie Kong had initially assumed he would remain at War God Mountain until his departure from this realm, never expecting to move on so soon after only one night of cultivation in the "Nether Spirit Valley."

Nie Kong felt no regret regarding this shift. Since the "Nether Sea Fire Source" was superior to the destination of the trip to "Ming Wu Valley," making the detour was inconsequential. Nie Kong was also aware of the machinations of the high-ranking Nether Pill Masters, but he held no doubt that Zhan Feihong would not lie regarding such a matter.

Nie Kong had already sensed the degree of peril associated with this expedition.

If the "Nether Sea Fire Source" were safe, countless Nether Pill Masters would have long since flocked there to temper their fire seeds; the Zhan Clan would not need to dispatch such a massive escort for him. Three Ninth-Rank powerhouses and three Eighth-Rank experts—such an entourage was staggering, no matter where they appeared.

Danger, when not strictly necessary, was something Nie Kong preferred to avoid—yet, if the potential reward was rich enough, Nie Kong would not shrink back; otherwise, he would not have chosen to enter the Underworld for cultivation in the first place. After prolonged contemplation, Nie Kong found himself increasingly anticipating the "Nether Sea Fire Source."

Wanfeng Mountain Range, Duntian Sect.

Within an ancient and tranquil pavilion, several figures sat facing one another.

"It seems undeniable."

A dignified and beautiful middle-aged woman glanced at the "Gold Armored Jade Slip" in her hand, raised an eyebrow slightly, and smiled faintly. "The direction Zhan Baisong and the others have taken leads to only two particularly notable locations: the Twin Dragon Sect, or, the Nether Sea Fire Source... Surely, they aren't going to visit the high-tier sect like the Twin Dragon Sect?" The "Gold Armored Jade Slip" was an artifact capable of transmitting messages across vast distances; through it, these individuals, even miles apart, kept a precise track of Zhan Baisong’s movements.

"The Sect Master speaks wisely."

A lean, refined old man in green robes stroked his beard and smiled. "Just now, Grand Ancestor sent word from Skywing Peak that Zhan Xinzi has entered the 'Nether Sea Fire Source.' Zhan Baisong and the others are certainly heading there as well, though their ultimate purpose remains unclear."

"I heard there is a young man in his twenties among that group..." remarked a middle-aged man of scholarly bearing. His tone paused momentarily before his expression shifted, a trace of shock entering his voice. "They aren't going there to help this young man temper his fire seed, are they?"

"Temper a fire seed?"

The mention of those words caused a collective jolt among them. As members of the Duntian Sect, they were acutely aware of the perils involved in tempering a fire seed at the "Nether Sea Fire Source"—after all, the Underworld's only "Pill King" in history hailed from the Duntian Sect!

The green-robed elder gasped in astonishment: "Is this young man's aptitude truly so exceptional that the Zhan Clan treats him with such reverence? Moreover, he lacks the distinct markings of a true Zhan Clan descendant; he should only be an adopted disciple they have taken in recently!"

"..."

Hearing this, the others exchanged uneasy glances.

"It doesn't seem right... no."

The middle-aged woman gently shook her head. "If it were truly about tempering a fire seed, Zhan Baisong and his group would suffice. If security were still a concern, sending a few more Ninth-Rank Black Spirit Masters along would be enough. Why would Zhan Xinzi need to go personally, and cause such a conspicuous stir? Is he not afraid of..."

Afraid of what? The woman did not finish the sentence, but everyone present knew precisely what she meant.

She paused, then frowned in thought. "Perhaps Zhan Xinzi and the others entering the 'Nether Sea Fire Source' have another objective, and helping the young disciple temper his seed is merely secondary. Elder Qi, Elder Ye, this matter requires your personal attention. Report back immediately with any findings."

"Yes, Sect Master."

Both the green-robed elder and the middle-aged man straightened with solemnity.

Once the destination of the Zhan Clan party was ascertained, similar scenarios unfolded almost simultaneously across the Super-Tier and High-Tier sects. To uncover the truth, Ninth-Rank experts were mobilized within the Super-Tier sects and a select few High-Tier ones, all heading towards the "Nether Sea Fire Source." As for the Middle-Tier sects, though suspicious and curious, they dared not involve themselves; this was not a matter they could interfere with.

When Zhan Baisong's group learned of these developments, they couldn't help but feel a sense of wry amusement. Their intelligence had been specifically relayed via Gold Armored Jade Slip by Zhan Yunlan. Huan Yue City certainly harbored spies from other sects, and similarly, the activities of those other sects did not escape the Zhan Clan's notice.

Regarding the actions of their followers, Zhan Baisong and the others paid little mind. What could those people do even if they followed them to the "Nether Sea Fire Source"? Surely they wouldn't dare disrupt Nie Kong's process of tempering his fire seed? Reassured, the group continued their relentless journey, and morning dawned on the third day.

"We've arrived!"

Nie Kong, who had been sitting in meditation gathering his energy, suddenly heard Zhan Baisong’s voice. His heart stirred, and as he stood up, the black energy enveloping him vanished without a trace. Instantly, his feet met solid ground, and his vision cleared to an expansive panorama.

Nie Kong hurriedly looked up, and an endless black ocean immediately flooded his sight. The sea was unnervingly still, showing no ripples. From a distance, it resembled a colossal black hole, seemingly capable of swallowing everything around it clean away.

Above the sea, the void was churning with black mist, surging like a tide.

"What intense death energy!"

Even with prior preparation, seeing this scene still startled Nie Kong. The concentration of death energy here far surpassed that of the Nether Source at War God Mountain! If the edges were this potent, how extreme must the center of the "Nether Sea Fire Source" be?

This trip to the "Nether Sea Fire Source" was absolutely the right decision!

Nie Kong was overcome with a mixture of joy and surprise. Observing Nie Kong's expression, Zhan Feihong inwardly chuckled. Previously, he had pleaded with this young man to come, and now, even if he wanted to send him away, Nie Kong wouldn't leave. However, cultivating in the "Nether Sea Fire Source" would not be so simple.

"Let's go!"

Zhan Baisong glanced casually behind him before leading the way forward. After just a few steps, he walked directly onto the surface of the sea.

Nie Kong watched, momentarily stunned. When Zhan Baisong’s foot touched the water, the surface merely rippled slightly, yet his feet did not sink at all; his entire body floated on the seawater like weightless duckweed. After Zhan Baisong and the others entered the water, the phenomenon repeated itself.

"Nie Kong!"

Hearing Zhan Feihong call out, Nie Kong snapped out of his reverie. He hurried forward a few steps and tentatively placed one foot out. The next moment, Nie Kong felt as if he were stepping onto a spring mattress—soft and yielding, yet met with a powerful rebound from below.

Did such water actually exist in the world?

Experiencing the wobbling sensation beneath his feet, Nie Kong, amidst his astonishment, placed his other foot down. Immediately, a scorching heat pressed in from all directions. Nie Kong felt as if he had suddenly been plunged into a blazing furnace; his skin instantly grew burning hot.

"Little fellow, you need to prepare yourself. The deeper we go, the hotter it will become," Zhan Feihong reminded him with a smile.

"..."

Nie Kong nodded, though his internal wonder and surprise only deepened. This place was truly bizarre; how could it have formed? Nie Kong had a faint premonition that something even stranger awaited him in the depths of the "Nether Sea Fire Source."

"Be careful!"

After advancing only a dozen steps, the voices of Qing Yue and Zhan Baisong sounded almost simultaneously in Nie Kong's mind and ears. At the instant the warning rang out, a sense of alarm flared within Nie Kong. With a thought, a Nether Star inlaid with a golden rim spun out from behind him, rapidly expanding until, in an instant, it transformed into a massive barrier shielding his back.

This was the "War God Star Seal"! It was a shame Nie Kong's cultivation time had been too short; he hadn't even completed the refinement of his first Nether Star. Yet, even so, the power unleashed when Nie Kong exerted his full strength with the Seal was not to be underestimated.

"Boom!"

Golden light flared, and death energy surged.

Fierce impact sounds and piercing screeches erupted in succession. A powerful force rolled in from behind. Although the Nether Star instantly neutralized the impact, Nie Kong was slightly affected, his body trembling. However, Nie Kong was no greenhorn unfamiliar with combat formations; despite his surprise, his reaction was immediate. As he turned, the Nether Star hurtled toward the streak of red light he had glimpsed at the corner of his eye.

Yet, the reaction speed of the Zhan Clan powerhouses behind him was even faster. Before Nie Kong's attack could fully materialize, a streak of cyan light flashed by his side like a phantom.

"Vile beast!"

With a furious roar, the cyan light flashed once and returned to hover before Nie Kong. It was the Grand Elder, Zhan Baisong, holding a small creature in his right hand. Save for a row of black scales centered on its abdomen, its body was fiery red, its fur glossy and sleek, its mouth pointed and long, and it struggled incessantly, baring its teeth.

Was this the thing that had just attempted to ambush him? Nie Kong retracted his Star Seal, feeling rather bewildered. This little thing’s head and body resembled a fox, but its tail was shaped much like a fish's tail, the only difference being that its tail was also covered in long, fine crimson down.

"Black-Scaled Fish Fox?"

"This is a Fourth-Rank Nether Beast—how could it appear in the 'Nether Sea Fire Source'?"

"..."

Staring at the hissing and shrieking Nether Beast, not only Zhan Baisong, who had delivered the blow, but also the faces of the others displayed expressions of astonishment. Since ancient times, there had been no indication of Nether Beast life within the "Nether Sea Fire Source." Yet, this "Black-Scaled Fish Fox" had appeared today. Furthermore, this beast had been right beneath their feet, but before it lunged out of the sea to attack Nie Kong, none of them—not even the three Eighth-Rank Black Spirit Masters including Zhan Feihong, nor the three Ninth-Rank powerhouses including Zhan Baisong—had sensed anything. It was truly bizarre!