The thought flashed through Nie Kong’s mind, only to be immediately discarded. A peak ninth-tier Nether Beast was hardly comparable to a Nether Pill; absorbing its inherent power was an entirely different magnitude of difficulty. Gazing at the distant, hill-sized mass of dark red, Nie Kong couldn't help but shake his head.

“Roar!”

The thunderous bellow echoed across tens of miles, vibrating so intensely that even in the ears of Zhan Baisong and the others, a sharp ringing persisted.

Before the Fuling’s roar had fully subsided, the dark red mass in the distance began to rapidly ascend, seawater cascading ceaselessly away from it…

…

“What kind of Nether Beast sound is that?”

Dozens of miles away, several figures swiftly traversing the surface of the sea suddenly halted. The sheer power embedded in that abrupt roar sent a wave of apprehension through them.

“A peak ninth-tier Nether Beast?”

“The Nether Sea harbors beasts this mighty? I wonder who has encountered it?”

“…”

As they spoke, several Black Spirit Masters propelled themselves forward, their speed now noticeably increased. Almost simultaneously, similar scenes unfolded across the Nether Sea within a radius of dozens of miles, as figures streaked like lightning towards the source of the terrifying sound.

Moments later, the first dozen Black Spirit Masters to arrive could only stare, mouths agape, frozen before the unbelievably massive silhouette…

“Roar!”

Across the vast, boundless ocean, the roar shook the heavens.

A colossal, dark red figure leaped into the air—thick, powerful limbs, a robust body, and a savage head… especially the twin blood-red eyes, glowing like enormous lanterns, projecting a chilling intent to kill that sent shivers down the spine even from a thousand miles away.

“Hiss!”

Nie Kong, Zhan Feihong, Zhan Feixing, and Zhan Tianhe, despite their prior expectations, could not help but draw sharp, cold breaths. Staring at the immense shadow pressing down upon them like a suffocating blanket, they felt an almost unbearable sense of asphyxiation.

Zhan Baisong, Zhan Baifeng, and Zhan Baige, however, were surrounded by swirling black vapor. Their magnificent auras surged skyward, and the instant the Fuling launched itself, they shot forward like three razor-sharp swords, aimed directly at the pale patch on the beast’s neck.

The Fuling was covered in hard, dark red scales, so resilient that even a full-force assault from a ninth-tier Black Spirit Master could scarcely damage them. Only the soft, paler area beneath its neck housed the beast’s heart; a successful strike there would either kill the Fuling or leave it grievously wounded.

Yet, how could such a vital spot be approached lightly?

Seeing the three Zhan siblings approach, the Fuling suddenly opened its gaping maw and spewed forth a cloud of dark red mist. In an instant, carrying intense heat, it traversed dozens of meters of empty space, positioning itself directly before Zhan Baisong, Zhan Baifeng, and Zhan Baige.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Three violent explosions erupted simultaneously. Amidst the vibration of the death energy, the dark red mist billowed outward, completely engulfing the three Zhan brothers. However, after only a moment, Zhan Baisong and Zhan Baifeng tore through the red fog and lunged toward the Fuling’s eyes.

In a flash, two basin-sized fists were unleashed.

“Bang! Bang!”

The Fuling’s eyes snapped shut. The fists of Zhan Baisong and Zhan Baifeng struck its eyelids, leaving only shallow black marks.

A deafening roar tore from the beast’s throat. The Fuling violently shook its massive head, instantly throwing the two men, smaller than its eyes, flying backward. But just as Zhan Baisong was flung away, Zhan Baige peeled away from his back like a thin sheet of paper, sliding silently along the Fuling’s neck like a phantom, closing in on the pale spot at the base of its throat in the blink of an eye.

“Hiss! Hiss!”

Zhan Baige drove both fists forward, death energy churning around his knuckles like two fiercely blazing black flames, slicing through the void directly toward the pale area.

“Good!”

Witnessing this, Zhan Feihong and the others couldn't help but cheer, and Nie Kong’s eyes brightened. He hadn't expected the Zhan Clan to possess such a bizarre spirit technique, one capable of adhering invisibly to another person’s body—perfect for a surprise attack!

But the cheers had barely faded before Zhan Feihong and the others’ expressions shifted drastically. At that precise moment, the scales on the Fuling’s neck began to vibrate rapidly. Dozens of those scales expanded, covering the vulnerable pale patch in a mere instant.

“Boom!”

With a loud blast, Zhan Baige’s fists landed squarely, tearing loose a single scale. But the moment the scale detached, a surge of dark red energy erupted like a heavy hammer, slamming viciously into Zhan Baige’s chest. In the next instant, Zhan Baige coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body spiraling backward dozens of meters like a kite with a severed string, before being caught by Zhan Baisong, who was returning.

Zhan Baisong did not press the attack; instead, he escorted the wounded Zhan Baige back toward Nie Kong and the others. Zhan Baifeng followed closely behind. Nie Kong rushed over and saw that Zhan Baige’s face was ashen, blood trickling from the corner of his lips, and a section of his chest was visibly caved in.

Zhan Baisong’s face was grim, his words delivered with rapid intensity. “I underestimated this Fuling. Its strength far surpasses that of a typical peak ninth-tier Nether Beast!” As he spoke, he handed Zhan Baige over to Zhan Feixing. “You three take him and retreat first; Baifeng and I will hold it off for a moment!”

“Yes!”

Zhan Feihong and the others understood Zhan Baisong’s plan, a jolt of alarm running through them, but this was no time for debate. Without hesitation, the three retreated swiftly, carrying Nie Kong and the injured Zhan Baige backward. The Black Spirit Masters observing from a distance were jolted awake by Zhan Baige’s instant, severe injury. Their expressions changed, and they began to quickly pull back, unwilling to suffer collateral damage.

“Boom!”

The Fuling slammed onto the sea surface, sending waves churning upward, spray soaring a hundred meters into the sky. A moment later, the colossal body leaped into the air again, intending to leap over Zhan Baisong and Zhan Baifeng blocking its path and charge directly at the retreating Zhan Feihong and the others. It roared continuously, its voice laced with towering rage—clearly, Zhan Baige’s strike had infuriated this peak ninth-tier Nether Beast!

“Bad!”

Seeing this, Zhan Baisong and Zhan Baifeng’s faces paled. They were a hundred miles from the shore of the Nether Sea. If the Fuling continued to pursue them relentlessly, and if Nie Kong—this youngster who had heard the complete ‘Heart Drum Battle Sound’—were harmed, they would become eternal disgraces to the Zhan Clan.

Zhan Baisong’s face contorted. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly charged into the void. His body instantly expanded to over ten meters tall, his hair standing on end, muscles corded beneath his skin, appearing as majestic as a celestial god.

“Get down here!”

Seeing the Fuling charge without evasion, Zhan Baisong swung his right arm. A black saber, dozens of meters long, materialized from thin air and slashed toward the Fuling’s head.

At this moment, Zhan Baisong resembled a colossal vortex, drawing in the overwhelming death energy from his surroundings, only to expel it torrentially from his arm, channeled down the black saber towards the Fuling. Instantly, the world rumbled, and it seemed this very void was cleaved in two by that single stroke.

The Fuling ignored the attack and crashed forward violently.

“Bang!”

The black saber struck the Fuling’s forehead squarely.

Immediately, the void thrashed violently, and fierce winds swept out. The Fuling’s massive body was thrown back a hundred meters, crashing deep into the seabed. Simultaneously, the long saber in Zhan Baisong’s hand vanished, and his body shrank back to its normal size, retreating like a meteor, a faint crimson smear appearing at the corner of his mouth.

“Roar!”

The Fuling was now even more enraged. With waves churning, its body sprang airborne, charging forward once more.

However, this time, its target was not Zhan Baige, but Zhan Baisong. Seeing this, the prepared Zhan Baifeng gave a slight tremor and flashed forward, positioning himself directly in the Fuling’s path. Zhan Baifeng understood the potential outcome of intercepting the Fuling alongside Zhan Baisong, but if sacrificing their two lives could ensure the escape of Zhan Feihong and Nie Kong, it was a worthy trade.

Taking a deep breath, the Nether Star above Zhan Baifeng’s brow flashed rapidly, unleashing a dense black light. Immediately after, Zhan Baifeng gently brought his fan-like palms together; it seemed the very void was compressed and exploded, producing a piercing hissing sound as a rift traveled from between his palms toward the Fuling.

Seeing another obstacle blocking its path, the Fuling roared madly. The scales that had been flat suddenly stood erect like a hedgehog’s quills. From its raised forepaws, sharp claws extended, dark red spiritual light slicing through the void, as if intent on tearing apart any obstruction before it.

“Open!”

Zhan Baifeng roared, his face instantly swelling crimson. He violently pulled his closed palms apart, and the small rift rapidly expanded, quickly reaching dozens of meters wide. The Fuling plunged into the gap, leaving only half its body visible.

“Roar!”

With a muffled growl, the remaining half of the Fuling thrashed violently.

“Close!”

Zhan Baifeng brought his palms together, and the rift rapidly narrowed. Within seconds, the wide gap was only a few meters across. The Fuling’s body appeared on the verge of snapping, while Zhan Baifeng’s face was so red it looked as though blood might drip, indicating the immense effort he was exerting.

Gritting his teeth, beads of sweat mixed with blood on Zhan Baifeng’s face as the rift shrank further. However, just as the gap was about to vanish completely, a low growl erupted, and ten streaks of dark red light materialized in the void tens of meters before Zhan Baifeng.

They were the Fuling’s claws!

“Tear!”

A sound like ripping silk suddenly rang out. The space was torn open, and the Fuling’s massive head reappeared, now streaming with blood. It roared skyward, then spread its two thick foreclaws wide apart, revealing its full form. Its rear half was completely unharmed, but the front half devoured by the rift was gore-stained, black blood dripping into the sea.

At this moment, Zhan Baifeng staggered as if struck by a heavy blow, spitting blood. The Nether Star above his brow, which had been flashing intensely, had dimmed considerably.

The Fuling gasped for breath, then let out a shrill howl, opening its bloody maw to charge once more at Zhan Baifeng. Its giant eyes glowed with a bloodthirsty ferocity, seeming intent on ripping the small figure before it to shreds.

“Insolent beast, daring to injure my Zhan Clan disciple!”

Just then, a cold sneer echoed across the Nether Sea. Instantly, a single finger pierced through the churning black mist high above and pressed down upon the Fuling’s massive head…

…

…