With a faint popping sound, not only did intense heat surge out, but a wisp of Nether Fire also streamed along the death qi towards Nie Kong's current vector. In an instant, that streak of crimson shot out of the conduit within the "Heart of Flame" and burrowed into the seed of fire residing in Nie Kong's palm.

Immediately, it was as if a torch had suddenly dropped into an explosives depot. A resounding boom erupted from Nie Kong’s right palm. Under the assault of that Nether Fire, the heat churned within the fire seed like monstrous, surging waves, causing the seed to rapidly expand.

In the blink of an eye, the small fire seed had doubled in size, and the momentum of its expansion showed no sign of halting.

Tempering a fire seed was different from condensing one. At this moment, if his hand left the "Heart of Flame," the tempering process would naturally cease, and all Nie Kong needed to do was expel that tiny bit of Nether Fire from the seed, which posed no immediate danger. However, if he failed to truly absorb it, the fire seed would forever struggle to adapt to the purest Nether Fire originating from the source, rendering the tempering process moot.

But if he continued, the Nether Fire flowing into the seed would only increase. At that point, even if regret set in and he wished to halt the tempering, expelling the Nether Fire would become incredibly difficult. Once they raged out of control within his body, they could incinerate all his death qi almost instantaneously.

Therefore, the moment the Nether Fire entered his palm, a decision had to be made: retreat or proceed. Even a slight hesitation would lead to a drastically different outcome. In the past, numerous Nether Alchemists had perished upon this very "Heart of Flame," or suffered grievous injuries, due to a moment's indecision.

Choosing to continue tempering was a venture with nine parts death and one part life. For two thousand years, many strong-willed Nether Alchemists had sought to endure until the very end, yet aside from the Pill Kings of the Duantian Sect, nearly all failed to withstand the impact of the Nether Fire, leading to the collapse of their seeds. The instant a fire seed collapsed, the bones and muscles of the entire body would be scorched into ash by the surging heat emanating from within, leaving no remains.

Sensing the change in his palm, Nie Kong harbored no thought of giving up. This was because, besides his formidable body already tempered by the "Heart Drum Battle Sound" and the Battle Clan's supreme golden art, the "War God Star Seal," Nie Kong possessed one ultimate reliance!

With a flash of thought, the nine great Nether Stars within Nie Kong shuddered violently. Following this, a "War God Star Seal" detached from the Yaochi Acupoint, spiraling out of his body, enveloped in a brilliant golden sheen that covered his right palm. In an instant, it penetrated the skin, adhering itself to the fire seed, expanding in tandem with the seed's own growth.

In a matter of mere seconds, the fire seed encased by the "War God Star Seal" occupied Nie Kong's entire right palm, yet it still refused to cease its expansion. At this stage, one could even discern a phantom image of flames piercing through the back of Nie Kong’s hand, burning fiercely.

Nie Kong’s mind was utterly clear, his spirit completely immersed within the fire seed.

Zhan Feihong, observing this scene beside him, twitched his eye sharply. His hands instinctively lifted, and his spine arched, resembling a poised leopard ready to strike, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on Nie Kong’s right hand.

The tempering process had now reached its most perilous juncture for Nie Kong. As the Nether Fire continued to pour in, the phantom flame projecting from the back of Nie Kong’s hand was on the verge of solidifying, ready to break free at any second—and that moment would signal the collapse of the fire seed.

Though Nie Kong was merely an outer disciple, his importance to the Battle Clan was undeniable. Witnessing such a dangerous spectacle, even Zhan Feihong couldn't help but grow tense. However, after pinching his right thumb and forefinger, a sense of calm settled over him.

Between his right thumb and forefinger, Zhan Feihong now held a thin, scarlet object. It was only two fingers wide and one finger long, thin as parchment, crystalline, and covered in countless lines and patterns too minute for the naked eye to discern.

This was the "Blood Spirit Jade Diagram"!

Legend held that the "Blood Spirit Jade Diagram" was an antiquity dating back ten thousand years, later obtained by the Battle Clan's progenitor. Despite its minuscule size, it possessed the capacity to absorb the full-force strike of a powerhouse like Zhan Xinzi. The power unleashed when Nie Kong's fire seed collapsed could not possibly compare to Zhan Xinzi’s ultimate blow.

Before leaving, Zhan Yunlan had entrusted this ultimate treasure to Zhan Feihong specifically to ensure Nie Kong’s safety. If the "Blood Spirit Jade Diagram" was struck into Nie Kong’s right arm at the precise moment the fire seed collapsed, Nie Kong’s life should be spared, though the hand itself would likely be beyond saving.

Of course, escaping a certain-death situation was paramount; what use was a hand if life itself was lost? Moreover, losing one hand would not significantly impact his overall strength.

Since ancient times, the Nether Lands had seen countless powerful experts with physical deficiencies. Given Nie Kong's potential, achieving the rank of a Ninth Tier expert in the future would not be difficult. The only true pity was that if the fire seed in his right palm shattered, Nie Kong would never again be able to refine Nether Pills.

“Hiss! Hiss…”

In a series of soft, rhythmic sounds, wisps of crimson continued to flow from the pipe saturated with Nether Fire, entering Nie Kong’s palm, one thread after another.

As time wore on, the flames projecting from the back of Nie Kong’s hand grew increasingly substantial.

Zhan Feixing and Zhan Tianhe, having absorbed the medicinal efficacy of the Nether Pills, also approached, quietly taking seats on either side of Zhan Feihong. Zhan Feihong had long noticed their presence, but this was the critical juncture, and his gaze never once deviated.

Nearly three minutes had passed since Nie Kong absorbed the first wisp of Nether Fire, yet the expansion of the fire seed had not reached its limit. This spoke volumes about the excellence of Nie Kong’s physique. For an average Nether Alchemist, even one minute would be a stretch, let alone three.

“Such talent; if this fails, it defies heavenly reason.”

Zhan Feixing and Zhan Tianhe exchanged glances, the thought surfacing involuntarily, yet their expressions remained grave.

The longer he persisted, the better his physical condition, but this also meant the danger Nie Kong faced was exponentially greater. If Nie Kong failed to absorb the Nether Fire drawn into his body before the seed collapsed, the consequences of its eruption were self-evident.

Fortunately, they had the "Blood Spirit Jade Diagram" to guarantee Nie Kong’s life would be safe! Both men glanced at the thin, reddish jade sliver between Zhan Feihong’s fingers and drew a sharp, silent breath.

“Hiss! Hiss…”

Another minute or so elapsed. The flame projecting from the back of Nie Kong’s hand now appeared almost solid, faintly radiating a savage aura. At this point, Zhan Feihong, Zhan Feixing, and Zhan Tianhe could all perceive the minute tremors running through the pores on Nie Kong’s skin.

“Hmph!”

Suddenly, Nie Kong let out a soft grunt through his nose.

The Nether Fire surged into the fire seed, its resulting heat impacting him in wave after wave. Under this continuous assault, Nie Kong felt as if a raging inferno was consuming him internally, and the fire seed itself seemed to have transformed into a bubble packed with explosives.

It felt as if a gentle poke would cause the bubble to detonate. The Nether Fire continued to seep into his right palm like fine silk threads, but for the first time, a flicker of hesitation surfaced in Nie Kong’s mind.

While absorbing the Nether Fire, Nie Kong simultaneously circulated his spirit arts, marshalling his death qi to stabilize and reinforce the "War God Star Seal" adhered to the fire seed’s surface. Very quickly, Nie Kong discovered that the golden ring within the "War God Star Seal" possessed an incredibly mystical quality, generating a natural affinity with the Nether Fire, reaching a state of seamless integration. At that point, if he had suppressed all the death qi in his body, he estimated he could have absorbed the Nether Fire completely in a short time.

Just as Nie Kong was preparing to act, a different thought surfaced in his mind. Subsequent opportunities to absorb the Nether Fire arose several times, yet Nie Kong remained unmoved. Only now, with the fire seed teetering on the edge of collapse, did he finally allow himself to waver. If he abandoned his prior intention now, he could still successfully absorb the Nether Fire, though it would take considerably longer.

Influenced by the fluctuation in Nie Kong’s spirit, the flame on his right palm began to flicker erratically, suggesting it might shatter in the next moment.

Nie Kong was aware of his condition and felt no personal alarm, but this sight terrified the three high-ranking Nether Alchemists beside him. Every time the flame wavered, the three experienced a jolt of heart-stopping fear, especially Zhan Feihong, who nearly deployed the "Blood Spirit Jade Diagram" multiple times.

Such an erratic spectacle presented an agonizing test for Zhan Feihong.

He, who had finally relaxed his tension, was now slick with cold sweat. The "Blood Spirit Jade Diagram" could only be used once; using it too early would be a waste of a treasure, but using it too late would mean the loss of Nie Kong’s life, even if it was only half a second too late.

Now the flame was unstable, the fire seed hovering between collapse and continuance. Making the correct judgment and seizing the most accurate moment was extremely difficult.

“Having come this far, why hesitate?”

Suddenly, Nie Kong gritted his teeth. “If I succeed, won’t my cultivation speed here in the future surpass mere tempering of the fire seed?” He had entered the Nether Land, known on the Tianling Continent as the "Abyss of Ruin," for the sake of cultivation; every action here served that purpose. Now that he had a method to accelerate his cultivation speed, how could Nie Kong easily discard it?

With his decision made, Nie Kong no longer wavered, and the unsettling flame on the back of his palm stabilized, ceasing its swaying motion.

“Hoo! Hoo!”

Seeing this, Zhan Feixing and Zhan Tianhe couldn't help but exhale softly, exchanging bitter smiles. Zhan Feihong also breathed a massive sigh of relief. Although the preceding moments lasted only a few seconds, for the three of them, it felt as protracted and torturous as several years.

Even a fierce battle against a Black Spirit Master of the same rank would not have been this exhausting.

“Hiss! Hiss…”

The popping sounds within the Heart of Flame grew slightly more frequent, and the wisp of Nether Fire in the conduit spread along the death qi emanating from Nie Kong’s palm at an accelerated rate. In an instant, Nie Kong felt the fire seed swell slightly once more.

“The limit is reached!”

Nie Kong’s expression shifted slightly.

“Hiss!”

Another tendril of Nether Fire shot forth from the stone surface. Just as it was about to enter the fire seed, Nie Kong abruptly raised his right palm, withdrawing it from the "Heart of Flame" below…

…… ……