Having cultivated deep within the Nether Source for another night, Nie Kong arrived early outside the War Heart Hall.

At this moment, the spacious plaza before the hall had already gathered quite a few figures—most of them young disciples who had excelled in the "War Spirit Listening Platform." However, only a handful, like Zhan Qingzhu and Li Xiao, were still memorable to Nie Kong. As time slipped by, the assembled figures grew in number. Before long, the area in front of the War Heart Hall held twenty-three young disciples; twelve Elders, including Nie Kong, Zhan Tianlong, and Zhan Baixin, the three newly promoted Elders; and ten experts at the Eighth Rank, such as Zhan Feihong.

As the first hint of dawn broke, five Supreme Elders arrived in unison, Zhan Baisong among them.

These fifty individuals constituted the contingent the Zhan Clan would send to the Ghost Domain.

Under the watchful gaze of Clan Leader Zhan Yunlan, the group silently descended the mountain, barely causing a ripple on War God Mountain. Such matters were commonplace within the Zhan Clan.

Nie Kong walked near the center of the formation, yet a sense of deep unease stirred within him.

The Zhan Clan alone was deploying five Ninth Rank powerhouses and ten Eighth Rank experts. He surmised that the Black Spirit Master lineup dispatched by the Heaven Piercing Sect and other Over-Tier Sects would surely be no less formidable. He wondered just how numerous the Nether Beasts in the Ghost Domain must be to necessitate such a large-scale coordinated operation.

"Hah..."

After leaving Ring Moon City, Nie Kong couldn't help but let out a soft breath, glancing back at the mountain range that soared into the clouds. Departing now, there might never be a chance to return to War God Mountain again.

Nie Kong felt a degree of shame towards the Zhan Clan.

Since arriving at War God Mountain, he had gained unimaginable benefits here—first the "Heart Drum War Sound," followed by the First Golden Art, the "War God Star Imprint." Subsequently, Zhan Baisong and the others had personally escorted him to the Nether Sea... and just yesterday, he had acquired the Zhan Clan's supreme treasure, the "Spiritual Rhino War Robe."

All these instances demonstrated the Zhan Clan's dedication to nurturing him.

Though Nie Kong was not native to the Nether Earth, and he had initially come to War God Mountain with the intention of using the Zhan Clan for his cultivation, how could he not feel sincere gratitude towards them after all this time?

Alas, too many ties bound him to the Heaven Spirit Continent, and there was still a calamity within his body. After the expedition to the Ghost Domain, he would inevitably have to leave the Nether Earth. Otherwise, staying in the Nether Earth, remaining with the Zhan Clan, would not be a bad outcome; perhaps he could even advance to the Ninth Rank and reach the Heaven Spirit realm faster here.

Nie Kong sighed inwardly, his pace quickening unconsciously. The group moved farther and farther away from Ring Moon City...

The Ghost Domain!

Hearing those two words immediately conjured an impression of grim coldness and spectral menace. Yet, when they reached their destination six days later, Nie Kong was somewhat dumbfounded.

"The Ghost Domain is in here?"

Nie Kong was filled with astonishment.

At that moment, the assembly stood within an exceptionally wide valley. The valley floor was carpeted with lush grass, clear springs trickled through, and amidst the vibrant greenery, countless unknown small flowers bloomed defiantly, competing in splendor, painting the entire valley like a Peach Blossom Spring paradise.

Had it not been for Zhan Tianlun explicitly stating it, Nie Kong would have found it hard to believe the Ghost Domain was situated within this valley.

"Well, I suppose I'm just being provincial," Nie Kong mumbled, rubbing his chin and forcing a nervous chuckle upon noticing the looks akin to viewing a country bumpkin from Zhan Qingzhu and the others nearby.

"Let's move; quite a few people have arrived before us," Zhan Baisong waved his hand and walked forward, the others quickly following.

A path, about several meters wide, had already been trodden into the green grass of the valley, covered in chaotic, dense footprints. After walking for about ten minutes, Nie Kong realized the valley was shaped in a vast arc. After rounding nearly half a circle, a smooth, mirror-like slope came into view.

That was the end of the valley.

Dark black arcs, several meters thick, spiraled inward along the slope, each circle smaller than the last, resembling a whirlpool. When the arcs reached the very center of the circle, they suddenly magnified into a colossal black dot, within which faint black light could be seen wildly dancing.

At the edge of that vortex sat two figures, utterly motionless.

The group accelerated their pace, and soon arrived near the vortex. The appearances of the two figures became clear in their sight: they were two old men.

"Brother Zhan, today is the final day," one of them suddenly opened his eyes, and two brilliant shards of light burst forth from his pupils, startling the onlookers.

"Likely two more Ninth Rank Black Spirit Masters," Nie Kong mused inwardly.

"No choice; our Zhan Clan is too far from the Ghost Domain. Brother Qin, have all the Over-Tier Sects entered?" Zhan Baisong asked with a helpless smile. The true reason was that every time the sects gathered, underlying tensions were palpable, and the Zhan Clan preferred to avoid that, timing their arrival for the last possible day.

"Everyone, except those bloodthirsty lunatics from Killing Isle," the old man chuckled.

"In that case, we shall delay no longer. We can catch up with Brother Qin upon our exit," Zhan Baisong waved his hand, and he, along with the other four Supreme Elders, floated into the vortex first. As their feet touched the ground inside, a burst of black light shot out from the vortex's center, soaring toward the sky. However, the black light vanished as quickly as it appeared. When the vortex returned to its original state, the figures of Zhan Baisong and the others had completely disappeared.

"Let's go."

Zhan Tianlun and Elders like Zhan Tianlong followed closely. Then came the young disciples, including Zhan Qingzhu, with Nie Kong among them. The entry order into the Ghost Domain had been arranged by Zhan Baisong on the way: Supreme Elders first, then Elders, followed by the younger disciples, with the remaining Eighth Rank experts entering last.

"Hmm?"

As Nie Kong and the others entered the vortex, the other elder who had been sitting motionlessly suddenly let out a soft sound and opened his eyes. Even the elder called "Brother Qin" by Zhan Baisong opened his eyes in surprise, their gazes swiftly sweeping over Nie Kong's group.

When the figures of Zhan Feihong and the other Eighth Rank experts also vanished from the vortex, the two old men exchanged a look.

"The Zhan Clan has produced a fine seedling among their youngsters this time. Such a young age, yet already at the Seventh Rank cultivation; given time, his achievements will be limitless."

"Indeed. Perhaps in a few decades, we'll see another War Heart Son!"

"Mmm, that little girl is also quite good. Even younger, yet already a Sixth Rank Black Spirit Master. She should reach the Seventh Rank by the age of twenty-five at the latest."

"The Zhan Clan is certainly flourishing with talent. It's a pity for me; my Feathered Sword Sect is facing a gap between generations, with very few younger disciples worth noting."

"..."

Upon entering the center of the vortex, Nie Kong's vision went black, and he felt almost nothing. His sight cleared again to find himself and Zhan Qingzhu’s group standing in a small hall, beneath which lay another massive vortex outlined by dark black arcs.

Zhan Baisong and the others were standing beside the vortex, their expressions grave.

"What needed to be said, I covered on the journey. Remember this: your purpose in the Ghost Domain is to temper your character and accumulate experience, not to purge Nether Beasts. I hope all of you return unharmed when we leave in a month." Zhan Baisong looked at the young disciples sternly.

"Yes!"

Zhan Qingzhu and the others responded loudly, though their faces betrayed a clear eagerness to fight.

Zhan Baisong said no more. After Zhan Feihong and the others entered, he led the group out of the hall. Once outside the door, the prior stillness vanished entirely. All sorts of sounds rushed into their ears—laughter, shouting, and the roars of Nether Beasts—all mingling together.

Nie Kong scanned his surroundings. He saw continuous mountain ranges, with a solitary small palace standing isolated between heaven and earth. Above the palace, a massive vortex, tens of meters in diameter, spun slowly. At the bottom of the vortex, invisible forces surged outward continuously, coalescing into a nearly transparent circular shield.

The area spanning a hundred meters around the hall, including the structure itself, was enveloped by this shield.

On the way here, Nie Kong had heard Zhan Baisong explain that this shield existed because of the Ghost Domain's seal. As long as the seal remained firm, the shield would persist, preventing even numerous Ninth Rank Nether Beasts from breaking through. Thus, safety was guaranteed as long as they remained within the shield’s perimeter.

At this moment, a large number of figures were gathered around the hall, some sitting in meditation, others engaged in lively discussion. In the distant mountain ranges, the trees swayed incessantly, and roars shot toward the sky, as if countless Nether Beasts were watching the people gathered before the hall.

"Brother Zhan, you've finally arrived!"

A graceful middle-aged man drifted over in a fluid motion, holding a map. He tapped it twice and smiled, "Same old rules. This time, our Heaven Piercing Sect is responsible for clearing the Nether Beasts in Sectors One and Two. Your Zhan Clan handles Sectors Three and Four. Any issues?"

The entire Ghost Domain was divided into thirty sectors. Generally, each Over-Tier Sect was assigned two sectors, High-Tier Sects one, and Middle-Tier Sects divided according to the situation. This division had been established during the first clearance of the Ghost Domain and continued to this day, with only minor adjustments.

"Agreed! We will head to Sectors Three and Four immediately!"

Zhan Baisong seemed to harbor no fondness for the Heaven Piercing Sect members. He merely nodded slightly upon hearing the proposal, then turned to his group. "After we depart, Nie Kong will be in charge here." As soon as he finished speaking, Zhan Baisong turned and walked toward the outside of the circular shield.

"Yes."

Although Zhan Baisong's voice was light, the tone carried an undeniable command. Zhan Qingzhu and the others glanced at Nie Kong before reluctantly agreeing.

"Be careful," Zhan Tianlun patted Nie Kong’s shoulder and whispered a brief instruction before hurrying to follow Zhan Baisong and the others. Before leaving, Zhan Feihong also gave Nie Kong a meaningful look. In truth, Zhan Feihong felt Nie Kong should stay at War God Mountain to cultivate and refine medicine, rather than coming to the Ghost Domain. But according to Zhan Clan rules, outstanding disciples must undergo trials in the Ghost Domain, leaving Zhan Feihong with no recourse.

The figures of Zhan Baisong and the others soon disappeared into the distant forest.

Nie Kong withdrew his gaze and saw the varied looks of Zhan Qingzhu and the others. He couldn't help a wry smile—he had unexpectedly become the leader of these fellows. However, he suspected this leadership role would only be honorary. Zhan Qingzhu and the others would only train in the outer fringes of the Ghost Domain, whereas, due to the Arc Disk, he would have to venture deep inside.

According to classified information secretly shared by Zhan Tianlun, a master skilled in concealment techniques was always assigned to guard these Zhan Clan youngsters nearby. If he were to rashly leave this place and penetrate deep into the Ghost Domain, that hidden expert would certainly manifest and stop him.

He still needed to carefully consider how he could disappear silently from under the noses of the Zhan Clan members.