As the dawn first broke across the horizon, the Ghost Domain, silent for half the night, seemed to awaken abruptly. Countless roars converged into a massive torrent, surging straight toward the heavens. Disciples from various sects within the sealing perimeter were all startled awake, spilling out of their tents.

"Get ready! Get ready! The Nether Beasts are about to attack!"

"Remember, don't overextend yourselves. If you can't hold on, fall back here immediately!"

"The beast tide is coming. Don't scatter when it hits!"

"..."

All sorts of voices rose and fell in clamor.

"Rumble... rumble..."

The roaring intensified, and in moments, it sounded like ten thousand horses galloping, shaking the very mountains and earth, causing the faces of many young disciples entering the Ghost Domain for the first time to pale with alarm.

Immediately after, a dark mass, like a rolling cloud, surged from the distant forests, 'pitch-black and pressing down,' arriving outside the protective dome in less than ten seconds. They were all Nether Beasts.

"Bang! Bang..."

Innumerable Nether Beasts slammed against the nearly transparent dome, only to be repelled instantly. The sound of fierce collisions was incessant.

In that moment, an utterly spectacular scene unfolded around the ancient halls, stirring the hearts of all who witnessed it. Fortunately, the action of clearing the Ghost Domain had been ongoing for years, allowing the various sects to accumulate vast experience; when the Nether Beasts launched their initial assault, not a single person stepped outside the sealed area.

Otherwise, even a Seventh-rank Black Spirit Master would have been trampled into a bloody pulp by the overwhelming tide of beasts.

"Bang! Bang..."

The leading Nether Beasts were thrown back, and those following crashed into the barrier in succession. The violent impact sounds continued for nearly ten minutes before gradually slowing down.

These low-tier Nether Beasts possessed extremely weak intelligence, knowing only to slam against the seal day after day, year after year. The higher-tier Nether Beasts, however, remained hidden deep within the Ghost Domain—especially the Ninth-rank ones, which never moved lightly. Yet, the Black Spirit Masters of the Nether Soil were acutely aware that the constant emergence of these beast tides was the direct result of those high-tier beasts commanding them. Thus, during every expedition into the Ghost Domain, the high-tier beasts lurking in the depths were always the primary targets for elimination.

Momentum gained is strength, but momentum lost leads to decay and eventual exhaustion.

This adage applied equally to the beasts' assault. After the first wave of impacts, the second immediately followed, though its force was significantly diminished compared to the first, and its duration shorter. By the third wave, fewer beasts were participating; most hovered around the periphery.

At this point, numerous gaps had appeared outside the dome.

"Kill!"

Someone suddenly roared, charging out of the dome first. Behind him, more Black Spirit Masters surged outward in all directions.

"Let's begin as well!"

Nie Kong took a deep breath and stepped beyond the sealed boundary. The disciples of the Zhan Clan waiting behind him were already eager; hearing Nie Kong’s command, almost all of them poured out.

"Roar!"

The surrounding Nether Beasts, like hungry wolves catching the scent of fresh meat, charged the nearest Black Spirit Masters with bloodshot eyes. The howls of the beasts and the fierce shouts of the Black Spirit Masters mingled into a unified din.

"Roar! Roar!"

Facing two roaring Nether Beasts charging at him, Nie Kong suddenly closed his eyes. The sensation he had experienced while observing the sparring of Seventh-rank Black Spirit Masters in the Zhan Xin Hall surged back, amplified and growing strangely profound, as if every movement in this space had been mapped entirely within his mind.

In an instant, the beasts’ ferocious fangs were less than half a foot from his head. Nie Kong delivered two gentle punches.

"Bang! Bang!"

Dead Qi sank directly into the beasts' hearts. The two Nether Beasts didn't even manage a cry of pain before their massive bodies were flung over ten meters away. The interiors of their hearts were completely pulverized, yet the thin membranes surrounding the organs and their other viscera showed not the slightest damage.

Soon, Nie Kong was submerged within the fray, moving through the space within a dozen meters as if strolling leisurely. With almost every punch thrown, a Nether Beast died. Most miraculously, these beasts appeared as if they had simply fallen asleep—not a single drop of blood seeped from their bodies as they landed.

"Kill!"

In the eastern part of the square, a burly man roared, swinging a cyan curved blade in his hand. The charging Nether Beasts were sliced into countless fragments, and he plunged directly into the rain of gore descending upon him. Instantly, the man's entire face was smeared crimson, yet he showed no concern; instead, he stuck out his tongue to lick the corner of his mouth, a look of intoxication crossing his features.

"Kill!"

Moments later, the strong man swung his blade toward another beast, and less than two seconds later, he was once again reveling in the bath of beast flesh and blood. Beside him were several other figures exhibiting the same fervor, including even a woman. These were the disciples from one of the High-Tier Sects: the 'Slaughter Island'! Bloodthirsty to the point of madness.

Dozens of meters away from the Slaughter Island disciples, near the edge of the dome, a woman in white fluttered like a butterfly weaving through flowers. Nether Beasts fell ceaselessly beneath her smooth, fair fingers, yet from beginning to end, not a single speck of blood sullied her pristine white attire, which remained as snowy as ever.

She was Mo Xinyue of the Duntian Sect.

Beside her were other Duntian Sect disciples. Though their movements lacked Mo Xinyue’s sheer elegance, they were equally fluid and composed. Every strike they made was executed with effortless naturalness, seemingly without trace, much like an antelope hanging from a horn. Indeed, 'naturalness' was the ultimate truth pursued by the Duntian Sect.

Not far from Mo Xinyue and her group were the disciples of the Lingyu Sword Sect.

"Shhh! Shhh!"

The sharp whistling sound accompanied Ye Qiance's sword as it flashed intermittently. Every Nether Beast that fell under his blade was divided into precisely eight pieces. Yet, after slaying each beast, his gaze would subtly flick toward Mo Xinyue. The more he observed, the fiercer the hidden fire in his eyes burned.

Grisly slaughter unfolded continuously around the seal. Sounds of slicing through the air, whooshing strikes, shouts of war, cries for help, and the beasts' anguished screams merged into one chaotic symphony. In a mere few minutes, the emerald-green grassland was dyed crimson with blood, littered everywhere with the corpses and shattered fragments of various Nether Beasts. The stench of blood was overwhelmingly thick.

Before long, people began retreating back into the seal—some wounded, others depleted of their Spirit Power, or having encountered beasts too powerful to overcome... Once safely out of the danger zone, some of the youngsters experiencing such a scene for the first time couldn't suppress it, covering their mouths and vomiting.

As time wore on, more and more individuals returned inside the seal. This shift meant that the Black Spirit Masters still fighting on the outer perimeter continuously dwindled.

"Second Uncle."

Mo Xinyue also withdrew, breathing lightly, a faint flush coloring her beautiful features, making her appear even more alluringly delicate.

"Oh?"

Mo Yu nodded slightly, his eyes never leaving Nie Kong’s retreating back on the field. Mo Xinyue watched him for a moment, a faint mist seeming to settle over her beautiful eyes. She murmured, "Nie Kong’s cultivation is terrifyingly powerful. It's a pity he isn't a disciple of our Duntian Sect, but... I have a way."

"Xinyue, I'll give you three days."

"Mm."

The corners of Mo Xinyue’s lips curved upward, a captivating smile rippling from her dew-kissed eyes...

The disciples from the High-Tier and Middle-Tier sects retreated from the fierce combat: the Lingyu Sword Sect retreated... the Shenyin Sect retreated... the Duntian Sect retreated... About half an hour later, only the disciples of the eternally bloodthirsty 'Slaughter Island' and the ever-steady Zhan Clan members remained outside the seal.

The remaining Nether Beasts swarmed toward them entirely, significantly increasing the pressure on the Zhan Clan forces.

Only Nie Kong remained, still immersed in that wondrous state of perception; not a single Nether Beast had managed to touch his body. For him, this was no longer a battle, but a one-sided slaughter. With his current strength, these beasts had no possible means of harming him.

"Hmm?"

A thought stirred in Nie Kong's mind, and he suddenly realized that Zhan Qingzhu had unknowingly drifted twenty to thirty meters away. She was currently entangled by two Sixth-rank Nether Beasts and three Fifth-rank ones, her situation perilous. The other Zhan Clan disciples were desperately trying to converge on her position, but the beasts were simply too numerous, making advancement nearly impossible.

"Whoosh!"

Nie Kong’s eyes snapped open. With two swift leaps, he landed beside Zhan Qingzhu, grabbing her shoulder and tossing her back toward the safety of the seal.

Simultaneously, Nie Kong rapidly tapped the heads of the five surrounding Nether Beasts with his right index finger, moving with blinding speed.

Initially, Nie Kong’s index finger showed no abnormality. However, after the second tap struck a beast’s head, Nie Kong suddenly noticed his finger had grown significantly thicker. By the fifth tap, that index finger had swollen to the girth of a child's arm.

Nie Kong felt profound surprise.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a loud resonance erupted from his Yuming Acupoint. Nie Kong was thrilled to discover that the third Nether Star within that hidden point had, without him realizing it, turned completely golden. The 'Crimson Star' mass within the Nether Star exploded, its myriad specks integrating into Nie Kong's body. His 'Crimson Star Battle Body' simultaneously reached the third level.

What was this?

Could slaughter actually aid the cultivation of the 'Crimson Star Battle Body' and the 'War God Star Seal'?

Nie Kong felt both joy and astonishment.

However, this was clearly not the moment for distraction. Nie Kong swiftly collected himself, and with a flash, he was back in the fray between the Zhan Clan disciples and the Nether Beasts.

In a short while, all the Nether Beasts surrounding the seal seemed to be roaring and charging toward this single point. Nie Kong glanced sideways and realized that the people from Slaughter Island had also retreated back inside the dome.

"Fall back!"

Seeing the dense tide of Nether Beasts surging forward like a wave, Nie Kong hesitated for no reason, sending a single sound resonance piercing through the roars of the surrounding beasts and reaching the ears of the twenty-odd Zhan Clan disciples. They all knew this was no time for bravado; they fought while retreating.

Yet, the Nether Beasts charged with terrifying speed. In mere seconds, the group was completely encircled. Originally, there were only a dozen or so beasts in the twenty-meter distance between them and the dome; now, the number of beasts exceeded one hundred.

The myriad beasts advanced relentlessly, impossible to fully eliminate, and for a moment, the situation became extremely critical.

"Second Uncle, should we make a move?"

Watching Nie Kong and the others, whose heads were barely visible above the throng of beasts, Mo Xinyue asked with a smile.

"No rush, no rush. It hasn't reached the most dangerous moment yet. Besides, do you think the Zhan Clan has no one guarding them from the shadows?" Mo Yu slightly shook his head.

"..."

Zhan Qingzhu, having just been thrown back into the safe zone by Nie Kong, grew anxious watching the scene. But with so many beasts outside, anything she could do alone would be like pouring a cup of water on a raging fire. If she forced her way out, she wouldn't save them; instead, she would likely sacrifice her own life.

Thus, Zhan Qingzhu instinctively turned her head.

Merely meeting her gaze, the surrounding young disciples immediately shied away. The danger of charging out to save someone now was simply too immense.

Zhan Qingzhu gritted her teeth, a flicker of reckless determination flashing in her eyes, and she took a step, ready to dash past the dome—only to suddenly see a radiant, dazzling burst of gold erupting from the midst of the beast swarm...